Brooklyn-based bassist/composer Kenneth Jimenez presents his new work Sonnet to Silence on We Jazz Records. Consisting of 7 original compositions by Jimenez performed by his quartet including pianist Angelica Sanchez, drummer Gerald Cleaver and saxophonist Hery Paz, Sonnet to Silence echoes the original fire of New York free jazz while stepping into a terrain of its own, boldly forward-thinking.
Prozpektiva reaches its fifth release so far, and on this special occasion, we are proud to present the rising talent from Ukraine - Aliana.
With a remarkable debut on Variable Records in 2021, swiftly followed by a standout LP (an album for only her second release) for Finest Hour, and a series of co-produced tracks under the alias Midibasics, Aliana now brings us her latest four-track solo EP. Get ready for dubby grooves, plenty of swing, and some serious heads-down action.
Echoes, Spaces, Lines collects Trans-Millenia Consort, Plot Zero, and Spectre, the first three albums by the late West Coast composer, healer, and medium Pauline Anna Strom. Exploring all corners of the multiverse through transpersonal form and freedom, Strom’s first three albums share a singular sensibility, different streams flowing from the same oracular font. Echoes, Spaces, Lines establishes Strom’s rightful place in the canon of great synthesists. Restored and mixed from the original reels by Marta Salogni, newly remastered, and adding Oceans of Tears, a fully realized but previously unreleased album exclusive to this box set, these are the first official reissues and the definitive encapsulation of Pauline Anna Strom’s prolific and visionary early work. These four-disc LP and CD box sets include 12 and 16 page booklet containing liner notes, an unearthed interview with Strom, and unseen ephemera.
“A piece of music never truly comes to An end. Revisiting a theme illustrates this idea that life goes on.” These are the words of Wayne Shorter, uttered in 2018 upon the release of Emanon, his final opus. On this record, the octogenarian uses dusky hues to shade in the passions of his youth - drawing and science-fiction, as well as the causes he has defended all his life - the fight against ecological upheaval and structural racism. This sentiment did not fail to resonate with Julien Lourau, who has reached a stage in life where he has begun to look back over certain pages written by the man he has always considered one of the masters of his trade. Five years later, this Parisian native has also chosen to revisit his glory days, offering reworked versions of specific tracks composed by his titular elder throughout the 80s. “When I play this music, I find myself back in my teenage bedroom. These are my standards, and they remind me of autumn in Rambouillet.” At that time, after practising his scales, Julien would also play Dungeons & dragons, and immerse himself in SF as well as heroic fantasy - epic influences which are not without a certain connection to the dreamworlds Shorter conjured up, as another fan of landscapes beyond the grasp of reality.
This album features four themes taken from Atlantis, which came out in 1985, and two from Joy Ryder, released three years later. To these, he has added a composition penned at around the same time for Sportin’ Life, the penultimate LP by Weather Report. This is rounded off by a tune taken
from Native Dancer, the record which, ten years earlier, in 1975, brought together this saxophonist who learnt his trade alongside Art Blakey, before joining Miles’ second quintet, and Brazilian Milton Nascimento.
“Between Native Dancer and Atlantis, Shorter did not release anything under his own name, but he took the time and care to really perfect his writing. Upon his return, he injected a very Brazilian form of subtlety into his compositions, especially rhythmically. And from a harmonic point of view, these themes are extremely sophisticated, and reveal truly singular colours. In fact, he decided to display the score as if it constituted the liner notes of Atlantis.”
Julien Lourau is a fan of every Wayne Shorter era, from his Blue Note days, where Mr Gone defined the bases of a truly unique repertoire, all the way to his final quartet - a reference like no other. He decided to focus on this “highly electric” period, which is not necessarily Shorter’s best known, nor his most widely appreciated - despite being a unanimous reference, Shorter has nonetheless never had a direct descendent. In Lourau’s line of sight there lies a desire to focus on typically South American tonic accents which characterise this repertoire, twinned with the ambition to switch up their actual sound “by attempting to open up onto a production highly influenced by eighties fusion". However, he admits that modifying the structures of these most unique of worlds constituted a fresh challenge. “There’s this labyrinthine harmonic system where you’ve no idea how it holds together, but where it’s actually impossible to touch the slightest element without the whole edifice wavering. It is in fact a very difficult thing to achieve!”
In order to successfully transcribe all this creativity free of obstacles, Julien Lourau once again called upon the help of Mathieu Debordes. From January 2023 onwards, Mathieu endeavoured to break down all the musical elements, on paper, before creating any actual music. The record was therefore constructed on the faith of these scores, without necessarily transiting through a creative residency - just two live gigs, to make sure the setup worked. Besides Mathieu Debordes and his synthesisers, Julien Lourau has assembled an ad hoc team by his side. On the bass, according to the track, we can hear erstwhile companion Sylvain Daniel or a new acolyte on the fretless bass, Joan Eche Puig.
Stéphane Edouard, on percussion, even dives headfirst into an unlikely proto-rap of sorts, on Pearl On The Half Shell (where, on the original version, Bobby McFerrin adjusted his interventions in a rather madcap style). Aesthete and drummer Jim Hart as well as pianist Leo Jassef also figure on this release - both were present on previous project devoted to label
CTI. “At sixteen, I wanted to sound like Michael Brecker rather than Ben Webster - that was equated with modernity in those days”, adds Julien with a smile, as for him, all this rings out a little like a logical next step, a joyful immersion into the fountain of youth. And if, for this record, he plays the soprano more than ever, the saxophone Shorter set in his sights on, he never tries to replicate an unattainable ideal note by note. What would be the point?
“Wayne Shorter is not just a saxophonist’s saxophonist. In fact, I don’t know a single person who has risen to challenge of his solos. I have not done it myself either, but on the other hand, I have retained a lot of his phraseology. His way of approaching the instrument reveals a more evanescent language, a work on colour and shape. Keeping this in mind has allowed me to gravitate towards certain elements, that in hindsight, I find echoes of in my work, even in Groove Gang.” Shorter etches out these phrases, creating a groove within which Lourau had traced subtle punctuation, managing, from a highly written base, to create fresh apertures, promises of a great escape. Emblematic of this standpoint, his regal version of Ponte de Areia, originally a wonderful dialogue between Milton Nascimento and Wayne Shorter. Here, the Frenchman takes liberties with the original melodies, without ever growing distant from the original spirit, extending one section with delicacy, offering a rubato development and then a groove “like a little suite”. Julien Lourau also renews with an accomplice from last century, Magic Malik, who lends his high-pitched vocals to the track. Though they had not recorded together for more than twenty years, the two of them got on as if they had only ceased collaborating yesterday, everything flowed naturally. The track was wrapped up in just one take, much like other themes, such as opener Who Goes There where the flautist deploys smooth, enchanted and smoky wisps.
Fundamentally, reflecting of the sleeve which features a child playing with a ball, image that could symbolise the sun just as much as the moon, Julien Lourau manages to translate the ambiguous candour which characterizes Shorter’s work - solar and crepuscular at the same time, that of a visionary and poet definitively situated outside of all chronology, but with whom Julien shares surprising and ‘timely’ coincidences. Shorter was born August 25, 1933, the same day as Julien’s father, “if we take time zones into account”, and who died on Lourau’s birthday, March 2, 2023. Should we take this as a random fact? Or could we not see here the sign of a destiny connecting the agnostic Frenchman to the man who, as a fervent Buddhist, believed in the transmission of his spiritual flow ?
"For every copy of one of the great and collectible rock albums one finds on Peru's stalwart MAG label, one has a dashed dream about finding Tarkus, one of South America's whispered hard rock holy grails. I've never found one, and I've been looking for the better part of two decades. It's a fiery set of Black Sabbath style jamming and worthy of its praise." - Eothen Alapatt aka Egon (Now Again) The Peruvian-Argentinian band Tarkus was only together for six months and recorded only one album, but the record's unprecedented sound and the limited number of copies released made it legendary for fans of hard rock in Latin America. Recorded under the influenced by the Argentinian groups Almendra, Pappo, Manal and Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath from the United Kingdom. Details: The only album released by Peruvian band Tarkus (featuring members of Telegraph Avenue), from 1972, is a heavy psych/hard rock masterpiece with echoes of Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. Only a handful of promotional copies were made available at the time of its release, making it for years a true lost classic and one of the rarest records of Latin American rock. Tarkus was born after the 1971 split of Telegraph Avenue, one of the most popular Peruvian bands at the time. TA member Walo Carrillo was joined by Argentinian musicians Guillermo Van Lacke, whom he had met previously in Lima, and 16-year-old Darío Gianella. They got together and started making music very influenced by bands such as Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Cream, Deep Purple_ They immediately developed a heavy, hard rock sound uncommon in Peru, and asked former Telegraph Avenue member Alex Nathanson to join them. They recorded their first album between April and May of 1972 for the MAG record label, which was expecting something closer to Telegraph Avenue and didn't know how to market such a heavy sound. Soon after, guitarist and main composer Darío Gianella decided to leave the band to follow his religious faith, just before they presented their debut LP live. As a result, the band disintegrated without making their official debut and only a few copies of the album were actually distributed. Time has given this LP the significance it rightly deserves as one of the foundations of Latin American hard rock, and Munster is proud to present this new vinyl reissue.
"Fast Rate" blends echoes of nostalgia with futuristic innovation, crafting a sonic landscape. In the relentless rush of life's high-speed journey, it invites introspection, courageously urging listeners to delve into the intricate web of contemporary life.
This EP is inspired by deep reflections on the meaning of life in a fast-paced world filled with thoughts and emotions. It symbolizes a futuristic journey, mirroring the human struggle to gain an external perspective in our busy lives. Random Alias prompts users to contemplate their existence, offering a musical experience that transcends mere dance rhythms.
The 5 tracker showcases a wide array of sounds, from aggressive tones to captivating and atmospheric elements unveiling a new face of the label that keeps exploring the interconnection between human and technology.
The A side roars with high bpm and furious rhythms."Keep me high" express the need of escaping ordinary life, seeking something that keeps us "high" and allows to escape and reset.
Following up "Fast Rate" spans a variety of influences, blending the allure of old-school Detroit electro with futuristic sounds achieved through bold experimentation and advanced wave modeling. This fusion results in a diverse and innovative sonic aesthetic, ranging from nostalgic '80s/'90s vibes to experimental dimensions where tones morph and evolve.
"Solo in Space" and "Restless" on the filp side deliver direct, pulsating sounds and rhythms, embracing an impactful electro-techno vision. These tracks merge both worlds, combining the energy and drive of electro with the power and tension typical of techno, resulting in a sonic journey that blurs genre boundaries.
Completing the collection is a digital bonus track, "Galactic Power," which serves as a soulful embodiment of the EP's essence. With its otherworldly alien-style pitched vocals,The track intricately crafts a cosmic palette of bright pulses and ethereal FM synthesis.
This release represents a bold and progressive vision of electro, confirming and solidifying the eclectic direction and the concept of inter genre flexibility. Music can be an ever-evolving form of art, blending elements that transport listeners to distant cosmic realms.
Time shapes people, people shape technology, technology shapes music, music shapes time.
Having toured the world with Mczo and been at the helm of his own studio Pamoja Records since he was just 18, influential Singeli producer Duke, now 25, is one of Tanzania's busiest club alchemists. On his acclaimed solo debut "Uingizaji Hewa" we were introduced to his idiosyncratic "hip-hop Singeli" sound, a slower cousin to the Dar Es Salaam-rooted hard 'n fast club template that takes as much special sauce from Busta Rhymes and Eminem as it does the 200BPM clatter of genre veterans Jay Mitta and Sisso. On September's "Sounds Of Pamoja," we were treated to a closer look into Duke's studio, and specifically at his work with the city's best young MCs like Dogo Kibo, Pirato MC and MC Kuke. "Early Instrumentals" allows us to witness the depth of Duke's evolution with a selection of unearthed genre melting Singeli mutations laid completely bare without vocals. This 11-track set features some of his most arresting hybrid dance music yet, expressing his visionary fusion of contemporary rave sounds, US rap attitude, and Tanzanian dance history. While the roots of Singeli are in taraab, a popular fusion of East African and Middle Eastern traditional dance rhythms and melodies, Duke steers the sound into a synth-led, syncopated firework display that sounds spry and futuristic. Centered arounda bumping staccato melody and urgent synth strings 'Dukelo Fl Sing' echoes the lo-swung swagger of early Dr. Dre productions, but kicks the tempo into overdrive, decorating any gaps with flickering late-nite synths. 'Beat Kali Duke' meanwhile drives carnival trance leads through hard and fast rolls of kick drums, whistles and woodblock cracks. It's not all completely high speed either: 'Duke Selecta' is almost afro-house, with slow, sexy bass and woozy vocal melodies, and 'KKKKKKKKKKKKKKK' absorbs the propulsive spirit of South African gqom. "Early Instrumentals" is the most varied picture we've been presented yet of Duke's rousing dance cocktail. IT's a physical call to action that assures listeners the genre is for movement, not headphone listening
Balmat co-founders Philip Sherburne and Albert Salinas have been fans of Shy Layers’ lilting, Balearic pop for years, so when Shy Layers’ JD Walsh asked us to listen to a set of demos he was working up with fellow Atlanta multi-instrumentalist Jeff Crompton, we jumped at the chance. And once we heard their work in progress, the decision was almost immediate: We have to release this.
Together, Walsh and Crompton are Anagrams, and their debut album together, Blue Voices, might initially seem like a departure from Balmat’s habitually electronic terrain. It’s not ambient music, but it’s also not not ambient music, at least to listeners in the right frame of mind. The two musicians, who met when Walsh moved from Brooklyn to Atlanta in 2016 and began collaborating a few years later, see the music in similarly ambiguous terms. “I like it because it’s not jazz,” jokes Crompton, a veteran and credentialed jazz player. “And JD likes it because it’s jazz.”
Crompton is a musician (and former high-school band teacher) with deep roots in Georgia’s improvised and experimental music scenes; his credits include shows with Eugene Chadbourne, a guest appearance with Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and a collaboration with Duet for Theremin and Lap Steel’s 12-hour drone performance at Knoxville’s Big Ears. On Blue Voices he plays alto and tenor saxophone, clarinet, electric piano, and organ. Walsh has been releasing music as Shy Layers since 2015, when he started self-releasing on Bandcamp; the following year, Germany’s Growing Bin packaged his first two EPs as a self-titled album, and in 2018, Tim Sweeney’s Beats in Space label put out Shy Layers’ sophomore album, Midnight Marker. Where those records channeled Walsh’s playful harmonic instincts into wistful songwriting with tropical overtones, on Blue Voices he lets his experimental tendencies take the lead. Playing acoustic and electric guitars, electric lap steel, bass, Moog Matriarch, modular synth, and programmed drums, he concentrates his energies on richly textural layers and abstract assemblages of tone color.
Across the album’s 11 tracks, there are faint echoes of familiar touchstones: the atmospheric twang of Daniel Lanois’ pedal steel on Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks; the mercurial modal runs of Ethio- jazz; the late-summer calm of Fuubutsushi; the versatility of players and composers like Patrick Shiroishi and Sam Gendel, who are asking similar questions about where jazz ends and some other, nameless territory begins. Mostly, though, what Blue Voices captures is the quixotic sound of two restless musical imaginations making it up as they go along, two voices discovering a shared language in a hitherto unexplored shade of blue.
Teddy Wong takes charge with his second outing on Hot Creations with ‘Mueve Los Dos Pies’.
Hailing from Los Angeles and shaped by the vibrant sounds of Mexicali, Teddy Wong has been impressing over recent years, with his productions earning recognition from BBC Radio 1’s Danny Howard and Annie Mac. After a successful label debut last year in collaboration with Andre Salmon and Jorge Andrade, November now welcomes a second outing on Hot Creations for Wong, as he takes full control with his three-track EP, 'Mueve Los Dos Pies’.
The title track ‘Mueve Los Dos Pies’ seamlessly blends energetic, rave-ready beats with a low-slung arrangement, followed by ‘The Man Who Travelled In Time’ which heads into late night territories with sonic stabs and alluring echoes for a hypnotic trip. Closing out the EP is ‘Believe In Yourself’, combining playful vocal loops and vibrant percussion over a funky bassline.
The second of four vinyl release from DJ 3000’s “Mezë’ album continues to shine with ‘Pitë EP’. ’Pite’ as close to classic House as DJ 3000 gets, a testament to his versatility on this new release. 'Red & Black' is a heartfelt homage to Franki Juncaj's Albanian heritage, evident not only in its title, which echoes the national colors, but also in the seamless integration of traditional Balkan instruments. 'Ishalla' hints at the influence and inspiration drawn from Middle Eastern and Balkan musical traditions. Bringing this EP to a poignant close is 'Dua' a title derived from Albanian, signifying "I want," adding a meaningful linguistic layer to this captivating musical journey.
There's no denying Marcel Fengler's profound impact on the ever-changing techno landscape. A pioneer in his own right, Fengler's works have flooded dancefloors and set lists worldwide for decades, and that shows no sign of changing anytime soon. His latest work is an all-encompassing four-track EP titled "Unleashed", including a remix from sought-after Stuttgart duo SHDW & Obscure Shape.
Kicking off with the title track, "Unleashed" introduces the EP with high-octane rhythms, pulsating low frequency sonics and rave like harmonic layers. An unrelenting onslaught of fast paced thumping techno, built around long, sweeping notes, vocal injections and a piston-like bassline, this one was made for the height of the party. "Caution" is next to feature, presenting itself as a robust industrial number with harsh percussive drive and endless layers of cadence throughout the mix. Weighty yet groovy in a unique up-tempo way, its robotic vocal splashes make the perfect accomplice for its potent warehouse vibes.
"Cypher" pulls you into the second half of the EP with rattling rhythms and more gritty sweeping musicality. Exhibiting the depth in his production skills, Fengler loads up the mix with a kaleidoscope of percussive elements alongside thumping kicks, surging synths, and another haunting robotic vox before SHDW & Obscure Shape get their teeth into a signature remix. Taking it deeper and darker, the duo's emphasis on subtle progressions and increasing intensity throughout the mix with offbeat trickery and creative unpredictability make their remix of "Cypher" a certified peak-time bomb.
"It has been quite a journey with this EP, as I've been exceptionally discerning about the sound and the entire production process. My goal was to create a release tailored for the dance floor, with the right amount of energy for peak-time moments, while also ensuring a profound and well-structured sonic experience. After testing potential tracks in my DJ sets, I distilled what I believe captures the essence I want to share with the audience. Furthermore, I'm thrilled to have SHDW & Obscure Shape on board for a formidable remix. Their work carries echoes of the raw and forceful sonic textures from earlier times, which I hold in high regard. I'm genuinely delighted with how everything has come together, and I hope you enjoy it!" - Marcel Fengler
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Citing sources from early Dub influenced Clash, Blitz and The Modern Lovers - Spiritual Cramp exist in a strange vacuum somewhere between David Byrne's oversized suit and a bar fight between a bunch of drunk goons on Polk Street in SF. Hate for the police, the government and the status quo are reoccurring themes in Bingham's lyrics. The sounds borrow from the past, echoes of late 70's / early 80's working class rock and punk, which function on the upbeat, showcasing very bright guitars yet generating darker vocal rhythms and darker patterning.
Die neun epischen Werke auf THRONEHAMMERs "Kingslayer" überraschen mit dem bisher vielseitigsten Material der Band, mit mehr Wucht als je zuvor, mit großen Riffs die sich in jedem Stück bis zur Gänze entfalten.
Unverhohlener Doom-Metal-Ethos trifft auf Zerstörung und ungestüme Verwüstung, Reminiszenzen an Paradise Lost, Bathory, Slayer, Katatonia, Bolt Thrower, Amorphis, Candlemass, Celtic Frost bis hin zu Spuren von Post-Rock. Alles das entdeckt man auf dem erdrückend-epischen "Kingslayer" und dennoch ist jeder Track eindeutig ein THRONEHAMMER-Track.
Das Doom-Kommando um die Sängerin Kat entwickelt sich deutlich weiter und kann den Vorgänger "Incantation Rites" noch toppen. Die epischen Texte tun ihr Übriges, auch die Vocals sind noch eine Stufe vielseitiger als bisher. Als Gast stößt beim Song ""Sacrosanct Grounds"" Daniel Kaufman (ex Mindrot, ex Dystopia, ex Eyes of Fire, Destroy Judas) an den Vocals hinzu.
Ein wuchtiger Sound der keine Fragen offen lässt trägt seinen Teil dazu bei. Gemastert wurde das Album von Patrick Engel / Temple Of Disharmony (Asphyx, Candlemass, Darkthrone,Tiamat, Dissection, Trouble, Slayer).
May the Kingslayer cometh!"
Pieces well and truly picked up by a who's who of collectors and selectors, the TD team follow Bobby Snacks' super smash with some seriously synthy slices from good buddies Miserymix.
A collaboration born behind the Piccadilly Records' counter, Miserymix is the dark disco alias of Goth Spice (Kohl AF, dressed in black and armed with nonpliments) and Mushy P (a toothy and goofy Talking Drummer). Based a mere 192 away from Senor Snacks in the thriving metropolis of Levenshulme, this pair of disco delinquents share a penchant for pingers, Prosecco and the lesser known corners of Europe's 80's club sound.
After a mysterious appearance on one of Duca Bianco's brilliant V/As, Miserymix drop their debut EP on Drum Chums, aiming directly for the dance floor.
The Italo-noir of 'Sexy Cowboys' gets the set off to a sleazy start, its seductive synths and strangled guitars riding throbbing bass and leather-clad percussion right into the darkroom, where the yelping vocal echoes over the creak of a swing. Miserymix push the tempo for the pacey disco pump of 'Proverbial S.O.B.', a peak-time stomper dubbed senseless for the perfect tops-off groove. Subtle kalimba, cut up vocals and orchestral hits find every sweet spot atop the one note bassline, while those airy piano chords steer us straight into the sublime.
Kicking off the flip is the uber-anthemic, endorphin-laced and mid-paced dancefloor destroyer 'E Motion'. Our disco duo spend plenty of time on the foreplay, teasing every ounce of ecstasy out of the nuanced perx, rolling bassline and sparkling synths before unleashing some flawless Francophone vocals on the way to a colossal chorus. Smouldering like a Propaganda club mix, this Europop obscurity has been upgraded into an accidental pill tune of perma-gurn proportions - this one is a road-tested dance floor sure shot.
Indulging the afterglow, Miserymix sign off with the superb synth pop of 'Name Game'. Stomping drum machines play host to an insistent bassline and some slinky keys, while the cucumber cool Euro vocal serves cabaret camp and maximum vamp.
Remember folks, the TD crew (drum)rolls deep...
100% Drum Fun Guaranteed!
NYC experimental producer Neud Photo is up next on EYA's LONEWOLF series with a killer 5 tracker named 'Echoes.
The EP brilliantly oscillates between various inspirations with a strong machine sound; an incredible and hauting journey into electro,new beat, minimal and techno.
Jake Muir's latest set of soft-focus, sensual electro-concrète, dissolves X-rated gay sleaze flick soundtracks into a shimmering suite of subdued orchestral flourishes and surreal cosmic psychedelia.
Back in 2020, Muir put together a 90-minute mix for Honey Soundsystem, blending tracks from Kelman Duran, DJ Olive, Daniel Lanois and Terre Thaemlitz with obliquely camp dialog samples from vintage gay porn. The idea was to represent queer sexuality in a looser, more experimental manner, grazing the super-sensory pleasure of the bathhouse experience and the illicit joy of cruising without getting too self-serious while doing it. The mix was so popular that Muir followed it up with a weightless sequel two years later, and began developing the concept into a proper album, using more samples of music and dialogue, eventually performing the piece at the esteemed GRM as part of their FOCUS #4 concerts alongside work by Eliane Radigue, Folke Rabe and Chris Watson.
Bathhouse Blues is split into two side-long pieces that wash and ripple with nervous tension and discreet salaciousness. Opening with a familiar theatre sting, there are echoes here of kosmische and experimental electronics on 'Cruisin’ 87', fashioned into puddles of syrupy, back-room ambience. Occasionally we hear lascivious words thru the fog, men mumbling to each other before sex. "That's beautiful," a voice mutters over a dusky cricket chirp on 'Pipe Dream'. "It is," another replies.
Muir's sonic treatment is suitably explicit, like a 1950s Hollywood jump-cut to a train going into a tunnel; he takes the whole-body, mutual release of queer sex and interprets it with heady gestures, peppering jazzy rhythmic frostings into basins of skewered drone and gurgling synths. His sound is coloured by the pleasure of physical touch, a mussy flux of high frequency scrapes and caresses juxtaposed with woozy, dubbed-out fondles and thrusts. Who said the GRM was buttoned up?
Vol.2[25,17 €]
Through 35 hedonistic highlights stretched across three volumes, Music For The Radical Xenomaniac delivers the first ever deep dive into The Netherlands’ colourful house sound of the 90s and the under-celebrated producers and record labels whose music soundtracked a countrywide cultural movement.
Plenty of books and documentaries have celebrated the riotous raves, legendary clubs, high profile DJs and promoters who shaped The Netherlands’ hedonistic house scene throughout the 90s. Music For The Radical Xenomaniac dares to challenge these narratives by shining a light, for the first time, on those who created the scene’s kaleidoscopic, game-changing and globally influential soundtrack.
Leading the charge were a disparate group of key creators who not only forged links with their counterparts in Detroit, Chicago, New York, Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom, but also became celebrated figures on the worldwide electronic underground (Eric Nouhan, Aad De Mooy, Orlando Voorn, Stefan Robbers and Steve Rachmad). Alongside key underground imprints (Stealth Records, Basic Energy, ESP, Prime and Outland Records included) and lesser-known producers, these pioneers gave flavour to a radical musical movement via open-mindedness, unheard-of creativity and a genuinely futuristic ethos. All of these artists and labels are represented throughout the series.
So, what defined this hedonistic house sound from The Netherlands? Stylistically, it was varied – as the series so emphatically proves – but was defined by a set of distinctive sonic characteristics: emotive musical motifs, high-frequency synth sounds, mellow basslines, pulsating rhythms and more than a touch of hallucinatory intent.
Volume 3 is packed with in-demand tracks and hard-to-find gems, including a previously CD-only cut from Dutch techno originator Orlando Voorn (1999’s ‘Still’), a genuine rave classic from The Hague by hardcore DJ Charly Lownoise as Fluxland, and a killer cut from prolific producer – and genuinely influential pioneer – Aad De Mooy AKA D-Shake. He’s represented on this volume by Paradise 3001 cut ‘Surfin The Cuban Waves’, which first appeared on ESP Records in 1993.
Other highlights include Direct Movement’s ‘Natural Chemistry’, a sought-after slow house cut produced by Dennis Buné, who had an enormous impact on the Dutch house scene as Jaimy, and ‘Delphi (Rewaxed)’ by NYX, a highly regarded and hard to find single from former new wave and synth-pop producer Bart Barten, and occasional studio partner Hanz Meyer.
Packed full of forward-thinking 90s gems remastered for today’s dance floors by Alden Tyrell, Music For The Radical Xenomaniac Volume 3 is a life-affirming celebration of a distinctly Dutch musical movement, whose rich textures and melodies are still inspiring new generations of DJs and dancers today.
SHADOWSPAWN sind zurück mit ihrer mit Spannung erwarteten vierten Veröffentlichung "Blasphemica - Absolution Carved From Flesh". Das neue Album der Dänen demonstriert das Wachstum und die Entwicklung der Band, während sie ihren charakteristischen schnörkellosen Death-Metal-Sound beibehalten. Blasphemica" geht jedoch noch einen Schritt weiter und verschiebt die Grenzen ihrer Musikalität, indem es Elemente des Grooves, der Dunkelheit und der Brutalität in ein zusammenhängendes Ganzes einbaut. Das Album zeigt die Reife der Band als Songwriter und ihre Fähigkeit, komplizierte, aber dennoch headbangertaugliche Kompositionen zu schaffen.
Mit zehn groovigen Death-Metal-Tracks, die in einer abstrakten lyrischen Welt aus Steampunk und Religionskritik angesiedelt sind, besuchte die Band Tue Madsen in den renommierten Antfarm Studios, um die Drums aufzunehmen und später zu mischen und zu mastern, um den bestmöglichen Sound für ihr neues Werk zu gewährleisten. Dies wird auch das erste Album von Shadowspawn mit ihrem neuen Schlagzeuger Lukas Meier sein, bekannt von The Petulant und Sacrificial.Shadowspawn, die für ihre einzigartige Mischung aus groovigen und intensiven Klanglandschaften bekannt sind, wurden 2013 von erfahrenen Männern aus der frühen dänischen Death-Metal Szene gegründet, darunter bekannte Kräfte von u.a. Sacrificial, The Petulant und Cinerator.
Mit ihrem unverwechselbaren Ansatz für das Genre haben sie sich einen Weg in der extremen Musikszene gebahnt. Nach drei hochgelobten Veröffentlichungen sind Shadowspawn in der dänischen Metalszene und auch im Ausland ein bekannter Act.
Mr. K’s series of edits on Most Excellent Unlimited is nothing if not eclectic, and utilitarian — as befits a veteran DJ of Danny Krivit’s stature. For our latest, Krivit pulls two disparate gems out of his bag of tricks and fits them neatly on a single 7-inch piece of vinyl.
In 1972 Ralph Bakshi’s landmark underground animated film Fritz the Cat was released, featuring a soundtrack performed by an all-star cast of San Francisco area musicians associated with the Berkeley-based Fantasy label. Perhaps Fantasy’s biggest artist was the vibes player Cal Tjader, who debuted in 1955 and was still going strong when songs were gathered for the movie’s soundtrack nearly twenty years later. Rather than simply using one of his older, already-recorded tunes, Tjader laid down a completely new version of his earlier hit record “Mamblues.” This time however, he swapped his standard latin percussion accompaniment for a can’t-miss rhythm section of Bernard Purdie, Chuck Rainey, and Arthur Adams. The result was a searing funk workout that took the latin jazz classic to new heights. Mr. K subtly warms this one up by adding a hint of reverb and bringing the tempo down a notch, pushing things from frenetic to funky, and firmly into friendly mixing territory for the DJs.
For our flip side, we turn to an unsung jewel amongst Philadelphia’s many contributions to disco music. Executive Suite released a series of singles in ’74 and ’75 that were recorded at the famed Sigma Sound Studios and had ties to a number of better known disco luminaries, among them the holy trinity of Baker-Harris-Young and, on “You Believed In Me,” the mighty Patrick Adams. Along with his longtime associate Stan Lucas, Adams garnished the vocal quartet’s composition with a driving arrangement and epic, soaring strings. The combined effect produced a vibrant, uplifting club cut that echoes the positive spirit of Curtis Mayfield’s “Move On Up” while being altogether its own thing. For our latest release Mr. K focuses solely on Adams’s instrumental section, returning repeatedly to that addictive string riff and creating a propulsive rhythm track that just doesn’t quit. And we don’t want it to!
As always, these connoisseur’s choice cuts have been remastered and pressed to Most Excellent Unlimited’s standards, and are primed and ready on 7-inch for DJs and home listeners alike.
As a follow-up to the debut EP; Anaesthesia, Avilynn is back with another dynamic four track EP; Five Million Sunsets, which is accompanied by a remix from Ostgut Ton’s Answer Code Request.
‘Why So Serious’ opens the project and focuses on dynamically evolving and unfurling drums, plucked synths and modulating percussion while expansive reverberations and nuanced echoes further instil dynamism throughout. Answer Code Request steps up next, shifting the focus to an aesthetically industrial feel, twisting elements of the original’s synthesis and high-octane drums into an ominous, subtly unfolding take on things.
Opening the flip-side is title-cut ‘Five Million Sunsets’ which sees Avilynn explore a more textural landscape, dropping the tempo significantly and introducing circling dub chords, earthy sub tones and menacing bass swells throughout. Last up to round out the release is ‘Your Eye Was Bigger Than The Other One’, here Avilynn focuses her musical theme around “a trippy experience where the person has a distorted reality’’, the composition laid out across three and a half minutes melds together choppy broken drums, eerie tones and bubbling synths alongside gritty distorted moments and metallic chimes.
About the label:
Life experiences in macro and micro; daily reveries and introspections; byproducts of clubbing and city life…converted into sonic frequencies.
The focus of the label is on releasing physical products and the use of the cityscape as the primary interface between artist and music listener. Access to Avilynn’s music and multimedia output is made possible through stickers scattered about different cityscapes which feature personal quotes and QR codes. You can find sticker locations via insta’s highlights at instagram.
