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Rance Allen churned that rhythm smack between gospel music and soul. Rance brought the fire, his every performance a dedicated reach beyond expectations. It's like he lived in a realm above ours, and his performances were a ladder from our plane to his, an invitation to step up, step out, be good, do right, dance while doing it, jive and smile. And praise the Lord.
Rance sang about Jesus Christ, even when he didn't mention him. His music was an invitation to groove along, but it was also a stepping stone to church. He focused not on the fire and brimstone but on building community, helping those in need, a church of embrace.
His two brothers were his band, along with Stax guests. On "Everybody's Talkin'" you can hear disco coming around the corner and also the influence of Isaac Hayes. "You Need A Friend Like Mine" builds on the Staple Singers' "If You're Ready (Come Go With Me)", and it features some of Rance's finest falsetto, up there with Rev. Claude Jeter and Al Green.
Rance moves your spirit.

After a duo of floor-stomping releases, Rhythm by Nature is back for its third release with one of the most prolific producers in the game — Tommy Vicari Jnr. The Sheffield-based musician went from being an enigmatic figure to becoming a true example of musical discipline, boasting a seemingly endless musical output under several aliases. With "Francis Bacon Size Hangover EP," Vicari presents a diverse four-track EP that showcases his ability to traverse various soundscapes without ever losing grip on rhythm.

'Francis Bacon Size Hangover' (A1) opens the EP in pure Vicari style, plunging atmospheric dub-infused pads, delayed drums and competently edited vocal breaks on a cosmos of shifting sound signatures. The result is an infectious dance floor weapon drenched in mind-boggling groove with funky, light-hearted undertones. 'B Doll' (A2) goes a bit jazzier, delivering an analogue-driven, breakbeat-tinted track with intricate percussion and deep, resonant synth work. B1: "Newdays" finds Vicari immersing himself in the essence of house music, powerfully rooted in Chicago's disco and proto-house aesthetics: punchy drums and propulsive basslines keep the track in constant motion while atmospheric textures forge an irresistible soundscape of skillfully layered, ingeniously sampled sounds. Originally crafted in 2004, 'Vommer' (B2) closes the EP by showcasing Vicari's longstanding dedication to his craft — a slow-burning, minimalistic dub track that's as beautifully understated as it is gracefully spaced out.

"Francis Bacon Size Hangover EP" is a testament to Tommy Vicari Jnr's enduring influence in the electronic music scene and proof that Rhythm by Nature is perfectly capable of continuing to build momentum.

Part 3 in Legowelt's latest project "Hermit in a Rave Cave". Even lower slung house tracks with a twist from the unpredictable and unparalleled brain that roams the dunes of the Hague. Also responsible for Salamandos, Squadra Blanco, Polarius and a swath of other mysterious aliases.

A decade has passed since we released our first vinyl in 2014 through the infamous ILLEGAL SERIES imprint.
To celebrate this milestone, we've invited Miki to create a mix that weaves together tracks from our entire catalogue, reminiscing of our journey over the past decade. We chose to release this mix on a classic tape cassette to better capture the essence of this special occasion.

Paul Bradley returns to Knite Breed with an absolutely EPIC release, the Dead Evil EP. Part of the hugely successful Move-E series which spans many of the Kniteforce Related labels, this one is dark and tough, as you would expect from an EP that samples The Evil Dead, but all the tracks on the EP show off Paul Bradleys skill and mercurial style....

Berlin-based Small Great Things boss Luca Olivotto inaugurates his new sub-label At A Glance imprint this August with his own ‘Over & Out’ EP, comprising four original cuts.

Born and raised in Italy before relocating to Berlin in 2015, Luca Olivotto has since become a staple of the underground House scene in recent years through the establishment of his Small Great Things imprint and accompanying events series Small Great House. Now Luca marks another new chapter in his career with the launch of his new sub label of Small Great Things, At A Glance, kicking off with a project from the man himself.

Title-track ‘Over & Out’ leads with Olivotto offering up a classic slice of House via a Hammond organ bass groove, choppy chords and cinematic strings, underpinned by crisp raw drums and soulful vocal lines.

‘Brace D’ then shifts gears towards a Disco House tinged aesthetic with guitar licks, bell chimes and tension building strings ebbing and flowing amongst fluttering bass notes, airy chords and swinging percussion.

Up next on the B-side is ‘I’m Gonna Stay’, a groove-drive House track fuelled by an amalgamation of intertwined chords and vocals which steadily build towards a jazzy, atmospheric breakdown before the bouncy groove kicks back in to carry out the rest of the composition.

‘World Wide’ then concludes the release on a deeper tip with hazy keys and pad swells floating atop organic percussion, organ tones and a bouncy bass line.

Welcome to Aqualaxy, a collaborative project where Warning joins forces with art historian C.C. McKee from Philadelphia and international queer activist dia_shi from Berlin. Accompanying McKee’s book on the debut album by late-90s electronic pop band Aqua, Aqualaxy is a compilation of contemporary queer artists from North America and Europe commissioned to create their own takes on songs from Aqua's debut album. The result is an expansive blossoming variety of music, from sizzling trance pop, to eerie darkwave atmospheres, to cheeky dancefloor weapons.

With Aqualaxy, Warning presents a release that playfully deviates from the label's usual tracks, highlights trans musicians, and offers fresh takes on nostalgic favourites to the community. Embrace Aqualaxy’s endless fluidity, a space where everything becomes possible, where some changes aren’t even a second thought. Did you know that when the kobudai reef fish reaches a certain size she changes her sex from female to male? Did you know that when the largest female in a school of Clownfish dies the male swaps sex to take her place? Protogyny, protandry, it all just seems like fun; not to mention the host of genders and ways of fucking we don’t even have words for as humans! In Aqualaxy, everything is possible under the water. Imagination, life is your creation!

Frankey & Sandrino make their HABITAT debut with *The Moment,* a thrilling three-track EP that reimagines early trance and house through a contemporary lens. The title track "The Moment" features a haunting female vocal line, "The moment is eternity and now is just a dream," set against lush, layered synths that evoke the euphoria of rave's golden era. Balancing out the EP are “Intrinsic”, with its hypnotic grooves and futuristic vocals, and “Motivation,” with its powerful, driving synths that are sure to take over any dance floor.

Here, the celebrated German duo has crafted a package that balances underground credibility with mainstream appeal, offering a masterclass in immersive electronic music. With a rich legacy releasing on labels like Innervisions, Diynamic and their own label Sum Over Histories, Frankey & Sandrino make for a welcome addition to HABITAT, pushing new boundaries, and solidifying their impact on the global electronic music scene with this mesmerizing new release.

Köhncke rides again with another 12“ having 2 sides that couldn‘t be more different: the A-Side, „Timecode“, is a clock-ticking electronic disco tease promising a joyous release by building up tremendous expectations over its course of 8 minutes – and of course not delivering the final dance floor orgasm since the night has to continue in mutual happiness and expectations on the floor. But well, surely lots of „pre-cum“ spreaded...

The „flip“, „The Answer Is Yes“, displays Köhncke‘s love with The Beatles or Prefab Sprout and the likes, in a masterly programmed digital simulation of the „played“ sound of the likes (Köhncke cannot play any „real instruments“ except for a bit of Barré-Punk-Guitar). It‘s a love metaphor about 2 photons in „entanglement“, which is a proven very psychedelic effect in quantum physics. The photons are „entangled“ and „know“ each other‘s „spin“ in immediacy, thus not bent to the speed of light, even if they are 100000 light years from each other - a theory that even Einstein considered absurd when the pioneers of quantum physics came up with this in the 1930s. So Justus put his fascination with quantum physics into a pop love song metaphor – how much more do you want?

Köhncke kommt zurück mit einer 12“ - 2 Seiten, wie sie unterschiedlicher nicht sein könnten: Die A-Seite, „Timecode“, ist eine tickende elektronische Disco-Versuchungs-Zeitbombe, die über ihre Laufzeit von über 8 Minuten extreme Erlösungsversprechen macht, sie aber selbstverständlich nicht in einem endfinalen Floor-Orgasmus auflöst, denn die Nacht soll ja weitergehen in gemeinsamer Glücklichkeit und Erwartung auf der Tanzfläche. Allerdings, eine Menge „pre-cum“ wird schon versprüht in dieser unwiderstehlichen Spannungserzeugung von Track.

Die „flipside“, „The Answer Is Yes“, stellt Köhnckes Liebe zu den Beatles oder Prefab Sprout etc. ins Licht, in einer meisterhaft programmierten digitalen Simulation des „gespielten“ Sounds der Großmeister (Köhncke kann keine „echten Instrumente“ spielen außer ein bißchen Baréegriff-Punk-Rhythmusgitarre, sein Instrument ist der Sequenzer). Es ist eine Liebesmetapher über zwei Photonen im Zustand der „Verschränkung“, was ein heute wissenschaftlich nachgewiesenes extrem psychedelisches Phänomen aus der Welt der Quantenmechanik ist: die Photonen sind „verschränkt“ und „kennen“ ihren aktuellen „Spin“ (Rotationsrichtung des Teilchens) unmittelbar, also nicht gebunden an die Lichtgeschwindigkeit. Auch wenn sie 100000 Lichtjahre voneneinander entfernt sind – eine Theorie, die sogar Einstein absurd fand („Spukhafte Fernwirkung“), als die Pioniere der Quantenphysik sie in den 1930er Jahren postulierten. Köhncke verewigt seine Faszination für Quantenphysik hier also in Form eine Retro-Pop-Lovesong-Methapher – was will man mehr?
Downloads

Season by season, we raise a toast to our artists and guests by creating a new collection of sounds. Cafe Soda Selects Volume One captures all the memories of the past year. The A-side starts with Crymes . The track captures the essence of summer with its vibrant dub rhythms and sultry 90s vibes, featuring irresistibly sexy vocals that embody pure feel-good energy. A2 sets the stage for Ben Balances , a vibrant track that seizes the eclectic energies of people, weaving together dynamic rhythms and the deep essence of souls. It is a musical journey that celebrates the unique spirit and rhythmic soulfulness inherent in us all. On the flip, check out the two originals from FMN, the latest project by Frag Maddin and Najeh. is a catchy groove that easily grabs every dancer with its rolling bassline. The song has no breaks, allowing ravers to stay in trance. With , B2 celebrates a raw house anthem with a memorable theme, thick kick, banging clap, and a wild hi-hat swing. An homage to the 90s powerhouse era.

Into The Woods London returns with their first VA of the series. They have curated a collection of artists for the heads on this one as they welcome seasoned production warriors, Crihan, Jay Tripwire & Miller and Vlad Arapasu alongside the up and coming t.na. The VA is very much sequenced for the club as Vlad leads this release with an A1 roller made strictly for the dance floor. On the B1 t.na adds something with a little bit more grit as quirky vox drops and a sub filled baseline carry the track throughout. On the inner sides you’ll find the deep and textured craftsmanship from both Jay Tripwire & Miller A2 and Crihan B2 have a palpable effect! In the world of minimal and tech, there is something for everyone here!

Prince Istari in the 2nd Grade of the Riddim Dub School dropping an original classic cover in rockers style on the first side, while on the flipside he comes down for some stepper and playing his melodica. Made on earth with love, for space exploration and bass. Limited to 300 copies and comes in stamped cardboard sleeves.

Layton Giordani continues his rich vein of outstanding form with ‘Freaks at Night’.

‘Freaks at Night’ continues his adventures in sound. Unmistakably a peak-time record, the track still manages to traverse a rich ethereal energy, highlighted by an otherworldly synth line and striking vocal that sets it apart from so many. Teased in sets by Giordani and Beyer going back to last summer, this one’s hugely anticipated.


Four years on from Layton Giordani’s critically acclaimed ‘New Generation’ album, Space 92 – one of techno’s most impressive new artists – steps up for a fitting remix. A masterclass of techno futurism, the 2020 album was a defining release of that year and was an impressive marker of Giordani’s ever-evolving talents in the studio. The title track was a memorable highlight, mixing ambient textures with head scrambling synth effects make it an enduring dancefloor classic. One of techno’s future stars Space 92 has added his touch to ‘New Generation’. With very special results. The Frenchman has super-charged the original, adding in plenty of laser-kissed energy as a barrage of powerful chords and silky pads take the cut into steamrolling territory.

Celebrating thirty years of collaboration, Loren Connors and Alan Licht performed for two nights at OTO on May 5 and 6th, 2023. The shows celebrated a new release titled “At The Top of the Stairs”; a document of the pair's reunion in 2018 after a period of 8 years not playing together. It’s a dark, swirling two-sided spectral noir session, put out by the duo’s home label, Family Vineyard, and we expected a similar kind of atonal abyss to appear at the OTO residency. On the second night however, with the stage lit in blue, Connors took up a seat on the piano stool whilst Licht picked up the guitar. What followed was the duo’s first ever set with Connors on piano - one of only a few times Connors has played piano live at all - here captured and issued as The Blue Hour. Its spacious warmth came as a total surprise live, but makes complete sense for a duo whose dedicated expressionism takes inspiration from a vast spectrum of emotion. Both opening with single notes to start, it doesn't take long before a surface rises and begins to shimmer between the pair. A run up the keys, the drop of a feedback layer on a sustained and bent note. When the two begin to exchange notes in tandem, brief touches of melody and chord hover and the hush of the room is palpapale. After a while, Connors picks up the guitar, stands it in his lap and sweeps a wash of colour across Licht’s melody. Sharp, glassy edges begin to form, open strings and barred frets darkening the space. When his two pedals begin to merge, Licht finds a dramatic organ-like feedback and it’s hard not to imagine Rothko’s Chapel, its varying shades of blue black ascending and descending in the room. When Connors goes back to the piano for the second side, the pair quickly lock into a refrain and light pours in. It’s a kind of sound that Licht says reminds him of what he and Connors would do when the duo first started playing together 30 years ago. It’s certainly more melodic than some of their more recent shows, and the atonal shards of At The Top of the Stairs seem to totally dissolve. What is always remarkable about Licht is that his enormous frame of reference doesn't seem to weigh him down, and instead here he is able to delicately place fractures of a Jackson C Frank song (“Just Like Anything”,) amongst the vast sea of Connors’ blues. Perhaps it's the pleasure of playing two nights in a row together, or the nature of Connor’s piano playing combined with Licht’s careful listening, but the improvisation on The Blue Hour feels remarkably calm and unafraid. There’s nothing to prove and no agenda except the joy of sounding colour together. Totally beautiful.

Making her return to the stage after 44 years, with tour dates across the US, Australia and Europe, as well as iconic performances at Glastonbury and We Out Here, Asha Puthli’s lifelong career as an inspirational trailblazer has taken on a magical new chapter. We can’t think of many artists that have had as distinctive and diverse a journey as Asha, nor who have been involved in as many different genres of music as her. A musical pioneer who forged a path through ‘60s psych, free-jazz, pop, rock, disco, and more. To mark this golden hour in her stellar career we have repressed her legendary album, ‘The Devil Is Loose', on gold vinyl. Maybe her most well-known record, the 1976 LP features the psychedelic disco-funk-classic 'Space Talk’, where Asha's soaring vocals take listeners on a journey that mirrors her eclectic career. Championed by a wide range of musical scenes and movements, over space and time it has been commandeered as their own. Casting a unique spell on its listeners, each track on the album showcases Asha’s majestic, celestial style and sumptuous vocal range. Backed by breathtaking orchestral-infused, disco-enhanced instrumentation, it’s cinematic and captivating throughout. From the infectious funk of ‘Flying Fish’, to the cosmic transcendence of ‘The Devil Is Loose’ and the choir-channeling ‘Say Yes’, this album is a true masterpiece. At Mr Bongo we are thrilled to be releasing records by such an iconic, musical maverick as Asha. She has blazed a trail so that others could follow. Whether you are buying this album as a replacement for your worn-out original copy or it's the first time you've heard of Asha Puthli and you're just intrigued and drawn in by the cover, we hope you enjoy this quintessential slice of Asha's world.

Omni – meaning all-encompassing – is an apt title for celebrating over a decade of existence of Blue Hour Music. Marking the musical diversity and longevity of Blue Hour's imprint, the Omni V/A series brings together a wide range of artists from the full electronic music spectrum, plunging into a pool of techno, trance, breaks and everything in between.