Limited Edition Vinyl LP – 1971 album cover, thick tip-on sleeve, 700 copies only
Finally putting an end to a long wait for library music lovers, Four Flies Records is proud to present the first reissue of Piero Umiliani's Paesaggi – a record that, despite remaining for many years pretty obscure compared to other titles in the maestro's discography, is now regarded by collectors and experts as the gold standard in Italian library music.
Originally released in two versions with different sleeves, the first on Liuto Records in 1971 and the second on Ciak Record in 1980, the album features tracks composed by the maestro himself (under his alias Zalla) and performed by the legendary super-group of Italian session players I Marc 4, this time with Angelo Baroncini instead of Carlo Pes on guitars (which probably explains the name being spelled with a 'k' instead of a 'c' on the album cover).
The Italian word paesaggi means "landscapes", and that is exactly what the music in the album has been designed to evoke – a journey of moods and emotions, through exotic and pastoral scenery, with loungey sounds that caress your ears like the song of an enchanted nightingale. Mysterious yet captivating soundscapes transport you to a faraway and peaceful place, possibly somewhere in rural Asia. While listening to the record, you'll feel as if you are sitting under a pavilion, right in the middle of a tea plantation, enjoying a freshly brewed green tea and watching the calm sunset.
In addition, Paesaggi is paradigmatic of Italian library music and its genre-defying nature. By using a multitude of instruments, such as flute, vibraphone, harpsichord, sitar, gong and others, it brings together a variety of arrangements, styles, and genres spanning from bossa nova to jazz, easy listening to psychedelic, Latin, exotica, and many more.
Under Umiliani's brilliant direction, the pianos and keyboard instruments of Antonello Vannucchi, the guitars of Angelo Baroncini, the bass of Maurizio Majorana, and the drums of Roberto Podio dance together and – enriched by other instruments played by top session musicians like Bruno Battisti D'Amario (sitar), Franco De Gemini (harmonica), or Franco Chiari (vibraphone) – create the sound that makes Paesaggi so unique.
With the honour of reissuing this masterpiece so many decades since its release comes a responsibility to do full justice to one of the greatest Italian composers of the 20th century and his now celebrated legacy. Four Flies have done their best to put out a record that replicates as closely as possible the value of the original as a cultural artefact, providing Italian library connoisseurs and novices alike with an exquisite sonic, and tactile, experience.
Suche:under cover lover
- A1: Lamparilla
- A2: Suplica
- A3: Tormentos
- A4: Lindos Ojos
- A5: Quimera
- A6: Corazon Que No Olvida
- B1: Las Tres Marias
- B2: Dicha
- B3: Mi Panecillo Querido
- B4: Sombras
- B5: Amor De Mi Linda Guambra
- C1: Vestida De Azul
- C2: Amor En Tus Ojos
- C3: Arbol Frondoso
- C4: Carnaval De Guaranda
- C5: Plegaria
- D1: Tus Ojeras
- D2: Limosna
- D3: Invocacion Sentimental
- D4: Nocturno
- D5: Desesperacion
- D6: Imploracion Indigena
Gonzalo Benitez and Luis Alberto Valencia were kingpins of the musica nacional movement in Ecuador. Check them out on the cover, on a rooftop in Quito’s Old Town, surveying their dominion. In 1970, when Valencia collapsed onstage during a performance of the yaravi Desesperacion — ‘My heart is already in ashes’ — and died four days later, aged 52, his coffin was carried through those city streets on the shoulders of his fans.
They began singing as a duo in their mid-teens. During twenty-eight years together they recorded more than six hundred songs, for Discos Ecuador, Nacional, Granja, Ortiz, Rondador, Onix, Fuente, Real, Tropical, Fadisa, RCA Victor — and of course CAIFE.
Their exquisitely romantic harmonising is a sublime blend of collected forbearance and abject self-annihilation, underpinned and elaborated by the heart-piercing, improvisatory guitar-playing of Bolivar Ortiz. Effectively the third member of the group. ‘El Pollo’ sets the tone and intensity for everything that follows: listen to his soloing at the start of our opener, Lamparilla.
Musically a pasillo — a cross between a Viennese waltz and the indigenous yaravi rhythm — Lamparilla draws its verses from a poem by Luz Martinez from Riobamba, written in 1918 when she was 15, under the influence of Baudelaire and Mallarme. Another pasillo here, Sombras is one of the best-loved songs in the musica nacional canon, setting lines about undercover sex and loss by the Mexican poet Maria Pren, which were considered pornographic on publication in 1911.
And Benitez & Valencia looked back still further, to the indigenous roots of Ecuadorian music, as the key to its future. Carnaval de Guaranda is their take on a song dating back to the era of the Mitimaes, a broad group of Bolivian tribes conquered by the Incas and displaced to Ecuador. ‘Impossible love of mine / I love you for being impossible / Who loves what is impossible / Is the truest lover.’
Lovingly presented in a gatefold sleeve with spot-gloss, and printed inners, with stunning photos and expert notes. Excellent sound, drawn from original tapes, by way of Abbey Road, D&M and Pallas.
Rare recordings featuring Carla J Easton & friends with guests Duglas T
Stewart (BMX Bandits) and Eugene Kelly (Vaselines) - This album was
shelved and never saw the light of day but now, for the frst time ever,
these recordings are re-mastered and presented to you on vinyl.In 2011,
Carla J Easton fnished her MFA at Glasgow School of Art armed with a
batch of newly written songs and wanted to start a band - Calling on longtime collaborator Sita Pieraccini and childhood friend Debs Smith, fat
rehearsals ensued and a frst gig was booked at The Arches in Glasgow
Aptly, the night the would debut as TeenCanteen was called The Love Club. Not
long after, Emma Kullander would join the ranks and the 4 headlined Henry's
Cellar Bar in Edinburgh. Through word of mouth, the place was packed. With only
5 songs to their name, a tentative version of All The Lovers by Kylie Minogue was
thrown in as a last minute encore before the band delved into replaying their song
Friends.Studio time was booked at the fedgling 45 A Side in Glasgow resulting in
the recording of How We Met (Cherry Pie), You're So Analog, Under My Cover and
Friends.Calling on mentors from the Glasgow music scene – Duglas T. Stewart
(BMX Bandits) and Eugene Kelly (The Vaselines) turned up to be part of this
session. Duglas, joining TeenCanteen on a heart rendering duet for the song
Under My Cover, and Eugene, providing a blistering electric guitar solo on You're
So Analog.Hearing themselves on record for the frst time, and with Easton's
repertoire for songs growing more, they quickly returned to the studio for another
weekend.Recording the songs Atlas, Fireworks (which would go on to be covered
by BMX Bandits on their album BMX Bandits in Space), It could Be Beautiful and
One More Night, TeenCanteen were ready to release into the world with an
album's world of recorded material.
This is the sound of four friends making music together, learning as they go. At
its core are the luscious three- part harmonies TeenCanteen would go on to
develop further and be known for.
It's not perfect. It's not polished. It's the sound of something new.
It was the precursor to the glorious full pop sound the band would introduce to
the world when their debut album Say It All With A Kiss was released on Last
Night From Glasgow.This is how it starts.
White Light, White Heat, White Trash is the fifth album by American punk rock band Social Distortion, which was originally released in 1996. The album is produced by Michael Beinhorn.
This album received the highest chart position, entering the Billboard
200 Album Chart at #27. In the first week of its release, it sold over
30.000 copies. It includes the hits “I Was Wrong”, “Don’t Drag Me Down” and a praised cover version of the Stones’ “Under My Thumb”. Stylistically, the album is considered a return to their hardcore punk roots. Social Distortion is one of the best-selling punk rock bands and continue to receive worldwide respect and support.
White Light, White Heat, White Trash is available as a 25th Anniversary Limited Edition of 4000 individually numbered copies on silver & black marbled vinyl.
• The first book of its kind to give music artists practical step-by-step comprehensive instructions for setting up and running an independent music label.
• Features a detailed breakdown of how each part of the industry works, including copyright in the UK and US, record label set-up, record releases, and royalty collection.
• Provides in-depth guides on marketing, covering; traditional PR, Facebook and Instagram advertising, Spotify playlisting, and fan growth.
• Includes templates for record label and management contracts, marketing and promotion schedules, press releases, and fan email automation.
Whether you want to start a record label, self-release your own music, or are just an avid music lover, this book will give you information about the business of music. The Label Machine: How to Start, Run and Grow Your Own Independent Music Label is the first book to give music artists practical step-by-step comprehensive instructions for setting up and running an independent music label to successfully distribute and market their music.
You will learn all about the music industry business and how to navigate the tricky dos and don'ts. You will finally understand and take control of your music copyright and get to grips with the legalities involved. You will build your music business effortlessly, learning how to professionally market your music and artists - allowing you to reach thousands of fans. And essentially, you will learn how to create multiple label revenue streams to create an established record label.
It features a detailed breakdown of how every part of the industry works together, including copyright in the UK and US, record label set-up, record releases, and royalty collection. It also provides in-depth guides on marketing, covering; traditional PR, Facebook and Instagram advertising, Spotify playlisting, and fan growth. Includes templates for record label and management contracts, marketing and promotion schedules, press releases, and fan email automation.
"This is a great resource, and it has a lot of information that is compiled into one place that's easy to find" Roy Lindsey (Dapr Music)
"It gave me a lot more direction and I knew what to focus on. Everything is so easily mapped out" Dave Strickland (Sensible Recordings)
On 22nd June, 1971, Joni Mitchell released Blue, concluding her prolific four album run for Reprise Records with an album considered by many to be one of the greatest of all time. Its stirring, confessional songs have been celebrated by music lovers and critics alike for decades while inspiring a wide variety of artists as diverse as Prince and Taylor Swift. Even today, its stature as a masterpiece continues to grow. Just last year, the album was named #3 on Rolling Stone’s list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.”
To celebrate the album’s 50th anniversary, Rhino is releasing THE REPRISE ALBUMS (1968-1971), the next installment of the Joni Mitchell Archives series, featuring newly remastered versions of Blue (1971) and the three albums that came before it: Song To A Seagull (1968), Clouds (1969), and Ladies Of The Canyon (1970). In the case of Song To A Seagull, the original mix has been recently updated by Mitchell and mixer Matt Lee. “The original mix was atrocious,” says Mitchell. “It sounded like it was recorded under a jello bowl, so I fixed it!”
THE REPRISE ALBUMS (1968-1971) will be available on 25th June in a 4-LP 180-gram vinyl boxset (Limited Edition Of 10,000).
The cover art for THE REPRISE ALBUMS (1968-1971) features a previously unseen self-portrait Mitchell sketched during the time period. The collection also includes an essay by Grammy winning singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile, another artist who’s been influenced greatly by Mitchell. She writes: “In my opinion Blue is the greatest album ever made. Blue didn’t make me a better songwriter. Blue made me a better woman… No matter what we are dealing with in these times we can rejoice and know that of all the ages we could have lived through, we lived in the time of Joni Mitchell.”
- A1: Kid Frost - La Raza
- A2: Bahamadia - Rugged Ruff
- A3: Pete Rock Feat. Slum Village - Da Villa
- A4: De La Soul - Shopping Bags (She Got From You)
- A5: Super-Wolf - Super-Wolf Can Do It
- A6: Funky 4+1 - That's The Joint (Remix)
- B1: Dj Jazzy Jeff Feat. Baby Blak & Pauly Yamz - For Da Love Of Da Game
- B2: Pete Rock Feat. Rza & Gza - Head Rush
- B3: Dilated Peoples - Clockwork
- B4: Bubba Sparxxx - Ugly
- B5: Masters At Work Feat. Screechie Dan - Give It To Me
- B6: King Tim Iii - Charley Says! (Roller Boogie Baby)
The always affordable Wanted series returns this week with another set of beautifully presented, expertly selected comps covering a variety of genres. Here we have a set of overlooked and under the radar Hip Hop heaters including the lyricism and flow of De La Soul, Bubba Sparxxx and RZA & GZA from Wu Tang Clan and the production talents of Pete Rock, Jazzy Jeff and Timberland. Beats to make your head nod til your neck snaps.
Long sought after by collectors, DJs and lovers of hard salsa and boogaloo alike, 'Yo Traigo Boogaloo' is now lovingly reissued in replica form with the original cover art, remastered from the studio tapes, reproducing that magical MAG studio sound for today's aficionados to enjoy like it was 1969 all over again. Alfredo Linares is a globetrotting pianist, composer, bandleader and producer from Peru with a long, prolific career in latin music. His long sought after by DJs and collectors of hard salsa and boogaloo alike, 'Yo Traigo Boogaloo' is now lovingly reissued in replica form with the original cover art, remastered from the studio tapes, reproducing that magical MAG studio sound for today's aficionados to enjoy like it was 1969 all over again. Details: Alfredito "Sabor" Linares is a globetrotting pianist, composer, bandleader and producer from Lima, Peru with a long, prolific career in hot Latin music spanning more than half a century. Though Linares has come to recent international fame through his work with William "Quantic" Holland, he was already quite popular and famous in his adopted countries of Colombia and Venezuela in the 1970s and 80s during the salsa boom. However, his career began in Lima, backing timbalero Ñico Estrada at age 17 in 1961, and Alfredito's first notable recording as a sideman was a few years later on the now legendary 'El Combo de Pepe' album for IEMPSA/Odeon. Subsequently Linares would advance his career by recording two fabulous records under his own capable leadership as Alfredo Linares Y Su Sonora at the end of the decade for the MAG label. These releases capitalized on recent developments in New York Latin music, namely Latin jazz, boogaloo, descarga (jam session) and what would later be marketed as "salsa" with roots in the Cuban guaguancó and guaracha genres. One can hear direct inspiration coming from Joe Cuba, Ricardo Ray, and Eddie Palmieri, especially on the first album, 'El Pito', and yet by the second record, there are plenty of original tunes as well. More importantly there is a 'swing' and assertiveness to the playing (and arrangements) that prove every bit as authentic, tough and danceable as their New York inspirations. As Linares himself recounts, "In that era, we fought against a generation that was half-blind, because the people who understood what we were doing were few. We had to fight hard for our space in Perú, that's where the swing comes from." That special 'swing' also emanated from Linares' ace backing band, which happened to be a talented stable of MAG studio musicians who all understood Cuban and jazz music: percussionists Mario Allison and Coco Lagos, bassist Joey di Roma, Kiko Fuentes and Carlos Muñoz on lead vocals and Melcochita on coro (vocal chorus). According to Linares, the studio band was "open-ended, some musicians came some days, others on other days_Nilo Espinoza on saxophone, Betico Salas and Tito Chicoma on trumpets. Otto de Rojas played piano, and so did Charlie Palomares, who played vibraphone. Another good musician was guitarist Carlos Hayre." Though the recordings were cut "live in the studio" and many were basically composed on the spot, the intrinsic strength and maturity of the performances on 'Yo Traigo Boogaloo' stand the test of time as one of Peru's most important contributions to tropical music across the decades, establishing Alfredito Linares as a master of the idiom and serving as a harbinger for great things to come for him in Colombia and Venezuela. Long sought after by collectors, DJs and lovers of hard salsa and boogaloo alike, 'Yo Traigo Boogaloo' is now lovingly reissued in replica form with the original cover art, remastered from the studio tapes, reproducing that magical MAG studio sound for today's aficionados to enjoy like it was 1969 all over again. Pablo E Yglesias DJ Bongohead of Peace & Rhythm
More glorious heat from the vaults of NYC's Disco powerhouse - P&P Records!
One of many labels operating under the equally legendary tutelage of Patrick Adams and Peter Brown, two truly colossal figures in NYC's music scene, the P&P records catalogue is still fascinating underground dance music lovers to this day. Covering a wide range of styles including Gospel, early Rap and Disco the label's output continually finds its way into the playlists of respected DJ's and selectors across the globe. This latest repress from the vaults is a real biggie - a true NYC underground disco CLASSIC!
Cloud One was one of Adams' numerous studio outfits, featuring a ridiculously healthy dose of the man's virtuoso keyboard and synth playing. This was a progressive Disco sound, the pairing of extremely danceable funk and R&B with some spaced out over-dubbed analogue synthesizers and keys made for a heady concoction indeed, especially in 1976 when this cut was released. This was one of many Cloud One trademarks and one of the things that make these records still sound so way out today! 'Atmosphere Strut' could not be a better title for this immense slice of true NYC space Disco - it's got it all - the driving rhythms of the Cloud One band, the killer vibes, celestial vocals and Adams' totally wigged out synthesizer workouts. On top of all this goodness, the main man Kon, Boston's editor supreme and self confessed DIsco fiend and digger, has dropped a stellar and respectful edit of Atmosphere Strut' for all your disc jockeys out there, featured here across the length of the B-side thus making this an essential repress of this legendary 12". If you don't know this jam, and you're a Disco head - you're in for a treat! You're gonna fly......!
This is a 100% legit reissue, made in conjunction with Above Board distribution and the Phase One Music group, lovingly remastered with love by Optimum Mastering, Bristol UK.
Havazelet's story is both fascinating and mysterious. She was born in Aden, Yemen, in 1936 as Havazelet Damari, she immigrated to Israel when she was 8 years old and grew up in the disadvantaged Ezra neighborhood, in south Tel Aviv. Havazelet discovered her love for singing when she was a teen, when she would sing at feasts and family events. At one of these events she was discovered by an impresario who decided to take her under his wing.
He asked her to change her family name from Damari to Ron, as there was already a young singer called Shoshana Damari in Israel, who was becoming quite popular. In March 1960 Havazelet Ron's only Israeli album, "The Music of the Desert" was released, produced by the "Makolit" label, featuring Yemenite folk songs. Both songs on this 7" are from that album. The identity of the promoter, the album's recording date and location, and the identity of the musicians, could not be found.The album was ahead of it's time in that it introduced an innovative sound, comprised of drums, electric guitar and an organ, making it one of the first albums in Israel to record this type of composition.
... However, it confused the Israeli audience of the time: The vocals were in Yemeni-Arabic, preventing it from being played on the radio, which mainly played Hebrew music, moreover, it was too innovative and far from traditional music for the Yemenite scene. The album fell between the cracks and her big breakthrough to mainstream did not happen.
Following the album's failure, Havazelet left Israel in 1963 and went to Germany, where she performed in festivals, TV shows and recorded several more albums. All of this was made possible by her unique singing talent in five languages - Hebrew, Yemeni-Arabic, German, English and Yiddish, her impressive appearance and remarkable stage charisma. The European audience enjoyed the original music she produced and her Yemenite-style cover versions of Hebrew songs.
In 1968 Havazelet married and a year later retired from the music scene. In 1980 she returned to Israel but she left again four years later, this time to Los Angeles, where she worked as a kindergarten teacher. Havazelet Ron passed away in Los Angeles, in 2013, after a long battle with cancer. In Israel, her name is almost unknown among music lovers in general and among record collectors in particular.
Harlem's legendary Disco label Queen Constance has long been a cult favourite among fans of underground dance music for decades.
One of many labels operating under the equally legendary P&P family of imprints Queen Constance was operated by one Peter Brown, a truly colossal figure in NYC's music scene, its catalogue still fascinates music lovers to this day. Covering a wide range of styles including Gospel, early Rap and Disco the label's output continually finds it way into the playlists of respected DJ's and selectors across the globe. This latest repress from the vaults is a real biggie - a true NYC underground disco CLASSIC!
High Voltage is one of the more familiar names in the P&P / Queen Constance galaxy. Led by Peter Brown and Patrick Adams right hand man and producer Michael Campbell who presided over some of the biggest and best sides the labels put out. This one is a must, essential, do not sleep business. 11.00 minutes of Disco fury! One is forgiven in thinking that this would've been huge had it have come out on one of the 'bigger' Disco labels, but that hasn't stopped 'Rock, spank, freak' becoming a true blue club anthem. Appearing in the playlists of DJ's and selectors as diverse as Larry Levan, Danny Krivit and Daniele Baldelli. Rough n'ready, unpolished but musically explosive the sounds contained on this here 12" are indeed High Voltage! As with a lot of these jams, this one's been badly bootlegged, so ignore those wack counterfeits that are out there and bag you a fully licensed reissue of this absolute bomb. Dope.
This is a 100% legit reissue, made in conjunction with Above Board distribution and the Demon Music group, lovingly remastered with love by Optimum Mastering, Bristol UK.
Same track on both sides
Harlem's legendary Disco label Queen Constance has long been a cult favourite among fans of underground dance music for decades.
One of many labels operating under the equally legendary P&P family of imprints Queen Constance was operated by one Peter Brown, a truly colossal figure in NYC's music scene, it's catalogue still fascinates music lovers to this day. Covering a wide range of styles including Gospel, early Rap and Disco the label's output continually finds it way into the playlists of respected DJ's and selectors across the globe. Wayne Forde's super heavyweight 'Dance To The Music Freakout' is the second reissue from the label for 2018!
Yet again, not much is known about Wayne Forde, or his band 'Stereo'. Could it be another Peter and Patrick studio project Another selection of local, neighbourhood players and singers Who knows What we do know, however, is that this record is a TOTAL disco bomb. All of what you want from a Queen Constance record is here, it's dripping in funk, raw and soulful. Essential stuff for anyone with even a passing interest in disco or anything funky. These jams are super long, percussive dance-floor melters that will do damage! Super rare, too. You won't find one of these nestled in the racks in your local chazzer, which is exactly why these (legit) represses should be in your cart. Essential.
This is a 100% legit reissue, made in conjunction with Above Board distribution and the Demon Music group, lovingly remastered with love by Optimum Mastering, Bristol UK.
- A1: The High Life - Marion Ryan
- A2: Vamos - A - Baila - Chico Arnez
- A3: Jonny One Note - Ted Heath
- A4: Wimoweh - Eve Boswell
- A5: House Of Bamboo - Neville Taylor
- A6: Baia - Tony Scott
- A7: Jump In The Line - Frank Holder
- A8: Mambo For Latin Lovers - Ido Martin
- B1: Fanagalo - Frank Chacksfield Ft Frank Holder
- B2: Taboo - Charles Blackwell
- B3: Voom-Va- Voom - Eve Boswell
- B4: Crazy Latin - Don Carlos
- B5: Vaba -Ba - Boom - Edmundo Ros
- B6: Boliviana - Victor Silvester
- B7: Don's Mambo - Don Carlos
- B8: The High Life - Basil And Ivor Kirchin Ft Toni Sharpe
Volume five of the killer Britxotica! series, looking this time at 16 super rare and briliantly bonkers latin and percussive pop cues from the wild British Isles!
HISTORY:
Britxotica! (pronounced 'Britzotica') neatly describes an odd and yet undocumented pre-Beatles British musical scene where famed UK composers as well as unknown singers and bandleaders threw convention on holiday and went wild wild wild! Put together by Jonny Trunk with DJ / tastemaker and Smashing nighclub legend Martin Green, these groundbreaking new compilations shine new light on lost and forgotten corners of British culture and sound.
For this, Part Five of our planned Britxotica! series we head to lively latin tinged dancefloors where Brits could cha cha cha to the KIrchin band, 'Jump In The Line' with Frank Holder and Mambo with Ido or Don. This killer collection of British dance obscurities brings us lively sounds from the rarest UK record bins, including this time an amazing cover version of the legendary loungecore hit 'House Of Bamboo' plus the stunning 'Jonny One Note' by Ted Heath, the track that originally introduced John Craven's Newsround. To sum up, this is another exciting, wild and occasionally bonkers compilation by Jonny Trunk and Martin Green, two of the UKs most wild record collectors. Also, there are men in underpants on the sleeve, What's not to like
Harlem's legendary Disco label Queen Constance has long been a cult favourite among fans of underground dance music for decades.
One of many labels operating under the equally legendary P&P family of imprints Land Of Hits was operated by one Peter Brown, a truly colossal figure in NYC's music scene, it's catalogue still fascinates music lovers to this day. Covering a wide range of styles including Gospel, early Rap and Disco the label's output continually finds it way into the playlists of respected DJ's and selectors across the globe. Mistafide's colossal old-school rap behemoth 'Equidity Funk' has long been a record that makes the serious collectors salivate and is now here in full 12" form repress, too legit to quit.
Not much is known about the crew behind 'Mistafide', their government names are listed online but this is the only record they put out using this name. Suffice to say, this has no impact on the fury and style with which the MC's deliver their raps, backed with the studio nous of impresario Peter Brown. Across 12 minutes 'Equdity Funk' is a slamming Disco-rap monster, interpolating elements of the evergreen B-boy jam 'Theme From SWAT' it sounds like everyone just got into the studio and went for it. In the style of the times this is the real hip-hop flavour, a live band, some MC's and some death defying bars being dropped, proper old school. A truly rare recording, 'Equidity Funk' has been one of those records fans of the Disco-rap era have been fiending for for decades - often commanding prices over the $1000 mark you can now grab this slice of essential NYC street Funk.
This is a 100% legit reissue, made in conjunction with Above Board distribution and the Demon Music group, remastered with love by Optimum Mastering, Bristol UK.
Harlem's legendary Disco label Queen Constance has long been a cult favourite among fans of underground dance music for decades.
One of many labels operating under the equally legendary P&P family of imprints Queen Constance was operated by one Peter Brown, a truly colossal figure in NYC's music scene, it's catalogue still fascinates music lovers to this day. Covering a wide range of styles including Gospel, early Rap and Disco the label's output continually finds it way into the playlists of respected DJ's and selectors across the globe. High Fidelity will be the first in a series of Queen Constance rarities to be reissued, an extremely rare and coveted record that can change hands on the second hand market for big big money, avoid those low rent bootlegs that are out there and cop this fully licensed repress.
The group's self-titled sole long-player is a fantastic 6 track set of gritty, soulful and uplifting funky Disco with a DIY edge. Not too much is known about the artists themselves, or even when the record was performed, recorded or released but it certainly sounds like a group who knew their craft inside out. The energy is high across the record and the group sound like they're on fire, just check the outrageously funkified 'Magic Carpet' and you'll see what we mean. Amazing. The whole project has that enchanting lo-fi, back-street feel to it in terms of production and the mind boggles as to how such a record would have come off had it been recorded at a Motown or any other 'big' studio, but no matter as this release is perfect the way it is, an essential piece of street-level NYC Disco straight from the underground.
This is a 100% legit reissue, made in conjunction with Above Board distribution and the Demon Music group, lovingly remastered with love by Optimum Mastering, Bristol UK.
Two northern soul dance floor destroyers that rocked the dance halls of the 1970's. Roscoe & Friends powerhouse instrumental Broadway Sissy' has been a perennial favourite for the last 40 plus years and can rightly lay claim to being regarded as a northern soul classic. While Robert Tojo' Barnes falsetto dancer Broken Hearted Lover' rose to prominence under the cover name of Ann Perry Have You Ever Been In Love' in the later days of Wigan Casino but fell away during the ensuing years. That is until recently when some of the more adventurous northern DJ's who look to reactivate titles which still have some life in them are giving Broken Hearted Lover' it's well deserved second coming. The Broadway Sissy' too is enjoying more widespread popularity having crossed over and found a new audience with the funk scene.
Mick has been active in the seedier corners of electronic music for more than 30 years, first immersing himself in the world of hi-NRG and new wave before embracing the house, techno, acid and electro explosion of the late 1980s. Aligned with DJ Hell in the 90s and more recently the Intergalactic FM crew, he's the quintessential selector. A life spent digging in the undergrowth for deviant dance music has given him the edge that makes a truly gifted spinner, without riding on hype or studio productions. However, Mick isn't adverse to the odd outing on vinyl, having previously appeared on International DJ Gigolos both solo and as The Kinky Lovers with sometime partner Isabella Venis, but these moments are few and far between. For this release on Arma, Mick has given us two edits that speak to his distinctive style as a DJ - the original tracks are cult choices re-moulded into deadly, subversive club weapons. The brooding darkwave of 'Himmelfahrt 89' is enough to turn the most indifferent bar crowd into swaying, baying denizens of the night, while 'Stay Silent' pummels out a relentless electro motif that teeters on the edge of destruction for 11 thrilling minutes. These aren't crowd-pleasing DJ tools, and neither are they slick and easy edits of obvious classics. This is a peek into the inner workings of a man with decades of experience working masses of flesh into a sweaty fever pitch using sounds you've never heard before. The mastering on Mick's edits was undertaken by none other than Dutch electro legend Rude 66, while the striking artwork on the sleeve sees Arma reach out for the first time to French artist Judex. The nerve-shredding, broken Op-Art assault was originally found in a book published by cult illustrator Sam Rictus. Cover Artwork by J
After moving from London to Berlin Cromby is back on Tenderpark with his second EP for the vinyl label. The young man recreates our love for Deep House with two sample-based tracks which showcase his ever advancing skills with the old school Akai sampler MPC 2000 XL as well as his cool understanding of mixing haunting melodies with gripping groove patterns. The remix on the flip side comes from Hip-Hop super producer gone House lover Hodini who has collaborated with the talented bass player Chez Kerim for this funky workout. The cover image shot by Achim Valbracht is the start of a new artwork series developed by Tenderpark art director Till Sperrle which revolves around critique of investor-driven architechture that has been dominating Berlin for several decades now. The speciously precious and glittering image displays a normalised and globally standardised kind of beauty but at the same time reveals a strong sense of loneliness. As always both the mastering and as well as the lacquer cut of this record have been carefully executed by vinyl sound mastermind Helmut Erler at Dubplates & Mastering.
- A1: Sob O Mar
- A2: Não Valia Tanto
- A3: Samuel Arcanjo; Anjo
- A4: Névoa Seca
- A5: A Bica De Chororó
- A6: Nigue Ninhas E Coco Do Norte
- B1: Das Minas
- B2: Olhos Para São Paulo
- B3: Reino Das Pedras
- B4: Sabiá, (Diga Lá)
- B5: Boi-Lê-Lê
- B6: Zabumba Do Nego
Among the happy encounters that luck and destiny can bring, one of the most remarkable is the partnership between Jaime Além and Nair Cândia. The arranger, multi-instrumentalist, and composer teamed up with the singer to form a musical partnership that extended into their lives. The couple released two albums, the first of which was “Jaime & Nair,” from 1974. The album returns to shelves as part of the “Classics on Vinyl” collection from Polysom, under license from CID, on 180-gram vinyl.
Praised by Dori Caymmi and Edu Lobo, whose comments appear in the insert and back cover, the album was produced by Durval Ferreira and recorded at Somil Studios. Its twelve tracks are all written by Jaime, except for “Das Minas” and “Zambumba do Nego.” The duo alternates on vocals and showcases a distinctly Brazilian sound in each track. This is an essential work for lovers of national music.



















