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London-based artist, musical director and producer Amane shares ‘Moments Of Solace’ via Música Macondo. Introspective and contemplative from the outset, the 6-tracks EP meanders between the hypnotic pulse of electronic percussion, nocturnal pads evoking elated epiphanies and calming synths. Echoes that fade and return, an ecstatic wave of sound. For Amane, the music collected on ‘Moments Of Solace’ is the physical answer to a world that seems to become darker every day. A creative way out, a sonic world where ambient excursions à la Boards Of Canada coexist with thumping beats that could have rolled out of a Floating Points’ set at Plastic People. On ‘Moments Of Solace’ Amane distills ambient electronica, idm, jazz, crafting music that reflects his global pursuit - a non-stop touring creative able to soundtrack night drives on the Pacific coast highway, clubbing in London or a meditative trip on the Shinkansen.

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April 2024 sees the launch of the Stratasonic imprint with the four-track ‘Accidental Effects’ by ANiML, a collaborative guise for the members of the collective behind the label.

Stratasonic is a new label founded by a German/Canadian collective operating out of LA whose roots dig deep into electronic music. By collaborating with artists new and legendary they’ll push the boundaries of the traditional music space into visual arts, video, events, digital and beyond. The collective’s philosophy is to reimagine the music, masters, and methods of the past in a modern context, exposing the world to the stuff they like. Here to inaugurate the label is Animl, the project whose members will remain anonymous is inspired by the classic era of vinyl and analogue production with hints of 90’s nostalgia.

Title-cut ‘Accidental Effects’ leads the EP and lays down twitchy bass grooves, crisp, crunchy breaks and an amalgamation of hip hop vocals all dynamically pieced together and processed to create a raw, fluid dance floorworkout. ‘Mementos’ follows next and veers into a more immersive, cinematic electronica realm via subtly unfurling synth textures, murky bass swells, bumpy breaks, squelchy acid lines and hypnotic brass licks.

Opening the flip-side is ‘Day Dreaming’, shifting focus back to a raw off-kilter rhythm at its foundation while haunting synth lines ebb and flow amongst hooky vocal chants and bubbling echoes. ‘Formulaic Appeal’ then concludes the original material, a three minute ambient darkwave excursion through brooding analogue bass drones, heavily reverberated atmospherics and a ticking clock like percussive effect.

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Diogo Silva, Nuno Fulgêncio and Rui Martins collectively go by the name Bardino. With their sound consisting of an inventive mix of electronica, rock, jazz, the Porto-based trio are pushing their sound into unchartered waters. A feeling that will be reinforced after experiencing their new album, ‘Memória da Pedra Mãe’. Their enthralling music draws upon the imagery of the beautiful and rugged scenery of their home country. ‘Centelha’ , their previous album (released by Saliva Diva in 2020) was recorded in Chaves,

in the very remote region of Trás-os-Montes. Their 207 EP of the same name was created in the rustic heart of Serra das Meadas. In this latest offering, the mention of "Pedra Mãe" (Mother Stone), refers to a rare geological phenomenon popularly known as "breeder stones" found in isolated, deserted, and inhospitable places. On the inspiration of the new album, they explain that they want to refer to "the importance of collective memory in the cohesion and identity of communities and the process of creating new memories, a process that is both natural and conflicting, since it mirrors a tension between past, present and future".

The album was recorded in the summer of 2023 at Arda Recorders in Porto and produced by João Brandão and Rui Martins. In this new material, Bardino's resources expand: Nuno Fulgêncio's drums, Diogo Silva's bass and Rui Martins' veritable arsenal of keyboards (acoustic and electric piano, various synthesisers) are augmented by the alto and tenor saxophones of Brian Blaker (who stands out in "Memória" and "Black Mica"), the guitar of Leonardo Outeiro (who features on "Punctum No 2") and, already indicating their affiliation with the Porto label Jazzego, Hugo Oliveira, who records as Minus & MRDolly (and is a guest on "Pedra Mãe") and Sérgio Alves, aka Azar Azar (who plays piano and Moog on "Tília"). Bardino's entry into the increasingly unavoidable Jazzego catalogue also reinforces their obvious links to a new wave of projects that have been experimenting with different tangents to the notion of "jazz", taking this music as part of a wider set of coordinates.

Over the course of eight tracks, and clearly benefiting from the distinct imprint of the recognised quality work of João Brandão, one of Portugal's current best producers, Bardino presents dense, deeply cinematic music of the highest definition, in which the different instruments translate a broad emotional and visual landscape, with solos of enormous elegance arranged over grooves that induce the idea of movement. All the musical coordinates mentioned earlier are present, but perhaps in this new material you can feel a greater fluidity, certainly the result of honing the vision of the central trio through a vast experience collected on stages all over the country. And there are even echoes of a decidedly Portuguese songbook, as is so clearly felt in "O Semeador", something new in the range of aesthetic references embraced by Bardino. This is, in fact, music that thrives on a benign tension between past, present and future, in the sense that it embraces traditions and history, seeks a new framework in this diverse now and dares to project itself forward. Because the future is the best of all locations.

8 years after his debut album entitled "What You Give", it's time for the Greek musician's second long player! No doubt, this is Bengoa's most mature work to date and a product of countless studio hours. Pushing his electronic sound forward, the Greek musician, dj, songwriter and label owner, delivers an outstanding 9-track LP, floating between trip hop, nu-jazz, mid and downtempo motifs. The extensive use of physical instruments like saxophone, trumpet, guitars, piano, percussion and bass add musicality and deepness to the whole record, on which Bengoa has also written most of the lyrics himself. "Music For Your Red Parts" flows like an undercurrent of nervy isolation and late night melancholy, toying with the emotional structure of it's own sound. Songs that signal something memorably, indelibly and hypnotically sexy, without talking about sex. Music that you feel - strong, soft and filled with emotion. It wants to meet you in your deepest parts. It will play games with you, fill you with sorrow, or send you into a deep reverie. out now through Saos Records.

What if we took you back to your untroubled teenage days, when all seemed complicated and easy to reach at the same time? That is exactly what Cassius managed to transpose in 15 Again: a carefree music, coloured by some deep songs; like an emancipated soul, but always tormented. The hit “Toop Toop", sampled by Madonna or David Guetta, among others, and the intense “La Notte” illustrate perfectly this state of mind of the youth. Pharrell Williams is present on the song “Eye Water", a beautiful ode to our planet and its natural resources, and Cassius has got further exciting surprises for you. We’re releasing their third album once again for this summer, a real shot of freshness to relieve you from the heat!

Dimensions Recordings are very proud to present 'Decision Time', the first major solo album from the legendary Charles Webster in two decades.

Operating in house music since the mid '80s, Charles Webster is revered as something like the producer's producer, spoken about in the same breath as Larry Heard or Ron Trent amongst the DJ cognoscenti.

Growing up in the Peak District and falling in love with electronic music through a parent's Kraftwerk record, Charles' apprenticeship was with Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson, back when they'd record at Square Dance studio in Nottingham, where Charles worked as a recording engineer. His production work started right at the roots of electronic music in the British Isles, writing tracks for electro/breakdance outfit The Rock City Crew and 1987 UK house cut T-cut-f. Since then he's released music under 30 different pseudonyms with over 500 remixes.

'Decision Time' is Charles' first major solo record since 2001's 'Born On The 24th July', and features an array of artists from a number of different eras, guises and genres Charles has been involved with over his prolific career.

After moving to San Francisco in the late nineties, he created an album under the alias Presence entitled 'All Systems Gone'. The "pillowy" sound design of this classic is cited as a key influence on the music of Burial. For 'Decision Time', Burial has paid a further tribute here, contributing a rare co-production, 'The Second Spell'. This track featuring the words of Prince muse Ingrid Chavez. who also wrote the spoken word poetry in Madonna's 'Justify My Love'.

Charles was at the forefront of the halcyon years of deep house, working with vocal talents like Robert Owens, Tracey Thorn, Terra Deva (aka Furry Freaks), who features here on 'Wait And See', and Shara Nelson, perhaps best known for her vocals on Massive Attack's 'Blue Lines' album, featuring here on 'This Is Real'.

Charles' influence also spreads to the South African house scene with his Presence single 'Better Day' becoming a huge radio hit there in 1997. Charles later moved to South Africa and immersed himself in the local scene, collaborating with some of the country's most exciting talent, including Sio, Thandi Draai and Sipho – all of whom appear on this project.

With an album of this quality and the 20-year cycles of electronic culture, it feels like this is the perfect moment to celebrate the brilliance of Charles Webster's legacy. From the downtempo soul of 'This Is Real', to the impressionistic words and ethereal two-step on 'The Spell', a new generation of ears are about to discover the influential underground sound of Charles Webster.

"As if Everything But The Girl, Larry Heard and Womack & Womack decided to merge musical ideas in the studio…" Billboard, USA.

Wave to Mikey, the fourth album from the Los Angeles-based actor, musician and photographer Danny Lane is a nocturnal, neon-lit ode to the friendships that shape us. “I made this album for my friend Mikey from back home,” Danny explains. “We were pretty much inseparable for a large part of our lives, and our musical and social minds were always in sync in a special way. Then with age, we drifted apart, especially since I moved to Los Angeles. This album is just a little wave hello to an old friend and a kindred spirit.”

Equal parts avant-garde composition, instrumental city-pop, ambient, Kankyō Ongaku (environmental music) and Fourth World music, Wave to Mikey is an impressionistic and reflective cycle of eleven richly detailed memory portraits. Throughout the album, the influence of Jon Hassell, Arthur Russell, Hiroshi Yoshimura and Yellow Magic Orchestra hangs in the air like late-night mist, adding character but never overshadowing the rhythmic ambience of Danny’s musical visions.

Wave To Mikey began as a series of sketches on analog synthesisers, guitar, sample and found percussion sketches, initially recorded in Danny’s home studio. Once he’d located the vibe, Danny called on his friends E Talley II, Solange collaborator John Carroll Kirby and Destroyer session musician Joseph Shabason, who respectively added flute, spiritual synth textures and saxophone to the record.

For Glossy Mistakes founder Mario G.R., who originally discovered Danny through his photography, Wave To Mikey captures a vivid feeling of melancholy and peace. “He's able to encapsulate emotions in a very straightforward way, either in his portrait or songs,” Mario says. “I think that's a kind of virtue or skill given to talented artists, no matter the field.”

Born and raised in Staten Island, New York, Danny began playing music with his friends when he was thirteen, before putting that passion on pause to study Fine Arts (Theatre) at Rider University in Lawrence Township in pursuit of an acting career. Acting led him to photography, after playing a photographer in a film, he was inspired to pursue the medium. Danny began shooting photos on film for magazines and lifestyle brands, spent a stint living in New York’s Chinatown neighbourhood, and eventually relocated to Los Angeles in 2017.

Four years ago, Danny started recording and releasing music under his own name, leading to the trilogy of releases that preceded Wave To Mikey, How To Empty A Cup (2019), Memory Record (2019) and Caput (2021). Over the course of these releases, he’s revealed himself to be a sophisticated composer and producer with a studied ear from years spent digging through record bins for ambient, experimental, new age, jazz and electronica records from around the globe, with a particular emphasis on Japan.

“Music is something that’s always been involuntary for me,” Danny reflects. “It’s unconditional, always there. It’s something I just have to do. I’ve taken breaks and it’s always gloomy when I’m not playing. I just want to get better and better and understand more and more.”

Here at Glossy Mistakes, Wave To Mikey marks our second contemporary album release, following on from Evenings by Japanese composer Metoronori. We’re proud to be able to present Danny, Metoronori and other modern musicians' work alongside reissues of classic works from Stevia aka Susumu Yokota, Akira Ito, Yuji Toriyama & Ken Morimura, and Takashi Kokubo.

Mastered by Damian Schwartz, Wave To Mikey will be released on Vinyl LP Glossy Mistakes on June 27 2022. Besides the regular black vinyl, a limited clear vinyl will be available in an edition of 100 copies. Both editions come packaged with original cover art photography shot by Danny.

As we head towards the end of 2019, the CoOp Presents crew unleash a heater for the cold months, and a very warm welcome to the label for Danvers, with an EP entitled 'Light Movements'.
Joe Danvers has been building a diverse catalogue of dance music over the past several years, including releases on FINA Records, Boogie Cafe and Wotnot (his debut release also featured mixes from the likes of Joe Armon-Jones & Warren Xcince). Aside from his solo efforts, Danvers makes up 50% of Kassian, who in turn have dropped releases on Phonica White & Heist Recordings, as well as a series of highly-acclaimed remixes. Their debut track 'The Premise' was nominated as "Track of the Year" at Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Awards.
These various projects have been shown support far and wide from selectors such as Bradley Zero and Detroit Swindle, whilst Danvers & Kassian have been booked for parties across Europe this past Summer. Danvers is also co-founder of Curve Records, along with Luke Campion & Mike Wilkin of Fact / Vinyl Factory.
So to the EP - 4-tracks demonstrating Danvers' flair for eclectic bruk boogie. 'Devotional' kicks off the set, featuring the soulful vocals of Natalie May atop a rhode-laden bubbler. The EP's title track 'Light Movements' follows and is a more stripped-down affair, with big kicks and synth stabs. Next comes 'The Flex', inspired by Selectors Assemble runnings - a tasty stepper with a huuuuge b-line. Finally closing out the EP on a deeper jazzy vibe we have 'Calmer' featuring the don T. Williams.
Expect more big things from Danvers and from the CoOp Presents crew in 2020. In the meantime, get this one on your speakers and watch for the movements. Standardly essential business.

Sound Signature celebrates 20 years with an LP from Dego & Kaidi.

Hard to pigeonhole and constantly fresh the sound of Dego is as real as it gets…..and once again he shows it in this new offer 'The Negative Positive' album! A balance between inspired ballads like 'Recovered Memories' featuring 2000 Black's new artist Samii and subtle instrumental pieces like 'She Is Virgo' or anthemic jams like 'This Is A Message To You' [this time featuring Nadine Charles] till futuristic opuses like 'Stained With The Tears On Their Faces'.

This is another step into authenticity in Dego's constant quest for the future of Black Music. all songs produced by degomixed by Matt Lord rhodes,pianos,analogue synths & bass by dego guitars and additional production by Matt Lordcs50 on 'The Whole Truth' by Mr Mensahflute on 'She Is Virgo' & bass on 'This Is A Message To You' by Kaidi TathamBLACK Lp007 2000black

Pioneering new music from members of the iconic and legendary funk band Parliament Funkadelic. Detroit Rising is an exciting artist collective created by 10 groove masters including the current and original members of P-funk, Prince, Public Enemy and Mary J Blige. Taking a break from relentless touring, the musicians step out in a whole new direction, creating a hybrid sound of funk-jazz with injections of soul and hip hop. The album, “A Cosmic Jazz Funk Adventure” was recorded live at the world famous Motown affiliated United Sound Studios in Detroit and studios in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Baltimore and Florida. For this remix release a handpicked selection of some of the top DJ producers in the UK have been brought together to create a soulful house and nu-jazz hybrid record: Jimpster, Kaidi Tatham, Sean McCabe with Z records (Dave Lee) and Evm128 – with mastering by UK wizard AtJazz. First up, Jimpster remixes the Detroit Rising space opera, ‘Rocket Love’ – showcasing two funk-fused house tracks with guitar licks from Duminie Deporres (Public Enemy) and bass lines courtesy of Kern Brantley (Mary J Blige, Beyonce, Aretha Franklin). The vocal remix is expertly laced with parts of the original P-funk instrumental and hip-hop vocals, with the dreamy Dub version letting that infectious hook and melody hit hard. Next up, Sean McCabe was brought in by Dave Lee of Z records to remix the original Detroit hit ‘Little Bit of Love’ into a fast-paced dance heater. King of the keys Kaidi Tatham is then welcomed to remix two different Detroit Rising tracks, creating a double dose of signature, broken beat infused cuts. ‘Our World’ stars P-funk vocalist and keyboard wizard Danny Bedrosian, alongside granddaughter of George Clinton, Tonysha Nelson. The emotive, soulful broken brilliance of ‘Peace & Harmony’ also gets the Kaidi treatment starring Sue Ann Carwell and Steve Boyd, vocalists for Prince and Kool & The Gang respectively. Evm128 of Coop rounds off the package presenting a fast futuristic Bruk beat from the romantic Detroit Rising song called ‘Gorgeous’.

South London-based 8-piece band Don't Problem is proud to present their their new album ' Liminality' planned for October 2021. With their new album, the combo challenges the common perception of a "covers" brass band, exclusively writing original material and adding electronics, synths & strings, a reflection of their wide encompassing interests. They introduce us to a very personal journey; the moment in time where a brass band affirms their love for club culture and delivers an album that travels from heavy funk to psychedelic jazz and UK dance music. "As 8 people writing music together, sometimes it can take a while for a tune to fully take shape. This tune came into itself in the studio which gave us the space to explore the production, sonic possibilities and instrumentation. The opening section leads to a beautiful first-take flugelhorn solo driven by lush strings, pulsing horns and electronics before reaching its soaring conclusion. The title ‘Whale’ is in reference to the Whale emoji which we use as a way to express a greatness or joy for which words can't be found." Don't Problem's debut 'DP EP' combined the heavy funk and raw psychedelic sound of brass and drums with ferocious grime-inspired improvisation to deliver original and fresh music, aimed squarely at the dance floor. The band is comprised of 8 musicians who've played with everyone from Tenderlonius, Emma Jean Thackray, Alfa Mist, Tom Misch and Ruby Rushton to Riot Jazz.

Original outer sleeve included.

Afrotronic is the new album by legendary Dutch dance pioneer and producer Eddy de Clercq, inspired by African rhythms and atmospheres.

All songs on the Afrotronic album are influenced by music from Southern to North Africa. Largely recorded in South Africa, not only electronically but also with an instrumentation of typical African instruments played live, such as the mbira (kalimba) and traditional drums and percussion. Exotic instruments adding a fresh characteristic sound to the music, not programmed via any existing electronic soundbank.

The plaintive vocals of a muezzin on 'Ibrahim' and the melody of 'Topaz' are unmistakably North African. The funky dance track 'Miss Ghana (Afro Baby)' is sung by the Ghanaian singer Consular. Although not typically African in origin, the didgeridoo, perhaps the oldest wind instrument on earth, plays the leading role in the North African-inspired instrumental 'A Track Called Africa'.

Inspired by his travels through South Africa and his love for the African languages of that country, Eddy wrote texts that he had translated into Xhosa. 'Coral Reef' was the first song recorded with South African singers Yemu Matibe and Alungile Sixishe, supplemented with classical arrangements for cello and piano. The original English text describes the loss of coral reefs worldwide due to climate change.

Afrotronic has ultimately become an adventurous, electronic, jazzy album, in which influences can be heard from Afro-pop, Dub Step, Deep House and South African Amapiano.

Ever since he remixed Abimaro & The Free’s ‘Mark’ back in 2014, NuNorthern Soul boss Phil Cooper has kept in touch with Daniel Stenger, the producer and self-taught multi-instrumentalist behind the Flashbaxx project. Cooper was always convinced that Sanger would be capable of crafting a very special release for the label but was willing to give him time to come up with something special.

With Take Care My Friend, a mini-album inspired by the German producer’s deeply rooted love of jazz-funk, Stenger has repaid the faith shown in him. He’s delivered a collection of quality cuts marked out by audible warmth, effortless musicality and memorable, sun-soaked songs.

As he makes clear in the liner notes included with the vinyl version of the mini album, the project began with the recording of luscious, Rhodes-laden opener ‘Alright’. After staying up all night recording the track, Stenger not only decided to continue recording with the same relatively limited set of instruments (think bass and electric guitars, drums, piano, electric piano, organ, hand percussion and a handful of synthesizers), but also stick to a hybrid sound that added a subtle Latin shuffle to his Balearic-minded take on jazz, funk and soul fusion.

We’re biased of course, but there’s no denying that Stenger’s creative choices have resulted in a superb set of tracks. While the restricted kit list provided focus during the music-making process, there’s still plenty of musical variety across the six tracks that make up the set.

For proof, compare and contrast the jazzy, loose-limbed headiness of ‘It Just Happens’, where simmering synth-strings, twinkling melodic motifs and glistening guitar licks rise above smooth jazz-funk bass and a gentle broken beat rhythm, and the slow-motion soul brilliance of ‘Strangers’, where Kathryn Kempf’s evocative and poignant lead vocals rise above a sumptuous downtempo groove and heart-aching piano lines.

This subtly varied but musically coherent vibe continues across the mini album. Stenger indulges in a bit of New York daydreaming on ‘Brooklyn Love Boat’, a wonderfully musically detailed chunk of 1970s style jazz-funk heat that offers knowing nods to Roy Ayers, Herbie Hancock and the jazz-fusion stylings of Azymuth, before opting for a deeper, slower and even more seductive sound on the Hammond-sporting bliss of ‘Take Care My Friend’.

Closing cut ‘City Lights’, a gorgeous, soft-focus affair smothered in echoing Rhodes riffs and immersive chords, has the feel of an underground classic in waiting: a stirring, string-drenched future sing-along whose emotion-packed lyrics are delivered brilliantly by Glasgow-born singer/songwriter Chris Pookah.

Despite the song’s subject matter – the painful final breakdown of a relationship – there’s something strangely uplifting about the combination of Pookah’s pitch-perfect vocal delivery and the absorbing warmth of Stenger’s comforting and sonically detailed music. It provides a fittingly impressive finish to a mightily immersive mini album.

Fresh off the back of his highly acclaimed debut album on Astral Black, Footshooter returns to the WOLF Music pack following his ethereal remix of Velour last year, with an exquisite six track journey through his signature sound.

An amalgamation of genres, ideas and vibes blend seamlessly together throughout the record, showing a wealth of knowledge, alongside a production prowess to match. From the cinematic opener 'Welcome In' to the soulful, synth-laden broken beat of ‘Turning’ and 'Archetype 7' on the A side. Samples dance next to magical playing and programming, with hats tipped to legends of yester year whilst keeping things completely fresh at the same time.

Flip it for the B, where UK Funky feels mix with bumping house for the fresh to death, dress to impress 'Dojo'. Footshooter then dips the lights down low and and slows the tempo with the beatsy, piano shimmering brilliance of 'Angel(s)' and the eyes closed, soul healing sounds of 'Hold On'.

Six shots, no misses, Footshooter gets deep into the heart of what’s bubbling in London town right now.

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“Marombo” is a new track written, arranged and produced by Gerardo Frisina, that anticipates his forthcoming album, called “Moving Ahead” and scheduled for February 2020. Here “Marombo” has been especially divided in two parts, to be featured in this 12” EP.
“Moving Ahead” suggests another change in Gerardo’s style, a solid step into the future to explore new music territories without compromising his original identity and trademark. “Marombo” is in fact a mixture of nu-latin and electronic beats with Afro-Cuban rhythm into a massive dancefloor groove!
This new song sees the participation of Gerardo’s longtime collaborators Ernesto Lopez on drums and percussion and Alfonso Deidda on baritone saxophone.The result is a perfect blend between deep, Detroit afro-dub dance with a massive groove perfect for the dancefloor. As always Gerardo amazes us with his unique touch. Absolutely not to be missed!!!

4 years after their groundbreaking debut album “Happily Confused”, Ghost In The Tapes return with a new full-length, “Holidays on Earth”. This new LP sonically expands multilingual hip-hop and rap towards spiritual jazz and uplifting electronica. Still following the same process of creation through international collaborations, they gathered 26 musicians and vocalists from all around the world, including Alabaster DePlume, Matt Gedrych (Neue Grafik Ensemble), Danalogue, Marysia Osuchowska (Levitation Orchestra), Susumu Mukai (Zongamin, Floating Points), Phil FMU (Vanishing Twin, Broadcast), The Brothers Nylon, Louis Treffel (ncy Milky Band), amongst many others. “Holidays on Earth” contains 13 new tracks that push the boundaries of hip-hop and jazz hybrids, 12 of which will be released on a limited edition of 300 LPs shaped by US designer Ruff Mercy (Nas, Thom Yorke, J Dilla, Nightmares On Wax…), via BMM Records on April 5th.

Glenn Echo & Daniel Meinecke are back with their hotly anticipated follow-up of What Happened To Yesterday?! This one makes a hat trick on MotorCity Wine Recordings, and cranks up the heat in time for the summer.

Vol. 2 grabs from our favorite moments of both their debut "Partly Cloudy" and Vol. 1, perfectly synthesizing the heady and dubby with the cosmic dance flavors, while always eschewing a genre-box. As the opening invocation "World In My Head" says, "why should I repeat myself?", and the boys continue to push the envelope and find new boundaries. The A-side continues with muscular downtempo joints, with highlights including the Psychedelic Hip-Hop of “Explanation of The Funk” (feat. sultry trumpet from Dre King and cuts by DJ Stylus) and the Gogo-Afrobeat fusion of “Three-Season Crank” (featuring the brilliant Raja Kassis on guitar).

Over to the flip side, "Off The Rails" kicks it off with the most dance-floor oriented joint on the record. From there the album gets dubbier and more meditative, culminating with the blissed out "Black Bird Dub". It's the perfect come down after the earlier beatdown.

Glenn's multi-influenced production is as inspired as ever, while Mr. Meinecke continues to show us why he's earned his stripes as *the* seminal keyboard player in the scene. Whether it's drawing from 70's weed jazz, early 80's dancehall, 90's downtempo, or the most rippin' jazz fusion, Glenn Echo & Daniel Meinecke round out the "What Happened To Yesterday" series in fine singular style.

Housed in a beautiful matte finish picture sleeve with art from Michal Rafaj and pressed on deep translucent purple vinyl. TIP!

The sophomore album from Honest LEE is a soulful excursion featuring many prominent guests including Javier Miranda of Empresarios, Matt Rippetoe and JOE Herrera, horn players for Thievery Corporation and former bandmates of LEE’s in THE Funk ARK, Trevor Olexy of THE MOD, Jerry Busher of Fugazi, Peabody alum and educator Delandria Mills, Growroom’s own Slanigiro Renguez, Baltimorean Troy Long, Elijah Jamal Balbed of THE Chuck Brown Band and from NYC, Mkmkmk, first call horn player for Antibalas. By bringing diverse instruments, moods, and guest artists to this venture, Honest LEE has created an instrumental cinematic soul masterpiece with his own stamp of collective musicianship. Consistently funky, the 12 track album is sure to please fans of modern funk, downtempo and soul. Super limited pressing, the 50th release on Growroom Productions.

Journeyman, DJ, radio presenter, beat raconteur – it’s been hard to keep up with all of iZem‘s movements lately. The innovative Lisbon-based French producer has been hard at work on his debut LP Hafa, exploring the sounds of Latin America and North Africa in a vivid analogue-digital, genre-defying soundscape that is sure to leave your head spinning. Inspired by cultural greats like Jack Kerouac, Paul Bowles, Tahar Ben Jelloun and Matisse, iZem spent time soaking up the atmosphere at the inspiring Café Hafa, an idyllic cliff-pop joint overlooking the strait of Gibraltar, in Tangier, Morocco, which has formed a golden backdrop to his debut LP. Brimming with soulful exoticism, personal narratives and adventurous collaborators, Hafa has been an experiment in taking on the afro-centric sounds of his journey to-date by incorporating modern, introspective songwriting and hybrid beats.
Often writing music whilst crossing continents, the only place iZem allows dust to settle is in the heart, heat and rhythms of his local-global future sounds. A decade of nomadism between Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Ireland and Portugal made way for a series of critically acclaimed EP’s and remixes for Soundway, GAMM, Far Out, Agogo, ZZK records, Wah Wah 45s, and Mais Um Discos. Arrival on the global, forward-thinking, artistically leftfield scene was predicted by Gilles Peterson, XLR8R, Okay Player and fellow tropical hed Quantic. iZem is an acronym for “In Ze Early Morning” and his debut album “Hafa” evokes new days dawning in far-off lands and stirring horizons of the present. So if you aren’t hearing iZem’s pastiche of future tropical rhythms and organic grooves on stations such as BBC, KCRW or Funkhaus Europa, then make sure you you catch him raising the dance floor temperature on one continent or another.

With the locution “Great Oxidation Event” we usually refer to the first major mass extinction that has been known on Earth. Occurred around 2,5 billion years ago, it consisted in a huge rise in oxygen in the atmosphere and shallow oceans that radically changed the conditions for the life on our planet, enabling the subsequent development of multicellular life forms. As debut on his own label Hyperjazz Records, with ’The Great Oxidation EP’, electro-shaman Khalab comes back to his natural habitat: the dance floor. With these three instrumental tracks, the visionary artist aims to drive the listener on a backward journey, down to rediscover the most ancestral human rite: to dance. A return to the origin in a radical way to reach a brighter future, but also a bridge for another world - a new space where meet new life forms and uncover new feelings and new consciousness. To embellish this EP, the presence of two very special collaborations. The acclaimed Detroit-based drummer and producer Shigeto joined Khalab in the track ‘Anaerobe’. Also, the Mexican visual artist Carlito Dalceggio contributed with his amazing art by creating the video clip for the track Neba’: a full hand-drawn short movie with no digital manipulations or special effects. His work reflects the seamless ease in which he moves between genres and cultures all in the service of creating the mythology of now.

Khalab Electronic artist and producer Khalab has developed an international reputation for his original fusion of traditional African sounds, deepbass work, jazz, and heavilylayered & dense electronic textures. He has three albums on his credits: ‘Khalab & Baba’, a four-handed workwith the Malian griot Baba Sissoko, released for the Nickodemus’s Wonderwheel Records; the worldwide acclaimed ‘Black Noise 2084’, that draws on the field recordings archive of the Royal Museum in Brussels and result of the collaboration with some of the most innovative musicians of the current UK jazz scene; and ‘M’berra’, recorded in the Mauritanian desert together with the some Tuareg musicians from Mali (M’berra Ensemble), that earned him the collaboration with the Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records. His music evolution is a seamless journey – from the most ancestral tribes to the unexplored cosmos; from the black jungle to the skyscrapers; from the remotest subconscious to the furthest and real projection of future Africa. His wide-reaching musical tastes can be heard regularly on his monthly Worldwide FM show, Love from Rome. Already working on a new record ready in 2022, Khalab pulls out of his laboratory the first experiment with this EP.

Maston’s Darkland is a breezy collection of the material from the Tulips sessions that didn’t make it on to the original LP. Originally a digital-only release for those in the know in the autumn of 2018, after re-issuing Tulips in 2020 it made too much sense for Be With to give Darkland a vinyl release. Like Tulips, Darkland was recorded mostly in Hoorn, in the Netherlands, between 2015-2017 during downtime from Frank’s touring duties with Jacco Gardner’s band. Bits were also done in Los Angeles on some extended trips back home. The collection plays like an alternate view of Maston’s instant modern classic Tulips; a companion piece to the LP proper with similar mixture of shorter themes and more full length tracks.

Meitei’s 2020 album 'Kofū' was the bold bookend to an expedition, where sounds were first navigated and then subverted in 2018’s 'Kwaidan' and 2019’s 'Komachi'.

All three albums were Meitei’s attempt at immersive storytelling, reimagining moments of Japanese history he felt were being washed away – not least by the unforgiving sands of time – through wistful compositions that stretched across ambient music, hauntology, and musique concrete.

When it came to finalizing 'Kofū', Meitei found he was left with over 60 fully realized tracks, bursting with ideas that fired in divergent, curious directions. Meitei was content with the 13 tracks he had selected. But when it came time to begin his next album, he found that it had been sitting in front of him all along. He realized his work wasn’t over yet.

Meitei sounds right at home celebrating the past he first reimagined in his previous work. The merriment is palpable in its first two tracks of 'Kofū II' – a loop of cheery whistling amidst the clanking of wood leads into strings, cricket sounds and flutes, all united in bustling harmony.

'Happyaku-yachō' is where it comes into focus. Pitch-shifted vocal samples roam around in the crowded sonic field. “My image of this music is that it expresses the vibrant mood of Edo's merchant culture,” says Meitei, “where old Japanese dwellings were densely packed together in a vast expanse of land.” The affair becomes bittersweet as the track leads into the desolate 'Kaworu', a compositional piece lifted from his 'Komachi' sessions – a final requiem to his late grandmother.

The album is bursting with spectral vignettes of wandering samurais, red lanterns, ninjas, puppet theatres, poets, even a vengeful assassin ('Shurayuki hime', known to Western audiences as ‘Lady Snowblood’).

'Saryō' is as elegant and refined as you would expect. It induces stillness in its repetition, with each synth note a brushstroke. It was inspired by a Sengoku-era tea house he once visited, designed by national icon Sen no Rikyū. Meitei tied it to the reaction he felt while poring over the ink paintings in his grandmother’s house. “The decayed earthen walls and faded tatami mats gave me an emotional impression,” he says. “And the cosmic flow of time drifting in the small room. I decided to put my impression of this into music.”

In 'Akira Kurosawa', an appropriately thunderous track, Meitei finds deep resonance in his vast filmography, which drew equally from Japan’s rich heritage and troubled circumstances post-WWII.

'Kofū II' is not a leftovers album, nor is it a straightforward companion piece. In this album, Meitei has his biggest reckoning with the Japanese identity yet. Over the years, he has attempted to peel back what he believes has defined Japan and its people. After seeking answers with three full-length albums, his fourth poses more questions.

If his first three albums inspired a sense of longing – or, perhaps inevitably, fed an irreparable nostalgia doomed to history – 'Kofū II' compels us to reassess our relationship with the past. By constantly looking back, are we ever afforded a clearer present? After capturing the “lost Japanese mood”, where does that leave its country in the modern world? Meitei offers no immediate answers with 'Kofū II'. It forces you to sit with its disparate moods, to meditate amidst the textured fragments.

'Kofū II' will be released on 180g LP, CD and digital format on December 10, 2021 (LP expected to land January 28, 2022) via KITCHEN. LABEL. Both LP and CD format are presented in a debossed sleeve with obi strip and include a 16-page insert with words in Japanese and English from Meitei, printed on premium paper stock with design by KITCHEN. LABEL founder Ricks Ang, and is mastered by Chihei Hatakeyama in Tokyo, Japan.

Mmyykk’s Science EP arrives at a time when the world needs it. The eponymous title track is about recognising the power and connection that we all have to the cosmos - and it feels like no coincidence that this body of work arrives in 2021.

The EP balances universal themes with playfulness; asks hard questions relating to accountability and materiality whilst remaining musically cohesive and funky throughout. An exceedingly difficult artist to pigeonhole, Mmyykk (pronounced Mike) works concurrently within the realms of soul, jazz, hip hop, R&B and ambient; his sound equally indebted to his fellow west-coast natives Thundercat and Flying Lotus as it is to synth experimentalists Herbie Hancock and Stevie Wonder.

Whilst Mmyykk operates as the multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, producer & engineer across all 6 tracks, we can still hear the richness of improvisation musical collaboration involved in the making of this record, with numerous cameos from artists in Mmyykk’s adopted hometown of Minneapolis as well as a feature from London’s very own Demae.

The city of Minneapolis, whilst not addressed directly in the lyrics, provided a backdrop like no other whilst this album was coming together. Being at the epicentre of such a tragedy had a profound effect on the formation of the EP... “The City was literally burning...” Mmyykk recalls as he goes on to explain that tackling themes such as police reform, reparations and accountability in his work is his way of taking a stand in the fight for justice.

Despite the grief prevalent in the city, the EP exudes a complex “dopeness”, executed so effortlessly it belies the skill involved in the process - it’s precisely this nonchalant cool that defines what Science means to the artist.

Whilst we can dissect the inspirations and trace the lineage of this body of work- the result is singular. It’s clear that Mychal Fisher, aka Mmyykk is operating on his own terms, in a lane of his own - and making it look easy.

The third release in the series of 12” EPs featuring reinterpretations of tracks from the album “People Need People” - the brilliant album by Nicola Conte and Gianluca Petrella released in 2021 - features the excellent collaboration of two American artists from the Detroit scene Tall Black Guy and Andrès. Terrel Wallace AKA Tall Black Guy, raised on bread, Motown, jazz and early hip hop... he has become a standard bearer of the current hip hop beat scene. With a steady stream of sample-filled productions and clever flips, he has won fans all over the world. His production skills are showcased in his own rendition of “Nigeria”, where he calls on Broken Keys AKA Tommy Sheridan DJ, producer, vocalist and multi-Instrumentalist from Cleveland, Ohio. On side AA instead, DJ Andrés, now a revered figure of the Detroit scene praised by the eclectic Moodyman and Carl Graig among others, delivers a house version of “African Tribes” worthy of the most important dancefloors, in which he mixes soul-jazz parts with fragments of vocal samples and spoken words, all sublimated into a musical mixture with a strong deep house impact, with rhythm and mood typical of the black culture. Originally conceived as a trilogy, this successful reworking series will eventually embrace a further fourth chapter including two new Fred P. interpretations of the tracks “African Spirits” and “Tribes

The Dutch icon Orlando Voorn is releasing his second album for Deeptrax Records sublabel Contrafact! Having started his career in the early 80s with major influences of Parliament, Kraftwerk, Motown and P funk, he is now widely recognized as an ingenious (Detroit) house and techno producer with former releases on Juan Atkins’ Metroplex records and Kevin Saunderson’s KMS. "The Master 2" is an album that is heavily influenced by the deeper sounds of soul and funk.. Orlando Voorn has used aliases in the past to present and release various styles of music without limiting himself and is one of the most versatile producers out there. We are proud to team up with Voorn and release this album that captures soulful jazz, funk rhythms and perfectly fused with passionate vocals in a real jazzy Detroit vein.

A download code is included. After releasing two records with the quintet Fazer, German guitarist Paul Brändle presents his solo debut on Squama Recordings. Paul’s minimalist compositions move in slow-motion between Straight Ahead Jazz, Folk, and Blues, only subtly disclosing their musical origins. The album was recorded in Vienna during the annual ‘Hundstage’, a period in the summer during which the whole city succumbs to the sweltering heat. Short on oxygen, but not on ideas, Paul created 9 tracks of soothing excellence that are worth calming down for.

The Tribe founders’ collaborative debut, remixed from the original mutli-track master tapes under the direction of its creators and lacquered by Bernie Grundman. Phil Ranelin’s side has been pitch-corrected and restored to a suite, as was originally intended. Wendell Harrison’s side contains extended, full versions of two songs. The definitive reissue of this Spiritual Jazz masterpiece. The Tribe label, one of the brightest lights of America’s 1970s jazz underground, receives the Now-Again reissue treatment. This is your chance to indulge in the music and story of one of the most meaningful, local movements of the 20th Century Black American experience, one that expanded outwards towards the cosmos. In the words of the collective themselves, “Music is the healing force of the universe.” Included in an extensive, oversized booklet, Larry Gabriel and Jeff “Chairman” Mao take us through the history of the Tribe, in a compelling story that delves not just into the history of the label and its principals, but into the story of Black American empowerment in the latter half of the 20th Century. The booklet features never-before-seen archival photos and rare ephemera from Tribe’s mid-1970s heyday.

Pie Eye Collective has been a part of the Albert’s Favourites family for a little while, working with Hector Plimmer and Scrimshire on studio and live performances, he has also played alongside Emma-Jean Thackray and And Is Phi. Pie Eye Collective is the solo project of sound scientist and explorer Matthew Gordon. While at its heart electronica, Gordon creates an organic collage of influences and evocative noises, even drawing from jazz and soul music. Time signatures and rhythms, sometimes hard to pin down, only lead to a more hypnotic sense of being afloat in a sea of harmonics and strangely familiar musical memories. It is music that wants you to completely free yourself and let it move through you.

Encompassing elements of experimental techno, ambient, dub and jazz; sonic scientist Pie Eye Collective - the solo project of Bristol-born, London-based Matthew Gordon - returns with second album ‘Tangential City’, an instrumental exposition of how people experience different lives in the same city.

Pie Eye Collective’s voice remains clear in this new record, while hinting at exciting new developments in an ongoing exploration of rhythm and frequency. With a quasi-scientific, research based approach to music making, Pie Eye Collective creates an organic collage of evocative sounds, which could be filed alongside records by Theo Parrish, Lorraine James or Space Afrika. Personally influenced by mathematics, graphs, geometry, and calculus; his genre-melding music draws equally from jazz and soul music, both ancient, contemporary, and futuristic. Time signatures, sometimes hard to pin down, only lead to a more hypnotic sense of being afloat in a sea of harmonics and strangely familiar musical memories. Melodic and full of spatial movement, momentary pulses, and interjection; it is music that wants you to free yourself completely and wash over you.

One person has a different experience of living in a city to that of another. Barred by accessibility, wealth, race, gender, nationality; parts of the city are opened or closed to the individual with or without their knowledge. Impressions can either diverge and deviate so much that they could be describing entirely separate places, or be so similar they could be living the same life. Multiply this by the several million people that live next to each other and a wildly fractured vision appears. A multiverse of possible experiences. Can the paths of these separate existences be unlocked and traversed? 'Tangential City' is the point of intersection.

‘Pie’s Eyes’ is the fourth and most recent addition to the growing Pie Eye Collective + Hector Plimmer songbook (the first and second appeared on Hector’s second album ‘Next To Nothing’, the third arrived on PEC’s debut ‘Salvation’). “Our creative process is very natural, spontaneous and fluid”, says Gordon. “When we write together we bounce around the studio playing with synthesizers, drum machines and bits of percussion. This track is like the playful, unbounded, collaborative dance we do.”

From his humble beginnings in 2011, North African, Casablanca-born and based producer has been continuously shaping his sound signature in the sphere of electronic music, resulting in a cross-genres blend appealing to both DJs and music fans from all across the spectrum. After a small run of exalted singles and EPs, Polyswitch gravitates towards the full-length format with “praise THE Sun“ a 12-track sonic testimonial committed to the tradition of his previously released material, showcasing his distinct sense of substantially blending a vibrant profusion of musical currents. Emanating from an expression of delight and adoration, “praise THE Sun" can be used as a universal answer to questions like ‘What to do?’ when there are no other solutions left. Reflecting the times, recorded during periods of duress and uncertainty, “pts“ is a body of work conveying feelings of harmony, hope, love, and unity throughout sublime musical works. Within, the artist introspectively addresses perseverance and resilience using instrumentation as the prime expression vessel.

noquestionsasked & Vanishing Berlin present: »Diskothek Harmonie«

An ode to places we will remember with wistfulness, even though we had no idea we would ever miss them. A homage to a sub- and neighborhood culture that threatens to disappear. Nothing lasts forever!

Diskothek Harmonie was created in cooperation with photographer Alexander Steffen's Vanishing Berlin project. The cover comes in five variations: One photo motif from each of the districts of Neukölln, Schöneberg, Mitte, Friedrichshain and Prenzlauer Berg. Framed by a handmade screen print, with individual coloring. Each motif is limited to 50 copies.

The vinyl EP's four tracks are held together by short atmospheric soundscapes and spoken cut-up lyrics. In the titular track, the warm voice of actress Barbara Philipp invites us to dance with the time signs and slogans of the present. The remaining tracks by Projekt Freizeit come from their archives of the last 15 years. Created between long gone wastelands and brick walls, pressed on vinyl to last forever.

Quiet Village announces new label, The Quiet Village, and new single, ‘Reunion'. Matt 'Radio Slave' Edwards and Joel Martin's critically acclaimed project's first official single under the Quiet Village name in seventeen years!

Beginning life as a 'heady 6/8-time urban jazz odyssey, 'Reunion is a stunning piece of modern, Hi-Tech Jazz that draws influences from Pat Metheny, Timeline, Innerzone Orchestra, and Clyde Stubbelfield's drumming.

While previous Quiet Village material was hewn from a myriad of samples extracted from Edwards' and Martin's notorious digging, 'Reunion' and its follow-ups are drawn from a tight-knit crew of session musicians, including the likes of Jon Hester and Thomas Gandey, adding further depth and feel to the QV sound. Already a firm favourite with Gilles Peterson and Luke Una, the latter of which leaked a clip of the release via his inimitable Instagram presence and called it 'something so fucking beautiful. Tony Allen, Sun Ra meets Carl Craig, Underground Resistance, house, tech, funk, everything rolled into one'.

'Reunion’ is the first single on The Quiet Village, Quiet Village's new imprint. Despite continually producing new music and a slew of remixes, most recently for Running Back and Isle of Jura, the long-term friends and collaborators have been unable to release under their Quiet Village moniker since their LP 'Silent Movie' in 2008. While a few releases under QV and their sometime DJ aliases of Maxxi (Edwards) and Zeus (Martin) have emerged, 'Reunion' is the beginning of a new and re-energised Quiet Village that will see more original material and remixes, DJ and live touring that began in Japan in May and curated compilations of treasures, old and new, in the coming months and years.

Vinyl with a couple of light scuffs

Robert Matos returns to Ocha with an Afro-jazz house burner feat. the voice of Deep House legend RON Trent reminding us that House Music needs soul. Afro House phenom Carlos Mena drives the message home with his club worthy remix, while Coflo delivers signature percussive deepness with his remix. Tracklisting:

Albert’s Favourites co-founder Adam Scrimshire is set to release his fifth album 'Believers Vol. 1’, featuring guests And Is Phi, Bessi, K.O.G., Omar, Xana & Faye Houston, Penya, Stac and Tamar Osborn. The album draws from Scrimshire's passion for jazz, soul and electronic music of all styles; from energetic Afro-disco through lushly orchestrated neo-soul to harmonious jazz experiments. 'Anadwo' opens the album, a bright, Afro-disco inspired groove written with Ghanaian artist K.O.G., and is possibly Scrimshire's most extroverted track to date. Regular collaborator Stac and Brighton singer and producer Bessi sing on snappy neo-soul tracks ‘Where Are We’ and ‘Lost In Space And Time’ respectively. And Is Phi brings an eclectic mix of jazz, poetry and improvisation to ‘Chance Me’ while ‘Transformation’ stars acclaimed saxophonist Tamar Osborn. Genre-defying quartet Penya feature on global-jazz epic ‘Tanto Tiempo’ and the incomparable Omar joins with Xana and Faye Houston on album highlight ‘Love Is Loving’. Cosmic-jazz instrumental ‘Peaceless Peace’ closes out ‘Believers Vol. 1’, ending a bold and positive album filled with creativity and joy. “Writing and producing my last album, ‘Listeners’, opened the floodgates for me. I’ve written more in the last 18 months than in years. Practicing for the live band levelled up my playing and opened up possibilities in writing I couldn’t find before. Since then I’ve written more than two albums worth of “Scrimshire” songs. But I really wanted to try and focus the experience and separate between music that represented the positivity and optimism I’ve experienced in recent years against my more introverted and angrier instincts. ‘Believers Vol.1’ represents warmth and hope. Everyone I worked with early in lockdown, seemed to want to express those longings for physical and emotional connection too. The whole album reaches out, I think it’s full of long embraces. But it is also, for me personally a love letter to black music and the black artists that shaped everything I care about sonically, from my very first memories of music until now. It draws from sounds I grew up around in the early to mid eighties, classic records from the seventies that I’ve never tired of, but important dance records from the late nineties and early 2000s that celebrated and subverted those ideas too.” Scrimshire released his fourth album 'Listeners' in summer 2019, which was supported across BBC Radio 6 Music, including an Album of the Day feature, as well as by Jamz Supernova, Jamie Cullum's Radio 2 Jazz Show, Worldwide FM and Amazing Radio. His earlier albums ‘Bight’ (2013), ‘The Hollow’ (2011) and ‘Along Came The Devil One Night’ (2009) were released on the Wah Wah 45s label, where he’s also now a co-owner and director. He has continued to gain support for his successful “Scrimshire Edits” series and has produced and mixed records for artists including Stac, Daudi Matsiko, Bastien Keb, Ronin Arkestra and Jonny Drop. Albert’s Favourites was formed by Adam, Dave Koor, and Jonny Drop, who designed the logo and artwork, and has released records by Hector Plimmer, Ronin Arkestra, The Expansions, Huw Marc Bennett, and Jonny Drop.

Eraldo Bernocchi is SIMM – one of the originators of Dark Hop. The Italian musician and producer has worked with Harold Budd, Mick Harris, Bill Laswell, and Robin Guthrie, and is a versatile, masterful studio composer, as well as a renowned live performer and improviser. Odessa’s Medium (Igor Oklander, Pavel Kostyuk, and DJ Koss) are the newest sensation out of Ukraine in the world of drum & bass. Their technical production ability and live drum & bass show are unmatched in the current era. Nailed is a classic, black silk creeper, a film noire dungeon score sound. Eraldo’s distantly familiar horrorscore guitars are backed with a stomping broken beat, and the deepest, darkest sub to be found in the genre. Nailed is SIMM at the height of Bernocchi’s dark power – crawling, surveilling, hunting. No Questions is what it says it is on the wrapper – an absolute mauling 2018 dark hop MONSTER – without question. The crew has cooked up a bass drop of titantic, megalithic proportions, which must be heard to be believed! Stepping out of their normative drum & bass format, they play with the notion of half time drum & bass, while keeping it 100% dark hop tempo. Limited Edition Print by Petullia Mattioli

Susso, aka bassist / producer Huw Bennett, creates music inspired by, and directly sampling, the magnificent sounds of the Mandinka people, recorded during a recent trip to Gambia. Initially travelling with the aim of gaining perspective as a musician and to discover a new world of music first hand, Huw found himself humbled by such a welcoming community of artists, mostly belonging to the celebrated Suso and Kuyateh griot families. The tracks are composed entirely from original source material, field recordings and Huw’s talents as a multi-instrumentalist; performing tuned percussion from the region including the Mandinka Balafon, Kutiringding drum, aswell drawing on his skill as a professional upright / electric bassist. The music produced has a contemporary electronic sound, whilst still paying homage to a traditional Gambian aesthetic. Keira (meaning peace) guides the listener through Huw’s journey up the River Gambia, being welcomed into remote dusty villages, where your people are the most important thing in life.

When has Tatham, Mensah,Lord & Ranks let you down?
When?
If you love boogie, funk and that good groove then the answer is never.
Yet another twelve inch proving their consistency.An obvious buy on sight release.
Includes the cover version on Grace Jones's 'Private Lives' where the quartet expand on the original for a soulful dubbed out trip plus 'Simmering' for funk bass line enthusiasts.

Produced by Kaidi Tatham,Matt Lord,Mr Mensah & dego.

LA’s Taylor E. Burch ov DVA Damas and Tropic of Cancer drops a cache of nuggets for Downwards, posing a killer mix of droll post-punk vocals and stripped dub/R&B/art-pop somewhere between Lolina, Gwen Stefani and The Slits. Mad original, bass-heavy ohrwurm fire!

Over a decade since her debut 10” with DVA Damas, and following a superb stint on Pessimist’s Stigma project in ’21, ‘The Best of Taylor E. Burch’ (though none of this matereial has even been released before) reveals her prowling swag from unexpected angles across nine distinctively succinct bullets bolstered by Elon Katz’s vocal production. Laid-back but tightly coiled, they slant from the clear echoes of Inga Copeland/Lolina on its intro, to cattier art-pop minimalism on ‘I’ve Never Felt Better In My Life’, her vocals layered and sparingly pronged with compelling effects around her wiry guitars and flashes of the gnash and bump that made her work with main vehicle DVA Damas (beside Joe Cocherell) so vital.

The lilting, purring punky dubs of ‘I Wanna Be Your Girl’ and ‘Time Differences’ illuminate a softer side delivered with a wry swagger, from the eyrie, clipped dembow Tears For Fears cover ‘Head over Heels’ to potent highlight ‘F*ck You Up’, while ‘We’re All The X’ and ‘’Time Is On My Side’ make us think of a slanted Juliana Hatfield, and we can’t help but recall that ace Fay record (‘Din’, Time No Place, 2012) in the brittle but heavy af ‘Na Na Na Na Na (Reprise).’

One of the most enjoyable, rinsable tapes of the year, full marks, plus.

Emerging from the Toronto warehouse scene, Tush is a rising electronic music act powered by Kamilah Apong and Jamie Kidd. Taking inspiration from electro funk, early disco, post-punk and '90s house; their debut album 'Fantast' embodies the rawness, vulnerability, and intimacy of the dancefloor.
'Fantast' kicks off with the slow burning 'Wavy Baby', an invitation to get close, get intimate and submit to the groove: "Vulnerability is the key to us getting to that next step of intimacy". Up next is lead single 'Chrysalis', a high octane ride through a technicolour fantasy world of heady synths and driving rhythms that propel Kamilah's voice into an erotic stratosphere.
'Don't Be Afraid' is about having the courage to love defiantly, urgently, and with intention. Driven by Jamie's infectious bass lines and FX blasts, it smoothly transforms into an uplifting gospel-infused track.
Two high points of the album, 'Jessica F***' and 'Marathons', highlight Tush doing what they do best. These tracks are the sound of the warehouse scene that birthed the project in the first place and the late night jam sessions that were full of possibility pre-pandemic. Here, Tush really stretch their improvisational muscles - the interplay of raw soulful vocals, hypnotic basslines, synth pads, and heavy disco rhythms is at the core of what makes them so invigorating.
'Fantast' closes with the uplifting sunrise energy of 'My Joy', the light at the end of the tunnel. "This song is enchanted by the backing vocals of my friends and chosen family, who are my cornerstones to working through the wonderful mess that I am". Kamilah adds "The track gives me this feeling that - no matter how hard the world tries to beat it out of me - I can and I have had to work hard to cultivate my own happiness in my own sacred spaces - one of those being Tush. Ultimately, this is all I really need".

Rhythm Section International, the impossible-to-define label founded in South East London by Bradley Zero in 2014 has reached the ripe old age of 10 years. Funny thing is, it feels like it could have been almost double that. It’s hard to imagine the Landscape of the London music scene without this foundational force whose influence is felt more than ever.

With this special anniversary release, the label takes stock at this milestone to present a compilation in 3 parts: Past, Re-imagined AND Future: honouring the labels tradition of always paying homage to what has come before while setting sights firmly forwards.

With 100-odd releases in their extended back catalogue covering every imaginable style and boasting influence in every inhabited continent on earth, it’s been quite a decade for the independent label, which began on a shoestring budget with funds made via the now legendary Rhythm Section pool hall parties in Peckham.

From humble beginnings to an era defining output - few would have predicted the slow and steady rise of the imprint and the impact it has had on generations of Dj’s, musicians and listeners - at home and abroad.

Spanning 6 discs and 30 tracks, the compilation begins by taking us on a walk down memory lane and presenting one track from each year of the labels output - highlighting some forgotten classics from the archives over the first 2 discs. For discs 3 & 4, the label invited it’s stable of artists to pick a track from the back catalogue to re-imagine in their own style. This process resulted in some incredibly playful contributions from the likes of Ruf Dug, Session Victim and Private Joy - whose playful reinterpretations add new depth to old material.

Finally, the last 2 discs are entirely new material for 2024, carrying the torch of the previous Shouts compilations - whose sole aim is to shine light on new music from emerging artists

INFRACom!, one of the longest operating Independent labels in Germany, celebrate its 30yrs anniversary with a vinyl compilation consisting of tracks that have never been released on vinyl before. Label co-founder Jan Hagenkötter handpicked these from various artist in the catalog, true to the spirit of the label and its operator – We couldn´t save the entire planet but we still like to save your soul. Most of the tracks included on the compilation were released only on CD and then digitally in the so-called 2000s or noughties, as it was very difficult to release any album on vinyl during that time due to the situation in the music market. The artwork was once again designed by Rafael Jimenez Heckmann, a well-known graphic designer from Offenbach. The inlay was designed by the long time friend & well known artist Jim Avignon. INFRACom!, once started locally in Frankfurt with artist like Shantel who released his first recordings on the label. He is featured by a collaboration with the Brazilian duo Rosanna & Zélia. Soon INFRACom! expanded to an international platform for artist from all over the world like Jhelisa (usa), Mop Mop & Gabriele Poso…both from Italy, Metropolitan Jazz Affair the brainchild of French producer and musician Patchworks, Taxi from the UK, Rime from Finland or Aromabar from Austria…all with different styles of music. The vision of the two founders Jan Hagenkötter & Namé Vaughn was and still is artistically oriented and has never favored just only one style of music. The roots of INFRACom as a label are based in the various form of black music culture - conditiopned to the influences and personal history of the two founders - but also deeply rooted in the club and DJ culture and various forms of electronic music. The compilation can only show a small glimpse into the universe with tunes that stand the test of time. One of the best examples is Matthias Vogt with whom the label has a long standing collaboration and who just this year released the album Pianissimo on INFRACom!. He can be heard with his Matthias Vogt (Jazz) Trio in a cinematic remix from Joash and two pieces by the highly successful [re:jazz] band which he leads. With Valique we are happy to feature a Belarus/Russian artist on the release these days….one who already showed ten years ago on his album artworks what he thinks about the politics of his government. As an open minded label and ethnical diverse ppl. we think “Fuck Putin and his disciples and like-minded people, but let's not condemn all Russian-born people. Some prefer to worship Herbie Hancock...like Valique and we want to support that.” With Nekta, Dublex Inc. feat Stee Downes and Kosma this release features three more artists from various regions in Germany, each with their great moments.….and last but not least the mysterious Woodland Conclave (UK)…a waltz and a story yet to be told and hopefully will be…on INFRACom!…in the near future!

Limited edition coke bottle green vinyl coloured 180g vinyl gatefold double album from Stella Polaris.

The world’s largest free chill out event, Stella Polaris have been wrapping their electronic blanket of dubby and jazzy slo-mo sounds around tens of thousands welcoming bodies since ’97. An oasis of positivity and top-drawer music beaming out of Denmark, with a record label arm born in 2003.

Fast forward 20 years and their 17th album release, a delectable double album features new material from upcoming artists and exclusive Stella Polaris custom made remixes of well-known artists including: Foster The People (us), Groove Armada (uk), José Padilla (es), Underher (ca/de), Days of May (fr), The 2 Bears (uk), Elvstrøm (dk), Teitur & Mads Björn (dk).

Celebrating the tenth anniversary of Summer Dance Forever - Amsterdam’s insanely popular international hip hop festival - Super-Sonic Jazz has teamed up with James Rudie & Evm128’s UK sound-culture imprint Dance Regular to release a ten-track explosion of organic soulful house, broken beat, and bass-heavy uplifting cuts, ripe for the dancefloor. A sterling compilation featuring the who’s-who of fresh and upcoming UK talent, the EP is a coming together of like-minded worlds, full of highly charged dynamic rhythms, driving melodies, garage-like beats and an impassioned and authentic joie de vivre that perfectly matches the festival’s energetic spirit, and sets the tone for its equally impressive programme.

The brainchild of DJs James Rudie and Evm128, Dance Regular was born out of an East London event series that focussed on soulful, bass and body music. Alumni of the CoOp Presents Selectors Assemble, IG Culture and Alex Phountzi’s championing of the Bruk movement, James Rudie & Evm128 have a set a like-minded course to channel the spirt of UK body music culture, with this 10-track EP a fiery illustration of some of the talents at their fingertips. Throughout the 10-energetic tracks you’ll discover the likes of Trev, Entek, Cengiz, and many more fresh, global acts with a penchant for stirring broken beat productions, and deep, soulful melodies. Living at the intersection of garage and house music, with a deep underlying appreciation of jazz, it seems only fitting that the UK crew deliver this choice collection of cuts through the Super-Sonic Jazz imprint.

This year, understandably, the crews behind the tenth edition of Summer Dance Forever will be taking the festival actives online. Normally held at Paradiso, the inner-city urban dance festival would normally bring in participants from across the globe for nine-days of battles, parties, and workshops. Over the course of the past ten years, Summer Dance Forever has welcomed the likes of Dam Funk, Theo Parrish, and DJ Spinna into its home at Paradiso. One face that has always been a constant behind the decks has been Dutch stalwart, and one-part Super-Sonic Jazz founder KC the Funkaholic. The label, festival, and events series has become the home for new and exciting jazz and soul sounds from The Netherlands, in addition to showcasing fresher, soulful global sounds, including IG Culture who debuted his Likwid Continual Space Motion on the label this year. With such a combined focus in harbouring new talent and love for deeper jazz influenced driving-dance music, the collaboration is befit for the honouring of such an important, cultural and respected institution.

A?er the success of the first volume, the second Soul Fingers’s tribute compila&on is released on double vinyl too. Soul Fingers is a wandering black music dancefloor that in 2023 reaches to celebrate 10 years lifelong. Soul Fingers mixes soul, disco and funk, with rap and La&n rhythms. In this brand new compila&on there are some pieces that have really marked great par&es since 2013. This &me featuring soAme carefully selected dancefloor music bombs directly from the hands of Claudio Cavallaro, the leader of the Soul Fingers console.

Heralding the release of Memoirs of Hi-Tech Jazz, the forthcoming album by Detroit-born-and-based artist, Waajeed, the 12” features further examinations of the track’s motifs by the vaunted Detroit collective, Underground Resistance, Zambian producer SHE Spells Doom, and a special reimagining by Waajeed himself featuring live drums.

Alongside the LP version the three remixes further explore the links between Techno and Jazz, styles both founded on African traditions that make commentary on the present but are always oriented to potential hereafter.

On the People Mover Remix, Waajeed enlists the talents of Zo!, Tall Black Guy, Michele Manzo, and more to explore one extreme of the track’s musical heritage. Syncopated drums, driven by a full and bright snare drum, firmly place this version in the sphere of contemporary Jazz emanating from Detroit and cities across the US.

Coming from an album inspired by revolutionary efforts against oppression in Detroit and in Black locales around the world it is entirely fitting that Underground Resistance should provide their take on Motor City Madness. UR’s Mike Banks follows the lead of the original’s melange of genres. By thickening the bassline, peppering the mix with extra brass from the Mad Brass Horn Section, and adding strings courtesy of Six Mile Strings, UR further explore the dynamic intersection of music, history, and geography.

SHE Spells Doom closes the remix package with his second release on Tresor after his contribution to 2021’s Tresor30 compilation. The Zambian artist trims Motor City Madness down to the bones of the brass section and infuses them with a gqom beat, simultaneously referring to Jazz and Techno’s deepest roots in Africa, as well as suggesting where they might be headed in the future.

Pique-nique Recordings is proud to present People’s Dream, the latest solo release from NYC-based vibraphonist and electronic producer Will Shore. Inspired by Francis Bebey and Don Cherry’s electronic music from the 70s and 80s, People’s Dream draws heavily from modal jazz, minimalism, and dance music. It blends tightly composed percussive phrases with freely moving melodic improvisations that feel as much at home in a DIY loft space as they do on a custom-built sound system at Nowadays. Shore says: “The vibraphone is the thing that I know best, but I’ve always found the instrument quite limited. Its pure bell-like tone can seem too pretty to evoke a wide range of feelings. I normally find ways to obscure that pure sound: I distort it, pitch it down, or layer rougher textures over it. But for People’s Dream and Lucid, instead of obscuring the sound quality, I decided to embrace it. I used the vibraphone for not only melodic parts but also as a driving rhythmic element. I let the entrances and exits of melodies appear and disappear in a dream-like way, and added electronics and percussion as texture, to create a more cinematic atmosphere.” On the B-side, UK producer and label-head Tom Blip (Blip Discs) flips Lucid into a driving, bass-oriented club track, fit for vibrant dancefloors this summer. On the back of successful collaborations with East African artists Swordman Kitala and Mubashira Mataali Group, Blip unleashes a trademark peak-time drum track designed to elude any dream-like state.

London based multi-instrumentalist and beatmaker Wonky Logic drops 6 track EP “Transdimensional Fuunk (Transposed for Human Consumption)”, on July 30, 2021, marking the 14th release of Super-Sonic Jazz Records. Also, save the date for the first two singles on May 21 and June 25, 2021. Last year, producer and multi-instrumentalist Wonky Logic released his debut album “0113”. Now, he continues to showcase his passion for wonky beats and swirling synths with his follow up “Transdimensional Fuunk (Transposed for Human Consumption)”. As a service to clubbers and dancers of Planet Earth, he translated his banging space funk for human needs. From steamy and dangerous to subtle and soulful, it’s all on his extraterrestrial palet. Ain’t no denying that, with these 6 tracks he establishes himself as one of the more rebellious beatheads in the UK Jazz scene, with strong connections to Super-Sonic Jazz and Summer Dance Forever. Wonky Logic started out at the age of 11 on his mum’s computer and made his journey onwards from Leeds College of Music to jamming with Nubian Twist and GEO, into becoming a founding member of Steam Down. He collaborated with Nubya Garcia, Theon Cross, Wiyaala, Afla Sakey, K.O.G., and broken beat icon I.G Culture, for which he did Musical Direction of “Earthbound” (Super-Sonic’s ninth release). His current projects include his own band with Nache (Sons of Kemet) as well as The General Elation Soundsystem, alongside Brother Portrait and Nadeem Din-Gabisi. He plays keyboards for Bryony Jarmon-Pinto, synth bass with afrofuturism band Onipa and has recently played on Emma Jean Thackray's project Um-Yang alongside Soweto Kinch. However, this Summer will be all about his own brand new EP, which will be warmly welcomed by beatmakers, clubbers and dancers alike. Hopefully, they can do so in the freshly reopened clubs across the globe, where this piece belongs.

Studio mule is back with another amazement, opening the roster towards sophisticated spiritual sounds on the crossroads of electrified jazz, oriental fourth-world spheres and deeply composed experimental sounds. this time the label welcomes japanese artist ya-sukazu sato aka yas-kaz, a university-trained percussionist, that gained global success as a composer for the internationally known butoh dance troupe sankai juku, that tours around the world since 1975. his infrequent musical amalgamation of ancient eastern genres, airy soundscapes, and ritualistic dance percussions perfectly accompanied the modern dance movements of an avantgarde dance group that is known for slow, mesmerizing dance passages, whose repetitive body movements sometimes focusing only on the feet or fingers. besides his theatre work, yas-kaz composed scores for japanese movies, performed live along stars like us-american jazz saxophonist wayne shorter or legendary japanese new-age musical group himekami and recorded a number of collabo-rative and solo albums.