Search:vocal tracks

Steve Gunn has always had one foot in indie rock and the other in an expansive improvisational scene. His songwriter albums alternate with freewheeling jams, most notably in his Gunn-Truscinski Duo, but are not confined to that. So when Gunn decided to revisit Other You, it made sense that he brought in some guests from the far side of the commercial/experimental spectrum to reimagine his songs. Nakama presents five tracks from that last album, reshaped by artists that Gunn admires. The process loosens the songs up considerably.

To start, he calls in Mdou Moctar’s backing band (the American bassist Mikey Coltun and the other guitarist Ahmoudou Madassane) for “Protection.” The song already had a bit of blues-y swagger to it, with sharper-edged guitar rhythms also heard on the ultra-smooth Other You, but here the heat has an otherworldly desert sheen. Its caravan-traveling rhythm sways from side to side, digging in to to the upbeats in a way that is both kinetic and also hypnotically still. There’s some crowd noise in the background, the knot of people that regularly forms when Mdou and his compatriots plug in from Agadez, and a few mournful afro-blues licks arcing off the vamp. But mostly it’s a cut that reminds you how much African guitar music Gunn has absorbed (listen to “Tommy’s Congo” from Way Out Weather for proof), and how well it fits with what he does.

Gunn also brings in Circuit Des Yeux’s Haley Fohr to reconfigure “Ever Feel That Way,” and she sets the song’s drifting melancholy amid pensive minor-key piano chords. She strips back the ambient whoosh that surrounds the original, slows down the pace and presents the song in startling, unadorned clarity. Her version removes some of the sticky, over-prettiness that I found so distracting in Other You. The melody is better, purer and more focused without the frills. There is also an electronic remake of “Reflection” from David Moore’s ambient ensemble Bing and Ruth, which traps Gunn’s fragile vocals in a shivering palace of synthetic tones. It’s enjoyable in its way, but the two sensibilities never quite meld together.

The best part comes when Gunn joins forces with Joshua Abrams’ Natural Information Society in remakes of “Good Wind” and “On the Way.” The former is a matter of subtle differences: the gentle pitch and roll under Gunn’s voice, the intermittent liquid runs of bass between widely spaced phrases. Abrams and his crew open up the jazz-leaning, reiterative possibilities under Gunn’s song, but they don’t change it fundamentally. “On the Way” is even stronger, a glowing drone and a pattern of hand drums enveloping the melody. It makes the music seem more spiritual, more resonant, more deep and full of mysteries. It was striking enough that I had to go back to Other You to hear again an album that had left me cold. This new version of “On the Way” didn’t change that chill, but it gave me an idea of how strong the songs might have sounded in another setting. (by Jennifer Kelly)

Mit Album Nummer vier sollten MARIANAS REST nun endgültig auf dem Radar jedes Melodic Death- und Extreme Doom Metal-Fans landen. Die Band stammt aus der Küstenstadt Kotka, ihr Sound verkörpert finnische Melancholie und Traurigkeit einer kalten, rauen Winterlandschaft in Perfektion.

Am 24. März 2023 erscheint ihr neuestes Werk „Auer“ über Napalm Records, welches mit einer intensiven Mischung aus melodischem Death Metal und tief schwarzen Doom- und Black Metal-Elementen alle Erwartungen übertrifft!

Der Sixtett rund um Sänger Jaakko Mäntymaa und Omnium Gatherum‘s Aapo Koivisto am Keyboard wurde 2013 gegründet.
Mit der Veröffentlichung ihres beeindruckenden Debüts „Horror Vacui“ im Jahr 2016 eroberten sie die Underground Metal Szene im Sturm.
Pünktlich zu ihrem 10-jährigen Bandjubiläum entfesseln MARIANAS REST acht neue Tracks, die vielschichtiger nicht sein könnten. „Auer“ ist episch, schwer, traurig und düster; die insgesamt melancholischen jedoch brutalen Riffs, hypnotisierenden Klangfarben und eindringlichen Vocals dringen bis ins tiefste Mark.

„Auer“ ist eine Reise durch eine verstörend kalte und doch atemberaubend schöne, erhabene Klanglandschaft, wie sie nur eine finnische Band wie MARIANAS REST erschaffen kann.
Ohne Zweifel wird „Auer“ den Namen MARIANAS REST als eine der fesselndsten und außergewöhnlichsten Melodic Death- und Blackened Doom Metal- Bands etablieren!

"Dans cent ans" is not a record: it’s a talisman.
Flavien Berger doesn’t make music, he makes time machines.
In 2015, he released his first album, Leviathan, which he’d imagined like a moment suspended into the bowels of present time.
In 2018, Contre-Temps, his critically acclaimed second album, was narrated like a flashback.
Dans Cent Ans (“In 100 Years”) ends this trilogy and launches into the future with the grace of a poisonous serpent.
Flavien had just finished producing Pomme’s last album and was simultaneously scoring Céline Devaux’s feature film Tout le monde aime Jeanne, when he recorded this album, during six months of isolation.
In the garret of a Belgian house in construction, these 12 tracks were born, close to the sky, both direct and mysterious.
Because Flavien Berger knows how to make machines sound sensual (a key example is the pop song “D’ici là”) and dares to interweave electronics, chanson and art music, organic instruments and synthetic choirs, without ever falling into parodic territory.
Because his voice, more precise, unreverbed, and close-mic’d than ever, sings to our ears – using multisyllabic rhymes (“Trop ivres pour te plaire / Tropiques du cancer”) and surrealist imagery (“la neige restera rose” – “the snow will remain pink”) – stories that feel unknown yet obvious.
And like both previous albums ended with a long eponymous track like a breath of air, “Leviathan” and “Contre-temps”, so does “Dans Cent Ans”, a 15-minute long saga where vocals, wind instruments and machines converse, as if Debussy, Etienne Daho and a Sufi Dervish met in a dream.
After listening to this album, the vertigo of love and the collision of times are one and the same.
In one hundred years, music will survive us all, and its dangerous beauty will awaken other lives. In the meantime, Flavien Berger keeps stunning ours.

A lot can happen in ten years.

Rewind back to Gateshead in 2008 - the producer Smoove is round his friend and keyboard player - Mike Porter's house. Together they are working on tracks for his project and all of a sudden they hear a heavenly voice from the neighbour. Transfixed by the vocals that are caressing their ears they go and investigate to find a youthful John Turrell doing his thing at a practice with a local band he played with when he wasn't teaching carpentry at the local college. Together they woo him with their Geordie charms and the initial line up of 'Smoove & Turrell' is born. The group instantly gel and soon after have penned the killer track 'I Can't Give You Up'...

Flash forward to 2019 and the carpentry community looks on with jealousy as the group has gone from strength to strength. Signed to the independent label Jalapeno Records they are now five albums deep and they have achieved multiple radio-playlisted singles, won awards, toured with the likes of Chic, gained sync success across the world and continue to wow venues in all continents with their thrilling live shows on the regular.

All of this in an age where attention spans are shorter than ever and there is more access to music than ever. This is certainly an achievement worth celebrating. Doubly so in fact as not only is it their ten year anniversary collection but also it is the 300th official release on Jalapeno Records so it only seems right that the occasion gets commemorated properly - a double gatefold LP with brass coloured vinyl somehow seems appropriate...

Comprising of 18 tracks taken from all five of their studio albums as well as two new barnstorming tunes exclusive to this release - it's a veritable feast of northern funk gems from start to finish. Favourites from their deep catalogue including 'Slow Down', 'Beggarman', 'In Deep', 'Have Love' and 'You Could've Been A Lady' are all present and correct, lining up next to the two newbies which also hold their own.

"But what about the new tracks!" we hear you cry - well Smoove's solo rework of The Spencer Davis Group - I'm A Man is the stuff of legend with physical copies changing hands for huge sums (if you are lucky enough to be able to locate one in the first place!). The track has long been a staple of S&T live sets but they've never laid it down in a studio recording... That is until now. It's a monster of a tune and the perfect way to kick proceedings off on this record.

That's not all though, as the lads also serve up the aptly reflective 'Give it Back'. It's signature Smoove & Turrell stuff - full of soul with deep and heartfelt lyricism. Turrell's chorus refrain "We love the ones who give it back" is typically honest and true of a band that prides themselves on community. Proper canny that. Proper canny.

The spectrum-spanning archive of Hudd Traxx grows at pace, and having rolled out jams from legends of the game on Hudd Influences Vol. 1, Eddie Leader’s acclaimed Manchester based imprint now hands a full debut to rising star… DFRA.

From label fan to label artist, Buenos Aires-based Colombian, Diego Ruiz, first featured on 2019’s ‘Out Of Order : Volume 3’ with ‘I Am House’. His new ‘Blue Horizon’ EP confirms that statement, as we’re presented with a trio of beautifully tailored tracks, highlighting a producer who is comfortable in his craft.

The shimmer and bump of the title track, evokes scenes of sun, sea and bodies moving in rhythm. A theme that runs throughout, as the perspiring vibes of ‘Hold Me’ roll us into the club with its warm bass, pulsing keys and vocal, while final cut ‘Fallin’’ with its hypnotic swing and thumping kick takes us deeper into the night.

Adding a final peak to the package is Real Tone boss, Franck Roger. Vocal flourishes, echoing keys and that renowned golden touch from the Frenchman round out this superb debut from DFRA.

Orange Vinyl

The garage -psychedelic French duo The Liminanas straddles since 2009 the boundary between psychedelic ,shoegaze,garage & French yé-yé up to cool vocals . Quintessentially French but first known at the start in the US before hitting homeland France. 7 studio albums so far, 2 rare tracks compilations, many Eps,some OST, collabs such as L’Epée with Anton Newcombe & Emmanuelle Seigner : time for a first time Best of, and actually more than a Best of : Double Cd , Ltd Triple Vinyl& Digital editions offer 12 exclusive bonus tracks -new songs + rare songs when they called themselves les Bellas, before The Liminanas-.
“Electrified” also includes 23 classics songs , with featurings such as Peter Hook, Anton Newcombe and French pionners Laurent Garnier, Etienne Daho & Pascal Comelade.
Features liner notes written by Iggy Pop, Peter Hook & Keith Streng (Fleshtones) : because it’s only rock’n’roll.

Death Is Not The End's 333 sub-label follows the reissue of Devon Russell's Darker Than Blue LP late last year with a first-time reissue of a veritable reggae-dancehall holy grail - Robert Ffrench's 1985 LP 'Wondering'.

Pioneering artist and producer (and cousin of the late, great Pat Kelly) Robert Ffrench was born in central Kingston in 1962, recording his first records in 1979 at the age of 17. Coming out off the back of a slew of roots & early dancehall-style 45s cut with a wide range of producers thoughout the early '80s, the Wondering LP followed closely after two acclaimed LP sets ('Showcase' produced with Lord Koos & 'The Favourite' for Ossie Thomas' Black Solidarity label - plus a split showcase LP with Anthony "Gunshot" Johnson for Jah Thomas' Midnight Rock label).

Ffrench would write and produce the Wondering LP himself in it's entirity, laying down the tracks at Herman Chin-Loy's Aquarius & Michael Carroll's Creative Sounds studios with the help of engineer Christopher Daley. Representing the sound of an artist first confidently sriking out on his own, the album elegantly mixes a classic rub-a-dub & lovers rock-inspired sound with nascent digi-esque flourishes. It boasts an enviable list of contributors too, incl. Sly & Robbie, Dwight Pinkney, Robbie Lyn, Nelson Miller (Burning Spear) and Ronald "Nambo" Robinson among others, with Beres Hammond also providing backing vocals in places.

Following the release of Wondering, Ffrench would continue to write and produce, soon after releasing two further self-produced LPs for Edgar White's Parish label - and founded his own 'France' label in the late 80s, through which his productions would start to hit big, most notably alongside Courtney Melody on 'Modern Girl', and with US rapper Heavy D on the track 'More Love'. Robert's productions released through later label 'Ffrench' would go on to boast the cream of the crop of dancehall artists throughout the 90s and early 2000s, and he is often credited with discovering Buju Banton (producing his first single "Ruler" on the Stamina riddim). Ffrench is still actively producing music of his own to this day, having released singles 'Everyday of My Life' and 'Black Is a Colour' in late 2022 and Feb 2023 respectively, available through all digital platforms now.

333, under exclusive license from Robert Ffrench.

Avid Habibi Funk listeners may be familiar with Libyan composer / producer Najib Alhoush, who’s track “Ya Aen Daly” - the Bee Gee’s “Stayin Alive” cover - was included in our second compilation. While the original track never excited us, Najib’s version managed to strip it from its pop approach that had taken over disco during the genre`s peak. At that time, disco tracks mostly were aiming to appeal to the widest audience possible. Najib had turned the original track into something different and very unique. Upon further research we found that Najib was actually the singer and founder of The Free Music band alongside Fakhreddin, Salim Jibreel, Abdulrazzak ‘Kit-Kat’, Mukhtar Wanis and Mohameed Al Rakibi.
Initially, we only licensed Najib Alhoush’s “Ya Aen Daly” from Yousef Alhoush, Najib’s son, who was pleased to hear that there was interest in his father’s music form someone abroad. In the process of exchanging and learning about Najib’s music and career, our understanding was that The Free Music only recorded the one album. This couldn’t be further from the truth, in fact, there were ten albums produced by the group, all impressively coherent with a clear influence from disco, soul, funk and reggae.
The Free Music album was probably the longest it ever took us to gather information, photos and musical source material in a good enough quality to be reissued. This is largely due to the complicated political situation in Libya, compounded by the fact that Libya is still largely cut off from international payment systems, so getting an advance payment to the right person can be a process that takes weeks. The same goes for getting master tapes to a studio abroad and afterwards back to Libya.
When we look for music that works under the umbrella of Habibi Funk, we often come across albums where bands experimented with influences from Soul, Jazz, Funk, Disco and more, usually on a single track or two but then they often go down to a different path for the rest of the album. This was not the case for The Free Music. All their albums are fully dedicated to their unique blend of Disco, Reggae and Funk and it feels that when we made the selection for this album, we could have chosen a completely different number of tracks and the album would be been equally strong.
The lead-off single is the stupendously groovy “Ana Qalbi Ehtar” out February 3rd along with LP pre-order to capitalize on Bandcamp Friday. From the outset, the rhythmic strumming of the funkified guitars give way to the galloping drums and bass, opening up to anthemic vocals and rounding out with a blistering guitar solo, a certified disco-funk classic through-andthrough.
Second single, out February 17th is the disco slammer “Hawelt Nensa Ghalaak.” Guitars, harmonized horns, synths and bouncing bass and drums collide w/ spaced out vox to make the track a dancefloor sureshot for any party.
Third single is “Mathasebnish,” out March 3rd, a pure disco-funk slammer if there ever was one – with stabbing horns, funky bass riffs, a riding rhythm guitar and anthemic vocals, rounded out with stunning flute and guitar solos – the track will surely be on repeat along with the arrival of warmer weather.
Album focus track “Men Awel Marra” is another standout disco-infused tune, showcasing the immense creativity out of Najib and The Free Music. This past summer we finally had the opportunity to get together with Yousef face-to-face at a coffee shop in Istanbul’s central Istiklal road together with our friend Anas El Horani. Yousef told us the whole story of how his father got into music, the start of the band and his father’s continued conflicts with the Gaddafi regime that probably kept his career from becoming even bigger. As always, both vinyl and CD come with an extensive booklet featuring background on The Free Music and Najib Alhoush, including words from Najib’s son, Yousef, as well as unseen photos, cassettes and more.

clear vinyl

Stephen Disario delivers four-tracks as the debut release on his newly-launched imprint, and in so doing sets the tone for the output we can expect in years to come: driving basslines and infectious percussion crafted with meticulous perfection.

Throughout the four tracks, Disario showcases what he does so well as a producer: groovy, funky techno that will always find its home in a proper underground techno setting.

The EP starts off with "Under The Rug", an hypnotic masterpiece that sucks listeners in and takes them deeper and deeper as the track's intensity builds and reaches its peak. "Walking Through Trees" is next, picking up the tempo with an added groove carrying the track throughout... a real dance floor mover.

The pace continues with "The Marathon", a percussion-driven stomper characterized by well-crafted peaks and valleys permeated by distorted eerie vocals.

To conclude the EP, "Lights Down Under" showcases Disario's other signature techno soundscape. Here he takes the funk route, using an 808 clap and eerie howl broken by hard to discern and yet catchy vocals to great results.

Ground Groove, the third full-length release from the LA-based, Iranian-American producer and DJ, Maral, begins with an invocation: the sprawling, achingly heavy Feedback Jam opens the floodgates of history. Conventional (linear) spacetime collapses, crushed beneath the track’s lumbering 4/4 heartbeat and successive waves of distortion. As each wave recedes, samples trickle forward in the mix — seeking, perhaps, to fill the void. Voices and instruments rise and fall in uncanny reverse. Overlapping, implied melodies flicker into focus, then flit away. Feedback Jam is at once an initiation ritual, and a thesis statement for the record that follows.

Drawing upon a vast personal archive of Iranian folk, classical, and pop recordings (some sourced from mixtapes made by her parents in the eighties/nineties), Maral presents, on Ground Groove, a further refinement of the signature “folk club” sound she developed as a live DJ— a sound she would later codify on Mahur Club (2019) and Push (2020). By collecting, dissecting, and re/presenting sonic fragments from Iran, Maral practices a kind of dance-floor ethnomusicology. The subject of her inquiry: Iranian


culture and contexts, throughout history and in the present. But, crucially, this inquiry is instantiated within and throughout the body of the listener, whether this listener is dancing in the club, or riding the train, nodding along with headphones on.

Maral speaks of being in collaboration with her samples, treating each as a distinct bandmate, often consulting with an artist’s catalog (or even a single recording) as one would a trusted creative partner. In so-doing, Maral claims to seek to transcend the self. In this regard, her output neatly triangulates contemporary dance and heavy music with much of the traditional religious music that she samples. Broadly speaking, each of these idioms addresses a desire —shared by audience and performer alike—to transcend the self through volume, repetition, and movement.

Having, in her youth, studied the Setar under Nader Majd (the founder of Virginia’s Center for Persian Classical Music), Maral cycled through various genres (ex: punk, emo, dub) in her adolescence and early twenties, all the while expanding her knowledge of, and appreciation for, Iran’s diverse musical traditions during regular summer trips to Tehran. In college, Maral taught herself to make beats with a ripped copy of Ableton (which remains her DAW of choice), eventually transitioning to playing and hosting various club nights. Forever abiding by an autodidactic, DIY impulse to create art and foster community, Maral relocated to Los Angeles in 2013, where she quickly immersed herself in the city’s numerous overlapping music scenes.

Collaboration (beyond sampling) has proven an important component of her process, with notable spoken word contributions from the likes of Lee Scratch Perry and Penny Rimbaud, as well as a 2021 Panda Bear collab track (On Your Way), which the Animal Collective founder co-produced. Maral is equally attentive to the visual components of her records (album art, music videos, etc.), drawing upon the work of peers and friends for inspiration.

Indeed, the genesis of Ground Groove can be traced back to an audio-visual collaboration between Maral and the artist Brenna Murphy, originally commissioned for the 2021 Rewire Festival — a project that would eventually serve as the album’s foundation. Tracks eight through eleven on Ground Groove comprise Maral’s half of this installation, with tracks one through seven composed afterwards, inspired by the fruits of Maral and Murphy’s collaboration. Murphy’s visuals will be released alongside Ground Groove as a visual accompaniment. Additionally, Murphy designed the album’s art, directed the video for the lead single (the aforementioned Feedback Jam), and is featured on track six, Shy Night.

Composed largely on Ableton, Ground Groove features more frequent and more prominent live recordings from Maral (guitar, bass, and vocals) than either Push or Mahar Club. The cult favorite Roland MC-909 groovebox rears its head on Mari’s Groove. Mixed by Trayer Tryon (Hundred Waters) and mastered by Daddy Kev, the attention to sonic quality on Ground Groove constitutes another significant step in Maral’s development as a studio artist.

Ground Groove’s eleven tracks are “grooves” in the obvious sense, in that they are each driven by a persistent, propulsive rhythm, but the album’s title may just as well suggest the glacial passage of time—the scope of human history, in which individual voices, like streams, carve paths (impossibly) through earth and stone, winding their way to the vast sea of the present.

"Dans cent ans" is not a record: it’s a talisman.
Flavien Berger doesn’t make music, he makes time machines.
In 2015, he released his first album, Leviathan, which he’d imagined like a moment suspended into the bowels of present time.
In 2018, Contre-Temps, his critically acclaimed second album, was narrated like a flashback.
Dans Cent Ans (“In 100 Years”) ends this trilogy and launches into the future with the grace of a poisonous serpent.
Flavien had just finished producing Pomme’s last album and was simultaneously scoring Céline Devaux’s feature film Tout le monde aime Jeanne, when he recorded this album, during six months of isolation.
In the garret of a Belgian house in construction, these 12 tracks were born, close to the sky, both direct and mysterious.
Because Flavien Berger knows how to make machines sound sensual (a key example is the pop song “D’ici là”) and dares to interweave electronics, chanson and art music, organic instruments and synthetic choirs, without ever falling into parodic territory.
Because his voice, more precise, unreverbed, and close-mic’d than ever, sings to our ears – using multisyllabic rhymes (“Trop ivres pour te plaire / Tropiques du cancer”) and surrealist imagery (“la neige restera rose” – “the snow will remain pink”) – stories that feel unknown yet obvious.
And like both previous albums ended with a long eponymous track like a breath of air, “Leviathan” and “Contre-temps”, so does “Dans Cent Ans”, a 15-minute long saga where vocals, wind instruments and machines converse, as if Debussy, Etienne Daho and a Sufi Dervish met in a dream.
After listening to this album, the vertigo of love and the collision of times are one and the same.
In one hundred years, music will survive us all, and its dangerous beauty will awaken other lives. In the meantime, Flavien Berger keeps stunning ours.

Death Is Not The End's 333 sub-label follows the reissue of Devon Russell's Darker Than Blue LP late last year with a first-time reissue of a veritable reggae-dancehall holy grail - Robert Ffrench's 1985 LP 'Wondering'.

Pioneering artist and producer (and cousin of the late, great Pat Kelly) Robert Ffrench was born in central Kingston in 1962, recording his first records in 1979 at the age of 17. Coming out off the back of a slew of roots & early dancehall-style 45s cut with a wide range of producers thoughout the early '80s, the Wondering LP followed closely after two acclaimed LP sets ('Showcase' produced with Lord Koos & 'The Favourite' for Ossie Thomas' Black Solidarity label - plus a split showcase LP with Anthony "Gunshot" Johnson for Jah Thomas' Midnight Rock label).

Ffrench would write and produce the Wondering LP himself in it's entirity, laying down the tracks at Herman Chin-Loy's Aquarius & Michael Carroll's Creative Sounds studios with the help of engineer Christopher Daley. Representing the sound of an artist first confidently sriking out on his own, the album elegantly mixes a classic rub-a-dub & lovers rock-inspired sound with nascent digi-esque flourishes. It boasts an enviable list of contributors too, incl. Sly & Robbie, Dwight Pinkney, Robbie Lyn, Nelson Miller (Burning Spear) and Ronald "Nambo" Robinson among others, with Beres Hammond also providing backing vocals in places.

Following the release of Wondering, Ffrench would continue to write and produce, soon after releasing two further self-produced LPs for Edgar White's Parish label - and founded his own 'France' label in the late 80s, through which his productions would start to hit big, most notably alongside Courtney Melody on 'Modern Girl', and with US rapper Heavy D on the track 'More Love'. Robert's productions released through later label 'Ffrench' would go on to boast the cream of the crop of dancehall artists throughout the 90s and early 2000s, and he is often credited with discovering Buju Banton (producing his first single "Ruler" on the Stamina riddim). Ffrench is still actively producing music of his own to this day, having released singles 'Everyday of My Life' and 'Black Is a Colour' in late 2022 and Feb 2023 respectively, available through all digital platforms now.

333, under exclusive license from Robert Ffrench.

An elusive Soul/Funk masterpiece from mid-70s Lakeland, Florida. The Riley siblings; Carrie, Horace & James laid the foundation for the two songs they would bring to Auburndale's custom recording studio, Central Sound to be released on the Nashville/Florida label, 'Music City'. Jerome McNeil, William Freeman, Bruce Bolden & Sam Graham would complete the outfit and be collectively known as 'Carrie Riley & The Soul Fascinations'

It's been 15 years since Now Again & Jazzman showcased the Deep Funk rarity 'Super Cool' on their Florida Funk compilation, however it's James Riley's group harmony B-side, 'Living In A Lonesome House With You' that has remained at large, unknown, collectively showcasing the talent encapsulated by The Fascinations.

'During the early 70’s The Riley family members who formed the Fascinations (originally the Soul Fascinations), James, Horace and Carrie along with a few friends, were destined to develop and perform musically as music flowed through our veins. Our father was a musician who played piano and sang the blues. As children we gathered around an old upright piano after dinner to hear our father play and sang. By the time I was 14 and my brothers, James and Horace were 16 and 17, we had all learned to plan an instrument. My focus was on vocals with many role models to learn from in the music industry such as; Dianna Ross, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight and Mable Staple. My brothers loved the Commodores, Kool and the Gang, Rick James and Earth Wind and Fire. The Isleys’s were a favorite of ours also. James was the driver of our success in recording as he made sure we practiced for hours on end. Sometimes we would practice popular songs until 2 in the morning. James began to write songs and develop melodies that he would share with Horace and I. We would make suggestions for revisions such as arrangements and melodies. Before long we traveled to Miami where we recorded, Super Cool which was our title song, 'Living in A Lonesome House' and a few other tracks. 'Super Cool' is a song that is personal to me. It is a song about relationships and trust, while the Lonesome house song was about love affairs and breakups. So much great music came out of the 70’s. I am grateful that our music contributed to the industry during a time when great music was about love and relationships.

Lovingly
Carrie'

Compilation of sweet soul and r&b from Plut Records. 11 tracks (7 unreleased) mostly by Lenis Guess. A couple of moody instrumentals are featured, but vocal harmony groups are heard for the most part. And for the most part this music has been silent since it was recorded and put back on the shelf. Each cut is transferred from master tapes. And for those who want to know about the people, the time and the place; it’s Norfolk, Virginia – early to mid Seventies.

Extensive liner notes with 8 pg insert and full color sleeve.\

SlothBoogie Records return for 2023 with a five tracker from Moonee.
Groovence Discs boss Francois Lefevre is well versed in deep grooves and has been releasing some of his finest discoveries on the label since 2015. More recently he's been making his own deep and atmospheric productions under the Moonee moniker which took off in 2020 thanks to debut track Faith & Sorrow. Collaborations with some of the French scene’s finest producers Mangabey and Tour Maubourg soon followed as well as a remix for Sweely’s banger 'I Gotta Keep On'.
The Wabi Sabi EP on the label landed in 2022 and was highlighted by Juno's editorial team as 'a sumptuous, slowly building chunk of intergalactic deep house beat loveliness'. That same EP caught the SlothBoogie crew's eye and they immediately began working on presenting a selection of Moonee's tracks that would celebrate their shared love of deep yet pumping Disco and House sounds.
The Primal Groove EP was born and it starts off with 'Apples', a Motor city soul drenched track with filtered bass, dusty horn samples and spaced out guitar licks. Shuffled along by MPC beats before an otherworldly vocal washes over and brings it all to a close. 'Shishingo' is up next with it’s clever vocal manipulation, bouncy drums, subtle organ flourishes and a skipping bassline that builds up to some good ol’ time piano workout. Completing the A side is 'Dinner At Michelle's'... the most disco cut of the 12''. More shuffling shakers and filtered guitar loops backed by a thumping kick and ever circling strings leading the way for a full on 4/4 workout.
Flipping over to the B sides introduces us to the title track 'Primal Groove' that takes us deep into a nostalgic trip with its string swells and filtered bass. Moonee is flexing his deep house muscles on this one as snappy percussion punctuates more MPC sampling, building tension towards the reveal of the main heads down groove section… classy business. Finally for dessert is 'Boka' a sumptuous glistening track that’s primed for beachside sunsets. Saturated with hypnotic vibes that’ll help you drift away into a calmer, more peaceful sanctuary

Zurich’s Elvis Cassetta delivers a dazzling four-track debut EP to his brand-new WhyNot imprint. Complete with a refined deep house sound, this is an expertly crafted body of silky smooth grooves to get floors shaking.

'Down With Us' instantly displays Cassetta’s effortless ability to create a hot house swing using just a handful of elements – subtle groove, skittish percussion and a sultry vocal sample. The whole track is thrown out wide in the breakdown, but then as the bassline is brought back in, Cassetta draws it all back in close for an intimate dancefloor moment. Definitely one of those hands-in-the-air peak-time scenes.

Dreamy synth pads steadily build under a thunderous kick drum pattern on the EP’s second track, 'Focals Finest', which takes the tempo up a notch for a real sweat inducer.

Finally, it’s all about a raw bassline on the metallic and techy 'Jupiter Groove'. Contorted slices of spoken word dip in and out throughout to create another level of leftfield, danceable percussion. While the low end is the main focus on the original, in Silat Beksi’s remix, we hear a brighter take on the deep groove. There’s a swirling sample, more prominent key stabs, eerie vocals and a teasing smattering of melody. Percussive elements are thrown from all angles, and they pulsate up into the rafters of the lofty house track, leading you further into a state of hypnosis.

Overall, these are house tracks made right – a classy release fit for warming in crowds in style.

Electronic duo Pale Blue return to Crosstown Rebels with ‘No Words’, the second single from their forthcoming album ‘Maria’, with remixes from DJ Tennis and Perel.

Italians Do It Better founder Mike Simonetti and Silver Hands’ Elizabeth Wight’s rich and storied careers within the electronic realm and beyond only elevated further with the launch of their Pale Blue project in 2015, unveiling a series of critically acclaimed releases via Simonetti’s 2MR imprint with plaudits including Pitchfork, FACT and Resident Advisor, to name just a few. Having provided the first look into their forthcoming album on Crosstown Rebels entitled ‘Maria’, scheduled for release on the label later this year, the pair return to open March with the second single from the project, ‘No Words’ - accompanied by remixes from DJ Tennis and Perel.

Detailing the backstory to the record, Simonetti notes both upcoming single ‘No Words’ and the majority of the tracks on the duo’s forthcoming album project were made on the exact synths used to create Jaydee’s iconic 1993 hit, ‘Plastic Dreams’.

Guided by a captivating bassline accented by Wight’s charming vocals, which flutter amongst the mix, ‘No Words’ is a hooky and compelling production that ebbs and flows across its near five-minute duration with effortless ease, capturing the playful nature alluded to by Simonetti. Life and Death head honcho DJ Tennis’ remix arrives next, veering down a hazy yet absorbing path as crisp organic drums and engrossing melodies form around the vocals and journey through light and dark textures.

The B-side of the record belongs to DJ/producer, vocalist and DFA Records favourite Perel, offering a cosmic dive through spacey synths, skittering bleeps and pops, and tough kicks across her take on the production - before distorting and warping the vocals and shifting the emphasis on the ever-evolving electronics across her ‘Dub Version’.

A limited edition 7' release by Francisco Aguabella, both tracks taken from the rare Hard Hitting album released 1970 on EPSILON records. These two have never been on 7' before, includes wonderful re-production cover of the original sleeve

Track A1 - 'Desire' - Amazing vocal club classic which has stood the test of time always in demand. Never before pressed and released as 45. A massive dancer and a must have release.
Track B2 - 'Casa fuerte' - if you like Latin jazz dancers this is for you - top class banger.

This has to be the holy grail of Weldon’s work, with his unique interstellar musical language. Back in the early 70s, Weldon Irvine was well ahead of his time both with his relatively radical, ‘modern’ jazz scores, and his overtly humanist lyrics. The almost Alice in Wonderland world of the late great Mr Weldon Johnathan Irvine, is one to get totally submerged in. Mr Irvine was such a calm and gentle person who just oozed music, baring his soul onto vinyl. It is such a great honour to be able to release some of my absolute must-haves, from his Nodlow music label on to 7” for the first time.

First recorded in 1973 and released on Nodlow records, we have taken 3 wonderful tracks from the epic “Time Capsule” LP – “Déjà vu” this quirky, yet catchy, song has been edited down, from 9 minutes to 3mins 43secs and this is the first time on 7’ for this 45 release. Weldon on Keys and vocals; back up with Emerson Cain; Lenny White on Drums; Tony Wiles, percussion; and Alex Blake on bass. Speaking to the family, I found out that Weldon had wanted to release a 7” of this back in the day, but it never happened, so this is for you, Weldon.
On the flip is “I am”, A spiritual interlude of words, and a feel that bring Weldon into the room, poetic masterpiece of earthly ideas and musical chords.
“Bananas” is a 90s Jazz Club dancer, this again shows Weldon doing his thang. Super funky drums and bass; plus it has that signature Weldon turn around rift

Wow, we’re so happy to reissue these incredible two gems from the mighty Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express. Mr. Auger is a superb Hammond organist & pianist. Known previously for his work with Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity in the 60s, Oblivion Express vibes kicked off in the 70s.
Our A side ‘Inner City Blues’ is a cover of the Marvin Gaye classic. A Hammond driven groove with a deep percussive backing and killer vocals, this version stands up as a banger in its own right, a must have cut!! b/w ‘Voices Of Other Times’ is one of my favorites from the Closer To It LP, a super funky, jazz-rock thang, up-tempo and includes a wonderful sample and loop. Dynamite Cuts DJs tool, and one for the collectors!

Both tracks are taken from the groundbreaking ‘Closer To It’ album from 1973 which was such a genre bending release it entered the US jazz, R&B and rock charts simultaneously. We release this amazing 45 with the permission & cooperation of Greg Boraman’s Soul Bank Music – who recently announced they have licensed Brian Augers’ full back catalogue to re-issue, including many previously unheard rarities from Brian’s personal archive.

Japan's guitar hero Takeshi Terauchi reworks traditional songs and lets everything go wild with his magnificent and frenzied guitar sound. Enter the electrifying world of Eleki!

Gatefold 180g heavy vinyl LP, reverse board print. Comes with extensive liner notes by Japanese pop culture writer Julien Seveon (Cinexploitation)

All tracks licensed by King Record Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan.

Mastering and lacquer cut by Jukka Sarapää at Timmion Cutting Lab, Helsinki, Finland.

Artwork by Nker

The aftermath of World War II gave rise to a global phenomenon that saw new generations of young people rise up determined to forge new paths from their elders – culturally, politically, and musically. Japan was no exception and the recent past made the local youth angrier, hungrier and even more determined to fully experience something different from their parents. The country caught on to the early rock & roll craze almost in tandem as it was happening in the States. Teenager Chiemi Eri singing "Rock Around The Clock" and Kazuya Kosaka with "Heartbreak Hotel" were among the first to make what would soon be called Rokabiri accessible to a large audience. Teacher and parent associations showed concern regarding this new music when teenagers started missing school to attend afternoon shows – one of which most notably being the Nichigeki Western Carnival where all the top names of Rokabiri played to sold out audiences. But by the end of the 1950s, the youth of Japan had moved on to something else entirely: Eleki.

The 50s and 60s were a time of rapid change that saw trends come and go. Japan, like all other industrial countries, saw its youth move from one musical sensation to the next. And in the early 60s, there was one band in particular that created a distinct new flavor: The Ventures. Leaving behind vocals and focusing strictly on the impact of the sound of the electric guitar, The Ventures drove kids crazy all over the world. Other bands followed, most notably The Shadows, but in Japan, no other instrumental rock band managed to leave such an impact. The sound of The Ventures helped boost guitar sales in Japan and soon hundreds of cover bands were popping up all over the country. The Eleki Bumu (electric boom) was now in full effect with Takeshi Terauchi emerging as its first and greatest guitar hero.

Terauchi was born January 1939 in the prefecture of Tochigi, north of Tokyo. His mother taught music and played the shamisen – a traditional Japanese stringed instrument – while his father ran, among other things, an electronics shop. Their respective professions were to be decisive in the path that Terauchi would later take. Serendipitously, at the age of five, Takeshi was given his first instrument – a guitar. His destiny sealed, he quickly began experimenting with different tools from his father's shop to give his instrument a stronger sound. The technological approach came from his father, the technique from his mother. Terauchi's signature playing style owes a lot to his mother's instrument of choice, as he attacks the notes on his guitar as one plucks the strings of a shamisen.

This exceptional compilation you are holding in your hands explores some of the best works by Takeshi Terauchi, recorded between 1966 and 1974, where the guitar hero looks inwards to Japan for inspiration. A meeting between traditional folk songs and the unique way Terauchi and his band play: the content is explosive, inspired, and highly addictive! The 60s and 70s were undoubtedly Terauchi's finest hours, and in the late 60s, one Japanese critic said that Terauchi was not only the best guitarist in Japan, but also in the world. You can now find out why.

Pressure is a new garage project produced by Dusky. Still typically resemblant of their trademark sound, this musical excursion looks back to their formative years and early productions that were heavily influenced by UK and US garage. Covering everything from murky 2 step sounds to uplifting vocal bubblers and soulful US influenced 4x4, the project includes collaborations with Manchester's garage revivalist Interplanetary Criminal, two-step pioneer El-B and London-based songwriter Mariella.

"When we were writing our most recent album JOY we really enjoyed the process of creating 'Eros', one of the more garage influenced tracks on the album. It reignited our interest in the genre's sound world, so once JOY was complete we got stuck into writing a load of similar material and this project is the result.” - Dusky

Private Funk-Shun were a band formed in 1984 originating from the Loughton and Tottenham areas of north east London & Essex, and featured the vocal talents of Maxeen Edman-Messam - who would later go on to find fame in the early 1990s as key street soul artist Maxeen.

Originally performing under the name of Slipstream, but changing to Private Funk-Shun in 1985 after finding out another group were operating under with the same name, they toured around London & South East bringing a dedicated brit-funk following with them. Despite writing approximately 20 original tracks in their time, this self-released two-track 7" from 1986 was their only official output and has since become a certified rare groove, fetching upwards of £250 on the secondhand market.

"Ela", Dom La Nena's first album, was released in 2013. Co-produced with the complicity of Piers Faccini, the album received the highest praise from the international press (New York Times, NPR, Les Inrocks, Wall Street Journal, etc). On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of its release, here is a reissue of the record, now available on vinyl.

Dom La Nena is a Brazilian singer, cellist, songwriter and producer based in Paris. Having accompanied artists such as Jane Birkin, Jeanne Moreau, Etienne Daho and collaborated with the likes of Marcelo Camelo, Julieta Venegas and Piers Faccini, Dom's solo work has drawn comparisons as disparate as “a young Brian Wilson” (Wall Street Journal), “a bossa Joanna Newsom” (Time Out New York) and “Cat Power’s lost sister” (Pop Dose).

Dom sings in Portuguese, Spanish, French and English. Her lyrics touch upon feelings of longing, melancholy, and nostalgia of a childhood spent living in Brazil, Argentina and France. Performing in a solo capacity alone on stage with her cello, ukulele, electric guitar, keyboard and percussions, Dom employs sophisticated looping techniques, layering vocals and instrumental tracks, building audio soundscapes that create a full band atmosphere in each venue.

Dom’s debut solo album, “Ela”, was released during 2013 and immediately praised by the international music press including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Le Figaro, Les Inrockuptibles, Voir, O Globo and many other media outlets. Dom's second album “Soyo”, an internationally flavored collection of indie-folk songs with wandering melodies and lightly layered vocals, was released in 2015 and co-produced with Brazilian musician Marcelo Camelo (Los Hermanos).

Dom's third full length album, titled "Tempo", was self produced and mixed by Noah Georgeson (Devendra Banhart, The Strokes, Rodrigo Amarante) and is scheduled for a spring 2019 worldwide release.

With his new album, Gecko Turner confirms that he is a standout artist in the global groove scene, a must for the outernational sounds aficionados.

Somebody From Badajoz is the fifth studio album in his much lauded discography and his first in seven years, eagerly anticipated by both his fans and himself: "this business of dedicating yourself to music and making songs... it's a long game."

With the release of his first two, remarkable, albums, Guapapasea! (2003) and Chandalismo Ilustrado (2006), Gecko started cultivating what one astute journalist defined as Afro-maduran soul—the "maduran" bit referencing Extremadura, a region in central-western Spain.

Badajoz, Gecko's birthplace, is the biggest city in the area, on the border with Portugal, by the Guadiana River. It is a place that oozes history, where there is constant movement at the border, and people's character is friendly and open-minded with foreign habits.

Gecko's Afro-maduran soul isbuilt on Afro-American music and drenched in Brazilian, African, Latin American and Jamaican sounds. There are also echoes of a youth marked in equal parts by our man's admiration for the Beatles and the flamenco that could be heard everywhere in Badajoz in the seventies. It makes for a singular sound and a musical language of its own—spicy, succulent, full of nuances, but with a very personal flavour.

The album opens with the Nigerian talking drums of Twenty-twenty Vision, (neo) soul in a magical falsetto, carried by a sumptuous orchestral arrangement with a cinematic flavour: "I'd been thinking about doing something called 'Twenty-twenty Vision' for some time, making a play on words with the vision we have of the world after the year 2020 and the medical expression, which, in ophthalmological terms, means 'normal or complete vision.' Beyond that particular song, I think that's the mood of the album: a look at society in the twenties of the 21st century and the feelings and demons it produces."

It's followed by De Balde, a very special song born from a posthumously discovered lyric by the great writer Carlos Lencero, a regular collaborator of Camarón, Pata Negra, and Remedios Amaya, and also from Badajoz. While conceived as a fandango, Gecko has moulded it into his sound in such a seamless way it now seems as if the words could only have been written to be embraced by the percussion, brass, and backing vocals heard on the album. It's the only lyric on Somebody From Badajoz not written by Turner, still it sits rather comfortably with the rest, sharing the same emotivity and sensitivity, as well as the trademark humour and irony.

Other tracks see more protagonism for the rhythm.The beat-driven Ain't No Fun Preachin' to the Choir features Gecko's vocals walking the thin line between singing and talking over a phenomenal afro-disco-funk-infused trailblazer. In Am I Sad? it's impossible to not bob your head to the queen of Papatosina's mongrel rhythm, as close to the banks of the Guadiana river as it is to the shores of the Mississippi. Qué Siesta Tan Buena, He Babeao Y To! is an ode to the snooze in true Afro-Maduran fashion. And in Come And Try, the Caribbean influence is evident—lovers' rock that invites you to dance in good company.

In these songs, and throughout the album, for that matter, the musicians accompanying Gecko, who himself plays many of the instruments as well, shine brightly. All hailing from Extremadura, Javi Mojave (percussion), Álvaro Fdez 'Dr. Robelto' (bass), and Rafa Prieto (guitar) have been carrying him with delicate forcefulness since he started out as a solo artist. At the same time, the wonderful and essential voices of Deborah Ayo, Astrid Jones, Fani Ela Nsue, and Miriam Solís give the album a sunny variety of colours. And there are many more—a sensational group of musicians contributes dazzling harmonic bursts to many of the songs. The palette of sounds is very diverse and rich in textures and nuances, including, for example, the ngoni, bells, and various repurposed kitchen utensils.

The groove is always around, moving between the magical border sound of Everybody Knows Somebody From Badajoz and Little Dose, the silky soul of The Sibariteo Appreciation Society, and the exultant celebration of End Of The World (which surprisingly sees Gecko turning to the occasional use of autotune), a piece that could be used for the final credits of a Monty Python film and, in fact, closes the album.

Gecko Turner has done it again with Somebody From Badajoz, looking to the future without losing sight of the roots. In times of upheaval all over the globe, when people are looking for purity, he delivers a formidable piece of work: risky, optimistic in spite of everything, and with a decidedly bastard sound. Let's rejoice.

Gianni Brezzo, the jazz affiliated band / studio project led by Cologne-based producer maestro Marvin Horsch, has a diverse musical profile that is reflected both in his genre-hopping as well as his creative output. Along with producing for Cologne bands like Keshavara, Woman and Xul Zolar, Gianni has released a number of EP and LP’s since 2017, including 2021’s “The Awakening” which featured vocal appearances from Berlin/Tel Aviv based singer / producer J.Lamotta and soul singer Otis Junior from Louisville, Kentucky. Gianni’s 2022 LP “Tutto Passa,” released on Jakarta Records, was a meditation around Marvin’s relationship to Italian culture, accompanied by research into Italian composers of the 60’s / 70’s such as Piero Umiliani, Stelvio Cipriani and Armando Trovajoli to more recent work by Sven Wunder. This was quickly followed up with EP “Amoria,” an extension of the themes grown from “Tutto Passa.” Gianni’s tracks have consistently placed on Editorial Lists including Spotify’s “State Of Jazz” (509k Likes) and “Café / Croissant” (200k Likes), and “lofi beats” (4.8M Likes) and most recently was synced in an episode of Gossip Girl for HBO US. Gianni’s latest excursion, “Soundscapes Vol. 1 – Music for Harlequins” is a special kind of release, one that ventures into worlds familiar, yet undeniably foreign and exciting. Gianni journeys through baroque pastures and medieval acoustics to bring forth an aural palette of colorful, timeless arrangements that fit comfortably in the sonic pocket. Featuring lush and nuanced instrumentation, all seamlessly melded together within Gianni’s groove-driven framework, the tracks on “Harlequins” present thematic moods that act as sonic windows into an enduring past. Jakarta is ecstatic to share such a project, with limited 300 vinyl initially pressed, arriving March 10th, 2023.

The godfather of soul found himself dipping into jazz on this classic but lesser-known album, Soul On Top (Verse By Request Series). Now getting a proper reissue treatment it is sure to convert many new fans to his abilities across the six sizzling tracks from this 1969 album, which includes the classic 'It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World' and a new version of 'Papa's Got A Brand New Bag'. Brown provides the vocals to a 18-piece big band set up that was led by drummer Louis Bellson and arranged by Impulse! star Oliver Nelson. Brown always said he was a jazzman at heart and this goes some way to proving that, with saxophonist Maceo Parker adding plenty of vital swing.

First time reissue of a legendary and undeservedly obscure salsa collector’s album from 1969. Led by rebel accordionist Alfredo Gutiérrez and featuring singer Lucho Pérez of Sonora Dinamita fame, “Así es… Con salsa!” is just that: raw, heavy duty NYC salsa performed through a Colombian “Costeño” tropical filter, with trombone, accordion and deep bass. Contains three hot bonus tracks in the same style and insert with liner notes. “¡Así es… Con salsa!”, by Colombia’s Alfredo Gutiérrez y Los Caporales del Magdalena, is a legendary collector’s album, yet still undeservedly obscure (and perhaps sonically surprising) for the uninitiated. It’s an experimental mash-up of seemingly disparate genres from different origins that on paper would seem to be at cross purposes. Yet at the same time the release is a masterpiece of raw pan-Latin fusion from the dawn of Colombian salsa that holds its own as a bonafide heavy duty pioneering record of the genre, despite its outsider status. Probably the most shocking musical element is Alfredo Gutiérrez’s fiery accordion, an unexpected instrument in the idiom of salsa, as it’s usually associated with the tropical music of Gutiérrez’s Caribbean home region of Sucre. Gutiérrez has always been a provocateur, never shying away from the controversial or outlandish, which has earned him the richly deserved sobriquet, “El Rebelde Del Acordeón” (The Rebel of The Accordion). Gutiérrez started Los Caporales in 1968 as a rival to Discos Fuentes supergroup Los Corraleros de Majagual, and the band had made three popular albums prior to “¡Así es… Con salsa!”, yet most of the repertoire on those records consisted of typical Colombian tropical and coastal rhythms and genres, none were purposely devoted to the newly minted genre of salsa. From the start, Gutiérrez lays down a salsa manifesto when the album kicks off with ‘Guadelupe no va’, a four-minute workout with pile-driving force that demonstrates the uncompromising power of this 14 piece orchestra. The listener is instantly hooked by the rawness of the sound, the bouncy energy, heavy brass and piano arrangements and the looseness of the improvisational sections. Gutiérrez was given the green light by Codiscos A&R head Humberto Moreno to dedicate an album to New York style salsa, giving more prominence to the voice and compositions of Lucho Pérez, an already proven expert in Cuban genres who previously had been only one among many vocalists in the band. Several tunes on the record are remakes of older compositions by Lucho Pérez from his early tenure with Discos Fuentes group La Sonora Dinamita, the new versions are much more raw and menacing, as if put through a Bronx filter. The band was made up of Codiscos’ regular stable of ace studio musicians from Medellín for the recording date. The album was both a success and also not abnormal in its mixing of salsa and costeño Colombian sounds, as there were several other similar hybrid records by other artists at the time. Both the desperation of the lyrics (about not being able to afford anything) and Lucho Pérez’ forceful delivery leave an indelible impression of street wise authenticity, which is backed up by the fact that both band members grew up poor

American singer, actor, dancer, and civil rights activist Eartha Kitt was
celebrated for her highly distinctive singing style
Her recordings of "C'est Si Bon" and the Christmas novelty song "Santa Baby"became instant classics and are presented here along with many other hits.

Limited edition audiophile pressing on 180gram premium vinyl.
Eartha Kitt epitomized the idea of the sex-kitten chanteuse, rising to fame with a nightclub act centred on her slinky stage presence and her throaty purr of a voice. As much as she enjoyed vamping it up, she also projected the image of an exotic international sophisticate. She brought a definite zest to her torch songs and Orson Welles once called her "the most exciting woman in the world".

Eartha Kitt , lead vocals on all tracks,

plus: Henri René Orchestra,
Maurice Levine Orchestra,
Shorty Rogers Orchestra,
Anton Coppola Orchestra.
New York, 1953-59

In the previous year 1965, "A Fistful of Dollars" by Sergio Leone was a
huge success, and had greatly increased the popularity of the 'spaghetti
western' genre
With the two lead actors Clint Eastwood and Gian Maria Volonte "For a Few
Dollars More" is the natural progression of that movie, and the addition of the
third major star - Lee Van Cleef - a trio that made history in another Sergio Leone
masterpiece.
Ennio Morricone's music is equally important. The Maestro here chooses a 'poor'
registry, consisting of folk instruments such as ocarina, Jew's harp and chimes,
respectively used to accompany the entrance of the three main actors. There is
as usual, the contributions of Alessandro Alessandroni and his Cantori Moderni
choir, for an incredibly exciting vocal climax.
This edition sees the eight tracks of the original score in a brand new layout.
45rpm - Ltd. Ed. Crystal clear vinyl edition, new 12-inch sized gatefold cover.

Mark Grusane's latest offering, A House of My Own is a testament to his long-standing discipleship to the craft of producing hard-hitting house tracks with authenticity and depth. The title-bearing opener on A1 strongly demonstrates this notion with a slew of raw bass stabs and emotive pads leading through a battery of driven percussion in a manner that calls to mind those early 90's Mr. Fingers records. While A2's Essence of Life (Afterhours Mix) takes us further into the darkness with a spiraling timber of percussions lain over distorted vocal arrangements, the "Daytime Mix" of A3 builds on the momentum of its predecessor with a robust uplifting synth lead and sounds of atmospheric ambiance added to the mixture, effectively taking the composition to an entirely new level. B1 kicks off punching and swinging with the track Knock knock, Who's there?, a ferocious gut-puncher of a track that sees classic Chicago "beat-track" style 909 arrangements lay over an intense saturated 303 bassline that relentlessly worms its way throughout the mix with a booming urgency. B2 sees a turn for the naughty on the track Love And Lust with a xxx-rated vocal line slithering its way through the track, sandwiched in between high-pitched keys and a slinky drumline. Finally, Jack Your Ass Off closes out the album and ties it all together on B3 showcasing the full-fledged insanity of the classic trademark Chicago "jack" style that sees the title of the track frantically screamed over and over though a sampler amid hard hitting drums and 303s engineered to make you dance like a freak. A serious 'must have' for any selector or music enthusiast.

Rua Sound's new sub-label SPHERES is proud to introduce its first release from Rome-based producer Noroi. The Adrastea EP is a richly imaginative work of electronic music, showcasing Noroi's uniquely melancholic and futuristic sound.

Comprised of four tracks, the EP opens with "Stay," a powerful blending of emotive breakbeat and evocative vocals. "Untitled Jungle," a collaboration with VSC, is a genre-defying jungle track that builds to a genre-appropriate fist pumping crescendo. "Chrysalis" is on a more introspective tip, where delicate layers of reverb-drenched instrumentation and the transcendent vocal delivery of Tokyo Witch creates a restorative atmosphere. The EP concludes with "Transoceanic," an energetic piece that blends percussion and atmospherics for a sound that can't be defined.

The Adrastea EP shows off Noroi's flare for innovative sound design, offering a vision of the future of electronic music. Out on March 10th on the Rua Sound Bandcamp and in online and physical stores worldwide, it is a must-listen for fans of the deep, adventurous tracks that work in your headphones as well as on the emotional end of the club sets.

This is the first in a series of releases from the SPHERES label, which named after one of Jupiter's moons. Each one features original artwork by Josje Bijl aka Yorobi, inspired by the sketches of these moons by Galileo in 1610.

All music by Noroi

Emotional Rescue turn their attention to Rare Silk and their sublime cult classic "Storm". It's one of those rare tracks with a wonderful otherworldly quality that manages to be smooth and accessible, and somehow not like anything you've ever heard before. It must be somewhere in the mix, between the dreamy harmonized vocals, lush instrumentation and curious sense of space. The original on the A side is a treat enough, but then throw in a mercurial dubbed out version by Arp on the flip and you've got yourself a 12 inch portal to a most delightful dimension.

Jonas Kopp pumps the drums hard on opener 'Shibu'. It is pure peak-time material, fit with siren-like synths, heavy kicks and hi-hats to get the shoulders moving. Kopp's tracks are always masterfully tailored for the dancefloor, and this is no exception; the six-and-a-half-minute ride is richly detailed with ups, downs and subtle changes. Dadub take the record deeper with 'Force Continuum Abuse'. For the first three minutes of stretched soundscape, the percussion warms up with sparse and off-kilter hits. The track's second half sees fierce breakbeats cut through the walls of reverb, and with that can Daniele Antezza and Giovanni Conti really show-off their unique talent at sound design. They blend a gift for rhythm and titanic production to engaging effect. Eomac begins the B-side with 'I Am Starting To Believe'. The track's echoing synths hang free in a spacious mid-range, intermittently making way for long chords and elusive vocal snippets. Eomac draws on the light/dark contrast and unsettling motifs that made his Monad release special, and delivers a techno epic so rich it requires repeated listens. Last but not least, Chevel; his sound is distinctive amongst the SA roster, mostly due to his acute focus on the percussive elements and intriguing take on minimalism. On 'Alicia', he works a groove out of tripping drums and metallic perc, all with a UK-influenced flair that lends itself to a wide range of DJs. Chevel's track ends what may be the most varied collection of 'Chapter V' material yet, leaving a lasting reminder of the depth and quality of artists SA have accrued.

Vive La Musique brings us yet another magical release, compiling four stunning tracks from South African bass player - Sipho Gumede. Taken from two rare albums originally released in the 80s, the music blends South African roots with Boogie influences and is the follow-up to the hugely successful "Jika Jika" reissue.
The release was born through label founder Aroop Roy's relentless search for a copy of the 1983 Peace album, which led to him tracking down the original producer - Greg Cutler - a key figure in South African music from that period and regular collaborator with Sipho. Aroop was blown away by "Uthinina" and "Bayabizana" - two unique tracks, featuring haunting Zulu vocals, African jazz flavours, and epic changes over hypnotic grooves.
"Something to Say" and "City of Gold" were recorded a few years later in the world-renowned Battery Mobile Studio. Sipho had been working there with Caiphus Semenya and Letta Mbulu and their influences can be heard, with drum machines and American Boogie instrumentation laying the foundation for powerful vocal lines sung in English, with soul and gospel sensibility.
The 12" comes with extensive liner notes from Greg Cutler, talking about his time in South Africa. He recalls his experience as a White producer, working with Black musicians under the challenges of apartheid and describes his musical journey with Sipho Gumede, with intriguing details on how the music and production evolved.


Feedback

"The music of Sipho is so good - wow! Uthininia def worth the 3 year search, but even more wonderful to then stumble over a tune like "Something To Say"!"
Hunee

"Chunky, soulful and deep. Thanks for unearthing these beauties!"
Mr Scruff

"Brilliant tracks! Thank you so much"
Gilles Peterson

"This is fucking amazing!!!!"
Eli Soul Clap

"Sipho's Music is great!"
Antal

"Amazing music that is perfect for today's music environment, a lovely blend of South African and boogie flavours."
Patrick Forge

THE SUBWAYS remain one of the most exciting live bands on the current touring circuit, thrilling crowds with their explosive rock sound and wild stage performances.

Back in 2005, with an average age of just 18, Billy, Charlotte and Josh crashed onto the international music scene with their debut album ‘YOUNG FOR ETERNITY’, and their rock-club floor-filling single ‘ROCK & ROLL QUEEN’. The NME proclaimed them “The sexiest thing to sweep rock n roll off its feet in years!”. An appearance on American smash teen drama THE OC and in Guy Ritchie’s London Gangster flick ‘RocknRolla’ has helped make the track a Spotify Rock Playlist mainstay.

The band have released four albums to date. Their sophomore, ‘ALL OR NOTHING’ (2008), was recorded in LA with heavyweight producer Butch Vig and, is “Buoyed with emotional heft and supernova guitar riffs, wired around a maturing song craft” (MOJO). The tracks were written at a time when Billy was battling to save his voice following surgery to remove nodules from his vocal cords. ‘MONEY AND CELEBRITY’ followed in 2011, filled with “brilliantly anarchic punk-pop vignettes; each being a big musical finger that sticks it to financial greed, the mediocre mainstream and the fame fetishists” (ROCKSOUND) and included the Radio 1 A-listed single ‘WE DON’T NEED MONEY TO HAVE A GOOD TIME’. Their self-titled 4th album saw the emergence of singer and songwriter Billy Lunn as a producer, as he took control of engineering and mixing duties and is "On Par with the best things they have ever written... and finds the band energized, focused and battle-ready" Q Magazine.

The global pandemic, though cutting short their 40+ date international ‘Young For Eternity Anniversary Tour’, has kept Billy busy in his newly-established Hertfordshire studio, with Charlotte and Josh in their respective homes focused on remotely recording Album 5. Makeshift under-stair vocal booths were constructed, and the album is now ready for a summer, 2022 release alongside a full European Tour

In April 2021 the band signed to ‘Alcopop’ and released the politically-charged, Black-Lives-Matter-inspired single “Fight”, which they describe as “a letter in two parts: a gesture of solidarity with the Black community and communities of colour as they face their daily oppression at the hands of systemic racism, and a wake-up-call to the white community that such oppressions do in fact exist, and that we must acknowledge these oppressions and fight alongside marginalised communities as allies.”

HARDT ANTOINE is a London based DJ producer of French and West Indian descent, who continuously combines his hugely colourful and eclectic taste in music. He has also made a name for himself with his Reculture label and club nights.

His KOMPAKT debut clearly shows why he’s one to watch in the years to come. “Nobody’s Watching” is a dark grooving beast with bending synth lines and a haunting vocal; counterbalanced with uplifting Eastern analog pads. It’s from this rare breed of tracks that shine in a frantic peak time set and sexy late night moments alike.

“All We See” follows a similar path. Its mandatory bassline and dark melody evolve into something uplifting, as if to say – ‘We always see light at the end of our tunnel’.

Radial takes a more cinematic approach and largely neglects the dancefloor in a classic KOMPAKT 3-track EP fashion, following a lovely tradition that began with Dettinger’s KOM 2 and later on spawned the Pop Ambient movement.

Hardt Antoine proves himself a jack of all trades… Keep an eye on him!

HARDT ANTOINE ist ein in London ansässiger DJ-Produzent französischer und westindischer Abstammung, der seinen äußerst farbenfrohen und vielseitigen Musikgeschmack kontinuierlich durcheinender wirbelt. Auch mit seinem Label Reculture und Clubnächten hat er sich über London hinaus einen Namen gemacht.

Sein KOMPAKT-Debüt zeigt deutlich, warum man ihn in den kommenden Jahren im Auge behalten sollte. „Nobody’s Watching“ ist ein düsteres, groovendes Biest mit verzerrten Synthielinien und einer eindringlichen Stimme; mit erhebenden östlichen Analog Pads ausbalanciert. Es ist diese seltene Art von Tracks, die in einem hektischen Peak-Time-Set und sexy Late-Night-Momenten gleichermaßen glänzen.

„All We See“ geht einen ähnlichen Weg. Die zwingende Bassline und die dunkle Melodie entwickeln sich zu etwas Erhebendem, als ob sie sagen wollten: „Wir sehen immer Licht am Ende unseres Tunnels“.

Radial verfolgt einen filmischeren Ansatz und vernachlässigt die Tanzfläche weitgehend – in klassischer KOMPAKT-3-Track-EP-Manier, einer schönen Tradition folgend, die mit Dettingers KOM 2 begann und später die Pop-Ambient-Bewegung hervorbrachte.

Hardt Antoine erweist sich als Alleskönner … Behaltet ihn im Auge!

From his heart-racing productions to resounding mixes and live sets, Alliance Club founder OTON has found his distinct voice mixing tantalising vocals and compelling grooves, translating his love for music from many influences. After several releases on his own label, OTON now septs up with four playful, wide-eyed tracks that mix well known classics with a maximalist approach.

Who said we didn't need another Beyonce edit? OTON proves us all wrong with his club stomping take on 'Baby Boy' culminating in music that has serious dance floor momentum, while keeping things uplifting and memorable. Madonna's iconic 'Frozen' then plays out against the backdrop of acid leads and electro flavoured breakbeat; the overall sound design feels poignant and the lyrics add dramatic melancholy in a cathartic end to the record's A side.

OTON doubles down on our dopamine receptors with 'Hump'. The tracks' propulsive bass and fast moving kick drums are submerged in pink hued synths that move like lasers before 'Juicy' closes the show with a jittery workout that could be used to make any crowd get down.

Crishi aka Dothedu, twistes the path of Pareidolia Recordings, proposing an Ep with UK acid house sounds reminding from the great Baby Ford, to master A Guy Called Gerald and 90s London vibes.

Going Nowhere Ep represents the missing link between present and past, a nu vision...can you feel this new generation on fire? Two of the tracks contain the voice of the London based vocalist Manuela Batas, a perfectly successful feature.

Originally released in 1979 on Mistlur Records in Sweden, Nyanser is widely considered Thomas Almvqvist’s masterpiece.

It's almost unspeakably beautiful.

With his adventurous, virtuoso guitar technique to the fore, the album explores a unique path through world music, folk, jazz and acoustic experimentation, whilst retaining a very personal vision.

It’s aged very, very well indeed and is now rare and immensely sought-after, coveted for many years by collectors of all musical genres. This Be With re-issue, remastered from the original analogue tapes, shows off just why this deserves to be back in press.

The majority of the album is a solo exercise with Thomas playing Rhodes, flute, synthesizer and percussion as well as his idiosyncratic guitar on all tracks. Alongside Thomas in the studio were an array of young, experimental Swedish musicians in the nascent stages of their careers including the much lauded Swedish composer Ann-Sofi Söderqvist, vocalist Turid Lundqvist and perhaps the key contributor to the album, Hans Peter Andersson, whose alto, tenor and baritone saxophone contributions shift the album from into the realms of jazz, most notably on “Horisont” and “E.M.”

The whole ensemble comes together on the centrepiece of the album, the joyous aquatic harmony of “Coral Reef”, one we've been playing out for the past 5 years to dropped jaws. The album presents a very visual aesthetic, each track evoking images of landscapes and far-flung corners of the earth. Almvqvist himself considered the visual aspect of his sound very important, describing his approach as “picture music.”

Nyanser is considered one of the earliest examples of a fusion of world music, jazz and folk traditions, certainly from a Scandinavian artist. Despite its impact on release being minimal outside of those aficionados tuned into such sounds, over the years the album has become something of a "lost" cult classic and a fine example of the experimentalism going on in Scandinavian music at the time. The English translation of nyanser - ‘shades’ - is a particularly apt description of the sounds contained within.

Thomas very sadly passed away in 2008 at the age of 55. We hope this reissue will go some way to bringing his unique output to a wider audience and secure the legacy he deserves as one of Sweden’s great guitarists and musical visionaries. It sounds sensational, if we do say so ourselves. Working with audio from the original analogue tapes, the vinyl mastering chops of Simon Francis are on full show here in what he considers to be some of his best ever work for Be With. Pete Norman’s cutting skills have made sure nothing is lost whilst the beautiful artwork has been restored here at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to helping this revered work find a rightful place in every record collection.