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Clear vinyl has few paper scuffs.

seam split. Price tag.

By 1995 Kwaito was already a well established and distinguishable sound compared to the International House Remixes that preceded. The tempo was slowed down, Soulful vocal samples were replaced by catchy and repetitive hooks and versus sang in vernacular. The new hit sound had a template and studios worked around the clock to pump fresh releases into the demanding market. After the successful 1995 release of Import mixes Vol 4, The Groove City team behind the productions now decided to venture into the territory of Mid Tempo. They would craft an album for a young frontman with the help of Kwaito pioneer Oscar Warona, and without much trouble, the team had their first hit on their hands. Filling the boots of their cars with copies of the cassettes and taking the stock to various townships around Johannesburg the tape quickly circulated and sold out every new batch that was printed. Demand was high for the release but as with much of the music at the time, the fast paced demand for the music moved on. Without a follow up release Scotch failed to ride the momentum built by the debut and remained largely unknown although he is still in the music industry to this day. Even with their first artist release being a success, the following years proved more difficult in reaching such a large audience for the Kaleidosound studio. With popularity for the genre growing, the simple templates for early classics were changing as Kwaito fused with hip hop. Rapping took over as the preferred vocals for the masses. Mysterious production teams and labels that served as guides for music lovers were eclipsed by frontmen and groups that could draw crowds. The fight for fresh sounds continued as the airwaves became the main battleground for artists and the more club oriented music was pushed back underground, eventually evolving into some of the earliest examples of Deep House seen on the continent. The Kaleidosound production team would finally strike gold again in 1997 when reviving Groove City for vol. 5 which acted as the debut for the newly formed group Chiskop. The group would become superstars of the new commercial era that followed, sparking solo careers for the members and creating some of the biggest hits the genre knew. To this day Scotch remains one of the best albums to come out of the golden era of Kwaito. Although it was outperformed by other groups from the time it has a special place for those who knew it and can still be found as a treasured piece in many collections. The various people involved created a one off fusion of sound that has remained fresh for 25 years. Playful lyrics over floaty grooves resulted in favourites like “Jam Alley” which uses catch phrases from the beloved TV show and “Bafana Bafana” guaranteed to get the boys on the dance floor. Here you have these two tracks taken from the album pressed on a club ready Maxi Single for the Deejays

Comes with insert. Ltd Edition.

Mixed Signals and Left Ear Records team up again to refresh Litia~Loe’s mid-90s album Life Love Dance. On this timeless release, the group channel the golden age of Nu Groove, foundational Warp releases, and the Ibiza days of New Order, all rooted in a uniquely Chicago sound. Five years after their EBM-tinged cerebral house anthem “Each Dawn Every Dawn”, the Litia~Loe (Life In The Insane Asylum = Life On Earth) crew dropped a lush album of wider proportion — six songs that feel more mature, more confident. Yet, despite this cultivated style, they continue to maintain the distinctive jest of their first outing. Grant, Leon, and Simeon’s new approach was more exploratory, traversing adventurous channels of pop, wave, IDM, and house. Not only are the songs more varied, but the growth of the trio’s technical skills are apparent. These songs feel more considered, like they have been refined over time, given just the right amount of polish without losing the ecstatic rawness that gives them breath and bounce.

“The Rush” follows the crooked path that was featured in their first single, with a vocal performance that maintains a murky half-singing-half-spoken-word opacity; the optimistic lyrics juxtaposed with sinister synthetic strings. “Whisper To Me” demonstrates a new side to the group which shows their ability to break from an orthodox house sound and highlights their pop sensibilities with a narcotic Depeche Mode-ish bassline. “Peep Show” reveals a mellower mode, drenched in euphoric echo and sensuous synth pads. Also featured on this reissue is an unreleased CD instrumental “First World” having its first ever vinyl release.

Life Love Dance captures the sound of primetime Chicago melodic house music, but offers something more expansive. Uninhibited by the borders of genre, the trio took a more inclusive approach to their music, which catalysed in a playful and peerless production style which makes their work stand out from the droves of generic dance records from that era.