quête:the ready

Indiana Jones never dug this deep.
Church – the brainchild of Joe Washington – were a band both lucky and cursed to come up in the seventies. Lucky, because they rode a wave of community activism, uplifting messages and a moment when music truly mattered. Cursed, because those same times meant their tight, heartfelt output went overlooked.
Mid-sixties to circa 1980 soul and funk were extraordinarily rich. The era’s big releases have aged like fine wine, yet countless hidden gems remain buried. Church’s only single was one of them. Their hypnotic 1976 release “How Long” b/w “Da Da Song” arrived the same year as Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life, Marvin Gaye’s I Want You, Diana Ross’s Diana, and at a time when Black mainstream music was shifting toward disco. Church, however, sounded like Sly & The Family Stone in an alternate timeline — gritty, focused, stripped of additives.
“Da Da Song” is pure grits and gravy: furious, tight drums and lyrics that sound like both a plea to DJs to play their record and an insistence to keep the party alive, noticed or not. It cooks from start to finish in just two and a half minutes.
“How Long” is its own universe. Where “Da Da Song” is skeletal, “How Long” blends key strands of Black music in under three minutes: touches of spiritual jazz with a Gary Bartz-like sax, gospel-blues undertones, and echoes of the era’s flower-power-tinged Black creativity — The Undisputed Truth, The Family Stone, even the poetic freedom of Nikki Giovanni. The lyrics are a timeless plea for love.
Church formed in the Bay Area in the early seventies, shaped by the movement, culture and activism of the time. Joseph Washington, based in San Jose, never chased a music career — for him, music was a way to bring people together. Before Church, he led a backing band called Wash, then added gospel singer Linda Williams (née Stephens) and New York–born Joel Como on xylophone to complete the group.
They rehearsed in Joe’s garage, spread through word of mouth and played every gig they could: Black colleges, opening slots for The Whispers, neighbourhood house parties. Some members studied at Nairobi Junior College in East Palo Alto, then a hotbed of Black community activism, with revolution in the air and messages woven naturally into the music.
This single is a message from that era, resurfacing at last — ready to be sampled just as another Joe Washington track, “Look Me in the Eyes”, was on Drake and J. Cole’s “First Person Shooter”. These rare, spirited tunes are begging for new life through samplers, again and again.

Once again Trunk Records comes through with an album of sublime 1980s new age synthwave
music from an artist and library company you have never heard of.

With most Trunk LPs we write the story about how Jonny came across the music. And yes, this LP is no different...over to Jonny…

“My first encounter with Peter Patzer was when I was writing and researching the updated and fully expanded version of The Music Library Book, published by Fuel. The initial book - called The Music Library, was the first ever overview of library music and the wild, unpredictable graphic art of their sleeves. It was first published in 2005 and featured about 400 sleeves and about 120 library companies over 200+ pages. The book was based on over a decade of intense library LP collecting by myself and a handful of other geeky weirdos and made for fascinating and revealing reading and looking. It was a great education for many entering this odd, hidden musical world for the first time. The book quickly sold out.

A few years later the price of the original book had gone bananas. But the geeky weirdos like me had all carried on voraciously consuming and collecting library music so I strongly felt the first book could easily be doubled in size with new info, new sleeves and many newly discovered lost library companies. Which is exactly what I set about doing. The Music Library expanded edition came out in 2015. You have to realise here that The Music Library book was very much a first - until its unexpected arrival (and even the arrival of the much larger expanded edition) there was no published survey, accessible catalogue or anything about international library music. It was still an odd old world shrouded in some historical mystery - even the internet had not really caught up. And I was still finding unusual British one-off library LPs, more unusual Italian library diversions, hidden French funky things and then I finally found Peter Patzer. From Germany.

Hidden away in a very obscure music library corner. All on his own.Peter was unusual in that he was an artist and musician who made his own music and issued it all on his own library, called Crea Music, based out of Bremen in North Germany. Over a series of eight whitevinyl LPs produced in the 1980s Peter Patzer created synth heavy experiments for possible use in film, TV, video and anything else coming along. All his LPs had the same simple red, white and blue sleeve and a typed name and number. Across the eight LPs Peter goes to musical space, creates post-disco funk,travels to Vegas, goes all geological and more.

The eight Peter Patzer / Crea Music LPs are as follows:

01 - Puddy’s Bus 02 - Straight Line 03 - Pos-Attractions 04 - Patterns 05 - Canyons 06 - MIls Maniac 07 - Classic Themes 08 - Formation 17

This is a compilation of some of the music featured across those eight LPs, and yes, it was initially
licensed a few years ago but I held it back as I wasn’t sure people were quite ready for the plugged-inway out drifting 1980s electro sound of Peter Patzer with his synth washes, rhythms and chords. Or maybe I wasn’t ready. Anyway it’s here now... and if this sells out there could be another Peter Patzer LPbut with all his longer 7 minute compositions which there wasn’t room for here.

With Stronger, her third EP, Mira Ló continues her rapid ascent within the French electronic scene. A cathartic project born from a period of personal upheaval, this EP is both a cry of resilience and a celebration of club culture as a space for healing. The Paris-based queer producer and DJ turns pain into creative force, and the dancefloor into refuge, release, and rebirth. Across four emotionally charged tracks, Stronger traces the contours of a club where one rises through the energy of the beat, the warmth of a caring community, and the affirmation of self through sound and movement. “This EP is my response to a very dark period in my life. I chose to turn pain into strength, to stand back up through music, and to reconnect with joy, intensity, and the collective. Each track follows a movement, of a body rising, a heart beating stronger, a soul regaining its light. Stronger is also a tribute to those who carried me when I could no longer stand on my own. It's proof that even in chaos, we can rebuild together.” Mira Ló The first chapter of this inner journey, “Riser” is a house track filled with enveloping melodies, ethereal pads, and organic chords that create a suspended sonic space. Its steady pulse and warm basslines evoke a rising from within. “I wanted this track to feel like a build-up, like breathing again. It's about that moment when you feel you're ready to rise once more, even after a fall, like a gentle but powerful wave,” says Mira Ló. With its R&B textures, pop-infused touches, and radiant production, “Brighter” glows with warmth. It captures the return of inner clarity, the rediscovery of joy and ease. Made to bring people together, it’s Instagram | Youtube | TikTok | SoundCloudboth immediate and heartfelt. “It’s a song about shining again, after the dark. I wanted something full of light and simplicity, a track that speaks to the heart and makes you want to dance without thinking.” A personal and introspective nod to the French Touch, “Higher” is driven by filtered basslines and hypnotic grooves. It channels a sense of euphoria that builds gradually, almost meditatively, like a joyful vertigo. “This track is about finding euphoria again, that moment when music lifts you beyond yourself. I grew up with the French Touch, and this is my way of coming back to it with my own voice.” Closing the journey, “Louder” is the most assertive track on the EP. Inspired by the UK bassline and garage scene, it bursts with percussive, punchy energy. This is where everything comes into full light, bold, unapologetic, and free. “I wrote Louder as a statement: I’m here, I exist, and I won’t stay silent anymore. It’s about partying as self-affirmation, as a joyful, powerful scream of identity. Meant to be played loud. Very loud.” Mira Ló, born Ana Lopez, is a queer producer and DJ based in Paris. Drawing from the full spectrum of club music, her sets and productions blend melancholic emotion with a unique, high-energy, euphoric touch - inspired by artists like Disclosure, salute, and Sammy Virji. From her early days playing in Parisian bars and intimate clubs, she quickly rose to the lineups of top French venues and festivals such as Peacock Society, Marvellous Island, and Lollapalooza - extending her reach across Europe and even to Chicago. She’s carved out a strong place for herself within the new wave of the French electronic scene, leaving a lasting impression with every appearance. In 2023, she released her debut EP Memories and was featured in Apple Music’s “Women In Electronic” series. That same year, she became a resident at Sacré in Paris, before unveiling her second EP Tribute To Chicago in 2024. She returns in 2025 with her third release, Stronger - once again proving she’s one of the most promising artists shaping the future of electronic music.

The second chapter after “neverlost”, “closer” blends samplebased production with classic songwriting – like a sonic mosaic of warmth and groove. Lyrically “hippiesque,” Sepalot explores natural beauty, unity, equality, and self-determination. Guest features shine: Blu delivers sharp lyricism, and Illa J surprises
with soulful vocals on “My Own Way.” For fans of The Avalanches, Caribou, and Madlib – Closer is lush, human, and unforgettable.

Sepalot is one of those rare artists whose sonic palette refuses to be boxed in. His music exists in the fertile space between multi-layered sophistication and playful unpredictability – a quality rooted in his eclectic upbringing. From skate-punk beginnings to soul all-nighters, from obsessive vinyl digging to
deep immersion in hip-hop’s golden era, Sepalot has carried the art of sampling like a badge of honor. His beats are mosaics – meticulously pieced together fragments of sound forming an intricate whole. Beyond the studio, he’s explored these influences as DJ, producer, and live performer, leading the
Sepalot Quartet across Europe’s jazz festivals, and more recently with his experimental band Tikhet alongside Angela Aux

With “closer”, the upcoming second chapter following his 2023 album “neverlost”, Sepalot distills his broad musical world into a sample-based yet song-driven statement. The production feels warm and tactile – think needle-on-vinyl crackle meeting modern songwriting clarity. Lyrically, it’s “hippiesque” in the best
way: themes of natural beauty, unity, democratic awareness, equality, and spiritual introspection weave through the tracklist.

The guest list is just as inspired: legendary wordsmith Blu delivers razor-sharp verses, while Illa J – brother of the late J Dilla – steps away from his signature rap to surprise with soulful vocals on “My Own Way.” Together, they amplify the album’s humanist core, balancing groove-heavy production with
lyrical depth.

Fans of artists like The Avalanches, Caribou, DJ Shadow, or Madlib will find plenty to love here, but Closer carries its own unique fingerprint – a testament to Sepalot’s ability to merge hip-hop grit with songwriting grace. If “Neverlost” was a map, “Closer” is the destination: lush, thoughtful, and deeply human.
Highly recommended for anyone ready to hold hands, open their mind, and let the beat guide them.

For the 10th edition of Cmdrpx, we're thrilled to welcome back Yu to the label for a second release. This time, he takes us on a darker, more intense journey a bold contrast to his previous, more colorful EP. Expect hypnotic rhythms, acid driven grooves, and floor shaking energy in every track a truly captivating package designed to ignite any dancefloor. Huge thanks to the amazing DJs already supporting this release. Get ready to experience it loud in clubs around the world. Turn it up and enjoy the ride!

A new force joins the RM homegrown ranks. Nases Morur is a new Greek artist from Thessaloniki and he steps in sharp, hungry and ready to shake the scene with his 5 track EP 'Primal Force'.

A statement piece that cuts straight to the core of his identity with a wild spirit that defines the Renegade Methodz ethos.

Chicago native Ed Nine delivers another slice of that unmistakable Windy City sound on Four Framed Music. Born and raised in Chicago, his music draws directly from the city’s soulful house roots, raw, authentic, and built to move floors.

No Boundaries EP captures exactly that balance, classic influences with a sharp, modern edge. No gimmicks, just pure Chicago energy across four club-ready cuts.

The A-side hits hard. H2O rolls deep with heavy drums and an emotive vocal that cuts through the groove, while The Boundary locks into a tight, driving rhythm that doesn’t let go.

Flip it over and The Rhythm keeps things flowing, built around a swinging, soulful groove with jazzy key elements. Closing track Ecstatic lifts the mood, layering warm musical elements into a satisfying, feel-good finale.

Four tracks, straight to the floor, Chicago doing what it does best.

St. David is back on CHIWAX with a monster house retro banger!
Higly recommended!

Flight Mode is proud to present the debut release from label co-founder Jeremy J. Titled Inner Conflict, this five-track EP showcases his ability to fuse deep introspection with club-ready energy, offering a sonic exploration of emotion, technology, and rhythm.

Back when the first white labels started floating through the hands of German, British, American and Canadian DJs in late ’84, nobody was ready for what was coming. The official drop hit in early ’85 and the scene was never the same again. This was the moment Mike Mareen broke through the static. Yeah, he’d been working with Chris Evans-Ironside since the ’70s but nothing hinted that together they’d channel something this futuristic. “Dancing In The Dark” sounded like it had slipped through a wormhole: melancholic, hypnotic vocals wrapped in vocoder haze, riding an arrangement so razor-sharp it made most releases of the era feel prehistoric. It didn’t need the pop charts… It owned the clubs. And the clubs listened.

London. Berlin. Madrid. Rome. Paris. Lisbon. Amsterdam. Athens. Toronto. NYC. Tokyo. Mexico City.

One drop of that electro bassline and DJs were hooked. Crowds were hooked. The whole underground was hooked. Soon Europe’s radio charts caved under its pressure, and the track crossed borders on mixtapes, becoming a cult anthem behind the Iron Curtain. It was everywhere, even where it technically wasn’t allowed to be.

Fast-forward four decades and the spell hasn’t faded. “Dancing In The Dark” still shows up in indie dance, italo wave, house and deep house sets. Producers keep re-editing it like it’s sacred material. It’s one of those tracks that DJs treasure, a timeless weapon, one of the top three defining singles of Mareen’s entire career.

And now for the 40th anniversary of its official release, Vintage Pleasure Boutique and Night’n Day Records drop the vinyl every collector and selector has been waiting for: a special reissue loaded with four brand-new remixes spanning the full spectrum of today’s underground indie/disco/italo/house energy.

Tallac – the American Berlin dweller – dives deep into the hypnotic soul of the original, pulling out its buried deep-house DNA and carving out a spacious, emotional roller.

Luksek, Italian producer & DJ, goes raw and dirty: loop-driven, gritty, underground, hypnotic, the kind of edit that eats dancefloors alive.

Flemming Dalum, the Danish Italo grandmaster, finally gets to remix the track he’d always dreamed of touching and of course it’s pure Flemingish electro-italo magic.

And the Polish sparkle: A.P. Mono delivers a shimmering mix of italo disco, glitterbox groove, disco glamour and synthwave glow, all while keeping the spirit of Mareen’s original heartbeat intact.

The wax also features two historical heavy-hitters: the 1985 Jens Lissat’s team remix and Luis Rodriguez’s original arrangement, essential cuts in the Mareen universe.

This release isn’t nostalgia. It’s a resurrection. A celebration. A reminder. “Dancing In The Dark” didn’t survive 40 years by accident, it survived because it still moves bodies, breaks hearts and lights up floors in ways modern tracks can only wish for.

If you’re an indie, italo, wave, house or disco DJ… This record isn’t just worth owning… It’s mandatory.

When Brazilian producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Diogo Strausz arrived in France, he already carried an impressive legacy. Known for his collaborations with the New York label Razor-N-Tape and for producing Brazilian legends such as Gal Costa and Marília Mendonça—whose tracks have gathered millions of streams worldwide—Strausz quickly made a name for himself among an international audience. His productions have also been remixed by acclaimed artists like Yuksek and Ron Trent, further cementing his global reach.

After two critically acclaimed releases on the French label Goutte d’Or Records (Flight of Sagittarius, 2022, and Samba From Outer Space, 2024), Diogo Strausz now naturally joins Favorite Recordings for a new chapter in his musical journey.

On this new album, Strausz pays tribute to the golden era of Brazilian Disco-Funk from the late 1970s and early 1980s, drawing inspiration from visionary producers Robson Jorge and Lincoln Olivetti. The result is an organic, ambitious, and deeply groovy record that celebrates both the vibrant dance culture and the rich musical heritage of Brazil.

Faithful to Favorite Recordings’ analog spirit, the album was crafted using vintage studio gear, capturing the warmth and depth of classic recordings reminiscent of the legendary Estúdios da Sigla sessions in Rio de Janeiro.

The explosive track “Ele é Artista”, featuring Bruno “Patchworks” Hovart (Voilaaa, Mr. President, João Selva, Uptown Funk Empire), is a standout moment—a dancefloor-ready bomb that channels the joyful energy and irresistible funk of modern tropical productions.

With its sun-drenched grooves, jazz-funk sophistication, and boogie flair, this album confirms Diogo Strausz as a master at blending timeless Brazilian soul with contemporary elegance.

3 monstruous tracks straight from the basement feat. one of the original house music creator RON HARDY.

After 23 years, The Difference It Makes by The MFA returns. A cult lo-fi house anthem with a surprising roster of fans (including Orlando Bloom and the Olsen twins), it’s now reissued with a fresh set of remixes and a new lease of life. Joe Goddard (Hot Chip) delivers a deep, floor-ready rework, equally at home in the club or during a solo kitchen dance. Nathan Fake – a long-time friend of The MFA – offers a remix that’s pure rave inception: euphoric, strnge, and unforgettable. The MFA’s own new version brings the energy up to date with a stadium house tribute to the original. This is the debut release from Deskbound Complex, a new label from The MFA focused on timeless, alternative electronic music. Less algorithm, more experience.

How about a quartet of slick aces from top Brummie Subb-an?

We’re taken off-planet, and while endlessly transportive, it’s also strapping and triumphant. The radiant stabs and funked-out luminescence might evoke solar flares and the vastness of space, but we go broad, boisterous and in-yer-face straight outta the gate. Known for doing the groove-forward thing like the best of them, this is quintessential Subb-an.

Plush and opulent, horizons will be expanded and synapses fired. More than anything else, it recalls the exquisite, sophisticated output of Japanese donny Soichi Terada or golden era Italian dream house at its most direct. A far-cry from the raw, stripped-down intensity of that classic “Birmingham sound” popularised by Surgeon and Regis.

Chest out, big on the dramatics and he’s comin’ in hottt with that rousing forward momentum. Club-ready gear with plenty of earworm potential. Sublime.

"Drop That Beat," the cult classic by Ixxel that became a staple in clubs and at festivals in the late '90s, is making its return. The iconic track receives a contemporary interpretation by Mosimann, plus a high-energy club remix from NightFunk. Together marking a rebirth that sounds both timeless and hyper-modern.

Mosimann, the French-Swiss DJ-producer, singer and showman, is a leading figure in the French electronic scene, known for his bold, modern and versatile sound. A six-time DJ Mag Top 100 DJ artist, he stands out with explosive live performances in which he not only mixes, but also sings, plays drums, and commands keyboards, a technical virtuosity that makes him a unique live phenomenon, comparable to showmasters like James Hype. His rework of "Drop That Beat" injects the track with that same hybrid energy and performance-driven power.

Mosimann: "This track is very important to me. Fred Rister was much more than an influence: he was the first to truly get me into music production when I was 20 years old. Before he left us, he handed me the stems of Drop That Beat and told me: 'If one day you feel like it, work on a version.' It took me years of reflection, doubts, and memories before I found the strength to do it. Today, with the blessing of the two original composers, I'm finally releasing this version. It's both a tribute to Fred, a nod to Jacky Core and the Captain where I played so many times, and a way to carry on the legacy of that '90s Belgian techno which, to me, still feels very present today."

Belgian house star NightFunk complements this perfectly with a tight, club-ready remix that pushes the track straight onto today's peak-time dancefloors.

With this dual reboot, the essence of "Drop That Beat" remains intact, while both artists inject the track with their own signature touch. The result is an energetic release that resonates with nostalgic fans and a new generation of ravers alike.

This special edition will be released on vinyl via Serious Beats Classics, once again spotlighting the track's timeless character. A must-have for collectors and DJs eager to weave a piece of dance history into their sets.

Carolina funk obscurity alert! "Migraine" by North Carolinian musician Dennis Garner, together with Dennis O., is a deep, rare slice of local funk magic. This 45 has always been a bit of a frustration—the cutting engineer accidentally left the lathe test tone running for a few seconds.mid-track, which made it tough to play out. We've finally fixed that issue, and now this killer cut is ready for some proper funtime.

Two legends. One record. Light-Years sees Nas link with DJ Premier for the legendary Hip Hop release that fans have been anticipating for years. A must have addition for any serious collection

Crowns by The Rebel feat. Corey James Gray is out now on 7’’ via Little Beat More!
The Rebel, aka Tommaso Taroni, producer from Rome and Founder of DJ’s Choice label, delivers a raw, soulful track that opens the door to his debut album. Crowns features the sharp lyrics and smooth, magnetic delivery by Corey James Gray (FKA Ill Spookin), riding over a sturdy groove with crisp drums and deep guitar loops.
On Side B a further explosion comes: Clap! Clap! signs a Power Trio remix of the track that flips everything on its head. With thunderous syncopated riddim and wild brass stabs, this version hits like a futuristic brass band from New Orleans: unrelenting, joyful, and rhythmically overpowering. A bold reimagining by one of Italy’s most visionary electronic producers.
Packaged in a stunning disco bag illustrated by El Moro, this 7” is both a record to play and a piece to keep. A snapshot of a fresh project in the pipeline, ready to go!

The third release on Midnight Fashion Chill gracefully continues the label’s elegant, soul-soothing direction, this time through the warm voice of Jaidene Veda. The original Across The World stands as a true gem: a silky, gently flowing composition where soft, understated drums and delicate piano lines create an intimate, contemplative atmosphere. The From P60 rework tightens things up a little, adding a touch more groove while preserving the track’s airiness and emotional subtlety.

The next on is Kai Alcé’s remix. The Atlanta based producer injects the track with his signature classic-house energy: deeper basslines, dancefloor-ready rhythms, and an overall sophistication that makes the remix both driving and refined. This is the version guaranteed to move the crowd — vibrant, stylish, and tailormade for late-night club moments. The three faces of Across The World show just how far a well-crafted vocal track can be stretched. Midnight Fashion Chill’s latest release manages to be both relaxing and dance-inducing — exactly the kind of balance that makes this series worth following.