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Bad Colours is the moniker of London-born, Maryland-raised, Brooklyn-based DJ and producer Ibe Soliman. With influences of garage from both sides of the Atlantic as well as funk, post-disco, proto-house and rap samples; his debut album 'PINK' is set for release by Bastard Jazz on 26th February 2021.

The drive to record an album came about while isolating at home in Flatbush during the COVID-19 pandemic. Inspired by some rough ideas and samples that friends sent him, Ibe focussed his attention on making music. From time well spent soaking up and storing sounds from clubs around the world, Ibe found, now with the time to dedicate towards it, the tracks flooding out. Taking cues from early Trax records and Larry Heard, the UKG musicality of MJ Cole, Todd Edwards' vocal sampling techniques, the brashness of Bmore, and an encyclopedia of disco, funk and soul knowledge; Ibe got to work and quickly compiled more than enough tracks for a full-length release.

Flowing from the album intro 'PINK!', first single 'Cookin' vibes over a Chris Faust sample and saxophone from south California virtuoso Carras Paton. 'Feelin' Like' was originally built around a short vocal sample by Jarv Dee, but grew to include additional lyrics on black power from the Seattle rapper after he heard it: "Dancey stuff with a message" says Ibe.

Slow jam 'Heyyy', with its preemptive lyrical synths, bridges to the album's next single 'Get You Off'. Ibe had been listening to a lot of Marvin Gaye - particularly 'I Want You' - during lockdown, getting into the production and vocals. After writing the "I just wanna get you off" hooks, he handed the track over to talented singer, actor and playwright Marcus Harmon who wrote the verses and provided the stunning vocal performance.

Keeping the sensual vibe, 'Skin To Skin' samples vocals from 'Private Play' by Wash 'N' Set, also produced by Ibe, with the Chris Isaak-esque guitar lines by Lex from Foreign Tapes. Made late at night, CMYK reminded Ibe of driving at night in the rain in NYC, where the colors bleed together on the wet road while 'Boss', the first track made for the album, is based around a Sunny Jones sample. The closing track 'Feel' was made at the peak of Black Lives Matter protests. "I just wanted something hard sounding," says Ibe.

Known for his residencies at some of New York's top venues, Ibe has been rocking crowds as a DJ for over a decade, and has shared the decks with the likes of James Murphy, Mark Ronson, and Q-Tip. He's performed alongside Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg, Pusha T, and Young Thug, to name a few. In high demand as a private party curator, he's helped set the tone for Jeff Koons, FKA Twigs, Justin Timberlake, Travis Scott, and Usher. When Ibe's not behind the decks, he's in the lab, where he's produced for Kendrick Lamar, Faith Evans, Keyshia Cole, and Rick Ross, among others.

The ultimate pressings of the Beach Boys discography from Analogue Productions!
Original mono mix produced by Brian Wilson
One of 10 titles featuring 33 1/3 mono and stereo remastered editions: Surfin' USA, Surfer Girl, Little Deuce Coupe, Shut Down Vol. 2, All Summer Long, Today!, Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!), Beach Boys Party!, Pet Sounds and Smiley Smile
Mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, most from the original master tapes or best sources available
Lacquer plating by Gary Salstrom and 180-gram vinyl pressing by Quality Record Pressings!

"It was Pet Sounds that blew me out of the water…I love the album so much. I've just bought my kids each a copy of it for their education in life. I figure no one is educated musically 'til they've heard that album." – Paul McCartney

"All of us, Ginger (Baker), Jack (Bruce), and I consider Pet Sounds to be one of the greatest pop LPs to ever be released. It encompasses everything that's ever knocked me out and rolled it all into one." – Eric Clapton

"For those in search of an original mono in pursuit of sonic quality, search no more. This Analogue Productions pressing is now the definitive pressing and the one we chose to feature at our Classic Album Sundays events to honour the 50th anniversary of Pet Sounds, an album that helped change the course of pop music." — Colleen ‘Cosmo' Murphy, Classic Album Sundays

"Overall though, this new reissue is the best sounding of all. The bottom end has more weight and solidity and the instrumental separation and front to back layering is nothing short of astonishing compared to the pleasing mush offered up by other editions. ... Pet Sounds belongs in every serious rock record collection and if you're going to have but one version this one from Analogue Productions is the one to have." — Music = 11/11; Sound = 11/11 - Michael Fremer, AnalogPlanet Read the whole review here.

"What I can say is that Kevin Gray has been able to extract every last bit of information from whatever tape is in the box, and present it in a way that is pleasing and natural to the ear. ... in my opinion, the Analogue Productions pressings are now THE definitive issue of each Beach Boys album, and will be my reference copies until if and when something better comes along — which may be never." — Lee Dempsey, Endless Summer Quarterly, Summer 2015 Edition

To meet the standards of Analogue Productions, our Beach Boys album reissues had a mission to achieve: Present the band's music the way that Brian Wilson — famed co-founder, songwriter and arranger — intended. Mono mixes created under Wilson’s supervision were how the surf rockin’ California crew rose to fame! And we’ve got ‘em!

For the early part of the Beach Boys' career, all of their singles were mixed and mastered and released only in the mono format — they didn't release a single in stereo until 1968. In those days, hits were made on AM radio in mono. And the mono of those times worked well for Wilson, who suffers from partial deafness. In fact, for their first 13 albums, Wilson originally turned in all the final mixed Beach Boy albums to Capitol Records only in mono. The mono mixes were where Wilson paid intense attention, and the dedication paid off!

We’ve taken 10 of the most classic, best-sounding Beach Boy titles ever and restored them to their mono glory!

But there’s no disputing that the close harmonies and one-of-a-kind rhythms of hits like “Surfer Girl,” “In My Room,” “Little Deuce Coupe” and more lend themselves naturally to stereo. So we’ve got your 2-channel needs covered with prime stereo mix versions as well.

Mastered by Kevin Gray, most from the original master tapes, and plated and pressed by Quality Record Pressings, the finest LP pressing facility in the world, these are awesome recordings to experience. And the look of each album befits its sonic superiority! Presented in "old school" Stoughton tip-on jackets, these time honoured favourites shine brighter than the originals!

Pet Sounds is famous for its use of multiple layers of unorthodox instrumentation as well as other cutting edge audio techniques for its time. It's considered the best Beach Boys album, and one of the best of the 1960s. The group here reached a whole new level in terms of both composition and production, layering tracks upon tracks of vocals and instruments to create a richly symphonic sound.

Conventional keyboards and guitars were combined with exotic touches of orchestrated strings, bicycle bells, buzzing organs, harpsichords, flutes, Theremin, Hawaiian-sounding string instruments, Coca-Cola cans, barking dogs, and more. It wouldn't have been a classic without great songs, and this has some of the group's most stunning melodies, as well as lyrical themes which evoke both the intensity of newly born love affairs and the disappointment of failed romance (add in some general statements about loss of innocence and modern-day confusion as well). The spiritual quality of the material is enhanced by some of the most gorgeous upper-register male vocals (especially by Brian and Carl Wilson) ever heard on a rock record. "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "God Only Knows," "Caroline No," and "Sloop John B" (the last of which wasn't originally intended to go on the album) are the well-known hits, but equally worthy are such cuts as "You Still Believe in Me," "Don't Talk," "I Know There's an Answer," and "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times." It's often said that this is more of a Brian Wilson album than a Beach Boys recording (session musicians played most of the parts), but it should be noted that the harmonies are pure Beach Boys (and some of their best).

VH-1 named Pet Sounds as the No. 3 album in the Top 100 Albums in Rock 'n' Roll History, as judged in a poll of musicians, executives and journalists. It's been ranked No. 1 in several music magazines' lists of the greatest albums of all time, including NME, The Times and Mojo Magazine. It was ranked No. 2 in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.

GRAMMY® Award nominated producer/songwriter/performer Maggie Rogers releases a special collection of archival music: Notes from the Archive: Recordings 2011-2016. The 16 track collection features newly remastered versions of tracks from Maggie’s early albums including Blood Ballet (2014), The Echo (2012) and six previously unreleased songs. After graduating from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Rogers released her EP, Now That The Light Is Fading and was quickly tipped as an artist to watch. Rogers’ 2019 Capitol Records debut album, Heard It In A Past Life entered Billboard’s Top Album Sales Chart at No. 1, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 Chart and received widespread critical acclaim from the likes of NPR, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, TIME Magazine, Vogue and many more. Some of her television performances include “Saturday Night Live,” “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “Today,” and “Austin City Limits.” Rogers has sold out headline tours across North America and Europe, performed at major festivals worldwide and was nominated for a GRAMMY® Award for Best New Artist. She is currently at work on her next album.' Pressed on two colour LPs, with two printed sleeves, a gatefold jacket with an overall matte finish and each print element has an additional metallic finish, plus a sticker.This remastered album includes previously unreleased tracks.

Analogue Productions (Atlantic 75 Series)
Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Atlantic Records!
6x platinum-selling album includes "New Sensation," "Never Tear Us Apart," "Devil Inside," and the No. 1 hit "Need You Tonight"
180-gram 45 RPM double LP release
Mastered by Ryan K. Smith from an EQ'd tape copy
Pressed at Quality Record Pressings
Tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jacket by Stoughton Printing

Kick, the sixth and best-selling 1987 studio album by Australian band INXS, has the unmistakable sound personified by its four U.S. Top 10 singles, "New Sensation," "Never Tear Us Apart," "Devil Inside" and "Need You Tonight," — which reached the top of the U.S. Billboard singles charts.

Between 1980 and 1984, INXS released four studio albums and had toured their native country Australia extensively. With Kick, producer Chris Thomas fused the funk and soul of their previous album The Swing with the mainstream rock of Listen Like Thieves. In an interview with MusicRadar, Andrew Farriss stated, "The melding of funk and rock was always in our heads. We were very excited about the idea of overlaying two types of songs and genres together."

Kick showcased a diverse range of musical styles, blending rock, pop, funk, and dance elements. This versatility appealed to a wide audience, making the album accessible to fans of different genres. It's four catchy singles became radio staples and were accompanied by stylish music videos, helping propel INXS to international stardom.

Incorporating elements such as electronic percussion and synthesizers gave Kick a modern sound, helping it stand out, together with Michael Hutchence's charismatic and sultry vocals that created a strong emotional connection.

All the hallmarks of a top-notch Analogue Productions reissue are here for you to savour: Mastered directly from an EQ'd tape copy by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound and cut at 45 RPM. Pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings, and housed in a tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jacket by Stoughton Printing.

First Word Records are extremely proud to welcome aboard Allysha Joy and her first EP

for the label, 'Light It Again'.

Well versed in poetry and performance, Allysha Joy's potent lyricism, unique musicianship and killer vocals have garnered legions of attentive fans the world over. She's an integral member of the Melbourne soul jazz scene, known as part of the acclaimed 30/70 Collective and for her own equally revered solo work.

'Light It Again' is a 4-part expedition across a variety of grooves and deep lyricism that marks a defiant statement of intimacy and hope. Produced and engineered by twice Grammy nominated artist Clever Austin, the EP features accompaniment from an all-star set of Melbourne artists; Horatio Luna, Ziggy Zeitgeist, Danika Smith and Josh Kelly. This EP marks a new sound for the young artist, transmitting her honest and raw expression through the signature crunch and sonic landscape of Clever Austin.

Allysha is already well established across Europe, performing on the live circuit alongside the likes of Sampa the Great, Matthew Halsall, Ezra Collective, Bradley Zero and Children of Zeus, as well as currently hosting two regular radio shows, on Worldwide FM and Reform Radio in Manchester respectively.

Her 2018 debut album 'Acadie : Raw' on Gondwana Records won 'Best Soul Album' at the Music Victoria Awards, was nominated for a Worldwide Award, and featured in many an end-of-year list, including Bandcamp's Top Soul Albums, whilst she's also featured on releases on UK labels such as Rhythm Section, Total Refreshment Centre and now an EP for First Word, 'Light It Again'.

The EP touches on love, shame, mental health, grief & spirituality. 'Watercolours' sets off on a mid-tempo neo-soul jazz tip. Allysha says "I wrote this in the hope that maybe we could all feel the beauty that is present in the every day - in nature, in art, in each one of us mirroring each other so intrinsically. Then maybe we'd all start to live out a message of love."

'Better' follows on an uptempo vibe influenced musically by The Senegambian Jazz Band, who Allysha would watch regularly at Bar Oussou in Melbourne. Lyrically the song explores the external and internal struggles that occur trying to create a more inclusive and compassionate world. "It's about catching myself pointing the finger outwards to challenge social / political systems and certain individuals, then coming to the realisation that I must turn that finger back on myself to ask, "how can I do better, how can I know better?"

Lead track 'Light It Again' begins with Allysha's keys gliding a steppa-like rhythm - head-snap snares and punchy bass accompany ethereal harmonies and delicate vibes on an ever-evolving groove before switching entirely mid-track. This time the subject matter is mental health and "the cycle of addiction and pain, the coping mechanisms that hold us back from reaching our true potential".

The EP closes out with the beautiful 'Mardi'; deep Rhodes, sax and synths build ahead of deliciously slushy percussion and jilted drums. Named for her grandmother, 'Mardi' is a tribute to the spiritual connection they shared before her passing. Allysha writes, "it's about the connective forces of the matriarchal lineage and the drive to step into my own sense of self, in all the beauty and pain which that entails".

Allysha's lyrics weave together a heartfelt mix of love, power, desire, wonder, anger, faith and hope for change. An artist that presents a palette of intricate grace and optimism, whilst unafraid of adding uncomfortable truths. Allysha is an incredibly powerful live performer; her husky vocals sonically synced with her formidable Fender Rhodes playing, whilst her influences are a solid base of jazz, hip hop and R&B; all glazed with the unique special sauce the Melbourne soul scene has become known for globally. A gloriously meditative, raw soul, we are delighted to be able to share her music with you.

'Light It Again' is released on vinyl & digital worldwide, November 20th 2020.

THUGWIDOW (Circadian Rhythms / Tar) is an artist that creates 'modern jungle with a sense of atmosphere and space that alludes most of his peers' (Resident Advisor), Bruised Skies (Pure Life Records / Blank Editions) creates ambience that captures a hyper-real landscape. Here on 'Requiem For a Sesh', the pairs first collaborative record, these two worlds collide to bring the listener an offering of strobe-laden 4x4, disfigured break beats, low slung sqaure waves and euphoria inducing top lines.

EP opener 'Epic Questing' is arguably the most dance-floor refined offering from either artist - sliced vocal chops and hard hitting kick drums tip the hat to classic 90's house anthems before heavily chopped jungle breaks and compressed 808's splinter around your ear drums like it's 3am at Unit 18 and the lighting technician is coming up riding the lazer fader. The ecstasy-laced piano melodies of title track 'Requiem For A Sesh' sounds like the sonic fruits of children raised on Olvie's 'You're not alone' and early XL Recordings 12"s. Elsewhere, 'Void Release' is a peak time 6-minute cataclysm of heavily sliced jungle breaks and jittering basslines, whilst EP closer 'Infinite Bass' feels like the clock winding down on the end of a night that we wish could go on forever.

Bruised Skies has recently been receiving radio support from Murlo, Lee Gamble & Francis Redman. Whilst THUGWIDOW's recent releases have received support from Team Sesh, Amy Becker & Whities as well as glistening reviews on The Quietus, & Resident Advisor.

Off The Meds is a Swedish-South African crew based in Stockholm, consisting of producers Adrian Lux, Carli Lo¨f and Ma°ns Glaeser with vocalist Kamohelo Khoaripe.
The band first appeared on Studio Barnhus with the Ethio-jazz sampling hip-house gem Currency Low, one of the standouts on the Stockholm label's 2018 compilation Studio Barnhus Volym 1. This was followed by 2019's ravey smash single Belter, which came paired with a much-lauded remix by London top selector Joy Orbison.
Their self-titled debut album arrives on Studio Barnhus in late 2020. First album single Karlaplan was recently played by Four Tet on Benji B's show on BBC Radio 1, while second single Wena got included in hotly tipped UK garage reformist Conducta's recent Resident Advisor podcast.

For over two decades, Glasgow’s Mungo’s Hi Fi and their label Scotch Bonnet have spread their fun, forward-thinking reggae music around the world. And this ethos is triple-distilled into their now eagerly- awaited Puffer’s Choice compilations.

The latest, third edition in the series collects some the last few years' top collaborative highlights onto one LP. With its cover bearing the MacLeod of Lewis tartan, Puffer’s Choice 3 is a celebration of both the label’s Scottish heritage and their global family tree of links with sound systems, artists and producers who share the same spirit.

Regarded as one of the greats from Detroit, Rick Wade has crafted an incredible discography of tracks blurring the lines somewhere between deep house and techno with a sound and style brilliantly his own. His outstanding 'Timeless EP' from 2017 returns to Elypsia Recordings with an onslaught of remixes delivered by a diverse and unstoppable roster of modern musical mavericks - each respectfully twisting the original magic of Rick's original productions and creating a fresh take in their own style.

The Way I Am' comes in the shape of Tresilo aka Oliver Way (of Detroit Grand Pubahs), Esteban Adame and Ben Long (of Space DJz) and is an absolute belter of a prime-time stormer. Dominated by gigantic synth melodies, the track weaves around percussive alterations with hi-hats, sharp claps and energetic rides paired perfectly with the catchy musical wiggles and kicks. The familiar vocal sample from the original sneaks into play with perfect placement - offering a reminder of Rick Wade's awesome original.

Rick's previously unreleased track, 'Academy' receives the first of two remixes from Seattle house hero Pezzner. The 'CR2' Remix takes the groove into subterranean territories with a heads down bouncer of a track, fully embracing Pezzner's more house-focused approach. A percolating bassline keeps the cut moving ahead while soft, divine pads offer a classy sonic texture suitable for wide-eyed ravers and urban headphone listeners alike.

Detroit's Vintage Future joins the remix roster with his take on 'Planet Deep,' one of the standout cuts from the original EP. The track is absolutely saturated with Detroit soul. Deep, machine driven textures and gorgeous otherworldly melodies rest alongside a truly infectious groove. The famed keyboardist for Model 500's live gig, Vintage Future knows clearly how to craft an incredible groove with his keys, and the sounds from this impeccable remix are tip top.

The second remix of 'Academy' from Pezzner continues his remix focus in a deeper house mindset, with Pezzner delivering even softer sounds, and more intense pad dynamics. This retouch includes the addition of some gorgeous orchestral stabs and organ textures which gives the remix a soulful touch - made to focus on a slightly more melodic approach than the previous Pezzner rework.

Atalanta’s hotly tipped Stefan Ringer comes correct with a four-track breeze through deep, hazed out, syncopated house for Second Hand Records. Following standout releases on the likes of NDATL, People's Potential Unlimited and Argot and comparisons with the likes of Marcellus Pittman and Kyle Hall, Ringer is a talent you do not want to pass up.

Though never in doubt, 'Side Notes' sets out Ringers stall for all to see. At points MPC crunched samples lay over the top of punchy basslines and echoed ad libs, at others free flowing keys dance around layered drum loops and off kilter percussive hits.

There’s a cut here for everyone - a deft magic, versatility and spark that you need in the bag.

Even if you don't know her name - you will know her voice. It's 'Melbourne's High Priestess Of Soul' Kylie Auldist's unmistakable vocals on the 2016 global dance hit 'This Girl' by Kungs vs Cookin' on 3 Burners - the track that not only topped almost every pop chart across the planet, featured in many TV shows, adverts and films and social media memes, and has achieved over 1 billion streams & climbing. But of course, that's far from the whole story. Kylie established her enviable reputation as the featured vocalist in the awesome Australian outfits The Bamboos, and Cookin' On 3 Burners, and her fantastically well received solo albums for Tru Thoughts; 'Just Say' (2008), 'Made of Stone' (2009) and 'Still Life' (2012) and 'Family Tree' Freestyle Records (2016). Kylie's brand new album - 'This Is What Happiness Looks Like', her first for Greg Boraman's brand new label Soul Bank Music, further develops the musical approach she began on it's predecessor 'Family Tree' - and is very firmly entrenched on an electro boogie tip, rooted deep in the New York club scene of the early 80's. The opening track 'Everythink' sets out that 1980's electro-boogie sound and then fuses it with the song writing of a classic Wham or Hall & Oates tune - it has an infectious, slinky Moog synth bass line that will lodge itself in people's minds. Kylie's simply stunning vocal performance on this breezy and summery tune will surely make it a future classic. Producers Warren Hunter and Lewis Moody skills in the studio have brought forth many musical highlights on this album, but special mention has to be made for Is It Fun? This is where a brilliant and incredibly infectious composition is further enhanced by some top notch instrumentalists, perfectly executed production, a simply beautiful vocal performance, and results in what should surely end up being an anthemic, brand new 'soul weekender' style classic. Soul boys & girls, funkateers and disco fans won't be able to stop themselves falling deeply for this new collection of tunes, because it's not only a highly original take on a classic sound, but it was conceived, performed and recorded with a genuine passion and love, as Kylie says "Some albums are written fast, some take a long time, some albums experience setbacks, become beset by creative blocks and personal issues, and can generally be a whole lot of hard work which makes you question why you even bothered to start it in the first place - this was not one of those albums - hence the title 'This Is What Happiness Looks Like'!

"WOLF Music" offer up something a little different to their usual tip, enlisting the warm dusty reverberations of four-piece, jazz-not-jazz collective Velour for a 7" of hazy, genre traversing rhythms. Alongside being producer for the Velour project, long-standing member of the WOLF pack Mr. Fries gives his own distinctive house touch to the flip side remix.

Perfectly capturing the new school of jazz, Essen-based Velour crisscross genres drawing on elements from each yet anchoring their roots in the richness of jazz’s deft melodies and percussive touches. Head-nodding down the open road, ‘Pose’ is that undeniably soulful, first swig of summer many tracks strive to be. Morphing into a woozy affair as the sun sets midway through, Velour’s songwriting talent well outstrips their years. Throw WOLF pack member Mr. Fries into the mix, kneading in his signature production style and the freshly baked result straddles the intersection between jazz, broken beat, house and soul.

Fries then takes on remix duties for the flip, maintaining that dusty demeanour yet going for a full frontal Moodymann-esque house interpretation. The smokey jazz bar sax, background hustle and weighty beat make for a summertime heater served straight from
the grill, garnished just right with Mr. Fries own vocals over the top.

In 2016, talented artist Paul Cut released his first vinyl with Popcorn Records: the Basement Jam EP.
This album foresaw the rise of the young producer, who has since piled up project on top of project, and record on top of record. One of the driving forces behind the D.KO label, and a (literal) key player of the Secret Value Orchestra band, Paul has also thrived on collaborations. Whether with Chez Damier, Jef K, Flabaire… They all fall under the spell of the young pianist’s skill, who has become in just a few years one of the leading figures of French house.
In 2019, Paul joined house legend Larry Heard for his world tour, and multiplied appearances at famed festivals such as Glastonbury, Dimensions, DGTL or Printworks. In 2020 Popcorn Records is turning 10. And to mark the occasion, Paul is coming back to his beloved label to unveil his first album. More than a year of thought and work went into “Le Bal des Douaniers”. An album composed of 10 titles, which all reflect fragments of Paul Cut’s influences.

Athens of the North is back on the boogie tip with top Miami rarity MYTH. Recorded and mixed in Fort Lauderdale in 85 both the original 12s are pretty rare and both strong. We decided as it had never been on 45 and suits the format to d a little AOTN magic so here we are. you know what to do.

A mind-bending blend of modular synth performance, Anthony Baldino’s dynamic Twelve Twenty Two LP is a treat for all ears. Baldino’s transcendent album is available both digitally and on vinyl on Thursday, October 24 via MethLab Recordings.

“The record focuses heavily on the modular synth as a composition tool and instrument. I originally approached this as a collection of tracks that were recorded straight out of the machine with little to no editing. The work flow of generating a complex patch and then figuring out the overall arch and performance of the piece was really exciting. The Tip Top Audio Circadian Rhythms was a key compositional tool in this process and was used to organize the overall structure of these pieces. It wasn’t until I stumbled upon a patch, the opening synths in ‘Fading Quickly Now,’ that I went back to how I used to write and shifted to harvesting sounds and rhythms from the modular and arranging and editing them in the box. That patch was originally created for a different track on the album, which I’ll let you find, but IH ad accidentally changed the clock rate before tearing the patch down. Hearing it in that new way triggered a whole new thought process and emotional reaction for me.” - Anthony Baldino

Originally approached as a collection of tracks recorded straight out of Baldino’s machine with little editing, Twelve Twenty Two is a complex piece of thoughtful modular work. A truly stunning display of masterful sound design, Baldino’s sound resonates with listeners from first note to last. Existing in a unique space where ambient sounds meet vivacious bass, Baldino seemingly exists in an impressive league of his own, with Twelve Twenty Two standing apart powerfully from the masses. With an already powerful arsenal of artists and releases, MethLab Recordings adds a brilliant 10-track addition to their already wild playbook.

“From the beginning, it was important for me to keep this record musical and emotional and not just an exercise in technicality, so using both the modular and the computer to arrange felt really good both emotionally and sonically and created a different balance to the record that I really liked. Switching the process up a bit halfway through kept things interesting and I think the body of work really benefits from it. This record is split in half with performance based/straight out of the machine tracks and the other half organized in the box. But when listening back, the two approaches overlap so much that it’s hard to tell where one approach ends and the other begins.” - Anthony Baldino


About Anthony Baldino:
Born and raised in New York, Anthony Baldino is an LA-based composer and sound designer whose work spans an enormous range of production avenues. The likelihood that you haven’t heard his world is nearly impossible, with music and sound design in too many trailer campaigns to list, including Prometheus, Interstellar, Ex-Machina, Star Wars: Rogue One, and Avengers: Infinity War and End Game just to name a few. From there, his work ventures to the opposite pole of production with custom sound design based compositions for Dolby Labs mixed in Atmos, beautifully glitched out remixes, and continues on to mind-bending modular synthesizer performances.

With his debut artist release, he delivers a devastatingly beautiful album grounded in IDM that focuses on modular synthesizers/ While a vast amount of modular synth music is currently being released, this album goes far beyond the typical beeps and boops that one may expect when they hear “modular IDM record.” This record is as technical as it is emotive. Tasteful and incredibly detailed, Twelve Twenty Two bridges the gap between sound-design laden beats and cinematic motifs and ambiences. This record does not disappoint and is sure to become a favorite of electronic music fans.

The album opens up with a slowly unfolding melody that seems to be within grasp, but never actually repeats itself. Incredibly tasteful glitchy sound design leads us into a build that one would only expect to be in a movie, and then drops into a full-on sonic assault of impeccable drums and rich synths. From there, the record traverses a wide array of texture, time and technique. Closing with a track that makes you feel like you could actually reach out and touch the sound and float in its space, the sonic landscape created in Twelve Twenty Two is a true treat for ears.

In January 1985 The Beloved emerged via a John Peel session (Produced by a very young Mark Radcliffe). They had a second session broadcast in October and didn't release their first single, A Hundred Words, until early 1986.
On the independent Flim Flam label they released a further 3 singles/eps , later compiled as an album, Where It Is.
By autumn 1987 they had slimmed down from 4-piece to the original founding duo of Jon Marsh & Steve Waddington.
Jon went to NY to pursue some label interest, meet some heroes - Mantronik, Latin Rascals.
& came back with a record box full of early house cuts. Within weeks he was tipped off by a friend about a semi-secret party in a gymnasium in Bermondsey. He went searching and found Shoom.
Having already shared the record box with Steve he took him to the club within a few weeks, knowing full well he would be equally enthused/entranced!
Having just been signed to WEA , notionally as a poster-fodder pop group, the band experienced a seismic shift in direction. Their first attempt , Acid Love, was on promo 12' within months. Their second house track was Your Love Takes Me Higher, first released in early 1989 with great club support but zero radio play.
The third was Sun Rising, late summer that year which became their first hit single.
The album, Happiness, a distillation of the fun & optimism & energy of the 88/89 (acid) house scene was released in 1990 to great acclaim and YLTMH even got a second release and just scraped into the top 40 at #39!
A remix album, Blissed Out, was released In autumn 1990, with a new recording It's Alright Now as a single.
Awoke is the most complete track from their last collaborative sessions.
Jon continued recording as The Beloved with his wife Helena as co-writer/co-producer.
Their first release in early 1993 was the single Sweet Harmony which was a major hit record worldwide.
Both single and the accompanying album Conscience were their biggest selling releases.
A further album X, with the single Satellite arrived in 1996.
A re-released Sun Rising and a best-of, Single File in 1997.
Then silence.
Remixes as The Beloved, several releases under different names (on Junior Boys Own, & NRK), and a full time dj career until 2005/6.
Still silence.
'I can't split up with myself so i think of it as hibernation' says Jon.
Until now. Music that is both old & new.

Production duo Computa Games take the most slamming synth bass, the crispest drum machine hits, and the overall classic vibes of 80's dance-funk tunes to new aural heights. Sculpted using the best modern studio techniques, the 'Cosmic Dispatch' EP fuses funk, disco, soul and electro to various combinations, fitting the feel of the classiest nightclub or the grittiest backyard party. Each individual tune on the EP pairs with a unique vocalist or collaborator, as the project features guests Lovechild, B Bravo, Jackie Rain, NATALITA, and E. Live. There is something killer and personalized on this EP for every type of dancer, funkster, and headnodder around.

The Computa Games project is the product of the combined efforts of Martin Arceneaux and Chris Arenas. Joining their deep roots of live funk, electronic/live production and DJing, they formed in the fall of 2012, and quickly released two singles on the Supermart Produce label. The two debuted their live set at Monarch in San Francisco, with follow up performances at SXSW in Austin, and Tipitina's New Orleans. The group's third single "Rock Creek (Revenge)" was released exclusively on Beatport, where it was a featured track on the site's Funk/R&B page and stayed in the Funk/R&B Top100 for nearly 2 months, peaking in the top15. The group then released the "Grand Design" EP in September 2013 on Super Mart Records, followed quickly by a remix of The Pendletons single "Let Me Turn You On" featuring K-Maxx, and then a remix of New Orleans based funk band Galactic's "Heart Of Steel', featuring the legendary Irma Thomas. In October of 2015 Computa Games released their first vinyl 7' on ABC records with 'Do Your Thing' featuring K-Maxx b/w 'Feel Right 2Nite' which promptly established them in the burgeoning modern funk scene. Their follow up 7' was released in January 2017 with the single 'Computer Rock' b/w 'Computer Rock (West Coast Remix) on the New Orleans label Super Jock Records. Computer Rock garnered the duo more accolades with critics and fans alike.

Imagine if you could put together a dream line-up of MCs and producers from all four corners of the rap world
That's what artist and illustrator Gangster Doodles set out to do when he put together a stellar collection of tracks by the rappers and talent that inspire his work.

The all-star line-up features everyone from hotly-tipped emerging producers like Eets, Caleb Stone, Maze Mountain and LoVibe next to underground perennials like Onra, Mndsgn and Jon Wayne all the way up to top flight producer Kaytranada and established rap vets like Madlib, Oh No, Blu and Defari.

This second collaboration between All City Records and Gangster Doodles is a jam-packed sonic adventure featuring 27 killer tracks from some of the finest creators out there. Doodles had the idea for a comp two years ago. Hyped after partnering with All City for Knxwledge's "Wraptaypes" project back in 2015, they initially set out to put together an EP but as the tracks kept coming in it exploded into the sprawling double LP of low-slung grooves and bangers from the best in the business.

With everyone on the record being a friend or friend of a friend, the comp just kept growing as GD went to work with the hustle he has learned from penning his post-it sketches day in day out for the last decade.
Word spread fast and soon he was being sent beats from all over, even reaching behind the prison walls of Bergen County Jail, New Jersey and securing a track from former Dipset affiliate Max B.

The last few years have been busy for Marlon "Gangster Doodles" Sassy. He released his acclaimed Gangster Doodles (The Book) alongside an ever-expanding array of prints, original works, apparel and exhibitions across the globe. Topping that off with animation projects, a graphic novel in the works and now, with this LP titled " Gang$ter Music Vol 1", he is about to debut his first ever music compilation.
He says himself: 'Every time a new track came in it was like running down the stairs on Christmas morning to open a present. What started as a slow trickle of work coming in soon turned into a tsunami with some of my heroes like Onra, House Shoes, Blu, Jeremiah Jae joining up with young guns Kojaque, Kean Kavanagh, Dream Panther and others to beef up the record'

'When an email pinged through with a track from brothers Oh No and Madlib it felt like the final gift and Gang$ter Music Vol. 1 was complete.'

Three 1982 disco classics from boogie trio Plush formed under the guidance of Angela Winbush, René Moore and Bobby Watson get the official, remastered reissue treatment from the original tapes.

Opening up the EP, an Angela & Rene original 'Free & Easy' is taken on by the Plush troupe, with the legendary Tee Scott providing a trademark extended mix. It kicks off with cosmic synths that dissipate into heavy funk, electric bass riffs, whilst scorching top lines and choice guitar licks trade off over the top. Scott's magic is clear to see in the composition of this extended mix. A man who clearly knew how to work a dancefloor, his use of breakdowns especially, extending the anticipation and power the track commands on its dancers. From the bass breaks that weave in modulated synths, to those that utilise the glorious sustained piano chords, cutting to just vocals and percussion before everything is added back in for ultimate dancefloor elation.

First up on the B side, 'We Got The Love', a more soulful, slowed down tip where staccato guitar plucks and chunky slap bass marries with warm Rhodes chords, and lush vocal harmonies blend with the power of Siedah Garrett commanding the lead vocals. A passion ingrained in their voices that cannot be taught, hanging in the air, as they hang onto their phrases.

Lastly, 'Livin For Your Love' a boogie-based serenade written by Herman Chainey and Tony L. Phillips, intertwines Phillips' deep dulcet tones with Plush's backing. Add in a dose of pure '80s bass synth, twanging funk flashes and juicy bass guitar ripples and you've got a recipe sure to woo any wandering hearts out there.

The great jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell on one of his most celebrated sets of all-time. Recorded live at the Five Spot Café in New York City on August 25, 1959, this is the second set and the band is really cooking. Featuring the brilliant drummer Art Blakey as well as the wonderful, but unfortunately under-recorded tenor saxophonist Tina Brooks, Burrell's band is in tip-top shape on this set of compositions ranging from originals to Gershwin to Gillespie. An essential live jazz set for any fan of the golden era of modern jazz.

REPRESS of 150 copies.

Third Ep On Lyon Based Light On Earth Label. Vivance On The Top Side With Two Remixes On The Flip Side By Sentiments And By Brilliant Italian Producer And Red Bull Academy Alumni Lamusa Ii. Tip For New-beat And Italo Heads !!

The journey continues... deeper into the unknown universe, stretching the seams of time and space.

The maiden voyage for this new label out of Birmingham was a success. The second release is a collaborative effort from Nicky B (Simple Elements/HOG) and fellow Brummie, Anthony Ellis - working together as Koheziv Mindz.

The tracks are the result of years of tuning in to the sounds seeping out of the speakers in choice local clubs and buying the latest imports on vinyl from Europe, Chicago and Detroit.

The day-to-day living in Birmingham has certainly etched into their creative consciousness, the hustle, bustle and alien like chorus of a vibrant environment resonates through their work, from a city that never sleeps.

Emotive, incredibly lush and shot through with the kind of romanticism displayed in the work of second generation Detroit pioneers Kenny Larkin and Carl Craig. This is a glimpse through a keyhole, a snapshot of two producers taking steps into a bigger world, a whole galaxy.

There are two remixers on board, hand picked to see how the artists would interpret the originals - Darren Nye (Firescope/polarity) and Mihail P (Verdant Recordings/Distant Worlds)- both artists add weight to their already impressive back catalogue of work and display why they are hot and tipped for the top.

Submerge your mind into the rich celestial tapestry of sound, safe in the knowledge you're among good company.

Deep late 80's percussion LP created to accompany contemporary jazz-dance classes. African instrumentation meets Western Jazz arrangements and computer technology. TIP!
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Percussions Pour La Danse was a collaboration between North American born jazz & contemporary-dance instructor Tony Kennybrew and French musician Jean-Pierre Boistel. Tony, a Washington native who had studied, taught and danced professionally since the age of 12, found himself in France in the late 80's. It's here that he linked up with like-minded musician Jean-Pierre; who had recently returned from a 6-month trip to West Africa. A trip that helped refine his craft that begun in the early 70's.

The music was created for Tony to use when teaching contemporary jazz-dance classes and to accompany live performance, allowing students to 'dance slowly, rapidly and change speeds without changing the tempo!'. This work of rhythmic research was based on the 'Balance of The Walk'; in 4 times, in 6 times, in 7 times & in 3 times. In order to reach the spatial possibilities he was striving for, Jean-Pierre would also use computer assisted programming to sample and re-play his own instrumentation. This allowed him to lay down the tempo of the track and then play live over the top, which in turn gave him the freedom to add the desired instruments and effects to each song.

Jean-Pierre's use of instruments such as the Kalimba, Talking Drum & Sanza gives the album a distinctly African feel, while contemporary Jazz-dance time signatures adds a unique perspective to these traditional instrumentations creating an ethereal balance between the old and new.

Beautiful contemporary African music. Deep percussion with great guitar playing and vocal chants on top. Driving basslines all over the album. Spiritual feel! Tip
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Son of the legendary Dr Philip Nchipi Tabane and heir to the malombo sound that he originated and pioneered in the early 1960s, Thabang Tabane has been touring the world playing with his father's band and other South African luminaries (such as Thandiswa Mazwai, Madala Kunene and Mabi Thobejane) since he was 8 years old.

Emerging into his own with his debut solo album, Matjale, this energetic percussionist carves a driving, joyous and worldly version of the malombo genre that takes in his continental travels. The album brims with ambition and an appetite for life. Employing brisk tempos, nimble basslines and intersecting polyrhythms, Thabang crafts songs cognisant of the hardships of life, but chooses to deliver them with an irrepressible optimism.

Expanding parameters of what is essentially an artform patented by his father, Thabang and his cohorts seem unburdened by pedigree, infusing the sound with a modern sensibility. His reverence for the vibrational resonance and drive of the bass guitar, not to mention his explosive bursts of hand drumming, gives the album an undeniable, cathartic exuberance.

Reissue of Eblen's fourth album, wonderful experimental music here. Tip!
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Mexican guitarist and ambient artist Eblen Macari's Música Para Planetarios (Music for Planetariums) was originally composed for weekly performances in the Luis Enrique Erro Planetarium in Mexico City to accompany a voyage through the galaxy. The album, released in 1987 was based around Macari's solo performances using Ensoniq ESQ-1, a Korg Poly 800, two guitars and pre-hispanic Ocarinas. The expanded arrangements recorded for the album include a full stable of pre-hispanic percussion and beautiful baroque harpsichord played by Macari's wife. This expansive interplanetary soliloquy is undoubtedly Macari's masterpiece. Remastered from the original master tapes.

'A love project' from the heart and mind of UK broken beat stalwart and iconic keyboard maestro Kaidi Tatham, alongside an outstanding group of Danish musicians led by percussionist Peter Stenbæk.

12 Senses debuts with the Movement EP, a record drawing on jazz-funk, broken beat and disco, laced with the distinctive melodic progressions and boogie touches Kaidi Tatham is known for. Recorded over an intensely productive three-day session, which produced 20 plus songs, this EP is a first taste of what's to come from this creative gathering.

With recent records on First Word, Sound Signature and 2000Black, plus a brand new solo album 'It's A World Before You' it appears there is no letup in Kaidi Tatham's prolific output spanning a 2 decade long career, that has seen him work with artists such as Bugz In The Attic, 4Hero, Slum Village, Jazzy Jeff & Will Smith, Amy Winehouse, Leroy Burgess, Moonchild, Soull II Soul, Amp Fiddler, Mr Scruff and Dego, to name but a few.
Touch starts with the heavily syncopated rhythms of drummer Anders Meinhardt, accompanied by a bed of airy Rhodes, synths and guitar on top of a ruthless, disco-tinged bassline. Life evolves on a spiritual and hypnotic tip with a driving lick that just keeps on building, sprinkled with beautiful intertwining organ, piano and synth solos by Kaidi and pianist Poul Reimann. Movement slows the mood to a soul-tinged stepper with soothing choir and deft touches from the trumpet of Rasmus Juel. Kaidi changes up the pace on his remix with a smooth boom bap vibe before hitting the halfway point and switching up to his signature, breakneck latin bruk funk.12 Senses evolved from yearly marathon concerts at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival, arranged by percussionist Peter Stenbæk, who simply e-met Kaidi Tatham and insisted on him coming to Denmark to share the festival stage. Over the course of five years the friendship and musicianship between the two has gone from strength to strength, reinforced by the skilled musicians around them; drummer Anders Meinhardt, guitarist David Rosenkilde, bassist Andreas Hatholt, trumpeter Rasmus Juel and pianist Poul Reimann. The record was brought to life by Morten Trust (aka. Soulmagic), who kindly contributed his heart, studio and mixing skills to Movement.

On their very first shot, Count Five, one of America's most exciting mid-60s garage rock groups, hit the bulls-eye. And, fittingly, on Double Shot Records, a hot new label that was also making its debut. For both, it was a giant hit, "Psychotic Reaction," a driving, pulsating sound that zoomed to the top of the charts. To the five youngsters from San Jose, CA, "over-night" success came after 18 months of rehearsals, experimentations and unique innovations. Thanks to a tip from popular disk jockey Brian Lord, Double-Shot Records signed Count Five to a long-term contract in the summer of '66. The instant success of "Psychotic Reaction" prompted the release of this album of the same name, their one and only full-length studio record, which also includes covers of The Who's "My Generation" and "Out In The Street." 180g vinyl reissue with Stoughton jacket packaging.

'Rockin live ruff and tuff', this is the untrammelled counterpart to Dadawah, six years later in 1980, fresh from the Black Ark: free, rawly spiritual trance-music, a full-force nyabinghi freak-out.
The drummers are headlong and rollicking, thunderous and explosive. Even more so than Dadawah, the mix is ecstatically echoey, giddily dubwise without let-up. Ras Michael himself sings from the mountain-top, like he just don't care — at the top of his lungs, in voices, screeching like a bird — with the delirious abandonment otherwise owned in reggae by Lee Perry.
Amongst the uncredited performances swirled into proceedings, there are squiggles of flute straight from the Upsetters song-book, the minor-key organ stabs and abstraction of electric space-jazz, and sax-playing more attuned to the Headhunters than the Blazing Horns. (I Ya I in particular is a stunning fifteen minutes.)
This is the real thing, music without affectation. Pure reggae. Sun Ra fans should love it, anyone with ears to hear.
Prepared and manufactured at Abbey Road, D&M and Pallas, beautifully presented in rigid, old-school, tip-on sleeves, with matt-coated fronts and untreated-paper backs, 180g vinyl.
'These sounds are sounds of inspiration and love and culture to the universal benefit of mankind... So therefore meditate and stop hate.'
Very hotly recommended.

Top tip for Boards Of Canada fans! Gorgeous isolation wrapped in electric memories. 8-track electronica for homesick time travelers. 'Nothing Left To Abandon' is a slow rendering of brooding introspections and imaginary spaces. Memories, visions, eroded philosophies, tragedies in a few words. A childhood of livid skies, barren escarpments, homeless wastes. An absorbing contemplation of unlikely beauty and dusty melancholy that intersects with the creative territories of Vangelis, Boards Of Canada, Klaus Schulze, and Ulrich Schnauss, and the musings of Joe Frank and Robert Ashley. Clocolan is South African-born composer Emlyn Ellis Addison. A long formal training in music, his work centers on original writings and the found sounds of abandoned ideologies--generations of radicals and skeptics searching for meaning. From his childhood in South Africa--a landscape of neglected hinterlands, eroded topology, unconquered vastness--emerged clocolan's homesick, lo-fidelity electronica, expansive themes lost in the background noise of human affairs.

5th Birthday comp featuring a host of artistst who've graced the label over the perioid.. Exclusives from Tolouse Lowtrax, Geena, Iueke, Domenique Dumont, . Inoue Shirabe, Raphael Top-Secret and more... Gatefold Sleeve. TIP!
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Made of 14 sketches - each reflecting one of the many shades of the label's catalogue - Five years of Loving Notes features new names as well as those of artists who have been involved with the label since it's very beginning, like Geena or Iueke - responsible for the first 12' released on Antinote.

The music on this compilation covers a wide spectrum of moods and atmospheres, from the dark and raw excursions from Tolouse Low Trax or Iueke to the lush instrumental crafted by Nico Motte and Syracuse's Antoine Kogut; however as the listener gets deeper into the compilation, the whole of the tunes, sitting side by side on the records, start to make sense as they all seem to point towards the same direction. If one should try isolating a common trait from all these songs, one might come to the conclusion that it lies in the way they all speak directly to the listener's emotional receptors, unvarnished and without abusing of producer's 'tricks'.

We'll let the tricky question mentioned before in your hands once you will have been through this 63-minute long testimony of exclusive music by the artists who have been shaping Antinote's sound for five years; from the opening Latvian arabesques from Domenique Dumont to the Pink-Floyd-ian ending from the latest addition to the label, Alek Lee, via Leonardo Martelli's smoggy electro and Raphael Top Secret's ominous talk-over.

Irish label Fatty Fatty spreads its wings with their 'International Disco Mafia' EP.
Extending from Dublin out to Drogheda and Galway and onward overseas, the EP provides something peak-time for all tastes.

The lead off track sees label top dog Pablo going off on a solo tip, delivering an end of nighter take on an eternal UK street Soul classic. Chopping together many different mixes to create an epic whole, this one has been road-tested thoroughly, and always brings the house down.

While Pablo was fiddling around endlessly with that one, usual production partner Shoey slithered off with newcomer Kellser to produce a dreamy, stretched out take on a late 70's staple , another guaranteed winner, and possibly the most bliss inducing song ever to run at 130BPM

The international part of the EP comes from Italian edit king Belabouche, who delivers a lovely take on 'Willie and The Hand Jive'.
Last but not least, Galway boy Island Time makes his bow with a straight up, brassy slice of soulful Disco aimed straight at the dancefloor...

Repress

After last years slick selection for the series from MCDE, Young Marco steps up with a great set of obscurities. Top Tip!
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Born Marco Sterk, he certainly doesn't come from a standard DJ background. A former skate rat who grew up loving American post-hardcore and '90s hip-hop as much as early Warp Records, he's been affiliated over the years with Amsterdam institutions such as Rush Hour, Red Light Records (where you'll find him most weekdays!) and, of course, Dekmantel itself. Still, there's no question that he's always followed his own path, even during the years that playing his favorite records meant that he was occasionally clearing dancefloors.

Things are different these days, of course, as Sterk now regularly plays around the globe and has been widely hailed not just for his DJ talents, but also for his digging prowess and uncanny ability to pluck jams out of genres, eras and geographies that even veteran DJs will often ignore.

Still, Marco's entry in the Selectors series isn't some soulless collection of 'Holy Grail' rarities. 'Where's the fun in that' he explains. 'Anybody with an internet connection can check what flavor-of-the-month records are in demand.'

Just like the first Selectors compilation, this is not a mix CD, but a collection of hand-picked, unmixed tracks that Sterk has personally chosen from his own vinyl archives. Moreover, Marco has put together a collection of tracks that represent not only how he plays music, but also how he makes music himself. The songs here are melodic, electronic and bound together by a refreshing sense of naiveté. Nothing sounds overly calculated; the tunes here span several decades and include dollar-bin records, avant-garde records, club records and yes, a few things that collector types have likely been looking to get their hands on. It's not meant to be a grand statement, as Marco would rather provide an honest snapshot of his musical tastes and share a few of his favorite tracks and artists in the proc

Moonshine Recordings continues to coordinate dub into all sorts of directions with its steady throughput of vinyl releases. This time around, it's the Spanish-based Bukkha to uplift all followers with two up-tempo rollers that take part in his crucial 'Ruling Sound' EP. His name has been all over the news inside bass culture lately, as the American released highly noted physical music on critical labels like Killa Sound and Dub-Stuy Records. He's been working his way to the top and the only thing the Moonshine Recordings imprint can do is support his efforts in pushing dub music to the masses at any given moment of the day.
On top of this wicked news, Portland's dub producer and engineer 'Skelli Skel' joins this session to frame the taste of the 'PDX Mandem' collective from back home. His love for complex rhythms and heavy bass lines fuel his adventure inside dub culture, something you'll hear when listening to 'MS028'. And with the familiar voice from don Junior Dread, who jumps in on the hype by illuminating the dub with carefully selected freedom of speech, it's the collaboration that speaks for itself. To top it all, TMSV is added to the release roster, a producer whose been dealing some serious damage with his inventive music repertoire. Whether it's music on the darker tip, or the more laidback sound, both Bukkha and TMSV know how to uplift and please their followers with bass-heavy, eardrums-teasing bass music.
Bukkha's 'Ruling Sound' leads his way through musicality by portraying the right balance of instruments and not to mention the gigantic bassline that disperses vibrantly through the lower bottom of the mix. The reigning vocal support from Junior Dread and dub techniques from PDX Mandem family Skelli Skell work out fantastically, as it makes this record come to life. Listen to the instrumental part that propagates in the exact sense of 'dub music', regardless of spinning on a higher beats per minute. The version 'Ruling Dub' by Bukkha himself plays a more meditative part inside your headspace; a clipping where basslines and effects will act up in a blurred version. It's the real attention to detail the American producer shares with remix boss TMSV, who hits fans with a darker joint that pays homage to Drum & Bass. It's aggressive stance forms the pinnacle of 'the right' B-side of a Moonshine Recordings plate. Just make sure you experience the second drop of this absolutely mammoth interpretation, as TMSV shuts down the place!

This is the story of C POWERS. To understand OYSTERS, you must understand the man behind it all...
THE UNITED STATES TERRITORY OF GUAM, ca. 1989
Abandoned at the island nation's only beachfront techno club as an infant, young Christoph (C POWERS) was adopted by the club's owner, Geraldo Powers. During Geraldo's time as a naval officer, he traveled the world throughout rave's formative years, secretly going to the underground parties when arriving to European ports after having originally fallen in love with early house music as a teenager in his native Chicago via roller-rink parties and the legendary Music Box headed by Ron Hardy. Rear Admiral Geraldo, outed as a gay homosexual during the discriminatory days of Ronald Reagan's U.S. military, was forced to retire, but spared a dishonorable discharge thanks to his roster of medals earning during his exemplary leadership for the invasion of Grenada in 1983.
Throughout his three year stay at the local naval base, the now 30-something Gerry Powers had been struck by the natural beauty and unsettling mysticism of Guam and its peoples and made the choice to permanently set up shop on the island after his unexpected retirement. Taking his partner and newly-crowned Supreme Butch Queen of the New York vogue circuit--Amadeus Lector--with him and financed with $6669.69 in prize money, the new era of DAS POUNDHAUS LTD. was to begin.
In 1990, Gerry founded the notorious Guamanian club DAS POUNDHAUS (the name of which was strongly influenced by a two-week long ecstasy and Polish speed-fueled bender during 1989's inaugural Love Parade in West Berlin). Located inside a decrepit lighthouse originally built during Spain's reign over the island, the club played host to a steady stream of closeted, Pacific-touring U.S. military personnel and later, the party-craving barons of the dot com bubble. Outed in private usenet circles for its off-the-charts hedonism, the club's infamous parties would inevitably lead to its perilous demise, and the eventual deportation of Gerry Powers and his family to the mainland.
But there was one thing that could never be taken away from them...
...synesthesia...
You see, young Christoph was diagnosed with the "disorder" as a pre-teen after having been exposed to nearly a decade of DAS POUNDHAUS first-hand and at such a young age. The youngster was like a fish in water during his childhood in Guam, but when the family was deported in 1999, he began to show signs of anxiety and depression. His ability to hear colors and see sounds had simply turned into a stream of incomprehensible, uncontrolled static. He was now a pariah among his peers. Shunned and admonished. Assigned to sit by himself during school lunch. One of "those" kids.
By this time, his two dads' relationship was on the rocks and would quickly unravel. Amadeus, frustrated with Gerry's incessant ramblings about bunkering in Montana because of the Clinton-Illuminati conspiracy to enslave the middle-class, decided to leave Gerry in an attempt to become a backup dancer for Madonna during her "Drowned World Tour" in 2001 (which would have provided a significant sum of financial security to the family, considering their life savings had been destroyed thanks to the toppling of the NASDAQ from its peak of 5048 in March of 2000--and thanks to those dot com baron stock tips, the Powers were all-in). However, Amadeus' unflinchingly "authentic" vogue style was considered obsolete, and he would go to die in a Reno Motel 6, a victim of drug abuse and that kind of thing apparently.
>>>>Fast-forward to the year2012ish>>>>

In the beginning of the 80's reggae music became increasingly in tune with what was happening in Kingston's dancehalls....probably more so than at any time since the sound system operators had started to make their own shuffle and boogie in the late 50's..
The international audience and the critics were too busy looking for a new Bob Marley to appreciate what was happening downtown and failed to acknowledge that this was a return to the real,raw roots of the music...brash,confidient,young record producers who were totally in tune with the youth audience stepped forward and seized the moment...
Oswald'Ossie'Thomas began his apprenticeship in the music business at the age of fourteen and served his time as a record salesman for Bunny 'Striker 'Lee and Winston 'Niney the Observer' Holness before moving on to Miss Sonia Pottingers Tip Top Records...
'I ended up working in three record stores on Orange Street from 1976 to 1981...Yeah man,Me deh 'pon me bicycle till I buy my motorcycle..Them days records were coming out left right and centre..everyday'
Ossie Thomas...
It was during his time with Miss Pottinger that Ossie began to produce records for himself and in 1979 Ossie and Phillip Morgan began The Black Solidarity label based deep in the Kingston ghetto on Delamere Avenue.
And the man who had made his name in the business selling other people's records now became one of the most important and influential record producers of the era..

Repress

Rarely you come across a record which embodies Dubstep so well that rallies the entire scene behind it. From the brosteppers to the deep heads this record has been getting love from all corners of the earth. We're talking about "Under Control" the latest outing from Germany's next top wobble aka Bukez Finezt. Its eerie intro sets the tone perfectly to interlude this hypnotic stomper. Once the sonic warfare is unleashed it'll transport you to a word of desolation, where aliens run rampant and technology has absorbed everything around them.
"You Don't Belong Here" & "Pace Yourself" are on a equal tip. 2 bigtime subloaded heavyweights that'll remind you that Dubstep is still very much alive and reminds us why we fell in love with this minimalistic bass heavy genre to begin with.

Here's what some DJ's had to say about Under Control:
"VERY NATTY!" - N-Type (Wheel & Deal)
"This one destroyed Contact last night" - J:Kenzo (Tempa)
"Three words.... Gun, Finger, Riddim." - Kaiju (Deep Medi)
"DUDE TUNE" - Megalodon (Never Say Die)
"System tune. Don't even bother playing this at home!" - TMSV (Artikal)
"Biggest tune of the year" - Tunnidge (Chestplate)
"One of the heaviest, most refreshing records of the year" - Compa (Deep Medi)
"Pfft more like OUT OF CONTROL" - Beezy (HENCH

Exzact is one of URB's top 100. Four remixes from four corners of the world. Tipper, Uprokk, EMS and Imatron Voima mixing it up for the Rx sub-label.