quête:unique artists

Local Action is proud to present Cyclorama, the long-awaited debut album by Ariel Zetina.

A resident DJ at Chicago’s iconic Smartbar, a long-standing Discwoman family member and a key part of the city’s dance music and LGBTQ+ communities, Ariel has established herself as one of the most exciting electronic artists operating today - through releases such as 2020’s acclaimed MUAs at the End of the World and 2017’s Organism, and her meticulous approach to DJ mixes - as recently evidenced on Sestina, her 2020 contribution to Mixtape Club.

Written across 2021 and honed this Spring, Cyclorama is Ariel’s most impressive and all-encompassing work yet, showcasing her as a producer, vocalist and also curator, pulling together an ensemble cast of her peers in Chicago (Cae Monāe, Mia Arevalo, DANNN) and some of the most exciting names in contemporary club music (Violet, Bored Lord).

Conceptually, Cyclorama draws heavily from Ariel’s background as a theater writer and producer. Popularized in 19th century German theater, a cyclorama (or cyc) is a large curtain, placed on the back wall of the stage. This creates an illusion of extra depth in the background, and often is used to represent the sky. In Ariel’s words, “I imagine all the tracks on this as the lights and action projected onto the cyclorama. The whole album is like the cyc, a representation of the sky. Or an imagined sky. An imagined dancefloor. An imagined theatrical production.”

As well as drawing conceptually from Ariel’s background in theater, the album draws on a personal level from Ariel’s journey as a trans woman of color - most directly on Cyclorama’s three vocal tracks, ‘Gemstone’, ‘Slab of Meat’ and lead single ‘Have You Ever’.

On ‘Have You Ever’, Ariel collaborates with Cae Monāe, a dear friend and fellow trans woman of color. “‘Have you ever been with a girl like me before?’ and all the lyrics refers to the fear and anxiety that cis men who are attracted to trans women feel, and also any woman that doesn’t fit the mold of a stereotypical woman”, Ariel explains. “Cae and I - and many trans women - have been in so many situations where society tells cis men they cannot be with trans women and this explores that and gives power to all trans women in this situation. The techno reflects that, as well as the “Spell my name” section at the end, showing the true power of trans women.”

On ‘Slab of Meat’, Ariel delivers a hypnotic solo vocal performance that builds in intensity with each line (“I am treated like a slab of meat both emotionally and sexually sometimes, especially one left in the freezer on the back burner. Why did you bring this meat home from the market? For what? You’re wasting meat!”), while ‘Gemstone’, a collaboration with Mia Arevalo, continues the empowering themes of ‘Have You Ever’ in a different context:

“‘Gemstone’ is a call for trans women to take time with your transition because it will all happen eventually. As two girls who have started our transition almost a decade ago, I think we have both seen that we have always needed to take our time to take our time. Reminders not to rush or compare yourself to other girls. I love the metaphor of gemstone months representing different periods of transition. I’ve been so many different women in recent years, and I'm excited to continue my journey.”

It’s immediately followed by album closer ‘Tropical Depression’, the title of which is a reference to Ariel growing up with tropical depressions, storms and hurricanes affecting her hometown of Jacksonville, Florida as well as her family in Belize City:

“This track for me is about living day to day and continuing while dealing with my really intense clinical depression. The sample comes from “Why can’t you let me go?” but is supposed to be transformative and not necessarily legible. How we hold on to our trauma and depression like a protective shell. This is an attempt to deal with it in a different way.”

The Cyclorama album cover, directed by Dylan Bragassa, stars Ariel alongside Monāe and Arevalo in an imagined theater production. In Ariel’s words, “a theoretical performance starring only trans women of color - I wanted an ensemble shot to represent the ensemble nature of this album! Love how Dylan combines so many ideas to create a very unique image that asks so many questions.”

Antipodean Anomalies 2 is Left Ear Records' most ambitious project to date, a compilation that took over 4 years to license and includes 17 artists across a double LP. AA2 picks up where the first iteration left off, with co-compilers Chris Bonato and& Bridget Small continuing to dig through the music of the geographically isolating and maverick landscapes of Australia and& New Zealand.

As with the first iteration, Left Ear continues its to excavation ofe the music from these vast micro-scenes that evolved out of a number of small community-focused domains, creating their own unique reinterpretation of musical influences from near and far, spanning the years 1980 – 1992.

The compilation scopes an overlooked epoch from Adelaide, presenting acts such as the DNA Lounge, TCH & Will Kuiper. A close-knit community of like-minded mates that made distinctive electronic music together throughout the 80’s, all of which remained unreleased until now. Holbrook Buchanan capture the ambiance of Perth’s heat prodded afternoon’s perfectly with their track Hunger, a breezy 9-minute minimal-jazz jam that includes kalimba, water samples & conga. Furthermore, artists like David Watson & Colin Offord use samplers and handmade instruments to offer a more abrasive and experimental aesthetic.

To round out the compilation, artists such as Jane Stevenson, discovered a 7” at an op-shop and found the needle stuck on the word, ‘Aloha’. Using tape loops, she chose to highlight imperfections rather than hide them and in unison managed to cross boundaries of time; the 60s (album voice) and the 80s (my voice), of location; Hawaii and Australia, and of language; “Aloha and Hi”. This ethos echoes the compilation's vision, to champion artists that implement impromptu creativity, and who have a desire to create regardless of their surroundings and resources. AA2 signs off with the Back to Back Zithers, drawing inspiration from the haiku poems of Basho. To illustrate this, Kari set a Kacapi improvisation to the backdrop of the cicada chorus of summertime in outer Melbourne.

On Origins Chris Bartels takes on the role of singer-songwriter for the first time under his Elskavon moniker, unveiling a voice that wouldn't sound out of place next to vocal-forward artists like Justin Vernon, Jónsi, or Baths, who master the balance between conventional songcraft and bold, idiosyncratic experimentation. Origins is vast yet intimate, fluttering yet cohesive, tattered yet clean, a little like rainfall during sunlight. Shedding the ambient-classical confines of his previous output, the album's opener and title track, offers a swirling mosaic of acoustic textures that recall the beloved duo The Books, laced with warped vocal utterances flitting in and out of a club-friendly beat. "Origins" is followed by the equally danceable "Coastline," which drives home the smiling melodies and intricate sound-design that form the spine of Origins, keeping Bartels' voice in a largely decorative and impressionistic role up to this point. "Blossom and the Void" dissolves the introductory tension as Bartels comes out lyrically swinging, his digitized voice chanting widely over the mutated New Wave-esque anthem. Here, Bartels shows his instinct for dynamics by rising to bombast and quickly dispelling it, making steep yet grace- ful descents into skillfully delicate sound-design. Throughout Origins, the patient glacial aesthetic of his previous work is still discernible-- there are wordless, expansive panoramas that stretch out patiently for minutes at a time and smartly resist the impulse to pack each moment with a persona made even more impactful when Bartels chooses to wield it. At other times, his spokesmanship is woven discreetly into a larger tapestry, like on "See Out Loud" (and its ambient reprise) where Bartels' voice shimmers from a distance, covering the scene in diffuse splendor. "There is so much warping, mangling, re-sampling, reversing and pitching," Bartels says of his intricate vocal manipulations. "I printed a lot of the vocal recordings onto a tape machine from the `60s, first at one speed, and then I'd halve, or double the speed going back into my comput- er," he elaborates, illustrating how this kind of analog processing freed him from his habits. "Sometimes I'd do this multiple times on one recording or layer-- it gave me such a unique and unexpected sound. At this point, I threw away any inhibition on what type of vocals to have, or not have, on the album." This newfound freedom is palpable in the peaks of soaring grandeur that dot the emotional landscape of Origins. "All These Years" cathartically reaches one such summit in its second half after laying a path of gently plodding indie-IDM in its first. The cinematic vignette "Dreymur Aftur" provides pause for reflection amid its brisk procession of string plucks and rhythmic synthesizer while marching wordlessly into album-closer "This Won't Last Forever." Here at the end, Bartels' guitar playing is laid bare in the mix, skeletally framing a single ribbon of his voice as it unfurls into the atmosphere. Though the track isn't expressly lyrical, its starkness still exemplifies the new leaf of vulnerability Bartels has turned over on Origins, an album that documents his hard-won evolution from musician, to producer, to composer_ and finally_ his confident arrival in the role of songwriter.

The « In Jazz » collection proudly presents its new voulume dedicated to the unique artist Björk.
Rediscover the gretest songs of Björk reworked by the Jazz scene.
A selection of the nicest covers of « Venus As A Boy », « Army Of Me » or « Human Behaviour », iplayed by Viktoria Tolstoy, Julia Karosi, Gretchen Parlato, Eric Legnini...

After a couple of solo EPs to start the label, FAC-3 is comprised of four different artists, each with their own unique sound. Although a mix of up-and-coming and established producers, old and new music, there’s a common thread running through the EP.

First up, Justin Zerbst’s Waverider is an atmospheric nod to Detroit. Unearthed from a 90’s DAT, it’s built around some heavily modulated chords and 808 percussion which carry the track through to its string-laden climax.

Italian mainstay Luca Piermattei’s Venice is distinct end-of-night fare. Haunting pads sit atop a deftly-programmed bass which provides most of the movement over a tight drum groove.

While the A side has a undoubted warmth to it, the B dials things back and ups the intensity with two techier cuts. UK producer Skelter’s first release is a spacious acid groove, with the bassline taking centre stage amidst a nervy backdrop of percussive textures and reverb hits.

Finally, Brisbane’s Loif rounds things off with the simmering Digiburra; a dense, electro-tinged breakbeat aimed squarely at the dancefloor.

Crystal Clear With Green Mix Colored Vinyl. June McDoom's eponymous debut EP is a collection of songs that collage virtually everything important to her. Growing up in South Florida in a Jamaican household, McDoom was raised around reggae music, which echoed throughout every room of her childhood home. Later, she discovered and nourished her own deep love for folk music and songwriting of the 1960's and 70's. While studying in NYC for a degree in Jazz Performance, her musical palette expanded to include the more intricate influences of jazz and early soul. Realizing that her favorite vintage folk music lacked artists with similar identities as her own, it became increasingly important for McDoom to carve a unique musical space - to push folk music towards a new and different audience. Following the release of her debut single, "The City" - mixed by Gabe Wax (Soccer Mommy, Spoon) - June McDoom was eager to take the reins on the production of her debut EP. Recorded and mixed entirely from home with collaborator Evan Wright, McDoom found herself enthralled with the analog recording process, which began a textural exploration that defines this record. Experimenting with a mixture of vintage analog and modern digital recording, McDoom learned profound new ways to marry the seemingly contrasting genres and style that had individually shaped her. June McDoom's debut EP is steeped in self-discovery, and self-acceptance. Its magic lies in its ability to weave the influences of such seemingly disparate icons as Joan Baez, The Delfonics and Alton Ellis into a new, seamlessly crafted tapestry.

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

People often ask why we started Soul Clap Records and I usually answer: “because we were receiving tons of unique demos by creative artists that we had to start a label.” 11 years later and that flowing faucet of incoming music is still the driving force behind the label. Sure, there is the Funk, House, Disco, and multi-cultural influences in all of the music that we release, but it’s always the artists themselves who guide us.” – Eli Goldstein (Soul Clap)

Having nurtured a community, built many a life-long relationship and brought together an extensive musical family over the past 11 years, Soul Clap showcase these deep bonds with their 11th Anniversary Remix Compilation across two 12 inch records in a beautifully designed picture sleeve. A real smorgasbord of flavours and feelings, from beaming boogie and dizzying disco to blissful broken beat, house and downtempo nuggets coming courtesy of a plethora of the finest artists on the planet right now including the likes of Zopelar, XL Middleton, Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy, FSQ and many more, alongside the mighty Soul Clap themselves. There’s no denying that this compilation is one with community at it’s core.

DJ Feedback:

OSUNLADE / YORUBA
Very funky.

PABLO VALENTINO/ MCDE FACES
Love this comp

CROSSTOWN REBELS/ PAOLO BARTHOLEMEW
Oh yes! Big fan!

FRANCK ROGER/ REAT TONE
Dope compilation.. still in love with life on planets guy :-)

MR V/ SOLE CHANNEL
Dope. Love it.

AROOP ROY
Diggin the remixes from Zeynep, Cosmodelica, Zopelar and Charlie.

PONTCHARTRAIN/ WHISKEY DISCO
OH my, that Afriqua remix is absolute fire! Whole album is hot.

DJ ROCCA
All the remixes are great. Big fan of SC records, of course ;-)

THE SILVER RIDER/ MUSIC IS 4 LOVERS
Holy crap that Zopelar remix is amazing!

DICKY TRISCO
Love the Underground System remix by Zeynep Erbay. Class! Feeling the Mickey Lion too. Lovely.

FISH GO DEEP/ SHANE JOHNSTON
Phenomenal line up here with a great range of music. Standouts for me on first listen are Life on Planets and John Camp ft. Greg but it’s all quality from start to finish.

MARK BROADBENT/ PIKE HOTEL
This s a killer comp. I’ll be playing this for sure.

DAZ-I-KUE/ BUGZ IN THE ATTIC
Love this comp so dope.

WILLI GRAFF/ THE STANDARD IBIZA
What a killer compilation of remixes. Especially feeling the Cosmodelica Mix and Michael The Lion's mix.

2022 Repress

As the dust begins to settle on one of his most significant and pivotal bodies of work to date - the critically acclaimed techno-focused 'Grow' released by Craig Richards on The Nothing Special - Calibre returns to his own label Signature for another fathomless LP exploration. Laced and spaced with the precision balance of sounds, speeds and styles he's known for, and predominantly characterised by his own lyrics and vocal textures, 'Deep' once again reminds us of Calibre's singular status as an artist whose creations transcend time, tempo and territory. Ranging from one of his most in-demand dubs 'No One Gets You' to poignant yearning introspection of tracks such as 'Better Than Me' and the rolling, jazzy broken beat summer serenade 'Lit', 'Deep' is yet another accomplished, alluring and truly unique pieces of work from one of electronic music's most consistent and prolific artists.

Little is known about Norman Feels_but we do know that he was an underground soul sensation in the 1970s. He released two classic albums on Just Sunshine Records (the label that was also responsible for putting out milestone recordings by artists like Betty Davis, Karen Dalton and Arica). Over the years, Norman's songs have been sampled by renowned acts from the likes of Ghostface Killah, Nas and Kanye West. The sound his songs emit reminds of the classic soul coming out of New Jersey at the time, but it just has that extra thing going for it_something alternative and exceptional. This made for an excellent match with the `Just Sunshine' label that released both of his albums. Just like his labelmate Betty Davis, Norman Feels was an artist that was hard to typecast and compare with his contemporaries/peers_this makes Norman's work very interesting and worth every soul/funk connoisseur's time. In 1973 Norman Feels released his self-titled debut album which has become a much sought after funk/soul classic. Behind Norman's floating (and extremely soulful) voice hides a dark and almost psychedelic instrumentation that makes this album particularly unique. The recordings have been beautifully arranged by David Van De Pitte (who is world-famous for the arrangements heard on Marvin Gaye's `What's Going On') and topped off by Sal Scaltro's slick production work. Next to Norman Feels' fascinating writing skills and trademark voice, on this album you'll find complicated (and at times brooding) compositions that takes the listener on a dreamy musical journey filled with themes about struggle, relationships and social commentary. Love, beauty and sadness is lingering in every track on this album_all of this makes his self-titled debut a total `must-have' album that begs for a special place in your record collection! Tidal Waves Music now proudly presents the FIRST ever vinyl reissue of this fantastic album (originally released in 1973 on Just Sunshine Records). This rare record (original copies tend to go for large amounts on the secondary market) is now finally back available as a 180g vinyl edition (500 copies). This reissue comes packaged in a gatefold jacket complete with the original 1973 artwork, photographs and lyrics.

box-set clear / vinyl / 180 gr

The Stone Techno Series returns with another exciting compilation. This time alongside a new festival that celebrates forward thinking artists from 9th to 10th of July at Europe's biggest coal mine complex under the UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein. The project is exceptional at its core, bringing back excitement and inventiveness to the genre.

The project functions as a multidisciplinary ever-evolving experiment that brings different aspects together. Sampling, creating and releasing music made out of million years old inorganic materials which shaped and defined the Ruhr Area like nothing else. "Auf Kohle geboren - born on coal" stands for this region and the so-called "German Wirtschaftswunder".

The Stone Techno project wants to embrace the history of "the Ruhrpott" while looking into the future as well. Techno Music stands for upheaval and modernity, while coal is the symbol of the Ruhr Area. This unique project will lend audibility to the ongoing process of transformation in the cultural and natural history of this region. Science and museums crossing paths with contemporary electronic music culture.

The Stone Techno project is not shy of its obvious significance. World-famous Ruhr Museum and The Third Room collective mark a first of its kind of long-lasting collaborations between a techno brand and a cultural institution.

This time the project is conceptually going one step further: Before the final backfilling of the mine at Zeche Zollverein, the acoustic atmos

Remixes by Moodymann, Potatohead People, Moodorama.

Kenny Dixon Jr. acuminates it deep and groovy, well, it’s his holy trademark sound. Potatohead People from Vancouver have been championed by Soulection, Nightmares on Wax, Questlove, Big Boi a.o. and have releases on Jellyfish Recordings, or NY label Bastard Jazz. The duo has worked with artists such as Moka Only, Kaytranada, Pomo, Phife Dawg a.o.

On top Moodorama’s remixes are trippy dubby jams. Moodorama have a long recording history, starting in the 90s on Stereo Deluxe, but even before that Martin Sennebogen was the DJ and co-producer of Knowtoryus, the legendary first hip hop outfit on Compost.

Inkswel & Colonel Red started out writing together more than decade ago & over the time have developed quite a unique sound when recording together,..a chemistry that blends music melody & lyric into every verse chorus & hook. So when Inkswel approached Colonel Red to create the 'Holders of the Sun' album, Redz response was to move his hectic schedule around & start immediately. Inkswel dropped the beats Colonel Red dropped the vocals & some fine musical tuning & 'Holders Of The Sun' Vol1 was born….while they promise a Vol. 2.
The fantastic artwork comes from Our Machine, Netherlands, who designed a lot of sleeves for Kindred Spirit, Tom Trago, Versatile, Build An Arc and m.o.

Colonel Red is a groundbreaking soul singer, musician, producer and performer, often referred to as one of the most powerful voices in the UK soul music community, a champion in equal parts of the original Broken Beat scene, as well as the UK soul scene. Working with and writing for the likes of Teddy Pendergrass, Amp Fiddler, Maurice White, Bugz In The Attic, Tony Allen and countless others. His track 'Belive In Me' was awarded the WORLDWIDE award from Gilles Peterson in 2014.
Colonel Red’s foray into the music industry began when Epic Record company giant Sylvia Rhone signed the then lead singer, Nikki Romillie, of Pride n’ Politix, to Atlantic Records. An accompanying publishing deal with Warner Bros. established the artiste, now known as Colonel Red, as one of the UK’s top cutting edge singer/songwriters.

Inkswel has been heralded as one of the busiest and most prolific beat based producers from Australia, a true master of his craft he has worked with the likes of Talib Kweli, Lee Scratch Perry, Andrew Ashong, Dwight Trible, Amp Fiddler and countless others as well as putting out timeless musical projects on labels such as BBE, Sonar Kollekiv, Rush Hour, Warner Music, Boogie Angst and others. He hovers evenly between Hip Hop and Club sensibilities, blending new age approaches with nostalgic leans. 'Holders of The Sun' is the audio melting pot of two musical aliens, future directive soul music drenched in the nostalgia of what once was.

Today, UK duo Audiojack release their edgy two-track ‘Stay Strong’ EP, out now via Dirtybird, marking their debut release on the label.

Embracing their unique deep house sound, ‘Stay Strong’ lives comfortably on festival main stages and underground dancefloors. Its titular track is an intricate soundscape complimented by layered synths and textured percussive elements. The companion track, ‘In Your Eyes,’ strikes a different tone with its rhythmic breakbeat nature. Ready to leave their mark on the Dirtybird flock, ‘Stay Strong’ arrives ahead of Audiojack’s upcoming debut at Dirtybird Campout this October.

Regarding the EP, Audiojack said, “We made these tracks as the pandemic restrictions were lifting and there was light at the end of the tunnel. We imagined how good it would feel to play loud music again to people who were full of joy and relief at being free again, and we tried to encapsulate that feeling in the music.”

Following the release of their second album, 'Surface Tension', Audiojack are entering what might be called the major phase of their career. This, of course, is not to diminish the solid reputation they have built over the last fifteen years as DJs, producers, remixers and label curators with original releases on labels like Crosstown Rebels, 2020Vision and Hot Creations, remixes on labels including Moon Harbour, B-Pitch Control and Diynamic, and artists like Underworld, Groove Armada and Hot Since 82 who have enlisted their talents for remixes.

Soul Jazz Records are releasing Count Ossie and The Mystic Revelation’s seminal 1975 album Tales of Mozambique in an expanded double album/single CD/digital format, fully remastered and with the inclusion of two bonus rare single-only tracks, full sleevenotes, exclusive photographs and interview.

Count Ossie is the central character in the development of Rastafarian roots music, nowadays an almost mythical and iconic figure. His importance in bringing Rastafarian music to a populist audience is matched only by Bob Marley’s promotion of the faith internationally in the 1970s.

Count Ossie’s drummers performed on the first commercially released single to integrate Rastafarian traditional music with popular music: the vocal group The Folkes Brothers’ groundbreaking song ‘Oh Carolina’, recorded for producer Prince Buster in 1959. In 1966 his drummers greeted the momentous arrival of Haile Selassie at Kingston airport.

His legendary jam sessions up in his Rastafarian compound in the hills of Wareika, Kingston, are famous for the many Jamaican musicians who attended including The Skatalites players – Roland Alphonso, Don Drummond, Johnny Moore, Lloyd Knibbs – and many others.

The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari formed in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1970, a union of Count Ossie’s Rastafarian drummers – variously known as his African Drums, Wareikas or his Afro-Combo – and the saxophonist Cedric Im Brooks’ horns group, The Mystics.

The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari are the defining group in bringing authentic Rastafarian rhythms into the collective consciousness of popular music, their unique music is at once rooted in the deep traditions and rituals of traditional drumming and chanting alongside a forward-thinking, even avant-garde, artistry influenced by the likes of John Coltrane, Sun Ra, Pharoah Sanders and other pioneering African-American jazz artists radicalised and charged by the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

Tales of Mozambique is a truly unique and fascinating ground-breaking album.

Count Ossie and The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari are the central group featured on Soul Jazz Records recent "Rastafari - The Dreads Enter Babylon” a collection showing the influence of Rastafari in Reggae and Jamaican popular culture.

Soul Jazz Records will also be releasing Count Ossie and The Rasta Family 'Man From Higher Heights’ in the near future.

* Bonus tracks

REVIEWS

" All roads in Rastafarian roots music lead to Count Ossie.He’s the lead character in this compelling subplot, the musician who was one of the first to put Rasta tenets into the heart of popular music.

He did so from his camp in the hills above Kingston, Count Ossie and his drummers casting a spell on the musicians who gathered to check him out and then went on to spread the word about the powerful nyabinghi rhythms and mesmerising percussion.

This is a reissue of the 1975 album Count Ossie made with his Rastafarian drummers and saxaphonist Cedric ‘Im’ Brooks’s group The Mystics.

It’s a groundbreaking, majestic work, by turns righteous in tone and joyous in execution. It’s the sound of Ossie and his ensemble narrating a history lesson and you’d be daft not to want to find out more." IRISH TIMES

Clear Splatter Vinyl

We are proud to present this long player in our catalog. Zolex is one of the most influential and groundbreaking artists of the European Techno scene. He produced many classic anthems like 'Time Modulator' -one of the first underground techno tracks played on MTV (back in the days MTV still played music)-, Beautiful Inside, Yes & No,... But also under various aliases and groups like Carat Trax,
Asphyx, Dirty Jackers.

Zolex is still an active DJ and he has played on major techno events all over the world. For this release we selected 8 brand new tracks. All of these tracks are in his typical style. This package is like "the finest wine". We are not going to explaining all tracks separately, that would downgrade this promo-text. All tracks are unique, groundbreaking, massive, vicious, top notch and true gems. What we dare to say: buy it and you will play them all! And off course : Play it LOUD!

One of our all-time favourite artists and extended Circus Company member The Mole returns to the label for a proper presentation of his album The River Widens. Originally a limited, cassette-only release via fellow Canadian Eddie C’s Red Motorbike, we are proud to offer this album in its full glory for the first time on all formats.
Never one to shy away from synth deep dives, or raw sample flip collaging, this collection of 21 works checks all the boxes. Ambient trippers to straight up neck-snapping instrumental beats. Not forgetting tastes of the more uptempo, highly-assured and hypnotic dance floor feels the world has come to love The Mole for. Moments of casual chillin are interspersed with effortless, emotive angles, some evoking the charm of his Little Sunshine release for us in 2017.

X-pert Profat opens the set with sly statements that give way to relaxed and subtle keys over gentle, midtempo rhythms. Things switch up nicely into easy, Northwest Coast boogie-meets-beatdown feels inBreak For Ma, followed by a solid array of almost Jaylib-schooled boom bap twists, like the aptly-titled Drums 2002 and Jo Barker. Ambient cuts like AR Dayand New Family offer a refreshing tap of the brakes, setting the scene for the gorgeous, Jarre-esque Weak Stranger. We also get treated to Repepepater’s nod to Detroit house, urban-mode Balearic feels on They Work For Mr. O, and sneak
attack lo-fi future funk in the form of UFOs Over Egypt, with Montreal co-pilot Cristobal on a wild shisha-lit vox narrative, earlier versions of which have blessed many of our label comrades’ DJ sets, from Dave Aju to Vincent Lemieux.
The River Widens expands beautifully on the breadth of unique musical directions The Mole is capable of taking us in, now spread across fresh 2x12” vinyl and available digitally for the first time, along with another limited edition cassette run - we hope you enjoy the ride as much as we do!

Presenting the third volume of Keroxen's annual series of Radar compilations, joining the musical dots between restless and free-spirited artists working across the Canary archipelago.

With volume 1 loosely based around the indie and shoegazing art rock sounds made in the Islands, and a second volume exploring the experimental electronic music of Tenerife, we now welcome Volume 3, with a special showcase of Canary artists working from the diaspora.

Meet the hallucinatory acid folk from Tarragona based artist Transistor Eye, Amsterdam’s trio Halli Crigi raw, jazz/noise guitar improvisation, the glitchy and abstract piano minimalism by Sweden based Hara Alonso and the custom made midi based electronic orchestral compositions by Berlin based visual artist Arístides García aka Anisotrópico. Each artist delivers approximately 10 minutes of unique music which mixed together creates a weird and surprisingly fluid psychedelic journey, wrapped up as it’s always the case with these series in the pastoral retro-futurist collage artwork by Canarian artist Pura Márquez.

Another document showcasing the other side of this holiday destination, it’s not just hotel resorts and poolside lounging here, enter the wonderful and weird world of Keroxen.

‘Fuxsake, what a great ride this album is... …Somewhere John Lee Hooker is smiling and stampin' his foot to 'Runnin' Till I'm Done'! Love the 12 string riffing so much - You just don't hear that enough these days - Brings to mind Stevie Ray on killing it on acoustic. Ledfoot on the Goodfoot got some serious mojo'. - Winter Lazerus, mastering master This record was recorded and mixed in two days - live - straight to tape… no edits, no punching in…just me… honest for better or worse – honesty - What a precious thing ‘ - Ledfoot - In short: 10 tracks recorded analogue live to tape during two magic days at Studio Studio Nyhagen. No bullshit, just a unique artist spitting out his soul in the most naked and real setting possible. Gothic blues! Still, the sound, the lyrics and the performance are very much a product of today. Ledfoot aka Tim Scott McConnell is a 12-string guitarist who plays with fitted heavy strings,
a brass slide, steel fingerpicks and a stompbox. He has been touring and releasing music since the late 1970’s and written for artists as varied as Highasakite and TnT to Sheena Easton. In 2014, Bruce Springsteen recorded ‘High Hopes’ as the title track of his album, written by Tim Scott McConnell for the Havalinas debut album in 1990. It debuted as #1 in over 10 countries including the U.S. and the U.K.

Single-LP edit of Piñata lacquered at half speed master by Metropolis Mastering in London for the highest fidelity.

After the original release Freddie Gibbs & Madlib's Piñata in 2014, cover artist Jeff Jank made a new sleeve for the album in the style of a 1964 Blue Note album.

Featuring Danny Brown, Mac Miller, Earl Sweatshirt, Raekwon, Scarface, Domo Genesis, Ab-Soul, Polyester the Saint, BJ The Chicago Kid, Big Time Watts, G-Wiz, Casey Veggies, Sulaiman, Meechy Darko & Freddie Kane.

Freddie Gibbs is the product of violent, drug-laden streets but unlike most rappers with similar resumes, he brings the block to the booth without inhibition or an exaggerated rap persona. Piñata, a 17 track collaboration with producer Madlib, is the best distillation yet of his transparent approach to making music, combining an at times stark honesty with electrifying talent as a lyricist and performer.

Piñata is a gangster Blaxploitation film on wax, says Gibbs, who came up on the streets of Gary, Indiana, the disregarded city previously best known for producing Michael Jackson. Here he is joined by Mac Miller, Earl Sweatshirt, Raekwon, Scarface, Domo Genesis, Ab-Soul and a host of others in setting his soliloquies of the streets alongside film snippets and dusted funk, soul and prog musical tapestries. While this is the latest in a series of single-artist collaborations for Madlib, after Jaylib (J Dilla), Madvillainy (MF Doom) and the street-centric O.J. Simpson with Detroits Guilty Simpson, the pairing is unique as it is the first time for Gibbs working with just one producer.

On Piñata, where Gibbs can shift from textbook lessons in robbing and drugging on trackslike Scarface and Knicks, to perhaps the albums most personal song, Broken, a collaboration with Scarface, who, along with Tupac, DMX and 50 Cent, make up the rappers own Mount Rushmore of MCs (Youre getting a hurricane of all those motherfuckers hitting you at once when you listen to Freddie Gibbs, he says). Deeper, a Gibbs favorite and the third single from the album after Thuggin (2012) and Shame, (2013) is an ode to hip-hop in the mold of Commons I Used to Love H.E.R.; High, featuring Danny Brown, is self-explanatory and just what you would expect from Gibbs, Madlib and one of Detroits finest; while on Real, Gibbs addresses an old score just as Michael Corleone settled all family business on baptism day.

As a producer, Madlib, quite simply, is music, and ten years into his career-a time when other artists become comfortable-Gibbs remains restless, focused, with an eye on the competition and their position relative to his ascent. This is because mentally, hes still on the corner hustling, which would be the downfall of the average rapper. With Piñata, Gibbs confirms that he is anything but average.

1988 saw the release of several timeless and remarkable EPs from Nurse With Wound, one of those classics is Alas the Madonna Does Not Function. Madonna in some respect was a turning point for NWW. It's a record that whilst unmistakably retaining that ineffable NWW character brought rhythmic and almost 'musical' elements into play. Madonna could be seen along with the Soresucker and Cooloorta Moon EPs as the bridge between the old and the new, the natural precursors to Thunder Perfect Mind and Rock 'n Roll Station. Some 34 years later Madonna still sounds fresh and unique, a true one off, proving NWW to be one of the few genuinely enduring and uncompromising artists of their time. Added to this re-issue is the fan favourite I am the Poison. With its plodding cyclical bass, minimalist sound and distorted vocal lines it could be argued that Poison is a forgotten, yet divergent, post punk classic. Beautifully remastered by Andrew Liles. This arrives in a beautiful die-cut sleeve with Babs Santini artwork.