quête:underground miami

Damian Lazarus celebrates 20 Years of his world-renowned Crosstown Rebels imprint with a special album project of unreleased cuts and fresh remixes, featuring material from Black Coffee, Maceo Plex, Art Department, Dennis Cruz and many more.

Undeniably one of the most influential record labels within underground dance music, releasing material from Laurent Garnier, Krust and Mathew Jonson to Rósìn Murphy, Deniz Kurtel, Francesca Lombardo and Jennifer Cardini while playing a pivotal part in the careers of artists like Maceo Plex, Jamie Jones, Art Department and Seth Troxler, Crosstown Rebels stands today as a hub and platform for flourishing projects across the electronic spectrum, including via sub-label Rebellion and across a long list of showcases across the globe. More than just your everyday label, the Crosstown Rebels legacy has grown alongside its founder in equal measure, with head honcho Damian Lazarus continually showcasing, championing and spotlighting artists from across the globe who share his radiant, experimental vision for house music and beyond. Ringing in a major milestone in style, 2023 will see the biggest twelve months to date as Lazarus and Crosstown mark the 20th Anniversary of the label with a series of projects set to be unveiled in the lead-up to summer, with ‘CR20 The Album’ set for release on 12th May 2023.

“20 years ago, I dreamed a dream of creating a family of like-minded, crazy individuals from all corners of the planet - releasing music to the world and making people dance. That dream was Crosstown Rebels, and this year we are 20. Over these years, I have forged beautiful friendships, discovered very talented artists and tried my best to help, advise and support some of the most colourful characters in dance music. Crosstown Rebels is more than a record label, it is family.
So 2023 will mark the label’s 20th Anniversary. This is an opportunity for the Crosstown Rebels family, a global community of artists, DJs and creatives, and the label’s myriad of followers to celebrate this momentous milestone. There will be parties and events around the world. A killer compilation of exclusives and special remixes, a beautiful coffee table book, a short film, and a special launch event are planned to bring together the sights and sounds of the label’s unique and influential history. There’s lots to share, announce and reminisce. 20 years young.” - Damian Lazarus.

Comprised of six stellar, high-profile remixes of releases from the label’s catalogue, alongside two previously unreleased original gems, the eight-track package is a rich and exemplary showcase of the far-reaching corners of the Crosstown Rebels sound and also its globally connected family of artists and close friends.

Opening the package, Lazarus’ own 2020 collaboration ‘Into The Sun’ with regular Crosstown vocalist Jem Cooke is given a cosmic rework by Johannesburg’s Major League DJz, while Jamie Jones’ slick ‘Paradise 2011’ is stripped back and given a new lease of life by the hypnotic and heady sounds of Art Department. Opening the B-Side, Dennis Cruz brings his percussive Latin-infused signature sound palette to Chilean musician and producer Pier Bucci’s ‘Hay Consuelo’, before Audiojack’s ‘Feel Good’, another standout collaboration alongside Cooke, is taken into synth-led territories as Michael Mayer reaches for an evolving bed of captivating tones.

The second half of the project brings more excellently remixed material, both new and old, with GRAMMY-winning DJ/producer Black Coffee turning his hand to the label’s first release of 2023 in Made By Pete and Zoe Kypri’s emotive ‘Horizon Red’, unveiling reworked melodies and sparkling keys as he delivers an interpretation of a track which has featured as a staple in his sets. Next, the project welcomes Adam Ten & Yamagucci’s playful yet off-kilter and wonky ‘The K Dance’ which unveils itself as a production perfect for those late night hours and early afters, before Ellum boss Maceo Plex’s ‘Together (2011 Mix)’ brings another lost production to the mix with a driving and zipping ride through sugary synths and soaring leads. To close, Tibi Dabo turns his attention to Guti & Dubshape’s absorbing ‘Every Cow Has A Bird’, delivering a nimble minimal-led trip through lush pads and crisp percussion to round things out in style.

Alongside the album, the 20 Year celebrations will also welcome a 192-page hardback book, ’20 Years Of Magic, Madness and Music’, with words from renowned journalist and key underground music player Joe Muggs, and a feature-length documentary directed by acclaimed director David Terranova.

Crosstown has become known globally for throwing some of the world’s best parties, from the wondrous cultural journey of Day Zero Tulum to longstanding Music Week marathon Get Lost Miami. This ethos of creating magical dancefloor moments spills into the label’s 20 year celebration with its worldwide Get Lost tour, launched with Get Lost Miami, and followed by Bali, Tokyo, Ibiza, Dubai, Istanbul, Rome, Paris, London, Berlin and more, plus a special to-be-announced London showcase.

4 Tracks made in the 305. Featuring beats from a mysterious crew from the margins of the Miami underground. Good times, jams, machines, and lots of fatties. Don't sleep!

Arkada records is excited to announce our 4th release - forthcoming split vinyl EP featuring the sounds of ADJ & Adrien d’Elzius.

We are very happy to present the first part of the EP with the unique sounds of one of the pioneering artists in the UK underground Electro scene, the label owner of Pyramid Transmissions - ADJ

ADJ originates from and is based in London. He has been playing Underground Electronic Music for over 35 years as a DJ, starting in the days of Early Electro and Hip Hop. He has also been producing and releasing music for 25 years, releasing over 200 tracks in this time on a plethora of labels including Touchin Bass,For Those That Knoe, Another Perspective, Ai, Outside, Cultivated Electronics,Yellow Machines, Crobot Muzik, Diffuse Reality, Netlabel ,Digital Distortions and more...has done remixes for Flint Kids, Scanone, LASynthesis, Carl Finlow, Fleck Esc, Arsonist Recorder , Paul Hierophant to name a few.

He has run the Pyramid Transmissions Record label with label partner Pathic for 20 years and also ran the Analogique record label for 5 years from 1995-2000 releasing Techno, Electro and Electronica as 3 Elements.
ADJ also performed his first LIVE set in a few years in March 2020 MUTABOR in Moscow.

As a DJ, he has played at many festivals including a BLOC residency, Glastonbury For BLOC, Bestival, Shambala, Infiltrate at WMC Miami. 2019 saw another tour of the US with Silicon Scally,Ben Milstein, EVAC, Ion Driver and 214. He also runs the Dodo Club and Frequency Resonate(with Errorbeauty) nights in London and Berlin aswell as playing in Lille, Kiev, Moscow, St Petersburg Berlin,Zagreb,Athens, Napoli, Brussels, Budapest, Vienna, Valencia, Sofia, Paris and many more..

Second part of our EP presents the futuristic glitched-out sounds of the one of a kind Belgium producer Adrien d’Elzius also known under his allies HosmOz.

Adrien d’Elzius was born in the gloomy south of Belgium spending his youth hanging around in a camping and listening to Hip Hop, he started his life in a mess of paradox. At 10, he learned to play drums under his punk’s brother regard, and experimented different kind of rock until 18. That’s where someone showed him a track of Aphex Twin, who blew his mind and made him believe he had finally found the music that suited him. From there, he compulsively spend hours playing around with his computer and slowly made himself a place in the very small community of underground music lover of Brussels under the nickname hosmOz after winning a contest. From his melodic and acidic drill’n’bass beginning, his sound slowed down and got darker, challenging himself to try to create something he couldn’t before. He recently re-released his Lp on Diffuse Reality that make it available on physical form and also his debut album on Burial Soil with remixes by Umwelt and Lloyd Stellar.

The masters of the release are kindly made by Thomas Dunstan. Artwork made by our amazing designer Lawrence Cli

2022 Repress

Multi-faceted artist Calibre today shares his sixteenth studio album "Feeling Normal". The album is out now to pre-order on Vinyl, CD and on digital platforms via his own independent imprint Signature Recordings.

The record is his first bonafide 140bpm record and a staggering body of work that shows the genius levels of one of electronic music's most respected auteurs. Across the 13 tracks, he transcends through space and time, creating music that will take the listener on a weighty sonic journey. The album announcement is accompanied by two dub versions "Bad" and "Badder" deconstructed from the track "Badman" with DRS from Mark Ernestus available via his Hardwax store January 29th and Bandcamp February 12th. "Getting to work with Mark Ernestus is a real honour, I collected Basic Channel, Rhythm & Sound and his other work for many years and still do. It's hard to avoid the influence of this guy in electronic music across genres and so it is a real pleasure to have him do his thing with the Badman tune which I think sounds closely related."

All of the tracks on the record have been road-tested in Calibre's DJ sets over the last 2/3 years with many of them being sought-out by his hardcore fans. It was only a matter of time then that he put them out for all to consume. With a nod to the dancefloor, the clear idea for the album came about following the release of his most personal album to date "Planet Hearth". "It still works in the headspace but ultimately it's been written for the sweaty club experience we miss now, also after an album like Planet Hearth it felt very liberating to do," he remarks. When writing albums, he often just puts it down to the general chaos of life, not citing any one influence but generally just waits to see what comes. With one of the tracks on the album written 7 years ago on the island of Valentia, It became a project that he spent the intervening years collecting tracks for, not really knowing when he was going to put it together as an album. "The whole album is special to me, everything on there has import and meaning beyond for me, I have spent much time on all these and hope they are special for other people too."

Belfast-born, Berlin-based Calibre - AKA Dominick Martin - shows no sign of slowing down. As a producer, DJ, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and painter, he is one of the most unique and inspiring living artists. With a career spanning two decades, his ability to remain underground whilst being one of the most-respected is testament to who this enigmatic artist is. To this day, he has never been remixed and has a seriously impressive amount of unreleased music under wraps. With everything on hold and gigs on the backburner, this record is exactly what the world needs right now.

OG deep Miami deep house from 1990 on the repress tip - Essential purchase!

This one should need no intro - it's up there with the all-timers. Moody, sexy, emotive, epic - just some of the words you could use to describe 'Outta Limits'. Never out of style, existing in its own lane and a solid gold classic from day one, 'Outta Limits' takes us on a spiralling bassline journey into our own consciousness with its hypnotic spoken word samples and sultry female vox . Mission Control is Aldo Hernandez & Ralph Falcon, 2 members of the extended Murk / DSR crew out of Miami. They've been responsible for numerous underground and club classics since the very early 90's and their sound continues to be a huge influence on producers and DJs today. Featured here, you have the 2 original slamming mixes of the track, both of which bring a different flavour to the dancefloor. Both essential and still utterly fresh today.

Buy on sight!

Stelios Vassiloudis enters an inspiring new phase as he unveils his sophomore LP All Else Fails available March 25th via Balance Music.

Hailing from Athens, Greece, Stelios Vassiloudis poses a triple threat as a composer, producer and DJ. Having been active in the electronic music scene since the early 2000s he has cultivated his own brand of distinctive ambience reflective of his rich and diverse musical background; transcending the dance floor via an emotional narrative of complex soundscapes, intricate harmonies and hypnotic rhythms. Over the past decade Stelios has released music under various other monikers, yet this new endeavour is his most diligent to date - allowing him to rediscover his love for making music during the process, "I'm more hopeful, inspired and determined than ever before."

Ten years on from the release of his debut LP, Stelios' detail-oriented offerings remain incomprehensibly thought-provoking and thorough with this new album. Noticeably dissimilar to any previous efforts, Stelios consciously took a step back from the pressure of maintaining a steadily flowing supply of functional, club-oriented music and as the world stood still amidst the pandemic, he embraced the opportunity to reconnect and express himself with a broader musical vocabulary. He admits that: "with the world around us seemingly on the fast track to Armageddon, the music ended up being very much reflective of the sadness and helplessness I felt."

All Else Fails is a stimulating odyssey to anyone listening. Harmonically dense, arcadian glistens seep throughout the ten tracks, each complementary to the next. Bask in the wistful iridescence and you won't be disappointed.

Stelios carved his way into electronic music by traversing around the globe as a DJ and performer - performing at intimate underground bars in Beirut, festivals in Miami, after-hours in Tokyo, beaches in Goa and mega clubs in Argentina. Having developed a formidable discography on esteemed labels such as Bedrock, Poker Flat, Ovum, Constant Sound and Darkroom Dubs, among others, Stelios' studio prowess and coveted productions cemented his reputation as a versatile and acclaimed artist. His intense passion and drive for innovation in music serves as the fuel to keep him inspired and relevant, qualities that no doubt ensure his reputation as an artist of the highest calibre, will endure.

‘Bad Time’ is the new EP from Peeping Drexels. The London based 5-piece, who have been together since they were sixteen, have to date released a series of singles on the Permanent Creeps and Fierce Panda labels. This is their first release on BY Records. They've previously received support from the likes of Steve Lamacq, DIY, So Young among others. They've also performed live with artists such as Shame, Goat Girl and Public Practice.

First single, High Heels, sees Peeping Drexels eulogise about white pills and night thrills - anxious overtones abound until the crescendo of guttural angst takes over. "High Heels is a dimly lit journey through the narrow corridors and backrooms of a twisted underground club, all whilst under the influence of an unknown substance. The song is the first taste of Peeping Drexels rebirth; experimental new sounds, broader instrumentation, yet pop music to the bone. A never ending loop of bad-trip fuelled excess, and there is no way to escape."

Prior to lockdown, Peeping Drexels played a Sold Out Parallel Lines headline show at London’s Bermondsey Social Club and ended it with a sold out main support slot for Fat White Family at EartH (Evolutionary Arts Hackney).

The project takes influences from a broad musical spectrum, from the dance vibes of Gary Numan and Mr. Fingers to the intensity of Tyler The Creators' synth-heavy Cherry Bomb and the maximalist work of Kanye West.

One of the most enjoyable parts of Dirtybird is to watch a talented artist grow. Nala started out in Miami cutting her teeth on the local DJ circuit and then moved to LA where she eventually signed with VonStroke and Aundy's Motherbird Management.

Her weekly Dirtybird "TV Party" on Twitch is one of the most popular shows on the network. Each week she features her unmistakeable punk & new wave-influenced DJ style while also hosting a special underground guest, as well as her long time friend and local LA rave legend, Richie Panic.

Nala’s debut on Dirtybird, “Psychic Attack”, is a gritty A-side with her own vocals shouting about the nervous the angst of 2020. The B-side, “Sun Is Hot” showcases her gentler side with a deep groove, a smooth vocal tone, and melodic vintage synth riffs throughout.

Released during the late 1970's Disco era, Milton Wright's sophomore long player has always stood out as a singular, innovative example of the deepest, rarest grooves known to underground Soul lovers all over the globe. This often overlooked body of work has found a whole new audience who revisited the man's work retrospectively, pushing the LP into the domain of "holy grail" status amongst Black music lovers and Funk fanatics. "Spaced" has been at the top of the wants lists of serious music lovers for decades, often unattainable and commanding stellar collectors prices on-line, sometimes fetching amounts of upwards of £400. This unique LP could be perceived as being Wright's most personal work, tragically overshadowed by the burgeoning successes of his then label mates on Miami's Alston Records imprint. The sheer craftsmanship and songwriting prowess on show is undeniable, as is the top level musicianship and production, sounding ridiculously fresh almost some 40 years later. Above Board distribution has collaborated with Alston / TK Records to ensure the quality of this fully legitimate repress of this long lost Soul / Funk classic has been maintained. Remastered, reissued and represented with the full cooperation of the license holders for 2016. Do not pass up the chance to own a true gem, a pivotal, lost LP like "Spaced", now made available again to be enjoyed by all. "Magic Music".

Seriously good new PPU - obscure lowdown funk from Miami..

Central AYR Productions.. Recorded in various places and others spaces, mostly around Orlando Florida. Multi-Instrumentalist and Vocalist, Anthony Cole is the latest chapter of the PPU family album. AYR, pronounced "air", was formed in 1993. AC recalls "those were very productive and indulgent periods of my life", "the next level in black light". We've got countless hours of 4-track cassette recordings to sort through, these were the first few standout tracks, presented to you in their unedited entirety. Stay tuned for more of the what we call Dirt Music, only in the underground, building on where PPU began.

Ultra tight & rare Soul / Funk stylings from Mississippi's Natural High outfit. Originally released in 1979 on the Chimneyville label, an obscure soul imprint operating as part of the Miami Malaco label family tree. This one has it all - lush strings and orchestration, tight as rhythm section, amazing songwriting and everything else in-between.
Amazing that this group only cut one LP and a handful of singles. The talent on display here is truly of another level and one wonders how such an album came to be.
Either way, this is an amazing set of rarest of rare grooves and the LP has been a heavily coveted item by the rare record cognoscenti in the past. This is a 100% legit repress, made in conjunction with the rights holders and remastered to the highest possible standard, a truly essential record for fans of quality underground soul & funk. Now's your chance to bag a copy for a decent price! Quality all around

In recent years the clamour for the funkier side of AOR, Blue eyed soul, funky rock or any other description you'd care to imagine has reached heightened places. The hardest diggers have been endlessly searching for breezy, soulful and rock-infused R&B gems hidden away in the recesses of the major and independent label archives. Miami's CAT Records - one such independent, and an off-shoot of the hugely successful TK Disco empire had made it's mark since the early 70's with stellar sides from Little Beaver, George & Gwen McCrae, Raw Soul Express and many more. It was later, 1977 to be precise, in the height of the Disco era when Chocolateclay appeared. Their self-titled and sole LP has long been a thing of sought after beauty, a real Miami rarity that showcases a classy blend of funk, soul and AOR stylings delivered by the solid pairing of George 'Chocolate' Perry and Clay Cropper. Perry's name is well known among rare soul aficionados due to his involvement in some classic underground records from that scene (Wizzdom 'I'm So In Love With you' etc) and his part in writing, producing and arranging for artists like Blowfly, Milton Wright, King Sport, Bobby Caldwell, Latimore, Joe Walsh and many more. Cropper was also well known as a solid Miami session man who played keys, wrote and produced for a plethora artists from that part of the world throughout the 70's and 80's including Betty Wright, George McCrae, Frederick Knight and more. To say these 2 guys were seasoned pro's would be an understatement. No surprise then that their contribution to the CAT catalogue is a finely tuned, funky, sunkissed LP of jams that will bring unlimited joy and warmth to you via your turntable. Languid, melodic, grown-up soul music here folks, drenched in that sunshine state goodness. Oozing positivity and class - Chocolateclay is as deep as it gets. Often selling on-line for tidy sums (£60 +) this LP is a true gem, now is your chance to own a %100 legit, TK Disco sanctioned, vinyl copy of this killer Soul LP. Re-issued just the way it originally came out in 1977, no tricks. Essential!

Inner City Records returns with their fourth release, continuing with the ethos of providing first class, dance floor-driven house music with groove and attitude.
InnerCity welcomes the return of an artist who has been there from the very first release and one that fits the InnerCity sound perfectly. Leigh D Oliver, hailing from Yorkshire (UK) has firmly established himself as an artist synonymous with top-notch house music. Leigh's passion for 'proper house' coupled with his raw talent has resulted in him gaining numerous chart positions and releases on prestigious labels such as Large Music, Underground Source and Freche Fruchte.
With its heavy kick, rumbling bass, smooth chords and sweet vocal hooks, '(Sic)' kicks off the release in absolute style, highlighting why Leigh is one of our absolute favourite producers here at InnerCity.
For the second track, Leigh returns, this time combining forces with Lost Records owner Andy Lee. With two producers of this caliber, the results were always going to be excellent. Andy, from the North East (UK) has seen releases and remixes on labels such as Love Not Money, Spinnin' Records, Nervous Records and his DJ career has taken him worldwide, playing gigs in Moscow, Switzerland, Ibiza and beyond. 'Moves Ya' is a first class slab of deep & moody house that does exactly what it says on the tin. A track teaming with deep chord hooks, clever vocal samples and low bass, Moves Ya is perfect for the darker, sweatier clubs.
Next up, InnerCity's very own Roland Nights brings us 'Let It Rain', a dance-floor driven slab of straight-up house with jacking percussion, warm chords and soulful vocal cuts. 'Let It Rain' showcases Roland's passion for classic-sounding house music which has seen previous releases on labels such as Lost My Dog, Large Music and Amenti Music.
Last but by no means least, we head over to the Ukraine, gladly welcoming Mystep who lays down an absolute beast of a house track that is filled with energy, classic sounding chords and rolling bass, guaranteed to work on any floor.

DJ Support:

Golf Clap
Miami Ice
Kinky Movement
Ian Straker
Joan Ribas
Jordan O'Regan
Luke Gibson
Jeff Craven
Cahul House Mafia
This Is Why We Dance
Manooz Manuel
Greg Fenton
Raw Culture
Horsey
Marc Cotterell
Pete Gelderblom
Carlo Gambino
Leigh D Oliver

Big Strick and Generation Next follow up their highly successful CD album " Like Father Like Son" with a vinyl double album. It features 7 songs from the album along with a bonus track from Generation Next. With vocals tracks featuring Don Q and Tony Coates, Next and Strick bring us flavor and funk. ' The Ride' features Tony Coates, bringing lyrics for the soul. Along with the warm vocals is a warm bass and moving percussion. 'Ypree' is the bonus track produced by Generation Next. It is a mellow, hard hitting underground track. Hard drums and loud claps. Reverbed high hats and repeating congas.