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The new album from Danish electronic trio System is a special kind of collaborative effort with piano magician Nils Frahm. His purpose-built improvisations on synth, organ and piano served as source material for the members of System (Thomas Knak, Anders Remmer & Jesper Skaaning), who merged his warm acoustic tones with their minimalist digitalism and set out to translate their distinctive clicks 'n' cuts electronics into vivid soundscapes. Over two years in the making, the resulting nine tracks are as sonically intriguing as they are touching. Ranging from the mellow bliss of the title track to echoes of 90's and 2000's electronica and ambient sequences frequented by mesmerizing movements and sounds. The blending of piano and digital tones and noises into emotive pieces might instantly recall the work of Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto, though System and Frahm come to quite different results.

Thomas Knak met Nils Frahm at one of his concerts in Copenhagen. They stayed in touch, exchanging thoughts and ideas. Two years later, Anders Remmer was also introduced to Nils. From then serious ideas for a collaboration formed. As Nils was a fan of System's self-titled debut album (released in 2002 via Pole's Scape label) their talks centred around Dub and minimalism, elements that constitute most of System's music as well as their side and solo projects. This in mind, System began producing sketches and brought them to Nils´ Durton Studio in Berlin in December 2015, where they recorded ten hours of him playing keys and effects to their drafts. Back in Copenhagen, they decided to change direction. - As Nils had told us about his fascination with our debut album, we tried to rediscover this minimal clicks 'n' cuts era. But hearing Nils playing to our rhythmic beds, we felt the need to scrap those beats and instead head in a more cinematic direction.'

So they started building new pieces from the Durton recordings, maintaining some of the minimal and static quality while new layers of synth sounds and noises created a richer and more organic quality compared to older System albums. The solo projects of Thomas (Opiate), Anders (Dub Tractor) and Jesper (Acustic) always relied on steady beats or rhythmic material, so the productions of 'Plus' with their focus on acoustic and melodic elements, ambient layers and cinematic moods, sees them pushing forward into new areas.

This way, the trio avoided copying what they had already done years ago, when they built a reputation as Denmark's prime originators within electronic music in the 90's and 2000's. 'Plus' is a triumphant example of collaborative experimentation and may be the dawn of a new era for System: - For us it was really satisfying to focus more on actual sound rather than rhythmic aspects. There is a lot of potential in this field, so it would only be natural for us to pursue this, maybe as a series of collaborations with other people who's music we admire.'

With a string of resonating releases and progressively improvised live-shows, ANNANAN have been expanding and refining their stylistic range across gritty Acid psychedelia, explosive, dark-waving Electro and a raw blend of Techno and House that is as fierce as it is fragile. The duo's first album on their own imprint MACHINE JAZZ does take all of this into account - and yet it's crucially different to everything else they've put out so far. - You' is a captivating electronic pop adventure, an experimental amalgam aligning Anne Ghost's polymorphic lead vocals with Tom Aaron's vast and versatile analogue productions in unexpected ways. Dominated by reduced rhythms and a carefully crafted melodic shape, the result of this dialogic fusion are irresistible, forceful songs that draw from diverse contemporary and traditional sources: you'll even hear Trap fragments, an R&B trained voice, reminiscences of the Knife as well as cinematic synth excursions. While exhibiting a broad set of moods, claims and longings, the LP attains emotive poignancy from beginning to end through its bold openness. Annanan's first album is stripped down, immediate and full of surprises - but don't you worry, there's no lack in bang either!










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No one had been through those doors in years. Unchanged, seemingly untouched, just a Guard watching over it, one wondered whether the place would ever see the light of day again. Built in the 70s by Scotch, there were only twenty such places in the entire world. Twenty studios, all identical. Most had undergone a digital makeover in the 80s, but not this one; situated in Lomé, this studio had stayed true to its original form. Silent and uninhabited but waiting for one thing, and one thing only: for the sacred fire to be lit once again. That of the Togolese Recording Office, is studio OTODI for those in the know. Through thick layers of dust, the console was vibrating still, impatient to be turned on and spurt out the sound so unique to analog. That sound is what Peter Solo and his band Vaudou Game came to seek out.

The original vibrations of Lomé's sound, resonating within the studio space, an undercurrent pulsing within the walls, the floor, and the entire atmosphere. A presence at once electrical and mystical sourced through the amps that had never really gone cold, despite the deep sleep that they had been forced into. In taking over the studio's 3000 square feet, enough to house a full orchestra, Vaudou Game had the space necessary to conjure the spirits of voodoo, those very spirits who watch over men and nature, and with whom Peter converses every day.

For the most authentic of frequencies to fully imbibe this third album, Peter Solo entrusted the rhythmic section to a Togolese bass and drum duo, putting the groove in the expert hands of those versed in feeling and a type of musicianship that you can't learn in any school. This was also a way to put OTODI on the path of a more heavily hued funk sound, the backbone of which maintains flexibility and agility when moving over to highlife, straightens out when enhanced with frequent guest Roger Damawuzan's James Brown type screams, and softens when making the way for strings. Snaking and undulating when a chorus of Togolese women takes over, guiding it towards a slow, hypnotic trance. Up until now, Vaudou Game had maintained their connection to Togo from their base in France. This time, recording the entire album in Lomé at OTODI with local musicians, Peter Solo drew the voodoo fluid directly from the source, once again using only Togolese scales to make his guitar sing, his strings acting as channels between listeners and deities...

Dusty archives, the backrooms of record stores, private reel to reel stashes, master tapes - these are the environs of the Dynamic Range experience.

Dynamic Range is a new label focused on unearthing deep Soul, Funk and Disco jams that continue to resonate with todays dancers and DJ's. Time spent scouring the bowels of the majors and independents has unsurprisingly resulted in numerous gems being added to the DR wants list. High quality, fully licensed reissues are the order of the day, always taken from the correct master source and re-presented to hungry record heads the world over. To repeat, this is a fully legit operation - Avoid the sharks at all costs!

Hot on the heels of DR's maiden release we are pleased to present the evergreen Blue Magic and their anthemic 'Welcome To The Club', apparently a firm fave with Ron Hardy would routinely begin his DJ sets with this wondrous Philly beauty. The record has always been a big influence on the house scene with it finding new fans over and over, and it's easy to see why - brilliant arrangements, musicianship and of course - those voices! Disco bliss. On the flip side is the mighty Tom Moulton's mix of the Blue's 1979 smasher 'Look Me Up', another premium slice of incredible disco soul for the dancers and the lovers. These are the full length versions, pressed across one side each, as it's meant to be, nicely remastered and presented in their entirety.

'Breathe The Machine' is the first installment of Dojostudio and presents a musical world rich in harmonics, low frequency and melodic impact, yet with enough space in between to allow that perfect breathing room essential for powerful dance cuts. 'Breathe The Machine' portrays a world that initially feels robotic, yet instills an organic fluidity known only to come from humanoid beings, breathing life into a system littered with code and coldness. Billy Dalessandro presents 3 original cuts, plus a rendition of the title track by Mike Shannon.

Both for 'Breathe The Machine' and 'Tractor Beam' the Waldorf Microwave XT 2 and the Jomox 888 were the primary sound sources. For 'Breathe The Machine' the 888 was processed through a Jomox T-Resonator, which added harmonic distortion, and also spread the stereo spectrum out a bit offering the drums a more washed-out feel. The XT was layered track by track by performing patterns live into an editor until the desired ideas were properly recorded. Mike Shannon was brought on board to offer a contrasting expression of 'Breathe The Machine' and when asked how the process went he stated:

"I took the source sounds, edited them and processed them to work with a groove I had written for this remix. I mainly used the pad, lead synth and synth effects from the original. The rest of the gold I engineered."

On 'Tractor Beam', subtle use shows that ample space in between ideas make things seem larger than life. By allowing a more minimal approach in the production process the sounds can easily co-exist, allowing for that 'big room' sound without overwhelming the overall experience.

The digital exclusive 'Deliverance' was created using NI's Maschine for the drums, and FM8 and Reaktor were the sources of the synths. Drum patterns were created in Maschine and then recorded in realtime back into the DAW as it played, with real-time tweaking of the hi-hat to create the desired impact, especially at the break. The synth and pad patterns were recorded as MIDI into the editor, and then automation of the synths' VCF rounded out the expression needed to complete the emotional process.

All in all, DOJ001 is mostly an all-hardware showdown, with 'Deliverance' being the only 'virtual' attempt. Life is in nature, not in machines, yet the culmination of the two worlds can be beautiful, if only properly tamed and understood. Lest we beware! Stay tuned... and thanks for listening!

Circle Sky is an electronic band and communications network.
Based in London, with operatives working worldwide, the network is anonymous by nature, but inclusive and open source by design.Iris is the current voice of the network, its messenger, its communicator and its focal point. She is always in the present.
The network is evolving in real time and its actions are guided by the response from its members, for whom all like minds are welcome to participate.The network has started online but will continue offline as connections are made IRL with performances and transmissions. Circle Sky represents positive use of technology. There will inevitably be glitches in the network however. Which is where the fun starts...
The objective is to create a world and inclusive communications network around the band, using current and future technology.
Circle Sky is music first. The network is brought together by the music, and is there to support the musical connection with fans around the world. Circle Sky is a network.

Cornhusker unearths four obscure DJ-only specials. 'Easily' reveals the carnivalesque groove of a less well-known jazz-funk track. 'Mizells' weaves together all of the highlights of a mid-70s classic.

'Launchpad' is storming Hammond-led dance floor fire and 'Bring It' links a classic Rza loop to it's original source.

Standard Edition, Mastered at half speed, 140g vinyl, Sticker We Release Jazz (WRWTFWW Records' new sister-label) is thrilled to present the official reissue of criminally overlooked Japanese jazz gem Mellow Dream (1977) by Hokkaido pianist wunderkind Ryo Fukui, released in conjunction with the its legendary predecessor Scenery, sourced from the original masters and mastered at half speed. Firmly standing on the foundation he laid down with Scenery, Ryo Fukui continues his exploration of modal, bop and cool jazz sounds with meticulous grace and absolute mastery. As its title suggests, Mellow Dream ventures into slightly mellower, more soulful, and sometimes more contemplative territories (the Bill Evans-reminiscent 'Mellow Dream' and 'My Foolish Heart") while still packing the commanding punch Fukui's work is loved for, as heard on the amazingly bombastic 'Baron Potato Blues' or the gigantic McCoy Tyner/John Coltrane-influenced 'Horizon' which sees each member of the trio (Satoshi Denpo is on bass and Yoshinori Fukui is on drums) demonstrating their virtuosity for 9 exhilarating minutes. With his sophomore album, Ryo Fukui swings from melancholy to vibrant joy with ease, reminding us that jazz is best served with a pinch of blues, and displays an immensely rare combination of pure talent, unique personal approach and focused discipline. The man undeniably deserves a spot in the pantheon of all-time great jazz pianists. After releasing the outstanding Scenery and Mellow Dream back to back, Ryo Fukui worked on developing his live skills, often performing at Sapporo's Slowboat Jazz Club (which he co-founded with his wife Yasuko Fukui), and even releasing 2 live albums. He sadly passed away in March 2016, leaving behind a legacy of works that all jazz lovers should explore.

Supreme Breakbeat House, Floor-focused Leftfield Grooves, And A Rhythmic Ambient Chiller. Cromie's Latest Four Tracker For Material Image, His First For The Label, Fires On All Fronts With Some Help From A Couple Friends From Across The Pond (iron Curtis And Royer). Cromie Has A 'habit' Of Coaxing Hooks Out Of Unassuming Sources, And Fitting Them Into A Cohesive Groove. That's The Secret Sauce Here: Pure Groove And Infectious Melodies From Who-knows-where. Listen For A Perfectly Placed, Driving Guitar Riff In A1, Pitched Percussion And Pan Flutes In A2, And Euphoric Keys With Chunky Bass On B1 (with Help From Iron Curtis). Our Man Royer, A Repeat Offender On The Material Image Roster, Serves Up An Extended Ambient Remix Of A2 'told' To Close Out The Record.

The second in a series of all-time CLASSIC hip-hop anthems from the Nervous vaults, pressed onto high quality dinked 45's.
Remastered from the original source material and featuring the unedited 'dirty' version on the A-side, and the full instrumental on the B-side, these 45's are for the heads who know what time it really is! 'How Many Emcee's Must Get Dissed' is that raw, NYC, Beatminerz flavour, even the video that dropped on MTV in 1993 is legendary featuring the whole Black Moon mob in their native Brooklyn posting up with their crew. Everyone remembers that Timberlands & Philly Blunts rap from the mid 90's onwards, raw SP1200 beats, dusty loops and samples pulled out of crates in the darkest corners of the five boroughs, a truly creative period in rap music and popular culture with many artists who came up in the era shaping the future of music from the streets upwards. Black Moon are one such group, their indelible mark on music is still felt today, the blend of streetwise raps and sturdy, murked out, jazzy beats supplied by the Dewgarde brothers is timeless. They sure don't make em like this anymore and if they did we're sure Black Moon would continually crush the competitors as they always did. Essential New York rap classics right here! Don't front. Fully legit, licensed and reissued by Above Board distribution in conjunction with Nervous Records, NYC. 2018.

Experiential composer Tim Hecker's ninth official full-length, Konoyo ('the world over here') was largely recorded during several trips to Japan where he collaborated with members of the gagaku ensemble Tokyo Gakuso, in a temple on the outskirts of Tokyo.
Inspired by conversations with a recently deceased friend about negative space and a sense of music's increasingly banal density, Hecker found himself drawn towards restraint and elegance, while making music both collectively and alone.
As with the Icelandic choir he arranged on 2016's Love Streams, the heights of Hecker's talent emerge in his manipulation of source material, bending and burnishing it into fantastical new forms. Keening strings are stretched into surreal, pixelated mirages; woodwinds warble and dissipate as fractal whispers of spatial haze; sparse gestures of percussion are chopped, isolated, and eroded, like disembodied signals from the afterlife. Both in texture and intent, Konoyo conjures a somber, ceremonial mood, suffused with ritual and regret. Visions flutter and fade; dreams gleam and decay.
Hecker will stage a series of special performances in tandem with the album's release, featuring members of the gagaku ensemble on sho¯, ryuteki and hichiriki, accompanied by Kara-Lis Coverdale.

16 early vocal & jazzy tunes from the Golden Age of Jive & Kwela in South Africa. Released originally on fragile shellac discs only. Shellac is a very delicate material but the music survived thanks to the archives of ILAM. A truly great source of South African music is being preserved here for new generations, to inspire young and hopeful musicians and singers from all over the world. 180gram vinyl.These pearls of musical genius were recorded in the glory years of jive and kwela, the years 1940-1965 . On side A it is not difficult to recognise the similarities to American popular music like R&B and small combo close harmony singing.
But most of all notice that typical South African swing, that jive, that incredible smooth form of African jazz on side B; Kwela!
The rarest and most treasured finds are collected here, some with the original spoken intro's, 'sketches' as these were called. Characteristic conversations between the musicians, often in a humoristic slang, always extremely funny.
Now available as the fourth issue in the series 'Township Jive & Kwela Jazz'.

It was like a bird of rarest-spun heaven metal or like silvery wine flowing in a spaceship, gravity all nonsense now - Anthony Burgess, A Clockwork Orange

After their LPs 'Ike Yard' (also known as 'A Fact A Second' Factory America, 1982) and Nord (Phisteria and Desire, 2010) Ike Yard delivers their last album 'Rejoy' on Noiztank, 2018 as the culmination of their recent years reinvented sound. As the perpetual flag bearers of the cutting-edge post-punk spirit, the NYC- based band shows muscle in a LP fully loaded with abrasive synth pads, scrap metal percussions, and whispered vocals. Following the previous criteria of 'Sacred Machine' 2017, it is worth to remark the inclusion of external vocals in the pieces 'Sister M' and 'Beyondersay', which feature Yuki Osaki and MAYa. The nine tracks move through different atmospheres, tensions and moods that would perfectly represent a new contemporary soundtrack of the S. Kubrick film 'A Clockwork Orange', a major influence and source of inspiration for the group this time around.

The Strictly Rhythm imprint is legendary and is instantly recognisable by connoisseurs worldwide. It's a label that has contributed time and time again to dance music culture across it's almost 30 year lifespan. Countless classics passed through the NYC offices of Mark Finkelstein and Gladys Pizarro and this brand new 'Strictly Classics' series looks to celebrate this cornerstone dance label and it's immense catalogue by going back to the archives and presenting some double-header action for diehard fans and newcomers alike. That's right, the 'proper' mixes, reissued from source and remastered to the highest spec, each track spread across one side of a 12" for optimal sonic playback.

Number 3 in the series kicks off on a proper old-school tip with CLS' mammoth 'Can You Feel It' from 1991, a collaboration between Todd Terry and Benji Candelerio CLS made a huge and lasting impression with this euphoric and anthemic slab of dancefloor madness. Instantly recognisable from it's ravey riff and funky drum programming, file this one under 'rave classic'! Over on the flip side we have South Street Player's smoothed out '(Who) Keeps Changing Your Mind', a rolling and deep jam from Roland Clark and George Morel that came out in 1993. This one's some lights down, honest to god soulful house music, skipping garage drums and that organ driven groove offer the perfect vehicle for Clark's gorgeous vox to soar over. Yet another set of absolutely essential SR cuts from the archive!

Remastered with love by Optimum mastering, Bristol from original master sources. Made in conjunction with Strictly Rhythm 2018.

'The U.K. Singles Volume One: 1972-1978' presents ELO's early output of hits and b-sides as originally experienced by the band's fans in their native U.K. This collector's box set features 15 groundbreaking 45 RPM singles plus 1978's "The ELO EP," each fully recreated from their original releases more than four decades ago.

All of the music on 'The U.K. Singles Volume One: 1972-1978' was remastered from the analogue source tapes while each of the 16 7" vinyl discs in the collection features detailed reproductions of the original sleeves and labels from the 1970s. Nine of these singles - including "Roll Over Beethoven," "Evil Woman," "Livin' Thing," "Telephone Line" and "Mr. Blue Sky" - reached the Top 10 of the British charts and remain among the world's most enduring classic rock songs. On rock radio and beyond, ELO's hits continue to permeate pop culture. In 2017, "Livin' Thing" was featured in a widely-seen advertisement for Volkswagen while "Mr. Blue Sky" underscored a pivotal scene in the Marvel Studios blockbuster Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2.

Desperate music for desperate times, Collin Strange returns to the label with a hard hitting ep of 90s style warehouse acid. TIP!
This is remorseless, zero compromise, full fledged acid mayhem start to finish in the truest sense of the word, coming direct from the source. Strange does what he does best pushing his 303, 101 and 909 to their limits with extreme intensity and abandon. If Siege made electronic music this is what it would sound like. Punk electronics for those who thrive on everyday chaos of the new world disorder. No trance to be found here.

Italian sound artist GIULIO ALDINUCCI drops his 2nd album on Karl: "Disappearing In A Mirror" is again a truly masterfully composed and sound-designed ambient masterpiece and a more than worthy follow-up to the critically acclaimed "Borders And Ruins" which made it onto several year's best lists for 2017.

Over the course of four solo albums on labels like DRONARIVM plus EPs and collaborative albums (a.o. with IAN HAWGOOD), GIULIO ALDINUCCI successively has been refining his skills as composer and sound designer. His elegant style which blends ambient and field recordings came to full impact on his 2017 album "Borders And Ruins" which gained the Italian sound artist a lot of critical praise and made it onto several year's best lists, a.o. ALDINUCCI's latest effort is again not only a musical masterpiece ofsublime beauty and sacral majesty, it also deals with philosophical concerns. Where "Borders ..." was areflection on the instability of borders - borders as an extreme attempt to discriminate and rationalize that turnsinto a source of chaos and cultural ruins on both sides - and their impact on the relationship between people and territory, "Disappearing In A Mirror" raises the very personal question of identity. In the words of ALDINUCCI himself:

" 'Disappearing In A Mirror' focuses on the fluidity of the identity concept, highlighting the harmonious coexistence of contradictory elements and the transitional features that characterize every transformation. It is a reflection on the current situation of change and disruption and at the same time it is a gaze into the human timeless soul and its inner soundscapes."

Black Truffle is honoured to present the first reissue of a true underground masterpiece, Massimo Toniutti's Il Museo Selvatico (The Wild Museum), originally self-released on LP in 1991. Like his better-known brother Giancarlo (whose classic 1985 Broken Flag LP La Mutazione was reissued by Black Truffle in 2015), Massimo Toniutti was active in the vibrant underground industrial/noise scene of the 1980s, contributing to releases on legendary labels such as Broken Flag and RRR and self-releasing a series of cassettes between 1984 and 1988. Existing in a private world apart from the noise and dark industrial tropes of many of his contemporaries, Toniutti's Il Museo Selvatico is an entirely singular work of domestic electro-acoustic exploration. Made up primarily of what Toniutti calls 'small and rare noises' or sonic 'knick-knacks' recorded between 1987 and 1990, the five pieces that make up the original LP usher us into a crepuscular space populated by mysterious traces of everyday life. Toniutti weaves a loose net of distant clanks, dull thuds, metallic resonance and skittering percussive sounds, allowing the sounds to breathe against a backdrop of near-silent atmosphere. Although the haunted ambience recalls the work of contemporaries like Organum, Toniutti generally steers clear of long tones and drones, preferring to arrange brief, sometimes staccato sonic objects into patters of repeating figures and isolated events whose overall compositional shape remains somehow ungraspable. Although glimpses of recognisable location recordings and instrumental sounds can occasionally be made out, for most of the record the sources of the sounds we hear remain teasingly mysterious, an abstracted memory of everyday actions and atmospheres. l Museo Selvatico is accompanied here by an additional LP of material recorded at the same time, composed especially for this reissue into two side-long suites that inhabit the same haunted space as the original LP while occasionally making use of more maximal compositional strategies. Black Truffle is pleased to return this overlooked masterwork to the world. Essential listening for fans of Organum, Nurse With Wound, Christoph Heemann, and the tradition of outsider musique concrète. Lovingly presented as a double LP in a lavish gatefold with printed inner sleeves featuring archival images and notes. Remastered and cut at D&M, Berlin

For over 18 years, Spectral Sound, the dance music imprint of Ghostly International, has thrived at the forefront of techno and house. It has been a source of support for numerous DJs and producers during that time, from Matthew Dear and Benoit & Sergio to Avalon Emerson and Hieroglyphic Being. Now, Spectral brings the past alongside the present with its latest release, a compilation that offers a vibrant cross-section of the current moment in underground dance music. Despite the wide-ranging selections on Spectral 139, a throughline of classic style and infectious energy emerges from the up-and-coming and established artists alike. Rising talents such as Minimal Violence, Russell E.L. Butler, and Earth Trax x Newborn Jr. bring unique perspectives to their hardware-centric productions. Veteran producers bring their own edge as well: D'Marc Cantu blows the roof off with the outsized funk of "Regularly People," and Nigil Caenaan's "January's End," a low-key Detroit classic from the late '90s, closes Spectral 139 with a whirlwind of manic rhythms and sedate synths. Gunnar Haslam opens the tracklist with his acidic mindbender, "Versione Antica." And Ghostly regulars like Tadd Mullinix, who drops a lush JTC remix of his new X-Altera alias, and Matrixxman, who collaborates with Riccardo Limiti on the cavernous "Inferno," tie everything back to the label's roots. The double-12" compilation, as well as each individual single, features original work by Los Angeles-based artist Nina Hartmann. Her designs have appeared on releases from labels such as Ascetic House and Big Love, and the pieces for Spectral 139 continue to develop her cryptic aesthetic. The marriage of Hartmann's striking, high-contrast symbols with such bold dance music speaks to a collection that aims to stand out.

Dutch-Italian composer, musician and producer Aimee Portioli alias Grand River is back on Spazio Disponibile. After a debut record on the label in 2017, she now serves up her first ever physical long player, Pineapple. The record draws on Portioli's love of electronic music and sound design, as well as her background in traditional composition and formal training on a range of musical instruments.

An experienced sound engineer and composer for national radio, she crafts absorbing film scores, experimental and ambient projects and takes in symphonic calculations that blur the lines between traditional composition and research-based modernism. All that is evident on Pineapple, which is named after the most peculiar of fruits and is just as peculiar, but ultimately satisfying, across ten remarkable yet rewarding tracks.

They are often long pieces which take in wallowing electronic landscapes, with real ambient beauty next to a subtle sense of narrative that is absorbing throughout. Unusual sound sources and a masterful sense of suspense characterize the album and make it as fascinating as it is enjoyable. (*Audio snippets will be released in September*)