M!R!M is the solo project of Jack Milwaukee, italian multi-instrumentalist based in London since 2011. Inspired by early 80's synth pop, cold and dark wave, M!R!M has been releasing on labels as Fabrika and Manic Depression. Since his debut album, he’s been touring and playing shows all around Europe building an important following and a significant name within the scene.
On January 31st, 2020, Avant! Records will release his third full-length, The Visionary. Still featuring Milwaukee at the helm along with selected collaborators as supplementation, The Visionary is a further evolution in M!R!M sound, which showcases how the musician’s vision has evolved throughout the years.
Holding firmly to the vibes that recall the most dreaming 80’s, Jack Milwaukee this time blends together that typical FM synth timbre, which has always characterized the artist, with deeper and sumptuous sounds found within the notes of Mellotron and sax; overcoming previous Lo-Fi approaches to undertake a solid, prominent and more mature path.
The Visionary is a collection of songs pieced together in a meaningful and harmonious way where the storytelling is very vivid and fundamental. Trapped between hope and melancholy each track evolves smoothly into another one until it gets to a mystical end, a point of no return. From syncopated punchy bass lines drove by solid drum beats to elegant violin quartets accompanied by almost religious choirs, The Visionary is an engaging work that doesn’t remain only inside the robes of shimmering synth-pop tunes but also explores more intimate and private territories as an ode to the most deep feelings.
Pulling from the ‘pop’ approach of mid 80’s synth-pop pioneers like New Order, The Wake, Tears For Fears to most iconic figures of the Italian 80’s era, M!R!M dialed in on a clear understanding of it's own specific sound, which has since evolved. The Visionary is the ultimate unified vision of M!R!M’s work, it’s the sweetest transition of the most nostalgic daydream.
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· This compilation features the rarest and unknown instrumental tracks of that Funky Groove early sound.
· Light music along with wind section and keyboard ready to hit the dance-floor, that we call Spanish-Grooves.
· Composers, musicians & arrangers like Gregorio García Segura, Rafael Martínez, Antonio Barco, Antonio Latorre, Jaime Botey, etc.
During the 70's, an important number of orchestras and dance bands popped up in our country but not many of them released their own songs or covers on vinyl, so we can’t say that our music library has bulky volumes, rather it’s just the opposite.
You have to dig deep in the catalogue of obscure record labels to find some quality pieces, which we will usually attribute to Tinglado 13, Conjunto Nueva Onda, The Matches, Conjunto Don Pelegrin, Rafael Martínez, Carlos de Ros, Salgado y su Grupo, Mesié Bató, Pedro González, Jorge Enrique. Most orchestras played bossa nova, soul, some lounge and easy listening, and a usual mix of light music with wind section and keyboards, something like “spanish-soul” or “rhythm'n'blues-pasodoble”.
It was a time when the bands survived playing shows with a repertoire based, mostly, on Spanish popular songs and international hits.
Many artists recorded with nicknames, many others used licensed songs paying rights to the original authors and some orchestras changed their names when they pressed their records, in an attempt to appear modern or simply for pure commercial purposes, that's why it is difficult to trace accurately the musical path of many of these artists. This scene was especially intense in Aragon and Catalonia, where a bunch of labels emerged, often simply as platforms for bands to promote their own music.
This compilation aims to discover to a wider audience some of the most sought-after instrumental gems by discjokeys and disco music collectors, eager for soul, groove and hot sounds.
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(LP gatefold deluxe + DL) Brussels based Peruvian band Nikanor deliver their debut album 'Bajo El Sol' on Rebel Up Records. A sunny mix of psychedelic 'chicha' cumbia, cumbia amazonica, rock and andean folk with songs about injustice, fatherhood, natural power, mythical legends and solidarity.
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Cai Bojsen-Møller co-founded the original Multiplex imprint and released his debut solo album A Bit of Something on the label in 1996. Cai is an accomplished drummer and his acoustic talents shine through in his electronic work and 909 skills. Out of the circuit for fifteen years, he now returns in stunning form!
Released as a two part EP, this is the second half of "The Spirit of Man and Machine". The idea behind which, evolved around the point where organic elements meet and elevates the programmed part of the music. Much music today is completely quantized, but to make things flawless, risks the loss of feeling to digital perfection. Emerging from the Danish rock scene in the early 80's, correctness was nothing to strive for. With the formula of analog synths through an analog mixer and the drums and sequences recorded live, with a mindset for the right vibe, Cai's new tracks ties in well with his 1990's productions.
Mark Broom returns to Multiplex to deliver his “Skank Mix” of Cai’s “Decomp” track, which Broom has churned into a massive, deep, thumbing, dub-techno tune. This is followed by the original version - a timeless example of chord-driven, minimalistic techno. On the flip side we find the beautiful melodies of the melancholic “FaxImprov”, before rounding things of with Skudge, who has remixed the track, resulting in his great signature sound for the dark floor.
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Bram De Looze is a Belgian pianist and composer whose distinct musical vision has found its way through both solo projects and collaborations. His unique technical skill and musical maturity have earned him considerable critical acclaim back home as his work spotlights his far-ranging interests - from traditional classical piano music, to solo improvisations that have often been compared to Keith Jarrett and Jason Moran. On the 21st February 2020, Sdban Ultra will release his highly anticipated new solo album, 'Colour Talk'.
De Looze made his entrance onto the national jazz scene with LABtrio, formed in 2007 with Anneleen Boehme and Lander Gyselinck, and he immediately impressed, flirting with urban jazz, electronics and hip hop.
After a period of studying abroad at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York, where he studied with Uri Caine and Marc Copland, in 2014, De Looze launched the international septet, Septych, that once again stressed his affinity for jazz, classical music and improvisation. With diverse and astounding improvisors like Daniel Levin, Lester St-Louis, Robin Verheyen, Gebhard Ullman, Bo Van Der Werf and Flin Van Hemmen, it was the start of an explorative musical journey.
Over the past few years, De Looze could frequently be heard with kindred spirits like Stephane Galland, Dre Hocevar and Antoine Pierre but it was a visit to the historical collection of pianofortes of Chris Maene that inspired De Looze to release his first solo album 'Piano e Forte' (2017), and it received critical acclaim for its creativity, spontaneity and passion. He would later garner further acclaim working alongside fellow Belgian Robin Verheyen and American rhythm painter Joey Baron with whom he recorded 'MixMonk' (2019), a tribute to the legendary jazz pianist Thelonius Monk.
Bram De Looze's solo career took off in an unexpected way with 'Piano e Forte', a project for which he approached historical instruments from a contemporary perspective. The switch to the Chris Maene Straight Strung Grand Piano for 'Switch The Stream' (2018) indicated a renewed search for movement, evolution and introspection. His latest solo project 'Colour Talk', continues this trajectory with another revolutionary piano model, designed by lauded architect Rafael Vinoly, and a continued attempt to renew from within.
On 'Colour Talk', what you hear is a musician who has freed himself from stylistic constraints and limitations. While still rooted in jazz, classical music and free improvisation have found a new balance, a coexistence that enables the pianist to express himself with a new vigour. Switching between shorter pieces that feel like curious, unresolved puzzles and more extended explorations, 'Colour Talk' is once again an ode to (re)invention in the grey zone were the classical idiom and improvisatory urges meet, with the 13-minute tour-de-force of 'Hypnosis' as one of several undisputed highlights.
If you asked De Looze about his current position as an artist, he would probably tell you that it's all about forward movement and the need to keep evolving, about a trajectory as work-in-progress. However, if you consider 'Colour Talk' as a freeze frame of where De Looze is at, it is hard not to consider it a highlight in a career that should have some more surprises in store.
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Pedro Zopelar is a musician, producer and DJ based in São Paulo, Brazil. Known for his many different projects like the duo “My Girlfriend” with Benjamin Sallum, the electronic performative act “Teto Preto” and his effervescent party “ODD” - Zopelar presents “Joy Of Missing Out” on Apron Records! a collection of 17 tracks that represents the actual direction of his solo works.
“This album is my most personal work till now, it’s a compilation of tunes I did when I had free time to just study and do whatever I want, without any pressure or preconceived ideas. For me as producer and musician was always really important to walk into different paths to keep myself always in the position of apprentice, so I consider these songs like expressions of someone who’s trying to achieve self knowledge thought the act of making and listening to music”
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Dr Rubberfunk might not be medically trained, but he does know a thing or two about treating your ears, as he returns with his fourth album 'My Life at 45'. The eagle eyed will have spotted the connection to the good Doctor's second album – 'My Life at 33' - and fans can do their own maths as to when they should expect the final RPM-punning release in the trilogy.
Having established himself in funk, soul, blues and jazz circles with a ton of high calibre releases, the good doctor holds a reputation for quality productions, with a hands-on approach, both in front of, and behind the mixing desk, as an accomplished multi-instrumentalist and producer.
The new album brings together stunning vocals from John Turrell, Izo FitzRoy and Stephanie Whitelock, whilst the instrumental tracks, showcasing the talents of long-time collaborators Jim Oliver, Jonathon James and Ben Castle, make it clear just what a crack production outfit the Doctor has put together. Got a lovely quote from Fatboy Slim: "Very soulful. Doesn't sound too retro. Just fabulous...."
UK Radio support has come in from BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music from Craig Charles (Spot play Trunk of Funk feature), Huey Morgan, Rylan and Paddy O'Connell. US Radio on KCRW from Jose Galvan, Karene Daniel and Garth Trinidad.
WW Specialist plays have come in on WWFM, JazzFM, Radio Krimi, Solar Radio, Radio 1 Prague, WMPG, Milk n Chocolate, Rai 1 Italy, KaneFM, Cannibal Radio, Radio Z Nurenburg and Radio Nova Portugal
Press: Bandcamp: New & Notable, 45Live, Sphere Of Hip Hop, Word Is Bond, The Dutch Guy, Last Day Deaf, Monkeyboxing, Flea Market Funk, Staccatofy, The Find Mag.
DJ support from Fatboy Slim, Laurent Garnier, Dj Yoda, Renegades of Jazz, DJ Andy Smith, Auntie Flo, Doc Scott, Smoove, Chicken Brothers, Crazy P, Satin Jackets, Marc Hype, Mr Benn, Mat The Alien, Basement Freaks, Renegades Of Jazz, The Allergies, Hint,
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Sotomayor is the electronic music project with afro latin influence by siblings Raul (music production) and Paulina (vocals). It is a dance music project that fuses rhythms like cumbia, afro beat, dancehall, Peruvian "chicha" and merengue with futuristic electronic beats.
The band debuted in 2015 with "Salvaje," an album that allowed them to perform in several festivals around the globe in countries like England, US, Mexico and Colombia.
The album received excellent reviews from foreign media in countries like Japan, Australia, United Kingdom, Chile, United States and Colombia. They also appeared in more than 25 lists of the best of the year from medias from all around the world. 2020 will see the release of "Orígenes" their 3rd studio album trough the NY based label Wonderwheel Recordings.
This album was recorded between Mexico and Puerto Rico, and was produced by the 28 times Grammy Winner Eduardo Cabra aka "Visitante" from the legendary band "Calle 13." In this production Sotomayor explores a new Afro Caribbean vision in the music, much more dance floor focused, and highly influenced by percussion
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The second EP of remixes from Man Jumping's reissue on Emotional Rescue features luminaries Bullion, Reckonwrong, Gengahr and William Doyle with their reversions of songs from the Jumpcut album.
Nathan Jenkins aka Bullion follows his recent rerub of Thomas Leer (ERC072) to provide two remixes. His remake of In The Jungle keeps the originals (leftfield) dance floor roots, but sprinkles the ubiquitous warm glow and off kilter fun(k) that he evokes; while his retake of Walk On, Bye drifts back, highlighting intricate percussion; congas, bass and vocal atmospherics along some breezy swing.
Reckonwrong is next; turning the bossa vibes of Sqeezi into his own new wave meets italo reversion; topped with his unique 'under the cupboard stairs' vocals. Funky, driving, this overlooked star adds to his cannon for Whities, Pinkman and DEEK.
After a string of impressive releases for Trangressive / Beggars, Gengahr make a surprise addition, lifting Down The Locale from deceptive beginnings to anthemic heights, adding echo-laden guitar and vocals to the original's underbelly, before a bass break and return lifts to the heavens.
Finally, William Doyle provides perfect closure. Moving away from his East India Youth moniker (XL Recordings), his output has drifted towards ambient introspection, however, here points to addtional layers; rebuilding Belle Dux On The Beach with added bass, guitar, drums and finally vocals that culminate in a prefect 'to the skies' outrospection.
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Mhysa, the newest addition to the Hyperdub roster, is ‘a popstar for the cyber resistance’ hailing from Maryland via New York. ‘Nevaeh’ is lo-fi R&B with a bedroom feel and challenging lyricism focussed on identity and black experience for the online generation.
She started ‘Nevaeh’ in late 2017, shortly after the release of debut album ‘Fantasii’, recording at home with some input from Lawd Knows, a frequent collaborator on her Scraaatch project. It is Mhysa’s intimate reflection on the black femme experience from multiple vantage points : sex and sexuality, self-love and self-discovery, black empowerment and lineage, and pleasure or the lack of it.
She describes the album as “a prayer for Black women and femmes to be taken to or find a new and better world away from the apocalypse ... a safe space, a sort of negro heaven.” ‘Nevaeh’ is deeply personal but easily relatable, its intimacy heightened by scattered acapella moments and interludes referencing black pop culture, where Mhysa’s delicate voice is laid bare, while other tracks reprise the melancholic R&B her mother raised her on, updated through a queer lens.
Conversely, several of the album’s tunes have found space in Kode9’s club sets over the last year, like the mischievous ‘Sanaa Lathan’ and skeletal ‘w_me’. Of this record’s progression from the last, Mhysa sought “to be more vulnerable and experiment with vocal range … to write more complicated vocal melodies that would be harder to do”, with her production now experimenting with new techniques, and (often self-taught) live instrumentation, as is her family tradition.
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The first release in Ernesto Chahoud’s ‘Middle Eastern Heavens’ reissue series for BBE Music, we are delighted to present Lebanese maestro Ihsan Al-Munzer’s 1979 album ‘Belly Dance Disco’.
In late 70's and early 80's Beirut, Lebanese organist, composer and arranger Ihsan Al-Munzer made a series of pioneering synth-driven fusion albums that reimagined Middle Eastern music. The records came at a pivotal time in Lebanon’s musical history of avant garde experimentation that was blossoming, just as the country’s 15-year civil war took hold.
Ihsan Al-Munzer’s first release as a solo artist, ‘Belly Dance Disco’ aimed to fuse ‘Western’ modern music and bellydance to make it more accessible to the local audience in the late 1970s. “I wanted to put a mixture of European beat with Arabic percussion, but I made the European rhythm and harmony very easy to listen to for the Arabic ear – soft and understandable” says Al- Munzer.
Today, the composer’s music has made the return journey back to the West; with tracks on the album featured by hip hop artists such as Mos Def, who sampled Al-Munzer’s composition ‘Joy of Lina’ on his 2009 song ‘The Embassy’.
The 10-track album was released in 1979 on the legendary Voix De L’Orient label, which was also home to pioneering Lebanese composers The Rahbani Brothers. One of the earliest artists to introduce the synthesizer to Middle Eastern music, Al-Munzer leads the band, playing the main melody lines on the Kawai Organ and Solina String Synthesizer. Three of his original compositions feature on the album, alongside creative re-imaginings of Turkish and Arabic folklore and modern classics, pushing the boundaries of bellydance music to chime with the international scene.
Al-Munzer’s five titles from the 1970's and 1980's are part of BBE’s ‘Middle Eastern Heavens’ reissue series, a collection of groundbreaking productions from Lebanon, curated by Lebanese DJ, compiler and music researcher Ernesto Chahoud.
Notes by Natalie Shooter, a music journalist and researcher based in Beirut, edited by Will Sumsuch.
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Canyons are places of mystery and beauty. The interesting thing is, while they are one of the great wonders in the history of planet earth and attract scientists of all kinds of disciplines, they have also been a popular retreat for artists and musicians. You will have heard of Topanga Canyon, Rickie Lee Jones and Chicago recorded here. Laurel Canyon is even more well known, a mythical place where Crosby, Stills & Nash developed their unique vocal sound while hanging around Mama Cass' place. Or was it in Joni Mitchell's house on Lookout Mountain? Ok, you get the picture. There is something unexplainable, almost magical going on in canyons.
Maybe that's why Andy Platts and Shawn Lee were thinking of "Canyons" when they wrote and recorded their third album as Young Gun Silver Fox. With "West End Coast" and "AM Waves" these two very talented musicians, singers, songwriters, arrangers and producers already explored all things Westcoast, AOR, Softrock and Boogie. But - especially if you are a into the golden age of this sound running from circa 1976 to 1984 - you will be aware that there is no return once you started digging these unconditional musical delights with their timeless compositions, untouchable musicianship and refined arrangements. The great albums from that era appeared when punk broke and the musical establishment was shaken to the ground. Today they sound more up to date than ever. Who would have thought back then?
On "Canyons" Young Gun Silver Fox turned it up to eleven. They are nothing but "Kids" cruising in the fast lane, totally over the top searching for the "Dream Woman", touching down in Tokyo caught in a "Long Distance Love Affair", imagining the theme for a lost 70s TV series starring "Danny Jamaica", being on the winning side in a "Private Paradise", getting deep and soulful in "Things We Left Unsaid" and wondering how to spread "All This Love". Their bass lines, sound layers, brass arrangements and harmony vocals are immaculate. Everything fits perfectly. Just like this. "Who Needs Words" when everything is crystal clear? Exactly!
"Canyons", after all, are magical places of rare beauty. (Mr. Mellow - Porcaroc Club/Mr. Mellow's Sunday Scene/Soho Radio).
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As the world turns the page towards yet another decade the Two Swedes from SpaceTM in MLU embraces new beginnings and paves the way for their very first, and very own musical outlet. MLU Private Press is their new label-not-label and the result of years of joint music making. “We looked ourselves in the mirror and all we saw was us” - it’s a vanity label in the truest sense. An audial outlet candidly and simply releasing streams of future and past sounds flowing through a crack from their Stockholmian mountain and out into the world.
The first release features three tracks of MLU-matic electronics, spanning in making over the last decade. From the energetic rave-sentimentality of “Blue...” eloquently dreaming of approaching future skylines to the sound of breakbeats, to the nostalgic arpeggios of “Astro Travelling Pt. 2”. A track which got lost but recently resurfaced in the MLU lost-and-found bin, recorded almost 10 years ago and sound-wise very reminiscent of their earliest work. The aptly named “Madame of the Magic Mushroom” with it’s mix of acoustic drums and shroomy synthesis ends the 12” in weightless psychedelia recollecting memoria of ecstatic driven 70’s loft-rock.
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Paella Hair Sex is the beginning of a new chapter in Alexis Raphael’s musical story. The first two EPs will be from the label boss himself, kicking off with ‘Digital Music Almost Killed Me EP’. Then attention turns to new artists joining the PHS family - please email demos to paellahairsex
Alexis came to prominence in 2011 with his seminal track ‘Spaceship’ and followed with a series of lush, sexy and warm house records that gained universal praise and put Alexis’ sound all around the world with fans from Australia to Peru. As the music and scene evolved, so too did Alexis’ sound becoming somewhat harder whilst still retaining some of his signature elements; references to acid house, hardcore and jungle, deep pads and sweet vocals.
However, by 2016, Alexis had become somewhat disconnected with the path of the music and scene he was involved in. It took a long time to put together what was wrong, but what followed was a three year path to this point now of launching PHS.
A return to and playing vinyl at the end of 2016 was the first step to finding his love again and feeling good about the music. This was followed by a halt to gigs where the music expected from him was different from what he wanted to play and a feeling of disconnect from the crowd. Then came the gradual move away from constant social media output.
The final and most important part of this transition was going back to making music simply without any thought of where it can fit or who can play it, or what label it will go into. In essence this is a return to how Alexis started - making music solely from the feeling inside.
And so PHS returns to some of that more sexy, emotive house music that Alexis was originally known for, but with a fresh sound for the new decade.
Paella Hair Sex is set to be a representation of the music Alexis loves, both his own and other artists.
The first EP: PHS001 – Digital Music Nearly Killed Me kicks off with the main room groover ‘Respect & Belief’ . A jazz-infused bass line underpins chunky rolling beats, punctuated with vocal samples calling for unity and love and laden with floating classical pianos and warm pads. A definite party banger !
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The second A side track “Sex Appeal” references back to Alexis’ original signature House sound. An emotive and sexy track bound to get temperatures rising on the dance floor .
Flip to the B-side and find the after party brother of Respect & Belief - ‘Liberty’. A seminal minute long speech paves the way to the single breakdown moment of the track when lush Jupiter-8 chords make way for an epic moment as the beats drop back in. A unique piece of minimalistic House music for the after hours .
The bonus track, House of Chorge. ends the EP with a bang. An upbeat cheeky groove that stays in your head long after the turntable stops spinning. But who is Chorge.?
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A member of popular techno trio Agents of Time, Italian artist Fedele goes solo AF on his Turbo debut, No Mercy for Beginners. Against the backdrop of a nightmare international tour experience, Fedele channeled his negative feelings away from people and into creating darkly euromotional dancefloor catharsis. Try it sometime.
Sharp-eared lovers of listening may notice that lead track “Riot Revolte” purloins the loin jewels (the street-tough vocals) from Tiga’s 2004 classic, “Pleasure from the Bass.” DJ Hell noticed the shit out of this, introducing a mutant variation on the PFTB baseline into his lurid after-hours remix. Moreover, the entire EP recalls the legendary run of killer electro records that kicked off what many, many people refer to as Turbo’s Silver Age in the early-mid 2000s. This may be utterly meaningless, or it may herald the coming era of compressed cyclical time that will dictate dance music taste in the 2020s with the sort of mathematical precision rarely found outside pie chart software. Either way, you heard it here first.
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Sharif Laffrey is something of an unheralded hero of the underground Detroit scene. Active since the halcyon days of the early-90s Motor City rave movement, his sporadic releases are rarely less than superb. Sharif Laffrey has been playing records and making music for over 20 years. Born in Detroit, Michigan - he's worked on the line checking camshafts for Chryslers & as an operative for Underground Resistance (UR) at Submerge for Mike Banks, at the same time. Currently releasing music on his own label SPECIAL FORCES.
Championed by DJ Harvey, Carl Craig, Dixon, Andrew Weatherall, Ivan Smagghe, Seth Troxler, The Juan Maclean, Optimo, Trevor Jackson, Hunee, Manfredas, Solar, The Chemical Brothers…
"SOUNDS TO COME" - Is the 2nd release on Laffrey's own label SPECIAL FORCES
following its successful debut release "AND DANCE".
'Sounds To Come' is a long trip of low "techno" with a brute baseline and mesmeric vocals - when turning directly into The Golden Hour of a late night / morning is the thing to do.
"Rhyth-matic traditions that have become oblivious to our modus operandi.…
welcome to awesome…..the sound of sounds to come"
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Danish electro duo Krypton 81 delivers their debut EP on legendary Finnish X0X Records. AlphaZero EP introduces five tracks + a remix by Morphology. Musically you can describe these tracks as minimalistic, scientific & funky electro with great vocals/vocoders. There is also strong reference points to Dopplereffekt, Drexciya, Arpanet and others like, but still Krypton 81 manages to bring up something fresh instead of boring pastiches. Finnish duo Morphology is on a remix duty with track "A.I. Corporation". Their treatment of the original track turns it into bass heavy electro, or one might even describe it as breakbeat if you like.
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Big mental (in)spirally tribe from Keja on the A side... Peacefull deepness...
The flip opens with more nervous item called Les Fondamentaux, the force of the Kick adding driving Harfloor.
Then comes 2 experimentals interludes... Mental electronica deeply good !!
Last tune is back to normal with a very good dancefloor feeling and structure !
Excellent Opus !
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Rarely does a record so perfectly encapsulate the essence of Hawai‘i.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Hawai‘i’s live music scene was at its peak. Countless clubs, lounges, and bars filled the islands. Musicians embraced and experimented with all manner of ideas.
Among them were Steve Ma‘i‘i and Teresa Bright, a harmonizing guitar-and-bass duo that floated somewhere between nostalgia and an unassuming island sound. They could fill a concert hall or bring the family together at a backyard kanikapila with their music.
Both singers share backgrounds rooted in native Hawaiian culture; Steve once the bassist for musician/ activist George Helm, and Teresa the daughter of hula dancer Carol Bright and musician Daniel Bright. Together, they crafted a refreshing approach to jazz standards, traditional Hawaiian tunes, and hapa-haole classics.
Steve and Teresa enchanted every listener they encountered, including engineer Rick Keefer, who convinced the pair to record at his Sea-West Studios in nearby Hau‘ula.
2 mental progressives tunes on the A Side. The flip opens with a very psychedelic track, naturally sounding as if you were irie... The last track is a dub tune, quiet collector of a style ! A very active processus... Sonic illusion confirmed ! And then will come teh first Reggae track on mackitek ! With Malcom & Jerash, Dub Sensi style !
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'Control Voltage Project' is a long running project of Alper Maral & Mert Topel; Alper Maral is one of the most significant sound discoverers around Turkey through auditory and academical researches he has made about experimental electronic music.
Mert Topel is a versatile musician, one of the most important keyboardist for many artists in popular music in Turkey. He has released his first solo album “Serendipity” in 2017.
Control Voltage Project is named after the electric signals which are used for the interactions between various physical sound layers. Recordings of CVP -first album from the duo- was finished in 2005, and released in 2015 on “Müzik Hayvanı” as free download on web.
The album is making its roots through an endless sound pool that created by synthesizers, vocoders and tape recorders such as KORG MS 20, YAMAHA Motif 8, PROPHET 5 and TASCAM MS 16 which have characterized by different styles and times.
The duo’s 12 track album is a complete adventure from abstract
and fragile moments to groovy but spooky sounds.
Control Voltage Project is finally released on vinyl via Müstesna Records.
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The first release under Richard Wilson's Rognvald alias kickstarts the new WIFE series with four solid punches of breakfueled rave mania. The pitch black title track "R.O.G.N.V.A.L.D" serves as a fierce introduction to his fresh material with its epic scale combination of relentless drum work and meticulous arrangement. Up next is the hefty chunk of "Whistle Posse", all rude basslines and rave whistles finely tuned for maximum dancefloor damage.
"Lowcol Junglist" opens the B-side with it's masterfully slick drum control and enormous bass drops followed by the subterranean drum hypnosis of closer "Asbiorn". This is bass charged jungle warfare apparatus with a modern ruffneck flex from a man who knows how to murder the dance with precision.
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This album was recorded during Thollem's 2017 residency at Brooklyn-based multi-discipline mecca Pioneer Works. It's the second by Radical Empathy, which combines three uncategorizable improvisors. Michael Wimberly has been astonishing folks since his days in Charles Gayle bands and Steve Coleman & Five Elements in the early '90s, and has gone on become a composer and educator of note. Nels Cline has spent decades changing people's ideas about the role of the electric guitar in multiple contexts, ranging from Wilco to Anthony Braxton (think about that!) as well as many projects as a leader; this is his fourth album in trio with Thollem, and a fifth will follow next year, also on ESP. Some people have given ESP-Disk' flak (and "flak" was not the first word choice here) about putting out Thollem McDonas albums. "He's not in the jazz tradition," they say, and even though their idea of the jazz tradition includes Albert Ayler, we like to think that this album will make their little, closed minds explode.
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* "The Longest Sleep Through The Darkest Days" is the sophomore album from Plymouth shoegaze post-pop electronic project Winterlight. The project was originally a solo endeavor started by Tim Ingham back in the mid-oughts but now sees his daughter Isabel taking on bass guitar duties.
* This new album is the culmination of nearly seven years of on and off creative spurts, false starts, and second guesses reflecting the turmoil hinted at in the album's title. Yet those that follow Winterlight know Tim's been making music pretty much all along and releasing occasional demos via his Soundcloud.
* This lengthy process has yielded one resounding result: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. "The Longest Sleep Through The Darkest Days" has all the Winterlight earmarks: divine organs, thoughtfully constructed drums, the occasional electronic flourish and, Oh... Those immaculately soaring guitars! While Ingham considers Winterlight to be post-pop, and for the most part the duo still brings those melodies to the table in spades, there are some unique changes happening under the surface in the album's bookends that move way beyond simple ear candy. This shows The Inghams are starting to take risks while still staying true to the original vision for the project.
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Last delivered 4 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
'P&F Recordings' returns with it’s fourth release. This time they are coming at you straight outta NAPOLI, ITALY with a four track EP by MILORD (known to many as one half of the duo “The Normalmen” and one-third of “The Mystic Jungle Tribe”).
M • E • T • A / M • U • S • I • C is one part vintage library-music studio wizardry another part lowkey house. Imagine a slinky G-funk synth at a new-age retreat, a spacey kraut jam at an eighties video arcade - all at once familiar, yet unglued from any particular moment in time.
DJ SUPPORT: “Bro, I’m finding it hard to control the sunset with this damn Japanese remote,” said Crockett. “Can you lend me a hand?” Tubbs side-eyed with extreme shade and replied, “You’re such a k-hole, dude, that’s not a remote. It’s the car phone and you’ve been staring at it for an hour. Put that shit down and let’s hit the sauna.”
-Lovefingers (ESP Institute)
Meditative sunset sounds I could also use whilst taking an Epsom bath or a Hawaiian hike at dawn. Artwork also 10/10 another epic release from my fave new label.
-Danny McLewin (Psychemagik)
Thanks for the music - its right up me alley. I’m also already a fan of Mystic Jungle Tribe and Normalmen, so that is a formula I can definitely chemicalize with.
- Dreems (Multi-Culti)
Worked this album in the studio with Milord and I never got sick of listening to the tracks! "The kemetist" brings me in that fabolous druggy-place I would like to be at every weekend …
- Manny Whodamanny (Periodica - Naples IT)
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Last delivered 21 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
(M)or Mint was originally a digital release on a small and now defunct label. Being released under a different title its existence has been basically scrubbed from the internet. Caserta felt it was time to bring it back remixed and mastered as a physical release.
The Baby Maker Dub puts this mid 90’s soulful vocal front and center. With a sparse drum arrangement complimenting the smooth piano stylings of Yuki ‘U-Key’ Kanesaka, you have a make out inducing end of the night jam.
For those not ready to go home yet, Caserta added more drums, a lot of 909 and a whole lot more low end. Turning this smoothed out subdued affair into a certified dance floor stomper.
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Last delivered 5 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Swiss bass music maestro Bit-Tuner presents a widescreen ambient album about interactions and the traces they leave behind.
Bit-Tuner's 7th album "EXO" marks a milestone in his work: the widescreen and mostly beatless opus focusses on musical storytelling and atmospheric depth. The album was written and recorded towards the end of Bit-Tuner's 2-year stay in Athens.
Influenced by topics like the social and structural turmoils of the past years, the strong connections between communities and the sensation of being in an economic deadlock, Bit-Tuner wrote an album that urges to be listened to in a (self-)reflective way.
It is a call to listeners to listen closely, delve into the sounds surrounding them in any given moment and draw a quiet but firm inspiration from within. Following his field recording-based albums "The China Syndrome" and "The Japan Syndrome", "EXO" highlights his interest in cinematic music and soundtracks.
For the album, Bit-Tuner is collaborating with film maker Joerg Hurschler, who is creating animated footage that will be screened, mixed and live scored at Bit-Tuner's shows in 2020. Joerg Hurschler's work tells the story of molecular objects being propelled into a world similar to ours, where they operate, interact and affect their surroundings, creating and leaving behind something new and strange. What is it that surrounds us, and how do we approach and interact with forces that are beyond our (apparent) reach?
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Last delivered 6 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Led by some of Senegal's most famous singers, like Youssou N'Dour and Laba Sosseh, Star Band achieved the perfect gumbo of Cuban and Senegalese sounds. Changüí, Guajira, Salsa, and Son mingled with cosmic Mbalax guitars, Sabar rhythms, Afro-Latin horns, and Spanish vocals spiced with a Senegalese twang.
With just two microphones and a four-track Revox tape recorder, Ibrahim Kassé, Star Band's founder and owner of Le Miami nightclub, recorded their entire catalog in his venue. Each album contained one stand-out Afro-Cuban tune, often covers of Cuban classics or original compositions using the deep, layered sound that had evolved over centuries from the roundtrip journey across the Atlantic. Six of Star Band's most psychedelic Afro-Cuban tracks, an ode to their finest hour, are selected here.
Remastered in the original mono, and accompanied by 12-page booklet containing an essay on Cubanismo in Senegal, a rare interview with Star Band guitarist Yakhya Fall and vintage photos from his personal collection, this album is the soundtrack to a time when Cuban music was the future for 1970's Senegal and commemorates the anniversary when another way — the Cuban way — was possible.
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Last delivered 6 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Lyrical King is the debut 1987 album from one of rap’s pioneers and innovators who was said by some to be the first artist recorded by Def Jam Records. T La Rock recorded this album for Sleeping Bag Records as the labels first rap act and show cased him at the
height of his career. An old school legend, MC and dancer who was sampled by Public Enemy and Nas, heavily influential on artists such as LL Cool J and the Def Jam sound and would walk out on stage with Run –D.M.C . Highlights include ‘Back to Burn’ and ‘This Beat Kicks’ where T La Rock teamed up with visionary producer Kurtis Mantronik.
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Last delivered 6 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Presenting another fully legit, remastered and repackaged reissue from the WD vaults! Brand new style for 2020.
Londons "Warriors Dance" Label was a unique operation + pioneering London label during the late 80's acid house phenomena. Home to an assortment of DJs, MCs and soundmen, they went on to make their own original and indelible mark on the rave scene from the infamous 'Addis Ababa' studio on Harrow Road on the North-West side of the city.
A former reggae and soul studio that was instrumental to the output of influential artists like Soul II Soul and more, a steady diet of reggae, bass, hip-hop, house and techno kept their edgy, and diehard UK sound and style right at the cutting edge of the dance music underground across the globe with the top DJs and producers of the day celebrating the label. The studio, helmed by label owner Tony ‘Addis’, acted as an incubator for artists whose names would go down in the history books.
No Smoke was one of the main and best known outfits on this cult label. Their mammoth worldwide, cult club smash 'Koro Koro' is still in DJ bags across the galaxy today! 'Righteous Rule' is another tuffy from this crew, some heavyweight bassline madness for the dance.
All the elements of the WD sound are here, a perfect mix-up of Reggae vibes, jacking house and tribal badness rolled into one. A proper record, to be played on a proper system! This one's become a rare catch out in the wild, and is fetching some P's on the web among the collectors. Here's a nice 2020 repress for you, done the right way!
No Smoke 'Righteous Rule' is the pure unadulterated WD vibe, featuring original label artwork tweaked by Atelier Superplus and lovingly remastered by Curvepusher, UK. Special thanks to Nicky Trax & Tony Addis. Proudly distributed by Above Board distribution. 2020.
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Last delivered 5 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Our resident JESSAMINE is making the serve and releases his first artist EP on our in-house label.
With its rough bassline and arpeggio, the title track flutes clearly focuses on the dance floor, moreover, it is not too fine for an emotional break either. dérive-the second track on the A-side-is a much more twisted, darker and trippier one, more suitable for the later hours on the lobby and similar intimate dancefloors.
As long-time friends of the club, MAP.ACHE and KASSEM MOSSE contributed fantastic remixes. While KASSEM MOSSES's stille floeten remix comes along a little more stoic and therefore all the more hypnotic, MAP.ACHE's interpretation of flutes is uplifting and a catchy tune as described in the books.
Agenda 2020 ://about blank-style.
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Last delivered 13 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
'All Human - No Conditions" is the first solo EP by the French producer Itako. The opener "The Country That Does Not Exist" is a slow burning and bass-driven tune in which hypnotic synth and acid lines merge with North African vocal pieces. Thereafter, Itako shows with "Freehands Desire" his darker side. A mid-tempo composition with massive drum patterns and forward-moving melodies. On the flip side, "Groove That Dust" is screwing the tempo back down. Six minutes based on a 90s Hip-Hop sample with an irresistible groove where we assume no one can stand still. The release is rounded off with a remix by MR TC. The Glasgow based musician stretched "The Country That Does Not Exist" into a tribal workout with breaks in which he lets the machines speak for themselves.
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Last delivered 3 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
HRDvsion – Stroke implies different things. Different strokes for different folks. Not to spoil, but there is a Luke vs. Darth dynamic here. So let’s just keep it at that. Bring it on Death Star!
Joannes – Ow_kay, Joannes got that Wagwan thang going on. Rolling thunder under the hood, sprinkled with some breaks and reverbed. Yeah, it’s that hands in the air moment. Package includes a big phat breakdown.
Orson Wells – If War of the Worlds had a contemporaneous soundtrack, this would be on it. Electro-breaks, tunnel vision, planets colliding. Do not fear us, we come in peace.
Rydim (Part of ItaloJohnson Trio) – This got that nasty boompty. Think of Derrick Carter remixing Gemini remixing Derrick May. Can I have a bump, to straighten things out? Mit ein kleines bisschen acid?
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Last delivered 6 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
"Mr Bongo" is proud to present three unique reworks of Kit Sebastian.
Each of the producers featured in this package created their own
interpretation of the 'lo-fi-hi-fi’ originals and have taken the duo’s
sound into bold new directions. When it came to choosing who should remix Kit Sebastian, Natureboy Flako (Flako/Dario Rojo Guerra) was a producer at the top of our list.
Keeping true to the original, whilst leaving his own stamp on the
track, his mix adds break-beat drums and middle-Eastern guitar riffs
that transform the track into a more cinematic piece. It sounds to us
like the music from an exotica dive-bar scene in a David Lynch film -
which of course, is a very good thing.
Producer and DJ Baris K, who was behind the awesome 'İstanbul 70'
series (re-edits of classic Turkish gems), takes ‘Durma’ in a very
different direction. Totally reconstructing the track, his remix has
flipped the original and totally run wild.
The results are an epic left-field electronic workout. By bringing the spoken-word vocals to the forefront and giving the track a darker industrial vibe, it wouldn't sound out of place bouncing around the walls of a Berlin basement club at 5am on a Sunday morning.
The paring of Kit Sebastian and Halal Cool J grew after DJing together
at the alternative Great Escape party at the Mr Bongo HQ in May 2019.
They share a love for dusty old psychedelic Turkish records. Halal Cool J (aka Aly Jamal/Don Leisure) has released records on First World and is a co-member of Darkhouse Family with Earl Jeffers.
For his interpretation he has delivered a mix-tape-collage with a hip-hop aesthetic, and rather than focusing on remixing a specific song, he has cut and paste his favourite elements of tracks taken off the band’s 'Mantra Moderne’ album. Available in 2 limited-edition, hand-numbered sleeve designs.
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Last delivered 6 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Banging acidcore for the start with ITO, a 160 BPM dancefloor destroyer.... The second tune from 3Sans3 and L1Sekt tribe-drive mental and clear 170 BPM. Second side strats with a Kebrat 173 BPM kick and a long mental break... Records finishes with Radikal 715 at 162 BPM, dark and mental tune. Well done !
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Last delivered 6 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
"Marble Grounds" is the first release on new Seattle vinyl imprint Rhizome (US). Local live duo JamRat provides the two original tracks "Marble Grounds" and "Neurocare Locale" each accompanied by a remix from Glueped, consisting of Cristi Tudorache aka Melodie and Mihai Mihalcea (Teluric).
"Marble Grounds" on Side A drifts through singing synths and steady percussion, the melody gently arising and humming to the listener before evaporating as the breakdown arrives.
Glueped's first remix of the EP is a cosmically-charged reinterpretation of "Marble Grounds", a dreamlike rhythm providing a quicker pace into lofty synths and a guiding drum.
"Neurocare Locale" is a harmonious hymn fizzing with auspicious vocals joined by a playful synth, provoking ephemeral reflections deep within.
A deep kick and baseline actualize together and announce a dancefloor-ready dive, uncovering a starry remix of "Neurocare Locale", concluding Side B.
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Last delivered 4 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Die Cut Sleeve with download. It’s a strange betweenworld, bookended by sleep and the jolt of being wide awake in a place where you wonder how you got there. You know the feeling… It seems familiar but the colours are, well, unreal. In a high-ceilinged room, a grand piano plays lush melodies as, meanwhile, somewhere, an Alice In Wonderland clock ticks, cellos are bowed, a swarm of something vibrates and the hallucinatory crowd around Rosemary’s Baby babble. An echoey electronic hum builds and falls like a 50s refrigerator passed through and effects board, things run backwards, staccato strings are plucked… and that’s not the half of it. “I’ve never been happy staying in one particular school of musical thought. The fun has been turning things on their heads, to try something you were not supposed to do.” We’re on an immersive and adventurous travelogue with the former member of the legendary Tangerine Dream, Paul Haslinger - this is a man who knows how to build tension, hold moods, illustrate contempt, lies, passion and pleasure; He can create fear, loathing and love - he’s been unlocking the nuances of such emotions in a hugely successful career as a TV and film soundtrack composer (Halt And Catch Fire, Underworld and the Golden Globe-nominated Sleeper Cell). ‘Exit Ghost’ is his long thought out opus, a moment caught in time, flicking through reference points, taking an ethereal excursion that permeates musical genres as it becomes awash with intricate sounds and cross-pollinating rhythms. Built originally from the warmth of his grand piano ‘Exit Ghost’ resonates with purity and power, from an eerie and evocative betweenworld, that’s at once expansive and rolling, then intoxicating and suffocating in equal measures; modern composition at its most uplifting; cerebral, celebratory, intense and beautiful. “The soul searching in connection with this record was extensive. Finding places of resonance, giving a colour to your memories. It was more challenging because it’s not somebody else’s narrative. Finding the core of your own story can be the most difficult task of all.” Created over the span of eight years and filled with literal and personal references, the album itself is a testament to the search - a quest filled with hints, particles and suggestions.
Samuel Rohrer CONTINUAL DECENTERING With his Arjunamusic label and a growing catalog of categorydefying releases, Samuel Rohrer continues to quietly, yet confidently, make a name for himself as a genuinely unique Gigure within the European electronic music realm. In the current era, talk of blurring boundaries between musical genres and attitudes is more the rule than the exception, but not always something done with any degree of success. Rohrer is one of those rare alchemical explorers to have truly created a hybrid which is all his own, one that does not just exist to melt distinctions for its own sake, but is a natural result of years of experimentation with both the determination of electronic music and the ludic spirit of ‘free improvisation.’ On his newest offering, Continual Decentering, this vision is applied to a set of mostly in real time (live) performed explorations. In keeping with his many years’ worth of fruitful collaborations, the tonal palette on this new record is one that is expectedly rich for those familiar with his work, yet still surprising in terms of how exactly the differing tonal colors come together. Representative tracks like Spondee and The Fringe are brimming with dub pulses, noir shivers and blooming timbral variations that are in many places carefully isolated / focused and in other places blended together in vivid fusions. In terms of the emotional atmosphere created here, the pensive and questioning tone hearkens back to the ‘wide open’ state of electronic music in the mid-late 1990s, yet with a greater clarity and maturity of vision that makes this music feel like a possible answer to aesthetic questions being raised at that time. As with Rohrer’s most recent solo work, like the Range of Regularity LP, Continual Decentering showcases the artist’s skill in turning the drum kit into a lead instrument. While the term “lead instrument” denotes a kind of exuberant “Glash,” or a clear separation from the rest of the voices in an ensemble, we can take the term to mean something different throughout this listening program of 13 short vignettes: that is to say, everything else within the audible environment exists to complement the character of the percussive playing rather than to stand apart from it. It helps that Rohrer has, in fact, developed a unique and complex hybrid system in which drum hits trigger modular synthesizer processes, the use of which makes for an incredibly fluid response time between distinct sonic events. In contrast to the previous Range... LP, this new offering is propelled less by interlacing threads of intensity and more by a shared sense of deep listening. As displayed on pieces like All Too Human, there is a profound sense of attention to silences or thoughtful pauses that maybe hints at another crucial aspect of Rohrer’s style: over the course of this program, we tend to hear the player not only playing but listening, an activity which makes perfect sense given the sense of instrumental dialogue already mentioned. All of the above come together to give Continual Decentering a “live”-ness that will easily translate from recorded document to dynamic performance.
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Last delivered 6 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability