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We are very proud to welcome back one of our greatest artists and good friends Scott Monteith aka Deadbeat. Scott original comes from Canada but now lives in Berlin for some years.
Scott is mostly known for his own BLKRTZ label, but have been releasing on many other labels over the years.
The track "Put On Your Red Shoes And Trance" is a peak time bomb, dubby, deep, powerfull and melodic track.
The B-side, "Just Jackin Around" is Techno bomb full of dubby chords and build-up-madness.
300 limited marbeld vinyls. When the coloured edition is sold out we only have black vinyl left.

Beautiful Full Cover Art, Limited to 300 - Lumière Noire - The new label by Chloé!

Il Est Vilaine aren't from Brittany, but they sure are tricksters. The Francophiles among you might have caught on to the corny pun in their name (beating a certain presidential candidate to the punch all while turning the name of the pastoral Ile-et-Vilaine region into, literally, 'he's a nasty woman") but the real takeaway is that these born-and-bred Parisians don't take themselves too seriously - especially in an era in which there is much too much of that happening. It was in 2014 (and on Dialect Recordings) that Florent and Simon tossed their debut 12 into the ring, the rightfully named Scandale - a tight little bombshell released that roused the electronic music scene out of its complacent little catnap.So there we had it, two outcasts refusing to eat at the same table as the tech-house scene queens, serving up three whiplash-on-the-dancefloor cuts drenched in sweaty hedonistic disco and wrapped in a battered motorcycle jacket (with a gooey post-punk-pop core for good measure.) A clear mission statement right out of the gates, watermarked with mystical incantations and throbbing with rock 'n' roll's primitive drive. Everything and the kitchen sink, and a bag of chips - an invitation to just let lose that's even better than the sum of its parts. Moving on to this new platter. We set the scene: motorcycles blazing from the airport strip to the strip joint, our heroes traded their Oberkampf stomping grounds for a sleepless weekend of Spanish groupies, discount bikinis, whiskey and bukkake. And a creative spurt that left us with a mutant of a record, the sound of rock and techno crashing through a drum kit mid-coitus, interrupted by La French Chanson

The second EP by Control Remote finally drops with 3 stunning cuts destined to become phuture classics in years to come. The first EP was a strong seller for the shop and provided the footwork for this second EP to drop. 'Music' on the A side gyrates a house groove with a moody man nod of guidance. This is one sure fire hot jam! On the flip we have the divine acid groove of 'Fragment Of A Sermon' kicking of proceedings whilst riding locked in groove. 'Give My Luv' closes the EP off with a low rider house slide that leans to left whilst moving you to the right! This second EP by Control Remote sets the standard for others to follow. HOTNESS personified!

Bristol beat physicist Second Storey joins the fold of electro dystopians TRUST, and 'Telekinesis Via Fax' picks right up where recent releases for Houndstooth and his R&S collaboration with Appleblim, ALSO, left off. 'Attack Of The Modlings' has deceptively lush pads launch into an industrial grime furor that relentlessly underscores Second Storey's ambition to sonically innovate. Vienna's /DL/MS/, coming right off their recent TRUST debut, reassemble the bits into a subtly layered electro funk banger, before Second Storey steps back onto the plate with the eternally spiralling "Quantock Point To Point" and "Telekinesis Via Fax", the latter evoking memories of Robert Gordon's afro-futurist Black Knight project with hyperkinetic snares and free-wheeling synth licks.

'Spirit Reflection' is the third album LP from Los Angeles singer-songwriter
Gaby Hernandez. Blissful layers of instrumentation, electronics, vocal harmonies and folkloric percussion intertwine with west coast feel to create aunique, beautiful and multi-layered album.
The album features a stellar line-up of LA talent, jazz star Kamasi Washington, Stuart Howard (AKA Lapalux), Kelis and Gaslamp killer collaborator Dexter Story, plus Ninja Tune, Plug Research and Soul Jazz artist Carlos Niño, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and Gabriel Reyes-Whittaker all accompany Gaby, with stunning results. Even before Spirit Reflection had been finished, the demo mixes caught the ear and gained support from Gilles Peterson, Lefto, Toshio Matsuura (U.F.O.) and JRocc (Beat Junkies). Born, raised and based in Los Angeles and of Chilean descent, Gaby Hernandez has been writing and recording since 2001. She was a founding member of the 'creative music ensemble' Build An Ark alongside others including Carlos Niño, Dexter Story and Dwight Trible.

Gaby was the only vocalist on Teebs' debut Brainfeeder release Ardour. She made major contributions to AmmonContact's Ninja Tune releases New Birth and With Voices, plus The Life Force Trio's Plug Research album Living Room. She was also the vocalist on Dimlite's Outernational Duet - released as part of his highly acclaimed Sonar Kollektiv longplayer This Is Embracing.
Hernandez was invited by Mia Doi Todd to sing on the Jonathan Wilson produced song Canto de Iemanja, which was included on Todd's City Zen record Cosmic Ocean Ship and the Red Hot + Rio 2 compilation, which also featured Beck, Seu Jorge, Aloe Blacc, David Byrne and Madlib. Among her main musical comrades is the prolific multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer Dexter Story, for whom Hernandez sang on the track Water Bearer from his LP Seasons, on Kindred Spirits. David and Graham from Mr Bongo met Gaby and Carlos Nino at the end of their hugely successful Arthur Verocai album launch and rare record sale at the RAPPCATS venue in LA. Gaby and Carlos passed us a copy of 'Spirit Reflection'.and we put it on the deck. It immediately grabbed us and we couldn't stop listening to it. When we got back to the UK we got in contact straight away and signed the album. We're very proud to be releasing it'... ...this is a future classic, an 'album' in the truest sense of the word. Brilliant.' says Graham.

Ninth instalment of Redscale. Grad_u with a masterpiece of dub techno. Vinyl only.

"Holdback", an unexpected twist of events for followers of Redscale, is actually a bold step forward in terms of pace and light. The enticing chords work like a magnet, and the potential of the lady on the mic is no lower than that one of a siren. The personal weapons of grad_u, the most powerful of which are the embracing loops, are of course out there, indicating the
producer's inner spirit and roots.

Picking up where "Holdback" left off, "Outwards from Laniakea" is a statement more rugged, yet as absolute as the message on side A. It's an invitation to put that jacket back to the
cloakroom, switch off that phone and let yourself go, again and again. It's, once again, a compelling statement against conformity.

***

Early support by DJ Deep, Cari Lekebusch, Jonas Kopp, Shlømo, Josh Wink, John Osborn, Echoplex, Don Williams, Wata Igarashi, Regal, Mark Broom, Marcus Intalex / Trevino, Ryan James Ford, Francois X, Albert van Abbe and many more... .

Brooklyn's Son of Sound joins hometown label Razor-N-Tape with The Dusty Files EP, a 4-tracker that embodies the gritty and driving sound of the borough.

The A-side kicks off with Your Voodo's Broken, a track that builds to mid-tempo looped perfection even before the floor-shaking bass drops, followed by the beguiling synth patterns and efficient yet driving drums of No Bullets Left.

On the flip side, Nude Jerzee eschews the bridges and tunnels and takes us straight to NJ by way of outer space, and then What Do You Feel floats us gently back to earth on a cloud of strings, electric pianos and a chugging disco beat.

Profusion (noun): an abundance of something rich.

The sonic partnership of K15 and Emeson originated in the days of MySpace. A future of combining their skills was inevitable, and now in 2017, it's time to unleash their debut studio album into the ether.

The solo-projects of Tottenham-raised Kieron Ifill (aka K15) date back a decade, but were truly kick-started on labels such as Kyle Hall's Wild Oats and WotNot Music, with a number of genre-crossing releases dropping ever since, including the WU15 project (along with Yussef Kamaal's Henry Wu, on Eglo Records). Additionally to his production work, he has established himself internationally as a DJ, from the Jazz Cafe to the CoOp parties.

Partner in Profusion, Emeson, has many skills to his bow - singing, songwriting, producing, promoting, DJing (under the alias Ed Nice) and acting. As a musician, his varied skill-set has seen him work with Chico Hamilton, Carla Duke, Karmasound, Uzo Madu and Chris Jerome. A frontman for soul-jazz groups LifeSize, The One and Saturn's Children, he has featured on releases for BBE and Tokyo Dawn, and appeared live on stage at the likes of Ronnie Scott's.

The debut single was supported by tastemaker blogs Wonderland, XLR8R and Stamp The Wax, has been bumped by selectors such as Lefto and Jazzie B, and played on NTS, Worldwide FM, Mi-Soul, LeMellotron, Balamii Radio, Itch FM, Invader FM, Soho Radio and various stations across Europe and the US.

This album is full to the brim with summery sun-soaked synths, drifting across the warmest of basslines and heavyweight beats. Emeson's rich vocals gracefully ride atop of K15's delectably bruk twist on neo-soul sonics and electronics, this is some seriously classy contemporary London soul music, that manages to incorporate flashes of various dance music techniques, sound-system etiquette and jazz-tinged rhythms. As future-thinking as it is subtly retrospective, it doesn't lend itself to one genre, it intentionally embodies the best of many. An array of everything that is great about British black music in 2017. The message the album conveys itself couldn't have come at a more poignant time. Where do we begin

Profusion - an abundance of something rich indeed.

The third release is a special collab between Elad Magdasi & Mathias Weber.

Mathias is a devoted raver & music lover. His influences run deep into the techno & acid culture and he is addicted to groove & rhythm.
Together with Elad, who is returning the 3rd time to FLR, they present two main tracks with remixes from Hector Oaks & Blind Observatory.

We eroded pre-existent structures constructing an open heterotopic space, a horizontal and vertical thinking found its way through physical- and cyberspace, Here, nothing manifested instantly - flippancy left space for any kind of interaction and appropriation. Within (or well beyond) economic pressure points which diluted production, this was our opportunity to try out different potentials with no restrictions to the public, while simultaneously scrutinising the general framework of institutions and human behaviours.

* Includes a DIN A2long poster inside the 12" sleeve with edition number and music download code

* Rogue Style 1 EP is an international homage to b-boy culture, where the worlds of breakbeat music and breakdance collide. Sinistarr (USA), Kiat (Singapore), Kabuki (Germany) and HomeSick (Canada) are connected in many ways, now they lay bare their hip-hop roots and give something back with a fresh take through the eyes of drum & bass and juke/footwork. Here is what they have to say:

Sinistarr: "As a teenager I grew up as a b-boy, dancing anywhere I could: schools, parks, festivals, you name it, my crew was there with cardboard and a speaker. I eventually got deeper into DJing and making music and learned to bring a sound that's not just for the crowds and the purists, but also for all the dancers!"

Kiat: "Hip Hop has taught me to keep evolving, to explore new forms in all my art. Progression is the key to evolution. -- I met Sinistarr online thru myspace and we had a musical connection which led to our first collaboration 'Black Diamonds' which is still one of my personal favourite tunes I've been fortunate to be part of it's creation. With Kabuki, i've always been a fan of his work since his 'Makai' alias on No U-Turn, despite meeting him only recently thru the label.I've always known him to be constantly progressing his ideas in his music which I respect alot."

Kabuki: "B-boy culture has always been a strong influence on how I pursued my art, mainly because of its DIY ethos and attitude of perfecting your craft. Incidentally these were also the aspects that drew me to Jungle when I first discovered it in the nineties. -- I'm happy to rub shoulders with Kiat, Sinistarr and HomeSick on this release, as I'm a fan of their music foremost, but also because we became friends through the music."

HomeSick: "I was only a child in the 90s and as a result I feel like my understanding of b-boy culture was experienced second hand thanks to 90s/early 2000s hip hop music. I appreciate the parallels I can see with footwork culture, particularly the similarities to the community mentality of break dancing. -- I know Sinistarr through booking him for our local party night in Alberta, Canada called Percolate. Our city must have left an impression on him because a year later he made the move here from Detroit. Had the pleasure of hosting him as a room mate for a little over half a year, the home was a very potent creative space during this time. Kabuki hit me up a few years ago and we very quickly got to sharing tracks and collaborating together. Mans a master of production and a super important part of the global scene."

The idea for a reminiscence of b-boy culture stem from label owner Booga:

"Why am I interested in this so much I grew up in East Germany and as the movie "Beat Street" premiered in 1985 over here I was age 13 and blown away by the energy, the music, the wit, the style - everything in this movie was better than everyday life in Leipzig. So I started saving for a cassette recorder and taped music shows from West German radio and prepared tapes for school disco gigs to the hope somebody would do the "robot" to Arthur Baker "Breaker's Revenge". Unfortunately that never worked out hahaha. But I was hooked since then and as the wall came down in 1989 I travelled to West Berlin just to buy the Beats, Breaks and Scratches 1-4 vinyl box by Simon Harris. The fascination for breakbeats never stopped and before I discovered Jungle around '94 I was down with the British cut up house thing from the likes of Marrs, Krush and Coldcut as another form of breakbeat music. The "do it yourself" spirit from hip hop culture inspired me to start a local website called breaks.org in 2000 to locally promote the drum and bass scene with emerging producers, djs and mcs for a wider audience and I threw in some interviews with Storm, Kabuki, Rob Playford, Klute and John B. That turnt into a multi author blog called itsyours.info in 2004 which still exists - that is where I had the pleasure to introduce Kiat and Ash in 2007. All these years I was listening and playing drum and bass tunes when the occasional "bboy tune" came up, some were obvious like Alex Reece "B-Boy Flavour", Lemon D "B Boyz", Commix "Change" and some were not so much self-explanatory like Digital & Spirits "Phantom Force" and the remixes by T-Power & Codeine or Fracture's Astrophonica Edit - but I felt the hidden force of breakdancing nevertheless. With the Rogue Style series I have the first class opportunity to ask established and new Defrostatica artists to present a current interpretation of b-boy culture. This is a dream coming true."

Afrika Bambaataa, rapper, producer, DJ from the South Bronx, New York. Afrika Bambaataa is one of the originators of breakbeat djing and is respectfully known as "The Godfather of Zulu Nation" and "Amen Ra of Hip Hop Culture'. In 2007 has been nominated for induction into The Rock Hall Of Fame and in 2008 he has been honored by the Bronx Museum of Arts. Afrika Bambaataa's long career is pointed by many hits and masterpieces such as Reckless, Unity, Just Get Up and Dance and Pupunanny.
Countless collaborations with artists such as UB40, James Brown, Boy George, Leftfield just to name few of them. Afrika Bambaataa has recorded with many labels from Tommy Boy to Capitol Records and Profile but it is with the Italian Label DFC (Expanded Music) that he has releases most of his recordings.
Bring It Up is the new release on DFC LABEL produced by dj/producer Paul Carpenter. This release includes three versions in big room/EDM style along with a mega-mix and a full acapella collection of all previous recordings released by Bambaataa on DFC label. Two lyrics videos come to support the release.



[C}] a3 | Bring It Up (Down Mix)

We were very happy to be asked by Connaisseur
Recordings if they could put out another album with our
music! Now it's all come together and they've asked us to
do our own press release for it and quite like the album,
we want to do it in our own way, personal and from the
heart. It's been a few years since our last Connaisseur album, and
a lot has happened since. We've built a new studio,
matured musically, acquired new gear, sold old gear, done a
lot of gigs, lost faith in music and regained it again.
The process of making The Loneliest Man In Space (this
album) was a genuinely pleasant experience, as we never
really set out to make an album at all. We didn't
conceptualize or have any grandiose plans, we simply
enjoyed ourselves in the studio.
Inspiration was running high, so we focused on making a lot
of music uninterrupted, rather than signing tracks, which
left us with quite a bulk of unsigned material. The idea to
release these tracks as an album came from our friend
Alex, at Connaisseur. We instantly jumped on the idea,
listened through the material, taking some tracks out and
composing a few new ones, to make it sit more together as
a whole. We tried to come up with a title that would ft
the feeling of the sum of tracks and settled on The
Loneliest Man In Space. As the album, to our ears, sounds a
little melancholic and a little spacey.
We sincerely hope that you enjoy the album either as a
listening experience, a dance experience or something in
between!

Thank you, and much love!
Vegard & Chris // Of Norway

RELEASE

'The Practice of Pseudoscience', a three track EP by M Parent, is the second vinyl release from the US based label Chem Club Records. Having been inspired by peripheral thoughts about pseudosciences, this EP is washed in steady emotional build ups using airy reverb, scattering percussion, throbbing stabs and solid kicks. The title track (A1) uses these elements to move towards a piercing synth peak while 'Cycle of Intellect' (A2) spaces out these features as it creeps to a dubby impactful end. The B side 'Temazcal Rites' was directly motivated by a scorching summer day when the intensity of the sun sparked an idea for a sizzling percussive experiment. What we're left with is a funky but emotive soundscape that tops off the EP in a unique fashion.


ARTIST

M Parent, the artist behind Chem Club's second vinyl release entitled 'The Practice of Pseudoscience', is a Brooklyn based animator who uses his background in this story-driven medium to further express himself musically. His storyline approach to producing makes for an attentive listening experience full of arcs and plot twists that still maintains it's focus on the dancefloor. Using hardware exclusively, M Parent's aim is to produce emotive tracks that exist somewhere between a continuously evolving song and a fully functional track. M Parent DJs regularly at Bossa Nova Civic Club in Brooklyn and has a monthly residency at Jupiter Disco called Modal Form with fellow Blankstairs artist, Nathaniel Young.

with his third album 'vin ploile' the bucharest, romania based producer, musician and dj petre in-spirescu captured a whole new audience in 2015 and reached out with minimal leftfield ambient sounds to music loving folks, that are not part of the world-wide dance music universe.
well known as one of the key figures of the romanian electronic dance music scene since his first ep 'tips' on luciano's label cadenza, inspirescu stepped away from club sounds that made him famous due to releases on labels like vinyl club, lick my deck or amphia.
also his two solo albums 'intr-o seara organica...' and 'gradina onirica', both released on (a:rpia:r), the record label he initiated with his buddies rhadoo and raresh in 2007, do not have much in common with the sound of 'vin ploile' - a mesmerizing deeply musical album that he only tuned in with some elements of piano, string and wind instruments as well as analogue electronics.
at the end of 2015 his nine slow swinging arrangements where celebrated in many polls and now, just a bit more than one year after the release of 'vin ploile' petre inspirescu delivers 'vîntul prin salcii' - another longplayer enlarged with seven, up to epic twelve minutes long arrangements, that continue where 'vin ploile' ceased.
they all listen to the name 'miroslav' and only differ numerically in their title. you can call them ambi-ent. you can call them minimal music in the sense of classic compositions by steve reich or terry riley. they groove - sometimes more, sometimes less. and they spread the sounds of flutes or saxophones, delicate piano figures, organic jazz drumming, arpeggiated analogue synth-lines, mesmerizing strings, choral singing, alienated looped vocals and spaced out new aged spheres.
what unites them all is the way, the melodies dance upon and in each single tune. their beautiful tex-tures ensnare and they are continuously engaged with experimentation. a mystical album full of evolu-tionary music to which each listener is able to paint his very own emotional picture. moody, dark and at the same time light-flooded shape-shifting compositions - made for those who love to surrender them-selves to a gentle dance between experimentation and attractiveness.
the cover artwork for petre inspirescu's album was made again by the illustrator and photographer julian vassallo, who's artistic works fascinate with a touching spirit of distance, that captures the truth in each single motif. just like petre inspirescu's music, only that his art grooves with notes that tell somehow: there is no truth. there is only perception.

comes in deluxe gatefold edition with lyrics sheets and colored vinyl limited to 500 copies

Early 20th century. Barbarism on an industrial scale. After the final shots had rung out Europe was left a husk, a shell to be rebuilt. And she did rebuild. Slowly, but surely, normality returned. Different zones. Different ideologies. One Europe. Yet not everyone was happy. Within this struggling continent there were those who saw the hand of authoritarianism at the wheel, past criminals ruling and lands being led back to dictatorship. The solution: the sub machine gun.From Reason to Ritual is Rude 66´s most ambitious album to date. Amsterdam´s premier electronic musician maps the rise and fall of terrorism over two slabs of wax. Gruesome naivety, one that led to countless deaths, is given an electro beat on the first record, 'Reason.' Warbling wave vocals from Ruud's wife Shaunna tell a bitter tale of paranoia and looming violence. That violence is truly realised on the second record 'Ritual.' Beats rain like shards of broken glass, constricted acid and echo as the enemy closes in for the final hollow defeat. An album that takes you from manifesto to death march.

Lagartijeando is the name of producer, musician and DJ Mati Zundel. Born, raised and currently living in a small town on the outskirts of Buenos Aires called Dolores. From a very early age, he was musically curious- experimenting with percussion, charango, guitar, bass, voice, and beyond.

Strongly influenced by his travels through Latin America, Mati's signature psychedelic dance tracks latch onto everything from traditional folk sounds from the Bolivian altiplano to the jungle beats of Brazil. Mati hypnotically fuses his traditional influences (with an emphasis on shaman chant and charango loops) with contemporary electronic beats, creating a sound that once left NPR speechless.

Lagartigeando was signed to the infamous ZZK Records in 2009 (Chancha Via Circuito, Nicola Cruz, etc.) on which he released his first EP Neobailongo- a mix of cumbias with electro and dubstep elements. After releasing the EP, Mati soon took to the road and dove deeper into the music of the Andes, studying charango and various traditional folk styles. In 2012, under the name Mati Zundel, he released his first full length album Amazonico Gravitante, via ZZK as well as Waxploitation (Gnarls Barkley, Danger Mouse) in the U.S.

Some more miles later, Mati released his second LP Cardos Redondo also on Waxploitation, which featured 8 songs recorded across Latin America- an album he calls an 'imaginary sound map of Latin America,'

Freshly into 2017, Mati brings us El Gran Poder via Wonderwheel (Novalima, Alsarah & The Nubatones)- named after an important Aymara festival that takes place in Bolivia and Peru, purely to celebrate family. At these festivals, the community also celebrates their culture and the importance of the collective identity. Like these festivals, the album is a celebratory one, and will tempt any listener out of their seat. The album was recorded in Mati's town, Dolores, outside of Buenos Aires. Once again taking a huge variety of sounds- this time influenced by Brazilian house,afro-brazilian rhythms, and folkloric Andean music. All songs are written and produced by Mati, apart from Lunita, a danceable track written in collaboration with Barrio Lindo.

'This is a journey into sound...,' These familiar words, accompanied by the rumble of a distant train, signal the opening of 'Let's Take A Trip', the sophomore album from Terrel Wallace aka Tall Black Guy. Since 2013's '8 Miles To Moenart' TBG has cemented his position as a standard bearer for the current hip-hop / beats scene. Born in Detroit and now residing in the UK, Wallace's signature style of incredibly clever sample flips and deft production chops has won fans across the globe including Gilles Peterson, Lefto, Jazzy Jeff and House Shoes.

Since his debut release in 2011 (a daring and addictive flip of Fela Kuti), TBG has become revered for his unique take on soulful hip-hop production. The swing of the drums, the textures of the instrumentation as well as a fearlessness in taking on the classics (his Soundcloud page includes flips and chops of tracks from James Brown, De La Soul and Michael Jackson) have marked him out from the crowd. One of the best-kept secrets in the scene, his singular talent is now beginning to get the recognition it deserves. In the last 12 months he has remixed Little Dragon and been invited to take part in Jazzy Jeff's Playlist Retreat alongside the likes of Eric Lau, James Poyser, Ali Shaheed Muhammed, Questlove and countless others.

For this album Wallace had a simple inspiration: 'This album is all about taking a journey. As simple as that. Be it physical, emotional or spiritual. It's asking and answering personal questions from myself within some of the tracks and also touching on social issues i.e. racism, inequality and privilege...that have been at the forefront of my mind over last three years.' Sonically there is also a shift: 'Jazz has definitely been more of an influence in this project, as I have been really inspired by so many up and coming musicians who I've been blessed to connect with'. Some of these musicians, including Kenny Keys, Miles Bonny, Diggs Duke and Dee Jackson feature on the project as well as regular collaborators Ozay Moore and Mario Sweet and fellow Playlist alumni Daniel Crawford and Masego. But this is one man's vision, and for Tall Black Guy this trip is just the beginning...,.

It's a pleasure to introduce Tony Rainwater - undoubtedly the most productive and creative savage we've come across recently. See usually we don't do this, Lehult is a crew affair, but this guy left us no choice. Being a music enthusiast, DJ and dancer for a long time, Tony has only most recently picked up producing his own music, yet at a stunning rate: When we first asked him for a demo - three months after he started producing - he swiftly dropped us a set of twenty-five tracks, another set of fifty more soon followed. His productions are straight rough edged, no-prisoners-taken Jams, combining samples from the most far-flung corners of his eclectic music collection. His magical patchwork wild style is on full display on his debut "Rockberry Jam" EP for Lehult. The A-Side takes us through the lighter side of his repertoire with the title tracks slow building house groove, some dizzy medieval monk grooves on "To All The World" and seductive R&B on "Lay It On The Line". On the flip "Operalight" irresistible groove and "Black Dream Flowers" provide some darker moments, before "Alone" closes on a soft note. The Vinyl version includes an extra goodie after the runout's. Tony is now a fixed member of the crew already and we're proud to have him and his crazy energy on the team. This won't be the last you'll hear of him.

Cookin' On 3 Burners are Australia's foremost organ trio joining the dots between funk, soul, boogaloo & jazz. Long time partners Lance Ferguson (guitar), Ivan Khatchoyan (drums) and Jake Mason (organ) have taken their home brew of soulful Hammond get down everywhere from jazz festivals to after hours bars and clubs. Their top notch reputation led to them supporting Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings in Sydney, jamming live with Breakestra and becoming THE in demand band south of the equator. With a musical CV that includes names like Joe Bataan, Alice Russell, Mark de Clive-Lowe and The Quantic Soul Orchestra, as well as the world beating outfit The Bamboos, it's not surprising this latest CO3B album has generated huge interest even prior to its' release. Their first Freestyle album 'Baked, Broiled or Fried' featured the group in a hardcore funk groove but on 'Soul Messin' sees the sound, feel and influences widened further with some quite magical results. Versatile singer Kylie Auldist (Tru Thoughts Recordings) opens proceedings on the deep funk groove of 'Push It Up' but it is the Freestyle 45 'This Girl' (FSR7057) that provides the mellow, beautiful and incredibly catchy vocal highlight of the entire collection, shimmering horns ride over this laid back, future deep soul classic. We don't yet know what Gary Numan will make of CO3B's version of his 80's synth pop hit 'Cars' (CD only) but Jake Masons organ playing (including simultaneously supplying the super funky bass lines via his Hammond foot pedals and left hand) takes this track in a direction no one was expecting! Drummer and top notch singer Fallon Williams provides his gritty, searing voice on 'Hole In My Pocket' and 'Seen Through Your Disguise' sounding very much like US soul legend Robert Moore and the band display their versatility whilst doffing their caps in the direction of The Meters on the numbers 'Dog Wash' and 'Piranha' The down tempo, moody album closer 'The Proving Grounds' (CD only) once again shows the groups expanding musical textures and rounds off 'Soul Messin' the bands most varied and accomplished recording so far.

Recent Mark Lamar Live Session on Radio 1

"This Girl" has been Freestyle's top selling single of 09 so far !

Infernal Sounds is discharging its fifth hefty, system-affine release, adding another highly regarded talent to their roster. Having featured revered producers like Von D, Sepia, Causa, Shu & Perverse, the label has clearly positioned itself in the front row seat of the modern dubstep movement. Representing a combination of upholding the values of system music with a 21st-century take on sound - the next release, catalogued as 'IFS005' is stylistically congruent and adds to the discography in total.

It is now time for highly talented Sub Basics (Tom Woods) to augment the imprint's discography with his ridiculously massive incarnation of bass music. His debut vinyl release on the Canadian imprint 'Visceral Vibrations' in 2015 has garnered ample amounts of positive reception by esteemed figures in the scene like Versa, Syte and J:Kenzo. After an equally praised 10' dubplate release ( Give Dem') in 2016, we now find ourselves in the silence before the thunderstorm, that is this very record. His upcoming release includes three tracks, two of which will feature on vinyl (A. Horus/ B. Cartel), while the third 'Northern Lights' will be a Bandcamp-exclusive.

Diving into the sound at hand, his arrangements are closely aligned and firmly true to the origins of Dubstep - conjugated with extreme clarity, as well as preposterous amounts of weight and gravitas. The impeccable execution of his minimalistic sound design will leave this release rumbling on soundsystems around the globe - and will most stay a fan's favourite draw from the record bag for a good while.


Perfectly displaying a refined sense of dynamics with 'Horus', Sub Basics effortlessly squeezes every available ounce of air out of the system, while preserving an immense sense of space. The highly infatuating groove of 'Cartel' is mingled with a sweltering foundation - tied together through his meticulous attention to detail. As etheral pads complement the gnarly drum reverberations and bird's cries recoil - the listener is left in a surreal world of the 'Northern Lights' - apprehended by the sonorous magnitude of the bassline. Completed by creamy atmospheres with tape-echo-esque characteristics, this whole release is sure to tick all your boxes from top to bottom - IFS005 has already received support from J:Kenzo & Foamplate among others, therefore the pre-order is strongly advised.

COMPILED BY PETE PASQUAL, ERICA OLSON & DJ KINETIC

Following on from acclaimed compilations like 'Down Under Nuggets' and 'Heavy Soul' (and two other new titles 'Running The Voodoo Down' and 'Dodgy Bossa (& Silly Sambas)' - details below), Festival Records presents another deep dig into the archives, this time shining a light on rare Australian soul-jazz, jazz-funk, and freaked-out groove rock from the late '60s and '70s.

BACK ON THE STREET AGAIN - AUSTRALIAN FUNK, SOUL & PSYCH (MOSTLY) FROM THE FESTIVAL VAULTS is a stunning 20 track CD and 2LP release that highlights a point when the previously disparate styles of rock, jazz and soul all started influencing each other, and exciting new genres were created. To quote the liner notes (by DJ Kinetic):

Australia produced some amazing music during the 60s and 70s that sat outside of the normal rock mould. Avant guard artists like John Sangster pushed boundaries and experimented with the fusion of local and overseas influences, artists like Dalvanius recorded soaring disco music that was lost amongst the popular music of the time, only to be rediscovered by DJs overseas who were searching for unknown sounds, composers like Brute Force and His Drum took risks and recorded left-field funky sounds hidden within their more mainstream compositions, and popular artists like Billy Thorpe occasionally strayed from their A&R directions and took leaves from the books of American artists who were largely unknown in Australia at the time. Beneath the veneer of bland rock and roll lay an unknown multitude of funky sounds hidden from mainstream view.

In addition to the artists that Kinetic mentions (and the compilation features two John Sangster tracks - stunning versions of 'Hair' and the Beatles' 'A Day In The Life'), the collection includes iconic names of the era like the Daly-Wilson Big Band (featuring Kerrie Biddell), Renee Geyer and the Johnny Rocco Band. '60s sides from Ross D Wyllie and The ID (featuring Jeff St John) reveal the various styles' roots in American rhythm & blues, and the unexpected inclusion of some legendary Australian rock outfits like Tamam Shud and Blackfeather reveals the psychedelic and progressive rock influences at play. The full range of the music is highlighted by the inclusion of both cabaret/daytime TV performer Al Styne and outrageous Kings Cross club act Count Copernicus & The Cosmic Fire as well as the in-house studio 'pops' orchestra, Festival Studio 24 Orchestra.

Co-compilers Pete Pasqual, Erica Olson and DJ Kentic to undertake interviews with specialist media around release. Facebook ad's around release.

Following their much-acclaimed surprise debut album VERMONT from 2014, Motor City Drum Ensemble's Danilo Plessow and Innervisions' Marcus Worgull reunite for more synth daydreaming on the suitably titled II'. The new outing continues where the first full-length left off, strolling further down the luminous and undulating path that the duo turned into, influenced in equal measures by kosmische, krautrock, minimal wave and synth soundtracks.
This latest batch of instrumental cuts opens with the strictly balearic vibe of NORDERNEY, a softly swinging, light-footed recording with a keen sense for structure. Featuring a guest performance from Robbert Van Der Bildt (aka Kaap) on guitar, it's a telling starting point for the album that - similar to Vermont's self-titled debut - successfully navigates between economic, careful studio arrangements and playful, incidental exploration further pushing into jam session territory. Van Der Bildt's guitar returns on the plucky, curious UFER, where Vermont showcase a renewed sense for jazz-like improvisation - same as on the cuts DSCHUNA, CHANANG and WENIK, which also include contributions from Dermot O'Mahony and Tadhg Murphy on strings.
Still, Vermont's synth contraptions remain the album's main attraction, with the extensive array of gear encompassing an entire panopticon of analog bling - from Arp Oddysey and Moog Prodigy to Fender Rhodes, Juno and Prophet, list-studying gear heads will find lots to drool upon. Consequently, tracks like CHEMTRAILS, UNRUH or GEBIRGE err on the machine side of things, expertly interweaving arpeggiated sequences for maximum atmospheric effect. Foreboding, slightly menacing synth motives as on SKORBUT or CHEMTRAILS are perfectly balanced with the casual ambient of HALLO VON DER ANDEREN SEITE and the nostalgic warmth of DEMUT - while the gentle push of the masterful KI-BOU even carries a whiff of classic deep house, linking the Vermont project to Plessow and Worgull's main careers as dance floor movers and shakers.
Continually intriguing, immersive and texturally rich, each one of Vermont's new pieces betray the experience, precision and determination of the producers involved - while opening up Worgull and Plessow'a vocabulary for patient experimentation and subtle discoveries. A musical treat for synth aficionados - and everyone else, if you ask us.

Rune Lindbaek joins Bastedos on this new edition featuring two tracks from polar oposites of the BPM spectrum. Side A from Bastedos features a pacey electronic number with flavours of both rock and disco and a singer making the asertion that ' I Just Wanna Dance, I Just Wanna Boogie', surely any listener will be left with a similar desire when they hear this at their favourite discotetheque. Rune slows it down a gear or two for the flip with his version of Supermann, this is a perfect end of the night track that would melt the hips of even the man of steel.

Stirred up from deep within, from an abstract spiral of sound and movement, from a sensation of time and space absolving and converging at once, the Black Flower musicians have molded a tangible matter: the album Artifacts. Their second full album sounds international and ageless. Eastern influences, Ethiodub and jazz effortlessly merge. Fantasy and reality seem to fuse. In a word: nourishment for body and soul.

"Psyche-delicious and accessible 20th century Ethiodubjazz. As if John Zorn put on Fela Kuti's shoes and imbibed Mulatu Astatke's whirls."

Piloted by saxophonist /flutist /composer Nathan Daems (Ragini Trio, Dijf Sanders, Antwerp Gipsy-Ska Orkestra), this instrumental band aims for originality. Fellow musicians and 'brothers down the road' are Jon Birdsong (dEUS, Beck, Calexico) on cornet, Simon Segers (Absynthe Minded, De Beren Gieren, Stadt) at the drums, Filip Vandebril (Lady Linn, The Valerie Solanas, Antwerp Gipsy-Ska Orkestra) at the bass and Wouter Haest (Los Callejeros, Voodoo Boogie) playing keys.

For many of us, the Ethiopian aspect once made known to the world by Mulatu Astatke will stand out. Still, Black Flower further adds oriental scales, Afrobeat à la Fela Kuti, jazz in a John Zorn way and varied western music traditions such as rock and dub. The resulting melting pot is undoubtedly inspired by Nathan's distant travels and the multifariously colorful city of Brussels.

...Pretty legit if you ask me - LeFto, Studio Brussel

After their well-received debut album Abyssinia Afterlife (2014, W.E.R.F. / Zephyrus Records) that created an atmosphere of mythical figures and psychedelia, Black Flower now reflects on ancient and modern cultures. The album title Artifacts refers to centuries-old fragile objects or tools that empowered the development of human culture. The world today would look entirely different without those artifacts. The seemingly brittle suddenly becomes a powerful welding cornerstone. Add the musicians' personal musical backgrounds and the result is an album with an ageless mystique. Artifacts is the synthesis of different cultures, of the past and present, and personal and collective memories. It is the soundtrack to modern reality, based on the elements that connect us.

Brilliant - Gilles Peterson, BBC Radio 6

One of Belgium's Best Bands of these past years (...) Black Flower does not simply play a tune, they always groove! - Kurt Overbergh, Ancienne Belgique

Uncomplicated originality, plenty of space for fantasy and an organic tone: those are the ingredients for Black Flower to lay claim to an age-old human ritual: dancing! Still, Black Flower also stands out in various other settings. Their audience at a jazz club will have felt exalted, their audience at a late-night show will not have resisted dancing. The band wields influence over their surroundings in a way only heart-and-soul musicians can. This mastery has repeatedly taken them to United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands and Germany.

Bruno Patchworks' Hovart is one of the top producers of today's groove music scene. After playing as a bassist and guitarist for various bands, he started producing in the mid-nineties and has kept on mixing today's technologies with the raw spirits of House, Electronic, Disco, Funk, Soul, Reggae & Jazz music's golden years since then.

Following the trail of success left by his various projects as Patchworks, and under many aliases, he's proved his musical ubiquity and unexpectedly stroke in various genres. Many House music diggers would indeed remember that before Favorite Recordings was launched in 2006, Patchworks produced many deep-house tracks on various labels.

On this new EP, he's back as Mr President with 2 new banging titles brilliantly mixing House music atmosphere, with Soul and Disco vibes. He's also teaming up again with Sabba MG on vocals, following to their great Give My Love' efforts, released on EDR Records 3 years ago. As Going to a Go Go' is a fully exclusive work reminiscent of the early House music scene from New-Jersey or Chicago, the nice Disco flavors of Night Time' also come to announce Mr President's upcoming new album in 2017.

Mint Condition - A brand new record label focussed on excavating the outer fringes of classic House and Techno. Unreleased mixes, classics and overlooked gems mined from the last 20+ of contemporary dance music are the order of the day. From Chicago, Detroit and New York to London and beyond, Mint Condition have got their expert digging hats on to bring you exclusive heat and those rarer than rare jams that have been on your wants list for years! Dig in....
Arthur Forests name should be more widely known in the world of dance music, the man lent his expert to touch to more than one classic record emanating from Detroit during his time and has quietly left an indelible fingerprint on House and Techno history. Here at Mint Condition and for our third release we are extremely proud to present one of Art Forest's (in our opinion) finest moments - The majestic, futuristic 'Expectations' EP. Released in 1992, this 4 track EP has always been sought after by Detroit lovers worldwide. Often very difficult to track down and commanding high prices on the second hand market, this 12" is a real rarity. Showcasing a style that stands out from a lot of records released around the same period "Expectations" still sounds so killer today. Listen to "Flow with me" on the b-side, an insanely deep, melancholic piece of Detroit house, steeped in motor city futurism (those synth pads!) and with an otherworldly vocal performance from Dan Carter it ticks all the boxes, absolutely sublime and worth the admission fee here alone. Stunning.
If you're up to your neck in the history of Detroit dance music, or if you've literally just stumbled upon this entire world of amazing music (Welcome!) you'll want a piece of this. Beautifully crafted deepness from a quiet master of the artform, what's not to dig MC003 has been reissued with the permission and involvement of Arthur Forest and remastered by London's very own Curvepusher. 100% legit, licensed and released. Dug, remastered, repackaged and brought to you by the caring folks at your new favourite reissue label - Mint Condition!
'Mint Condition - We're out there'

Again shooting for the altitudes reached on MANHIGH's first journey, Henning Baer's second operation returns to the endeavour with a newly diversified mission. 'Operator' finds us already at the furthest edge of the atmosphere, pulsating waves of distorted electronics and distant, disembodied voices floating in the void. 'Pittsburgh Left' is the fall back to earth, the unrelenting metallic rhythm slowly gaining momentum, momentary shifts in perspective and detail flashing by as the decent accelerates inexorably. The contemplation before leaving the ground, 'AIIM' slowly anticipates the ascent and examines the cosmos before lift-off. Surely the launch phase 'Canadian Suit' is both reflective and onrushing, trapped between tense, contrasting moments before being flung into the unknown. Displaying both Henning Baer's typically acute feeling for talent and Kangding Ray's restless ear, the remix of 'AIIM' is a complete reinterpretation, setting grinding triplet rhythms in an industrial soundscape that suggests travels more fearful than those that surround it.

Words: Albert Freeman

Mannheim duo Ho Do Ri's Lost In Betty's Ford is an exercise in restraint with the EP delving into the deeper realms of house music. Elotrans' Kick things off with its shuffling percussion lending the track more of a jacking vibe. High Level boost ups the energy whilst still retaining a distinctly left field vibe whilst K For The Models delves into murkier realms in a superbly wonky way. Back Problems rounds things off with a sub-aquatic ride reminiscent of Baby Ford at his most coherent.

Michigan artist John Beltran's 13th studio album and 3rd on Delsin is his most complete and personal work yet. Written largely on modular synthesizers for the first time, it melts 90s intelligent techno with post rock and ambient with leftfield downtempo. The seventeen tracks draw on his expert knack for sound design; for melody and atmosphere and make for yet another hugely absorbing affair.

Bordello A Parigi. Ali Renault. A gin and tonic combo if there ever was one. The UK synthesizer savant lands with a four tracker of leftfield electro pop. 'Altro Mondo' screams out of the traps, bulbous bass lines elbow sweetened chords and snapping beats. 'Fume' grows from the same soil. Analogue warmth is brushed, even bruised, by the crack and whip of rhythms; a touch of EBM bitterness blended with Italo hope. Nowhere is this more evident than in...'Nowhere', a buckled dancefloor romp with the king of Milano, Fred Ventura, offering vocals. Uabos maintains the tension for the finale, uplifting house currents coursing through his remix of 'Lenticular'.

Night Tide's sophomore release welcomes two new names to the family. THOMMYY RA and Simonn bring us the "Lost Journey" EP, a 6 tracker of analogue laden esoteric house. On the A, we have THOMMYY RA, label boss at Nasty Habits Tape Cltr and prone to a bi-annual name change, he contributed the silty SETH NK remix of Eluize's "Up All Night" on our label's debut record earlier this year. He opens with "Journey Into Nowhere", an eerie, coasting, synth drenched opus propelled by throbbing percussion and rippling leads, follows with "Die Darling Die" a 90s touched, left of centre house cut, complete with a skipping kick and playfully nostalgic horn, and wraps the side with creepy, deep and groove heavy "Razzy Moon". On the B, we introduce Simonn for his first excursion on wax. "Unknown Habits" is a straight up, tried-and-tested party piece, its vibrant chords pulse amongst thumping drums issuing an undeniable call to the floor. He then turns his hand to something more aquatic, amphibious pads swell in "Lost In Progress" while layering percussion build before erupting into a euphoric break beat. Finally, "Raw and Unbleached" is a delicate arpeggio outing, melodic ideas tumble and burst over one another, it's light and dreamy yet gritty, innocence in sound.

The Gold Play is a compilation of all Tangram-related artists to date.
Tangram Records is an independent Belgian-based record label. It was founded 4 years ago by Up High Collective and Mophito to promote a batch of unreleased beats and live-show by Up High. Throughout the years their releases got picked up by Gilles Peterson, Lefto, XLR8R, Boiler Room, Kutmah...amongst others. Now 4 years later Tangram have introduced a wide-range of talented musicians to the world. Without wanting to limit them to a certain genre you might say their releases are a celebration of electronics and hip-hop.
The compilation itself holds 6 previously unreleased tracks by Up High Collective, Faisal, LTGL, LoneBlue x Halibab Matador (aka YellowStraps), Le Motel and Sokoto. Each side of the vinyl ends with a previously released track on Tangram by Day Fly and Moodprint blending the entire release nicely together.

The artwork release is beautifully crafted by Dzia. Dzia is a graphic artist from Belgium and fine artist in every sense for that matter. His creations range from paintings, through sculpture to taxidermy and street works. This gatefold holds two versions of a fox and a play-full scenery of dear.

The first vinyl LP on our specially created Pied Piper imprint - featuring established favourites, recent discoveries and other rarities from the Detroit-based production company.

First northern soul collectors scoured the junk shops, charity shops, deletion bins and mail order lists for records by their favourite artists. Next they tried other discs on labels for which their heroes appeared. Later came the search for titles by songwriters such as Van McCoy, Popcorn Wylie and Ashford & Simpson and the work of producers, arrangers and the companies they worked for.

Pied Piper was a Detroit-based production company with a big enough catalogue to have been a successful indie label in its own right. Apart from their own short-lived Giant imprint, they were credited on another 20-plus 45s and three LPs issued on various other logos. Even more impressive was the music they left on master tapes. Around 50 finished tracks have emerged over the last 20 years and it has been Kent's honour to release them on our specially created Pied Piper label. This is our first vinyl album taken from that catalogue.

Included are perennial favourites such as 'I'm Not Built That Way' by the Hesitations, 'That's When I Need You' by Freddy Butler and Mikki Farrow's 'Set My Heart At Ease', which we've mixed with recently discovered soul sensations 'Voo Doo Madamoiselle', 'More Than A Memory' and 'We Go Together'. As a bonus, the version of the Cavaliers' 'We Go Together' is a completely different take to the one on our first Pied Piper CD, featuring a rap intro all serious fans will need. Nancy Wilcox's opening track 'More Than A Memory' is a superior sounding master taken from a recently discovered tape and there are alternative original takes of Lorraine Chandler's 'I Can't Hold On' and 'You Only Live Twice'. Classy rarities from Tony Hester, September Jones and Rose Batiste complete the collection.

Ady Croasdell

Virginia-born singer/songwriter Nicole Wray has everything you'd want in a singer: an infectious Jackson-5-family-member flare, a range like Aretha's, and a church upbringing that's brought a pure, healing texture to her voice. But the struggle she's been through has made her more than a singer. Nicole Wray is an artist. When talking about Queen Alone, her first solo album in some time, Nicole explains, It's a reflection of my soul. It's who I am today.' And aptly so. Nicole is writing and singing songs about her life. And yet to even start to know her soul, you have to go back to the beginning. Growing up in Portsmouth was tough at times for Nicole. However, at the age of fifteen, life opened up quickly when Missy Elliot paid a visit to Nicole's family home to audition her on the spot. Missy was there on the rumored strength and quality of her voice. Instantly blowing her away, she signed and left with Missy that night. Two years later, at age 17, she had a hit gold single off a solid debut album (Make It Hot). Suddenly she was part of a team that included late '90s R&B and rap royalty: Missy, Aaliyah, Ginuwine, Playa, Timbaland and Magoo. She made it, and fast. However, as rapidly as she achieved success, Nicole then found herself needing to re-make it. By late 2001, her time with Missy and company had run its course. They amicably parted ways and Nicole, once on top of the R&B world, was unsure of what was next. It was a very low, but important, point in her life. While neck-deep in this struggle, Damon Dash and Roc-A-Fella Records called. They signed an album deal and by 2004, in what was starting to be a pattern, just as things were looking up Roc-A-Fella suddenly (famously) split. Nicole found herself in a familiar situation. In 2013, Nicole paired up with London vocalist Terri Walker and released the album Lady. Once again, Nicole was tested. Terri parted ways with the group to pursue her own projects shortly after the album's release. Fast forward to now-the transformation from singer-for-hire to pure artist is evident in this new full-length solo release, Queen Alone. The record was written and recorded in 10 days at the legendary Diamond Mine Studios, in Queens NY with Leon Michels and Tom Brenneck handling production. Nicole says she is Singing out loud now-singing from the stomach.' Back in 1998 she was coached how to sing, and told to stay in a pocket that never let her show her range, power, and passion. Today, after stutter-stepping in and out of the industry, there is a new soul and substance to her songs-all of it from her life. They Don't Hang Around", tells the story of her post Roc-a-Fella days, Guilty", is about her brother's incarceration, Make Me Over" tells the relatable story of being broke with expensive taste, and 'Let It Go', a perfect way to end the record, is about the simple act of letting go and moving on. Almost echoing her new record, Nicole says, You have to go through something for it to be real.' She has been living with one foot in fame and the other in real life. The result is clear: she's feeling something real in her music again. And it's hard for us as listeners not to follow suit.

Beautiful Deluxe Artwork, Limited ot to not to is an experimental RnB project by VA native Ian Mugerwa that combines low fidelity electronic recording techniques with unconventional song structures to produce music that serves as homage to dusty old blues recordings. At 19, Ian left his hometown of Fairfax for Richmond, where he slept on friends' floors for several months while recording Goshen. During the day he would "hunt dussy" and during the night he would haul borrowed equipment over to the VCU music facilities and record until the morning. He was moderately successful on both fronts. The resultant recordings form a coming of age album, a snapshot of Ian from the ages of nineteen to twenty. Ian's goal was to explore new aesthetics in black music through use of nontraditional methods, creating less polished, less sterile RnB in the process. Such methods included layering 40+ cello tracks to create the illusion of an orchestra, or collaging four, separate, 4-minute tracks of improvised percussion into one. Most drums were recorded last. Despite the focus on experimentation, it was important to Ian that he be crafting pop music. It is his belief that an impactful artist has, at least to some degree, a moral responsibility to deliver their art to the maximum amount of people (to efficiently help art as a whole progress). In other words, if restraint can be exercised, it ought to be. Similar artists include James Blake, Phil Elvrum, Mark Hollis, and D'Angelo.

The Double Portrait EP is Tobs' and LEMs story of descent rituals. Don't look in the mirrors left and right of you. Still, you need yourself. Flip the coin from time to time, be tender and never stop. Somebody deserves it.

It's been five years since his acclaimed debut 'Severant' and time has proved it prescient, its futuristic trap influence is now ubiquitous. 'Slow Knife' seems to return to where 'Severant' left off, but with the intricate sound design of last year's haunting EP 'Assertion Of A Surrounding Presence' subsumed into the compositions, making them more exacting and beautifully crafted. Between albums Kuedo has been working as a sound designer and composer for hire and the application of intent and widescreen rigour that commercial work requires has definitely found its way into the new album. 'Slow Knife' has the subtlety, ambition and pacing of a brilliant soundtrack - a sense of an album of scenes, that easily lends itself to an impressionistic narrative. But, as with 'Severant', the title suggests relationship unease, with the slow knife being a metaphor for the building resentment in any close relationship. 'Slow Knife' is almost two albums, the first half, according to Kuedo, invokes the seduction of the city, taking the music of Michael Mann's 'Manhunter' as a cue, with the latter half being inspired by the bloody starscapes and voodoo wilderness of films such as 'Angel Heart', 'Night Of The Hunter' and more recently the 'True Detective' series. Both halves of the album are also in thrall to Mica Levi's inspiring 'Under The Skin' soundtrack, especially in the turbulence of the mid-section. The songs of the albums first half are synthetic and seductive, a gelatinous veil with shades of the pseudo-sophisticated trance of Enigma, of all things, underpinned with dusky unsettling shadows and atmosphere. 'In Your Sleep', perhaps surprisingly, features the vocals of Hayden Thorpe from Wild Beasts, who settles his dark, whispered vocals into the moonlit shadowy atmosphere. 'Floating Forest' is the first track to allow back some of Kuedo's experimentation with the Southern rap template, which he explored before it became commonplace, with echoed drum splashes and a sinister repetitive motif, ending with a haunting growl. The second half of the album enters wilderness territory with 'Approaching's slow descending notes, before 'Broken Fox - Black Hole' throws the record into the cathartic darkness, as undulating chords play hide and seek with riotous reeds and scratchy strings grown from challenging collaborations with cello player Koenraad Ecker (from Lumisokea). 'Breaking The Surface' shivers and coils, before metal and strings dominate while 'In Your Skin' feels like being lost in a vast hinterland before 'Warmer Light' introduces some memories of sunshine, with its plucked bassline and spiralling dub. 'Halogen Light' opens with the sound of crickets and a clear piano, cleansing the soul before 'Lathe' brings things down to earth with a short, yet powerful coda.

The Tiger is back - finally on full length again! The second studio album for Tiger & Woods not only marks a desired return to a specific format, but is also a huge leap forward in their area of expertise: their brand of fun and functional dance music gets broadened by influences from electronica, italo disco and up-tempo house, while keeping a groove that is distinctly linked to what some people refer to as boogie. After travelling the world from left to right and from top to bottom with a live-set to boot and skilful DJ sets that resemble that genre melting approach, "On The Green Again" is the result of spending valuable studio time at the "Tiger's Lair" - a carefully-built new work place that plays its own part in the creative process of one of the most prolific production teams of our days, while simultaneously starting T&W Records for all sorts of adventures that are linked to Tiger & Woods, but not narrowed to a specific sound. See "Unleashed Tapes Vol. 1" for further reference. A double A-sided 12-inch that owes as much to disco as an influence as it pays homage to the funkier and brighter sides of house and techno. Honing a craft that is rooted in edit culture as an ethos, but has since long left that bumpy road dependable on samples and their clearance, T&W make "On The Green Again" work as the second album that defies the difficulty usually attached to such ventures. 10 brand-new tracks (and three previously released bonus tracks on the CD version) make up the course between peak-time prime cuts similar to "RockMeLoveMe" or "Come And Get My Lovin" and an almost heart-aching track like "Endless Affair". Mixed with bits and pieces in-between and neatly placed between a classic intro and outro segment, those tracks are testament