Cerca:after touch

Lovingly compiled, this album features only the finest Lovers from Jamaica’s finest label. From Blues parties in London, Birmingham, Bristol etc Lovers Rock quickly became one of the UK’s finest-ever musical movements.

Sweet harmonies, soulful reggae, love songs – the key ingredients of Lovers Rock - were all based on the revival of many of the classic Rocksteady harmony groups of the late 60's and early 70's, such as The Heptones, Carlton and The Shoes, Larry & Alvin, The Paragons, that Clement "Sir Coxsone" Dodd’s Studio One and rival Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle label produced hit after hit with as they fought for dominance in the dancehalls of Kingston.

As well as these classic harmony groups, this album also features fine contributions from many of the reggae greats – Horace Andy, Alton Ellis, Bob Marley and The Wailers, Delroy Wilson – All artists who became stars at the legendary Studio One Records which Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records, describes as "The University of Reggae".

Two years after the release of his first self-titled album, DJ producer Massimo Napoli aka Galathea presents the new 'Sacred Love', in which he once again avails himself of the collaboration of his friend producer and bass player Salvo Dub, as well as a combo of respected musicians: singer Kadi Koulibaly - originally from Burkina Faso - already featured on the first album, Giulia La Rosa, author of the lyrics and performer of the title track, pianist Mario Pappalardo, percussionist Sergio Spitaleri and drummer Luciano Cantone.
'Sacred Love' is definitely a more mature, intense and profound journey than the previous album of the same name, which enhances the magical dreamlike and spiritual atmospheres of a certain African culture.
The album guides the listener along a path of multi-ethnic contaminations: "Divinité", "Ouaga" and "Koloko", well interpreted by Kadi, touch on the sacredness and mysticism of the African continent and blend well with the Spiritual Jazz sounds that have evolved in the West.
"Divinité", through the spoken word of French poet Diego Hernandez, tackles the themes of faith, life and the relationship with one's 'self', with references to French chanson productions, in which Kadi's spiritual song, at times 'Saharan', intersects and expands into cosmic space.
The title track, the first single from the album, also released on 7" (45rpm) in two versions, is an Afro-American gospel with a typically afrobeat rhythm, vaguely reminiscent of Nina Simone's 'See-Line Woman'.
North Africa is represented by "Equator", while we climb further north into the middle of the Mediterranean Sea with "Medican Blues", to land in Stromboli with the Deep Jazz of "Ginostra", whose title recalls the village of the marvellous island in the Aeolian archipelago.
Then we have the Cuban track "Caminito", a sort of Cha-Cha with a romantic piano melody (à la Chucho Valdez) well performed by maestro Mario Pappalardo; and then again "Eos", strongly Balearic with a Brazilian mood; "Impression", a dreamy journey of impact; "Sirens", already present on the first album and here reworked in a new Spiritual-Ambient version produced by Agosta.
"Sacred Love" is thus an original and musically borderless album, which expands a certain African sacred culture and naturally blends Afrobeat, Jazz and Blues atmospheres with the Balearic sounds of Mediterranean culture.
Enjoy listening!

Julian Cannonball Adderley's only Blue Note album, Somethin' Else, would likely forever be famous in music lore if just for the presence of Miles Davis. The iconic composer/trumpeter steps into the role of sideman on the 1958 set, one of just a handful of times he'd make such a move after the calendar passed the mid-1950s. Yet evaluating Somethin' Else strictly on Davis' involvement misses the big picture. Plain and simple, Adderley's jubilant work remains a jazz landmark due to the chemistry of its Hall of Fame personnel, enthusiasm of its participants, and sophistication of its arrangements – not to mention the reference-grade production and inclusion of the definitive renditions of two all-time jazz standards.

Limited to 6,000 numbered copies, pressed on dead-quiet MoFi SuperVinyl at RTI, and mastered from the original master tapes, Mobile Fidelity's ultra-hi-fi UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP collector's edition pays tribute to the record's merit and includes the bonus track "Allison's Uncle." Offering reference-calibre sonics, this spectacular collector's version provides a clear, transparent, ultra-dynamic, and up-close view of a cornerstone effort that witnesses Adderley and Davis sharing horn duty alone for the only time in their fabled careers – an arrangement that occurred as a result of Adderley having joined Davis' majestic sextet a year prior. The premium packaging and beautiful presentation of the UD1S Somethin' Else pressing befit its extremely select status. Housed in a deluxe slipcase, it features special foil-stamped jackets and faithful-to-the-original graphics that illuminate the splendour of the recording. No expense has been spared. Aurally and visually, this UD1S reissue exists as a curatorial artefact meant to be preserved, touched, and examined. It is made for discerning listeners that prize sound quality and production, and who desire to fully immerse themselves in the art – and everything involved with the album, from the iconic photos to the gorgeous finishes.

Hailing from Hawthorne, California, Thee Heart Tones are the newest band to join the Big Crown roster. Just out of high school their music has both the innocence and charm of young love and the intensity of young heartbreak. Their forthcoming debut album was recorded at Diamond West Studio in five days with producers Leon Michels and Tommy Brenneck. This first set of songs on this unstoppable two-sider give a glimpse of what is to come while their album is getting the finishing touches.

The A side “Forever & Ever” is an instant classic that lifts your mood and gets you moving. Lead singer Jazmine Alvarado’s unmistakeable and incredible voice dances over the band’s backing track while she professes her desire for a sincere and lasting love. The groove will get everyone on the floor swaying and the chorus sticks in your head long after the needle bumps up against the label.

The B side is their rendition of the classic “Sabor A Mi” which brought the house down live at the LA Big Crown Showcase when they performed it for the first time. Not an easy tune to take on, Jazmine does it justice and Thee Heart Tones put their version right up there with the best of them.

ITALIAN LIBRARY GEM RE-IMAGINED BY BEATMAKER KORALLE AND RAPPER ILLA J

Four Flies is proud to present a new installment in the RELOVED series, 'New Levels / Chartreuse', with an original track from late-70s Italian ensemble Modern Sound Quartet and a rework from producer and beatmaker Koralle featuring iconic rapper Illa J.

In keeping with the aim of the series, which is to put a modern and urban spin on tunes from Italian golden age soundtracks and library music, Koralle has used the unique jazz-funk sound of the original sample to create a smooth and stylish hip-hop beat to which Illa J adds irresistible swag and coolness. More than a remix, 'New Levels' is a new composition that takes 'Chartreuse' into the world of contemporary hip-hop and rap.

Lorenzo Nada, aka Koralle, is a musician, beatmaker and producer from Bologna, Italy. Nada is best known for his project Godblesscomputers, which kicked off a couple of years ago while he was living in Berlin. After releasing four albums/EPs and touring Europe with a four-piece band, Nada is heading into a new direction as Koralle. Firmly rooted in hip-hop, Koralle is taking his jazz crates and field recordings to the studio. Equipped with an array of synths, Rhodes and bass, he creates deeply textured tracks that touch mind, body and soul. "Each beat is like an object found at the bottom of the sea," says Koralle to describe his music. And adds: "The samples emerge from the depths of my record collection and find a new meaning, transformed, like corals from the bottom of the ocean."

Rapping on Koralle's beat is Detroit artist Illa J. Raised in a musical family (his father played piano, his mother sang, and his older brother is the late hip-hop producer J Dilla), he grew up surrounded by jazz, gospel and soul, before building a name for himself as a rapper with a distinctive flow and timbre, but also as a singer and songwriter. Illa J has said of his approach to lyric writing that "the melody comes first, then I bring the words in, even when I'm rapping, you know rhythmically. I'm a singer, so melody comes first, but in terms of the subject matter, the music tells you."

The Modern Sound Quartet was an ensemble led by Milanese pianist and composer Oscar Rocchi. It included Rocchi on keys, Andrea Surdi on drums, Ernesto Verardi on guitars, and Luigi Cappellotto on bass. 'Chartreuse' (written by Cappellotto) comes from their 1976 library LP Cocktail Bar – a collection of jazz-funk/jazz-rock/fusion tunes, each named after a famous spirit. While little known to the general public, Cocktail Bar is highly sought after by diggers, DJs and beatmakers.

'New Levels / Chartreuse' is the fifth release in the RELOVED series, following Jolly Mare's retouch of Piero Umiliani's 'Discomania' (12"), Free The Robots' rework Gianni Safred's 'Autumn 2001' (7"), Dengue Dengue Dengue's remix of Giuliano Sorgini's 'Oasi Nella Giungla' (7"), and Fratelli Malibu's reversioning of Alessandro Alessandroni's 'Tema di Susie' (12"). The 7" releases are co-curated by fellow independent label Little Beat More.

D Double E is one UK rap's most respected, celebrated and genre defining artists, shelling down radio sets, raves and having countless solo hits. Starting off in Jungle and UK garage, he began life in grime as a member of the N.A.S.T.Y. Crew alongside Ghetts, Kano and Jammer before founding the Newham Generals with Footsie. From solo releases and much loved classics including ‘Street Fighter Riddim’ and ‘Woo Riddim’, in 2018 he released his debut solo album Jackuum to critical acclaim. Subsequent releases included the invigorated and daring D.O.N and most recent Bluku! Bluku! 2 have led the legendary artist to receive consistent praise and support from the likes of The Fader, i-D, Crack, The Guardian, VICE, Complex, Highsnobiety, COLORS, DJ Target and more. Boasting artistic collaborations with everyone from Kenny Allstar, Unknown T, Skepta, Ghetts, Novelist, Shy FX, Backroad Gee and more, D Double E has also made an impact in his career resounding far outside of UK rap with big brands. He wrote the original track for the viral and now iconic IKEA Christmas Advert, put his lyrical magic touch on an advert for Pepsi and more. Most recently he has been interviewed as part of the BBC documentary “8 Bar: The Evolution of Grime” and has been tapped for collaborations with Clarks, Palace Skateboards and others.

Bob Balch from FU MANCHU here. The idea for the SLOWER project started around four years ago. I was teaching a student how to play "South Of Heaven" by SLAYER but she was a beginner so we slowed it down. I thought that sounded cool so I tuned down to B standard and tried it. I added some drums and thought "someone in the doom community should do this and name it SLOWER." A few years later I befriended Steven "Thee Slayer Hippy" Hanford, best known for his work as the drummer in the influential Oregon punk band Poison Idea. He was backstage at a FU MANCHU show. Oddly enough I was wearing a POISON IDEA shirt and he told me that my shirt sucks. I asked who he was and why he was in our backstage. He told me and I felt stupid. We started drinking whiskey and talking about music. We stayed in touch over the next year or so and during Covid I told him about my SLOWER idea. He asked me to send him tracks. I waited too long because the day I sent the tracks he passed away. Totally tragic. I'm glad I got to know him even for a few years. He was a monster musician with a giant heart. He will be greatly missed. I shelved the project for a while after that. One day Esben from MONOLORD posted about musical collaborations. I love MONOLORD so I thought what the hell. I sent him some tracks and he killed it on drums. So I sent more. Then more. Shortly after that we started reaching out other musicians to get them involved. That's how we ended up with this lineup. Everyone that contributed completely knocked it out of the park and I can't thank them enough. This project has been a long time coming and I'm beyond stoked on how it turned out. Without all of the players involved, Steven Hanford and my baritone Reverend guitar it wouldn't have happened. Thanks to everyone involved and I hope you dig it! I'm a giant SLAYER fan so it's been a treat to dig into these classic songs. Hopefully we can do another record in the near future. Look out for shows because they will happen! Esben Willems - When Bob first approached me with the idea and I heard his scratch guitars, my first thought was "This is genius". Those iconic tracks we all know by heart suddenly unveiled an unexpected dimension. I'm really proud of how this turned out. Peder Bergstrand - "This might be blasphemous considering the circumstances, but when Bob reached out and asked if I'd want to play bass on sludged-out Slayer covers, I had to admit some of these tracks were brand new to me. That made the experience even more special though, hearing and playing on the Slower version first, and then comparing to the original. Bob has really transformed these songs into something totally their own, and on a personal level I feel the rest of the band's insane performances pushed me to my most inspired playing to date. So incredibly stoked for people to hear this album."

Neon Green Vinyl, limited to 500 copies. Bob Balch from FU MANCHU here. The idea for the SLOWER project started around four years ago. I was teaching a student how to play "South Of Heaven" by SLAYER but she was a beginner so we slowed it down. I thought that sounded cool so I tuned down to B standard and tried it. I added some drums and thought "someone in the doom community should do this and name it SLOWER." A few years later I befriended Steven "Thee Slayer Hippy" Hanford, best known for his work as the drummer in the influential Oregon punk band Poison Idea. He was backstage at a FU MANCHU show. Oddly enough I was wearing a POISON IDEA shirt and he told me that my shirt sucks. I asked who he was and why he was in our backstage. He told me and I felt stupid. We started drinking whiskey and talking about music. We stayed in touch over the next year or so and during Covid I told him about my SLOWER idea. He asked me to send him tracks. I waited too long because the day I sent the tracks he passed away. Totally tragic. I'm glad I got to know him even for a few years. He was a monster musician with a giant heart. He will be greatly missed. I shelved the project for a while after that. One day Esben from MONOLORD posted about musical collaborations. I love MONOLORD so I thought what the hell. I sent him some tracks and he killed it on drums. So I sent more. Then more. Shortly after that we started reaching out other musicians to get them involved. That's how we ended up with this lineup. Everyone that contributed completely knocked it out of the park and I can't thank them enough. This project has been a long time coming and I'm beyond stoked on how it turned out. Without all of the players involved, Steven Hanford and my baritone Reverend guitar it wouldn't have happened. Thanks to everyone involved and I hope you dig it! I'm a giant SLAYER fan so it's been a treat to dig into these classic songs. Hopefully we can do another record in the near future. Look out for shows because they will happen! Esben Willems - When Bob first approached me with the idea and I heard his scratch guitars, my first thought was "This is genius". Those iconic tracks we all know by heart suddenly unveiled an unexpected dimension. I'm really proud of how this turned out. Peder Bergstrand - "This might be blasphemous considering the circumstances, but when Bob reached out and asked if I'd want to play bass on sludged-out Slayer covers, I had to admit some of these tracks were brand new to me. That made the experience even more special though, hearing and playing on the Slower version first, and then comparing to the original. Bob has really transformed these songs into something totally their own, and on a personal level I feel the rest of the band's insane performances pushed me to my most inspired playing to date. So incredibly stoked for people to hear this album."

KingUnderground Records present the instrumentals version of Lewis Parker’s sought after hip-hop record ‘Frequency Of Perception’ - a record that continued to cement Parker as a stalwart of the 90s hip-hop sound, think Tribe, Slum Village, The Pharcyde et al.

The prolific UK born hip hop legend, proves to be as tapped into the feel of a pocket as he was when he came on the scene in the 90s. “All I Got”, the album's first track, has a groove to the bassline that you won’t forget. The spacey keys show themselves early in the record and are a constant that give the record a dreamy feel, adding a mystical and psychedelic energy. Whereas “All My Life” is a well executed balance between that energy found in the flute held up by a taught backbeat, allowing it to maintain a free spirit.

The attention to detail and the intent in the sequencing and production on “Frequency of Perception” is best noticed when listening front to back.
The whole album touches on dynamics in line with the iconic sound that Parker built his reputation on for decades. All while finding new ways to tell stories by further exploring instrumentation. Lewis remains consistent in his craft, continuing to cook up beats and productions with classic techniques and fresh ingredients. There is no sense of reaching, the productions exude an attitude that reaps a true passion for his craft.

Liverpool’s acclaimed sensual existentialist Brad stank today announces the release of his resolutely romantic new album In The Midst of You on January 26th via his new label Sunday Best Recordings. He launches the album alongside the quintessentially Brad ‘Natty Wine’ and its accompanying video. The new single ‘Natty Wine’ neatly encapsulates the many charms that emerge throughout the album. With Brad backed by soulful female vocal harmonies, the song’s jazzy psychedelia possesses a touch of twanging Americana, its warm and vibrant live instrumentation making for a song as relaxed as a Sunday afternoon in the sun. It’s also notable for featuring Brad’s favourite percussive instrument deep in the mix: a wooden frog. He adds, “This is a tongue-in-cheek song I wrote after being gifted a bottle of natural wine by a friend. I’m a working class boy who would much rather drink shitty lager at a party, like Stella or Holsten Pils. I’ve got no right to be writing a song about natty wine but I was feeling bougie. It’s a love song in disguise, I liked the imagery of lyrics like, ‘Your sweet loving just keeps dripping from the vine.’” In The Midst of You finds Brad in late night lothario mode, his previous seductive style now taking a more resolutely romantic and perhaps surprisingly spiritual direction. The phrase “in the midst of you” comes from the Bible, Zephaniah 3:17, “the full quote is something along the lines of “God is in the midst of you” - basically meaning that you have to look inward for peace or enlightenment, etc. the album is about that in parts and also, as always, I tried to put a romantic twist on it so that the “in the midst of you” is about being in love with somebody. It’s kind of a juxtaposition but I’ve always enjoyed taking spiritual messages and giving them a double meaning, explains Brad. “Hopefully it’s a positive message of prostrating yourself to somebody, or to spirituality or something - but giving yourself fully to something , being in the midst…”

Two sublime unreleased scores from Basil Kirchin. Need we say more.
So here we are. The next Trunk / Kirchin assignment. Basically some more unreleased music from the unpredictable and slightly chaotic Kirchin Tape Archive.
Very Limited Black Vinyl.

These tapes were labelled up as follows:
Assignment K (with lots of pencil scribbles everywhere). The Strange Affair (with lots of pen scribbles everywhere).
As usual with Basil tapes / things there is little else to go on, no tracklist, no list of musicians, no singer names, no dates or anything. I have actually tried to establish the name of the singer on the song from Side One (we have called it “Love Is To Walk Away “ as it is unnamed) but having played it to a handful of knowledgeable collectors and enthusiasts who I would count as experts in this field, no one has a clue who it might be. If you think you know please get in touch. We know who it isn’t.

We can tell you that Assignment K dates from 1968, was a film about a toy maker who has a double life as an international spy. It was directed by Val Guest, who’d just finished trying to rescue the cinematic hotchpotch that was Casino Royale - he had been brought in by the Bond producers after Peter Sellers had walked off the movie. We imagine Assignment K may have been a slightly less stressful few months of shooting. As for the Kirchin score that we have here, we can tell you very little indeed, apart from the fact that the bass player was Ron Prentice (an ex blacksmith turned musician and craftsman) who worked on several Bond scores, but we know little else. And we only know this because it says so in the academic tome “Jazz On The Screen” by David Meeker.

The Strange Affair is also from 1968, and was not only controversial but also a reasonably unsuccessful movie. Directed by David Greene who also directed, amongst other films, I Start Counting and the quite brilliant Sebastian. In this rather grubby flick a policeman called Peter Strange (played by Michael York) falls for an underage girl (played by Susan George), finds himself compromised by a pair of pornographers and gets lured into an errand for a smack gang. We can tell you little else because I have no more information about it all.
But we do know that this music has all the classic Kirchin mid-period sonic hallmarks that have always set him apart.

"Known for their unique blend of punk rock, post-punk, folk, alternative rock and all kinds of musical sub-cultures, New Model Army refuses to belong to any club or style. Formed in Bradford in 1980, the band's lineup has changed over the years, with Justin Sullivan being the constant and central figure. They have released numerous albums and continue to tour and record music, maintaining a dedicated fanbase. Their music often addresses themes related to social and political issues, personal struggles, and the human condition, making them a significant presence in the alternative rock and post-punk music scenes. The 2019 studio album “From Here” ranked # 13 in the UK Album charts, and the 2023 live album “Sinfonia” hit #1 in the UK Music Video-Charts, making it the highest charting album in the band’s history.
Described as ""Dark Motown"" by Justin himself, “Unbroken” features a diverse collection of tracks that touch on topics ranging from social and political commentary to deeply personal reflections. The album is a powerful and emotionally intense body of work ranging from rebellious tracks as “I Did Nothing Wrong”, to contemplative songs like “First Summer After”. With this album, the band continues to push the boundaries of their signature sound while staying true to the themes that have made them a force to be reckoned with in the music world. “Unbroken” is the first studio album since 2019’s long-player “From Here” and the 16th studio album of the band. It will is available in as a CD Hardcover Mediabook, Heavyweight Black LP Gatefold"

Gary Martin is well known for his unique productions and his label Teknotika is surely a classic coming out of the famous motor city. This special 10" holds two sought after tracks that were found on a lost DAT tape by Yossi Amoyal and Gary Martin himself. On the A side we have a long time secret weapon, it's a hypnotic groove that was heard on many classic sets, Zip and Ben Klock to name a few. An extremely insane, hard to find Gigi Galaxy track that was changing hands for silly prices is on the B side, for those who know... massive release!

La Rama is back on wax with two original compositions from local producer/DJ Rig Thrall. We first linked up with the Rakya crew member at the shop and soon after released his music on a limited run 10” named ‘Exit 19’ via our La Rama Dubs sub label. We kept in touch, and when an assortment of unreleased material caught our ears, we quickly jumped on the opportunity to get working on this 4th record on our label.

‘Broken Guru’ drones and grooves you through the cavernous depths, out in to the open, where the clouds part and a voice reaffirms that you are on the right path. From here we dive back into the depths, with the full confidence that this is the right path.

Thanks to two Roman legends, we have variations on the theme of ‘Broken Guru’. Marco Passarani delivers the masterful hyper dance floor club dub with his many years of experience clearly on display… play it out and you will see that this is some kind of sorcery. In speaking of magic, we are honoured to have the one and only Lory D serve us up a bass heavy re-interpretation, recorded in one pass through his live rig and edited to perfection.

‘Acidly Dose’ is the second original from Rig Thrall, an acid infused beat of the highest order with all the necessary elements to give the room a communal high.

Out on the 6th of January 2024, mastered by Nik Kozub, manufactured and distributed by La Rama Records. Much love to all the distros, shops, DJs, radio players, jam organizers, rave goers… may these tunes add to the life of your party :-)

London-based producer Otik releases his first album 'Cosmosis' on Martyn's label 3024. The 11-track LP signifies the fourth album on the imprint across its ten-year tenure, showcasing a more introspective side to Otik's musical output.

The album leans into delicate melodies, hazy atmospheres and lush analogue sounds, often evoking blissed-out feels and ripples of brilliant colour. Produced three years ago during lockdown, 'Cosmosis' comes after a period of spiritual struggles, where Otik questioned his faith, religious beliefs, and the concepts of right and wrong. While the pandemic allowed ample time for reflection, Otik translated these thoughts into music from his Peckham-based studio, later finding a home on 3024's evolving discography.

Following Otik's EP 'Soulo' in 2021, 'Cosmosis' marks the second release from the Bristol-born DJ and producer on 3024. This time, his sound stems from a broader palette, touching on slower, aerated ambient notes through to rugged D'n'B, displaying the far-reaching breadth, vision and maturity of Otik's aesthetic.

Keen to release a body of work that explores the journey of enlightenment and the struggles to get there, Otik drew inspiration from the luminary filmmaker Terrence Malick and how Malick portrayed ideas and philosophies in films like The Tree of Life and Voyage of Time. As a result, the record conveys a compelling narrative of rebirth, told through exquisite sound design and a push-pull pace that oscillates across the album.

The lead single 'Cosmosis' binds astral breakbeats with a star-lined melody stitched against a spacious backdrop. Sparse, celestial vocals punctuate the soundscape and add a spiritual feel, culminating in a dazzling trip at just over five minutes.

After a two year wait, we proudly present Deepseries 1.3, the latest installment in our Deep compilation series featuring friends and family of the label. This atmospheric EP showcases the distinct sounds of Deeptrax, bringing together a curated selection of tracks that define the label's sonic universe.

Caim kicks off the journey with an unreleased gem, a calm and atmospheric track with a punchy kick. It sets the stage for an immersive experience, inviting listeners into its ethereal embrace.

Returning to Deeptrax, Mathijs Smit delivers a bass-heavy, emotionally charged track. A sonic return to familiar grounds, his contribution reflects the label's commitment to captivating, bass-driven soundscapes.

Joey Anderson makes a poignant return with a deep, emotionally layered track where instruments guide, inform, and inspire. His unique ability to infuse depth and emotion shines through in this standout contribution.

Rich P & Lee join forces for another V.A. installment, presenting a melodic house journey filled with dub chords. A perfect blend of melody and rhythm, their track is a testament to their signature sound.

Closing the EP is Pim Holthof's debut on Deeptrax with an atmospheric minimal house track. His contribution adds a distinctive touch to Deepseries 1.3, showcasing the label's dedication to sonic exploration.

Deepseries 1.3 is a culmination of artistry, emotion, and sonic innovation. Join us in this exploration of electronic music, where each track is a unique thread in the rich tapestry of Deeptrax Records. Welcome to Deepseries 1.3 - where the journey never ends.

Muireann Bradley is a young blues, ragtime, roots and folk guitarist and singer based in Ballybofey in County Donegal Ireland. “This is my first album. Most of these tunes were originally recorded by the great blues men and women who were making records from the 1920s and 1930s right up in some cases to the early 1970s. I have also found inspiration for the renditions recorded here in the playing of some of the musicians who began recording this music in the 1960s and later, and who in some cases learned at the feet of the greats. Many of these guitarists played pivotal roles in the 1960s blues revival and subsequent “rediscovery” of many of the greats of country blues. I grew up steeped in these old blues in the hills overlooking the valley of the River Finn just outside the town of Ballybofey in County Donegal. My father would play this music constantly at home and wherever we went in the car and talk about it endlessly whether anyone was listening or not, telling stories about the lives of these musicians as if they were legend, mythology or the evening news. My father could of course play all this stuff on guitar, I remember watching him when I was very young and thinking “I want to be able to do that”. When I was nine he agreed to teach me and bought me my first little travel guitar. I worked hard to learn how to play but as time wore on I seemed to have less and less time to practice as I became more and more invested in the combat sports I was regularly training and competing in. Then in March 2020 the first Covid lockdowns happened and all contact sports were shut down. I was lost for a while but soon found my way back to the guitar. I was now listening, playing and practicing with a new intensity and focus. In a very serious moment, I wrote out a list of tunes I was going to learn. The first tune on that list was Blind Blake’s “Police Dog Blues”. I’m not sure now how long it took to get that arrangement together but when it was ready we videoed me performing it and posted it on YouTube. It ended up getting a lot of attention, I remember my parents being quite shocked and soon after that Josh Rosenthal got in touch… and here we are! Each individual track on this album was recorded live in the studio and represents one entire take with me singing and backing myself up on guitar simultaneously. Most are either first or second takes. Nothing has been added or taken away, no overdubs or modern recording tricks of any kind have been used at all so at least in some respects this album has been recorded in the same way as those classics of the 1920s and 1930s

Music On Hold's second album raises to its climax an altogether well-cultivated ambiguity between new ambitions and the waiting posture of a band which has never lived up to its name so well. Produced in a cellar in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, supported by Ray Jane and "surrounded by a group of people who manage to concentrate on something for more than 15 minutes", "MOH4Ever" is one of the most personal things that Emile Cartron-Eldin delivers today, "from the salt-dough workshops in kindergarten". Opening, "His Master Voice" transforms the tribute to a recently deceased loved one into a sad clown's dancing homily. With no surprise follows "Wander" and roaming in a Paris traveled up and down at least ten thousand times already. "Music On Hold 4 Ever" then releases the title of this album in a cry accompanied by an invitation to "unplug" his singer. We hear a bit of the group's very first single, "Bread", taken through the prism of Beck's "Up all night". "Citadel", 6'30" end of side A, loudly proclaims as a chain-breaking the nostalgia of truant school and a desire not to die (at least not like Darby Crash). Mixed in - like this entire album - are the versatile ingenuity of LCD Soundsystem and Gorillaz with Italo-disco arrangements from Roberto Zanetti (aka Savage). With "Over", "Home", "Taming a Tiger" and "Last Laugh", side B prolongs the tightrope walker's delirium by summoning in no specific order, memories in Vienna, resumption of excessive consumption, the fact that "the director of the US Federal Reserve is a real fake-ass" and the cynical humo(u)rous swings of a guy overwhelmed by them in an everlasting after-party. From the first LP, "30 Minutes Of..." and its already delayed release, its chopped tour, "Music On Hold 4 Ever" digs a refined pop, no longer as "solar" as some could have described it when everything seemed to be going quickly. Retaining a semblance of immediacy, the 8 pieces of this second album open up new perspectives with their elegant sophistication, in a quite French and truly original touch of DIY and experimentation that the group can pride themselves on. " I'm twenty-nine, and i don't wanna die ".

KID FRANCESCOLI, leader of the French Riviera Touch is back with the stellar album SUNSET BLUE out Sept 22nd 2023.

After a first sold-out world tour (over 200 concerts in Europe, USA, Asia...), and successful hits such as Nopalitos, Blow Up or Moon (now certified diamond, with more than 200 millions streams), the Marseille-based producer, crooner and multi-instrumentalist, Mathieu Hocine, is eager to share his most accomplished LP ever. This fine collection of soulful songs honor his Mediterranean roots, with elegant and pop melodies. His most recent success and the creation of his first original soundtrack with AZURO, installed him as one of the best French songwriters of his generation, with a unique signature sound.

"I live in Marseille, I spent my childhood in Corsica, I have Algerian origins, my first vacations with friends were in Barcelona, vacations with my first girlfriend in Roma,... Then, I had the chance to perform in Morocco, Greece, Turkey and Egypt: each time I spent time in the Mediterranean region, the people I met there made me feel like I was part of the same country. This shared multiculturalism is really comforting, it has its own poetry and strength, bringing uniqueness and empathy to the people. It is essential for me. I love my city: it’s the perfect place to feel good with sun, sea, family, friendships, love... It gets me emotional, bringing tears with a smile".

With his new musical gem, Mathieu Hocine unveils 11 elegant tunes of his finest craft: sunbathed French Touch (Run Run, 1986), romantic chillwave (Corsica), uplifting synthpop (You Are Everywhere, Like Magic), electronic-soul (Casino Soul), cinematic disco (Solaris), cosmic R&B (Sweet and Sour, Take Time), … Everything is in this record.

For the first time ever, Kid Francescoli paid tribute to his mixed origins with his collaboration with world-renowned lute and mandolin player Hakim Hamadouche (Rachid Taha, Patti Smith, Brian Eno, Tricky...), whom added Algerian patterns to the introspectives songs Drift in Blue and The Morning After.

"My ambition is to create pictures in people's heads with music, to transport them instantly into a movie"

SUNSET BLUE is an instant-crush album: crystal-clear, strong, personal but universal at the same time.

It's an ecstatic soundtrack for this moment when time is suspended, the golden hour when everything seems possible. It feels like Love is in the air, you're living your best life and you're at the right place at the right time. This album embodies this magic moment where we would like to last forever… Like an epiphany, Kid Francescoli's new album is a moment of pure pleasure, a soothing way to escape reality.

"I see myself as a melodist.I would like my music to feel like velvet. There's something cinematic, classy about it, and yet comforting. It's very simple, popular and synonym of love and passion"

His friend French 79 co-produced the album, while the american rapper Bamby H2O brought his NYC swag (on Sweet & Sour), Stan Neff (Polo & Pan, Kungs, Christine and the Queens...) took care of the mix and Alex Gopher (Daft Punk, The Blaze, Bon Entendeur...) added a final touch of magic when mastering. Nicolas Despis (known for his work with Etienne Daho, Hoshi, Juliette Armanet... and many famous French rappers) later joined this dream-team to craft custom-made artworks. SUNSET BLUE is a deeply personal quest, a human adventure for Mathieu Hocine (whom explores his maghrebian origins, his feminine side, his subconscious space, ...). It's a male's work, but don't get it wrong, this LP would be nothing without women’s touch : Julietta (on Run Run and Take Time), Sarah Gaugler from Turbo Goth (on You Are Everywhere and Like Magic), and iOni (on Drift in Blue).

“Music has this magical power to broaden your vision of the world. It's fascinating because, like dreams, it's the kind of irrational things science can't explain and that makes life exciting."

Planets aligned perfectly on this project and thanks to this five-star cast of collaborators, Kid Francescoli achieved his personal holy grail : he orchestrated a great 21st century pop-music album.SUNSET BLUE is a new turning point between organic and electronic, both a mediterranean travel and a Californian dream, a bridge between Ennio Morriconne and modern electronic music.

Also, while it might be called SUNSET BLUE in honor of the sea and the Portuguese / Brazilian concept called “saudade”, but it is a really optimistic album, whose true colors would rather be "yellow-orange-red" in nod to the sun.

Created in the midst of the world tour, SUNSET BLUE is a direct result of the lives’ energy and fans’ joyful vibes: going back in the studio after smiling, singing and dancing with people all around the world inevitably gave Kid Francescoli the desire to retranscribe this ecstatic feeling in music. This album is a sensitive experience, from sunrise to sunset, from first track to last one. It’s an exploration of an everlasting summer, reaching its climax in the very final seconds of the track Corsica, making us want to press play and dive into this jewel all over again.

A beautiful cosmic trip, whether you like to stay in bed cocooning, to travel far, far away or to dance ‘till dawn, to catch the first rays of light.

Make sure to catch Kid Francescoli on his next world tour to have a good time.

2023 Repress

New York, early 90's, the haydays of the New York and Jersey clubhouse! With labels such as NuGroove, Nervous, Freeze, Strictly Rhythm, Henry Street Music taking all the spot light, there is Jovonn working on a small but sensational catalogue of music that somehow gets overshadowed by the popular releases on the mentioned labels. The honest productions, jazzy melodies and playful vocals (rooted in gospel) were taking things into a more musical, more spiritual way, lacking gimmicks or dispensable samples. For the real diggers, the true lovers of House music Jovonn always was a name to watch, a producer of some of their favorite NY house tracks, tracks that have a raw edge combined with a sincere human touch and pure underground house vibes. People such as Rex resident Dj Deep was a huge fan, and also collaborated on couple later productions with Jovonn. Slowly he started getting recognition from europe which resulted in a handfull of records on European labels such as Distance, Coco Soul and Estereo. Now after almost 25 years since his first release the man's small discography on his own Goldtone label and Emotive records stand out with his unique musical personality. More then 20 years after their original release dates these tunes are still very relevant and stand for many things we love about house music! We are happy to offer this selection of his hard to find early works remastered by Alden Tyrell and pressed on fresh clean high quality vinyl.

Walls & Birds‘ debut on the Berlin label Beatbude! Recorded with the aid of “The Whitest Boy Alive” keyboarder Daniel Nentwig at the local Butterama Recording Center, the vinyl is accompanied by a fold-out poster and a digital bonus track.

Much like their previous releases, “Less than a kilometer away” is Walls & Birds’ new take on popular music today. The first song “Wearing a Dress” touches on the theme of modern clothing habits, while questioning relationship patterns still widespread in popular music lyrics. The surprising element of new found love is also one of the themes of the B-side “Heads & Tales”, telling the story of a late night after work taxi ride with the chorus contemplating about the eternal either or question, plainly answered with: love. The cheerful upbeat digital bonus track “Summer 2002” is as meaningless as most nice pop songs these days.

1STEP Process 180g 45rpm Double LP Pressed on VR900-Supreme Vinyl!
Mastered From The Original Analogue Master Tapes by Bernie Grundman!
Super-Luxe "Monster Pak" Jacket with a Rich 36-Page Booklet & Striking Outer Slipcase!

New lacquers cut for every 500 pressings!

Strictly Limited To 7,500 Numbered Pressings!

There have been more than 40 U.S. releases (and hundreds more worldwide) of Stan Getz's cultural touchstone album and for good reason: few recordings better capture the breezy warmth and easy-going sophistication of Brazilian bossa nova for an American jazz audience. Fewer recordings can replicate the you-are-there presence and flawlessly tight studio acoustics. Only Getz/Gilberto has Billboard Top-10-charting singles like "The Girl from Ipanema." When Impex Records jumps into this densely-populated fray with our own production, we need to bring maximum value and prestige to it. Challenge accepted. We worked directly with Stan's wife Monica Getz and their son Nicolaus to create the most authentic, best-presented Getz/Gilberto ever.

Exclusive to Impex's 1STEP Getz/Gilberto includes an insightful new interview/essay by Charles Granata featuring Monica reminiscences of the making of this record, the subsequent cultural phenomenon, and Stan's battles with some pretty heavy demons. Also unique to this release are two bonus tracks: an alternate mono 7" mix of "The Girl from Ipanema" (without the added echo, thank you very much) and a live recording of "Corcovado" from Carnegie Hall. Finally, the large-format, 36-page booklet features dozens of rare photos, the original album notes, and a fascinating personal remembrance from Monica Getz herself, celebrating her late husband's work and an inside look at Stan's family life while making the record!

Using the original analog master tapes and no computers at all, Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering sought to keep the sense of space and tone on the master tape intact without unnecessary embellishment. Impex 1STEPs get you closer to the source, not the ideal.

We know you have many choices when it comes to enjoying this singular album. The Impex 1STEP of Getz/Gilberto cuts above all other releases with added-value content that takes you deeper into Stan Getz's life and process in a way never previously possible.

The 1STEP Process:



The Impex 1STEP process relies on short, tightly-controlled runs that require a new lacquer after each 500 pressings. This unforgiving format has the lacquer skipping the regular father-mother process, going right to a single convert and then pressing. Though this dramatically increases mastering and production costs, it also assures each run is more consistent from disc to disc, with less noise, clearer details and deeper bass.

Reducing production complexity to just a single "convert" disc between the lacquer and the press greatly improves groove integrity, diminishes non-fill anomalies and increases signal integrity from the master tape to your system.

Features:



The only release of this fundamental jazz classic crafted with the full participation of the Getz family, including never-before-seen photos and notes from Monica and Nick Getz
Exclusive new interview essay about Getz's life and the recording of the album by noted producer and historian Charles L. Granata
Exclusive ultra-luxe Impex 1STEP packaging featuring a deluxe 36-page booklet within a heavy-stock two-sleeve Monster Pack jacket and striking colour-matched slip case
Two all-analogue bonus tracks: an alternate mono 7" mix of "The Girl from Ipanema" and a live recording of "Corcovado" from Carnegie Hall
Limited to 7,500 copies

Fall is here after all the summer maddness with festivals, mediterranean tours and Ibiza residencies, it full on vinyl releases for Vega Records. Introducing the 5 Pack Unreleased IV edition, Vega Records takes another step into the world of unreleased music from the Vega Family. Gems from Leroy Burgess, Two Soul fusion, Tony Touch, Professor Featuring Ndu Shezi & Thebe, Johnny Dangerous, and gospel royalty Bebe Winans to Elements Of Life Demos and songs in the making all come together on this special 5 piece vinyl set. With 12 tracks in the sequence there are a select number of talented producers on the project which include Two Soul Fusion AKA Louie Vega & Josh Milan, Pablo Fierro, Johnny Dangerous, Luis Radio, Pietro Nicosia and musicians Axel Tosca and Luisito Quintero. They all contribute to these unique pieces of music mastered by the one and only who we call “The Quincy Jones Of Mastering” Mr. Herb Powers of PM Mastering and the vinyl manufactured by Optimal, Germany. With a limited number of copies made make sure you get your hands on them, they will be rare and very fast!!! Vega Records “always bringing you top quality music” !! Distributed by Above Board, UK.

Tape

Vestigios, Aeondelit’s second full length record after recently releasing an EP of shifting club music influenced by postmodern philosopher Leotard on Tel Aviv’s Sadan records, tells a lucid, captivating story of heritage, transformation, vulnerability and healing. It will be released via Berlin-based art platform and record label Unguarded as a digital and tape release with an artwork created by Petra Hermanova, and will be accompanied by limited textile pieces by Diane Esnault. Aeondelit’s music is strongly influenced by the rocky surrounding of his hometown Manizales and fuses electronic sensibilities, ambient streams and avant-percussive rhythms that build his sound identity. Aeondelit's evocative music has previously been released via the Insurgentes imprint, Vienna-based Ashida Park and was recently featured on the 'Unguarded 2 – Entangled' compilation. Cortés describes the meaning of Vestigios as such: “The memories of past generations: the lives that burn within me, are the pillars of who I am. They constitute longings and traps, sin and strength, the temple that breaks down and rebuilds. The different dimensions of consciousness converge in the mind, which constantly tells us who we are, synthesizing and projecting our contradictions. The pain that comes with getting in touch with our vulnerabilities opens the doors to healing through confrontation. This lays the foundation for a more honest relationship with our past, present and future. 'Vestigios' is the bridge between the temporal and the eternal, the crystallized remnant of pain caused by transformation and recognition of the convulsive underworld of our psyche.” Aeondelit, birth name Sergio Cortés, is a Colombian music producer who explores themes related to technology and human condition in sound. He focuses on the creative use of sample manipulation techniques and digital sound synthesis to deepen the idea of a dialogue between computer and human, and how both influence each other. Deep in Colombia's Andes, surrounded by big mountains and the sacred Nevado del Ruiz, Aeondelit has been forging his own sound identity, exploring the intersection points between sparkly experimental club music and melodic ambient electronic. His first release Editing Destiny on the Colombian label Insurgentes was well received by the public and DJs, named one of the best albums of 2020 on Mixmag. His last release on Sadan Records, Anima Minima, was reviewed and premiered on platforms like DJ Mag, THE BRVTALIST and Orb Mag. He is also the co-founder of the independent record label Nvrclose, where his debut album as Æon Series: Dualidad, was released. About Unguarded: Unguarded is a Berlin based experimental electronic music label and art platform. In 2020 long-term collaborators Tim Roth aka Sin Maldita aka 1k Flowers and Phillipp Hülsenbeck founded Unguarded to foster forward thinking artists with a focus on exploring cross-disciplinary collaboration and embarking on sonic adventures. Unguarded was founded in a time of turmoil and uncertainty for artists and music, trying to keep personal connections alive through shared personal and collective experiences between doom and destruction and glistening hope. Amongst their own contributions, Hülsenbeck and Roth gather a collection of genre-defying works by longtime collaborators as well as artists they bonded with in recent years. Their releases constantly escape from definition but through entangling their unique artistic marks, this diversity remains absorbing and compelling throughout their sprawling sonic miasmas. Combining earth-shattering club cuts, equally elegant and bouncy, Unguarded contributes to and connects the experimental music scene in and outside of Berlin. We invite the curious to a deep, tense but rewarding experience.

Spencer Zahn's latest collection is a return to the hushed palette of solo piano lyricism. This focused sparseness comes after the sprawling, lushness of his critically acclaimed 2022 album, Pigments with Dawn Richard. Living life centered around composition. Zahn sets aside a window each day to commune with the piano, to and beauty in details. Statues I is the first chapter of an ambitious double-album The second installment, Statues II, will follow this fall and be accompanied by a gatefold vinyl, designed by longtime collaborator Hana Tajima.

Having met as teenagers touring the late-‘90s North American post-punk scene, guitarist/vocalist Sean Madigan Hoen and drummer Dan Jaquint established an ongoing musical collaboration that for years remained a mostly-private endeavor relegated to cassette-only releases. After living together in Brooklyn, the duo found themselves returning to their home state of Michigan in 2018 where they reconnected with Detroit’s music scene and formed KIND BEAST. Taking its name from the writing of Carl Jung, KIND BEAST is at once a distillation of several decades of electric guitar music and a lyrical exploration of shadow themes and deep-psyche explorations. Described by NPR affiliate WDET as “perfect for late-night freedom cruising on the outskirts of town,” the music is sophisticated and nocturnal, metabolizing ‘70s arena rock and Krautrock as readily as the post-Fugazi cannon on which its members were raised. What commences is a vast blending of rock swagger infused with a distinctly-Detroit eeriness, set to Hoen’s (a widely-published author) imagistic lyrics. Joining Hoen and Jaquint are bassist Sean Bondareff (known for a fifteen-year stint with Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels) and guitarist Martin Rodgers, fifteen years younger than the other members and who has made a name for himself as one of Detroit’s most talented guitarists. KIND BEAST pays little homage to Hoen and Jaquint’s teenage bands (Thoughts of Ionesco and Small Brown Bike, respectively) and finds itself most often compared to mature constituents of the rock/pop pantheon such as Arctic Monkeys, Spoon, and Queens of the Stone Age while discerning listeners pinpoint a deeper influence of the great indie labels of yore (Touch and Go; Dischord).

2023 Repress.

Music From Memory are excited to present the debut LP of Kaifeng born, Vancouver based artist Yu Su in collaboration with Chinese label bié Records. Titled 'Yellow River Blue' it is our first release of 2021 and the second collaboration between label and artist, following up on the strongly received EP 'Roll With The Punches' from 2019 on Second Circle.

Named after the world’s most heavily silted river, 'Yellow River Blue' is Yu Su's personal musical autobiography, constructed around stories of chasing something inconceivable. Written and recorded in different continents in between August 2019 and March 2020, all songs seek to musically translate years of moving and touring, temporarily settling, and the feelings of both being turned away and accepted. In her own words, “The world is my home and it isn’t, but as long as there is generosity of water and mud...” It is an homage to her home beside the Yellow River.

Yu Su's debut album consists of eight songs that are versatile in both writing and aesthetics. Versatile individually, consistent as a whole. Yu Su is in a class of her own, dodging the obvious while combining sounds and inspirations of various origins into a new destination that sounds like her home in the here and now. It's a release that is constantly in motion and moves fluently between contemporary pop, ethereal sound compositions and dance-floor experiments.

'Yellow River Blue' comes as part of a collaboration with Yu Su's co-founded new label bié Records and will be released as MFM052 in vinyl format by Music From Memory on January 25th 2021, after seeing a full digital album release via bié on January 22nd in the new Year of the Ox, according to the Chinese zodiac. Both formats come in different exclusively designed artworks.

Diffrent Music roars back into action after an extended hiatus to raise a couple of young giraffes with the electrifying new compilation, ‘Revolution Of The Giraffe’ LP.

Launched in 2010 with the aim of bringing something new to a drum & bass scene that had become overly formulaic, the label has continuously pushed in new directions, often incubated tomorrow’s stars, and evolved beyond even that original grand ideal. ‘Revolution Of The Giraffe’ unleashes 17 tracks of bleeding-edge electronic music, proving that after 13 years, Diffrent still sounds like nothing else.

Core artists from the label’s distinguished history bring their expertise, such as drum & bass mainstay Arkaik and sound architect Fearful, who team up with label boss Dexta for the MC GQ-sampling ‘Old Skool’ — a new track with a classic Diffrent sound. And there are numerous debuts: A.Fruit reworks an all-time Diffrent classic, ‘Boxgroove’ by Dexta & Hyroglifics, into a glitchy halftime stomper; none60 bosses Silent Dust turn Dexta’s ‘SE4’ into a rebellious dancefloor juggernaut; and the mysterious Gaunt’s ‘Firefloor’ becomes locked ‘n’ loaded rave artillery in the hands of Pepsi Slammer.

Label stalwart Mauoq puts his signature psychedelic future dub spin on ‘Departed’ by Cuelock, who in turn delivers the ice-cold, grime-indebted ‘Pages Of Snow’. Lakeway conjures the epic ‘Even Though’, nearly eight minutes of ecstatic, spell-binding, hyper-rave wonder. Dexta goes solo with squelchy techno jungle stormer ‘Giraffes On Acid’. Even Sense MC makes an… appearance.

New-gen Diffrent acts are in fine form too. The inimitable BrandNewTrumpets opens the album alongside Macc; ‘We Are The Tightrope Walkers’ is a powerful spoken word piece that erupts into a hail of punishing breaks. No Nation, Sheba Q and BK Balance, meanwhile, turn out explosive, hi-tek junglism on ‘Too Late’. From Diffrent’s industrial-toned sister label Are We Really Alone? (A.W.R.A.), Amir De Bois joins forces with Fearful for the paranoid, jittering ‘73’; Tokyo’s Itti summons thunderous bass on the ritualistic ‘Rumbling’; and Croatian artist Spaj.A.S.E.’s competition-winning, mind-mashing remix of the first ever Diffrent release, ‘Everyones Mad’ by Chills, finally sees the light of day.

Always looking to the future, Diffrent also welcomes modern jungle visionary Eusebeia, who puts his ethereal touch to Crypticz’s ‘Could Have Been’, and Stateside up-and-comers Illexandra & TGRbass, who deliver the supercharged, elastic bounce of ‘Swampy Swami’.
Closing out with one from deep within the vaults, ‘Aftaparty’ is Beezy and MNTX’s ode to seeing where the night takes you. It’s a fitting note to end on, as a new era of Diffrent Music begins. Where will it take you? Join us on the ride and find out.

"I've loved every moment of the label so far: the fast-paced release schedules, the slow years, the podcasts, albums, singles, EPs, parties, etc. This compilation album signposts where we are at — a bunch of classic Diffrent artists, a load of new faces, and a few remixes thrown in for good measure. Each tune stands alone, but stands tall next to each of its siblings. I hope you all enjoy it as much as we have! The revolution is here, join the revolution!"
- Dexta

Purple Color Vinyl

We are really proud to introduce a new release on Mawimbi Records: "Mawimbi, Vol. 2”. Its title is a nod to “Mawimbi, Vol. 1”, which was the inaugural release of our record label back in 2015. A new compilation, at last, after a decade of music activism and a handful of EPs and albums which have helped unearth some of today’s talents from the new global music scene (Onipa, Loya, Afriquoi, Raz & Afla). It stays true to the driving principles of our artistic direction: support upcoming artists, e ncourage the breaking down of musical frontiers, help make happen new encounters between electronic music and so-called “afro” music. While these encounters can now be witnessed anywhere in pop music’s current zeitgeist, from Beyoncé to South African’s vibrant amapiano scene, we think there’s still plenty to explore.

“Mawimbi, Vol. 2” truly feels like the culmination of a long path for our record label. Because it includes artists who have been actively contributing to the Mawimbi adventure over the years, and also because it’s another convincing testimony of the fruitfulness of this musical intuition we have so heartily been defending for the last decade. Indeed, the 8 tracks of “Mawimbi, Vol. 2” resist all the usual labels. They sound like they stem more from human encounters and artistic dialogues launched in the moment than attempts to be associated with any music scene in particular. Each of the 8 pieces of this compilation presents in a unique way the search for this cross-pollinating sound.

The compilation opens with a really engaging rework of James Stewart’s classic track “Cotonou” by Lyon-based tropical music enthusiasts Voilaaa, who took Peter Solo’s voodoo soul lines on a trip across the Black Atlantic beginning with a horn-heavy cuban cha-cha-cha before falling into a savory triple time dance. As tireless sonic adventurers, Amsterdam-based duo Umoja have brought back a handful of hits from their numerous trips to Kenya meeting with local benga musicians. “Avana Va” is one of their compelling tunes, featuring Kenyan musician and producer Sidney Simila. This urge to collaborate with musicians from across the African continent is also to be found in Village Cuts’ ever expanding discography. On “Sentima”, they showcase their trademark London funky sound, introducing us to the talents of Congolese guitarist and singer Kissangwa.

Afriquoi’s 2020 hit “Ndeko Solo” is presented in a brand new shape, sprinkled with some French Touch flavours. “Djansa”, by Toulouse-based producers Mr. Boom, rides a distinct South African-inspired groove, while inviting us to a nighttime dance by the Balearic sea. On “Silent Runner”, French producer and musician Ozferti moulds his own musical galaxy where East African scales meet cutting edge global club beats. With “Nabi Kumi”, Anglo-Ghanaian duo Raz & Afla delivers their deepest piece, once again inducing a state of trance with a triple-time beat and an hypnotic kora loop. Closing the compilation, “It's Holy” is a unique collaboration between Tom Excell (Onipa, Nubiyan Twist, David Walters) and Dizraeli, one of the most interesting voices in British rap, which by making connections between broken beat, jazz and african music, illustrates the precious mixture of musical aesthetics that make up the current UK musical landscape.

Slave featuring Steve Arrington is being reissued on vinyl for the first time since it’s 1978 release. After the successful reception to Rhino's Zapp and Roger - All The Greatest Hits release for Black Music Month, Rhino has got another excellent and unexpected addition for any funk collector!

Arguably the hottest of the '70s Ohio funk bands, Slave had an incredible run in the late '70s and early '80s. Their best tracks were lyrically simple, but the arrangements and rhythms were intense and hypnotic. Some of their top hits include "Just a Touch of Love" in 1979, "Watching You" in 1980, and "Snap Shot" in 1981 – which you can expect to hear on this new reissue.

40 years after their last album ‘Secret’ was released in 1983, Classix Nouveaux are back with a brand new album entitled ‘Battle Cry’. Containing nine tracks including seven brand new compositions plus ‘Never Never Comes’ and ‘Interlude/Inside Outside’ which have been re-imagined for the 21st century. Featuring a very guitar-rock sound and also contains a couple of instrumentals which is something that the band used to do on their early albums. In the words of lead singer Sal Solo, this is how the album came about: “The reason this project came about after 40 years is really because of the fans. About 10 years ago, some of the Classix fans were making Facebook pages but it didn’t really come to our attention until a couple of years back. We realised these people are really dedicated and decided to give them a kind of birthday present. I said to the guys ‘Why don't we do a recording together and surprise the fans?’ Everybody said yes and so we did a quick remake of one of our old songs “Inside Outside” and to our surprise everyone's immediately talking about new material! We’d never thought about doing new Classix material - we thought it was over years ago. After a few weeks of agonising, we suddenly realised we could be as we are now. In the light of our increased experience and the fact that our fans are mature as well, we decided we would just make the music that we like today. It didn’t take a lot of persuasion to get everyone on board. It's the original line-up from the first two albums - what people consider the ‘classic’ line-up. We've all been in other bands, but somehow, we've all just seemed to gravitate back to Classix Nouveaux. It feels like a natural home. We hadn’t been in touch for many, many years and so this album is really what’s brought us back together.”

25th anniversary limited edition yellow 2LP, download card included. Praise for What Burns Never Returns after its original 1998 release: As the purveyor of brainy, muscular instrumental rock, Don Caballero spent most of its early years labelled the “Geeks from Pittsburgh who don’t sing.” Now that the rest of the indie-rock world has warmed up to instrumental rock (see the popularity of Tortoise, et al.), Don Caballero reemerges from hiatus with its third full-length, What Burns Never Re-turns. Staying ahead of the learning curve, the band employs little of the muscle that marked its earlier efforts, instead adopting a more high-brow, abstract approach to its music making. The band is not improvising per se, but creating meticulously arranged, post-Kind Crimson-like songs that attack odd time signatures. Stunning in its acrobatic musicianship, intriguing in its relentless experimentalism, What Burns… is indeed a welcome return. — Tad Hendrickson, CMJ New Music Report // The follow up to 1995’s monolithic “Don Caballero 2”, “What Burns Never Returns” is a study in industrial-strength grace, like some archaic machine heaving in exorable arabesques. The metallic guitars and grinding rhythm section interlock with mechanistic precision, yet a very human friction shoots sparks of real beauty. — AJ Sutton, Billboard // What superior minds conceived these eight amazing instrumentals, at once impossibly complex and yet powerfully direct, and what mere men have the strength and discipline to perform them? … There are no druggy lyrics or samples or ironic reappropriations of outré instruments here - just thrilling purity and exhilarating single-mindedness.

Chicago's Magic Touch label gets the Numero treatment. Legendary rare groove selector & DJ Red Greg's edit of Disco Holy-Grail "Why Do I Love You" is now available on 7" for the first time and housed in official Magic Touch Double Disco Smash 7" Company Sleeve. This tune has been making waves in the DJ community for years only after Red Greg introduced his crucial edit eliminating the studio fluff and dialing in the raw disco meat. Certified Floor Filler with a groove guaranteed to answer all questions on love.

Repress!

In the last few years we’ve seen French DJ and producer Laroye delivering the goods time after time on respected labels such as Atjazz Recordings, Compost, Makin Moves and Foliage. His latest LP just released on Local Talk has been getting big support picking up plays on Radio 1, 6Music, Worldwide FM as well as spins from Natasha Diggs, Gilles Peterson, Craig Charles, Louie Vega, Honey Dijon to name a few. Freerange is proud to welcome him back for the follow up to 2020’s release Be The Change, presenting you with a killer 4 track EP entitled Uku Dance.

Leading the charge, Laroye is joined by influential Detroit artist, DJ, producer and vocalist Javonntte who has written and recorded a brilliant vocal for a track entitled First Sight. Laroye’s fat beats, jazzy chords and soulful touch make the perfect production for Javonntte’s vocals.

Up next we have the Percussive Dub mix of Uku Dance in which Laroye strips things back to the bare bones making for a serious percussion tool work out to spice up your sets.

On Uku Dance a bass-heavy groove is punctuated with vocal chops and deep Rhodes part which adds a moody, late night touch. Just the kind of soulful, dubby, afro track that will get the house dancers throwing down like their lives depended on it!

Closing out the release you’ll find an instrumental version of First Sight.

Mit seinem neuen Doppel-Album "Baroque Colours" präsentiert Martin Stadtfeld eine einzigartige Palette farbenreicher Werke des Barocks. Und das in einer ganz besonderen Form: Für den ersten Teil wählte er 19 wunderbare kleine Originalstücke aus, u.a. von Bach, Rameau oder Händel, aber auch von weniger bekannten Komponisten wie Johann Kuhnau oder Joseph-Nicolas-Pancrace Royer. Für den zweiten Teil hat Stadtfeld einige seiner Lieblingstücke des Barocks ausgewählt und für Klavier neu bearbeitet. So gibt es aus Vivaldis berühmten "Vier Jahreszeiten" die mitreißenden Melodien aus dem "Sommer" und dem "Winter" neu zu erleben - als kurze, wunderbar klingende Piano-Stücke. Oder den berühmten "Kanon" von Johann Pachelbel in einer neuen Fassung für Klavier zu vier Händen, die Martin Stadtfeld mit der Pianistin Lilian Akopova eingespielt hat. Diese ist auch seine Partnerin bei den vierhändigen Fassungen des ersten Präludiums von Bach sowie der "Passacaglia" aus Lullys Oper "Armida". Ein Erlebnis sind auch die Klavierfassungen von Purcells Musik aus der Oper "Fairy Queen". Nahezu meditativ klingen Stadtfelds Improvisationen über Themen von Bach (u.a. das berühmte "Air" und "Menuett"), über Werke von Arcangelo Corelli sowie über das Kirchenlied "Ach bleib mit Deiner Gnade". Aufgenommen wurden die insgesamt 45 Stücke mit einem modernen Steinway mit einem sehr nahen und warmen Klangbild, so dass sich die Farbenpracht und Intensität unmittelbar auf den Hörer überträgt. Es ist, als ob man vor einem farbenreichen barocken Gemälde stehen würde und dabei immer neue Farben entdeckt.

"Galt MacDermot (1928-2018) was an award-winning Canadian-American composer, pianist, writer of classical music and theatrical pieces. MacDermot also composed music for several film soundtracks (like the 1970 blaxploitation film `Cotton Comes To Harlem') and released several exceptional jazz and funk albums on his own label Kilmarnock Records. He is best known for his work on the Grammy winning 1967 musical Hair (which also produced several number-one singles like "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In") and Two Gentlemen of Verona (1971) for which he won a Tony Award. In 2009 Galt MacDermot was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame and in 2010 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1979, MacDermot formed the New Pulse Jazz Band, which performed and recorded his original music. Galt MacDermot's music is extremely popular with collectors of jazz and funk. Working with jazz and soul musicians such as Bernard Purdie and Idris Muhammad, MacDermot created pieces that used African rhythms (he made the study of African music his speciality). In recent decades, his work has become popular with hip-hop musicians including Busta Rhymes, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Gang Starr, Action Bronson, Public Enemy, MF Doom, Madlib, J Dilla, Obie Trice, Naughty By Nature, Run DMC and Digable Planets_the list is endless. The album "Ghetto Suite" was written in 1970 and released in 1972 and is considered one of the most ground-breaking records ever issued on Galt MacDermot's Killmarnock label and consists out of a selection of songs and poems by Harlem/Bronx school children, set to Galt's music, and sung by vocalist Angela Ortega. Given That Galt's handling the music, you can bet that there's plenty of nicely executed funky touches - supported by rolling bass-work, snapping drums, and organ virtuosity. But the real charm of these groovy tunes comes from the lyrics, which have a simple and to the point way of dealing with issues of racism, poverty and other issues of the time. The story telling is surprisingly gripping even after all these years. The whole album creates an extremely personal direct sensitivity to the environment of Ghetto kids_telling us with defiantly honest intensity what it was like to be young and black, the drugs and the deaths, the topic of incarceration_or simply the fact of being battered by the frustration of Ghetto existence. Ghetto Suite is way more than an entertainment record, it has been used by teachers and counsellors to inspire and motivate the muted voices of the black inner cities_ documenting both their anguish and their triumphs. Tidal Waves Music now proudly presents the FIRST EVER vinyl reissue of this exceptional conceptual album (originally released in 1972 and a highly sought-after pricey collectable ever since) This unique record now comes as a deluxe 180g vinyl edition (strictly limited to 1000 copies) with obi strip and features the original artwork and extensive sleeve notes.

28. September 2023 – Als Tina Turner im Mai dieses Jahres verstarb, hinterließ sie das Erbe eines gewaltigen Lebenswerkes. Eine neue Anthologie blickt zurück auf ihre legendäre Solokarriere, die vor fast 50 Jahren ihren Anfang nahm. „Queen of Rock ‘n‘ Roll“ ist eine Zusammenstellung von 55 Tracks, die uns anhand ihrer Singles durch ihre einzigartige Solokarriere führt, angefangen bei ihrer Coverversion von „Whole Lotta Love“ (1975) bis hin zum Kygo-Remix von „What's Love Got to Do With It“ aus dem Jahr 2020. Es ist das erste Mal, dass ihre gesamte Single-Sammlung in einem Set veröffentlicht wird.

„Queen of Rock ‘n‘ Roll“ ist ab dem 24. November erhältlich und kann ab jetzt vorbestellt werden. Die Anthologie erscheint als 3-CD und 5LP-Set sowie als abgespeckte Vinyl-Version mit 12 Tracks. Alle physischen Varianten enthalten ein Vorwort von Bryan Adams, langjähriger Freund und Kreativpartner Turners.

Tinas erste Veröffentlichung als Solokünstlerin erfolgte zu einer Zeit, als sie mit dem Duo Ike & Tina Turner Revue tourte und Alben herausbrachte. „Tina Turns The Country On!“ – so der Titel des 1974 veröffentlichten Solo-Debüts – brachte keine Singles hervor, weshalb diese Anthologie erst 1975 einsetzt. Da nämlich wurde ihre Coverversion von Led Zeppelins „Whole Lotta Love“ vom zweiten Album „Acid Queen“ offiziell als Single veröffentlicht. Im weiteren Verlauf hält die Sammlung Duette mit anderen legendären Künstlern wie David Bowie, Bryan Adams, Eric Clapton und Rod Stewart sowie einige der unvergesslichsten und berühmtesten Pop- und Rock-Singles aller Zeiten bereit, darunter „What's Love Got To Do With It“, „Private Dancer“, „We Don't Need Another Hero“, „The Best“, „Steamy Windows“, „I Don't Wanna Lose You“ und „Disco Inferno“, um nur einige zu nennen.

Um das Vermächtnis der Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll zu feiern, enthält die Sammlung auch eine neue Version von „Something Beautiful Remains“, nunmehr schlicht betitelt „Something Beautiful“. Der ursprünglich 1996 veröffentlichte Track wurde von Turners legendärem Produzenten und langjährigen Mitstreiter Terry Britten überarbeitet und ist ein gefühlvoller und angemessener letzter Tribut an das kraftvolle Vermächtnis, das sie hinterlässt. Britten, der das Rework nicht lange nach ihrem Tod anfertigte, kommentiert: „Liebe Tina, die Zusammenarbeit mit dir war eine Erfahrung, die sich niemals wiederholen wird. Und doch bleibt in meinem Herzen ‚Something Beautiful‘ zurück.“

Tina wird auf der ganzen Welt verehrt. Mit ihrer persönlichen Geschichte, ihrem Gesang und ihrer Art des Tanzens war und ist sie eine Inspiration für Millionen von Menschen rund um den Globus. Und nicht zuletzt hat sie ein musikalisches Vermächtnis hinterlassen, das einige der bekanntesten Songs aller Zeiten umfasst.

Tina Turner ist zweifellos eine der bedeutendsten Künstlerinnen der modernen Musikgeschichte. Um es mit den Worten Beyoncés bei der Verleihung Kennedy Center Honours 2005 an Tina Turner zu sagen: „Ich werde nie den Moment vergessen, als ich den ersten Auftritt von dir Tina Turner sah. Ich hatte noch nie in meinem Leben eine Frau gesehen, die so kraftvoll, so furchtlos und so fantastisch war." (Hier kann man Beyoncés Laudatio samt darauffolgender Live-Performance ansehen.) 2008 traten die beiden dann gemeinsam bei den Grammy Awards auf und performten „Proud Mary“, ein Song von Ike & Tina Turner aus dem Jahr 1971. Diese Performance – anzusehen hier – gilt heute als einer der ikonischsten Momente in der Geschichte des weltweit wichtigsten Musikpreises.

Tina Turner hat über 200 Millionen Tonträger verkauft und hatte in Deutschland acht Top-10-Singles und ebenso viele Top-10-Alben (bzw. fünf, wenn man die Compilations/Livealben nicht dazuzählt), darunter die #1-Single „We Don’t Need Another Hero“ und die #1-Alben „Break Every Rule“ und „Foreign Affair“. Im UK war sie die erste weibliche Künstlerin, die in sechs aufeinanderfolgenden Jahrzehnten einen Top-40-Hit im Vereinigten Königreich hatte. Dort sind ihre Alben heute mit 20-fachem Platin dekoriert, in den USA mit 9-fachem Platin und in Deutschland mit 11-fachem Platin. Auch im Rest der Welt erzielte Turner gewaltige Verkaufszahlen. Bei den Grammy Awards wurde sie achtmal ausgezeichnet und insgesamt 25-mal nominiert. 1991 wurde Turner in die Rock & Roll Hall of Fame aufgenommen, außerdem hat sie Sterne auf dem Hollywood Walk of Fame und dem St. Louis Walk of Fame. Das Konzert im Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro im Rahmen ihrer „Break Every Rule“-Tournee 1988 stellte mit 184.000 Zuschauer:innen im Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro einen neuen Weltrekord für das größte zahlende Publikum bei einem Solokonzert auf. Das Rolling Stone Magazine führt Tina Turner auf #17 der 100 größten Sänger:innen aller Zeiten und auf #63 der 100 größten Künstler:innen aller Zeiten.

Trotz all dieser Erfolge und ihres gewaltigen Ruhms verschwand die Person Tina Turner nie hinter der Persona Tina Turner. Sie blieb ihre gesamte Karriere über nahbar und authentisch – ein weiterer Grund, wieso sie bis heute weltweit so geliebt wird. Bryan Adams dürfte in seinem wunderschönen und persönlichen Vorwort vielen Menschen aus dem Herzen sprechen, wenn er über die Wirkung schreibt, die Tina auf ihn hatte:

„Tina hat den Lauf meines Lebens verändert, denn ihr schreibe ich zu, dass ich es aus der Bedeutungslosigkeit auf die Bühnen des Vereinigten Königreiches und Europas gebracht habe. Ich bin so dankbar, dass sie etwas von ihrer kostbaren Zeit mit mir teilte. Sie war eine Naturgewalt, niemand hatte ihre Energie oder ihre Stimme“, so Adams, der dann mit Bezug auf seinen 1985er-Song mit Tina Turner anfügt: „It’s only love, and that's all.“

mule musiq welcomes british producer jimmy wallace, presenting his debut album “red, yellow, black” - a nine track strong record that partly leaves the dancefloor behind.

since childhood, music has been a strong influence on the 33-year-old artist. his mother, a music teacher, exposed him to classical sounds from an early age.

but it was hearing the electronic tones of the french touch movement, which really ignited his mu-sical journey. a year later he started to dj, acting out his love for four-to-the-floor grooves in local clubs. today you'll find him on the bill with artists like ruf dug, mr scruff, or bradley zero, heating up the dance floors.

as a producer he has already released a handful of stunning eps, including one for sweden’s finest house label studio barnhus, and one for london’s revered rhythm section international imprint.

both feature house tunes with an edge, house tunes with a love for the roots of the genre along-side more reflective, ambient moments. he also runs the label tartan records, where he publishes dancefloor focused white labels.

his music has been championed by titans of the scene such as palms trax, ryan elliott, dj tennis, gilles peterson, dixon, and hunee. axel boman even coined his debut ep as “one of the very best demo emails ever received at label studio barhnus hq”.

an advance praise, that wallace now acknowledges with an album full of deeply crafted music. some tracks lean towards the dancefloor, like the swung sounds of “bubbles”, the hypnotic mael-strom of “good morning”, or the epic, jazzy moments of “labyrinth”.

the theme of nature is evident throughout, with field recordings and environmental sounds he rec-orded on the road, being fused with his own musical ideas.

tracks like “waterfall” and “tokyo street”, draw influence on time spent in asia, whereas "dhq", "by the river", and "by the lake" are inspired by his childhood and hometown in the shropshire country-side. “i’ve been writing ambient and more nature focused material for a few years now without really having a plan for it.

finally, this year after writing the tune “labyrinth” i felt i had a body of work which was both diverse and cohesive enough to bring together on a record. so, the album represents moments of time i have spent in various outdoor spaces around the world, using sound to try and turn these experi-ences into musical format.” wallace discloses.

the result is a mesmerizing long player featuring an evocative, emotional story arc that avoids ste-reotypes and straight party orientated narration. “having written plenty of club music for the past few years, i wanted to show a different side to my sound.

something more intimate, private, experimental which can be listened to away from the party.” he reveals on the meditative, blissful “red, yellow, black” - an album, which has the power to transport listeners to places and spaces new – for inspiration, relaxation, and dancefloor moments off the beaten path

Singing with an enigmatic allure, CHILLEMI’s style paints with broad strokes of cinematic themes. The solo project of Brian Chillemi (Rose Cologne, Junk Boys), his debut album With Woman was released in April 2021 on Swiss indie label Taxi Gauche Records. After moving to Los Angeles from his native home of New York City just months before the pandemic, CHILLEMI returned to Manhattan to put the finishing touches on this LP.