Buscar:2 def

After five years from "Cash On The Line" Admiral returns with some hot served distillate of his sweet psychedelic bliss. Admiral takes us on an acid soaked journey through the many realms of consciousness offering a unique and alluring soundscape that defies traditional boundaries."Do You Want To Sit On The Green" sounds like library music coming from a parallel universe where the familiar and the surreal seamlessly blend to create a musical tapestry that is both nostalgic and avant-garde.

After five years from "Cash On The Line" Admiral returns with some hot served distillate of his sweet psychedelic bliss. Admiral takes us on an acid soaked journey through the many realms ofconsciousness offering a unique and alluring soundscape that defies traditional boundaries.

"Do You Want To Sit On The Green" sounds like library music coming from a parallel universe where the familiar and the surreal seamlessly blend to create a musical tapestry that is both nostalgic and avant-garde.

Between improv, pop and r&b abstractions, and contemplative balearics, Sam Gendel and Ugné Uma “Tam tikri objektai erdvėje” subtly meanders through a fragile and forward cosmos both inward and out.

Sam Gendel and Ugnė Uma’s Tam Tikri Objektai Erdvėje album sketches a layered, melismatic and intertextual view on what both performers define as a lightness of being. Ugnė Uma’s musical stance is influenced by experimental poetry and Lithuania’s 20th century underground music scene - jazz and folk, resulting from the liberation of the country’s independence movements. Sam Gendel, from Los Angeles, is a saxophonist and producer, proficient on more instruments than the saxophone alone, whose recorded work both solo and collaborative has brought him acclaim as a vital new voice in modern jazz and beyond.

Tam Tikri Objektai Erdvėje is Lithuanian and translates as Some Particular Objects in Space. The six tracks on the album stand for every letter of the word Saturn. They sketch out a sound palette both fragile and full of forward momentum. With hints of improv, sampling their own recorded work and sounds of a childhood’s Yamaha Portasound PSS-290 synth into abstractions of pop and r&b, some of these tracks reach an almost balearic feel, the more contemplative end of it. With lyrics delving into cosmic phenomena, Tam Tikri Objektai Erdvėje is an album about space, whether cosmic or inward or the one in between. It easily surpasses the sum of its influences and the materials and tactics used to produce it.

Glasgow's finest Austin Ato is first out of the blocks off this mysterious new series “I Love Your Edits” with a 4 track EP of Disco Edits & Reworks following on from his work on Classic Music Company, Percolate, Phonica White, Defected, Me Me Me, Futureboogie, Delusions Of Grandeur and our very own Pantai People.

Two tracks on the funkier edge, whilst two are full on face-melters, both will tear the floors up.

When Cicadas appear in the area they cause a huge uproar. It’s hard to escape the distinctive noise these critters make, reaching up to 120 decibels. The hypnotic, trance-inducing sound disappears with the insects. A few months after Cykada's explosive debut, the world was hit by turbulence and from Cykada there was silence - fortunately only seemingly, because the next cycle began underground, in the privacy of the studio. It was there that the cicadas matured, waiting for a metamorphosis.

The year 2019 was very successful for Cykada, with a brilliantly received debut album, concerts at numerous festivals in the UK and Europe such as Glastonbury, Wilderness, London Jazz Festival, BAM Festival, La Defense Jazz Festival or Love Supreme Festival, along with constantly composing and preparing material for the second album. As the musicians entered the studio, the coronavirus pandemic was already in full swing across the globe. It was clear then that the world would never be the same. With increasing restrictions Cykada went underground, waiting for changes to surface again. Unfortunately the expected change that was happening seemed only for the worse - Brexit and its socio-economic consequences, worldwide disinformation, accelerating climate catastrophe and Russian invasion of Ukraine. The collapse of the old world order is the perfect moment for metamorphosis and with this message Cykada steps out again into broad daylight, matured and carrying a message with their long-awaited second album “Metamorphosis”.

The meaning behind the title is multifaceted. It refers both to changes taking place in our society and changes to our world as nature defends itself from human stupidity and greed. It is also a reference to the personal and musical development of the band members in that difficult period. It all became a foundation to bravely attempt to make new beginnings.

The metamorphosis is also clear in the musical aspect of Cykada. Their debut album was already difficult to shoehorn into specific genres with their sound that balanced jazz, electronics and elements of global music styles. With the second album their eclectic style has evolved into something distinct and innovative, combining folk/jazz song form and improvisation with heavier sounds inspired by sound system culture and rock. The band grew into a septet thanks to multi-instrumentalist Rob Milne, expanding the horn section to 3 instruments and galvanising its sound. But the biggest change that happened compared to the first album is the singing of Cykada leader Jamie Benzies in singles “So Divided” and “The Crack in the Bricks”. Both songs carry an important message, showing us that the changes in the world are already happening and that only we can make it head in the right direction. This unique sonic mix along with the message unleashes a powerful energy that the musicians want to send to and infect every listener.

After their debut 12" on Feel My Bicep and their contribution "Halluzinelle" to the Dots And Pearls 7 compilation, DeFeKT and Extrawelt are joining forces again.

In the act of remembering the true spirit of no-nonsense, raw, and direct techno, they created these two masterfully executed, original, and timeless cuts.

Each time they get together they come up with something truly unique, blending their styles effortlessly and seamlessly. Their expertise, knowledge, and recognition of our music's history just radiates out of this release. Both tracks immediately captured our souls here at Cocoon headquarters and we couldn't be more excited to put them out right away on this beautiful, limited, hand-stamped 10" vinyl.

Jimmy Whoo and Muddy Monk have definitely never left each other's side. Since their first - and divine, like the title of the song - collaboration in the summer of 2019, the French producer and the Swiss singer have enjoyed meeting up in the studio to compose four-handed. Their budding friendship has quickly developed into a lasting artistic bond. There's an instant chemistry between them in their joint compositions. After once again inviting Muddy Monk on the track Aqua from his Motel Music trilogy, Jimmy Whoo has come up with a more developed collaboration for a fascinating EP, To the Moon, which will brighten up the autumn.

Gathered in the Ciel Rouge Studio in Paris, the two acolytes bring their instruments and machines, a priori to compose instrumentals, and we know their affinity for contemplative, floating and addictive music. When we work together, we produce sounds that have a common touch," explain Jimmy Whoo and Muddy Monk. We share the same taste for freedom, travel, dreams and the desire to ride in music". As always between them, their circumstantial meeting leads to a healthy emulation, an obvious magnetism. There's a clear cinematic quality to the heady melodies and harmonic patterns, reminiscent of some of the big names in dreamy electronica (Boards of Canada) or retro-futurist pop (Air).

Of the four tracks on the EP, To the Moon and So Close to You sound like potential singles on first listen. Muddy Monk must have written a few lyrics on these instrumental tracks, and you'll immediately recognise his free-spirited style ("Walking on the moon/Let me please come home", co-written with Jimmy Whoo on vocals) and pensive style ("Perdu en terre étrangère/J'éliminais quelques doutes"). Mixed by Stéphane 'Alf' Briat and illustrated by a graphic cover by 22note, this EP brings together two talents for a superb musical journey from the earth to the moon.

Repress!

'You got the stuff' is not 'Lovely day' - that much is true. This one's a wigged out, extended, trip into deep space from 1978 that is truly baffling.
Of course, it features Bill singing for the first half of the track but then all of a sudden we're launched into a cosmic wormhole as everything just falls back and the track is stripped of any earthly qualities. People find themselves asking 'this...... this is Bill Withers' as lazer guided synths and rock solid drums pull us into the sonic vortex. Truly amazing. Obviously a nugget like this has not gone unnoticed and has been edited and chopped and sampled deftly by the more sarcastic, left-field oriented crate diggers out there but it has never been reissued legitimately - Until now!

A hugely sought after and collectible gem right here, backed with the wistful slow jam 'Look To Each Other For Love' as per the original 1978 Columbia promo 12" version. This left-field, cosmic classic has been legally reissued by Above Board distribution in conjunction with the legal rights holders - Sony Music Entertainment. This high quality repress features original Columbia pink label Disco 12" artwork and has been remastered from Sony's original sources by Optimum Mastering, Bristol UK.

Building on their shared exploration of forward-leaning UK club sounds, EM + STAV herald the arrival of their new label JoyLift with the Endless EP. Having entrenched themselves within the free-spirited landscape of Bristol’s music community, the pair home in on a focused sound which draws on the city’s storied bass mutations as a springboard for their own take on modernist dance music.

There’s a tough, brooding quality to Endless EP which speaks to the meditative pressure of soundsystem immersion, but equally EM + STAV build out evocative, shifting narratives within that club-ready framework. From dubwise processing to deft sound design, a broad church of processes are wielded to shape out these pieces, and physicality comes in many forms whether in weightless sub lines or pointed, angular drum programming. Given their long-standing connection to developments within the underground music scene, there’s a keen instinct for the dynamic shifts which can set a dance alight, while the ill- defined shape of the wider genre-not-genre allows plenty of space for movement and experimentation.

Alongside the three original productions from EM + STAV, kindred spirit Forest Drive West steps up for a remix of ‘Odd' which aligns with the aesthetic intentions of JoyLift while demonstrating the idiosyncratic qualities associated with the scene’s most vital artists. The cohesive feel of Endless EP extends to Luke Griffin’s artwork, in which natural source material undergoes heavy processing to wind up in a striking new form, shot through with colour but ultimately shrouded in a moodiness that harks back through the lineage of hardcore-rooted UK dance music.

By its very nature the future is unwritten for JoyLift, but EM + STAV’s new project commits itself to an ever-evolving palette of sound, rendered as music with a strong sense of identity - tracks to shake the dance without resorting to obvious tropes, responding to and feeding into the inspiring tides of ideas emanating from the environment around them.

On his new single "Pacifico Waves", Joel Sarakula takes the scenic route down a pacific coastline, searching for peace, enlightenment and the perfect sunset.

Travelling and searching is nothing new to Sarakula: it's almost his default way of being. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia before swapping oceans to live in the UK and more recently onwards to Gran Canaria: "I've been busy making my islands smaller" he jokes. But the music on "Pacifico Waves" sounds like none of these places: with its easy drum shuffle, soulful guitar hooks and smooth vocal harmonies it distinctly evokes Southern California. It's such a potent portrait of the West Coast that if not for the contemporary lyrics and some modern production techniques, it could be a long lost hit from an early 80s LA studio band.

"Pacifico Waves" is ultimately about memory, fantasy and the powerful emotion of reminiscing when Sarakula sings 'The sound of the ocean gets me so high, helps me remember what I left behind'.

Milano-Bristol connection Bristol NormCore deliver their 8th release, following up heavy hitters from Katatonic Silentio and Kelan, with this tripped out, hi-tek and deftly future-facing, cyberpunk-styled LP of grime and afx type ambience and rhyhtmics, from the producer known as FFT.

Kimochi Sound welcomes back regular artist Shielding for another standout entry into the label's catalogue, this time on wax with a lovely hand-sprayed sleeve. It's a deep exploration of supple rhythm here with 'Ceiling Licker' mix up diffuse ambient arps and organic sounds from the great outdoors with a bubbling bassline. 'Hundred' is a trippy late night cut with a ghostly atmosphere and muted bells and chords drifting into earshot from way off in the distance. 'Kvadrat' is a late-night collaboration with Maeteriet from Sewer Sender Records that overlays a rubbery minimal rhythm with deft synth details and curious hooks to make for dark but ultimately charming listening.

Church Boy Lou was born from a dream in the summer of 2014. A captivating and enigmatic fi gure, created by the innovative, genre-bending, DIRT TECH RECK label head Waajeed. Recently crowned DJ Mag’s Underground Hero and just off the heals of his lead single with Defected’s Dames Brown, he continues to cultivate rhythms from the pews of the Baptist church.

This second offering from Church Boy Lou embodies the same spirit and uniqueness as his first release, Weep EP in 2015. "The Night Is Coming" brings you the first hand experience of a minister leading his church with the Word of God. These heartfelt lyrics warn of the dark times ahead of us. However, “Keep On Praying” brings a positive note and beckons us to the dance floor. “Push Em’ in the Face” skillfully integrates high energy Chicago Jack house and techno. Rolling snares and energetic beats fuse with powerful lyrics to face all challenges head on.

This well composed four track offering has an opener, closer and prime time options for all DJ’s across the board. With a sonic steeping of gospel samples and an authenticity that could only come from Detroit City.

Once again derlich has assembled UlTRA FUNCTIONAL, VERSATILE, RAW TECHNOID BOMBS avoiding any dedundant superstructures.
His ficus lies on style defining details.
By Stripping down everything to its essence he creates a claustrophobic densness.
The result is highly effective.

'Tema di Susie' is one of the main themes from the soundtrack composed by Alessandro Alessandroni for the 1976 Italian noir Sangue di sbirro, known in English as Blood and Bullets, as well as Knell, Bloody Avenger (the Susie in the original title refers to the female love interest of the film's hero, who is on a mission to seek revenge for the gangland murder of his policeman father).

At once sweet and sentimental, haunting and melancholic, 'Tema di Susie' stands out from the other tracks in the film, which are more action oriented. Like the rest of the score, however, it exemplifies the way in which, during the '70s, Italian film composers created their own version of the sound of American blaxploitation cinema, with its groovy blend of funk, jazz, and soul. It is no coincidence that the film's director, B-movie specialist Alfonso Brescia, specifically requested music in the style of Shaft, the iconic film that defined that sound in 1971.

Though seemingly simple, 'Tema di Susie' is a perfect example of Alessandroni's style – in particular his unique ability to effortlessly blend groove and melody, funk and feeling, into one musical piece. So, we invited different artists with different backgrounds, influences and approaches to bring their individual take on this elegant and now timeless tune.

Neapolitan duo Fratelli Malibu have taken Alessandroni's melodic theme and woven it into a mesmerizing tapestry of rhythmic beats, world percussion and ethereal atmospheres. Drawing inspiration from funk/Afrobeat, synth-pop and Italo-disco, they've conjured a psychedelic-tinged, afro-cosmic groove that's bound to transport you to another dimension.

As the music unfolds, you'll feel like you've stepped into a vibrant, fantasy world. The breaks, outro, and intro are woven with a psychedelic thread that leaves you yearning to return once the final note fades away. And that's not all – they've injected an irresistible pop sensibility into the track with the use of drum machines and synths. The result? A rework that not only amplifies the dreaminess of the original but also seamlessly marries the past with the future.

We love the track so much that we decided to double the fun with a vocal retouch version, courtesy of the Italian funk/soul collective Banda Maje. Their vocalists, Chiara Della Monica and Cristina Cafiero, elegantly infuse cinematic and Balearic vibes into the mix, paying a wonderful homage to Fratelli Malibu's exquisite arrangement.

For the third release of FanFar’on, we are travelling into another dimension, more on a Romanian & deep techno vibe from the works of Ciril & Cavale.
Both emerging for the electronic scene of Brusells and close to the Zodiak Crew, Ciril & Cavale brought their vibe with two tracks called « Dracula » & « Marchand de Sable » Definitely spiritual & atmospherics, the music is esthetic & mysterious, the Belgium producers are travelling to some ambient landscapes and experimental textures. To finish the ep ,we will have a completely destructured and almost jazzy remix from the famous Romanian producer : Dragutesku! As we say three is the « magic number » ,welcome to Ciril & Cavale for the third edition of FanFar’on,and let the FanFare begin!

Keith Farrugia aka The Maltese Magician aka Sound Synthesis has been changing the face of the electro/techno community for many years now with his deep audioscapes. Taking you on a musical journey that’s deeper than Atlantis!


With previous releases on Ralph Lawson’s 20/20 Vision, Nocta Numerica, Gated Recordings, Planet 17 and Exalt to name but a few, Keith is a producer in high demand and we are grateful that he graced AmenTec with two incredible tunes that take the listener on a journey of musical imagination.


On the flipside, Amen Brother supplies the remixers for this release. Firstly, we have Cridge & Powder, two Bristol old school dons and royalty of the hardcore and jungle scene. Cridge is a member of the Bristol band Up, Bustle & Out and label boss of Tribe Recordings. Powder is part of the old skool hardcore group Fruit & Veg, who have been repressing their music on Vinyl Fanatiks recently. The guys turn in a rolling hardcore joint.


Next up on the remix are the Moving Shadow legends that are Tone Def, straight outta Bournemouth Town. The guys ease of the BPM a little and add an addictive vocal hook to their mix, showcasing the broad spectrum of the hardcore rave community. Rog from Tone Def is also the owner and creator of the Void soundsystems!
An EP with many layers!



c b1. Electrical Synapses Cridge & Powder 'Fruit & Veg' Mix
Tone Def Remix

Modern highlife luminary Rex Omar has been a force within
the Ghanaian music scene for over 30 years. Now Soundway
presents five of his premier cuts remastered for a new self-titled
EP.

Over his career Rex Omar has evolved the genre, pushing
boundaries and dazzling listeners. A definitive piece of his
repertoire comes via his Dangerous album: while it was selfproduced and recorded in London circa 1997, upon CD
release it saw success mainly within his homeland of Ghana.

An irresistible blend of street-soul-come-highlife, with elements
of bouncing 90s RnB/hip-hop, it was developed with help
from Ibibio Sound Machine’s Kari Bannerman and prolific
Jamaican producer Bill Campbell. From this album rising
London producer and DJ Aroop Roy revisits the four-to-the-floor
excursion ‘Dada’, repurposing for today’s dancefloor with the
addition of fizzing synth chords and stabs.

While Omar regularly raps on his earlier works, on ‘Kele
Ngele’ (taken from his 2004 album Ajala) we hear a yearning
melodic vocal over a more laid back RnB beat. This rounds out
the new Rex Omar EP for the discerning listener to experience
the full breadth of his inventive output.

Mike Agent X Clark returns to Third Ear with four new tracks. His first release for the label in six years, after the River People Edits. The quality and variety which is typical of many Detroit releases is very evident here. Is it house? Is it techno? Is it disco? These genre-defining labels don't really come into the minds of many Detroit producers when making tracks, the music they create often seamlessly blends many genres. What is recognisably Detroit is the weight and the swing of these releases; they do not mess around, and Mike Clark is a master of this.

After a long hiatus Klaus Benedek comes back on his own mothership Fortunea Records with a brand-new production. ‚Tombstone’ heralds the autumn. You can feel the melancholy that brings the end of the warm and bright days with it. Although the subject matter is dark and eerie, the track wanders with its epic instrumentation through pensive optimism. The remarkable chopped hookline and the concise and soft bassline are casted in a flowing deep sounded carpet full of hope. An epic excursion that you definitely should give a try.

A considerable move into a different sound sphere goes Berlin-based artist and Tieffrequent-founder Siggatunez. He has had an outstanding array of vital productions this year and with his remix he lets you „feel the unknown“. In a very detailed way he made a serious dancefloor intended track, in the signature style of his current output, where beats and groove take the lead, but keeping the soul of the
original with the use of its pads, strings and bass.

Tombstone will come out on limited 200 copy vinyl and in its digital form onstreaming services and download stores on the 27th of october. There will be no repress!ö

Ten songs that ultimately changed the world. Ten songs pulled from precedent-establishing albums recorded between 1963 and 1966. More than five-million copies sold. In every way, Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits is a fundamental collection for every music lover, and the perfect choice for those seeking an introduction into the legend's vast career. For this is a collection so prized, even the cover photo won a Grammy.

Greatest-hits volumes are often hit-and-miss propositions not because of what they contain, but because of what's missing. Filtering the top selections from the six formative, life-altering albums Dylan made between 1963 and 1966 is an arbitrary process but one performed impeccably on this set. Home to his biggest chart successes as well as his most influential songs, Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits is a veritable template for any aspiring singer-songwriter, an American history lesson, and a seminal release for anyone new to his work – as well as for audiences that find some of his deeper cuts an acquired taste. Every signature facet of Dylan is represented, and done so authoritatively. Serious, protest folk anthems ("Blowin' in the Wind," "The Times Are A-Changin'") sit alongside defiant rock statements ("Positively Fourth Street"), landscape-changing epics ("Like a Rolling Stone"), beautiful blues-inspired odes ("I Want You"), and surrealist dreamscapes ("Subterranean Homesick Blues"). Infused with literary poetry, impassioned emotion, and career-making performances, this material doubles as a definitive account of American culture and society, and functions as a soundtrack to the era's social movements.

Gathered in one place, it's no wonder the songs here gave Dylan what remains the biggest-selling album of his career.

4/5 REVIEW IN SHINDIG! ''Incorporating afrobeat and a more spiritual sound in amongst its heavy beats and super-tight musicianship''

As pioneers in the burgeoning modern funk scene of the '90s The Poets of Rhythm created new standards, transcending the parameters lesser groups were defined by. With Discern / Define the Poets took their brand of classic funk to the next level by blending elements of rock, psychedelia, afro-beat, jazz and heavy, heavy drums to create a wholly original brand of transcendent, funky soul.

Anyone who has tried to cop an OG in the last twenty years knows how difficult of a task that has proven to be - not necessarily due to rarity, but more to the fact that people simply DO NOT get rid of this album. It's a testament to the fact that Discern / Define has no shelf life. It's a bonafide classic that any discerning funk and soul fan must have in their collection. Now sporting a deluxe gatefold jacket with reimagined artwork, it is an honor to get these back on the shelves of a record shop near you. Cop one today!

"They have the unique power of being able to depart from tradition in order to bring advancement music and unsuspecting listeners, yet still please the purists with home-cooked "Funk-of-Ages" values"
- Lyrics Born

Cocoon Recordings' next 12” vinyl comes from a well-known face. No introduction needed as nobody less than Gregor Tresher once again delivers a superb and surprising pair of tracks.

“Black Halo” is down-the-line and perhaps one of the catchiest tracks by Gregor Tresher.
The wobbling driving bassline builds up a rising tension that increases through the vast, detuned, and powerful string parts appearing to extend out to light years, reaching far beyond. Zaps drive the rhythm forward while rushing cymbals push the groove and weld everything together to absolute unity. For Gregor, techno and club culture have certain transcendental qualities, “Black Halo” is concerned with these sentiments and tells an ambivalent story. The onset of bliss oscillates between melancholy and hope, making it an exuberant roller coaster of emotions. A classic Gregor Tresher track, which perfectly represents Gregor’s signature sound!

“Phantom Dancer” literally pulls you onto the dance floor. Discharging beats, which hit you heavily but pleasant. The atmosphere violently evolves with a twisted noise-like signal sound and gets even more brute through the low-pitched filter vocals. An exceptionally deep techno production by Gregor Tresher, which will definitely come to full fruition in the clubs at peak time.

ZentaSkai unveils stunning, high-concept house album on Mask Records.


ZentaSkai undertook a period of research into the underlying structure and organisation of the human brain before writing ‘The Architecture Of The Mind’. The Berlin-based artist then took what had been learned and kept it in mind when writing the music that marks Mask's first album release. It comes with extensive background notes on each track, and an operational manual of sorts - notes from the artists as to the effects each piece will have on those who hear them.
"The message conveyed by this album is that life itself is filled with music, but our egos often prevent us from being in harmony with this symphony. Inner chaos and silence can be challenging to bear, leading us to seek solace in external noise. We have constructed a barrier between our inner and outer worlds, causing us to lose touch with the rhythm of harmony. However, by embracing the illusion of separation and dancing to good music, we can rediscover harmony with ourselves and our environment. To fully experience the essence of the album, it should be played loudly on a proper sound system or high-quality headphones. By immersing themselves in the music, individuals can engage with its transformative power and potentially find a deeper connection with their own minds and surroundings." - ZentaSkai.

The gorgeous 'Mind Mapping' opens up with deep and dubby drums and lush harmonies that soothe you to your core, '030' then has more raw, heavy drums with many layers of glowing synths, glassy melodies and organic found sounds. 'Fügung' keeps the deep and introspective moods coming before the crisp tech of 'Flow Dreaming' ups the ante with more drive and layers of vocal whispers, hi-hats and smeared dub chords.


Elsewhere the likes of 'Quiet Reflection' lean into the groove with swirling pads and one-word vocal sounds drifting through the air over propulsive drum loops, and 'Boiling Range' suspends you in deft synth loops amongst the stars over a prickly house beat.
The superb synth craft and well-designed grooves continue through the dusty deep house of 'Karl-Marx-Allee' and minimal dub of 'Dynamic System' before the elegant melodic techno of 'Apeiron' and dreamy synthscapes of 'Parallel 30' close the album in a reflective fashion.


This is a deeply evocative album with a fully realised concept that is as thought-provoking as it is immersive.

Ed Sheeran’s brand-new album Autumn Variations will be available for pre-order on the 24th August at 5pm before a worldwide release on the 29th September. It will be available to stream on all platforms as well as purchase physically as a CD or various limited Vinyl editions.

Ed Sheeran is an era-defining artist who has sold over 52 million albums and 150 million singles across the world. Through his fusion of thought-provoking songwriting, universal pop and multi-genre influence, his rich tapestry is not only perfectly suited to his audience but it’s something that transcends generations.

Since surfacing on the UK circuit in 2010 with his ‘No.5 Collaborations Project’ – an eight-track EP featuring his favourite grime artists of the time – the Suffolk-raised recording artist has resonated with fans across the world through his peerless songcraft and versatility. And now, with six consecutive UK No.1 albums to his name – ‘+’ (2011), ‘x’ (2014), ‘÷’ (2017), ‘No.6 Collaborations Project’ (2019), ‘=’ (2021) and ‘-‘ (2023) – Sheeran continues to reaffirm his status as one of the most in-demand pop stars on the planet.

Prior to the release of ‘=’ (October 2021) – an album that’s now surpassed five million global sales - Sheeran secured two UK No.1 singles in the UK with ‘Bad Habits’ and ‘Shivers’, which sat atop the UK’s Official Singles Chart for a combined total of 15 weeks. Moreover, the LP saw him take home 2 x EMA’s for ‘Best Artist’ and ‘Best Song’; an American Music Award for ‘Favourite Male Pop Artist’; British GQ’s ‘Solo Artist of the Year’; 4 x Los40 Awards; a BRIT Award for ‘Songwriter of the Year’ alongside a nomination for ‘Song of the Year’ at the 2022 GRAMMY’s.

Sheeran’s most recent album, Subtract, secured Ed his sixth No.1 album. Produced by Aaron Dessner, the album was anchored in his love of singer/songwriter compositions and written against a backdrop of personal grief and hope. Ed’s most critically-acclaimed album to date, it housed the heart wrenching UK No.1 single ‘Eyes Closed’ – a song about his late friend, Jamal Edwards.

But it’s not just his recorded music that’s seen the former Glastonbury headliner become one of the sought-after artists of the 21st century. Possessing a mystical ability to turn 90,000 capacity venues into the pub back-rooms that he first started playing in, Ed made history in 2015 after becoming the first-ever artist to play Wembley Stadium solo - without a band, just with his guitar and loop pedal - over three, consecutive sold out nights. Move forward to the summer of 2019 and Ed would re-enter history books after the completion of his mammoth two-year Divide tour, officially becoming the most-attended tour of all time after it culminated with special homecoming shows in Ipswich, Suffolk. Beginning last summer, Ed is currently travelling the world on his ‘+ - = ÷ x Tour’ (pronounced ‘The Mathematics Tour’), which saw him return to Wembley Stadium for a five-night run last June.

Ed Sheeran, who was awarded an MBE for his services to music and charity in 2017, is the proud recipient of 1 x IFPI Award (best-selling global artist of 2017); 4 x Grammys; 4 x Ivor Novello’s; 7 x BRIT Awards (including two consecutive wins for ‘Global Success’ in 2018 and 2019); 7 x Billboard Awards + more. Moreover, to this day, his blockbusting third studio album ‘÷’ remains the fastest-selling album, ever, by a male artist in the UK, while the LP’s lead single, ‘Shape of You’, maintains its status as the most-streamed song in Spotify’s history.

At the end of 2019, Sheeran was presented with the Official Chart Company’s first-ever ‘No.1 Artist of the Decade’ award following a host of accomplishments in his native UK including the most No.1’s across the UK’s Official Singles and Albums chart from the years 2010-2019. Most recently, Ed scored two more feats with the OCC after becoming the first British Solo Artist to claim 52 weeks – an entire year – at No.1 on the Official UK Singles Chart, with only Elvis Presley and The Beatles achieving more overall weeks at the top, as well as becoming the first-ever artist with four albums spending an entire year or more in the UK Top 10.

Amine Edge & DANCE bring their soulful sound to Hot Creations with their uplifting new release ‘It Was’ featuring Pershard Owens backed by a remix from Shermanology. Maintaining a constant presence at the top of the charts, with an impressive catalogue boasting releases on esteemed labels such as Defected, Nervous Records and their very own CUFF imprint, French duo Amine Edge & DANCE have solidified themselves as frontrunners when it comes to the modern house landscape. Up next, their partnership takes them to Jamie Jones and Lee Foss' Hot Creations imprint for the first time with their latest single 'It Was' featuring Pershard Owens, with brother-sister duo Shermanology on hand on remix duties to bring the heat.

‘It Was’ opens with rich piano chords, led by luscious melodies, Pershard’s tender vocals and bright keys crafting a delightful serving of summer house grooves before Shermanology flips the track shifting the focus onto pulsing drum hits and playful rhythms full of energy, perfectly crafted for open-air dance floors.

The legendary Zed Bias is stepping out with a new label I Feel Good Records and intends for it to spread good vibes only through a diverse roster of talent and sounds that span house, bass and beyond. He has more than a quarter of a century of experience in the game and of eyeing new talents and helping them to shine and has always had a collaborative approach to music that will continue to define this label's MO. Zed is minting the label with a new single alongside award-winning d&b MC Inja.

'You Should Dance' pairs his warming tones with infectious garage drums and smeared, soothing chords that radiant heat. It will, indeed, make you feel good. D&b mainstay Bladerunner serves up a remix that has been doing the rounds for a while now and never fails to make an impact.

Afroterraneo Music founder Kiko Navarro joins forces with old friends and fellow Balearic heroes DJ Pippi and Willie Graff for the 'Tempistica Mistica EP', comprising two percussive, Afro-Latin flavoured prime cuts of dancefloor-ready House music.

Kiko Navarro met DJ Pippi and Willie Graff in the early 2000's, when he was resident at Pacha Mallorca. Making a pilgrimage to Pacha's Ibizan mothership to make sure two venues were musically aligned, he quickly became friends with Pippi, who was resident at the club, and Graff, who was hosting the Funky Room upstairs. Unbelievably, the three had never collaborated together before until December 2022, when Graff and Pippi finally visited Kiko's Mallorca studio and 'Tempistica Mistica' was born.

Heavily inspired by Cuban conga rhythms, opening track 'N'Fumbei' deftly blends live percussion, horns and vocals with pristine rhythmic synths and warm electronic touches to summon up a cosmic carnival taking place somewhere between the past and the future...

The floaty, piano-led 'Esanah' raises the tempo into timeless Latin House territory, paying homage to the fusion sounds pioneered by the likes of Julien Jabre & Dj Gregory in the late 90s, while updating the sonics and arrangements to sound completely fresh.

Finally, 'N'Fumbeats' strips 'N'Fumbei' down to bare bones and lets the percussion ride out, making an essential DJ weapon for those serious dancers.