Cerca:tradition

Bogotá-based Colombian composer Eblis Álvarez, known as Meridian Brothers, has been concocting a unique blend of psychedelic sounds since 1998. With his latest project, "Mi Latinoamérica Sufre," Álvarez explores the untapped potential of the electric guitar in a tropical Latin context. Drawing inspiration from African highlife and soukous traditions, Álvarez crafts a fearless sonic experiment infused with invention, playfulness, and emotion. Unlike typical tropical guitar records, this album eschews distortion and clichés, opting for a pure, clean approach. Through intricate compositions blending cumbia, champeta, soukous, Brazilian tropicalia, and underground psychedelic rock, Álvarez pays homage to the golden era of Congolese rumba, Ghanaian highlife, and Nigerian afrobeat.

"Mi Latinoamérica Sufre" delves into the ego trip, presenting a humorous yet introspective journey of self-discovery and identity. The central character, Junior Maximiliano the Third, navigates through the complexities of self-discovery using psychedelic substances, political philosophy, and folklore. As he grapples with nostalgia, paranoia, and shared suffering, Álvarez showcases his vocal prowess, creating a sonic theater of the mind. Accompanied by visual narratives from Colombian artist Mateo Rivano, the album portrays various psychological states of disorientation, self-pity, enlightenment, and optimism. "Mi Latinoamérica Sufre" emerges as a worthy and innovative addition to the concept album tradition, offering a distinctive blend of bitter-sweet flavors inspired by Latinoamérica.

“Artifact” by Novo Line makes a departure from his Atari ST fueled FM synth journeys, here reimagining the soundtrack of our collective memory. Born from a live performance at a listening festival in Berlin by the Camp Cosmic crew, this LP transforms universally recognized pop anthems, beckoning listeners into a kaleidoscopic realm of sound, where familiar melodies fracture and our brains attempt to reconstitute them.

Using era-consistent equipment – turntable, 12″ maxi singles, classic samplers, and iconic drum machines – Novo Line deconstructs and reassembles songs etched into our cultural DNA. From the soaring emotions of “I’ve Had the Time of My Life” to the disco beat of “Heart of Glass,” these are melodies that have scored countless lives, now reborn in startling new forms.

Recorded live to tape, ‘Artifact’ doesn’t just play; it unfolds like an auditory hallucination. It taps into the deep emotional reservoirs these songs have built over decades, twisting familiar refrains into new shapes. One festival goer recollected that it uncovered “the dark inner universe of Kenny G, suddenly splayed out into a whole new cosmos.”

As the needle traces its path, ‘Artifact’ peels back layers of shared musical experience. It’s an aural alchemy that transmutes the known into the profoundly strange, yet achingly familiar. Listeners may find themselves adrift in a sea of frequencies, where every warped note triggers a cascade of personal and collective memories.

Rooted in the “copyriot” tradition of 1980s punk and industrial scenes, “Artifact” challenges notions of authorship while celebrating the universal language of pop. It doesn’t merely suggest a trip – it becomes a journey through the very fabric of our shared musical consciousness.

Mastered by Rude66, cut by Helmet Erler, and pressed at Objects Manufacturing.

Y’KNOW returns to Spiritual World on October 4th with Why Now, an 8 track 12” that is so stacked with groove that you can physically feel the claps when you run your hand over the record.

Why Now lifts the fog established on the duo’s digital 2023 two-song debut, pushing their signature beat forward minimalism into digital dancefloor soundscapes. Following in the tradition of dub records, Why Now features four vocal cuts on the a-side backed with four reimagined and stripped back dub versions on the b side.

Lyrically, Bally takes on the narrative of a detective in search of the perfect groove, even if it ultimately leads to their own fictional demise. Y’KNOW is clearly in pursuit of the perfect vibe, and while doing so exceeds the imagination of most traditional guitar-based bands with a mesmerizing mix of dub, post-punk and synth pop.

Limited to 200 12” copies.
RIYL: Colour Box, Maximum Joy, Tom Tom Club, George Clinton & Brenda Ray

Exploration, collaboration and curiosity define the rhythm at the beating heart of Mehmet Aslan’s exemplary compositions. The Swiss-born producer of Turkish heritage has already forged a singular path through production, DJing and full-band performances, navigating the more esoteric corners of Berlin’s club culture without sacrificing his musical heritage or innate creativity.

A conceptual new LP ‘Auguri’ follows on from 2021’s gnomic, ornate ‘The Sun Is Parallel’, which saw Aslan musically associate with the likes of Valentina Magaletti and Niño De Elche. ‘Auguri’ also has its foundations in collaboration, born out of a musical lab at Lyon’s annual
Nuits Sonores, the forward-thinking festival with whom Aslan has maintained a lengthy creative relationship.

The resulting audio-visual performance, ‘Bird Signals For Earthly Survival’ introduced Aslan, to the Greek filmmaker Stratis Vogiatzis. Drawing on the philosophy of Donna Haraway and envisioning new ways of being, of living on earth, Aslan and Vogiatzis crane their necks to the sky to witness flocks of birds performing spectacular movements in unison. Fluid and ancient, their organic waltz provides inspiration for Aslan’s extension of the project, spanning sonic shades of electro, ambient and modern folk psychedelia.

On the coastline of Vogiatzis’s home country of Greece, as in many places across the world, climate change threatens to effect the ancient migration pattern of millions of birds, just as their fellow beings on terra firma become increasingly entangled in a man-made disaster of their own creation. In unison, ‘Auguri’ is adorned by artwork from designer Xavi Bou. Known for his ‘ornithographies’, this striking visual captures avian life not only as a force, but a wry observer.

“We need to transform our connections with other living beings to protect the Earth and live together harmoniously”, reflects Aslan. “Personally, this project has made me more sensitive to this issue. I wanted to give back in return for the inspiration I've received."

Perhaps upending expectations of a more traditional ‘ambient’ album, Aslan commits some of his finest compositional work and understated songwriting to this urgent imperative, creating original music that nonetheless, has nature flowing through it. ‘Critters’ presents a spectral sound collage on which Aslan himself speaks from the texts composed at the residency, conjuring visions of “the birds flying… shape of the future”. Meanwhile, the undulating, psychedelic ‘Pigeon Blinks’ takes inspiration from more domestic scenes, charting the unexpected roosting and hatching of an egg on a kitchen window, while ‘Auguri’ gives the album it’s title in connecting to a higher plain, demonstrating Aslan’s ability to lure melody and catharsis from looping hypnosis.

Opener ‘Spectra’ provides a forceful, almost industrial breakbeat that establishes the exigency of the album as well as its sense of wonder, while ‘Euphoria’ reaches the potency of its promise slowly, with Aslan’s modular melodies meeting the flourishing percussion of guest player and multi-instrumentalist, POPP. Finally, ‘Aura’ delivers a cinematic conclusion, mixing an elegiac organ motif, haunting guitar chords and the prophetic sense of a scorched earth. Here, with patience and soaring production, Aslan once more makes the abstract and the unthinkable somehow tangible, mixing in sampled birdsong.

Accordingly, ‘Auguri’ is being released in accordance with EarthPercent, the music industry’s climate foundation, co-founded by Brian Eno. A portion of the album’s publishing will be credited as part of ‘The Earth As Your Co-Writer’ initiative, allowing artists to directly credit The Earth in their new compositions. Here, streaming and publishing from Aslan’s recorded sounds are automatically paid back to a number of vital initiatives worldwide.

Leaning into some of the most vital questions and anxieties of our time, ‘Auguri’ is not a project without a sense of hope. From studio to sea, Mehmet Aslan continues to look to the skies and beyond.

Calling all fans of cult soundtracks and genre-bending scores! Four Flies is thrilled to present a limited edition gatefold beauty containing the premiere vinyl release of the complete score to Matalo!, one of the most captivatingly unique Spaghetti soundtracks ever.

Matalo! is a 1970 'western crépusculaire' by Milanese director Cesare Canevari, known for his visually striking genre films, starring Swedish enfant terrible Lou Castel and Italian theatre actor Corrado Pani. Canevari adopts an experimental, atmospheric approach, relying heavily on out-of-focus effects and framing his shots unconventionally. This gives a dark and atmospheric turn to thewestern genre, with the typical dusty plains transformed into a windswept ghost town, while action sequences replace dialogues almost entirely, leaving actors with very little to say – and, therefore, putting the music center stage.

Composer Mario Migliardi – who was also a conductor, pianist, and Hammond organist – throws out the rulebook for Italian Westerns. Prepare for a wild ride of psych-rock textures, swirling electronic filters, haunting reverbs, and concrete sounds – a sonic tapestry that seamlessly blends influences ranging from Jimi Hendrix to Luciano Berio.

Migliardi masterfully combines traditional folk instruments like acoustic guitars and percussion withnon-canonical electronic processing, creating an electro-acoustic alchemy thatfeels both fresh and timeless today, probably way more than it did in the1970s. In particular, the Leslie filter, a hallmarkin the Hammond organs popular at the time, is applied to the entire soundtrack, resulting in a very distinctive and dynamic phaser effect.

The soundtrack's highlight is probably the rock song featuring vocals from Giano Ton, aka Giacomo Tosti, the only track to have found its way on vinyl prior to this LP (it wasthe B-side ofa forty-five released by RCA Italy at the time). Its 9-minute extended version, previously unavailable on vinyl, is a fantastichard-blues-rock jam à la Hendrix.

This limited-edition double vinyl LP comes in a stunning gatefold jacket with artwork by Eric Adrien Lee, who drew inspiration from the film's original posters and promo materials.

Definitely a must-have for collectors of unique soundtracks and adventurous music!



a Matalo! (Theme Song) feat. Giano Ton






h Matalo! (Theme Song) Instrumental





n Matalo! (Theme Song) [Single Version]




[s] Matalo! (Hey Gente) [feat. Corrado Pani]

[a] Matalo! (Theme Song) [feat. Giano Ton]






[h] Matalo! (Theme Song) [Instrumental]





[n] Matalo! (Theme Song) [Single Version]




[feat. Corrado Pani]

Kolida Babo is the collaboration between two Greek woodwind musicians from separate regions - Socratis Votskos is from Pella, and Harris P. is from Athens. Their self-titled debut album was recorded in improvised live-take sessions beginning on the night of the “Kolida Babo” folk rituals of music and dance in northern Greece in winter 2013. They explore the ancient music of Armenia and the folk traditions of northern Greece’s Epirus and Thrace regions alongside abstract electronics and free jazz.

Their debut album was released by MIC Records (London) in 2019 to rave reviews. Other notable releases include the Jazzman Records jazz45 series and the soundtrack for the documentary ''Gospel of Michiel'' and "Loxy". Their music was supported by BBC 6Music, BBC Radio 3 - Late Junction, NTS, Soho Radio, WorldWide Fm as well as the Greek National Radio. Last but not least, they have performed in various places around Greece and Europe including festivals like CTM, Archipelago Festival and Vinterjazz Festival.

In their second full-length album Spirits of Mauronoros set to be released in 27/09/2024 by Veego Records, Kolida Babo revisit an old forgotten place in northern Epirus Greece, near the Greek-Albanian borders.

A spiritual music journey dedicated to the old village of Mauronoros (Black Mountain) and its people. This village is one of the many villages in Greece that is totally abandoned as a result of the economic crises and cultural changes that Greece faced in the last century. This profound depopulation of the area left behind ruins that echo its past trials and tribulations. However the traditional sounds of the village keep reappearing in urban centers like ghosts that haunt everyday life. This sonic dialogue between "modern" and "traditional", between "the peaceful countryside" and " turbulent urban centers" sometimes looks irrelevant and outdated but is of great consequence. It transports the listener in an unspecified time and place devoid of any cultural and geopolitical connotations and thus leaves them wondering for a freer and more authentic way of life.

Buoyant, spirited, and merging the cultural influences of the Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, and Lebanon, Moaïs debuts on 1432R like a cool glass of water. This EP blends his African influences with modern and informed house traditions, building a sound that’s energetic and timeless. It’s music colored by a longing and loving obsession with the stars and their guiding light, oriented to the DJ, and guaranteed to get the club rats racing.

Hello 24! Nice to have you here. 23 is so yesterday, so over the top, really. Well, we’ve been dancing the following dances recently. What about you?

What lasts a long time usually turns out well. Having admired TEE MANGO from afar for many years, our A&R Michael Mayer took heart and invited him to this year’s TOTAL. “So In Love” is in the best tradition of the KOMPAKT minimal funk of the early years. We are delighted to have this lovely Englishman on board!

REINHARD VOIGT has always placed great emphasis on loving animals. On the track with the unsurprising title “Der, der mit dem Gummiball sang (Orange)”, he lets whole hordes of different four-legged friends and poultry on the microphone. Hopefully the stench will dissipate from the studio.

When Rhenish cheerfulness meets holiday anticipation, the result is something like this Hawaiian shirt turned music called “Chee-Caruso” by JÜRGEN PAAPE. No animals were tortured for this piece either, even if it sounds like it.

We stay in the realm of fauna and turn our attention to London’s award-winning pedigree dog REX THE DOG. “Laika” is a heart-warming ode to the mongrel dog of the same name, who was the first living creature to make it from the streets of Moscow into space. She would have loved that bleep.

A little-known fact about MICHAEL MAYER is that he is one of the fastest crossword puzzle foxes on the left bank of the Rhine, always in relentless rivalry with Wolfgang Voigt, who thinks he is even faster. The big battle is yet to come. Uninvited guest with five letters? “Urian”.

As an integral part of the family, JONATHAN KASPAR is of course not to be missed. “Are You” celebrates the kind of early morning rapture that is commonplace at his new DJ venue, the brand new Cologne superclub FI. Everything is so colourful here.

SASCHA FUNKE takes a bow to one of the greats of German showbiz with the trippy electro smasher “The Heck”. Born – like DJ Koze and Barnt – in Flensburg, died in Berlin in 2018 and wore glasses. More will not be revealed.

More emotion, more love, more sing-along factor? Si, claro! ARGIA’s “Love Keeps You Running” masterfully combines groove and pop – a blend that sounds very familiar to us. She may be at home in Madrid, but there’s Cologne DNA in her somewhere. We’re sure of it.

Let’s meet the legends, the veterans! JÖRG BURGER is still in a psychedelic mood in 2024. That suits him, that’s where he needs to be, that’s where we want him to be. A parallel universe is conceivable in which such music is affectionately called Goa.

Before going to bed, the WASSERMANN reads us a fairy tale from the Arabian Nights. At the same time, we focus on a point between everything, but really everything, and absolute, stark naked nothingness. 3, 2, 1… Let go.

Hallo 24! Schön, dass du da bist. 23 ist ja sowas von gestern, geht gar nicht, echt. Also, bei uns tanzt man neuerdings die folgenden Tänze. Und bei Euch?

Was lange währt, wird meist gut. Schon seit vielen Jahren aus der Ferne TEE MANGO bewundernd, hat sich unser A&R Michael Mayer ein Herz gefasst und ihn zur diesjährigen TOTAL eingeladen. “So In Love” steht in bester Tradition des kompaktschen Minimal Funk der frühen Jahre. Wir freuen uns, den quirligen Engländer an Bord zu haben!

Tierliebe wird im Hause REINHARD VOIGT schon immer groß geschrieben. Auf dem Stück mit dem nicht weiter verwunderlichen Titel “Der, der mit dem Gummiball sang (Orange)” lässt er gleich ganze Horden verschiedenster Vierbeiner und Federvieh ans Mikro. Hoffentlich zieht der Gestank wieder aus dem Studio ab.

Wenn rheinischer Frohsinn auf Urlaubsvorfreude trifft, dann kommt so etwas wie dieses Musik gewordene Hawaiihemd namens “Chee-Caruso” von JÜRGEN PAAPE heraus. Auch für diesen Beitrag wurden garantiert keine Tiere gequält, auch wenn es allenthalben so klingt.

Wir bleiben im Reich der Fauna und wenden uns London’s preisgekröntem Rassehund REX THE DOG zu. “Laika” ist eine herzerwärmende Ode an die gleichnamige Mischlingshündin, die es von den Strassen Moskaus als erstes Lebewesen ins All geschafft hat. Den Bleep hätte sie bestimmt gemocht.

Eine wenig bekannte Tatsache über MICHAEL MAYER ist, dass er zu den schnellsten Kreuzworträtsel-Füchsen links des Rheins zählt, stets in unbarmherziger Rivalität zu Wolfgang Voigt, der sich für noch schneller hält. Der große Battle steht noch aus. Ungebetener Gast mit fünf Buchstaben? “Urian”.

Als fester Bestandteil der Familie darf natürlich auch JONATHAN KASPAR nicht fehlen. “Are You” zelebriert frühmorgendliche Entrückungszustände, wie sie in seiner neuen DJ-Wirkungsstätte, dem nigelnagelneuen Kölner Superclub FI Gang und Gäbe sind. Alles so schön bunt hier.

SASCHA FUNKE verneigt sich mit dem trippy Electrosmasher “The Heck” vor einem der ganz Großen des deutschen Showbiz. Geboren – wie DJ Koze und Barnt – in Flensburg, gestorben 2018 in Berlin, Brillenträger. Mehr wird nicht verraten.

Mehr Gefühl, mehr Liebe, mehr Mitsing-Faktor? Si, claro! ARGIA’s “Love Keeps You Running” vereint meisterlich Groove und Pop – eine Melange, die uns durchaus bekannt vorkommt. Sie mag zwar in Madrid zuhause sein, aber irgendwo steckt in ihr eine Kölsche. Da sind wir uns sicher.

Auf zu den Legenden, den Urgesteinen! JÖRG BURGER zeigt sich auch in 2024 in einem psychedelischen Mood. Das steht ihm, da muss er hin, da wollen wir ihn haben. Es ist ein Paralleluniversum denkbar, in dem solche Musik liebevoll Goa genannt wird.

Der WASSERMANN liest uns vor dem Schlafengehen noch ein Märchen aus Tausendundeine Nacht vor. Wir fokussieren uns gleichzeitig auf einen Punkt zwischen allem, aber auch wirklich allem und dem absoluten, splitterfasernackten Nichts. 3, 2, 1… Loslassen

2024 Reissue

Strut present the first definitive retrospective of an icon of 1970s and ‘80s soul, jazz and disco, Patrice Rushen, covering her peerless 6-year career with Elektra / Asylum from 1978 to 1984. Joining Elektra after three albums with jazz label Prestige, Patrice had shown prodigious talent at an early age and had first broken through after winning a competition to perform at the Monterrey Jazz Festival of 1972. By the time of the recordings on this collection, she had become a prolific and in-demand session musician and arranger on the West coast, appearing on over 80 recordings for other artists. She joined the Elektra / Asylum roster in 1978 as they launched a pop / jazz division alongside visionaries like Donald Byrd and Grover Washington, Jr. “The idea was to create music that was good for commercial radio / R&B,” Patrice explains. “We were all making sophisticated dance music, essentially.”

Drawing on some of the leading musicians in L.A. like saxophonist Gerald Albright, drummer “Ndugu” Chancler and bassman Freddie Washington and keeping an open minded approach from her training in classical, jazz and soundtrack scores, Patrice’s music was a different, more intricate proposition to many of the soul artists of the time. “L.A. musicians were not so locked into tradition,” she continues. “None of us were accustomed to limitation and the record label left us to take our own direction.”

Early classics like ‘Music Of The Earth’ and ‘Let’s Sing A Song Of Love’ were among Patrice’s first as a lead vocalist before her ‘Pizzazz’ album landed in 1979, featuring the unique disco of ‘Haven’t You Heard’ and one of her greatest ballads, ‘Settle For My Love’. “Although ballads make you feel more vulnerable as an artist because they are often personal, I think listeners relate to that sincerity,” she reflects. By now, Patrice’s records were supremely arranged and produced as her confidence as an all-round writer, producer, arranger and performer grew. Slick dancefloor anthem ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ and the ‘Posh’ album in 1980 led to her landmark album ‘Straight From The Heart’ two years later. Receiving little support from her label, Patrice and her production team personally funded a promo campaign for the first single from it, ‘Forget Me Nots’. It went on to peak at no. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the album was later Grammy-nominated, while the track became a timeless anthem and popular sample, inspiring Will Smith’s theme for the film ‘Men In Black’ and George Michael’s ‘Fastlove’.

Patrice’s final album for Elektra, ‘Now’ kept the bar high with sparse, synth-led songs including ‘Feel So Real’ and ‘To Each His Own’. It concluded a golden era creatively for Patrice which remains revered by soul and disco aficionados the world over.

‘Remind Me’ features all of Patrice Rushen’s chart singles, 12” versions and popular sample sources on one album for the first time. Formats included a 3LP set and 1CD fully remastered by The Carvery from the original tapes. Both formats include an exclusive new interview with Patrice Rushen and rare photos.

• First definitive Patrice Rushen compilation released on vinyl since the ‘80s
• Includes all of her chart hits, DJ favourites and sample sources
• Official release featuring full interview with Patrice Rushen about her career and music • Features rare photos from her personal collection + some of the photographers she has worked with during her career
• Fully remastered by The Carvery from the original ¼” tapes
• Start of full Patrice Rushen reissue programme from her Elektra era

2024 Repress

Mariah was a Japanese outfit in the field of art pop, way back in the very late 70s and early 80s with 5 albums up their score from 1980 to 1983. The album from 1979 entitled as “Mariah” was actually made before the band Mariah was formed, and was released as a solo album by Yasuaki Shimizu. The album at hand is the fifth and for the time being last album in this row, released as a double vinyl back in 1983. Original copies, that are at least in very good condition, are hard to find. The brand new reissue on Everland, unlike the original and the first vinyl reissue from 2015, comes housed in a thick and artfully designed gatefold sleeve with OBI, which finally does justice to the progressive spirit of the music you will find here.

The musical basement of Utakata No Hibi is a fusion of dreamy synthesizer pop and haunting new wave music, that could be found all around the globe back in 1983. In the vein of TEARS FOR FEARS or more adventurous DAVID BOWIE stuff, with a touch of KRAFTWERK or even BRIAN ENO here and there, but all this gets spiced up with an atmosphere of Japanese traditionalism, with a few bits and pieces from the old music from this Far East island, which sounds so magic to us Westeners. The progressive, wacky art pop of this project was led by the popular Japanese composer and musician Yasuaki Shimizu, a relentlessly exploratory saxophonist who even dared to rework Johann Sebastian Bach’s cello suites for saxophone.

As brilliant as this man is, the music on „Utakata No Hibi“ turns out to be. And the master himself approved and much appreciated the brandnew remastering of this album by assisting a highly professional team of sound engineers who dusted off the ancient tape reels. For certain the record sounds and feels 80s through and through, electronic to the very rhythmical bone of each song sugar coated with catchy melodies that resemble Japanese classic and Enka music, which is a kind of folksy pop music. The listener gets directly drawn into a feverish dream of steaming Far Eastern cities and their darkest and most depraved corners where you find everything cheap in sleazy bars and unlighted backyards and alleys. The next moment he strolls through a beautiful Japanese park surrounded by a sea of blossoms. This change in mood and style you will experience in the sparsely instrumented tune „Shisen“, which indeed comes closest to classic Japanese folk tunes without any too catchy and pop oriented melodies. But we certainly find these harmonies allover the album. Some tunes even feel like ancient BEACH BOYS compositions and Brian Wilson creations played by a then contemporary electronic pop act and sung in Japanese.

An amazingly colorful album with songs that are based on solid substance rather than cheap pop structures. This is music for the bold listeners and music lovers and this awesome reissue should quickly find it’s way into the record collections of 80s synth and art pop aficionadoes.

Yasuaki Shimizu did what he wanted with MARIAH, pushed the borders of popular music further than anybody would have thought. Listen to a track like „Shonen“ with a repetitive rhythm pattern that hypnotizes you and somehow silky melodylines by saxophone and synth piano upon which a female voice sings in a very spiritual way. Praising pop or whatever this can be called, it is sheer magic put in music. I wonder if this would have made it into the charts back then, but you never know. It is a piece of musical art that shall be listened to.

Esencia is beyond proud to share the fourth and final album by Culross Close. Like previous albums it’s both inward and outward facing, something for the individual and the group and ‘Learning To Let Go’ follows this tradition.

Becoming Present is a peaceful refrain, littered with percussion and devotion,encouraging the listener to sit with what is, while Reactive State taps into something else entirely. It’s a hard-hitting ride filled with percussion and decimated drums, woven into a serenading flute that captures the mind for the song’s duration.

The mood changes with Attachments. A tale of two halves, twisting between hypnotic and swirling. Surrender requires time and immersion, as the listener bears witness to an enthralling interaction between drums and keys,eventually drifting into the soul-inflected Grounding.

The magic in Letting Be unfolds naturally. From the majestic string and harp arrangements, to the metronome of the percussion, each musician finds equanimity, place and peace in the composition. Letting Go…well, that speaks for itself.

The album closes with Forward, Only. This is the sound of a group of musicians comfortable in their stride and confident in their thinking. Ready to move with whatever happens.

Cuban virtuoso pianist Roberto Fonseca, former member of the Buena Vista Social Club, announces his new album "La Gran Diversión". A voyage into Cuba's roaring twenties, an invitation to party and dance, in a subtle blend of traditions drawn from his training with the greats, his incomparable talent, and wild modernity. "Together we'll laugh, cry and enjoy the mystery and magic of the rhythms and melodies I bring from my roots."

Recorded almost entirely in a single day at the legendary Total Refreshment Centre in London, JOY MACHINE brings together some of the most exciting musicians in London’s new jazz explosion. With features from Alabaster DePlume and trumpeter Jonathon Enser (Nubiyan Twist), vocals from Dizraeli (Worldwide Music Awards Best Album nominee), drums from Ben Brown (Alfa Mist, Mulatu Astatke), bass from uk jazz scene favourite Daisy George, synths from Joseph Costi (Yusef Cat Stevens, Bahla) and saxophone from free jazzer Ronan Perrett.



In the tradition of Miles Davis’s Bitches Brew, the band came to the studio in October 23 with only one pre-written track (the uplifting summer anthem Greek Summer) and once that was recorded, spent the rest of the day improvising wild, explosive music laced with Dizraeli’s rap and spoken word lyricism. The result is JOY MACHINE, a record bursting with urgency, intensity and life, and one that cements Dizraeli’s position as an innovative wordsmith, bringing both personal depth (as in Abigail, a homage to the sister who died before he was born) and fierce political commentary (as in Dear Cousin, a goosebumps-inducing narrative that transports the listener aboard the boat Adriana carrying refugees across the Mediterranean, which sank in June 2023 drowning 500 people, and then confronts a very English bigot in the second verse).

Jose James has showcased his rich and graceful baritone voice through a series of unpredictable projects that have blurred the lines between traditional and contemporary jazz, soul, funk, rock, house, and other genres. Now, with a new collaboration on the "Saturday Night" remixes with Grammy winner Louie Vega, Jose proves his versatility and variation in his unique vocal ability, able to adapt to all types of grooves with ease. "Saturday Night" is a feel-good summer song penned by Jose James himself and seasoned songwriters/Grammy winners Talia Billig and Kaveh Rastegar, who have worked with Moby, Aloe Blacc, and Bruno Mars, to name a few. Taking it to the clubs, as we say in nightlife, Jose takes us on the dancefloor once again all around the world! Enjoy the Louie Vega remixes with long versions of each interpretation and the hot guitar dub on Vega Records, with license courtesy of Rainbow Blonde Records! Available at all digital outlets and a vinyl double pack coming to you early summer 2024!

2024 repress.

Dive into the spiritual depths of Carnatic Music (Southern Indian classical music) - An enchanting journey of devotion and transcendence pulsates with raw sincerity and profound spirituality, casting a spell that transcends boundaries of belief.

Originally released on CD in 2000 from South Indian Carnatic music label and reissued on vinyl and digital first time in 2019 by Time Capsule. New 2024 repress vinyl has different tracks on the B side and it still remains as the reverse cut as the 2019 version.

2024 new vinyl repress with different track list on the side B. Reverse Cut Vinyl - This record plays from the inner groove to the outer groove. Comes with a hype sticker.

Born into a musician family steeped in the south Indian tradition of vocal music, the Mumbai-raised singer took advantage of the city’s cosmopolitism to study northern Hindustani disciplines, one of the few vocalists to train in both. Now revered as one of the greatest living exponents of Carnatic music, she received an Oscar nomination for her work on Ang Lee’s Life of Pi.

Within the first minute of opener Sada Bada (Slokam), Jayashri’s intensely spiritual vocals give a clear indication of why she has been increasingly embraced by a new generation of western listeners who’ve made the natural leap from ambient soundscapes to new age and devotional music. Accompanied on the following Bhajeham Bhajeham by a hypnotic rhythmic backing of mridangam drums, bells and the drone of a tambura, over its epic twenty-minute length she stretches her voice into a variety of spellbinding forms – her softly enunciated dedications to Shiva enveloping you with their immersive warmth and cosmic beauty. Keshvaya Namaha is an invocation to Lord Vishnu, the protector of creation and one of the other major deities of the Hindu tradition, while Raghavam recites the names and attributes of two of his most popular avatars: the heroic Rama and the playful, loving Krishna.

One of the album’s new-found devotees is label boss Kay Suzuki: “every time I listen I’m amazed at how such a small ensemble can create such a deep musical landscape. The incredible production plays a big part. That intricate percussion sounds so clear and sits in all the right pockets rhythmically and sonically. Just by following this groove I’m put into a timeless zone, but when her voice hits on top of that gorgeous drone sound and I focus on the details of her small melodies within melodies, my heart centres and I find myself in a blissful place.”

As professor of cultural and political theory in Universicty of East London, Jeremy Gilbert states in the album’s liner notes, the mesmerising sincerity and deep spirituality of these songs present an intense and spiritual charge that will appeal to an audience well beyond believers and devotees of Hinduism.

Ever since he made his first trip to Japan to DJ, Optimo Music founder JD Twitch has been bewitched by Japanese music, and particularly the vibrant, imaginative, and often far-sighted sounds which emerged from the island nation during the 1980s. Now he’s put years of digging in Japanese record shops to good use on Polyphonic Cosmos, the latest release on his compilation-focused Cease & Desist imprint.

Subtitled ‘A Beginners Guide to Japan In The ‘80s’, the collection offers a personal selection of Japanese gems recorded and released between 1981 and ’86 – a period when advances in recording and musical technology offered the nation’s artists and producers a whole new tool kit to employ. When combined with the unique musical culture of Japan, where local traditions are frequently fused with Western styles to create timeless, off-kilter aural fusions, this embrace of locally pioneered music technology had spectacular, often unusual results.

Eight years in the making, Polyphonic Cosmos provides an endlessly entertaining musical snapshot of Japanese music of the early-to-mid ‘80s with all of the open-minded eclecticism and sonic twists that you would expect from the Glasgow-based DJ.

Compare and contrast, for example, the gently breezy, morning-fresh folk-plus-electronics bliss of ‘ばら二曲 Baranikyoku (Fellini&Rota)’ by World Standard – the most familiar alias of long-serving musician/producer Sohichiro Suzuki – and the hallucinatory, slow-motion tribal rhythms, post-punk rhythms and tape delay-laden electronics of Imitation’s ‘Exotic Dance’. Or, for that matter, the tipsy mid-‘80s electronic reggae of Pecker’s ‘Sha La La’, the grungy but melodic post-punk strut of ‘You Go On Natural’ by Earthling (a track Twitch accurately describes as “sheer unrelenting groove”), and the unearthly, swirling sonics, new age instrumentation and flotation tank vocals of prolific (and seemingly mysterious) act Geinoh Yamashirogumi’s ‘Rimme Kohkyogaku Meiki’.

It’s a credit to JD Twitch’s curatorial skills that the quality never dips, and sonic surprises lurk around every corner. Consider for a moment the hard to describe, far-sighted audio immersion of D-Day’s ‘Ki-Ra’ – all languid post-pop guitar, enveloping chords, spoken word vocals, shuffling 808 beats and marimba melodies – and the two contributions from video games soundtrack specialist (and driving instrumental synth-pop specialist) Hiroyuki Namba.

The collection naturally includes some selections that have long been favourites in Twitch’s DJ sets – see Masumi Hara’s ‘Your Dream’ – as well as a handful of tracks from artists who may be more recognisable to those with only rudimentary knowledge of Japanese musical culture. The great Yasuaki Shimizu, whose work as Mariah has become far better known in recent years thanks to reissues of some of his most magical albums, is represented via ‘The Crow’, a picturesque chunk of horizontal, hard-to-define jazz-not-jazz smokiness, while the collection fittingly concludes with a sublimely funky, oddball electronic workout from Yellow Magic Orchestra legend Ryuichi Sakamoto (the frankly incredible ‘Wongga Dance Song’).

Matt Anniss

OPUS is a fusion of visual brilliance and pulsating beats that transcends the boundaries of traditional experiences. This emerging project is the epitome of synergy between art and electronic music, where every stroke of the brush and every sonic pulse are meticulously orchestrated to create an immersive journey. OPUS invites you to step into a world where each note resonates with the vibrant strokes of artistic expression. Join us in this extraordinary celebration of the interconnected realms of art and electronic music, where every moment turns into piece of art.

‘Diré’, Idrissa Soumaoro new album, comes as a surprise to Malian and international audiences. Composer, singer, guitarist and master of the kamalen n’goni Idrissa Soumaoro presents here a beautiful collection of songs on his third album, Diré, named in honor of the town where he met his wife and where his first daughter, who is no longer with us, was born.
In 1971, after his studies at the INA in Bamako, Idrissa was transferred to Diré to teach music at the lPEG (Pedagogical Institute of General Education). He was 22 years old when he arrived in Diré. Idrissa has always been nostalgic for this beautiful place in the 333 Saints of Timbuktu region. As Idrissa sings in ‘Diré taga’ (Going to Diré), the track that opens the album, the city evokes deep emotions for the artist, as if it were a long-lost friend or lover. Celebrating the memory of the city of Diré leads the artist to retrace stories and lived situations that marked and animated him in years gone by: ‘I really miss the people, the colleagues, the friends and that period. Despite the time that has flown by, I would ardently wish to see Diré again’. Today, at the difficult time Mali is experiencing, remembering the city of Diré in the 1970s also means for the artist not giving up hope for peace: ‘The memory of Diré, a beautiful town in northern Mali, strengthens my hope for peace, union and real independence for the happiness of my people’; as he sings in ‘Sababou’, ‘Without hope, there is no life. Together we will succeed’.
The ten highly original compositions of the album are strongly based upon traditional music of Mali, but Idrissa’s life experiences, travels, education, collaborations and personal musical career have led him to compose and perform music with other influences. As Idrissa quotes: ‘My inspiration generally comes from the donso n'goni, a Bambara instrument played by and for hunters throughout Mali. This is a pentatonic instrument, similar to the blues exported to the USA by black African slaves. I've also spent so much time playing a variety of music that my music also reflects rumba, salsa (as well as Bamanan blues and a few derivatives: jazz, country, soul, rhythm and blues) etc. I have looked for and hope to have found my own form of expression from these influences’.
Throughout the album, his strong, clear voice sings in French, Bambara and English. It rides seamlessly upon a complex rhythmic sea of distinctly West African stringed instrumentation and percussion with accents of flute and balafon. There are keyboards in a few songs, but these, happily, do not dominate the music as we hear so often in today’s music. This album presents the music of a mature artist who has ‘been there, done that’ and returned to celebrate his country, his roots and his dreams in a flawlessly produced collection of songs of love, reassurance, fatherly advice and hope.
The album already has a long history: it was initiated in 2012 by Marc-Antoine ‘Marko’ Moreau, former producer and manager of Amadou and Mariam. Moreau had plans to produce the album and invited Idrissa Soumaoro to start recording in Manjul's studio in Bamako. When Moreau suddenly passed away, work on the album was still missing. The pandemic still added time for the production to continue. With the help of Climax Orchestra, arrangements and orchestrations were finalized in France. At the artist's behest, 'Diré' will finally be presented to the public by Mieruba, the independent label based in Ségou, the home of the blues in Mali. 'Let's stand together so that Mali can flourish': from conception to production and distribution, this is the message that 'Diré' carries.

A veteran of the great Malian orchestra, the Super Biton de Ségou, Mama Sissoko is an accomplished musician. His music traverses Mandingo, Bambara, Sarakolé, Songhai, Bobo, Peul, Malinke and Bozo traditions, all while flirting with jazz. On stage, Mama Sissoko is a purist who engages with the audience bringing his energy, urgent vocals and truly inspired guitar solos throughout the concert. ‘Live' brings together recordings from a concert given in Paris at La Villette in 1998 and takes us back to a high point in Mama Sissoko's career.

In ‘Live’, we find tracks from Mama Sissoko's second solo album 'Soleil de Minuit', which was released in 1999 by Buda Music. As on the album, the different guitars overlap without compromising the unity of the music, rendering an earthy atmosphere despite being very complex. The recording of this concert was superb. We can hear every note, every nuance, every instrument and voice in the many-layered compositions.

As on the album ‘Soleil de Minuit’, this live recording opens the session with ‘Diarabi’, followed by ‘Safiatou’. Both are up-tempo love songs in which Mama Sissoko's powerful voice sings with all of the passion that such love songs deserve over a clean rhythm driven by the percussion of several guitars. The heavy bassline of ‘Safiatou’ adds to the urgency of the song. After these two beautiful renditions, the energy continues with the guitar-driven ’Fisiriwale’ and then a surprisingly original version of Super Biton’s famous song, ‘Iri’. We are then treated to a lively version of his ‘Soleil de Minuit’, called out by the artist as a ‘salsa Africana’ with a shout out given to Cuban salsa mid-way through when he calls the song ‘El Sol de Medianoche’ in perfect Spanish.
Throughout this concert, Mama Sissoko’s deep and melodic voice seems to emanate effortlessly from his body and soul. Multiple guitars back up his signature solos adding depth to the music that harkens back to the traditional music of Mali. Perfect examples of this are given in the songs ‘Douga’, ‘Manssane’ and ‘Hommage a K’. The last song, before a rousing second version of ‘Soleil de Minuit’, is ‘Boma Ma’, a truly modern rendition of a traditional Malian hunters’ song with multiple guitars, shakers, lively djembe and an outstanding vocal duet with Toussaint Sainé, Mama Sissoko’s long time musical collaborator.

Accompanied by incredible musicians, including Toussaint Sainé, his partner in the Super Biton orchestra, "Live" plays in the timeless way of Malian music. What's more, it gives us the gift of its most direct and powerful dimension, that of live music, as if 20 years hadn't passed.

Altars is the debut EP from Detroit's own Deon Jamar.

This album kicks off the catalog of his newly founded record label, Black Music.

Black Music was originally an art exhibit, concert, and party series founded by Deon and Brian Oscar (Wrckles). Inspired by the legacy of those before and the work of peers today, these events were made to honor the lineage while also demonstrating the golden cord that connects all of our music throughout genre and era.

Fusing these worlds together informs the DJ as well as the producer.

A radical objection to industry standards, leaning more into the energy and depth of sound.

Black Music, the label, will carry this same tradition.

Eight years after the critically acclaimed Alien Cartoon, Senegalese producer IBAAKU returns with a new project an alchemy of jazz, electronic sounds and Casamance music in the tradition of Touré Kunda and Xalam in their day.

The album is also accompanied by a short film
a manifesto of resilience in the face of the sound poet's personal history but also a questioning of the way in which technologies technologies and cultures come together to reinitialize our imaginary.

Identity: The meeting point of electronics, jazz and the musical tradition of Casamance.
The realization of this new project is associated with a research approach to traditional Casamance rhythms, vocals and instruments.

A reference to Spiritual Jazz is present, through stories and approaches ; while the skeleton of IBAAKU's tracks remains experimental,
with strong influences from the emerging african club scene.

April 2024 sees the launch of the Stratasonic imprint with the four-track ‘Accidental Effects’ by ANiML, a collaborative guise for the members of the collective behind the label.

Stratasonic is a new label founded by a German/Canadian collective operating out of LA whose roots dig deep into electronic music. By collaborating with artists new and legendary they’ll push the boundaries of the traditional music space into visual arts, video, events, digital and beyond. The collective’s philosophy is to reimagine the music, masters, and methods of the past in a modern context, exposing the world to the stuff they like. Here to inaugurate the label is ANIML, the project whose members will remain anonymous is inspired by the classic era of vinyl and analogue production with hints of 90’s nostalgia.

Title-cut ‘Accidental Effects’ leads the EP and lays down twitchy bass grooves, crisp, crunchy breaks and an amalgamation of hip hop vocals all dynamically pieced together and processed to create a raw, fluid dance floorworkout. ‘Mementos’ follows next and veers into a more immersive, cinematic electronica realm via subtly unfurling synth textures, murky bass swells, bumpy breaks, squelchy acid lines and hypnotic brass licks.

Opening the flip-side is ‘Day Dreaming’, shifting focus back to a raw off-kilter rhythm at its foundation while haunting synth lines ebb and flow amongst hooky vocal chants and bubbling echoes. ‘Formulaic Appeal’ then concludes the original material, a three minute ambient darkwave excursion through brooding analogue bass drones, heavily reverberated atmospherics and a ticking clock like percussive effect.

That true beauty lies in the essentiality and meticulous combination of a few elements is sometimes not just a cliché. The delicate blend of Roland CR-78, acoustic guitar and dissonant organs that intertwine in Open Windows is a vivid demonstration of this. It is these few elements, now distant and hinted at and now close and deafening, that paint the backdrop of melancholic nostalgia where laconic whispers move the listener within the paintings that bear the sonic signature of Human Figures. To Daniel Lewis’ new project, which has seen its springboard through releases on the label of his friends at Frigio Records, perhaps the adjective “new” is already quite tight. He has built a very recognizable sonic tibre, an influence of producers and listeners at different latitudes of the post-punk and wave scene.

In the 8 canvases of Open Windows the folk tradition is repainted in a more contemporary guise: the sweet and sad litanies are alternated with fast and frenetic stornelli in which the combination of tradition and experimentation constitutes the stylistic signature. The open window through which the listener has the opportunity to look out in this album does not, however, give onto a natural external panorama. It projects into an inner world where introspection and silence are the only chance to grasp its sublime beauty.

Roman producer, DJ and label head Marco Passarani is back to duties with a new 12” on his own imprint Unrelatable. Marco’s explores advanced deep acid grooves balancing traditional approach with updated writing techniques, where analog and digital blend in consistent harmony. “Road to P’Jem” is a solid jam with old school Belgian techno flavor while “Katra’s groove” has a deep nocturnal touch thanks to suspended thrilling melody on top of a bubbling fm bass. The package is completed by the uptempo acid techno jams “HyperUno” and “HyperDos”

Maximum vocal power and prime time dramatics by Chrissy and Carrie Wilds. The San Francisco based DJ and producer shows his stylistic versatility and technical capability to work with vocals, melodies and sound sources. Like a facsimile of the late 1980s house/freestyle record that you never owned, Things Can’t Go On Like This Forever ticks all the right boxes. Heartfelt vocals (by the great Carrie Wilds): check! Timely social message: check! Melodic euphoria: check! Old school house and true school freestyle flavor: check! Comes in various mixes and with a freestyle bonus beat special.

Additional airtime is given to the now classic Chrissy production So I Go Dancing. Done in a traditional remix fashion by Gerd Janson it highlights all the features of the original and again Carrie‘s enchanting voice, extends the included hysteria and adds a few snare rolls. Let‘s go dancing to brighten the darkness. Dance music in its purest and maybe most US-American form.

DDR004 is "Mapagkeun Kawani," the debut 12" EP from Bandung’s own Xin Lie. This three-track offering skillfully combines the ethos of Bandung's hardcore punk scene with the evocative rhythms of Sundanese Dogdog drums, crafting a sound that is reflective of Xin Lie’s diverse musical background and connection to Indonesia's musical history.

Xin Lie, born Diannov Pamungkas, has navigated multiple worlds, starting from his days in the hardcore punk scene to exploring the traditional performing arts of his Sundanese heritage. This journey informs his approach to production, particularly his use of traditional percussion which he samples and recontextualizes into a modern electronic drum palette.

The EP includes two remixes: producer Bagvs delivers a sharp, stripped-down take on "MAPAGKEUN," while New York's Laenz transforms "PANEN" into a fast-paced, percussive wormhole.

Mastered for vinyl and streaming by Enyang Ha, mastering engineer for Bjork, Arca and Tzusing.

All tracks written by Diannov Pamungkas
Artwork by Spaceheadtr
Design by Jesse Pimenta
Mastered by Enyang Ha / Urbiks
Mixed by Raphael Valensi

DJ Elephant Power (Nicolas Baudoux) based in Brussels, Les Octaves de la Musique awarded musician, is returning with his new EP ‘Blowing From Above’ on May 2024 with limited edition vinyls. The abundantly creative producer never tires of exploring the possibility of new sounds and rhythms. This time he delves deep into numerous genres from breakbeat to bass and he added more colours on each track which composed, performed and produced by himself. Mastering was done by Beau of Ten Eight Seven Mastering in UK. This new EP will be the first page of the upcoming album in June 2024.

‘Blowing From Above’ feat Eunsol

Now you entered the city where you can feel the atmosphere of heat with full of energy. Under the welcome sign of breakbeat and bass, you breathe the dopamine of electronic dance deeply. Alongside baseline skyscrapers covering the sound of this city, mysterious Korean words lead you to hyper pop buildings. Across the traffic lights with barking dog and staccato synth arpeggio on the road, you reach the futuristic bridge between jungle and grime.

‘I Got You’

Under the repeated street lights of ‘I Got You’ scratch samples, you are in the car passing through continuous cowbel 808 sounds on the techno road. In front of the funk graffiti wall, a powerful metal guitar sprays the paint with no compromise. Buildings of synth grab you to follow the new banging club anthem.

‘Shades’

Curly hair architect, who is well known for perfectionism of repeated linear, built a new Mantronix satellite laboratory. This is located on the mountain of Detroit and built on the solid ground of analogue synth signals. Filtered synth and bassline are the main columns of the building. In the main lab, the next satellite has been developing on woah woah sound mattress. Visitors can experience zero gravity in the room in the middle of kick and snare which provides perfect unbalance.

‘Infinity’

A colourful new dish is ready for you. You will feel beautifully balanced and harmonious tastes of progressive techno, trap and bass. This astonished dish was sourced the very best of heavy bass and synth melody for well balanced scent with thoughtful contacts. Geomungo, a traditional Korean string instrument, enhances and amplifies stunning ingredients and it makes a highlight with amazing pairings.

2024 repress

Melody As Truth founder Jonny Nash returns to action with his first solo album in four years.

Over the course of eleven mesmerising tracks, Nash points the compass gently inwards, casting aside any conceptual frameworks in favour of exploring an imaginative and idealised “personal folk music” that combines elements of traditional acoustic music with the producer’s richly immersive interpretation of ambient, a sound he has been developing for well over a decade.

From the smudged acid-folk bliss of ‘Theories’ and ‘Eternal Life’, to the layered acoustic guitars of ‘All I Ever Needed’ and the delay-soaked, Durutti Column-esque ‘Light From Three Sides’, a wide variety of musical textures weave their way throughout the album.

Point of Entry is much more than a mere ‘guitar album’ – it draws on a rich and diverse palette to achieve its purpose. The delicate saxophone work of ambient-jazz contemporary Joseph Shabason swells on ‘Ditto’ and ‘Light From Three Sides’. Cascading piano lines ripple through the crystal clear sonic waters of ‘Face of Another’, whilst echoes of Nash’s work with Gigi Masin and Young Marco as Gaussian Curve appear in the dancing synth sequences of ‘Ditto’ and ‘Golden Hour’. Nash’s reverb-laden voice also appears for the first time since 2016’s critically acclaimed Exit Strategies, used delicately throughout the album to conjure up a world of dusk and golden light.

Combining the delicate human touch and naivety of earlier Melody As Truth releases with widened scope and vision, Point Of Entry is arguably Nash’s most complete work to date – an album that’s as much a statement of his “personal folk” vision as a future ambient classic.

repressed !

Regular Offcial Authorised Vinyl Version, Original Soundtrack, 350g Sleeve, Black Inner, Sticker, 12 140g Vinyl - The first ever OFFICIAL vinyl release of the soundtrack for Mamoru Oshii's legendary science fiction anime film GHOST IN THE SHELL (1995). - LP cut from the original master reels at Emil Berliner Studios, official Ghost in the Shell artwork

We Release Whatever The Fuck We Want Records is thrilled and honored to announce the first ever official vinyl pressing of the soundtrack for Mamoru Oshii's critically acclaimed and all around legendary science fiction anime film GHOST IN THE SHELL (1995), adapted from Masamune Shirow's groundbreaking manga series of the same name. Cut from the original master reels at Emil Berliner Studios (formerly the in-house recording department of renowned classical record label Deutsche Grammophon), the album comes as a LP accompanied by a bonus one-sided 7 housed in official Ghost in the Shell artwork sleeve with silver gilt printing and a Japanese obi, and contains extensive 24-page liner notes. The haunting score is composed by Kenji Kawai, one of Japan's most celebrated soundtrack composers, alongside Joe Hisaishi and Ryichi Sakamoto, whose work includes Hideo Nakata's Ring (1998) and Ring 2 (1999), Death Note (2006), Hong Kong films Seven Swords by Tsui Hark (2005) and Ip Man by Wilson Yip (2008), and countless others. Kawai's compositions see ancient harmonies and percussions uncannily mesh with synthesized sounds of the modern world to convey a sumptuous balance between folklore tradition and futuristic outlook. For its iconic main theme 'Making of Cyborg", Kawai had a choir chant a wedding song in ancient Japanese following Bulgarian folk harmonies, setting the standard for a time

The making of Congo Funk!, our long-awaited journey to the musical heart of the African continent, took the Analog Africa Team on two journeys to Kinshasa and one to Brazzaville. Selected meticulously from around 2000 songs and boiled down to 14, this compilation aims to showcase the many facets of the funky, hypnotic and schizophrenic tunes emanating from the two Congolese capitals nestled on the banks of the Congo River.

On its south shore, the city of Kinshasa – capital of Democratic Republic of the Congo, the country formerly known as Zaïre – is often seen as Africa’s musical Mecca, the city that spawned such immortal bands as African Jazz, O.K. Jazz and African Fiesta, and the place to which aspiring musicians from throughout the continent would go to make a name for themselves.

But the city of Brazzaville on the north shore of the river – capital of the Congo Republic – played an equally important role in spreading Congolese sounds continentally. In addition to producing legendary bands such as Les Bantous de la Capital, it was the powerful transmitters of Radio Brazzaville that allowed the unmistakable groove of Congolese Rumba to be heard as far away as Nairobi, Yaoundé, Luanda and Lusaka thus turning the electric guitar into the continent’s most important instrument!

Although the musical landscape of these cities had been defined by a core group of bands in the late 1950s, the modernisation of Congolese music has been steadily evolving until the events surrounding the Muhammad Ali vs George Foreman boxing match marked a turning point. The promoter of that event known as “Rumble In The Jungle” was none other than the notorious Don King who needed 10 millions dollars to get Ali and Foreman into a boxing ring. The only candidate willing to put this kind of cash on the table was Mobutu Sese Seko, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mobutu - the megalomaniac dictator who got to power with the support of the United States and Belgium in exchange for unlimited and affordable access to the riches of the country - had a soft spot for music and it doesn’t come as a surprise that he agreed to a three-day live music festival being organised prior to the “Rumble”. Zaïre 74 - as the festival was dubbed - was meant to hype the boxing match and many stars were invited.

Although a myriads of artists flocked in for the occasion, it was the performance of James Brown on Zairian soil that caused havoc among the younger generation, inspiring hundreds of would-be musicians to take up their electric guitars and reverbs cranked to the max in search of a new sound in which hyperactive Rumba was blended with elements of psych and funk. While the results were very different from the popular music of the three Musketeers - as Tabu Ley, Franco and Verckys were known - they weren’t a complete break with tradition.

These new sounds emerged at a time when the Congolese record industry – previously dominated by European major labels – was experiencing a period of decline due to rising production costs and needed a radical change. The void was filled by dozens of entrepreneurs willing to take chances on smaller scale releases. It was the beginning of a golden age for Congolese independent record labels, and the best of them – Cover N°1, Mondenge, Editions Moninga, Super Contact – preserved the work of some of the region’s finest artists, while launching a generation of younger musicians into the spotlight.

The movement was greatly helped by legendary radio shows but it was the dynamic productions of Télé-Zaïre that set the dynamite on fire. Legend has it that TV shows were so huge that president Mobutu himself ordered RTV du Zaïre to put on daily concerts since it halted criminal activities for the duration of the evening.

Congo Funk! is the story of these sounds and labels, but most of all it is the story of two cities, separated by water but united by an indestructible groove. The fourteen songs on this double LP showcase the many facets of the Congolese capitals, and highlight the bands and artists, famous and obscure, who pushed Rumba to new heights and ultimately influenced the musical landscape of the entire continent and beyond.

Diogo Silva, Nuno Fulgêncio and Rui Martins collectively go by the name Bardino. With their sound consisting of an inventive mix of
electronica, rock, jazz, the Porto-based trio are pushing their sound into unchartered waters. A feeling that will be reinforced after
experiencing their new album, ‘Memória da Pedra Mãe’.
Their enthralling music draws upon the imagery of the beautiful and rugged scenery of their home country. ‘Centelha’ , their previous
album (released by Saliva Diva in 2020) was recorded in Chaves,
in the very remote region of Trás-os-Montes. Their 207 EP of the same name was created in the rustic heart of Serra das Meadas. In this
latest offering, the mention of "Pedra Mãe" (Mother Stone), refers to a rare geological phenomenon popularly known as "breeder stones"
found in isolated, deserted, and inhospitable places. On the inspiration of the new album, they explain that they want to refer to "the
importance of collective memory in the cohesion and identity of communities and the process of creating new memories, a process that
is both natural and conflicting, since it mirrors a tension between past, present and future".
The album was recorded in the summer of 2023 at Arda Recorders in Porto and produced by João Brandão and Rui Martins. In this
new material, Bardino's resources expand: Nuno Fulgêncio's drums, Diogo Silva's bass and Rui Martins' veritable arsenal of keyboards
(acoustic and electric piano, various synthesisers) are augmented by the alto and tenor saxophones of Brian Blaker (who stands out in
"Memória" and "Black Mica"), the guitar of Leonardo Outeiro (who features on "Punctum No 2") and, already indicating their affiliation
with the Porto label Jazzego, Hugo Oliveira, who records as Minus & MRDolly (and is a guest on "Pedra Mãe") and Sérgio Alves, aka
AZAR AZAR (who plays piano and Moog on "Tília"). Bardino's entry into the increasingly unavoidable Jazzego catalogue also reinforces
their obvious links to a new wave of projects that have been experimenting with different tangents to the notion of "jazz", taking this
music as part of a wider set of coordinates.
Over the course of eight tracks, and clearly benefiting from the distinct imprint of the recognised quality work of João Brandão, one of
Portugal's current best producers, Bardino presents dense, deeply cinematic music of the highest definition, in which the different
instruments translate a broad emotional and visual landscape, with solos of enormous elegance arranged over grooves that induce the
idea of movement. All the musical coordinates mentioned earlier are present, but perhaps in this new material you can feel a greater
fluidity, certainly the result of honing the vision of the central trio through a vast experience collected on stages all over the country. And
there are even echoes of a decidedly Portuguese songbook, as is so clearly felt in "O Semeador", something new in the range of aesthetic
references embraced by Bardino. This is, in fact, music that thrives on a benign tension between past, present and future, in the sense
that it embraces traditions and history, seeks a new framework in this diverse now and dares to project itself forward. Because the future
is the best of all locations.

The Hammond organ was first manufactured in 1935. In 1954, the now famous Hammond B3 model was introduced with additional harmonic percussion feature. When the company went out of business in 1985, around two million of various models of the Hammond organ have been produced.

The Hammond B3 was originally marketed to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ. It quickly became popular with professional jazz musicians in organ trios. Jimmy Smith's use of the Hammond B3 inspired a generation of organ players, and its use became more widespread in the 1960s and 1970s in rhythm and blues, rock, reggae, and progressive rock.

This collection is centered on the exciting and dynamic sounds of the Hammond B3 organ!

Reunion's major musical genre, Maloya, becomes "gazé" (crazy) through the sounds composed by Grèn Sémé for this new EP.
A gassed maloya that combines direct inspiration from the purest line of this traditional réunionese music with the highly contemporary evolution that is the Grèn Sémé group's signature.
Composed during the studio sessions for their latest album, "Zamroza", the first three tracks on this new EP reveal the sunny side of the Creole band.
You can taste their love of lyrics and their thirst for discovery. And the right mix of compositions. Inspired by the tradition of the greatest song/percussion pieces in the island's history, Grèn Sémé offers three anthems that lend themselves perfectly to the remix exercise.

Deluxe bonus: the 3 Remixes of Voilaaa + La Dame + Guiss Guiss Bou bess
Voilaaa and the fabulous Bruno Patchworks take on "Siko" to create a Cape Verdean ballroom hit.
funana with its heady melodies, it's ultra danceable!
La Dame, producer and DJ from Belgium, remixes the eponymous track into an effective batida for the dancefloor, DJs and dancers alike.

Guiss Guiss Bou Bess take remixing a step further, adding Senegalese sabars and the vocals of group leader Mara Seck to Carlo de Sacco's Alkol.

Embark on a sonic odyssey with Foreign Material's latest release on Navigare Audio. Drawing inspiration from the all-encompassing influence of Saturnus, the god of time, transcendence and agriculture. Martins musical universe is both explorative and traditional, taking listeners on unexpected paths while maintaining an innocent and joyful sense of discovery. You can never really expect where he will take you with his new release, you get the sense that he's carving out the path as he's walking. On the B-side, we find none other than brother Toffe, the master of suspense - dubbing it out with a reshape of the title track "Saturnian Dub" in an homage to the deity of the golden age of abundance and peace.

Damian Lazarus’ Crosstown Rebels imprint announces, ‘Portrait of the Obscure’, the stunning new album from Oceanvs Orientalis.

Following three superb singles on the label across the past four months, the nine-track LP offers a comprehensive exploration of the Instanbul-based talent’s rich, globally-infused and captivating sound, with the project set for release on 26th April 2024.

Safak Oz Kutle, known as Oceanvs Orientalis, is a producer and live performer based in Istanbul. His musical style intricately weaves together diverse sonic tapestries of wide-spanning genres and cultures, and through his creative fusion of these influences, he crafts an immersive world that takes you far away from the usual club music references. His music serves as a celebration of his musical heritage, and this has never been truer than on his superb new album ‘Portrait of the Obscure’, which again pushes traditional boundaries within the electronic sphere. Set for release on 26th April via Damian Lazarus’ renowned and celebrated Crosstown Rebels imprint, the nine-track LP project features a showcase of solo and collaborative material alongside close friends such as Tooker, Idil Mese and Tilahun Gessesse, delivering a journey into the creative mind of one of
the scene’s most intriguing talents.

The bold and riveting project kicks off with the captivating synthscapes, fluttering strings and plucked bass of the gorgeous ‘Pulse Antique’, before ‘Ministry Of Midnight’ cuts loose on more jumbled rhythms and intricate organic lines warmed with wordless vocals. Next up are two of the lead
singles - the tense and intricate house sonics of ‘Neutrality’ and the haunting atmospheres and ethereal synth lines of ‘IL Lupo’ featuring Tooker, while ‘Conritmo’ continues to bring exotic new string sounds, leftfield melodies and warped bass to this most vibrant exploration of candle-lit house sounds. ‘Soul of Calypso’ blisses out on far-sighted cosmic chords with sonorous bells and late-night spoken word musings that add all-new character to the innovative grooves. Then comes the laid-back, jazz-infused house of ‘Heart Pieces’ feat. Idil Mese, a deep and jazzy jungle shuffler
in ‘Mercury’ and the playful horns and lumpy, dub-wise swagger of ‘Lanchi Biye’.

An album project encompassing its title perfectly, ‘Portrait of the Obscure’ is just that - a magnificent snapshot of the unique musical mind of Oceanvs Orientalis.

Coming from a diverse background of equal amounts hip hop and rock, the producer behind the alias of nrl:ndr got into dance music late in his musical career. After playing in kraut-oriented bands like So Many Mammals, parts of that group reformed into the live techno outfit Tren Né, with the goal of fusing techno elements with live drums. Playing for illegal raves with a punk-like energy, nrl:ndr has cemented his relationship with his machines in service of the dance floor.

But his solo debut on blundar is quite far removed from that scene. To understand this music, one should be aware of the conditions under which it was manufactured. Reluctant to consider himself an artist in the traditional sense, nrl:ndr makes his music free of anticipation and without apparent goals. To glean into this outré musical space is like putting one's ear to the boarded up windows of the photograph that adorn the front sleeve.

The album makes extensive use of the Roland JV-2080, a sample-based synth rack from 1996 with a distinctly clean sound. Our producer dives deep into the expansion cards (labeled after genres like “Hip Hop” and “World”) for curious and sometimes cheesy samples. But he also forces the JV-2080 to do things which are not its forte, like the arduous task of programming decent kick drums.

Another technique that is testament to his experimental view on music making, is the idea of using sketches of unfinished tracks with different time signatures, and mash them together into something new - of which the results of one of these experiments can be heard on the closing track and its bilingual conversation between ambient and tribal.

Full of stunted rhythms and eerie melodies, the unclassifiable nature of the music of nrl:ndr lies somewhere in the vicinity of IDM, classical avant garde and private press synth. From the epic opening track - echoing the post-kraut drumming style of Michael Shrieve - to juggling with chopped up vocal samples and treading into almost trap-like territories on A4, he crosses into a multitude of genres without getting his hands too dirty with nostalgia.

San Francisco dub techno magician is in the game, but wait a minute.. Does anybody know What Robot Says?

Vinyl Only

Introducing the debut EP from the visionary electronic artist Federsen, What Robot Says Records proudly presents a mesmerizing journey into the depths of dub-infused electronic music. Hailing from the vibrant city of San Francisco, Federsen, also known as Chris Kelly, brings forth a sonic landscape rich with the influence of dub reggae recording techniques.

Within this inaugural release, Federsen masterfully melds vintage tape delays and analog equipment to craft a sonic experience unlike any other. Each track within the EP is a testament to Federsen's meticulous attention to detail and his ability to weave intricate melodies with hypnotic rhythms.

Opening the EP is "High Pressure," a seamless blend of precise minimalistic percussion and ethereal melodies, effortlessly drawing listeners into a world of hazy dub textures. Following suit is "Sono," where deeper melodic layers intertwine with Federsen's signature sophistication, creating a timeless elegance that permeates every note.

As the EP unfolds, "Fazed" emerges as a standout track, delivering a powerful groove destined to ignite dancefloors while still maintaining the immersive simplicity of dub soundscapes. Finally, "Quadrata" serves as the perfect conclusion to the journey, offering a sublime fusion of atmospheric elements that evoke a sense of introspection and tranquility.

With this EP, Federsen invites listeners to immerse themselves in a sonic tapestry where tradition meets innovation, where every beat pulses with intention, and where the boundaries between genres blur into oblivion. What Robot Says Records proudly presents Federsen's debut EP, a testament to the boundless creativity and artistry of one of electronic music's most promising talents.

Natural Selections are proud to present Paul Mahoux’s EP, “Lysergie Villageoise” - the fourth release on Nummer’s oddballs imprint.

Taking a step further into Fourth world music territories, “Lysergie Villageoise” is a meticulously crafted collection of four tracks imagined by Okinawa-based guitarist Paul Mahoux. These compositions sum up 30+ years of experience and experiments by the french-born producer, blending traditional music and modern techniques in a very singular way.

All four tracks feature Paul Mahoux’s unique concoction of flavours, a signature soundscape which brings Jazz, Folk, Ambient and House together. Constantly blurring the lines between proto and advanced sounding, Paul Mahoux’s music recalls deep forgotten feelings and invites us to a psychedelic voyage through rural impressions and ancient times beyond the frontiers of folklore.

Monty Luke release ‘Nightdubbing’ LP on Rekids.The Black Catalogue bosses' second album explores dub-infused dance music and, following the recent two EP drops on Rekids, will be released on Radio Slave’s imprint on 29 March. Succeeding part two of Monty Luke’s ‘Nightdubbing’ series on Rekids, the US-via-Berlin artist unveils an album of the same name on Radio Slave’s lauded Rekids imprint. ‘Nightdubbing’ encompasses the first two instalments and adds five more tracks of intricate sonic material, completing this gorgeous work of art already supported by Fred P, nd_baumecker, Louise Chen, and Laurent Garnier. Luke’s ‘Nightdubbing’ album starts in the club, with the rave-primed ‘40 Acres And A Terabyte’ utilising the rich melodies of deep house alongside the crushing weight of subs. It is followed by the title track, with ‘Nightdubbing’ taking a more traditional house route, its soothing sounds enveloping the listener while honing in on that reverb sweet spot. Black Catalogue boss and former Planet-E label manager Monty Luke’s timeless ‘Nightdubbing’ effortlessly traverses deep house and techno rife with bass-rattling low-end and experimental rhythms. It is no surprise, then, that the album is heavily inspired by ‘70s and mid-80s dub reggae, seeing Luke incorporate and modernise the genre’s iconic rhythms, spoken word poetry, and spacious bursts of harmony across the LP. ‘Bob Molly’ picks up pace with nods to Caribbean dem bow-like rhythms of old, Monty Luke filling the space between its infectious beat with tumbling percussion and echoing plucks. Tracks like ‘Supernova’, ‘New World / Old Future’ and ‘Starstorms’ return to the modern-day traditions of club music while ‘Future Mystic’ and ‘Avant Garde Dance Hall ‘, again find room in between the dancefloor and sound system listening sessions. Monty Luke spent ten formative years in Detroit, where the city's unique musical spirit influenced him immensely. He has since distilled this experience into the music he has released on labels like Rekids, Planet-E, Hypercolour, and his own Black Catalogue. His raw, dub-infused sound comes with plenty of futuristic designs, and this final complete iteration of ‘Nightdubbing’ continues to push the boundaries of his music.

An original instrumental music project led by composer and Oud player Aly Eissa. Featuring his diverse musical influences, Eissa’s compositions create versatile and twisted meditative atmospheres throughout the musical experience.

Aly Eissa is a composer and Oud player based in Cairo, Egypt. He was mentored by legendary composer Abdo Dagher and Oud virtuoso Hazem Shahin. Eissa’s style is deeply-rooted in the Egyptian classical and folk traditions, and influenced by various western genres. Since 2012, Eissa has been regularly performing his compositions with an ensemble for live audiences in Cairo, offering a meditative musical experience with a twist.

One of Eissa’s musical approaches is the experimenting approach through a unique trio formation including the Belgian synthesizer player Jonas Cambien and the Egyptian percussion player Ayman Mabrouk. In this trio, Eissa is trying to explore a different sound and space in the originally composed Arabic music.

Vinyl Only. Limited.

MixCult Records unveils a new sub division of forthcoming releases under the name of TAMIZDAT, which in Russian TAM means “there” (as a reference of an aboard, western location), and IZDAT means “to publish”. It was the name for banned books and magazines published "there", that is, abroad.



Tamizdat Records proudly presents an EP that celebrates the substance of dub techno. With "Sunlight," Genning invites you to experience the depth and warmth of his sound, weaving a tapestry of sonic landscapes that resonate with the soul. This vinyl-only release is a testament to the label's commitment to quality and the enduring artistry of Genning, promising an immersive and unforgettable musical experience for audiophiles and enthusiasts alike.


This meticulously curated EP consists of four tracks, each contributing to a sonic journey that transcends traditional genre boundaries. Genning's ability to craft expansive soundscapes is evident, as "Sunlight" explores a wide emotional palette through a diverse range of sounds.


Immerse yourself in the hypnotic rhythms and atmospheric textures that define Genning's signature style. From the pulsating basslines to the ethereal melodies, each track on "Sunlight" captures a distinct mood, inviting listeners into a realm where the boundaries between genres blur.

Get ready to dive into the cutting edge of sonic exploration as Tripmastaz Enterprises proudly present the first vinyl release of 2024. Wabi-Sabi EP marks a revolutionary milestone, standing as the fastest, most eclectic, and multi-layered work to emerge from the minimalistic realm of Tripmastaz Enterprises.

Through a meticulous exploration of Japanese percussion instruments, Wabi-Sabi EP embarks on a rhythmic journey that transcends conventional norms. Each track is a carefully crafted sonic landscape, a fusion of tradition and innovation that paints a vivid picture of the boundless possibilities within the realm of electronic music.

The heartbeat of Wabi-Sabi EP lies in the mesmerizing sounds of Japanese percussion instruments. This rhythmic exploration becomes the foundation for a multi-layered sonic tapestry that unfolds with each beat, creating an immersive experience for the audience. The EP encapsulates the neverending artistic searchings of Tripmastaz Enterprises, inviting listeners to join in the quest for sonic innovation.

Like a phoenix from the ashes, or Ukrainian culture after centuries of demolition, the Kyiv based label Noneside Records is experiencing its revival and rebirth. After all, «Nothing will stop an idea whose time has come» - these words of chief Stepan Bandera make it clear to everyone: if you really burn with sincere emotion for your dream - no difficulties will stop you on the way to its realization.



Five unique tracks from Slava Los, Yevhenii Loi, Lostlojic, Luschn and aqua. - is a tech house with elements of trance with soul and passion from musicians who write music despite the war. Visualization of the whole action on the record is the picture «The hug» by the Lviv artist Oles Derega.



Slava Los makes his debut on vinyl with the beautiful track «Snus» - old school trance in the best traditions. The author now defends the borders in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, so he decided to fulfill his old dream about the vinyl. Yevgeny Loi is also currently in the military, but this did not prevent him from making a new version of «Bounce» - a trance for a slow, erotic dance mood. Lostlojic, who is also the art director of the project, recalls the important message of «Send Me F16» in the uncompromising track of the same name, or rather in its VIP version created especially for the release.



Known to vinyl collectors for releases on Deeptrax and Infinite Pleasure. Luschn, a Kyiv legend and mega productive musician, known to tech house maniacs for his releases on Vector.Kyiv and Noneside, invites you to have fun and crazy dances with friends to his rehearsed «Ostinato Transdanz». Newbie aqua. has a unique recognizable style, where the rhythm is constantly changing in each track, nostalgic for the favorite place of childhood - near the Hydroelectric Station in Zaporizhzhia, crazy beats and steppe motifs in the track «H.E.S.».

Marino Scarabelli, the creator of unforgettable progressions in “Are You Loving” and “Love In A Summer Night”, so characteristic and unique that can still give us goosebumps, sat down in the studio again and composed another italo banger. Traditionally, he was joined by Stefano Brignoli, who wrote the lyrics and lent his voice, and that’s how we witnessed the creation of new bomb by Some Bizarre.

But this is not the end of the sensation, because Linda Jo Rizzo joined the band as a guest and you will hear her in female vocal parts, as befits real, indigenous Italo disco. The whole thing was produced by A.P. Mono in collaboration with Marino Scarabelli. For dessert, a very nice remix by Electro Potato.

Repress.

Mong Tong's latest album, "Tao Fire 道火", not only continues the idea behind their previous work, "Indies 印", but also incorporates more local elements such as gamelan music, phin guitar, tabla drums, and Taiwan sisomi.

While sampling more sounds from the street of Southeast Asia, including weddings, funerals, and traditional celebrations, Mong Tong again explores different folk sounds around Austronesia. Different to their last Guruguru Brain release "Mystery 秘神", "Tao Fire 道火" will take us to a land that is both familiar and fresh. Feel the hot, the crowd, humidity, and ecstasy. This time, welcome to Mong Tong's subtropical world.

Reverse board tip on with silver pantone print. The first ever reissue of Dorothy Carter's 1978 folk/psych/drone masterpiece. A truly unique album in Dorothy's catalog of otherwise traditional psaltery folk music, Waillee Waillee's essence sits in the confluence of Dorothy's mastery of the dulcimer; its shimmering notes fully enmeshed with the tremulous, cavernous drones of Bob Rutman's bowed steel cello. The core of this album, Dorothy's only with a full band, lies in the contradiction of traditional psych-folk idioms and the minimal avant-garde, referencing Henry Flynt and Laraaji as much as Karen Dalton. This LP version includes 12 page booklet with unpublished manuscripts, drawings, photographs, and songbooks of the songs from the album, as well as extended liner notes from friends and family of Dorothy Carter, including notable musicians such as Laraaji, Bob Rutman, and Alexander Hacke (of Einstürzende Neubauten). Drops soon - a joint release between Palto Flats & Putojefe Records.

Dorothy Carter was many things - a virtuoso player, storyteller, historian of Celtic and Appalachian folk music, avid lifelong busker, avant-garde musician, and itinerant troubadour, laying a framework for music that existed both within and outside of standard folk idioms - never better represented than on her 1978 masterwork, Waillee Waillee. Underscored by Bob Rutman’s cavernous bowing of the steel cello, the richness of Waillee Waillee’s sound produces an album unlike any other in her discography. In particular, its two side-ending pieces, “Summer Rhapsody” and “Tree of Life,’’ glide with the shimmering filigree of hammered dulcimer and Dorothy Carter’s ephemeral voice floating over Rutman’s droning buzz of the steel cello. The elements of these two tracks suggest something akin to a transcendental Appalachian raga or whirling cosmic folk music, an effortless combination that serves to add additional substance to the remaining tracks on the album.

The title track is one of her most enduring compositions, often performed in stripped down versions throughout her career, and one of her sole recordings featuring a full band, with the contrapuntal interplay of tremulous flute, vibrating steel cello, bass and drums. Lyrically and tonally, her voice would never sound as stirring and refi ned as on this, her most outwardly accessible song.

She counted musical colleagues as diverse as Constance Demby, Einstürzende Neubauten and Laraaji, as well as her lifelong artistic partner and friend Bob Rutman, whose imprint is felt throughout the grooves of this record. The master tapes for this recording were fortuitously discovered in Rutman’s Berlin studio, many, many years later. As recounted in Laraaji’s contribution to the liner notes, Dorothy was “someone who really influenced my early zither exploration and vocabulary and inspired my shift toward hammered zither performance and recording,” after encountering him busking on the sidewalk one day in the 1970s. Later, when living in Berlin in the early 1990s, Dorothy would begin work on manuscripts detailing the history of the dulcimer family and providing extensive sheet music, selected material of which is reproduced in the twelve page booklet included with this release. Dorothy would find later success touring and performing in the late 90s with the ensemble Mediæval Bæbes, which she led with British musician Katherine Blake, playing a prominent role on their first four albums.

Embark on a rhythmic journey with our latest vinyl release, F4E006 from Frieds 4 Ever. This 180-gram vinyl features two tracks recorded at 45 RPM, each a unique exploration into the heart of African musical traditions. On the A side, lose yourself in the enchanting beats of “Touareg.” Inspired by the nomadic Tuareg people, this track weaves a tapestry of tribal rhythms and modern sounds, capturing the spirit of the African desert. Let the music carry you across the sands with its hypnotic groove. Flipping to the B side, discover the pulsating rhythms of “Afreekah.” This track takes you deep into the heart of the continent, blending traditional influences with contemporary flair. Immerse yourself in the vibrant sounds of Africa as “Afreekah” unfolds, echoing the diverse musical landscapes of the continent. F4E006 is more than a record; it’s an exploration of cultural richness through music. Limited in its release, this vinyl promises a premium auditory experience, where the weight of each beat is felt in the depth of the 180-gram vinyl. Spin it, feel it, and let the rhythms of Africa resonate through your speakers.

“Sainen Hildo” is an album based on Miguel’s original compositions, recomposed and rearranged for accordion and voice by the two composers. Using the natural resonance and harmonics of these two instruments to influence their introspective interactions, resulting in evolving drones and tones and puzzling percussive outbursts. Unusual and at times unsettling, they manage to create a calibrated, deep and complex exploratory universe of ambience and drone where listening becomes a ritual. Highest recommendation for fans of Pauline Oliveros, Eliane Radigue or Phill Niblock.

Garazi Navas (accordion + voice). Original compositions by Miguel A. García. Recomposed and rearranged by Garazi Navas & Miguel A. García. Recorded by Ibon Rg at Azkuna Zentroa (Contemporary Art Centre in Bilbao) in June 2022, as part of the associated artists program. Mixing and mastering by Juan Carlos Blancas. Compiled by Mikel Acosta.

Acrylic painting on heavyweight paper by Maite Mugerza Ronse. Limited edition of 300 black vinyl LP’s housed in a coloured matt laminated cover. Released by Hegoa Diskak.

Dopelganger is the project in collaboration between classically trained accordion player and singer Garazi Navas (Usansolo, Bizkaia-Biscay, 1995) and Miguel A. Garcia (Vitoria-Gasteiz), an artist living in Bilbao with an extensive career in the fields of experimental music and sound art.

Garazi Navas / Classically trained at Musikene School of Music in San Sebastian with a masters in traditional music, Garazi, is a restless accordionist who, despite her young age, has taken part in a multitude of projects in theater, poetry, ballet, art installations and even playing with the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra. Her works are a personal interpretation of the close relationship which she feels exists between cutting-edge and traditional music.

Miguel A. García / Has performed extensively in Europe, America and Asia, both as a solo artist, improvising and in multiple ensembles. He has collaborated with dozens of artists (Al Karpenter, Jean Luc Guionnet, Sébastien Branche...) in studio and live, and appeared in more than a hundred albums. At the same time, he is organizer and curator of events, being founder of Club Le Larraskito, director of Zarata Fest, and part of the coordination of the cycle Hotsetan at Azkuna Zentroa itself

After five years from "Cash On The Line" Admiral returns with some hot served distillate of his sweet psychedelic bliss. Admiral takes us on an acid soaked journey through the many realms of consciousness offering a unique and alluring soundscape that defies traditional boundaries."Do You Want To Sit On The Green" sounds like library music coming from a parallel universe where the familiar and the surreal seamlessly blend to create a musical tapestry that is both nostalgic and avant-garde.

After five years from "Cash On The Line" Admiral returns with some hot served distillate of his sweet psychedelic bliss. Admiral takes us on an acid soaked journey through the many realms ofconsciousness offering a unique and alluring soundscape that defies traditional boundaries.

"Do You Want To Sit On The Green" sounds like library music coming from a parallel universe where the familiar and the surreal seamlessly blend to create a musical tapestry that is both nostalgic and avant-garde.

OOO002 - second, vinyl-only release debuts dark, galactic grooves featuring heavy bass lines and experimental elements from artists Chad Andrew and Len Lewis.

A1: “Battle 303”
Inspired by the soundscape of the 90’s techno scene, Battle 303’s punchy bass drums hold you captive as its sine wave bounce lures you into hypnosis with a progressive rhythmic beat. The track’s rolling 303, pyramid’s a myriad of elements before awakening you to the crisp subliminal vocal, just shy of the midway point. Battle 303’s multidimensional fury of movement refuses to slow its pace, inducing pure cardio for both the mind and body, inspiring peak dance performance.

A2: “Area 15”
Area 15 intros the swirling ambiance of dark, atmospheric, easy listening as it gradually accelerates into a journey of the unknown. Utilizing distortion effects, eerie drones and chimes, coupled with the rhythmic pattern of arpeggiated synths brings about a sense of intrigue that lends the listener the flexibility to determine their personal musical trajectory and experience.

B1: Battle 303 (Len Lewis S!th Remix)
Battle 303 (Len Lewis S!th Remix) is an introspective, sonic journey that slings you through a brooding origin story of tribal, galactic funk that echoes iconic samplings spanning over 5 decades seamlessly merged into one futuristic bop. Maintaining it’s old school, breakbeat roots with a driven, heavy bassline, claps and snares, Lewis remains true to his S!th style, by altering path and speed with his signature, unexpected musical transitions, highlighted by timely breaks and experimental elements. Be prepared to move and groove as this track reaches hyperspeed early on, stimulating intense movement and journey from start to finish.

B2: Battle 303 (Len Lewis G.H.M. Remix)
Battle 303 (Len Lewis G.H.M. Remix) leads with traditional, minimal components and a suspenseful bassline, laced with piercing elements and garbled synth vocals, creating a sense of awareness and urgency that gradually builds in intensity before throwing you into punchy, sinister darkness.
This groove, set against the backdrop of deep space and all its musical element oddities, mimics the drive of the original 303’s rolling bass line while seamlessly exploring Lewis’ S!thstylings of metallic synth scales and spooky drone effects, keeping you captivated as you strut the dance floor

A compilation of Hearn Gadbois' tracks, published here and there along the years (1983- 2020). Most of them are home recordings with very little or no diffusion, so this release tries to shed some light on these amazing compositions. A sound related to Hassell's 4th world, but developed in a very personal way (he even designs & makes some of his instruments) that feels different and goes far beyond. Using mostly acoustic instruments, Hearn combines a love of traditional trance/ecstatic rhythms with the sensibilities of an outsider artist, creating a music that is both archaic and post-modern. A really original and rare work, difficult to classify or explain... In Hearn's own words, included in the liner notes:
"The pieces compiled here tend to fall, with some overlap, into a few broad categories as near as I can tell: Mystery Psychedelic Crime Jazz (Tuba City, Flesh of the Spirit), Ayahuasca Hut Bachelor Pad Music (Night, Take the Waters, Wood), or Party Music that just fell from the sky or bubbled up through a crack in the earth (Flown Home, What the Goatherd Heard)"

As a percussionist, composer for dance and film, instrument designer/ builder, session musician and teacher, Gadbois worked with Meredith Monk, Sussan Deyhim, Gabrielle Roth, Yoko Ono, Patti Smith, Suzanne Vega, The Master Musicians of Jajouka, and Wim Wenders, to name but a few.

Ever amazed by the external world and its natural surroundings, Belgian producer Dijf Sanders has a habit of turning himself towards the unknown for inspiration. After praised albums based on field trips to Indonesia (Java, 2017) and Nepal (Puja, 2020) he found himself challenged by the traditional chants from Georgia. Diving deep into its sounds, people and heritage with open eyes and ears, he traveled to the Eurasian land in the South Caucasus in 2022. The field recordings and impressions of this journey make the blueprint for new, meticulously crafted compositions that ripened in his studio and transcend its original source material in time and space.

SUPRA offers nine diverse explorations ranging from spaced-out folk, ethereal trance, ambient with a melodic sense of drama and lush electronica channeling 90's IDM energy fields. Bound by dynamic depth in sound design, this is electronic music with a heavy heart - for all tracks share a primal sense of nostalgia in which traditional music from the Georgian motherland baths. From a pastoral love song about a buffalo (Mingrelian Song) or a ceremonial wedding hymn (What You Give Away Is Yours, What You Don't Is Lost) to a lullaby (Bird's Milk)... Georgia is a land of contemplative singing and its music scene today is still dominated by modal vocalists and harmonic choirs with pride.

With the help and recording equipment of the Folklore State Centre (Tbilisi) and in collaboration with Europalia Georgia festival, Dijf Sanders found contemporary choirs willing to lend their voices for this project. Next to these voice samples, the Georgian countryside and nature delivered source material for more samples and textures as well. The name of the record refers to the traditional Georgian feast where a large table filled with food, drinks and singing.

We're very excited to announce a new collaboration between Matt Berry and legendary library music label KPM, with a new single 'Top Brass' - out Friday 18 August on digital platforms, with a limited edition picture-sleeve 7" single, adorned in exclusive Acid Jazz x KPM labels.

'Top Brass' follows in the tradition of iconic KPM compositions by the likes Alan Hawkshaw and Keith Mansfield - infectious, sample-ready and cool. The KPM + Matt Berry album ‘Simplicity’ is out 18th November.

Grupo Rebolu has been a mainstay in the extensive Colombian community of New York City for well over a decade, bringing the quintessential sounds of their home country to countless live shows and events throughout the five boroughs. Musically steeped in the folkloric traditions of the Afro-Caribbean discourse, the band has consistently combined first class musicianship with the echoes of their upbringing. Throughout their four self-produced albums, they have incorporated some of Colombia's most cherished traditions —gaita,cumbia, andbullerenguebeing just a few of the disciplines that Rebolu has infused with the modern songwriting and compositions of band leader Ronald Polo. As a natural step in the band's continued musical evolution, Rebolu has connected with Names You Can Trust for a one-off recording to deliver two original songs and productions that seamlessly fit the preferred format and the label's catalog, while further incorporating the group's sound into the wider NY musical spectrum. Whether it's champeta gone disco, or bullerengue gone reggae, this handy double-sided single packs a fresh take on the roots and traditions of Rebolu's musical lineage.

SULPHUR AEONs neuestes Werk ist gesegnet mit Kontrasten, klanglicher Ebbe und Flut. Ein Taifun kantiger Riffs und wilder Blastbeats, raffinierte Melodieschichten, dichte Atmosphäre und triumphal gesungene Refrains reißen dich mit. Ätherische Akustikgitarren, subtile Synthesizer, einen Hauch von Gothic ('The Yearning Abyss Devours Us'), satte Leads, E-Bow-Parts, heftige Aggression ('Arcane Cambrian Sorcery'), monumentale Schwere, die in hypnotische Gesangsmuster übergeht ('Seven Crowns And Seven Seals'), und ein großes Finale ('Beneath The Ziqqurrats') - "Seven Crowns And Seven Seals" überschreitet Genres; es wütet und zerstört, lullt dich im nächsten Moment in gefährlich täuschende Ruhe, nur um dich unwiderbringlich in den dunklen Strudel des Ozeans zu reißen. SULPHUR AEON meistern ihren durchdringenden Cinematic Death Metal der Extraklasse, gehen über sich hinaus und klingen dabei doch unverkennbar kohärent - perfekt eingefangen und verfeinert von den langjährigen Mitarbeitern Simon Werner und Michael Zech (Secrets Of The Moon, Bølzer etc.), während das Mastering von V. Santura (Triptykon, Dark Fortress) übernommen wurde. Was das Artwork betrifft, so haben SULPHUR AEON diesmal mit der Tradition gebrochen, wieder mit Ola Larsson zu arbeiten, und sich mit dem Italiener Paolo Girardi zusammengetan, um eine Lovecraft'sche Apokalypse darzustellen, die der Opulenz und Dynamik des Albums einen raueren Stil entgegensetzt.

Aphrose reveals her sophomore album, 'Roses,' a captivating amalgamation of Neo-Soul and R&B, delving into the wellspring of ancestral strength and love.

Hailing from Toronto, Canada, Aphrose, also known as Joanna Mohammed, unveils her sophomore album, establishing her as one of Toronto's best-kept musical treasures. Known for her commanding vocal prowess within her hometown, this gifted songwriter and vocalist is rapidly garnering global acclaim and accolades from both fans and music critics alike. Signed to independent Soul label LRK Records, 'Roses' remains firmly rooted in Aphrose's signature style characterized by resounding R&B vocals. However, it also embraces a softer, more introspective aura that brilliantly showcases her remarkable versatility in navigating diverse genres, moods, and musical approaches with remarkable finesse.

This album offers a little something for everyone, catering to enthusiasts of Neo-soul, traditional Soul, Hip Hop, and R&B. Produced by her longtime friends/collaborators at SafeSpaceship Music (Scott McCannell, Chino De Villa, Ben Macdonald), the album serves as a compelling testament to the collective creativity of Aphrose and this exceptional production trio, delivering a kaleidoscope of soundscapes, textures, rhythms, and grooves. 'Roses' weaves together both lighthearted and profound elements as Aphrose explores her life journey, delving into her familial past and present, grappling with the challenges of new motherhood, and contemplating her relationships with herself, her partner, and her friends. Across the 35-minute LP, Aphrose draws inspiration from Neo-soul icons like Jill Scott and Erykah Badu, pays homage to Soul legends such as Aretha Franklin and MJ, and infuses contemporary R&B influences from artists like Frank Ocean, SiR, and SZA. The result is a sound that distinctly bears the 'Aphrose sound,' reflecting her deep admiration for her inspirations while imparting a refreshing twist to familiar genres.

The album commences with its title track, 'Roses,' which was released as a single on August 25th. This song sets the stage, invoking the strength of Aphrose's ancestors, particularly her late Grandmother Rose. Following suit is 'YaYa,' also released as a single on July 7th. This buoyant dance track whisks listeners back to the disco era of the late 70s and early 80s. The album's third track, 'Heavenly Father,' offers a brief interlude featuring a recording of Aphrose's Grandmother Rose engaged in prayer, setting the tone for the subsequent track, 'In The Time Of Sorrow.' This contemplative, chill piece captures Aphrose's musings on navigating a world often shrouded in fakery, while craving authenticity. 'Honey (Don't) Come Back' seamlessly transitions between two distinct musical personalities, commencing with a deep, almost Trap-like bass/drum beat before transforming into a spirited Funk/Soul jam—an anthem of empowerment encouraging the listener to leave a situationship that is no longer working. 'What You Don't See' strips the production down to its core, as Aphrose and guitarist/co-writer Heather Crawford craft an intimate ode to a friendship's sad ending.

The B-side opens with the evocative 'Weapons,' featuring a five-person choir including LRK label-mate Claire Davis, Nevon Sinclair (Daniel Caesar and LOONY), Kyla Charter (Aysanabee and Alessia Cara), Lydia Persaud, and Marla Walters. The track is adorned with a stirring string arrangement courtesy of Jessica Deutsch. 'Chop The Cake' acts as a breather, interlude-style, easing the intensity. 'Soft Nuclear' channels the spirit of the early 2000s R&B movement, bearing traces of influence from Lucy Pearl. 'Good Love,' released as the first single off this body of work on May 19th, transports listeners to the 70s with its soulful resonance, drawing inspiration from the likes of Michael Jackson and Teddy Pendergrass. 'Higher' stands as Aphrose's tribute to Prince, capturing the essence of his music within its hook and production. The album's culmination arrives with 'ZAG,' an acronym derived from Aphrose's daughter's name, commencing with the sound of her daughter's heartbeat in-utero from a sonogram taken when Aphrose was pregnant. This heartfelt composition serves as a dedication to her daughter and all parents navigating the rollercoaster of parenthood, emphasizing the imperative of nurturing love to shape the future.

'Roses' stands as Aphrose's homage to her history—her Grandma Rose and the ancestral trailblazers who paved her path to the present life she enjoys; her current experiences—her self-discovery, her relationships with her partner and friends; and her aspirations for the future—her daughter and the generations to come. This album crystallizes these temporal dimensions, prompting introspection, celebration, laughter, and tears. 'Roses' is a musical odyssey that scrutinizes the multifaceted beauty of existence, inviting listeners to partake in this thing called life.

The radio world has taken notice of Aphrose's talent, with national Radio Capital's Italy Massimo Oldani spinning her latest single "YaYa" for the entire month of July on his show "Vibe." And both singles getting to number 10 in the UK soul chart.Additionally, Aphrose has received national radio play on renowned stations such as BBC in the UK, RTVE in Spain, and Radio France FIP.

Aphrose has also made CBC's Top 100 finalist list for their Searchlight competition.

Huey Morgan played "YaYa" the second track off the album on his BBC radio six show

4/5 REVIEW IN SHINDIG! ''Incorporating afrobeat and a more spiritual sound in amongst its heavy beats and super-tight musicianship''

As pioneers in the burgeoning modern funk scene of the '90s The Poets of Rhythm created new standards, transcending the parameters lesser groups were defined by. With Discern / Define the Poets took their brand of classic funk to the next level by blending elements of rock, psychedelia, afro-beat, jazz and heavy, heavy drums to create a wholly original brand of transcendent, funky soul.

Anyone who has tried to cop an OG in the last twenty years knows how difficult of a task that has proven to be - not necessarily due to rarity, but more to the fact that people simply DO NOT get rid of this album. It's a testament to the fact that Discern / Define has no shelf life. It's a bonafide classic that any discerning funk and soul fan must have in their collection. Now sporting a deluxe gatefold jacket with reimagined artwork, it is an honor to get these back on the shelves of a record shop near you. Cop one today!

"They have the unique power of being able to depart from tradition in order to bring advancement music and unsuspecting listeners, yet still please the purists with home-cooked "Funk-of-Ages" values"
- Lyrics Born

At times where technology inexorably infuses into humankind, Ammar808’s next adventures lays within the realms of Stambeli’s invisible creatures, an old genuine Tunisian tradition that has roots spreading out within the depths of the African continent.

Stambeli is a Tunisian musical therapeutic ritual that was implanted by afro-descendant communities. During the ceremonies, music, dance and chants are blended so as for some participants to reach the alternate state of trance while they are possessed by super natural entities. It is a syncretism between Islam and animist Yorisha religion’s voodoo beliefs, that has been disseminated during slave trade by Yoruba populations originating from current Benin’s gulf. Stambeli is a precious legacy the symbolizes the outstanding diversity and complexity of the North-African identity.

Using drum machines and analog synthesizers, he summons super natural creatures to visit our material world and taste human incarnations, form the audience’s collective experience. The album features vocals and gumbri from Bellassan Mihoub, who inherited his father’s knowledge and mastery, and currently embodies the avant-guarde of Stambeli’s revival. Two additional choristers round off the stage band, also playing the krekebs: these are pairs of large castagnet-like instruments oscillating in the limbo between binary and ternary rhythmic patterns. They breathe life and motion into this pagan communion, blessed by VJ Sia original visuals synchronized to the thundering music.

Super Stambeli is a contemporary interpretation of the Stambeli traditional repertoire, processed through a time-travel washing-machine, a parallel-dimension earthquake portal, that aims to echoes ancestral ceremonies through sub-harmonic speakers. It’s a dialogue between the wailing of the gombri, known to call for the spirits to descend into the bodies of the participants, but this time AMMAR808 directs them straight into the digital circuits of his clockwork-crafted machineries.

Detroit artist Julion De’Angelo steps forward into his own with a new musical offering:the inaugural EP from his new imprint, Maybee Hill Music. Named after the street that he grew up on, the label celebrates ancestral guidance and reflecting on the past, so you can move FORWARD!

Can’t Go Askin is an exuberant testament to Black joy, building and shining triumphantly throughout its mesmerising 12-minute runtime.The track centers on a riff that immediately locks you in, as it stretches and expands with a seductive, propulsive groove, with percussion and keys all floating below a soaring and shimmering Juno. This bold and idiosyncratic interplay results in a jam which takes you HIGHER, transcendent in the spirited tradition of Chicago and Detroit.

De’Angelo completely switches gears for the flip side of this musical offering. Reflecting Cancer Moon is an immersive descent into deep dubby waters inspired by a night walk in the woods. A hypnotic, bare-bones meditation with crazy swing, that explodes into a rhythmic swirl of percussion. Dub delay echoes in and out as we journey deeper into the forest with the moon illuminating our way forward. This EP embodies De’Angelo’s restless urge to constantly seek out new sounds and open up new sonic areas for experience and transformation, with two tracks reflecting two sides of the musical spectrum.

Pellegrino & Zodyaco, with their new single 'Malìa', continue the aesthetic and sonic journey of the project led by the Neapolitan producer, with a mixture of Neapolitan disco-funk and fusion steeped in Latin flavour that already explored the innermost corners of the soul with 'Quimere'. This new work captures the frenzy and vibrant character of Naples, with its rarefied atmospheres and infectious groove that evoke the beating heart of the city and take us on a journey through the wonder of life in search of the Mediterranean essence.

The 'Malìa' is enchanting, it’s that mysterious force that hides deep inside, transforming itself into a vortex of emotions through the fusion of involving rhythms and reflections on inner battles, on the importance of finding the 'light' to overcome conflicts and difficulties that hinder the ability to choose, a dreamlike mirage that opens a window on human vulnerability, a hymn to authenticity, to self-acceptance.

The celebration of dance in the Caribbean Escapade version is also an exhortation to escape from everyday life; it takes us into a sonic imagery that plays with the Neapolitan musical tradition and the freshness of Caribbean and Latin sounds. This summer single becomes an ode to the vital energy of dance music: there is no more time for hesitation, one must let oneself be carried away by the enthralling embrace of 'Malìa', like a call to awareness and the search for authenticity in life. Malìa becomes the guiding thread, the mystery that urges us to go beyond the confines of everyday life, to explore and celebrate the complexity of existence.

With one foot planted in jazz and the other in the township groove of Mbaqanga, saxophonist Sello Mmutung was a powerful crossover figure in the history of popular music in South Africa. Using the stage name Bra Sello, meaning “brother” and used as a term of affection and respect in the jazz community, he came up in the era of shellac 78s as an exponent of the 1960s sax jive sound that brought the swinging rhythm of kwela into the domain of South African jazz. Despite the injection of American rhythm and blues into South African pop in the late-1960s, Bra Sello’s first releases on vinyl on the CBS label saw him backed by the group Abafana Bentuthuko and holding down an unapologetic township sound.

Joining the independent Soweto label under producer Cambridge Matiwane in the mid-1970s, Bra Sello recorded two records in the hit-making bump jive style popularised by serious jazz musician Dollar Brand on the one hand and prolific studio group the Movers, operating in funk and soul territory, on the other. Blending modern American and traditional African elements into joyful hip-swinging rhythms, Butterfly (1975) and The Battle of Disco (1977) reflect the vivacity of urban life in South Africa and document an era when dance music was performed by bands as extended jams laced with jaw-dropping solos. With music trends shifting dramatically in the late-1970s, the title of The Battle of Disco was an ironic call to arms in response to the territory that group musicians were beginning to cede to synthesisers and DJs.

For enthusiasts of African music from the 1970s, a full appreciation of the continent’s output is incomplete without South Africa’s pop-jazz sound providing a regional counterpoint to the funk experimentation of West Africa. Reissued for the very first time, Bra Sello returns in 2023 with limited replica editions from Afrodelic using master tape sources from the As-Shams/The Sun collection. Afrodelic’s unique edition of Butterfly features a previously unreleased track on Side B.