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Juxta Position returns to his own Failsafe imprint with 4 post-modern techno pieces, exploring minimalist themes performed on more traditional sound sources, relying on pure sequencing rather than patch programming to convey moods and atmospheres.

Opener "Five Four Piano" recalls the work of modern classical composers such as Steve Reich, but reengineers the aesthetic to fit on techno dancefloors.

Likewise, "Orchestral Manouvers" continues this theme, whilst introducing a Millsian twist, and "Icicles" takes the idea even further into more looped techno territory.

E.P. Closer "Crisp Cold" concludes the record, with a cinematic and serious tone and almost gothic sensibility.

Four tracks which are a break from the usual, expected timbres of contemporary techno.

We Launch A New Vinyl Series, Strictly Limited To 200 Units, No Repress, On Which We'll Be Releasing The Finest Tracks Released On The Digital Pot (digipot).
For This First Strike, We've Chosen A Oldie But Definitely Goodie, Released Back In 2009 On Digipot18: Katharsys, Gancher & Ruin - Dirt Track Ep.
The Original Release Includes 4 Tracks, We've Taken These 2 For "hard-stuff-on-vinyl" Lovers: Sky From Beyond / I Think Its Done.

We Launch A New Vinyl Series, Strictly Limited To 200 Units, No Repress, On Which We'll Be Releasing The Finest Tracks Released On The Digital Pot (digipot).
For This First Strike, We've Chosen A Oldie But Definitely Goodie, Released Back In 2009 On Digipot18: Katharsys, Gancher & Ruin - Dirt Track Ep.
The Original Release Includes 4 Tracks, We've Taken These 2 For "hard-stuff-on-vinyl" Lovers: Sky From Beyond / I Think Its Done.

Melting Pot Stalwarts Malsum & Sinoptic Take The Controls For Our Latest Offering And Those Familiar With Their Signature Sound Will Know What To Expect.
With Evil Corp Ep, The Spanish Duo Expertly Blend Futuristic Atmospherics With Warped Syncopated Synthwork, Pristine Drums And Basslines Turned Up To 11!

Melting Pot Stalwarts Malsum & Sinoptic Take The Controls For Our Latest Offering And Those Familiar With Their Signature Sound Will Know What To Expect.
With Evil Corp Ep, The Spanish Duo Expertly Blend Futuristic Atmospherics With Warped Syncopated Synthwork, Pristine Drums And Basslines Turned Up To 11!

The demons of night are out again: Seoul's one-stop shop creative collective Byul.org returns this fall with its third international album, entitled Nobody's Gold, out via Alien Transistor (worldwide) and the group's own Club Bidanbaem imprint (South Korea). Comprising 14 new songs, it's a dizzying, haunting affair that channels the group's manifold influences and references points (from post-punk to Stockhausen and back via club culture) and yet sounds intriguingly coherent.

Moving in and out of the shadows, Nobody's Gold breaks forth as pure sonic landscape - a universe of its own, folding and unfolding into both more experimental patterns, yet also with occasional hooks and dark catchy structures, gracious build-ups flickering among the hazy roar and thunder. After the screak and squeal of 'Lamb with a Wolf Mask,' the foreboding sounds of 'The Museum of The Two of Us' segue into a synthesized party tune about a missing friend being chased by police ('Nari Yuko Yin'), one of several vocal tracks with a sinister edge. Taking things up another notch, 'Friendly Enemies' is probably the closest this group will ever get to creating a stadium-ready anthem. On the other end of the spectrum, 'The Place Where Designers Go To Die' is a magnificent void with an immense and irresistible undertow...

Never too jolly (not even while 'Day Drinking at a Seaside Town' or during takeoff via epic pop tune 'Bats We Are'), Nobody's Gold compiles soundscapes with a very tangible, corporeal presence - iridescent sonic sculptures placed in unlikely settings (e.g. outer space, see: 'Dirty Dirtiness'), born at the fringes where night blends into day and vice versa.

Inspired by everyday life, half-remembered drug/club experiences, Pascal Quignard's disturbing La haine de la musique, Stockhausen and Bill Evans, the new LP sees the collective remain true to its DIY foundations while repeatedly questioning our listening habits and 'the exaggerated love for the concept of love,' as they put it.

Founded around the dawn of the millennium as a group of poetry-loving friends who'd occasionally meet for drinks, Byul.org has long become an extremely prolific and versatile collective within Seoul's scene: Main song-writer TaeSang Cho and his mates Yu Hur, Jowall, YunYi Yi, SuhnJoo YI, HyunJung Suh, and SoYoon Hwang went from publishing to recording, from releasing tunes to design, art direction and more. Although their list of clients includes Atelier Herme`s and the Venice Biennale (they did the Korean Pavilion twice), the group still remains a drinking circle of close friends at its core: Pals who simply like to create and carouse and dream and live and perform and play tunes together.

The body never lies. Every dance is a graph of the heart. Nothing is more revealing than movement.

These are the words of Martha Graham, one of the greatest American dancers and choreographers of the 20th century. Massimiliano Pagliara might as well have them tattooed on his chest, close to his heart, being an accomplished dancer, too. He has studied contemporary dance in Milan and Berlin, and went on to dedicate his life to transforming experience into movement, be it musical, physical, or spiritual. Massimilano's message is clear: Don't stand still. Don't keep looking back. Know where you are coming from, but don't remain petrified by the past. Take a chance at Endless Change, instead. Move on! Just like Massimilano did.

Stemming from Lecce province, an area at the south-eastern-most tip of Italy, Massimilano has been based in Berlin for several years where he's been one of the main forces behind recombining the city's hardboiled techno scene with an often overlooked sensibility for the soft and the tender. Call it underground disco passion. Massimilano's last and sophomore album, With One Another, released in 2014, was about celebrating the joy of human encounters and in parts seemed like a big get-together with like-minded artists and friends (among them nd_baumecker, Lee Douglas, and Credit 00). The record quickly hit the number one spot in Groove magazine's album chart - and its creator hit the road.

Besides his busy DJ schedule and far from the usual club circuit routines, Massimilano dedicated himself to intense travelling and exploring the world anew. 'I felt like I have lived more than ever,' he states. 'Getting to discover all these beautiful places around the world and meeting so many lovely interesting people, has inspired me in many different ways. I feel enriched.'

The result of these experiences is Feel Live, Massimiliano's third full-length endeavour. It was recorded in several intimate, sometimes improvised studio settings between Los Angeles, Portland, and Massimiliano's homebase in Berlin as well as at airports and on intercontinental flights high up in the sky. Featuring vocals by Private Agenda, Peaking Lights, Kim Anh and instrumental contributions by Fort Romeau, Tim K, and Jules Etienne, Feel Live is Massimilano's most playful and imaginative work to date. It's as emotional as sensual, as vibrant as the first ray of light after a thunderstorm has cleared the air.

Is it awkward or odd to call this record jazzy Presumptuous to pinpoint its spacial, almost orchestral qualities Unfair on the ruling Cosmic powers to highlight its aspirations of founding a new land of Balearic Harmonia and getting down at a huge fertility rite with electro enthusiasts and house lovers Not one bit. Feel Live is pure grandeur and elegance. It feels like an eternal movement.

Martha Graham has dedicated her whole life to dancing. 'It's permitting life to use you in a very intense way,' she said. 'Sometimes it is not pleasant. Sometimes it is fearful. But nevertheless it is inevitable.' Massimilano couldn't agree more. His advice when facing the inevitable: 'Live what you are feeling, feel what you are experiencing, good or bad, it is an experience.'

Boum Boum Boum! 25 years of KOMPAKT. When a record label still thrives after a quarter of a century thanks to a focus of what was expected to be a short lived music phenomenon called TECHNO, then it stands to prove two things; that it techno has taken its place amongst serious, multilayered musical genres like rock'n'roll, pop and folk music. And that KOMPAKT has never been only for techno, but KOMPAKT stands as a broad-minded, genre-defying entity that has set out to cross-pollinate all kinds of musical inventions within the realm of electronic music. Through its course, KOMPAKT has sent 'Around The World', all kinds of sub-genres, concept series and crossover adventures based on the non- negotiable 4/4 beat. And back again.

Without a doubt, the 100% kickdrum-free POP AMBIENT series is the most endearing and enduring concept that I have had the pleasure to curate. From the start, I felt there was a strong need to add a certain pop- elegance - ensouled by discourse as much as hedonism - to a sound that was recognized as 'Chill Out' music that could be heard in seedy techno club back rooms and forgotten festival areas. Over the years, I like to imagine that POP AMBIENT has crystallized into a highly recognizable trademark sound and a multi-facetted musical universe of its own.

So once again, I had the pleasure to put together this year's edition by plowing through an ocean of sonic jewelry that had been submitted from all over the world by new and old friends. The task was clear: for this special edition, I must create a homogenous listening experience that would both appeal to our trusting followers, to continue our tradition while integrating new micro facets , variations and influences from neighboring musical universes as possible. Obligatory while being innovative. Conspirative while being cosmopolitan. Albeit the headline 'Ambient' might sound a little too humble for a compilation that encompasses aspects of neo classic, atonal music and the most beautiful aural kitsch imaginable, it still helps as a necessary means of orientation in the best possible sense. Same goes for another dear tradition: Veronika Unland's abstract-floral cover design that keeps on pleasing our sore eyes year after year.

Although each and every POP AMBIENT edition doesn't shy away from diving into the relevant question of 'What is contemporary discourse music' - in the end it all boils down to that elevated moment where all theory dissolves into ambient air, into a higher state of cosmic bliss. POP AMBIENT is sacral music for non-believers.

Wolfgang Voigt Cologne, October 2018

Bum Bum Bum. 25 Jahre KOMPAKT. Wenn ein Musiklabel, das seine inhaltliche Ausrichtung im Wesentlichen auf den anfangs als schnelllebig und vor allem kurzlebig apostrophierten - hype' Techno setzt, nach 25 Jahren in jeder Beziehung immer noch voll im Saft steht, dann zeigt das zwei Dinge: Das erstens mittlerweile jeder bemerkt haben du¨rfte, dass Techno eben kein kurzftristiger hype ist, sondern vielmehr ein vielschichtiges, ernstzunehmendes Genre, das sich ebenso wie Rock'n'Roll oder Schlager fest in der Musikgeschichte etabliert hat.

Und zweitens, dass KOMPAKT nie nur ein reines Technolabel war und ist, sondern ein nach vielen Seiten aufgeschlossenes Experimentierfeld, das sich von Anfang an der Grenzu¨berschreitung und dem musikalischen Erfindungsreichtum verschrieben hat. U¨ber die Jahre wurden unter dem KOMPAKT-Signet etliche Subgenres, Konzeptreihen und Crossoverwagnisse auf Basis der unverhandelbaren geraden Bassdrum - around the world' und wieder zuru¨ck geschickt.

Eine der wohl scho¨nsten und nachhaltigsten Konzeptreihen du¨rfte wohl die bassdrumfreie POP AMBIENT-Serie sein, die ich als KOMPAKT-- Altvorderer' nach wie vor die ja¨hrliche Freude habe, zu kompilieren. Dabei hat sich u¨ber die Jahre aus dem anfa¨nglichen Bedu¨rfnis der seit den fru¨hen 90er Jahren in den sogenannten - Chilloutrooms ' grossra¨umiger Technoclubs, - Lounges' und - Muzakkneipen' entstandenen - Entspannungsmusik' etwas entgegenzusetzen, eine eher von Pop-Eleganz, Diskurs und Hedonismus beseelte, eigene Spielart ambienter Musik, eine vielschichtige programmatische Musik mit hohem Widererkennungswert entwickelt.

So hatte ich auch im Jubila¨umsjahr einmal mehr die Qual der Wahl, aus den aus aller Welt kommenden, grossartigen Klangpreziosen guter alter sowie neuer Freunde die subjektiv besten zu einem homogenen Ho¨rerlebnis zusammenzufu¨hren. Dabei ist mir immer sehr wichtig, einerseits den Erwartungen der treuen Ho¨rerschaft im Bezug auf Traditionsverpflichtung gerecht zu werden und andererseits auch immer mo¨glichst viele Mikrofacetten, Varianten und Einflu¨sse angrenzender Stile und Universen aufzugreifen. Innovativ und verbindlich. Konspirativ und weltoffen. Auch wenn der U¨berbegriff Ambient, fu¨r eine Kompilation die sowohl Aspekte von Neuer Klassik, Atonalita¨t und Kunstmusik mit den allerscho¨nsten Seelenkitschklangwelten zu vereinen sucht, zu eng gefasst ist, so hilft er doch bei der notwendigen Orientierung im besten Sinne. Ebenso wie die Tradition gewordenen, wunderscho¨n abstrakt-floralen Kunstblumenwelten der von Veronika Unland gestalteten Cover, die ein ums andere Jahr auch die Augen in Verzu¨ckung versetzten.

Auch wenn jede Kompilation sich aufs Neue an den relevanten Fragen zeitgema¨sser Diskursmusik abarbeitet, so ist der erhabene Moment am Ende doch der, in dem sich alles zu Gunsten eines - ho¨heren, kosmischen' Ho¨rerlebnisses, im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes in ambiente Luft auflo¨st.

POP AMBIENT ist die sakrale Musik der Ungla¨ubigen.

Wolfgang Voigt / September 2018

We are excited to release a 6-track EP from San Francisco based DJ, producer, and remixer Sepehr Alimagham. The San Jose native has been a fixture in the Bay Area house and techno scene for quite awhile now — on the dance-floor, behind the decks, in the studio, or all of the above. Early influences like Boards of Canada, Aphex Twin and post-hardcore bands later in high school started his affinity for off-kilter, underground music. In 2017 he began performing live PA sets, utilizing his immense production backlog to perform vivid and electric sets, from potent dance music to psychedelic and esoteric soundscapes.

"Body Mechanics" is six tracks of acid drenched dance music that ebb and flow from floor filling club thumpers to more cerebral soundscapes. Inspired by the new wave of the acid sound as well as nostalgia from his formative years in the San Francisco music scene, 'Body Mechanics' takes a functional, yet psychedelic approach to 303 styled techno and electronica. Attention demanding basslines, indiosyncratic structures and hallucinatory atmospheres provide an effective framework for Sepehr's vision. The themes of the track titles take root from a series of dreams Sepehr had with a common atmosphere of strange characters and textures, akin to scenes from David Lynch's 'Twin Peaks'. All songs have been mastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The vinyl comes housed in a jacket featuring a dark and inviting cyborg hand holding a rose designed by Nicole Ginelli.

Upon examining the eventful life of Can bassist Holger Czukay, one might conclude that this intrepid musician was a loner. His turbulent career exuded an enduring eccentricity governed by a boundless free spirit. Yet Czukay,
who passed away unexpectedly last year at the age of 79, constantly emphasized that his creativity was always contingent upon a musical partner, whether that was a skin-and-bones counterpart or an anonymous manifestation that interacted with him through radio waves or, as happened later, the internet. Nonetheless, most of his partners were of flesh and
blood.
His oeuvre, which is in itself cinematic in nature, boasts a cast worthy of a Martin Scorsese film. Only the most interesting character actors were cast:
Brian Eno, Phew, Rolf Dammers, David Sylvian, Annie Lennox, Jah Wobble, his Can bandmates... the list could go on and on.
Many of these masterpieces are now out of print, so Groenland Records, who already released the highly acclaimed retrospective 'CINEMA' to mark the occasion of Holger's 80th birthday at the beginning of the year, has taken it upon themselves to release reissues of Holger's music in order to make it accessible once again.

French duo Ligovskoi are to release Esam, their second artist album and first on Field Records. It features eight expertly crafted tracks that take the listener on a spacey and hypnotic journey towards inner bliss. Formed by Nikolai Azonov and Valerio Selig in 2010, Ligovskoi once again draw on a sound palette that includes samples, synths, vocals, feedback, guitar and field recordings that merge in a painterly and romantic form of music. It recalls vast landscapes, abstract patterns and poetic movement. The title 'Esam' refers to a small, isolated mountain located on the moon, and the album is a journey to a similarly otherworldly landscape absent of human life. It features free improvisations, repetitive patterns and experimental materials that convey a wide range of emotions and styles from weightless shiny atmospheres to dark, heavy and swarming textures, leading the listener to deep contemplation. 'We spend a lot of time exchanging thoughts and feelings about the experiences we had while creating and listening, like old friends looking at clouds and discussing the shapes they see. By publishing our music, we hope that listeners will recognise their own feelings and that they will understand or feel something in common with us.' From sombre musical landscapes made from lingering drones to more uplifting, light emitting tracks, this is a slow burning but high impact album. Tracks like 'Behaim' suspend you in comforting sound, the title track prompts inward reflection and the likes of 'Cortage' is the sound of being listen to the heavens. Esam is a transportive, thoughtful album that takes you deep into a unique musical world.

Upon examining the eventful life of Can bassist Holger Czukay, one might
conclude that this intrepid musician was a loner. His turbulent career exuded
an enduring eccentricity governed by a boundless free spirit. Yet Czukay,
who passed away unexpectedly last year at the age of 79, constantly
emphasized that his creativity was always contingent upon a musical
partner, whether that was a skin-and-bones counterpart or an anonymous
manifestation that interacted with him through radio waves or, as happened
later, the internet. Nonetheless, most of his partners were of flesh and
blood.
His oeuvre, which is in itself cinematic in nature, boasts a cast worthy of a
Martin Scorsese film. Only the most interesting character actors were cast:
Brian Eno, Phew, Rolf Dammers, David Sylvian, Annie Lennox, Jah Wobble,
his Can bandmates... the list could go on and on.
Many of these masterpieces are now out of print, so Groenland Records,
who already released the highly acclaimed retrospective 'CINEMA' to mark
the occasion of Holger's 80th birthday at the beginning of the year, has
taken it upon themselves to release reissues of Holger's music in order to
make it accessible once again.

With a hypnotic spell-bound deep tech groove, Artresia kicks off this three-tracker with hints of the past as well as echoes from the future. Nima Khak then offers two tracks for the release, the hypnotic, intense and effective techno remix of Artresia that takes us even further down the proverbial rabbit hole, landing us comfortably in the warm embrace of "Beach 2015", an ambient, nostalgic daytrip to the seaside.

Unknown Truths is the debut album from Tony Beardsley (aka Dark Strands). What can be said about this album.. for one, it is a body of work that has been crafted as a labour of love with sources of inspiration taken from the late 80's underground warehouse parties and clubs where no one speed or style of music was played.. curve balls as they say, was a good thing. Ambitious maybe.. but the only aim of the album was to actually not to have one. No one genre or concept can be applied, but this is not by design, purely accidental as the music weaves between various electronic strands and rhythm forms. Its fair to say that his music has not been compromised to follow latest trends or fashion. It is for everyone, but no one. It's only true purpose is to liberate senses and provide a lasting sonic soundtrack to the modern age.

Bitter End continue to forge a path that's entirely their own, with another in the limited pre-release series...

'Dimension Extension' on side A, cooks up a sumptuously throbbing, cockle-warming Disco stew from the meagre ingredients of a sprouted wah wah guitar potato, brass carrots and a bouquet garni of dizzying strings. Yum
On the flip 'Be There Again' takes as inspiration a swirling Funk-Soul nugget from '77, augmented with some 21st century sonic sorcery and most welcome synth noodle in the 3rd act

Once again Bitter End rips up the rule book, and crafts a whole set of new, better ones in which freedom reigns

Light years ahead !

Tumultus Cras - Oder Wie Der Anarchismus Das Shaken Zur Marschmusik Lernte.
Bevor Die Ohren Und Beine Mit Warp-geschwindigkeit Durch Ein Knallbuntes Und Mit Allen Wassern Gewaschenes Soundgroovefourtotheflooroderauchnicht-universum Geschossen Werden, Wird Im Intro Gleich Mal Der Zünder Eingestellt, Der Dieser Neuesten Konkord-release Den Fetten Boost Mit Auf Die Reise Gibt.
Das Dynamit Heißt Schlicht ... Spielen, Ausprobieren, Experimentieren, Regeln Kennen, Regeln Brechen, Neue Regeln Aufstellen, Langeweile Abstellen, Neue Situationen Aufploppen Lassen. Spielen Heißt Performen, Die Crowd Zum Shaken, Instrumente Zum Tanzen Bringen. Kinder Können Am Besten Spielen, Und The Kinder Können Es Am Allerbesten.
Der Sound Von The Kinder Bei Einem Live Konzert Versprüht Einen Charme, Der Sich Genau So Schwer Ohne Kompromisse Auf Studioaufnahmen Bändigen Lässt, Wie Die Improvisationen Einer Frühchristlichen Garagenband, Die Beim Pilzepflücken Im Wald Das Tamburin Gegen Ein Casio-keyboard Tauscht.

- Lp (inklusive Cd)!

Major Keys is a brand-new audiophile label focusing on fully licensed reissues of jazz classics, pressed on 12' for a fuller, louder version compared to the original album cut. What better way to kick of the series than housing Herbie Hancock's imitable 'Chameleon' and 'Watermelon Man', loud and proud on either side of a 12' - remastered and cut by the engineer of the original Head Hunters LP from 1973.
They don't get much more iconic than 'Chameleon'. Nestled on the incredible 1973 'Head Hunters' album it's a 16-minute exploration of legendary jazz funk - having all the sensibilities and solos of a jazz record, yet grounding its rhythms in funk, soul and R&B. Even, as its title suggests, morphing from a low slung slow jam into a full-on, fast paced spiritual gem. Lock in for one of the most iconic basslines around courtesy of Paul Jackson, alongside some of the sweetest synth and Rhodes playing you're likely to hear from Herbie, all tied together with Harvey Mason's mythical drumming. Sampled the world over by the biggest and the best this is a truly timeless and hugely influential piece of music.

On the B side, the equally intriguing 'Watermelon Man'. This version, again taken from the Head Hunters LP, differs from the Blue Note bop '62 original, with Hancock developing it into a jazz fusion expedition. Bill Summers top and tails the track with a style of beer bottle blowing imitating a type of whistle playing found in Central African Pygmy music, giving a unique flavour to Hancock's jazz funk stylings that focus on the rhythmic interplay between each instrument. From Dilla to Digable Planets, Madonna to Massive Attack it's a classic that's sampled time and time again for good reason.

For the third release on new LA based Pleasure of Love, Dublin's Mix & Fairbanks deliver tasteful reinterpretations of italo, african house, and rare 80s disco. The Dublin duo have releases on Orange Tree Edits, 045 Recordings, and Hot Digits but have saved some of their best material yet for this 12 Inch.

On the A side, the euphoric Azoto rework is a driving disco romp for 'any time or place,' while 'Purple' patiently builds on a hypnotic bass with rhodes and airy leads before a sweet flight attendant lead take off. The 'Bee Side' kicks off with a carefully crafted reimagination of an 80s african house groove with added analog leads and percussion while 'Forever' fills out the release as a peak time disco banger that's built on the framework of a certain famously unsung disco genius

DJ Support
Skream, Moon Boots, & Krystal Klear

"In 2016, 21 years after Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. were founded in Osaka, Japan, there was a major shift in the line-up and "Next Generation" was added to the bands name. We now view the first 20 years of the bands career as chapter one in our story, and we are now turning the page to start chapter two. In 2018, it's time to re-record our classics with this new line-up, we just opened the door to the next stage!' (Kawabata Makoto 2018)
 
Twenty four years into their existence, Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. have circled the globe at least a few dozen times, released over 100 albums in their various guises and played thousands of shows.
 
In recent years, they've experienced seismic line up changes which has given them yet another new lease of life ... or a rebirth if you will. Original members Kawabata Makoto (guitar, speed guru) and Higashi Hiroshi (synthesizer, noodle god) are now joined by Jyonson Tsu (vocal, midnight whistler), Satoshima Nani (drums, another dimension) and Wolf (bass, space & time) and as anyone that has seen the new line up live will testify, things have gone even more cosmic ...
 
'Reverse Of Rebirth In Universe' sees the band return to their old label Riot Season for the first time since 2012's 'IAO Chant From The Melting Paraiso Underground Freak Out' (CD still available). Both label and band have gone on some wonderful journeys during that time apart but both felt the stars were finally correctly realigned to renew their partnership in all things weird.
 
Long time AMT fans will immediately recognise some of the song titles listed on the album sleeve here. But the songs themselves have been reworked and transformed far away from their original versions. New boy Jyonson Tsu's quiet, almost whispered vocals bring a whole new aura to proceedings, despite the familiar riffs hidden in the depths below them. It's so laid back in places it's practically horizontal, with only occasional trademark piercing guitar squeals threatening to destroy the peace and calm. The whole of side two is taken up with the twenty minute epic 'Black Summer Song' .. and if this is an indicator to where the AMT mothership is heading going forwards we're all in for another fucked up and magical ride.
 
If you stepped off the AMT ride over the years, possibly overwhelmed by the amount of releases they were once firing out ... it could be time to step back on it and check out where they're currently at. In a world that's more messed up than ever, we could all use a little break away from the norm, and nobody takes you as far away from the norm as possible as Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O.
 

'Sounds from the Great House! Outernational Sounds proudly presents a Nimbus West spirit jazz essential: the Creative Arts Ensemble's classic debut One Step Out. Mastered at 45rpm on double vinyl for enhanced sound, this release features all tracks at full length for the first time on wax.

One of the most sought after and highly regarded titles to have appeared on Tom Albach's celebrated Nimbus West imprint, the Creative Art Ensemble's One Step Out is a timeless work of spiritualised jazz. A true gem from the Los Angeles jazz underground, the album was pianist and composer Kaeef Ruzadun Ali's first recording as leader of the Creative Arts Ensemble, the only large ensemble group that emerged directly from Horace Tapscott's legendary Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra community jazz group.

A Los Angeles native, Kaeef was introduced to the Tapscott circle in the late 1970s. His first experience of the Arkestra's ethos was through PAPA tenorist Michael Session, who took him to the famous 'Great House' at 2412 South Western Ave., LA - a large mansion house which members of the Arkestra had taken over as a space for communal living. Life in the Great House was a continuous stream of music, dance and community events. 'When I walked in there,' recalled Kaeef, 'it was like this whole rush came over me, just from going in the front door...It was like a very, very warm feeling of love. I went and I came out with 'Flashback of Time', and that was my first arrangement.'

Kaeef quickly became a significant contributor of compositions to the Arkestra's songbook - his piece 'New Horizon' would be recorded by Horace Tapscott for the latter's Tapscott Sessions series. But 'Flashback of Time' would eventually appear on One Step Out, played by the new group he had put together from stalwart Arkestra members. Inspired by both Tapscott's example and by the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Kaeef had wanted to follow their lead by assembling a larger unit. 'I would like to form a group that would be an extension of the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra,' he told Tapscott. The group was to be known as the Creative Arts Ensemble, and One Step Out, released in 1981 by Nimbus West, was their debut.

Featuring seasoned Arkestra regulars including reedsman Dadisi Komolafe, drummer Woody 'Sonship' Theus and altoist Gary Bias, with veterans Henry 'The Skipper' Franklin on bass and George Bohannon on trombone, One Step Out is a key document of the Los Angeles radical jazz underground. Featuring the sanctified vocals of Kaeef's sister, B. J. Crowley, the album is a tour de force of spiritually energised independent jazz music. Community uplift and sacred vision straight from the Great House, back on vinyl for the first time since 1981!

'The second About Group recording for Treader,this time replacing Charles Hayward with Rupert Clervaux. His elegant drumming takes the group into new territories which together with Coxon's simple and insistent guitar themes forms a regular backbone for four extended group compositions containing a surprising collision of sounds and influences.

Pat Thomas, with his background in free jazz and improv, and Susumu Mukai, more commonly heard in the company of Floating Points, make strange bedfellows with Alexis Taylor's mooger-foogered rhodes, but somehow it all crystallises perfectly.

The clearest precedent for this engaging recording is Ege Bamyasi era Can,but really it occupies a position of its own...'

Africa Seven's next installment returns to Cameroon with a special edition version of Momo Joseph's in-demand LP, "War For Ground", with three extra tracks. Momo may be better known for his work as an actor, having featured in such titles as "La Haine" (1995) and "The African" (1983), but his small foray into music is definitely memorable as he lays it out in true Afro-Boogie style. Apart from two singles, "War For Ground" represents Momo's only other body of work, and only studio album which was self-released in 1983. With this "Edition Speciale" reissue we provide you all the originals from "War For Ground" remastered alongside his party-time classic "Cameroon Airline", "Love Africa Soul" and his lesser known tack "Oh Momo".

The A-side starts with "Africain", which also featured on our compilation "Africa Airways Four". Glistening synth lines work it out over the top of romantic guitars, while the continual and hypnotic vocal chant of "Africa" tells you exactly where this music is coming from and what it means. The tempo creeps up a bit with "N'Gon Le Bek" which again takes advantage of driving guitar lines, this time facing off with the horn section. The last cut on the A-Side is "Out Side No Fine", which flows great after the previous two, keeping up the same aesthetic with a bit more of a tropical feel to it.

The B-side kicks off with the title track "War For Ground". In this one Momo starts off rather melancholic before things end more triumphantly with the backing vocals and horn section again providing much of the driving force. The final two tracks on this record make up the "Edition Speciale" element of this reissue. "Love Africa Soul", taken from Momo's 1980 single of the same name, at first seems to be one of the more straight forward disco led tracks on this release until an ecstatic synth line breaks things up in a forward thinking break down before a trademark Momo groove kicks back in. The other track featured on that single was"Cameroun Airlines", a bonafied afro-disco classic. Next we delved into the vault and unearthed a recording session for "Oh Momo", this never released version of the track reflects a slightly different side of the signer, with a more afrobeat feel.

This "Edition Speciale" version of "War For Ground" offers a thorough observation of Momo Joseph's work as a musician and looks to help shine a light on Momo's career and musical genius.

LP,180, 2018 REISSUE - REMASTERED FROM ORIGINAL TAPES, CAREFULLY REPRODUCED ORIGINAL ART

Piano Viberations' 'small group jazz featuring piano and vibes with rhythm' makes for a gorgeous Francis Coppieters showcase, surely one of Belgium's best-kept musical secrets. Released in 1975, and arguably the most low-key of the KPM and Themes records we're re-issuing, this is easily our current favourite.
'The Open Highway' is the appropriately-named opener, and immediately demonstrates Coppieters' dexterous interplay between piano and vibes in assured, joyous fashion. The shufing bossa of 'Sales Notes' is a jaw-dropper, well-mined by samplers with impeccable taste. The mellow head-nod drum-break
that is 'Funky Chimes' brilliantly demonstrates Coppieters' quiet majestic side with its slow-motion funk rhythm with beautifully refective notes throughout.
The upbeat and joyful 'Cross Talk' closes out side A. Vibes and piano are defnitely at the heart of the arrangement here. The quick cut movement of 'Piano In Transit' is another gem, driven principally by piano but those vibes along for more than just the ride. On a more gentle, elegiac note, 'To Shearing With Love' is a warm, slow, romantic piece in the style of George Shearing. It's
plaintive and sublime.
Piano Viberations is one of those rare library records the original description of which makes as much sense now as it did when it was frst released. Piano and vibes with rhythm indeed.
As with all ten re-issues, the audio for Piano Viberations comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. We've taken the same care with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM's brand identity.

LP,180g, 2018 REISSUE - REMASTERED FROM ORIGINAL TAPES, CAREFULLY REPRODUCED ORIGINAL ART

James Clarke's Mystery Movie was released in 1974 as modern, small group compositions in various moods. Ideally suited to the new Americanised style of T.V. and cinema flm where music is used to create the mood and carry the action'.
So this collection covers a lot of bases, but it does so brilliantly and has absolutely no right to be such a fantastic listen from start to fnish.Mystery Movie is best known for the slick drum breaks underpinning the top-notch jazz-funk chase theme Car Patrol', the fuzz rifng and ARP soloing of The Heavies' and the slow-mo strut of Mystery Moll'. Study In Fear' and Empty Streets' are horror soundtrack fodder of the fnest sort.
However, it's the understated, plaintive pieces that we fnd the most rewarding.
Ambient feels and strung-out fried-folk treats, full of cyclical naïve melodies.
Music that evokes the 'downlifting' Ronnie Lane and Ron Wood instrumentals from their great Mahoney's Last Stand LP, as well as the beautiful soundtrack work of Jack Nitzsche and Ry Cooder. You might also recognise Waiting Game' from being sampled by melodic downbeat masters Express Rising.
Check Relaxed Theme', Quiet Girl', Routine Procedure' and Quietness Sustained' for a melodic, melancholic set, with the last three performed on just acoustic guitar and harp. Gorgeous work.
As with all ten re-issues, the audio for Mystery Movie comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. We've taken the same care with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM's brand identity.

Strut announce the signing of one of the best of the UK's new generation of soulful genre-fluid artists, Nubiyan Twist, with a superb new single, 'Tell It To Me Slowly', released on 16th November. Voiced by the band's saxophonist Nick Richards, the song is an instant soul-jazz winner, with lyrics speaking about inner turmoil and a search for the truth. On the flip, 'Sugar Cane' features the unmistakeable vocals of Nubiya Brandon singing of harsh life lessons over an increasingly chaotic groove. The tracks are taken from the band's forthcoming album, 'Jungle Run' which effortlessly weaves together elements of jazz, soul, hip hop, African styles, Latin, dub, hip hop and electronics in a flow of thought-provoking and life-affirming music. The single and album mark another important chapter for a band that has been consistently developing and evolving their sound since their formation in 2015 at Leeds College Of Music. Nubiyan Twist's 'Tell It To Me Slowly' b/w 'Sugar Cane' is released on 7' single, digital and streaming on 16th November. The band also head out for a series of European dates from next month:

The Latest Release By Musique Pour La Danse Is A Reissue Of A Rare And Cult Record, Super Novas Planetary Invazion Ep. It Is Part Of A 4 Ep Reissue Series Of Nate Krafft's Music Under Several Aliases (super Nova, Naquil). Originally Released By Infra In 1996, This Is An Off-kilter Ep That Should Be Filed Under Techno / Electro / Detroit But That Also Goes Beyond These Categories.

Behind Super Nova Is Nate Krafft, A Producer From The Mid West With Only A Handful Of Releases Under Different Aliases. The Planetary Invazion Ep Sees The Artist Explore Uncharted Territories, Disregarding Common Dancefloor Tropes To Instead Take The Listener To New And Wonderful Places. If There Ever Was A Record Way Too Far Ahead Of Its Time When It Initially Got Released But That Deserves A Second Chance Because Its Aesthetic Is Remarkably Relevant These Days, This Is It.

Mopo presents a 7" with their scorching tune "Riisto" taken from the LP "Mopocalypse" on side A and a brand new cosmos-searching version of "Panama" on the flipside. "Acid Panama", as it's now called, features the Finnish scene legend Jimi Tenor on sax and various other instruments.

LP,180g, 2018 REISSUE - REMASTERED FROM ORIGINAL TAPES, CAREFULLY REPRODUCED ORIGINAL ART

Released in 1976, Distinctive Themes / Race To Achievement is legendary arranger Nick Ingman exploring the two distinct ideas of 'impressive themes varying in style from 'Basie to Elgar'' and 'a study in the pressure and rewards of achievement'.Distinctive Themes is a veritable indulgence of variously-tempoed, full orchestra, big band workouts, from relaxed swing to more propulsive themes. The progressively building 'Expanding Markets' is a true highlight, with its rolling pianos, contemplative electric guitar solos and moody horns over skipping beats.
The dramatic 'Against The Odds' is another stand-out.
Race To Achievement is all rugged funk with stabbing chords and strutting horns and it's probably our favourite side. Of course we have to acknowledge the fantastic 'Tense Preparation', sampled by Prince Paul and Dan The Automator for Handsome Boy Modeling School's seminal 'Magnetizing' with Del Tha Funky
Homosapien. But the whole side's range from tense underscores to fast and punchy chase themes makes this is a gem of the KPM catalogue.
As with all ten re-issues, the audio for Distinctive Themes / Race To Achievement comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. We've taken the same care with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current
custodian of KPM's brand identity.

LP,180, 2018 REISSUE - REMASTERED FROM ORIGINAL TAPES, CAREFULLY REPRODUCED ORIGINAL ART

Released in the same year as Synthesis over on KPM, 1974's Synthesizer and Percussion is its essential companion piece. 'This record features the many distinctive sounds of the ARP Synthesizer plus percussion in various moods and tempos' is the even more underwhelming than usual library record sales pitch for
Alan Hawkshaw and Brian Bennett's second collection of what is basically minimal G-funk, with overtones of primitive acid house. This is ridiculously good.
This is one of Hawkshaw and Bennett's wilder joints and aeons ahead of its time.
Bennett's tough drums provide the underpinnings for the prominent bass, keys and bubbling synths high up in the mix, alongside Hawkshaw's deranged clavinet-funk-rock. There are heavenly break loops galore.
Opener "Mon Amour" is ultra-smooth funk, all inter-weaving melodic lines whilst the seminal "Oddball" is an incredible hard electro strut with a knocking break.
"Mile High Swinger" is a tranquil Spaghetti Western whistling theme over double tempo rhythmic movement and the pulsating "Auto Pilot" has a percussive groove elevated by electric piano and synthesizer. Check "Driving Force', 'Home Run' and "Pacesetter" for electroid prog-funk dripped in acid squelch.
All fve fnal tracks are beatless synth workouts, because they can.
As with all ten re-issues, the audio for Synthesizer and Percussion comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. We've taken the same care with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM's brand identity.

LP,180, 2018 REISSUE - REMASTERED FROM ORIGINAL TAPES, CAREFULLY REPRODUCED ORIGINAL ART

Alan Hawkshaw (piano/Hammond) and Shadow's drummer Brian Bennett are responsible for some of the slickest, funkiest and most sought-after library records ever made in the UK, particularly ones recorded on the legendary KPM label. Their work has now become the go-to place for sampling in music today.
Artists such as Dilla, Nas, and the xx, right through to the billion selling Kanye & Drake have taken Hawkshaw's and Bennett's immaculate beat-driven soundscapes for their own usage.
Their new album, in full, iconic KPM cover is a return to the laidback jazz-funk that helped Alan and Brian demonstrate their library chops. The album is classic Hawkshaw/Bennett. It swings, it grooves, moves and thrills with a fair these two have perfected over years.
Standout tracks such as "Hole In One", "In The Clouds", "Interchange", "Oasis", "On The Nile" and "Corcovado" are no mere excursions in nostalgia, for they carrylots of deft studio work that many a producer would give their right arm for.
Hawkshaw's arrangements allow the drums, guitar, bass, strings, Hammond, fute and brass to swirl elegantly around the 12 original tracks; a masterclass in recording.
Cut by Pete Norman, housed in a beautifully designed Richard Robinson sleeve and pressed at 180g by Record Industry in Holland, this release has been aforded the care and attention it rightly deserves. Essential.

A-Sim, born Simon Hamelin, is a fresh electronic music producer from France. His productions wind up somewhere between UK bass, electro and techno with a focus on the rivalry between the dark and sweet side of all textures coming from electronic instruments. He released stuffs on R&S, Eddy Larkin and Rawax.

Ghost of Skye glides between lost innocence and joyful tears. It shines like a blurring star, like the glowing glass of your last drink on a late night.
My Opinion (even if you don't care) is the rotating, meditative call to prayer pumped on detroit electro steroids. Take my hand and dive into oblivion.
Unpeaceful Mind re ects our apocalyptic erra. The neverstopping dark and anxious pressure of society. The need of relief. Of escape. Of freedom.

All tracks mastered by Pole at Scape Mastering in Berlin.

After a long time in the works, Mothball Record is proud to present a lost album from legendary Italian wave band: Ruins.

Hailing from Venice, Ruins are one of the pioneering artists of the Italian new wave scene beginning in the late seventies: an explosion of new and exciting art, music and film.

The tracks on 'New Record' were taken from the self-distributed, tape only release from 1983 'Side Roads'.
This album was timed directly before their most well-known releases in contemporary times, the 'Fire / Crime' 12' and the eponymous 4 track EP on Black Square.

Taken from the original master tapes and selected by Ruins themselves, the album should be listened as a whole to gain the full experience, but immediate 'must-hear' tracks are 'I Don't Know', 'I Love You' and 'Last Night DJ Killed My Wife' featuring early use of Roland TB303.

At times unsettling, beautiful, violent, harmonious, these songs will finally get the audience and exposure they deserve 35 years later.

This is a long overdue reissue of a fantastic album! Here we find a pure disco classic from the US scene of the late 70s. The original copies retail at plus $300, that's only if you can find one at all! So those who love to spin good music, but are unwilling or unable to lay down too much money can now lend an ear to this fine vinyl! The opening track is 6.5 minutes long and consists of ongoing grooves with a hint of rock thanks to the melodic lead guitar. The driving rhythms are irresistible with soulful and strong female lead vocals that capture you right away. This reminds me strongly of the lengthy Donna summer dance classic, released during the same period 'Better than walking out' which became a dance floor sweeper. There is nothing complicated here, just sheer groove interwoven with catchy melodies. 'Lovin' you is so easy' follows and is a mid-paced soul anthem that comes as clean, slick and close to pop music a tune can come, but the melody of the chorus will stick to your mind. The arrangements are tight revealing several layers of instrumentation on second take. The lead singer's expressive voice matches with the best of its genre. A grand dame of soul familiar to a wide audience. While we ruminate about the different stylistic ingredients of this album we reach ''Woman', an entire instrumental with a straight groovy beat paired by cool funky rhythm guitar that lies beneath a soundscape made by the electric piano. Both seem to interact tightly and communicate with another. This tune just moves you physically with ease. Lushly orchestrated ''Our love is special' turns out to be a wonderful soul pop anthem of the kind that stays with you when you have only enjoyed it once. I'm almost certain that most fans of the late 70's soulful dance and pop will spin this record over and over again. This is what the DISCO LADIES are made for. Their music has this certain disco feeling but the classic 60s Motown Soul roots are so obvious and keep the whole collection of songs so grounded, that the music will go straight to the heart, nestling there for a long time. ''I second that emotion' is again a mid-paced groover that has this fluttering beat with great instrumental figures build upon this footing. One might hear elements of reggae, gospel and funk melting into an utterly joyful soul pop tune that eventually would become an evergreen in the clubs. Last but not least we are treated to ''Woman', again the arrangements of lead and backing vocals are amazing! These are footed by equally amazing strings and horns. These melodies, soulful, expressive, intense and full of joy! The last tune is a vocal version of 'Woman'. Definitely being the highlight of the entire album and a worthy finale for a record that sticks out of the masses of disco music productions of it's era! All this makes a wonderful and delightful reissue ! worthy of joining every black music aficionado of the 1970s.

A collection of Jamaican doo wop & R&B records taken from the late 50s and early 60s. These records represent a period in which soundsystems were just starting to dominate the island, with Duke Reid and Sir Coxsone stepping up their rivalry by beginning to make and release their own records rather than rely on US imports for use in their dances. Many of these records are definitely more-or-less imitations of the American records, as the uniquely Jamaican ska sound was yet to take hold - however many of the future stars of ska, rocksteady and reggae were beginning to cut their teeth in the industry on these records, incl. Jimmy Cliff, Derrick Harriott, Alton Ellis and more, and they provide a unique view into the fledgling independent record industry culture in Jamaica that would prove to be unbelievably proflific and unparalleled for an island of it's size.

By the late seventies Nigerians were increasingly drawn to reggae. It was regarded as a more spiritual and contemplative type of music. When the bright lights and cheap thrills of the dance floor waned, reggae provided life with a deeper meaning. And it didn't come any deeper than 'We Shall Win' by Pogo Limited. Pogo Limited were a Beninese 'super' band, made up of performers from the popular Nigerian Television Authority program, 'Music Panorama'. Emma Ogosi, future superstar and household name, was on rhythm guitar. Robo Arigo was on bass. Pat 'Finn' Okonjo, former frontman of The Hykkers, provided lead vocals. 'We Shall Win' was their first album and a clarion call for change. 'Together' envisages a time when everyone enjoys the riches of Africa. 'Switch Your Lights On' bathes in the purest kind of love and in 'Something Must Be Done', the dream is a long, happy life with great grandchildren. The album's brightest moment, the upbeat 'We Shall Win', takes heart from change in southern Africa. Ironically, it was adopted by the Nigerian ruling party in 1983 as their theme song in what was widely regarded as a massively rigged election. Focussed, deep and contemplative, 'We Shall Win' is a thoughtful alternative to the bright lights of the Lagos dance floor, an album where exceptional musicianship combines with a meaningful lyrics to provide hope in a desperate world. It is an album as relevant today as it was back then.

The beating heart of our annual summer gathering, Subsonic Music Festival, is the Paradiso stage from which this EP takes its inspiration. With a soundtrack from some of our favourite underground international & local artists, this EP represents just a slice of that unique place. On the A-side is the always incredible and globally respected Alexkid & the man of the moment who is making huge waves after an amazing year of releases, Stephan Bazbaz. On the B-side we go deeper with some of Australia's finest boy wonder Retza and the sophisticated minimal grooves of Katie Drover.

Emotional Rescue returns to the music of Takenoko, the Bordeaux based synth-pop project from 1982-1988, to follow their LP collection L'Amour Est Mon Arme (ERC062), with an EP of remixes from Dresden's cult-like producer, Sneaker DJ.
The meeting of Takenoko and Sneaker offers a perfect marriage of left field cold wave tones, inventive drum programming and pop lyrics, with a master-mixer, programmer and DJ of today.
Following releases on cult labels like Uncanny Valley, Rat Life and Frigio as Sneaker and numerous labels such as Macadam Mambo, Bordello A Parigi and Bahnsteig 23 under several pseudonyms, Sneaker first contacted the label after his trance-inducing, drum heavy remix of C Cat Trance , with the suggestion to research an idea to create a reissue / remix project out of a band he had discovered, Takenoko.This was soon expanded to become a stand-alone album and remixes EP after the discovery in the vaults of a cache of unreleased songs. The breadth of styles found on L'Amour Est Mon Arme is matched with these "Mixes", as Sneaker takes 3 of their singles and indelibly puts his marker on them.
Starting with his retake of their second single, Lee Harvey Oswald, he reworks their pop ode to the Kennedy tragedy and strips it groove back for a near 9 minute vocal-meets-discodub that lets the lyrical structure remain, before stretching it out and letting the instrumental interplay between keys, guitar and rhythm machines glide before bringing it all back for finale.
Next, their 1988 single Trans Amor Express is given what is becoming a trademark Sneaker treatment. In a similar vain to his remix of C Cat Trance, here he rips the original apart to extend a single vocal refrain with the raw percussion elements for mind-inducing results.
Finally, his mix of the anthemic John Wayne is almost gentle in comparison, adding 909 overdubs but letting much of the original stay, showing again a modern mastery of mixing desk technique and craft.

With MEL013, Melodies International are extremely proud to bring you at last, a disco anthem from Detroit that was originally recorded in 1980 and dedicated to the 'King Of The Champion Fighters': Le Stim - A Tribute to Muhammad Ali (We Crown The King).

Le Stim was a band formed by lead vocalist Donald Jennings in the late 70s. Now an ordained deacon back in Detroit, Jennings was brought up in a gospel environment and was said to be born to sing. Growing up picking up songs from the likes of Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald or Sam Cooke, Jennings frequently performed for family and friends and went on to sing for audiences in New York, St. Louis and all around Detroit.

We Crown The King is a song written in the mid 70s by the late Herbert Andrei Duncan, also from Detroit. Duncan approached Jennings with the song who was initially reluctant to sing it because it took him out of his usual vocal range. However, Duncan finally (thankfully!) managed to persuade Jennings after five years to record a tune that would prove to become a party anthem decades later.

Remembering Duncan, Jennings says: 'Andrei was positive..inquisitive.... and determined. I was only 18 or 19 years old at the time and remember Andrei coming over to my house.... He had a cellphone in his car!.. I remember going to Andrei's house, and he said he wanted to do the track. Andrei did not take no for an answer! The answer had to be yes! However Andrei didn't have any money to record the song with. So we made a deal. In exchange for the use of his P.A., Loc (the drummer) provided the seventeen musicians for Le Stim to record 'We Crown The King'. The session itself was recorded at a studio in Southfield, Michigan.
According to Jennings, Muhammad Ali did hear the track back then and liked it! Le Stim were in touch with Ali's management and were about to meet him on a number of occasions which unfortunately didn't work out.

Licensing this record has proven to be Melodies' biggest research effort as of yet and has involved visiting it's author, Duncan's former house in Detroit only to discover it had burned down and that his family had moved years ago. It wouldn't have been possible without the invaluable help of Jeremy from Rain&Shine records (NZ) who then managed to track down the family back in Texas!

Officially licensed, remastered and cut to half-speed lacquers at 45rpm (instead of it's original 33rpm format) to bring the shine out of the top end - MEL013 comes forth in it's original 12' vinyl format with exclusive Melodies stickers and digitally too.

A trio of guitar, bass and drums, Elektro Guzzi overcome the boundary between analogue versus digital, performing techno live with the drive of a machine and the sonic detail of an instrument - without any computers or loopers. For their upcoming album Polybrass, Elektro Guzzi have drastically expanded their sonic repertoire: both in the studio and on stage, they are joined by an ensemble of three trombonists, opening up a whole new realm of possibilities. With Hilary Jeffrey, Daniel Riegler and Martin Ptak, the band are joined by three brass heavyweights, each of them well renowned for both their solo ventures as well as projects such as The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble, Sand and Zeitkratzer. By treating the three trombones not simply as a set of extra instruments but rather as one coherent body of sound on its own, Elektro Guzzi dissociate the brass instruments from their conventional use and repurpose them into something completely different: a modular synthesizer, with each trombone representing one oscillator. In doing so, Elektro Guzzi add new layers of depth to their music, emphasizing a more cinematic side of their music: like the soundtrack for a movie, Polybrass is bigger, darker, more dramatic, more intimate. Warm and fuzzy textures float weightlessly above fragile soundscapes and complex sonic fragments. At the same time, the band's signature sound runs distinctly through the entire album: solid percussive grooves, stripped down to the absolute minimum it takes to make your body move. Hypnotic repetition, building tension and suspense up to a point where the energy of the music gets so intense you feel like you can physically touch it with your hands, interlaced with organic patterns of sound, constantly changing and evolving, pulsating and oscillating. Vinyl: heavy sleeves + heavy printed inner sleeves, 180g vinyl with download code.

Since 2015 Tiger Stripes has been an invaluable contributor to Drumcode's 'little brother' Truesoul.
As recent as March he released 'Sound of the Bettest' in collaboration with Riva Starr, their fresh ragga influenced take on techno entrenched as a 2018 highlight for the label.
Drawing from a wide palette of sounds to craft his groovy, personality-laden take on techno, the Swede has produced arguably his finest work yet with the 'Insanity' EP.
'Baby' is a melting pot of three decades worth of influences, from James Brown, to Northern Soul and indie pop of Ariel Pink.
The result is a stunning kaleidoscopic techno treat, that brims with rave, garage and funky house spirit. 'Insane' is a dynamic feast for the eardrums as trippy arpeggios, a persistent vocal and lush synth leads cascade throughout the seven-minute track.
'Too Deep (to Bear) follows, an exhilarating slice of late-night techno before the EP concludes with 'Dying Planet', mixing up a potent environmental message with tough dancefloor functionalism.