Yan Cook is a strong pillar of the label, an artist that inspired us and the techno world with consistency and creativity. His sound is a brilliant evolution of what modern functional techno represents today, and we are more than happy to present you his very visit LP on the label. 'XXX' is the celebration of Yan music in the purest form, the artist made his own artwork and the entire package was created to take you into his word without any filters, just techno in the purest form.
“i was put on this earth”, his first solo music since 2022, and debut on XL
Recordings.
On “i was put on this earth”, DJ Python - aka Brian Piñeyro - gently forays into uncharted territory as a singer, producer,
and collaborator; an evolution all the more impressive in light of his groundbreaking musical projects to date like Mas
Amble, Angel, and Club Sentimientos Vol 2. While splitting his time between New York and London, Python has teamed
up with a diverse set of collaborators including South London rapper Jawnino, Honduran-born powerhouse Isabella
Lovestory, unclassifiable songwriter Organ Tapes, and NYC mainstay Physical Therapy. Across the five-track EP,
Python shares bold solo songs alongside these intriguing collaborations. The project retains the captivating melodies,
atmospheric textures, and rhythmic innovation that defined Python's earlier recordings while building on and shaping these
signature elements into ambitious and addictive new songs.
The first look at the EP comes in the form of “Besos Robados”. Isabella Lovestory lends an insouciant yet insistent vocal
to this sublime downtempo lovers' reggaeton track that's been a fan-favourite since appearing on Python's epic BBC
Radio 1’s Essential Mix.
On ‘i was put on this earth’, DJ Python says “to whom it may concern…
its too beautiful to embrace change and to challenge urself to find something meaningful in it... i love my friends and
love is deep :') i want them to know that always... but sometimes i get busy and overwhelmed n im not the best at
saying how i feel always... just want to sit around and talk and feel understood together w someone who you like or u
find interesting.. thats the best :) and if the day is nice or if the day is not nice but ur inside and its cozy.. thats too
wicked. and ur making a soup and eating it together... just with the stuff in the kitchen.. dont even go out to get
ingredients.. no need to follow a recipe.. cause ur grandma taught u to cook w the "sazon" (cooking by tasting w as u
go on adding diff ingredients and spices.. no recipes. .. u can only really cook if u can freestyle in the kitchen she said)..
and then u think about how ur grandma taught u that.. and your w someone in the kitchen making something together..
and then u taste it and it warms u up and ur like damn this is fire.. thats what this and i think maybe what "its all"
about... thank u for taking time to read this and i hope you enjoy the album…
kiss u…
Brian”
Damian Lazarus and JOJO ABOT unleash mesmerising new single ‘Warrior Dance’ on Crosstown Rebels. The single builds on the release of the Crosstown founder’s fifth album ‘Magickal’, with remixes provided by Major League Djz and Raxon.
Following the initial shock-drop release of his latest album ‘Magikal’ and the 2025 edition of his revered Day Zero Festival in Tulum, Crosstown Rebels founder Damian Lazarus unveils his next sonic offering, ‘Warrior Dance’, featuring Ghanaian interdisciplinary artist and healer JOJO ABOT.
A dynamic and powerful composition, ‘Warrior Dance’ sees Lazarus and JOJO ABOT craft an entrancing fusion of pulsating beats, immersive textures, and commanding vocals, adding to the album’s diverse soundscapes and blending hypnotic rhythms with amapiano influences. Their synergy extends beyond this track, with the duo having already collaborated on ‘Force’, another standout moment from ‘Magikal’ that showcases JOJO ABOT’s evocative vocal prowess and the influence of her Ghanaian roots.
The release also features two expertly curated remixes as Lazarus once again showcases his renowned A&R talents. South African trailblazers Major League Djz serve up signature driving and captivating grooves, following their remix of Lazarus’ ‘Into The Sun’ feat. Jem Cooke as part of ‘Crosstown Rebels pres. CR20 The Album: Unreleased Gems and Remixes’. Meanwhile, Egyptian-born, Barcelona-based DJ/producer Raxon makes his Crosstown Rebels debut, delivering a tunnelling, driving and off-kilter rework that stays true to his trademark sound, as heard on labels like Kompakt, Ellum, and Diynamic.
The NOW Yearbook series continues with the ultimate soundtrack to one of pop’s most dynamic years: 1998 - out February 14th! This collection brings together the biggest and most iconic tracks from the year, presented across three stunning coloured vinyl discs, pressed in neon violet with 43 tracks from the era and two CD editions available as a standard 4-CD set, and as a special edition 4-CD set in ‘hardback book’ packaging, which includes a 28-page booklet packed with notes about all of the 80 featured tracks that capture the unforgettable sounds from the year. Whether you’re reliving the hits or discovering them for the first time, this collection brings you the best from the singles charts of 1998.. Whether you're revisiting these unforgettable hits or discovering them anew, NOW - Yearbook 1998 brings you the best from the singles charts of 1998!
The Legacy lives on.
While on Belgian Bootlegs 3 one could find “a track that would never be re-released, Maybe Tomorrow” Belgian Bootlegs 4 features another track “that will never be re-released”
FRED & MAX’ “Good Way” is one of the most sought-after Belgian trance-classics. Hard to find copies fetch up to 300€ on Discogs.
Add to this amazing gem a sniff of PAT KRIMSON & OLIVER ADAMS in the form of ULTRA SHOCK (“The Sound Of “E”), another hard to find one, “Pat’s Birthday” by LA BUSH TEAM and an almost forgotten early techno-gem by legends 2 FLYING STONES (“L.F.O. Cookies”) and you know BELGIAN BOOTLEGS 4 is another bestseller.
DJ Quik is a giant of West Coast hip-hop. With 1995’s Safe + Sound, he scaled new levels of musical magnificence with his signature new age P-Funk/laconic G-Funk. A quintessential, sun-scorched LA album, this is pretty much essential. Typical for mid-90s albums the original vinyl copies are now rare so here’s the Be With re-issue, complete with “Tanqueray”, the hidden track from the original CD release.
A preternaturally gifted producer/rapper, DJ Quik has produced scores of LA gangsta rap classics. He’s released platinum and gold records of his own, as well as helped craft them for the likes of Tupac, Snoop Dogg, and Dr Dre. Quik has always been quirkier and more interesting than his gangsta rap peers, both musically and lyrically. An old-school funk producer at heart, he’s also incredibly nice on the mic. His raps often deal in boasts, jokes and good times but also cover his beefs, his trials and his trauma. Partying and pain, all mixed up. DJing and producing hype beat tapes from age 14, Quik’s tracks blended the languid funk and rubbery synths of Zapp and George Clinton with a gangsta aesthetic, creating a more danceable foil to Compton’s more typical nihilistic hedonism. Ultimately, his records sound custom engineered to drift out over sun-soaked barbecues.
By the time of his third album DJ Quik was a household name on the West Coast - California’s premier rapper/producer not named Andre Young. Released on Profile in 1995, Safe + Sound was certified gold. Less reliant on samples and more focused on live instruments, it elevated him from producer to fully-fledged composer. This sound — the quick, winding basslines, tinny high hats, smooth instrumental solos, soulful pipes, and Roger Troutman’s talkbox — defined him. This is an album of full-blown masterpieces. Rich soundscapes and masterfully arranged orchestrations with dense layers of sounds, intricate rhythms, and well-balanced songwriting.
The first track proper, “Get At Me” samples Cameo whilst Quik takes aim at the Judases in his life, the horn-laced chorus providing a triumphant feel. On the horizontal “Diggin’ U Out”, the soulful electric piano of Warryn Campbell lays a relaxed groove for Quik to talk over about one of his favourite topics: sex. Title track “Safe + Sound” chronicles Quik’s formative years over a slick instrumental. The moody bass locks a laidback infectious groove, the hook is catchy and Quik’s delivery is in fine form. On the uber-chilled “Somethin’ 4 Tha Mood”, Quik cooks up a breezy, feel good track of sparkly keyboards, syncopated claps, shuffling hi-hats, woozy synths and a floating two-minute flute solo courtesy of Robert “Fonksta” Bacon. Analysing the highs and lows of an average day in the hood, it echoes Cube’s “It Was a Good Day”.
“It’z Your Fantasy” is a silky smooth soundtrack to Quik’s detailed retelling of a sexcapade with a young lady and whilst “Tha Ho In You” is musically perfect for that midsummer family BBQ, its lyrical content is unsurprisingly decidedly less family-friendly. A real highlight, the infamous “Dollaz + Sense” is one of the most ruthless diss tracks of all time. The brutal lyrics ride a laidback West Coast beat, flipping a sample from Young & Company’s “I Like (What You’re Doing To Me)” as Quik fires lyrical shots at his arch Compton nemesis, MC Eiht. On the loping, hazy “Let You Havit”, Quik is again in gangsta mode, with more bars of barbs aimed at Eiht, rhyming over sun-kissed synthy-rollerskate funk.
Some of the finest tracks on Safe + Sound are those designed to de-stress. The evocative “Summer Breeze” is a classic warm-weather jam, anchored by a twangy funk guitar, breezy string arrangement, and a soulful hook delivered by Dionne Knighton. Quik’s nostalgic lyrics are not far from DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s “Summertime”, reminiscing over barbecues at the park, young love, and the brevity of halcyon youth. The relaxed and jazzy “Quik’s Groove III” is another highlight, as bass, guitar, piano and flute combine to create a smooth, soulful instrumental.
The swaggering “Shack Up”-sampling “Sucka Free” features a cameo from Playa Hamm, all funky braggadocio and over much too quikly (pun thoroughly intended). The jazz-flavoured “Keep Tha ‘P’ In It”, again featuring Playa Hamm but this time extending the cameo invitations to Hi-C, 2nd II None and Kam, is pure laidback P-Funk. The deep bass and industrial drums make sure the groove hits hard.
“Tanqueray” was originally a hidden track on the CD version of the album, but it’s too good to hide. This wild party samples Brass Construction’s gigantic “Get Up To Get Down” and soars in its drunk-ebullience. An apt way to close this party-driven set.
This 2022 Be With double LP re-issue has been mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman and pressed at Record Industry. Unusual for the time, Safe + Sound was originally pressed as a double, so all that was missing was the CD’s hidden bonus track “Tanqueray”, so we’ve fixed that. The original vinyl release never got a picture sleeve, so we’ve recreated the original’s promo-style silver-sticker and plain black jacket. A subtle cover for a wonderfully unsubtle record.
The EP delves into spooky-dooky electro that squelches along with broken soles, warm breaky-bombastic fun and angular electro haus that evokes mid 2000s fringe attitudes. All in all it is UK music at its very best, a melange of styles mashed together tightly under the pressure cooker environment of Britannia's broken promises. There's even a bonus remix from Klasse Wrecks' regular Omega III who takes the original track on a joyride along the M62 in his broken Vauxhall Astra.
Despite their early success, The Valentinos’ story was, like many other groups, a ‘what might have been’ story. But there could not have been a more hardworking group. Every night, Friendly Womack Sr. taught his boys all the gospel songs he knew before he kicked them out of the house because they wanted to switch to secular singing.
“Bobby, you’re singing too church!” shouted Sam Cooke across the recording desk at the United Recording Studios in L.A. to Bobby and his brothers…
Still torn here between gospel and secular singing, Friendly “June” Womack told me about both these two lost tracks from the group: “Between you and I, we were looking hard to get another ‘Looking For A Love’. We were desperate for that, as that was such a big seller for us”.
Ultimately these sides failed to be released, yet they were both great tracks. Wouldn’t it be great though if, this time around, Soul4Real Records were able to hang out the ‘sold out’ banner that all the Womack brothers really deserved?
In 1969, singer and police lieutenant Pedro Gregorio López started recording a series of instrumental tracks and songs on the MAG record label in Peru, ranging from guaracha to cumbia, all cooked with musical eclecticism and simmered to appeal to a wide audience. Many of these musical ingredients combined on the 1971 album entitled "Cocinando", in reference to the similarities between Peruvian cooking and tropical music. López began his career as a singer and orchestra conductor many years earlier, when he joined the backing singers for Lucho Macedo's Sonora. After completing his police training, he adopted the stage name Martín López, in order to preserve the anonymity his job required. Between 1969 and 1971 Martín López y sus Estrellas recorded all the tracks comprised on this album, including salsa, guarachas, rumbas, chichas and boleros, proving their knowledge and mastery of the tropical music lexicon. It is not surprising since the orchestra was made up of the most talented label’s session stars: including the double bassist Joe di Roma, singer Pablo Villanueva "Melcochita", percussionists Ñiko Estrada and Coco Lagos, and trumpeter Tito Chicoma. "Cocinando" is an epic historical treasure that captures the explosive impact of the tropical music movement on Peruvian culture.
Oops - we did it again. Heartwarming and soulful summer tunes, freshly cooked for your outdoor disco BBQ. Inhale Exhale presents INEX017, offering familiar dishes your granny couldn't have served better, but also featuring some fresh and extravagant spices.
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.
Be Strong Be Free's 7" series is on fire this year and now comes back with a third instalment. It is 'Nuit De Fievre' and it comes from label owner Gratts, aka the "Belgian down under," who revisits disco's golden era by assembling a stellar studio team starring the Moody Mae band in the company of Reinhard Vanbergen on violin and Jaj from Paris on vocals. What they cook up in return is elegant boogie and disco that will chime well with fans of Dimitri From Paris. The B-side features Pellegrino's jazz-funk rendition, adding Mediterranean flair straight from Vesuvius. Both sides promise deliciously uplifting grooves for any disco enthusiast.
Our 6th vinyl only installment features four very familiar faces from the ever growing House Cookin' family.
On the A-side we have 2 young producers with an oldschool mindset when it comes to producing House tracks. Analog warmth and deep grooves that ride along some swinging percussion.
DJ Merci kicking it off with a bouncing bassline and nice deep chords. Followed by Bruno Bar, he continues the vibe with a pleasant vocal twist of the words "House Music".
On the B-Side we are joined by two fellow Belgian producers. Pat Lezizmo, providing his well known smooth vibe.
And Reagan Mian, finishing the VA with a punch!
Headquartered in a broader domain of Mixcult Records, Blackinstock Records focuses on the very first release with "Reel Phase EP" BLIS001, representing the most profound property of Mixcult Records' Black Gold Dub Techno. This great collection includes legendary Dub Techno maestro Federsen, plus the innovative minds of Yagya and Ohm.
Submerge in a sea of minimalism and sonic depth, where every single track is a journey in itself. "Reel Phase EP" is such music, emanating from the very heart of Dub Techno. A lot is vested in these expansive and immersive soundscapes, embracing highly detailed constructions. The spaciousness and depth of this release create an unrivalled listening experience, allowing for a deep dive into the pensive and genre-evolutive nature of this sophisticated kind of music.
Federsen, Yagya, and Ohm blend their different skills in masterly fashion, cooking up something timeless and forward-thinking. Each track is a stamp of class and introspection, hallmarks of the Blackinstock Records label, making this EP a must-have for any Dub Techno enthusiast.
Give a different feel to your collection with this genre-defining release. "Reel Phase EP" BLIS001 is not just music; it's an auditory journey to the very heart of Dub Techno. Make no mistake: this is your chance to get a share of musical evolution – get your copy now and dive into the deeper realm that Blackinstock Records holds in store.
In recent years, Dzc. has emerged as a highly sought-after DJ, leaving her mark in Austria with performances at numerous venues. As a key member of the Acid Lambada crew, she has been featured in well-established curated festivals and events, both locally and internationally. Her productions mirror her passion for synth-driven dance music, characterized by dreamy pads and playful melodies.
No stranger to Fortunea Records, having already been featured in two editions of the Fortunea Cookies VA-Series, she is set to present her first 4-track EP in February.
The 'Conversations with Birds' EP is a meticulously balanced collection of tracks designed for each phase of a club night. Drawing inspiration from elements of 90s House and progressive sounds, 'Visual Mind' and 'In Sight' are dreamlike journeys with lively synth melodies, joyful basslines, and captivating pads and textures. The latter has also been reworked by Fortunea regular Peletronic, infusing crisp minimalistic rhythms into his 'Blurred Vision' Mix.
The standout piece of the EP is the title track on the B-side, a beautiful composition that elicits uplifting moments and feelings of euphoria.
It features emotive chords, airy strings, and soothing sustained tones that enhance the powerful groove.
The record promises to immerse listeners in an engaging journey that captures Dzc.'s distinctive vision.
’Conversations with Birds' will be digitally released on February 22, followed shortly by a limited vinyl edition.
Discover a vinyl dedicated to the Treasure Isle label, featuring a compilation that blends rock steady and ska. This record gathers tracks from musical legends such as Alton Ellis, The Techniques, and Duke Reid. Each title is a perfect mix of melodic sweetness and captivating rhythms, typical of these musical genres, providing an immersive experience into the richness of Jamaican music. THIS VINYL IS A PRIME CHOICE FOR ENTHUSIASTS OF VINTAGE AND AUTHENTIC SOUNDS.
Acquit Records takes it back to its roots with ACQR00 marking a new beginning with Synaptic Voyager. This artist always cooks up Detroit-influenced techno and house tracks that ooze sophisticated synth craft and absorbing atmospheres. This fantastic seven-track double 12" features more club-ready stunners like 'Auditory Imagery' which marry disuse chords with tightly programmed beats. 'Echo Location' has punchy analogue beats softened with widescreen chords straight from the Motor City and 'Preordained Destiny' goes slower, with percolating bass funk and wispy, glowing keys slowing worming their way into the cosmos.
DJ Yoda teams up with the mighty Nubya Garcia and Boston Hip-Hop legend Ed O.G. for ‘Roxbury’. Originally released on Yoda’s ‘Home Cooking’ it’s been lovingly remixed but the originators of cut and paste Double Dee & Steinski. The b-side is Yoda’s collaboration with Joel Culpepper ‘London Fields’. This too has been remixed and this time it’s by Lewis Recordings labelmates The Still Brothers
FOXBAM INC is back to build on the momentum of their first EP with a second one that packs a mighty punch. This one kicks off with EBY, who this year has been cooking up acid for 40 years and here offers the warped low ends and garage-techno power of 'Goldtooth'. Foxtrot vs Ma Bla then mashes up old school samples with earth-shattering bass on 'Deep Down Inside' and bRz vs Stije is a double-time hard techno stomper with warped synths and twisted bass that is inspired by and named after ISCO, a concept from Einstein's general theory of relativity that makes predictions about the dynamics of black holes.
The King of Miami's Cuban music scene, the late Ray Fernandez, is featured here fronting his enormously talented family band on an album that first brought him into the spotlight.
Heavily influenced by deep funk and Latin music, their psych-tinged creations also incorporated many other kaleidoscopic sound infusions, including soul, calypso, Afro-Cuban and salsa. Fronted by Ray Fernandez, his band included his very talented wife and two sons and proved to be a highly influential group on Miami's Latin music scene in the late 70's. What also made them stand out was their versatility; this group could easily shift from Cuban funk to Reggae in a blink. Their instrumentation was also different to the 'norm', and where a lot of similar sounds were saxophone-led, this band used a bass clarinet. Instead of bongos, Ray and His Court played with the unique Osi drums from Africa.
Sampled heavily by DJs worldwide (including DJ Shadow) On High presents a must have piece of music for any serious Latin, funk, or rare groove collector. Remastered and pressed on audiophile virgin vinyl for your listening pleasure.
We are thrilled to announce our 5th vinyl VA. This time with only Belgian Underground artists. All friends and amigos who met each other during their journey in the Belgian music scene over the years.
A diverse ensemble spanning the House-spectrum, on the A-side we take a more deep and funky approach with UC Beatz bringing his known groovy flavours. Followed by Rawdio with some piano house vibes and bendrik keeping it fresh and crispy as always.
The B-side takes a more clubby turn with Deeleegenz dropping the snares and shuffled percussion in his Deep Jackin tune. Followed by Max Telaer who shows a darker side from himself with an absolute stomper that will set fire to the dancefloor.
Steel Drum covers of Drake, Snoop Dogg & Dr Dre, Claudja Barry, The Game & 50 Cent, A$AP Rocky, Stranger Things Theme, and more. Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band, the mysterious steel pan outfit hailing from Hamburg, Germany have amassed a cult following around the globe. With a slew of classic 7”s and three critically acclaimed full length albums, they set a high bar for themselves, one they clearly intend on pushing even higher with this new offering. On their fourth album BRSB, Bacao are back with more of the same, but more of the same with them is inherently different. Covering songs that span genres and range from mega hits to underground album cuts, they make them their own with their unique approach to the traditional steel pans of Trinidad and Tobago. While part of the allure of a new Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band album is finding out what covers they do it is equally intriguing to see what original tunes they cooked upland this record is foul of standout originals. The album opener, “In The Crosshairs” is a rough and tough mid-tempo head nodder while both “Grilled” & “Treasure Quest” pick up the tempo with heavy African Funk in‑fluences on both. Bacao goes deep with “Hazy Memories”, a bass heavy slow burner that walks a line between hypnotic and hype. All these originals stand as testament that the term “cover band” is a shoe that could never fit Bacao. However, in the tradition of steel pan music, they do a heavy amount of covers. This time around there is a big West Coast Hip Hop influence with covers of Game & 50 Cent’s “How We Do”, Dr Dre & Snoop Dogg’s “Nuthin But A G Thang”, and Tupac’s “Got My Mind Made Up” all of which take on new energy and lend themselves to the BRSB steel treatment. Bacao puts another certified dance‑floor filler on their resume with their cover of Claudja Barry’s uber Disco classic “Love For The Sake Of Love” which they flip into a dubbed-out affair aptly changing even the title to “Love For The Sake Of Dub”. Pulling from the contemporary smash hit section of Hip Hop they cover Drake’s “Hotline Bling” and “Love$ick” by Mura Masa & A$AP Rocky. Then they go very unexpected with “Stranger Things Theme” where they take the synth heavy theme song to the hit show and give it a more hypnotizing tone than the original. By the time BRSB is through, Bacao has taken the listener on a journey spanning a myriad of energies, tempos, and moods while keeping it all under one umbrella. For all that, these songs are alive, and they will be taken out of the context of this album and sewn into the fabric of DJ sets around the globe for many years to come. Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band continues building their legacy and pushing the boundaries of steel pan music forward with another rock solid musical offering. Enjoy
ERROR105 comes from Marseille based producer Magic Doz.
Being no stranger to System Error having already been featured on Party Bombs Vol. 1 followed by this year's release of his debut album on his own label Luzerna Records titled “Dynasty of Dreams - Brotherhood Of The Dragon’s Sword”.
Now we are finally ready to announce his debut release on System Error's ERROR100 Series which we’ve been sitting on for a while already.
Some of you will recognise the tracks already for everyone else you are in for a treat!
An energetic and rave sounding 4 tracker to get the dance floor up to cooking temperature and let the dancers simmer for a bit to let that spice mix in with all the sonic flavors provided by the “Underground Traffic EP”.
Under meters of concrete in central Cairo, a relentless buzz rebels and forms a melody. A tired man tunes his machines to catch a snatch of it, and accidentally creates a playground where these abandoned sounds can flourish. They develop a sense of humor and an acid tongue. A few children with bent ears find their way to an alley with an entrance to the playground. They would later describe what they heard as a delicious hybrid: one part cream, one part bubble gum. So, bend your ears and maybe you'll hear it too.
Accomplished Spanish artist José Cabrera enters a fresh creative chapter with the new album Le Bateleur. The storytelling and hugely personal record arrives on his own A Harmless Deed label and is a deep dive into the house music he has always loved.
Over the last two decades and under several aliases, Madrid- born Cabrera established himself as a leading techno producer. He has released on influential labels like Fred P's Soul People Music, Tresor, Deeply Rooted and Ron Moreli`s' L.I.E.S. records and co-runs A Harmless Deed with friend Damian Schwartz. As a DJ he has toured Europe, Asia, North and South America and proven himself to be an experimental DJ with a long-standing residency at Tresor in Berlin.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, Cabrera felt detached from the techno world so used his time at home to explore new sounds. He has always had a love of house so set work on making a proper house record in the mold of greats who went before. He worked with other musicians and vocalists, made use of an array of Roland drum machines, Juno synths and Casio keys to cook up a raw and authentic sound and drew from a wide range of the back music that has soundtracked his life. The resulting album is packed with life and energy, skits from friends and timeless grooves.
The album opens up with cosmic synths radiating warmth and jazzy melodies then 'Endless Dream' is a steamy house thumper with aching r&b vocal fragments next to swirling pads. It's a passionate house cut followed by 'Live Your Life' feat Jae. This one brings classic piano energy and another gorgeous female vocal that explores dancers to cut loose and live. Following a dusty downbeat skit that features spoken word encouragement from former collaborator Fred P, 'Track For Clau' is hyper-speed future house with bumping kicks and busy synth arps bringing the light.
A prog rock guitar rings out in the cosmos during 'K-Brain Tribute' feat. NBlue and Damian Schwartz, and 'I Thought You Were the One' feat. Jae & Persa layers up booming kicks and claps with a spine tingling vocal and fat bassline. 'RL Stadium 92' taps into classic Chicago house and 'Halftime Report (For Little José)' gets down and dirty with a menacing bassline and dusty 909 sounds. Another US house heavyweight in DJ Qu features on the atmospheric ''Friends and Family Skit' alongside some of Jose associates and 'For Princess L (I Love You)' feat Jae is an exquisite deep house cut with crisp snares and a heart swelling that is loved up and blissed out. Another skit leads into the outro which is a melancholic ambient synth excursion that sends you off feeling utterly calm.
Le Bateleur is another captivating entry into the ever-evolving discography of José Cabrera.
London lyricist Slim Papi returns for the 3rd and final release in his ‘Châteauneuf-du-Papi’ series with this 4-track EP.
Following collaborations with the likes of Crimeapple, Sonnyjim & Jam Baxter, this time London’s Slim Papi teams up with the Madlib-cosigned Chris Crack, who makes a rare appearance singing his way through the Max-B reminiscent hook as well as handling a 16 bar verse. Crack appearing fresh off the back of his latest ‘Free Sex’ LP and fellow wine-afficinado Griselda/Alchemist affiliate, Willie The Kid.
Continuing the trend set through his ‘Chateauneuf-du-Papi' EP series, the EP once again sees artwork courtesy of Dublin’s Johnny Brennan and includes tracks named after cult a movie directors, iconic restaurants and highly coveted bottles of plonk. The Jon Phonics produced lead single ‘Wim Wenders’ also features Luke Mills-Pettigrew of psychedelic-jazz experimentalists, Lunch Money Life, on bass guitar. Making the 4 track opus a truly all star cast.
Continuing the self proclaimed ’travel rappers’ world hopping theme (his last ‘I’ve Long & Prosper’ project written & recorded during a stint in Brazil) the EP was written during a short stint working the harvest at a friends vineyard in Portugal’s Douro valley, working 16 hour shifts, breaking only to cook twice a day. A vibe summarised in Papi’s effortless lyrics - “Precipitation, maceration, elevation, information highway generation, microphone mathematics, fry the amoratics” - and a work ethic translated to the music we hear. With his trademark themes of vintage vehicles, water sports and the finer things in life, the guest verses from Willie The Kid & Chris Crack match this energy with a little more bravado to spare.
Hot'n'Spicy' is back for a captivating compilation of hedonistic disco delights.Experience the magic as disco players come together again on this album. Featuring the German groove sensation Delfonic, the iconic House stallion Franck Roger, the very Cosmic Dj Steef , and the Disconimo HOLDTight. Get ready for the musical journey filled with quality slow-disco soul jams, feverish disco beats, and enchanting cosmic grooves. On Side A, a Chicago disco groover « Everything is love » by Delfonic, followed by the slow house cracker « Disco Power » by HOLDTight. OnSide B, « Pinguino Bloumo », a superb piece of disco cooked by Franck Roger, and indulge in the Cosmic journey of « Warp Odyssey »by Dj STEEF. This vinyl release is a must-have for any discerning music lover seeking an exquisite blend ofdisco. Thanks for being with us on this journey. As always, a tasty piece for diggers and late-night DJs...
Mr Beatnick & Richard Greenan present their debut full length collaboration, "??????". Brought together by their twin residencies on NTS Radio, the duo have forged distinct paths in respective scenes over the last decade - as producers, DJs and label heads of imprints Mythstery and Kit Records.
The strength of their partnership is built on contrasting styles; Mr Beatnick's sound orbits the woozier fringes of house and hip-hop, while Richard Greenan has settled in the cracks between ambient, textural experimentation and the avant-garde. Here, these approaches coalesce in unexpected ways - with violin, harp, guitar and saxophone finding themselves serrated by volleys of percussion and punchily melodic bass.
With much of the music recorded during the pair's residency in Margate, the album documents a weekend toasted and skewed progressively sideways. The opening salvo of cascading synth muscle ("Goodnight Mush") and fragmented acoustic stepper ("Superb Crafty Gardens") could evoke Devo and Pete Rock breaking fried toast over a dirty fry up. Side A's pop sensibilities peak on the lucidly string-laden "Harbour Arms", complete with pristine guest vocal by bb sway.
Then, like the work of a pair of pissed beavers, things start to get pretty weird. Familiar structures ferment laterally, from the midi swamp-hop of "Bellows of the Earth", to the cooked techno-funk stylings of "Bronze Pears". "How to Draw Roger" offers a magma-like credits roll, the sun's purple yolk poached over a hoppy sea of amber.
Tiombé Lockhart returns on Mother Tongue with the first single of her upcoming album Going Forth By Day. ‘An Osirian Dream’ is an angelic wall of sound featuring Georgia Anne Muldrow that perfectly anticipates what to expect: beautiful intergalactic soundscapes caressed by Tiombé’s otherwordly vocals. An Osirian Dream is cooked up in its original and beatless versions, shining in its own unique evocative soulful world.
Theo Parrish of course, no introduction needed steps up for a subtle reinterpretation to translate the song into dance territories with two spiritual and hypnotising excursions vocal and instrumental….a match made in heaven!
4/5 REVIEW IN SHINDIG! ''Incorporating afrobeat and a more spiritual sound in amongst its heavy beats and super-tight musicianship''
As pioneers in the burgeoning modern funk scene of the '90s The Poets of Rhythm created new standards, transcending the parameters lesser groups were defined by. With Discern / Define the Poets took their brand of classic funk to the next level by blending elements of rock, psychedelia, afro-beat, jazz and heavy, heavy drums to create a wholly original brand of transcendent, funky soul.
Anyone who has tried to cop an OG in the last twenty years knows how difficult of a task that has proven to be - not necessarily due to rarity, but more to the fact that people simply DO NOT get rid of this album. It's a testament to the fact that Discern / Define has no shelf life. It's a bonafide classic that any discerning funk and soul fan must have in their collection. Now sporting a deluxe gatefold jacket with reimagined artwork, it is an honor to get these back on the shelves of a record shop near you. Cop one today!
"They have the unique power of being able to depart from tradition in order to bring advancement music and unsuspecting listeners, yet still please the purists with home-cooked "Funk-of-Ages" values"
- Lyrics Born
Best Record gets right to the heart of true Italo-Disco with this body-poppin' killer from 1983. R.E.M. were made up of Paolo Alfani and Nicola Serena, both based in Florence and well ahead of the curve with their experimental electronic disco sound. Making fantastic use of the Mattel Speak & Spell for their vocal hooks, this enterprising duo cooked up a veritable club bomb with their fusion of sleek drum machine rhythms, throbbing acid basslines and romantic synth tones that would come to be widely used in Detroit techno some years later. There's a full original take of the track on the A side, while the flip features a tweaked "remix" version to give you even more of that robo-vocoder action. In short this is the limited remastered edition of one of the early electro underground Italian releases that became a classic in the Chicago house movement.
Red hot Italian DJ and production collective Aura Safari is back with a second full-length album, Island Dreams. It lands on Hell Yeah Recordings on September 15th and is another live and sun-kissed odyssey through balmy Mediterranean evenings, gorgeous sundown sessions and funky analogue grooves.
Andrea Moretti, Lorenzo Lavoratori, Daniele Melloni, Nicholas Iammatteo, Lorenzo Francioli, Ruggero Bonucci and Nicola Pitassio are Aura Safari, and between them they play drums, percussion, bass, keys, and guitar. They contributed to the first volume of the Buena Onda compilation in 2020 on this label, a year after serving up a debut album on London's Church Records. Since then they have become ever more entrenched in their local scene in Perugia, playing summer sets at the Umbria Jazz Festival, winter warmers at the legendary Red Zone Club and host their own Tropical Climax parties each month in the town centre.
Aura Safari are also deep-digging music collectors who have extensive and far-reaching tastes. When cooking up their sounds they draw on everything from Afro to Italo, house to disco, 80s boogie to world music, jazz and Balearic beats. This new album shows that once more across four sides of vinyl that sweep you up and transport you to somewhere idyllic.
The title track kicks off with steamy Mediterranean grooves embellished with lush Rhodes chords and sprinkles of cosmic magic. 'Sur Mon Balconnet' then slips into dubbed-out disco territory with 80s synths and leggy drums while 'Riserva Naturale' is a new-age jazz house sound with majestic lead synths and heart-melting chords that speak of a sunset dance on the beach. 'Onda' has squelchy boogie bass with hip-swinging drums, 'Wave Riding' is a lo-fi funk excursion with hints of West Coast Californian swagger and 'Magic Malbe' is loose-limbed Balearica with clear blue skies and blissed-out chords.
'Dancing in the Moonlight' feat. Zeke Manyika has all the vibrant feelings of bubblegum pop with Afro vocals and steel drum sounds next to rich xylophone sounds. There is plenty of heat and exotic charm to the proto-Afro house of 'Tropical Climax' and as well as dub versions of 'Sur Mon Balconnet' and 'Dancing in the Moonlight' come the scuffed-up Dam-Funk style beats and boogie of 'Disco Mantra' before closer 'Patagonia' shuts down with elastic drums and bass and playful synth leads that send you home wanting more.
Island Dreams is a tropical escape to a rich world of fusion sounds that look back to go forwards. It's a feel-good record to accompany hot nights and lazy afternoons, cocktails at dusk and dancing till dawn.
Die britischen URNE melden sich mit ihrem zweiten Album 'A Feast On Sorrow' zurück!
Es gibt Zeiten im Leben, in denen es sich anfühlt, als ob die Dunkelheit das Licht verschluckt. Leid. Verlust. Die Leere, die folgt. Aus der Ferne können wir uns gegen die düstere Unausweichlichkeit von Krankheit, Demenz und Verfall im Alter stemmen, aber wenn man sich näher mit ihren Auswirkungen befasst, erscheint es leicht, sich einen verborgenen Dämon auszumalen, der sich an dem verursachten Elend labt. Aus diesem Schmerz heraus entstand Urnes brachiales zweites Album 'A Feast On Sorrow'. Der Nachfolger ihres Debüts 'Serpent & Spirit' entstand mit Gitarrist Angus Neyra, Schlagzeuger James Cook und der überraschenden Unterstützung von Gojira-Frontmann Joe Duplantier im New Yorker Silver Cord Studio.
Mysteries Of The World is the stunning final studio album from legendary Philly supergroup MFSB. Expertly co-written and produced with the mighty Dexter Wansel, it features the untouchable, sparkling masterpiece "Mysteries Of The World". The whole album is truly exquisite; a stylish, classy collection of pure Philly soul and orchestral jazz-funk.
MFSB, an acronym for Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, was formed by producers Gamble & Huff of Philadelphia International Records. The band's roots can be traced back to the house band at the legendary Sigma Sound Studios, where they played on numerous hit records by artists like The O'Jays, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes and The Stylistics. Mysteries Of The World comprises slick jazz-funk grooves, mostly penned by Wansel, who produced a fair chunk of the album in a similar style to his space-funk records. MFSB's smooth sound is retained but it receives a fresh, elegant and jazzy upgrade. While this album is as mellow as the rest of the latter-period MFSB recordings, it never forgets the group's soul music underpinnings.
Swaggering, well-timed horn blasts, sweeping strings and a percolating, hard thumping slap-bassline combine to devastating effect on amazing opener "Manhattan Skyline". It's a sexy mid-tempo instrumental which sets us up nicely for what follows. Essays could be written analysing the perfection of title track. Arguably the finest jazz-funk instrumental ever made, it's absolutely magnificent. Featuring musicianship of the highest calibre, the band play with their trademark tight discipline, cooking up a syncopating rhythm with an array of exploratory keyboard riffs wrapped around a punchy bassline sent from heaven. It sounds like house music, it's that ahead of its time. The string intro is sumptuous, hypnotic and divine and that's all before the beat hits. The track fuses classical, jazz and funk into a musical journey that you never want to end. Absolutely flawless, it's a dramatic disco dancefloor killer.
Says Dexter Wansel himself: "You know, of all the songs I wrote/produced/arranged for MFSB, this is for me the most different. I think it's an experiment in rhythmic, soft sonic synth and live string and harp combinations. I composed it in an effort to blend a funky groove, along with synthesis, and orchestral sounds. There are 3 synthesizers: Oberheim 4 voice, Polymoog, and of course Arp 2600v. And, as I remember, I recorded the track with the rhythm section, string, harp and flute players first. Then I added synthesis."
The profound elegance remains in abundance on the slinky, harp-laced "Tell Me Why"; Carla Benson's beautiful voice truly shines on this sophisticated cut. The side closes out in dramatic style with the string-drenched "Metamorphosis". It's a staccato, Blaxploitation groove workout featuring wah-wah guitar, creeping basslines, rich horn solos and soulful vocals drifting in and out of the mix. The bouncy, irrepressible "Fortune Teller" opens the B side in the bass-heavy orchestral funk style before the beautiful "Old San Juan" glides in, a Balearic-adjacent track with intricate arrangements, building its mellow soul groove around an atypical flamenco guitar hook. Melancholy, guitar-led instrumental "Thank You Miss Scott" is a real highlight, with gorgeous flute, string and percussive elements whilst closer "In the Shadow" works an otherworldly synth line into its bossa nova groove.
An essential record for fans of Philly soul and groovy jazz-funk, Mysteries Of The World was mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis and cut by Cicely Ralston for Alchemy at AIR Studios. The stunning artwork, the work of renowned illustrator Robert Giusti, was restored at Be With HQ to round out this beautiful reissue.
David Byrne & Fatboy Slim’s acclaimed 2010 album Here Lies Love receives its first-ever vinyl release to coincide with a new production opening on Broadway this summer. Here Lies Love is a double-disc song cycle – improbably poignant, decidedly surreal, surprisingly thought provoking – about the rise and fall of the Philippines' notorious Imelda Marcos. It was conceived by David Byrne; composed by Byrne and DJ/recording artist Fatboy Slim, AKA Norman Cook; and performed by a dream cast drawn from the worlds of indie rock, alt country, R&B and pop. Byrne's taste in collaborators is as imaginative as it is impeccable, including Cyndi Lauper (who recounts, to lighthearted disco beats, Imelda's courtship with Ferdinand Marcos), Steve Earle (as the power-hungry Ferdinand), Dap-Kings vocalist Sharon Jones (recalling Imelda's introduction into New York society) and Natalie Merchant (as spurned Imelda confidante Estrella, anticipating the onset of martial law). Along with vocals turns from such stars as Tori Amos and the B-52's Kate Pierson, Byrne works with rising indie rockers St. Vincent and My Brightest Diamond; New York chanteuses Nellie McKay and Martha Wainwright; and dance-music divas Róisín Murphy and Santigold. Byrne himself appears as the voice of imperialistic America on ‘American Troglodyte’, a send-up that wouldn't have seemed out of places in Talking Heads' True Stories.
Byrne originally envisioned this as a musical theatre piece, to be mounted in disco and nightclub settings, reflecting the globe-trotting Marcos' taste for such velvet-roped spots as Studio 54 and Regine's. In 2006, he performed work-in-progress versions to enthusiastic audiences at New York City's Carnegie Hall and the Adelaide Festival in Australia. While plans for a US theatrical production continued to evolve, he delivered this unique recording. The award-winning theatrical production eventually premiered at The Public Theater in New York in 2013, travelled to London’s National Theater for a sold-out run (2014–15), and was remounted at the Seattle Repertory Theater (2017).
Here Lies Love has an effervescent disco feel, redolent of Fatboy Slim's own dance-floor anthems, with warm undercurrents of the Latin rhythms that have percolated through Byrne's recent solo work. The sunny arrangements act in counterpoint to the reality of the Marcos' increasingly repressive regime, reflecting the imagined inner life of the glamour-obsessed Imelda. Explains Byrne, "For me, the darker side of the excesses are, for the most part, a matter of record. A lot of the audience is going to come with that knowledge already. What's more of a challenge is to get inside the head of the person who was behind all of that, and understand what made them tick." Byrne offers no judgment and avoids the obvious – there is no mention of Imelda's infamous shoe collection.
Many of Byrne's lyrics are, astonishingly enough, constructed from actual Imelda quotes, including the project's title, the words that Imelda, now returned to the Philippines from US-assisted exile in Hawaii, would like to have inscribed on her gravestone. In addition to his new liner note, Byrne illustrates the story with archival photos. In a detailed preface, he reveals what drew him to this subject and the bumpy route he took to launch the project and, ultimately, record this album. The booklet is indeed a page-turner, just as Here Lies Love is a wonderfully old-school album that rewards start-to-finish listening. Once again, Byrne – beloved as musician, thinker and bicyclist-about-town – reveals the breadth and singularity of his vision.
The new production of Here Lies Love will premiere at the Broadway Theatre in New York City. Performances begin June 17, ahead of an official opening night on July 20. Tony Award winner Alex Timbers (direction) and Olivier Award nominee Annie-B Parson (choreography) reunite with Byrne (concept, music, and lyrics) and Fatboy Slim (music) to bring Here Lies Love to Broadway, continuing a ten-plus year collaboration on the project. Tom Gandey and J Pardo contribute additional music. Here Lies Love is produced on Broadway by Hal Luftig, Patrick Catullo, Diana DiMenna for Plate Spinner Productions, Clint Ramos, and Jose Antonio Vargas. The staging at the Broadway Theatre will transform the venue’s traditional proscenium floor space into a dance club environment, where audiences will stand and move with the actors. A wide variety of standing and seating options will be available throughout the theatre’s reconstructed space. The producers of Here Lies Love said, “As a team of binational American producers – Filipinos among us – we are thrilled to bring Here Lies Love to Broadway! We welcome everyone to experience this singularly exuberant piece of theatre. The history of the Philippines is inseparable from the history of the United States, and as both evolve, we cannot think of a more appropriate time to stage this show. See you on the dance floor!”
David Byrne’s recent works include the launch of Reasons to be Cheerful, an online magazine focused on solutions-oriented stories about problems being solved all over the world (2019); Joan of Arc: Into the Fire, a theatrical exploration of the historical heroine that premiered at the Public Theater in New York (2017); The Institute Presents: NEUROSOCIETY, a series of interactive environments created in conjunction with PACE Arts + Technology that question human perception and bias (2016); Contemporary Color, an event inspired by the American folk tradition of color guard and performed at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center and Toronto’s Air Canada Centre (2015); Here Lies Love; Love This Giant, a studio album and worldwide tour created with St. Vincent (2012); and How Music Works, a book about the history, experience, and social aspects of music (2012).
Byrne curated Southbank Centre’s annual Meltdown festival in London in 2015. A co-founder of the group Talking Heads (1976–88), he has released eight studio albums as a solo artist and worked on multiple other projects, including collaborations with Brian Eno, Twyla Tharp, Robert Wilson, and Jonathan Demme, among others. He also founded the highly respected record label Luaka Bop. Recognition of Byrne’s various works include Obies, Drama Desk, Lortel, and Evening Standard awards for Here Lies Love; an Oscar, Grammy, and Golden Globe for the soundtrack to Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor; and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Talking Heads. Byrne’s work as a visual artist has been published and exhibited since his college days, including photography, filmmaking, and writing. He lives in New York City. In addition to 2019’s cast album for American Utopia on Broadway, Nonesuch has released eight other David Byrne records since 2003, including 2018’s American Utopia studio album and two versions of his musical Here Lies Love.
This release « Pyrus » was cooked by Lukea and Illan Nicciani ! They have been working together on this track to merge their own musical touch. The result: a combination of a deep groovy bass line and a psychedelic, spiritual atmosphere.
Grab your flight ticket & let yourself be carried away by this journey discovering "Pyrus" , "Providenza" & "Spiraea"
Debut album by Akane, a new bedroom solo project by Tenerife's Carolina Machado - best known for her role as drummer and singer in space rock psychedelic outfit Gaf y La Estrella de la Muerte.
Cooked and slowly matured over the last couple of years, Carolina opens up her heart to present an intimate collec-tion of dreamy avant pop songs under the banner title Night-Time Birds.
With various nods to David Lynch’s dreamlike imagery and weird americana landscapes, Carolina gracefully merges her own local sensibilities to re-imagine a panoramic, fictional soundtrack to an unmade road movie, creating a per-sonal musical language made up of vintage pop songs, lush ambient soundscapes and West Coast lo-fi electronica. Her pursue of sonic exploration through modular synthesis techniques pushes her sound further out into a wider realm as she blends exotic alien-like melodies with her trademark soothing, shoe-gaze style voice. An album that seems to be floating gracefully and frozen in time…
The album’s seven tracks were recorded live during her performance in a disused gas tank at the Keroxen festival in 2022 and counts with the special collaboration of her bandmate in Gaf César Chinarro on guitar. No doubt, Night-Time Birds is not the last we’ll hear from Carol demonstrating once again the varied and eclectic creative energy currently flowing from the Canary archipelago shows no sign of slowing down.
Trent is back on BLESSYOU with another EP. 3 new tracks further deepening his explorations in masterful sample collages borrowing heavy percussive elements from his refined library of sounds juxtaposed with patterns of wild vocals, trippy sound effects and offset sax solos. Taking you to unforeseeable places with this rhythmic whirlwind of force much in tune with the artwork featuring a 17th century wind chart for aiding sailors in nautical explorations. Powerfully mastered for grandiose club adventures.
