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The Slovak band Shallov releases their new track "Refrain" on the experimental label Weltschmerzen just one year after the release of "Coexist". Two tracks that both span more than 10 minutes in length, work together as one coherent audiovisual art piece and are out as an EP on 10" vinyl. Music videos do not only visually supplement both tracks but they are equally autonomous art pieces.

The visual feature of the music pieces is highlighted by the vinyl's cover painted by Slovak artist Michal Fízik. The previous back cover carries a photograph which served as an inspiration for the painting while the current back has been created via AI reinterpretation.

The musical component of Refrain is based on a repetition building into a hypnotic trance, gradually disintegrating so it eventually ends in a monumental climax. It contrasts the band's previous work as well as the track Coexist which uses rather neverending rhythmic variations, and a changeable vibe and atmosphere.

The concept of the visuals in Coexist is a result of a collective fusion between the theatre director Adam Dragun, Viktor Ori and dozens of other participating non-actors. The video depicts individualistic egoist actions shaping a contradicting and incomprehensible totality of the world which ultimately seems to be alienated to everybody.

Refrain is an introspective journey leading to the dissolution of the individualistic experience of human existence. The video's concept, direction and production was conducted by the visual artist and performer Jak Užovič who also tends to inter-media art and object installations.

As Shallov and Jak Užovič explain the track's conceptual background: "The idea of owning one's own body and mind is an unnatural way of looking at ourselves imposed by the dominant paradigm. It's a blind ideology - the view of a body as a machine or a commodity is incomplete and represents a materialistic utopia which is being systematically internalized. We're not a community that acts right or wrong, our intentions are determined by an ideology which pretends not to exist - our relations are relations of masters and slaves, of domination and exploitation. We are a society bound by these features and even though we refuse to admit it, the world presented to us is only a legend we're striving to keep alive at all costs, while believing that there is no alternative. Our quality doesn't stem magically from the inside, on the contrary, it's determined by the conditions within which we interpret it through collectively shared fictions. We don't get to know our consciousness through ourselves, but we recognize it through others as they create and form us."

"Tools of Oppression / Rule by Deception" is the new full length album by The Hope Conspiracy. The album was engineered by Kurt Ballou and Zach Weeks at God City Studios. Artwork for the release was created by acclaimed artist Alexander Heir (Death/Traitors). This is true sonic violence aimed at political division, economic manipulation, war profiteering, media propaganda and other vile forms of global oppression. Air raid sirens wail as the foreboding "Those Who Gave Us Yesterday" and "The Prophets and Doom" explode forth like burning shrapnel. The hell ride continues with "A Struggle For Power" and "Live In Fear", two vicious blasts supercharged with malice and contempt. "Shock By Shock" and "Of A Dying Nation" introduce doom and gloom heaviness, grinding down the tempo to a mid-paced barrage. "Confusion/Chaos/Misery" picks up the pace, going scorched-earth policy on the sociopolitical nightmares that ensnare us all while "Broken Vessels" plows into overdrive about the opioid crisis and addiction as a whole. This leads to "The West Is Dead" a dystopian hook laden hardcore anthem, and epic closer "The Specter Looms"; An ominous soundtrack to the steady decline of our modern age. There is no question, The Hope Conspiracy is back to make a cold hard statement about existence in the end times.

There's something spellbinding about Rhythm Rhyme Revolution’s seductive intensity and it’s all cleverly wrapped up in this rather sterling EP.

Summertime (nuacidfunk) slowly builds and changes tempo into a disco crescendo, in the style of Love Hangover, with Dan Lipman’s glorious jazz flute/sax weaving in and out of Gareth Tasker’s fantastic coral sitar riff that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Stylistics record.
The flipside - Sunshine Girl’s slinky Afro percussive groove builds pace as DJ Tabu merrily coos about making love in the sunshine and Barrie Sharpe’s vocal hooks chime in agreement:
bolstered by crisp guitar and Kenny Wellington’s jazzy mute trumpet darting around the sonic pool like a magnificent dragonfly. The arrangement has first class interplay and ensemble work too and the funky clavinet and bluesy electric piano really add to this slick
vibe.

Also on the flipside is the already established original version of Summertime from RRR LP #1 - which I can only compare to the Motown classics.

Sharpe is the master tease who builds a grand mood and positively revels in it. You will too,suffice to say, find this record is a real touch of class.

Emrys Baird (Blues & Soul)

All work, all play - Fall of Porcupine tells an emotional story about a young doctor, who struggles to find his place in the small town of Porcupine. The game combines a vibrant, hand-painted world with the harsh reality of working in a flawed healthcare system, as the player accompanies Finley on his journey. While we do not guarantee that the game will make you cry, there's a high chance it might. Step into the town of Porcupine and take to the well-loved scrubs of Finley, the newest fledgling doctor to join the ranks of St. Ursula's hospital. As the seasons in the small-town change and life starts to stir, you'll soon realize that things aren't always what they seem: Not everyone is honest with themselves and others, the healthcare industry is not as illustrious as it seemed in medical school, and the work/life balance Finley strives toward might be impossible to achieve. Pinsel is perfectly capturing the slightly melancholic and laid-back atmosphere of the game in the songs of the soundtrack. Acoustic guitars and other analogue instruments paired with minimal electronic elements that are light but never random. It's almost as loveable as its characters. A game soundtrack highlight that might also be your perfect companion for walks on a sunny day in autumn.

These recordings come from the same sessions that produced 1961's My Favorite Things. This is one of the least well-known Coltrane albums, partly because it is an all blues format and partly because it was released at the end of his association with Atlantic records.

Plays The Blues features the talents of McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones and Steve Davis. It is the beginning of his work with Tyner and Jones in quartet form. For that alone this recording would be important. Although this album is called Plays The Blues, this is by no means the only blues which Coltrane plays. There are blues elements, moods and feelings in all of his best-known recordings. Listen to "Slowtrane," "Blue Train," "Bessie's Blues" among others and one can't help but hear the blues vibe.

The original six tracks are fantastic and have that same blues vibe. They hit the listener right in the heart and soul and don't let go. All six are superb, but "Blues To Bechet," "Mr. Day," "Mr. Knight" and "Blues To Elvin" are absolute classics.

Cut at 45 RPM. Pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings, and housed in tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jackets with film lamination by Stoughton Printing.

True audiophile joy — now cut at 45 RPM 2LP for better tracking, exceptional bass!
Remastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio from the original master tapes
Plated and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings!
Stoughton Printing gatefold tip-on heavyweight cardboard jacket


Praise for the 33 1/3 version of The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get:

"(Side one) ends with the appropriately titled 'Happy Ways,' a Latin-tinged guitar-fest with lovely chunky bass lines that sounds absolutely glorious on this Analogue Productions pressing. The zing of steel string guitar almost sounds dead on the CD and tired on my ancient vinyl pressing, so this is clearly not one of those remasters that's based on an umpteenth generation copy of the tapes. ... You owe it to yourself to hear this album — and it will not sound any better than this spectacular pressing." — Recording = 8/10; Music 10/10 — Jason Kenedy, Hi-Fi+, Issue 148

"An outstanding new 180gm LP reissue from Analogue Productions, with improved sound thanks to a sparkling new remaster by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, makes it clear that this 1973 release remains — with the possible exception of 1978's But Seriously, Folks . . . — the undisputed highlight of Walsh's solo career. ... Another week, another beautiful-sounding, wonderfully packaged reissue from Analogue Productions." Read the whole review here. — Robert Baird, May 2017

In between his stints with the James Gang and the Eagles, Joe Walsh tackled his second solo studio album The Smoker You Drink The Player You Get which became his most successful solo outing. The 1973 LP continued the heavy and light rock mix of tracks found on his previous release, Barnstorm.

Analogue Productions has done reissue justice to the album that AllMusic decries "features some of the most remembered Joe Walsh tracks, but it's not just these that make the album a success. Each of the nine tracks is a song to be proud of. This is a superb album by anyone's standards."

To obtain the best sound possible we turned to Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio to remaster this superb album from the original analogue tapes. Next we plated the lacquers and pressed LPs on 180-gram audiophile vinyl at the world's best LP maker, Quality Record Pressings. Top it all off with a deluxe Stoughton Printing gatefold tip-on jacket and you've got the makings for audiophile joy.

But would we stop there? Hardly. Now with our 45 RPM release, the best-sounding version of this rock music gem gives listeners an even richer sonic experience. The dead-quiet double-LP, with the music spread over four sides of vinyl, reduces distortion and high frequency loss as the wider-spaced grooves let your stereo cartridge track more accurately.

This amazingly eclectic rock album has Joe's smash "Rocky Mountain Way," his hit "Meadows," plus "Bookends," "Wolf; Dreams" and more! Walsh's ability to swing wildly from one end of the rock scale to the other is unparalleled and makes for an album to suit many tastes.

This rare vintage Earl Hooker LP is packed full of high class blues instrumentals and soul-tinged arrangements.
A few familiar R&B tunes are covered here, including "Dust My Broom" and "Hold On, I'm Coming." This reissue comes with the original Red Lightnin' artwork designed by
US underground comic artist Robert Crumb, including a poster of the artwork too. Pressed on heavyweight splatter/burst effect vinyl.

Chrome is back again with his 5th full studio album. A new project under the guise of ChromePlus alongside Super JB, A Civilian and Tom Hanna. Chrome has amassed an incredible catalogue since 1990 as member of the mighty Def Tex and collaborating with IllInspired, Whirlwind D, DJar One, Specifik, Crease and DJ Nappa to name but a few.
This album has taken just over 3 years to complete and release but the wait is worth it. Featuring live instruments over sampled drums and turntables it has a vastly different DNA to most Hip Hop based albums, and with this the soundscape is able to stretch out in a way that would be almost impossible when staying in the realm of samples. But with the sampled drums keeping the dynamic energy of more usual Hip Hop production
Chrome’s previous single ‘Anything You Want’ achieved the prestige of ‘BBC Introducing’ single of the week which gives only a hint of the quality that can be expected here. Chrome is always trying something new and pushing his music into territory that many other artists do not attempt and with great results and with the stunning artwork it is the complete package for the decerning Hip Hop listener. There is something for each part of the Hip Hop spectrum here from Fast Rap, thoughtful and experimental guitar driven tracks, instrumentals and the almost forgotten DJ track with the tempo varying accordingly.

An’archives presents the latest album by Japanese free saxophonist and vocalist Harutaka Mochizuki, Doppelgänger ga boku wo. Since the early 2000s, Harutaka has quietly, yet steadily, released a string of solo and collaborative releases that have allowed multiple perspectives on one of the most singular voices in modern music. In collaboration, he seems to prefer the duo format, and digging through his discography, you’ll find releases where he pairs with Tomoyuki Aoki (of Up-Tight), Michel Henritzi, and Hideaki Kondo. But Harutaka’s solo performances, with their lyricism and physicality, are where the magic truly happens.

If earlier albums, like Solo Document 2004 (Bishop, 2005) and Pas (no label, 2014), were raw documentations of solo alto saxophone performances, in recent years, Harutaka’s solo albums have become more complex, more mystifying. Most significantly, they’ve become more personal; there are few musicians extant whose albums feel quite so much like diaristic interventions, and Harutaka’s music now is deeply moving in its intimacy. Developing that thread of revelation, Doppelgänger ga boku wo offers a still richer exploration of many facets of Harutaka’s artistry.

The two double-tracked alto saxophone performances here feel consummate, with Harutaka shadowing himself, exploring the possibilities of the multiple self: Doppelgänger is me, indeed. The playing here is rich with affect, but still exploratory, voiced with rigour and intent. Two short pieces for keyboard and voice (about Giacometti and Genêt, respectively) are fragile miniatures, with clusters of chords, and passing phrases, wrapping around Harutaka’s untutored but lovely singing.

The ‘karaoke’ performance that closes the album, of “Woman ‘W no higeki’ yori”, speaks to the iterative aspects of Harutaka’s music. A cover of the Hiroki Yakushimaru song, the theme to Shinichirō Sawai’s 1984 film W’s Tragedy, he’s returned to this song several times, and here, his delivery perfectly captures the spirit of what Michel Henritzi, in his typically beautiful liner notes, evocatively details as “one of those sad love songs that accompany lonely sake drinkers in smoky night bars, sharing their spleen.”

Gorgeous, human, heartrending - Doppelgänger ga boku wo is Harutaka Mochizuki in element and in spirit.

There is something of Monsieur Rêve in this sweet tekno EP... Sounds is very loud on a system and very cool at home... A true Tekhouse record then... The mabiance is kind of tracy and a bit electro... Nice tunes that do not forget to give reward to the dancefloor. A good space techno record !

Strawberry Wind, produced by Richard Swift (Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats, Foxygen, The Shins) not only delivers on a promise to create an honest album for kids and parents but it represents what Baylin calls the “beautiful divide,” of juggling family life with her creative life, a difficult task by any measure. “The divide in me is easy to feel because I invest 100% of myself into my family and often the creative gets put to the side,” she explained, “so when I decided to begin writing for this album it just poured out of me.” Now singer / songwriter Jessie Baylin shares that creative outpouring on her debut children’s album, ‘Strawberry Wind’. Throughout the album, Baylin doesn’t hold back on telling it like it is. Weaving through lyrical themes of dream life, supermoons and summertime vibes are some gentle doses of reality. “I don’t want to lie to my kids. Life is hard sometimes and you need to find a way to deal with it... there will always be things in life you can’t control. But, you can dream of a better world and make your own refuge,” says Baylin, who is mom to 4-year-old Violet and is expecting her second child with her husband. Baylin, who’s released four critically-acclaimed albums over the years, says the seed was planted for this album after recording a cover of Harry Nilsson’s He Needs Me from the kids’ film Popeye. “The song has a childlike sense, but the message is very deep. It’s magical, it’s dark, and it hit all the right notes. I wanted to do an album that feels like that” she says. “Since becoming a mother, I found myself being around the house a lot and I started gravitating to these wonderful albums I remembered from my own childhood - The Beatles, Harry Nilsson’s The Point!, John Lennon, Roger Miller’s Robin Hood and Carole King’s Really Rosie." The magic of those iconic 1970s records she mentions is that they’re all grounded in solid songwriting and were never dumbed down for the audience. “Those records felt very honest and that was my mission here. I also wanted it to feel magical and remind people of the child inside of all of us that is filled with a sense of wonder and pure joy and hope.”

(Jam El Mar Remix) DJ Ghost and Robert Armani resurrect their hugely popular turn-of-the-millennium collaboration with the superb ‘Hit Hard Baby (WTF)



DJ Ghost and Robert Armani resurrect their hugely popular turn-of-the-millennium collaboration with the superb ‘Hit Hard Baby (WTF)’. A formidable duo when it comes to churning out mind bending techno and hard-edged grooves, these guys first got together in 2001 delivering the bouncy vibes of ‘Hard One’ followed by ‘Airport’ and ‘Funk That’, all of which got included on a raft of compilations and enjoyed by many around the world. Individually they are accomplished in their own right. Ghost is an iconic figure in Belgium and a stalwart within the Bonzai family. Robert Armani needs no introduction, ‘Circus Bells’, ‘Ambulance’, ‘Hit Hard’ anyone? Since the mid-eighties he’s been right up there with DJ greats, and in 1992 he started releasing his own brand of house, acid house and techno. Legend is an understatement when it comes to both these guys and we’re delighted to see them back at it in the studio once again.



The release opens with ‘Hit Hard Baby (WTF)’, introing with dark kick drums and raspy hi hats. Classic techno percussions weave intricate patterns as tension mounts, taking us to the break where hypnotic notes build alongside a snare roll to the drop and back to full-on dark mode for the duration. ‘The Underground’ is up next, combining sick techno grooves with massive rave stabs and murky acid lines. Powered by a solid drum arrangement that packs a punch, this one is destined for peak time greatness. The first of two versions of ‘H.O.H’ begins with the Original Mix. Keeping with darker tones of the release, this one goes straight for the jugular as chunky kicks and pulsating, mesmeric basses combine along with clangy percussions and a classic vocal hook that will destroy the dancefloor. Another legend joins us to round out the release with Jam El Mar stepping up for remix duties on ‘H.O.H’. Hailed as a pioneer of trance alongside the late great Mark Spoon, Jam El Mar remains a much-revered name on the scene and we know amazing things happen when he’s let loose in the studio. Ramping up the energy on this one Jame El Mar whips up a frenzy to get the crowd moving. Heavy hitting kicks with layers of rhythmic percussions get the toes tapping while gnarly techno basses and electrifying synths combine alongside that instantly recognisable vocal. A monster tune that is not to be missed.

DJ Support: Gilles Peterson, Sean Johnston, Jaye Ward, Max Essa and Francois K

Limited to 300 copies

Having been long-time admirers of one another from afar, Hell Yeah and Michele Mininni finally come together for Pop Archetypes. It is a multifaceted debut album that collides broken beats, worldly rhythms, jazz, eastern melodies, live drums and much more into one thrilling 15-track opus that arrives on May 31st.

Italian artist Mininni has always had a leftfield take on electronic music and imbued it with rhythms, melodies and instruments from around the globe. He has released it on cult labels like R&S, Optimo Trax, Internasjonal and Curle Recordings but has saved his magnificent debut album for Hell Yeah. It is much more than a collection of sounds he has already explored and instead finds him heading off into all new territory without losing his signature sense of inventive and beguiling rhythm and melody. It is a multicultural journey that takes in heterogeneous styles and diverse influences but distills them all into one cohesive album with its own unique storyline.

Says Mininni of the record, 'I wanted each track to be like pieces of a unique, multifaceted picture, like walking through train cars or progressing through the levels of a video game, all filtered through my own vision and concentrated into 36 minutes. I wanted a pop album rooted in the extraordinary richness of popular music and projected into the future, a continuum where pieces communicate with each other and are received by the ears in symbiotic balance.'

Despite that concept, the album is a spontaneous listen full of surprises, left turns and original ideas that all hold together in thrilling fashion. It kicks off with the tumbling jazz drums and swirling synths of 'Spinning Around Cotton Candy', takes in mellifluous melodic layers and broken beats on 'Golden Room' and 'Slipped Air' casts you adrift amongst gorgeous piano keys and refracted vocals on the suspensory 'Vertigo'. There are jungle interludes with Eastern string melodies like 'Bangkok Tempo', lavish fusions of organic and synthetic sounds on 'Kundalini' and more charming Far Eastern rhythms on 'Muting Cat'. 'Congoflash' brings electrifying cosmic rays to busy hand drum patterns, 'The Magic Of Synesthesia' combines dark amen breaks and bright and uplifting flutes while 'Carousel Of Tears' douses you in watery melodies and celestial pads that awaken the soul.

Pop Archetypes is an adventurous work packed with meticulous and infinite details but all with an overarching narrative that makes it far more than the sum of its parts.

DJ and producer David Holmes is welcomed to the Late Night Tales fraternity with an evocative collection of personal songs and music, peppered with exclusive new material and rare gems. By now, I think we all know David Holmes, right There's acid house Holmes, with bone-rattling Chicago jams and Detroit destroyers, break-digger Holmes responsible for the grittily shaking 'Let's Get Killed' and seminal Essential Mix compilation (which brought Sixto Rodriguez to people's attention, and then there's soundtrack Holmes. His most enduring and vital source of musical inspiration - cinema - plugged into David's rst solo record 'This Film's Crap, Let's Slash the Seats' and inspired 2000's 'Bow Down to the Exit Sign', created as the soundtrack to a not-yet-made movie. Ofcial soundtracks have been bountiful, including scores for Soderbergh's Out Of Sight and Ocean's trilogy, '71, Hunger and Good Vibrations. In a series of personal songs sung by himself, David's last solo album 'The Holy Pictures' explored inuences of La Düsseldorf, The Jesus and Mary Chain and early Brian Eno. His Unloved collaboration with Keefus Ciancia and Jade Vincent then took us on a musical journey full of raw 60s pop-noir, psychedelia and French Ye Ye with a contemporary twist. Somehow he's also found time to produce records by Primal Scream and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Unsurprisingly, for someone au fait with matters cinematic, this Late Night Tales conjures up its own mindmovies. It's not only packed with the judiciously selected nuggets for which his mixes are noted but also stuffed with original material, including collaborations with BP Fallon and Jon Hopkins and an amazing new reading of 10cc's 'I'm Not In Love' by Holmes-produced Song Sung. In fact, there's a Celtic thread running through the whole journey with Stephen Rea's reading of an extract from Seamus Heaney's AENEID BOOK VI - Elsewhere Anchises. Among the other gems included here are David Crosby's lush 'Orleans', Buddy Holly's celestial 'Love Is Strange' and the Children Of Sunshine's 'It's A Long Way To Heaven'. David Holmes loves music. It's a way of expressing the sometimes inexpressible or the inconsolable, a questing desire to nd out just what is over the next hill. It's no surprise to learn he's a keen walker. Always on the move, headphones on, lost in some reverie or piece of music, the soundtrack to his life, the stuff that feeds his imagination. I walk a lot. It's amazing for listening to music: your phone or your emails aren't going and you're just in the forest listening to music. It's so intimate. Anyway, I was listening to the KLF's Chill Out album, which still sounds amazing, but it triggered an idea with concrete sounds through travelling and movement. And one of the things I was trying to do was to use this idea not just break up the moods but also as a metaphor for moving through life and arriving in different destinations or arriving at different stages in different parts of your life. Memory, Love, Living, Family, Friendship, Healing, Death and The Afterworld are some of the themes I wanted to explore within this record. Although these strong themes and tracks are personal to me, I also wanted it to be a great listen that was unpredictable yet had a seamless ow - a journey that was personal to me yet to the listener a great compilation of music that they may or may not have heard before. I hope I've succeeded in the later.' David Holmes 2016

Repress!

The release of Crosstown Rebels’ SPIRITS compilation is always a bastion moment for the label. The first edition came to prominence in 2017 and we’ve been graced with an annual compilation ever since, showcasing a consistent habit to champion established artists and breakthrough ones alike. Now, Crosstown Rebels’ lauded SPIRITS series will see the light of day once more in June, with the release of SPIRITS V.

NYC-native Layla Benitez leads proceedings with Fides, a progressive-leaning, introspective number that retains an inherent danceability throughout. It kicks off the compilation with a driving energy, one that’s perfectly matched by Trabajar - the Crosstown Rebels debut of recent Hot Creations inductee Mr.Diamond.

A techy-inspired cut, punchy four-four drum patterns create a distinctive late-night feel, as UK-talent Denney soon arrives with Kill The Soundboy. Showcasing the groove-laced house sound with which he’s become best known, the near seven-minute piece is sure to light up many a club setting this year, paving the way for Talk To Me. It’s a collaborative venture between Munich-based artist ASK:ME and El Muerto, with Soulfoot featuring on vocals. Retaining a vintage Detroit style, the fast-paced tempo creates a natural excitement before Romanian-born mainstay GruuvElement’s gifts us the minimal-toned Boom Room.

Building with tribal-like percussion and salsa-inspired instrumentals, it’s a playful excursion into dance music’s outer realms, paving the way for young Peruvian producer Chinonegro with My Moment. Whether it be the pluck of a guitar string or a jazzy trumpet solo, there’s an inherent authenticity to the six-minute piece, as a mid-track breakdown gives way to whispering hats and a rhythmic underlying backbone.

The penultimate offering comes from French-born, London-based regular Maglia, who serves up the enchanting Rayiys. The chirping of birds resides atop an ever-changing bassline, leaving us open and ready for the VA’s closing saga: Thanks Moon, by Spain’s I AM JAS. A heady combination of beautiful lyrical contributions combines with softly moving electronic elements, to leave us in a state of calm, inward reflection. Rounding off proceedings on a note of quietude, it reminds us of the final moments in clubland, transporting our psyche to sunrise, fond memories and everything in between.

Over a period of nineteen years, Damian Lazarus’ Crosstown Rebels has evolved into a world-renowned institution, garnering global audiences thanks to a consistent schedule of quality releases. In years since it’s earliest beginnings, the likes of Maceo Plex, Art Department, Seth Troxler, Ali Love, Mathew Jonson, Pier Bucci, Acid Pauli, Dennis Kurtel, Francesca Lombardo, Glimpse, Aphrohead, Fur Coat and a plethora of other figureheads have all found their home on the label.

The roster is international, showcasing how Crosstown has shaped a truly global scene. Releases are born in different continents by artists who hail from different countries, resulting in a sound that resonates worldwide. Perhaps most pivotal to the label’s success is its musical output: no part is governed by boundary or genre. It’s underpinned by a truly eclectic sound, one that reflects the diversity of Damian’s love for music itself. An album from drum and bass icon DJ Krust here, a maiden LP from Audiojack there… traversing genres has been Damian’s forte for decades - and Crosstown epitomises that as a result.

ohann Wolfgang von Goethe is always a reliable source for a good quote: "We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise, we harden." Sure as death, there is an excerpt of his that states the opposite. In the case of Robert Dietz, it holds true. Since his first appearance on Running Back in 2009 (Forward Snipping), he did a marvelous job staying on his toes as a producer and DJ.
Rejuve-Nation showcases his talent in various alleys of electronic (dance) music with Crane Song being the prime cut here. You will get exposed to proggy house with an intelligent brush in two slightly different mixes. Imagine if Euro dance went to get a college degree or a bumper car floor and you are almost there: an almost irresistible sing a long without lyrics.
If you need help afterwards, Deranged Self Therapy is exactly what you need. IDM meets new wave drums, poignant synths mix with an upbeat hook to create a ballet piece for lovesick robots.
Centro Di Gravita reconnects those qualities with the aforementioned Crane Song ones, while giving it an acid spin, before the ambient salts of Any Plan(t)s This Weekend closes the EP off like a confident sketch for the end of a beautiful summer. A bouquet of bangers for different needs.

Short: One Rejuve-Nation EP under a groove with Robert Dietz' return on Running Back. Proggy meets acid house, IDM leanings mix with stylistic devices of new wave and extra special ambient aerobatics round out the EP. Special attention goes to Crane Song and its peak time perfection. A bouquet of bangers for different needs.

The Samosa label gets its Re-Funk Head on once again with Part 2 of the exciting sonic laboratory project.

Opening this outrageously good EP are Samosa alumni Dirty Elements & Drunk Drivers feat E.M.E and their all-powerful and energy blasting ‘Disco Ball’ – a track that never even attempts to hide its sassiness. The brass ensemble fanfare (which is truly one of the best disco riffs in the known universe) acts as a victory parade through Samosa City – all tickertape and confetti raining down on smiling faces. A serious, serious groove which has featured in sets by Art of Tones on his Ultimate Mix Show for Glitterbox Ibiza and by Folamour in his Amsterdam gigs in March 2024.

Track 2 is respected Italian Maestro, Moplen and the wonderful ‘Ain’t No Doubt About It’. There’s an immediate dance floor lure to the disco beats and bongo rhythms here. Take a good helping of ‘pew-pew’ laser bolts, cow bells and hand claps; add a masterful bassline and you have some serious, serious disco business. You could be sipping evening cocktails in Club Coco Bongo or taking in a beach at sunrise - this track would make you want to dance regardless.

On the B-side the disco theme continues with the most aptly titled ‘Sexy Thing’ by Jazzyfunk. At 122bpm, this heads quickly into soaring, heavenly strings and punchy bassline territory, enveloping your ears like a warm duvet. The melody is a dance floor dream – it demands that you join the hands-in-the-air crowd and there really is no point in resisting. ‘Sexy Thing’ is one of those rare ‘moment in time’ tunes that could either kick a night off or act as the grandest of grand finales. Pure, unadulterated disco pleasure.

Closing the EP with Track 4 is DeGama himself and ‘Feel The Groove’. Make no mistake, this is a powerful, brooding beast of a tune that bursts out of the traps in no time at all. At a very deceptive 120bpm, ‘Feel The Groove’ starts with a warm, housey vibe that quickly breaks into a jumping, blues inspirerd guitar battle. The solid beat bounces gorgeously in tandem with the filthy rhythm guitar riffs and sultry saxophone in a knee-slapping, somersaulting, backsliding explosion. A seriously filthy tune from DeGama.

Re-Funk Head Part 2 acts as a perfect companion to its predecessor – featuring an all-star cast of some of the best talents to grace Samosa. A must for all serious record collectors.

In a flurry of madcap sampling pitched towards the heat of the night, Pedro Zopelar builds on the premise of his 2022 electro- funk love letter Charme, shifting his approach towards a particular

90s flair and a method with a specific end result. Ritmo Freak took root in studio experiments for a momentous — and rare — live set at São Paulo festival Não Existe in 2023, where Zopelar was caught up in one of those right-place, right- time moments we carry with us through life. As he explains himself: “This album is dedicated to freaky club culture. While I was playing at the festival there was a crazy tropical storm outside and the room was packed with the freakiest crowd. I’ve tried hard to immortalize that feeling on this record.” With the intended energy in mind, Zopelar focused on a particular mode of production centred around 12-bit sampling from his ample record collection. Considering his background as a trained pianist, here his musical instincts are forced to work within the limitations of short, snappy cuts from dusty 12”s. The lo-fi sound sources and the resourceful ways Zopelar works them gives the record an unmistakable old-skool flavour which he applies to forthright house, techno and electro funk rhythms, always taking care to draw out the soul of the music.

The stylistic touchstones flow past thick and fast on Ritmo Freak. From the amped up fierceness of the title track with its gaudy, cut n’ paste, vintage techno flavour to the effervescent electro funk of ‘Gabriellinha’s Boogie’ on to the surreal Balearic inversion of ‘Distraction’, this is a high-velocity, endlessly charming record bursting with the musicality Zopelar has made his name on. As the driving force behind many warehouse parties in São Paulo,

Zopelar has been immersed in club culture for a long time, and his distinctive catalogue of jazz, funk, acid and techno has graced highly respected labels like Apron, Selva Discos and Mother Tongue. Throughout, he’s displayed an affinity for the tangled roots of the groove with an open-eared, big-hearted sound. That’s what comes through on Ritmo Freak

Greg Foat is a London-based keyboardist, composer, bandleader and DJ. He claims his life-long love/hate relationship with the piano began at age 3, when he fell off a piano stool at his aunt's house. He started composing around age 11, and at 15 attended a jazz workshop with Jeff Clyne, Olaf Vas, Trevor Tomkins and Nick Weldon, igniting his obsession with jazz music. He furthered to study jazz at Middlesex University, and then studied for 6 months in Sweden on an Erasmus grant. He played his first professional studio session there at 21, and has been working as a professional musician ever since.

Snake Plant Shuffle and Spider Plant Blues are inspired by the the plants on Gregs bedside tables - which periodically move around the house dependent on his mood. The plants provide a good source of oxygen in the room and create a calm soothing atmosphere for Gregs musical projects. Together the tracks feature live drum kits by Ayo Salawu, Fender Rhodes and a plethora of Vintage Synthesisers.

Snake Plant Shuffle has had radio plays in Gemany, Poland and Canada, as well as being heavily featured in Amazon Music's Jazz playlists, including 'Fresh Jazz', 'Coffee Shop Jazz' and 'Café Jazz'. Both tracks are featured in Apple Music' 'Jazz Scene: UK' and 'New Latitudes' playlists.