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Bursting into the 1980s on a new label (the then-upstart, now-legendary Rough Trade) and with an augmented, audibly panicked lineup, The Fall's Grotesque is the true pure-bred Fall release from the Marc Riley era. Released in the immediate wake of The Fall's most beloved single (Totally Wired), the album carries over that righteously famed teeth-chattering, bolstered in no small part by the drumming of new addition Paul Hanley, brother of bassist Steve Hanley and aged only 15 at the time of recording

In 1997, a quiet, unassuming man of 59 years old named Victor Tavares - better know as Bitori - walks into a studio for the very first time to record a masterpiece which many Cabo Verdean consider to be the best Funaná album ever made. Bitori´s musical adventure had begun long before this point. It was 1954 when he embarked on a journey across the seas to the island of Sao Tomé & Principe. The young man´s hope was to return to Cabo Verde with an accordion.

Following two years of hard labour Bitori had succeeded in saving enough money to acquire what was to become his most valued possession, his cherished instrument. The two month journey back to Santiago, his island of birth, proved time enough to master it. Self taught, Bitori developed his own style, an infectious blaze, that quickly caught the attention of the older generation. Before long Bitori was being asked to share his musical talents, igniting the local festivities around Praia with his music.

But not everybody welcomed the rural accordion-based sound. Perceived as a symbol of the struggle for Cape Verdean independence and frowned upon as music of uneducated peasants, Funaná was prohibited by the Portuguese colonial rulers. Performing it in public or in urban centres had serious consequences - often jail time and torture awaited musicians that were caught in the act'. In light of such persecution the genre of Funaná began to slowly disappear.

In 1975 Cabo Verde achieved independence from Portuguese colonial rule. Along with Cabo Verde's independence came a lifting of the ban placed on Funaná. The musical repercussions in Cabo Verde were plenty - many upcoming artists embraced Funaná, translating and adapting its musical form in new ways. It was not to be until the mid-1990's, however, that Funaná in its traditional form was actually recorded. It was a young singer from Tarafal, Chando Graciosa, who was to play a key role in this event. Upon hearing Bitori, Graciosa immediately felt drawn to Bitori's unique playing style - a raw and passionate sound accompanied by honest lyrics that reflected the harsh reality of the Cabo Verdean working class. He eagerly approached Bitori suggesting they join forces and travel overseas with the objective of taking Funaná beyond its rural roots. The two of them, with others in tow, achieved their goal and travelled to Europe, introducing a receptive European audience to the vibrant energy of Funaná.

Eventually Bitori returned to his beloved Cabo Verde. Graciosa opted to settle in Rotterdam in order to pursue his career - he vowed, however, to bring Bitori across to Holland at a later date to record an album.

In 1997 the time was ripe to immortalise the sound Bitori had shaped over a time span of four decades. Built around a formidable rhythm section, formed of drummer Grace Evora and bass player Danilo Tavares, "Bitori Nha Bibinha" was recorded. The recording catapulted Chando Graciosa to stardom, making him Cabo Verde´s No.1 interpreter of Funaná.

The success in Cabo Verde was phenomenal and Funaná rapidly gained the recognition it deserved, especially in urban dance clubs. Bitori´s songs quickly became standards - classics known and loved throughout the country. The musical success, however, was solely limited to the Cabo Verdean islands - until now!
Analog Africa is proud to contribute to the worldwide promotion of Funaná - the once forbidden sound of the Cabo Verde archipelago - by releasing a worldwide re-issue of Bitori and Chando Graciosa´s legendary recording.

The release will herald Bitori´s first European tour taking place during the summer of 2016. Watch this space! And listen!

Ben Sun returns to Delusions for his 4th release on the label including three more tracks which show the Australian via London on his best form yet. Full Moon kicks off the Tides EP at full throttle with a muscular conga-led disco house roller. Slurping 909 hats and the most twisted of synth solos courtesy of regular collaborator Fantastic Man (and his beloved Juno 60) provide the icing on this simple bass-cake which never fails to energize the dancefloor in the most special of ways.
Star Ritual drops next, going heavy on the percussion once again for a minimal stripped back drum tool which packs a mighty punch. Dubbed out vocal hits punctuate the beautifully loose groove with subtle hints of afrobeat implied by the bassline making for a warm summer track dripping with tropical vibes.
Finally we have Glass Waves bringing the EP to a glorious close, all chiming synths, bouncing moog bass and waves of chords layering on top of a heavy drum track. Ben repping an early 90's blissed out Nu Groove mood on this one and managing to sound as fresh as ever in the process.

When Kompakt came across Amsterdam-based Harm Coolen and Merijn Schotte Albers aka WEVAL back in 2014, we were blown away when we heard their slow-burning, darkly emotive tracks.

Their debut EP 'Half Age' on Atomnation featured painfully intimate and surprisingly kinetic electronic chamber pop that convinced us they were a perfect fit in Kompakt's family. Following two widely acclaimed EPs for Kompakt and playing numerous festivals including DGTL, Reeperbahn, Iceland Airwaves and Piknic Electronik, we now see the two tackle their self-titled debut full-length WEVAL. What you have before you is not a mere collection of tracks, but a complete listening experience with organic flow, emotional heft and a narrative thread.
Smitten with WEVAL's uniquely personal and catchy approach to producing dark electronic music, it didn't take much to win us over... and so came WEVAL's acclaimed 2014 label debut EASIER EP (KOMPAKT 318), followed by the bold and beautiful 2015 offering IT'LL BE JUST FINE / GROW UP (KOMPAKT 344) which saw the two soundsmiths digging deeper into the granularities of electronic funk than ever before. However, Harm and Merijn's music - while astonishingly fully-formed even in its earliest stages - always seemed destined for more, a bigger format, more space to explore the nooks and crannies of their rapidly evolving sound cosmos. Simply put, they needed to think about an album and their beloved living room studio wasn't cutting it anymore.
An old school building became WEVAL's new home, repurposed to house small creative businesses - but in the summer of 2015, it was abandoned most of the time, with everybody out in the sun while our heroes turned the building's attic into a sweet spot to make some noise, have 24-hour access and lose track of time. And apart from a sketchy tenant being evicted, the occasional soccer game with friends and live gigs across Europe, there really was no interruption to the focussed vibe. It's not like they were looking for distraction anyway: "working on the album all by ourselves in this bloody hot attic was all we had on our mind", the artists admit. And they decided that their album shouldn't sound too clean: "We try to find the beauty in imperfection. It makes things sound more human".
Weval draw their inspirations from no single genre of music but a cumulation of music that inspires them. The results present an astonishingly coherent vision - cuts like the dramatic THE BATTLE, bass growler I DON'T NEED IT or the trippy epic MADNESS share the same DNA of zestful nostalgia, a knack for immersive sound-sculpting and that certain kink in the groove. They also feed on deeply personal experiences and moods, as exemplified by the haunting electronic ballad YOU'RE MINE, the carefully layered, polaroid-tinted JUST IN CASE or the beautifully voiced closer YEARS TO BUILD. And sometimes, it's just an old, out-of-tune piano that stands in the hallway: "Whenever I'd pass by it, I couldn't resist playing it", says Merijn, "so Harm decided to start recording and it became an integral part of YOU MADE IT (PART I)". No doubt about it: this is WEVAL's most powerful and organic material yet - which means a lot, considering the amount of skill already on display in their small, but weighty portfolio.
(de) Als sich 2014 in Amsterdam Kompakts Wege mit denen von Harm Coolen und Merijn Schotte Albers aka WEVAL kreuzten, waren wir sofort Feuer und Flamme für ihre schwelenden, emotional aufgeladenen Tracks. Ihre Debüt-EP "Half Age" auf Atomnation präsentierte intimen und überraschend kinetischen, elektronischen Kammer-Pop, der wie angegossen zu Kompakt zu passen schien. Nach zwei vielbeachteten EPs auf dem Label und einer Reihe von Festvialgigs (inklusive DGTL, Reeperbahn Festival, Iceland Airwaves und Piknic Electronik) nehmen Weval nun mit dem gleichnamigen Release ihr erstes Album in Angriff. Und legen dabei nicht einfach nur eine Ansammlung von Tracks vor, sondern kreieren eine komplette Hörerfahrung mit organischem Flow, emotionalem Gewicht und einm roten Faden.
Angetan vom einzigartig persönlichen und mitreissend düsteren Klang WEVALs brauchte es nicht viel um uns zu überzeugen... und so kam es 2014 zum gefeierten Labeldebüt EASIER EP (KOMPAKT 318), gefolgt vom kühnen und wunderschönen 2015er Release IT'LL BE JUST FINE / GROW UP (KOMPAKT 344), für das die beiden Soundtüftler tiefer denn je in die Granularitäten des elektronischen Funks abtauchten. Nichtsdestotrotz - und obwohl sie schon von Anfang an ausgereift klang - schien die Musik von Harm und Merijn auf dem 12"-Format stets bestimmt für mehr: mehr Freiraum um auch die äussersten Winkel ihres rapide expandierenden Soundkosmos zu erkunden. Sie mussten schlichtweg zum Langspielformat wechseln, und ihr heissgeliebtes Wohnzimmerstudio konnte da nicht mehr mithalten.
Ein altes Schulgebäude wurde schliesslich WEVALs neues Zuhause, umfunktioniert für kleine Kreativunternehmen - doch im heissen Sommer 2015 stand es zumeist leer, da alle draussen in der Sonne badeten, während unsere Helden im Schweisse ihres Angesichts das Kellergeschoss in ein lärmfestes Aufnahmestudio verwandelten. Mit Studiozugang rund um die Uhr liess es sich bestens die Zeit vergessen. Und abgesehen von der Räumung eines zwielichtigen Nebenmieters, dem gelegentlichen Fussballspiel mit Freunden und natürlich Live-Gigs in ganz Europa, gab es auch keine Ablenkungen vom hochkonzentrierten Kreativfluss. Ablenkungen, die das Duo ohnehin nicht suchte: "ganz allein in diesem verdammt heissen Keller am Album arbeiten war alles, was wir im Sinn hatten", geben die Künstler zu. Und sie entschieden sich, dass ihr Album nicht zu sauber klingen sollte: "Wir versuchen die Schönheit im Makel zu finden. Es lässt die Dinge einfach menschlicher wirken."
Weval beziehen ihre Inspiration nicht aus einem einzelnen musikalischen Genre, sondern eher aus einer Akkumulation von Musik, die sie inspiriert. Die Ergebnisse zeichnet eine beeindruckend kohärente Vision aus - Aufnahmen wie das dramatische THE BATTLE, der Bassknurrer I DON'T NEED IT oder die Trip-Saga MADNESS teilen diesselbe DNA aus schwungvoller Nostalgie, einer Schwäche für immersive Klangschnitzerei und einer gewissen Delle im Groove. Sie nähren sich auch aus zutiefst persönlichen Erfahrungen und Stimmungen, wie zum Beispiel bei der eindringlichen elektronischen Ballade YOU'RE MINE, dem vorsichtig geschichteten, polaroid-gefärbten JUST IN CASE oder dem wunderschön gesungenen Schlussakt YEARS TO BUILD. Und manchmal ist es nur ein altes, verstimmtes Klavier, das im Flur herumsteht: "Immer wenn ich dran vorbei lief, musste ich darauf herumklimpern", erklärt Merijn, "also wurde es ein zentraler Bestandteil von YOU MADE IT (PART I)". Kein Zweifel: dies ist WEVAL's stärkstes und organischstes Material bisher - was durchaus was bedeutet, wenn man das Talent bedenkt welches bereits in schmalen, doch gewichtigen Portfolio der Band steckt.

All Tracks Written and Produced by S3A
Mastered by Kuniyuki Takahashi

This house project, based on the idea that electronic music is a blend of different cultures and music, started 15 years ago when Max began jamming on analog machines and samplers with different projects from techno (FriendShip Connection) to house (S3A).
It is through this project that he expresses, among other things, his taste for soul and House music. Such as his beloved artists MCDE, Floating Points... he uses the process of sampling as a basis to color his music with sounds of all his inspirations, he always add his own touch and groove to get his own vision of electronic music: dynamic, warm, emotional and dirty.

Although he discovered electronic music in 92 through UK hardcore with DJ as Tanith or Producer, his culture is based on a solid knowledge of house music, soul, funk, hip hop, making him one of the most promising house artists of the French scene since 2009.

He first came to Paris with Zadig to realize his childhood dream: building a studio and later collaboration, Frendship Connection (All is just a matter of time has actually been playlisted by Marcel Dettmann).

His residency at Concrete helped him to confirm his DJ position since the last 4 years adding as well releases on Lazare Hoche Records, Hold Youth, Concrete Music, Local Talk, Phonogramme and Faces. With these releases, his remix for Laurent Garnier on Music Large and his booking request from the French legend to play with him for his residency at Rex club and Concrete, gave him legitimacy and visibility in all over Europe.


In 2014 he decided to make his own label Sampling As An Art Records and focus on finding new-blooded artists and release his very personal music. A perfect definition between underground quality emotional house music and dancefloor efficiency!
In 2015, he released a collaborative EP on Uncanny Valley Label with Max Graef and Cuthead (whom released S3A RECORDS 03 the same year), made his first live representations and currently continue to spread his vision of music.

Erased Tapes artists and friends Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm have separately carved out a musical career that defies genres both with their unique live shows and a loyal fan base that's always eager to hear what their prolific output will bring.

Their latest collaborative 2-track release 'Life Story Love and Glory' is a live improv affair on two pianos, recorded in 2012 at Nils's Durton Studio in Berlin. Fans may wonder why they have waited until 2015 to release these tracks, but having revealed a new website you may think this may not be the end to their musical story this year.

We would meet in Reykjavik or Berlin with the intention to share some days off work, hiking, swimming or eating pizza. That is great for a couple days, but after a while we would always end up back in the studio, fiddling with synths or pianos.' - Nils Frahm.

You can hear in the beginning of 'Life Story' how I have already started playing the piano whilst Nils is still moving microphones around and preparing everything. It was all kept in! - Ólafur Arnalds
'Life Story Love and Glory' will be released as a 7' on Erased Tapes - exclusively through record stores only on August 21, 2015 ahead of its digital release later on - as an ode to this classic and beloved format.

Part 2 of Editors Kutz 005 pressed on Purple Vinyl feat cuts from JKriv / Noodleman / Riccio & EmVee who round things off nicely.
With edits and reworks on little known or impossible to find originals, and some beloved classics, this release covers various disco styles, keeping the right balance between the up-tempo and low tempo vibes. Limited Repress act fast.

The second part in the Hudd Traxx 10th Anniversary 'Now & Then' compilation sees tracks from Luna City Express, Sek, Iz & Diz and Rick Wade. Berlin duo Luna City Express serve up a lush deep house groove that builds throughout the track, and will bring a smile to the faces of those who follow them on their beloved Moon Habour Recordings. Sek uses slick beats, trippy leads, a driving bassline and some 'Thug life' vocals to ensure this one has 'future classic' written all over it. Go back in time (to 2006 to be precise) on the 'Then' side to find Iz & Diz's 'Happy'. The words 'epic' & 'journey' are often misused in music but both can be mentioned about this track. It had devastating effect on first release and is set to do the same again nearly 10 years later. Rick Wade closes things out in fine style to fly the Detroit flag on an all Chicago / Detroit side.

After many hours spent fishing, AMIT returns with another four track EP on his beloved label AMAR.

Without being centred on any particular sound the '4 Stories' EP is collection of tracks ranging from 120 - 170 BPM, covering sociopathic hunts, derelict towns, a victims song and programmable mind chips.

With support from a variety of front-runners such as Machinedrum, Skream, Dbridge, Jimmy Edgar, Goldie, Youngsta, Doc Scott & Nomine these 4 stories have been told the world over.

Poker Flat Recordings has been dealing out underground house music with a unique twist since 1999; from the defining debut 'Loverboy' through the Bugnology series, acclaimed albums and worldwide club hits, Steve Bug's essential imprint has unearthed new talent, developed rising stars and welcomed veterans into the fold. Steve Bug's reputation as an exceptionally gifted DJ, producer and music connoisseur is about to carry the beloved imprint to its 15th anniversary, which will be celebrated with its finest collection of raw talent yet, starting with this first installment of the anniversary series called 4 Jacks. Following the winning format of the series thus far, Part 3 boasts two slamming new remixes of classics from the vault, and two brand spanking new tracks from Poker Flat's stellar roster. Argy's 'Love Dose' of 2005 marked the debut of one of the scene's most fascinating newcomers, and defined the sound of minimal courtesy of an unforgettable remix by Luciano; now getting a 2014 update, the track has been taken to by the talented duo Audiofly, who makeover its identity with their signature sleek deep tech style. Two heavyweights go up against each other next, as Joeski tackles the Martin Landsky classic 'Reject

Breakbeat Paradise Recordings is proud to present Tom Showtime with his brand new 4-track vinyl release, The Butter Zone EP. As it has done so many times before BBP is bringing Ghetto Funk and Funky Breaks back to its roots by putting the funk in focus and letting the rest speak for itself. Never before has it been done as well as this with Tom Showtime getting on board and tailor-making this 4-track EP of banging feel good jams around our genres beloved 105 BPM, aka The Butter Zone.

Tom Showtime is no newbie to the field having dropped laid-back funk bombs on lables like Groove Penguin, Booty Fruit, Riddim Fruit, Tru-Funk as well as an artist EP on the Ghetto Funk label.

This time he really means business as he takes us on a deep dive into his crates of samples and treats us with some flawless ghetto boogie jams. The EP even comes with a scratchapella cut - so DJs don't forget to pick up your doubles...

With a stellar year in the life of La Fleur coming to an end, the Berlin-based artist is set to close 2013 on a high, with the return to her own beloved imprint Power Plant. After landing a coveted residency with acclaimed Berlin club Watergate, and producing a chart-topping EP as her debut for the club's inhouse label, the Feline EP brings La Fleur back to her roots: unique house music that leaves an imprint on you long after you hear it. A-side track 'Kattflickan' establishes the theme, drawing on the Swedish term for 'cat girl' as its inspiration. It cuts a sleek figure, and is a slower, groovier, quirkier iteration of La Fleur's signature house sound. 'Kattflickan' revealing more detail with every change, and providing a colorful journey through the spectrum of La Fleur's sound. On the B-side, the chiming bell melody of 'Feline' carries it from the outset, and is the genesis of its mysterious and ethereal mood. Punchy drums and layered, meshed chords and its hazy chorus of rising vocal harmonies make it fit for any set. As delicate as it is completely assured, 'Feline' is another irresistible example of La Fleur's balance of dancefloor appeal and melodic richness.

With the homespun warmth of his album still keeping us toasty as the temperature drops in the Northern hemisphere, Dave Aju offers up two choice cuts from Heirlooms to receive surgical treatment at the hands of dear friends and respected practitioners in our beloved corner of electronic music. The divine boogie-fuelled electro pop of 'Caller#7' stood out as one of the most flamboyant and earsnagging tracks on the album, so who better to entrust the remix to than Seth Troxler and Subb-an Seth of course is a long-time partner of Circus Company, stretching back to 2008 when he first recorded an EP for us with Patrick Russell. Subb-an may be a new cat to us, but there's no denying the impact he has made with his releases for some of the strongest tech house labels around. In the hands of this formidable duo, 'Caller#7' gets sharpened and honed into a peak-time floor-filler. The vocals from Dave and dOP's Jaw and that inimitable bassline remain intact, with the focus switched to boosting the rhythms that propel this party-starter while a disgruntled caller drops in on Radio KAJU to speak her mind like a true soul sister should. On the flipside, we take great pleasure in inviting the maverick Swede Axel Boman to work his magic on 'Away Away'. After exploding onto the scene in a flurry of hedonistic imagination and cheeky originality, Axel has charmed all that come before him with his releases and his Studio Barnhus label. He treats us to a glorious, soaring version of Dave's track that shuns shortening days and worsening weather, and instead places you at the top of a mountain as the sun rises in a cloudless sky, gently building but never peaking in a truly life-affirming concoction of house music for the heart.

Leonard Cohen is indubitably one of the most legendary and successful singer-songwriters from the '60s. However, his label at first refused to release 'Various Positions', his seventh studio album, saying "Look, Leonard; we know you're great, but we don't know if you're any good". The success of the album proved them wrong, giving us one of his most beloved and arguably his most covered song 'Hallelujah', along other gems such as 'Heart With No Companion' and the Gainsbourg-esque 'Dance Me To The End Of Love'. This is a nice addition to the rest of Cohen's releases on Music On Vinyl.

The Running Back sports team is glad to welcome two new players to its roster. Dplay and whiz kid Manuel Tur (see also his brilliant RIBN stuff) have caused a great stir with a bouquet of 12-inches for outfits like Zurich's beloved Drumpoet Community or the Compost Black Label as well as knocking out well-made remixes.