Buscar:ara

Original year of release: 1991. Features the tracks 'Out Of Time Man', 'King Of Bongo', 'Madame Oscar', etc. Mano Negra the legendary first band of French singer Manu Chao ... featuring songs in Spanish, French, English and Arabic.. We are celebrating this year the 30th anniversary of its foundation. The album has been unavailable on vinyl since its first original pressing.

Repress

Nektar Agu is next up on Fake Records with his 1111 EP. Two originals: '1111'and 'Vaeeke' that have been supported by S.A.M and Arapu and it comes with two Remixes by Cocoon Heavyweight and Raum Musik boss Markus Fix & Dorian Paic under their MFDP moniker, and also one from the man of the moment Jorge Savoretti who has recently released on Dorian's Raum musik and Priku's Atipic.
12" Vinyl. LTD press

The 2017 remaster of David Bowie's astonishing Heroes.

The first Bowie release to feature Robert Fripp, the incendiary and innovative Heroes was the second release in Bowie's celebrated 'Berlin trilogy'.

180g vinyl edition.

DOMINA TRXXX welcomes two legends to the Family. Mr Neil Landtsrumm and The Horrorist.
Both don't need any introdution. Their great collaboration comes around with an additional remix by Tobias Schmidt!

Clocking in at 11 minutes, this is a radical deconstruction of the track 'Bint El Khandaq' that appears on the Mashrou' Leila album 'Ibn El Leil'. Lost Souls Of Saturn tease out the underlying emotion and yearning present in the original and take the listener on a beguiling, symphonic ambient journey that calls to mind Wolfgang Voigt's much loved Gas project, or the shimmering imaginary landscapes of Brian Eno. Renowned for their rousing, sensual electro-pop Mashrou' Leila's songs touch on political freedom, LGBT rights, race, religion and modern Arabic identity.
Lost Souls Of Saturn were approached by the band to reinterpret the original track and the stunning results fit perfectly as their debut release on R&S. This is the next step in the evolution of Seth Troxler and Phil Moffa's Lost Souls Of Saturn project. Look out for an album on R&S in 2018.

Estmode, after a fantastic release under his alias ARAV with Bordei Rosso EP comes up with this melodic mood 2 tracks solo on Vidre, new white label limited press

Hany Mehanna, beloved musician and composer of the greatest artists from the Arab world such as Oum Kalthoum and Abdel Halim Hafez, shows himself from a more experimental side on his solo albums. Originally released in 1973, 'The Miracles of the Seven Dances' is a pure work of genius: hypnotic organ grooves, psychedelic guitars, mystic strings and haunting percussion. Belly dance as good as it gets! High quality pressing. Artwork and label design by Pieter Heytens

Since 2004, Moreno Visini aka The Spy from Cairo, has been sending out dub-based electronic music that has created quite a worldwide following. On his 3rd studio album, he switches his signature instrument, the classical Arabic Oud, to an electronic Oud which reflects a transition in his sound to a more cosmic & electronic dancefloor experience. Written, produced, performed & mixed himself, the album features some of his Brooklyn Gypsies bandmates Fatima Gozlar, Takuya Nakamura & Ilker Ciraci as well as Maalem and Ben Hassan Jaafer.

After the release of his brand new album, "Nothing New Under The Sun" - Wonderwheel has cut a VERY limited edition dub 7" with two of our favorite deep cuts off the album. Echocentric!

4 pumped up jams for djs to take control - don't hold back, just let go and feel the n·r·gee. Early support by Eduardo De La Calle, Jennifer Cardini, Andrew Claristidge, Gilb'r, Daniel Kyo, Photonz, Angel Molina... Points of interests - Only for the headstrong tripping on strictly undeground massive hits. - For fans of techno, warehouse, (old school) breaks and bleeps. - Pure reel-2-real analog recording and extra loud mastering by F.Stader at MMM. - Features 6 eternal loops and bonus samples for extended dj pleasure. - 121th release from renowned Swiss Mental Groove Records est. 1989 (Dj Rush, Eduardo De La Calle, Sun Araw, Miss Kittin, Luciano, Brodinski, Donato Dozzy,...), also home of Musique Pour La Danse (Olivier Abbeloos, Frankie Bones, Orlando Voorn, Nate Krafft, Dirk De Saever, Todd Sines...) and We Release Whatever The Fuck We Want (Midori Takada, Michel Legrand, Kenji Kawai, John Carpenter...).

Osaka, not being Japan's capital city, has a history of producing some unique underground movements and artists. Without the attention or the funds Tokyo artists may have access to, Osakan artists over the years have had to make their own way with raw innovation.Iku Sakan, an electronic musician and DJ from Osaka, has spent most of the last decade living in Berlin. Prior to that, he was active in the underground club scene of Kyoto & Osaka. A previous unit was Sakan & Senju (with Muneomi Senju of The Boredoms). Together, they produced a 15 copy handmade edition of their music on CDr. Iku personally handed a copy to Karlheinz Stockhausen, when he was visiting Tokyo for his last festival appearance in Japan.Sakan began playing steel drum at the Görlizer park in Berlin, Tori Kudo of Maher Shalal Hash Baz then invited him to accompany the band. Immersing himself in the international DIY / noise / improv scene back in Berlin, he became active as an improviser, DJ and promoter, and has since worked with Sun Araw, Anders Lauge Meldgaard, Pekka Airaksinen, Günter Schickert, and Damo Suzuki.Playing and improvising, touring and DJing, has led to his sound, a kind of metaphysical music, with circular rhythms and an emotive, melodic feel. He combines analogue and digital devices (Omnichord, Roland MC303, and a DIY electronic doll synth. made by his friend Stephane Shibatsuji-Perrin in Tokyo), and pre-recorded materials, mixing and merging all four signals into one mixer (no MIDI sync.), through an effect pedal. When recording, he usually lets these devices run until something clicks. Then he records and starts to improvise, like he's playing an imaginary instrument, entering a timeless region where track length loses its meaning.2017 has seen some of Sakan's Berlin recordings released, initially on two tapes: 'Human Wave Music', for Natural Sciences, and 'Cepheidian' for Planet Almanac. The two track long player 'Prism in Us All' on Japan Blues' imprint is his first LP. His on/off-world sound, part kalimba, part gamelan, part E2-E4 - and at the same time, none of them. A hypnotic, musical mantra, centring the spirit, and resonating with the harmonics of the spheres.Prism In Us All' is the second release on Japan Blues' eponymous imprint, after featuring the album on his NTS show in January.300 copies only, in silk-screened sleeve.

We are bringing together the creative might of our residents to bring the sound of Renate on a double release EP. Over the years Renate has grown from a impetuous party to a glorious club. The people who came together under her roof and played beats that made bodies pulsate with ecstasy have become benchmarks in the music industry of today. We want to share with you that talent. The second EP is visited by long time Renate friends dOP. These french guys were there in the first Renate Party and there techno stylings grace us with a linguistic masterpiece. Michal Zietara the Polish heartthrob turned Bavarian hiker is joined by Voe the mastermind behind Suxul, together they merge to create a drop beat tune. Homeboy's Hadi is the Croatians influence by the Arab World in a culturally appropriate track that makes you wonder the streets of Damascus, leading to Mehmet Aslan our very own Sultan of beats making a sandstorm with this timeless piece.

After introducing Jin Cromanyon end of last year with a special 7'' single, we asked him to prepare an LP for 2017.
Few weeks ago he sent us his tracks which made us so anthousiastic ! a pure OVNI in between Electro, Acid-House, Synth-Pop and J-pop, rough but romantic, a sort of « Viewlexx meets Depeche Mode meets A Guy Called Gerald with the Japanese twist » !! Takuti Takuta !!

About the label:
under the cold stars we dwell
nothing but emptyness in our hearts
divided and alone
while drifting towards an inevitable void
we are dancing
we are dancing as if this void does not exist
and our nakedness is just another protecting shield

About Meer:
Meer is the experimental and ambient project of the techno rave producer Ambre. In between industrial sonorities, occult rhythms, arabic references and electric guitar improvisations, Meer aims to combine the occidental and oriental cultures. Through dark atmospheres inspired by his North African roots,
he composes his first EP on Voidance Recordings, 'Yawm Alhissab, Rabbok Sayakouno Aadowok ».

About the EP:
A1: Rouhk Hia Sada Al Aadam is starting the EP in a frenzy. Drones and blasts of noise are echoing the nothingness buried deep within our souls while constantly pushing hard against battering percussion as if trying to a way out of this agony.

A2: Al Nasr Wa Al Hazima in contrast is an ambient tune, with field recordings and arabic references resembling some kind of solace at first, before turning into a more discomforting mood with a slow and steady beat kicking in after the first third of the track.

B1 Aindama Yahino Al Nar, Kolo Chayin Sawfa Yahtark is raising the tension again, machinegun-like percussion is pushing the track forward, while deep drones are opposing a contemplative mood, thus evoking the feeling of a disaster lurking just around the corner.

B2 The Nastika Remix of Aindama Yahino Al Nar, Kolo Chayin Sawfa Yahtark is turning the original track inside out. The mysterious producer(s) emphasize the more occult parts while piling up layers of layers of sound and in doing so create an even darker mood.

With the Asexual EP by YobKiss, Electronic Emergencies is back with a true electronic delight. YobKiss consists of Dutch instrumentalist and producer Paul Borchers, currently based in San Fransisco, and Tokyo resident Yuko Araki on vocals. Their music balances on the edge of avant-garde electronics and flirts with acid pop in dreamy soundscapes, with an analogue synth sound and beautiful vocals in Japanese and English. Or, in their own words, a pitch-dark, filth-ridden tour de force into the worlds of acid house and electro.

Fusing tantric sexual spirituality and speech with the energy of pounding beats and a functional driving acid baseline. According to Thee J Johanz it's inspired by an incidental visit at Love Temple (Arambol, India).

Fusing tantric sexual spirituality and speech with the energy of pounding beats and a functional driving acid baseline. According to Thee J Johanz it's inspired by an incidental visit at Love Temple (Arambol, India). Tantric Temple stirs and elevates the floor, making all 'feel as one' through a unifying vocal climax. The Tantric Bricastic version channels basic raw and dance energy, stripped down and nice in the mix. Last track Once Upon A Time, a co-production with Nathan Homan, explores the outer zone with some dubby acid disco tech with a tasty spaghetti western touch. Sleeve art by David Homan.

5th Birthday comp featuring a host of artistst who've graced the label over the perioid.. Exclusives from Tolouse Lowtrax, Geena, Iueke, Domenique Dumont, . Inoue Shirabe, Raphael Top-Secret and more... Gatefold Sleeve. TIP!
.
Made of 14 sketches - each reflecting one of the many shades of the label's catalogue - Five years of Loving Notes features new names as well as those of artists who have been involved with the label since it's very beginning, like Geena or Iueke - responsible for the first 12' released on Antinote.

The music on this compilation covers a wide spectrum of moods and atmospheres, from the dark and raw excursions from Tolouse Low Trax or Iueke to the lush instrumental crafted by Nico Motte and Syracuse's Antoine Kogut; however as the listener gets deeper into the compilation, the whole of the tunes, sitting side by side on the records, start to make sense as they all seem to point towards the same direction. If one should try isolating a common trait from all these songs, one might come to the conclusion that it lies in the way they all speak directly to the listener's emotional receptors, unvarnished and without abusing of producer's 'tricks'.

We'll let the tricky question mentioned before in your hands once you will have been through this 63-minute long testimony of exclusive music by the artists who have been shaping Antinote's sound for five years; from the opening Latvian arabesques from Domenique Dumont to the Pink-Floyd-ian ending from the latest addition to the label, Alek Lee, via Leonardo Martelli's smoggy electro and Raphael Top Secret's ominous talk-over.

Musically and emotionally, Superpitcher's third full-length studio album, The Golden Ravedays is a one sound autobiography that exhibits the skill, feeling and style that the artist has honed over a period of twenty years, musically, and forty-plus-years, emotionally.

And full-length it is:

The Golden Ravedays is an epic album of 24 tracks that was released in January 2017 and is stretching over 12 respective chapter albums during a one-year period.

The fourth chapter of The Golden Ravedays saga will be released on Hippie Dance in April 2017.

Number 4 of the series introduces two further tracks of the sound adventure that Superpitcher is taking us on this year.

Side A features Blood and Berry.

It is a captivating track that reminds one of the very first years when Superpitcher made music under the alias Sir Positive.

The beat is broken and the going is slow and rolling and the listening is a warm bath. There are flutes there that one never wants to stop and they almost don't. However essentially sweet this track is, like a berry on the tongue, it might lead to some blood on the dance floor!
Listening to Side B of this Golden Ravedays edition is entering a ghost town, alone, under a full moon.

Howl is a confluence of melodies and rhythms from Africa to Arabia where the snakes are being charmed out of their baskets and it is downright creepy.

A spooky voice is saying something but we don't know what exactly and it is bothersome because deep down we know that tonight when we are alone in the dark, we should be ready with the answer - or else.

All we can do is wonder:

Did Superpitcher sell his soul to the vampires for the vocals he let lose in this track

He answers by howling at the full moon behind thorn trees, in the shadows.

Entertaining, thoughtful and brave!

We salute the wolves and their master.

Hooo-oooowl!

Al Massrieen: Disco, Funk and modernized Arabic Pop from Egypt

In the beginning of Habibi Funk, our search was focussed on vinyl records. Around a year ago though, we got to the point where we realized that it became substantially harder to discover music, that we enjoyed and hadn't heard before. It became apparent that it was time to start looking for other formats. Cassette tapes were the obvious alternative. These were introduced in the arabic world around the late 1970s. In some countries they took over a bit earlier, in others a bit later, but eventually they pushed the vinyl format out of the market in the 1980s. In Egypt this trend already even started in the late 1970s.

Al Massrieen was one of the first bands I learned about once I discovered the tape format for myself. They were really popular in Egypt in the 1970s and the more of their music I found on either tapes or Arabic pirate mp3 sites, the more I was becoming a fan. Only very few bands from the region can match the band's versatility as well as their strive for innovation. Hany Shenoda is the man behind the Al Massrieen band. He is a reknown figure of the Egyptian music scene and has worked with everyone from Abdel Halim Hafez to Mohamed Mounir. Al Massrieen was his attempt to introduce his ideas of modernizing Egyptian music, heavily encouraged by Naguib Mahfouz (Egypt's only winner of the Nobel Price for literature) after discussing his ideas with him.
Al Massrieen's sound goes from lush disco like 'Sah' to psych rock like 'Horreya' or incredible jazz fused pop on songs such as 'Edba Mn Gded'. I was shocked to realize the band seemed to be hardly known outside Egypt, even though I feel they're at least on the same level as Ahmed Fakroun. An relative obscurity which I largely attribute to the fact that their releases never have been pressed on vinyl (apart from a Greece best of LP which wasn't a strong compilation of the group's songs). One way or another it felt like this band and especially their composer, band leader and overall brain Hany Shenoda was in need to get some recognition outside of Egypt. The release is fully licensed from the band and comes with an extensive booklet with liner notes, interviews and unseen photos.

Cosmic Club 17's in the house, and for this one Skylax have delved deep into the mystic universe of the ultra prolific photonz with a four track EP quite simply out of this dimension ! Photonz is the artist name of Marco Rodrigues, a London-based DJ and producer who's been championing the new sound of Portuguese house and techno worldwide since the early 2000s. He has done tracks for various labels such as crème organization, unknown to the unknown, hot haus, the "cult" dissident and many more. His first cut "memories of burma" that gave the title to the ep is an infinite groove that builds and builds with arabic synths, a perfect crossover between balearic & old school jackin house. "Baronrevxp" & "agape" moves into the same territories with some sharp clap, hi hats and some big retro vintage sounds. While "stealth predator" catches him at his most experimental, upping the tempo and unleashing an ambitious techno juke roller, think about drexcya, 1990s techno, Plink Plonk and you're not even close ! Photonz music sounds extremely big for the big rooms, and still very large indeed for the smaller ones.His music is praised by The Chemical Brothers, Jackmaster, Optimo, Ivan Smagghe, Daniel Avery, James Holden, Ewan Pearson, Auntie Flo, Tim Sweeney, just to name a few. 'Memories of Burma' EP is not just a cosmic experience, but a voyage into the realms of a producer in a world of his own. Must have. Essential item. SKYLAX RECORDS 4 EVER !

Dope late 80's Electro from Melbourne. Three mixes (including instrumental) of this nuts tune Serious recommendation!

By his debut album "Alcatraz" in January 2015, ARAS label head André Galluzzi thrilled with a concept album inspired by occult sounds and psychedelic vocals. "Alcatraz" as a whole is a captivating piece of art, its the essence of a club night. Now after received a wave of icredible feedback from "Alcatraz", the bird returns to ARAS with a bunch of remixes of the hypnotic track "Mathilda". Time to welcome Mike Shannon and Jacek Sienkiewicz to the ARAS family. This remixes will be a blast at the club by its very deep and reduced, futuristic interpretations. Mike, as head A&R of Cynosure and formerly Revolver Canada Recordings over 10 years, has shown an uncanny ability to select and produce tracks which have become go-to fixtures in the sets of the industry's best DJs. Far from pursuing the next one hit wonder or sound of the season, his steadfast curatorial vision and passion for the music have earned him the trust of discerning music connoisseurs the world over. Alongside DeWalta, Mike impressed lately with his album "Residual" on Cynosure/ meander back in March 2016. Jacek Sienkiewicz lives in Warsaw and he is a key figure in Polish electronic music scene. He holds Recognition since 1999, one famous label based in Berlin. With one foot deep in classic Detroit and Chicago dance scene, and the other in modern jazz and classical music, Jacek's tracks for the past ten years always try to find a right balance between the avant-garde and dancefloor, between primal emotions and highly sophisticated sonic wizardry. His latest album "Hideland" has been released in August 2016 on Recognition.

Krishnanda is an album in the truest sense of the word - a spiritual, psychedelic Brazilian masterpiece from start to fnish - celebrated by everyone from Seu Jorge and Kassin to Floatng Points, Madlib and DJ Nuts. These days, originals change hands for thousands of dollars. Pedro dos Santos, born in Rio in 1919, was a percussionist virtuoso, composer and inventor of instru-
ments that apparently included oddites such as the 'Tamba' (electrifed bamboo drum) and the mouth berimbau whistle. Nicknamed Perdo 'Sorongo' afer the rhythm he invented, that features throughout 'Krishnanda'. A highly spiritual man who was regarded as a philosopher by many. He worked with greats including Baden Powell, Elis Regina, Maria Bethany, Elza Soares, Sebastão Tapajós, Roberto Ribeiro, Milton Nascimento, Clara Nunes, Paul Simon and Arthur Verocai, playing on
his legendary self-ttled LP. In the same vein as Verocai and his self-ttled LP, 'Krishnanda' was Pedro's chance to shine with his own, and only, solo recording. Krishnanda was produced by Hélcio Milito, the drummer of Tamba Trio, and arranged by conductor Joppa Lins, and originally released in 1968 on CBS (Brasil). Musically, the album touches folk, samba,
afro-brazilian and psychedelia plus added efects, with a lyrical depth and diversity to match; themes including morality, percepton, existence and ego. Despite the genius of the record and the infuence that it had on musicians at the tme of release, it
disappeared into obscurity. We frst discovered the record around 2003, through a friend Julio Dui. Around that tme Brazilian funk and bossa was the favour of the day, so didn't catch our ear immediately, however it contnued improve with age and now we consider it to be one of the best albums ever made, regardless of genre or origin.

The sounds of Brazil in the late 60's were thriving with creative growth in thought and world minded values. The age of fusion was alive and well and a lost hidden gem from this era comes in the sole Pedro Santos 1968 LP Krishnanda. Tracks include "Ritual Negro", "Água Viva", "Um Só", "Sem Sombra", "Savana", "Advertência", "Quem Sou Eu", "Flor de Lótus", "Dentro da Selva", "Desengano da Vista", "Dual", "Aranbindu".

Y-Bayani is Ghana's uprising Fanti-reggae artist. He was discovered by Philophon in Ebo Taylor's hometown Saltpond, where he survived as a clock doctor. With his song "Asembi Ara Amba" he was featured on the highly acclaimed debut "Invisible Joy" by the Polyversal Souls. The success of that song opened the door for his first release under his sonorous own name: Y-Bayani.

"Get Away" is a swinging up-tempo beat with a bouncy bass and a haunting vocal performance on top. "Obar No Ni" on the other hand brings you down with a slowly driving rub-a-dub beat. Both tunes have been produced by Max Weissenfeldt and Stibbo Spitzmüller at Berlin's Joy Sound Studios.

At this moment, Global Bass music is an intimate circuit in the electronic music landscape. Airplane tickets and the internet serve to connect producers and artists in every imaginable combination. Spanning across Africa, Europe, India, the Caribbean, and the Americas, allowing for the birth of new forms of collaboration. At the nexus of the Tropical music monsoon is producer Thor Partridge, aka Thornato. Born in Sweden, Thor grew up in a household filled with traditional Greek, African, and Carribbean music. Moving in early childhood to Queens, New York, the borough's diversity further influenced his style and taste. Thor added to his rich musical palette by studying classical piano, jazz guitar, and bluegrass banjo. A passion for electronic music production, remixing, and music of the entire globe soon developed. Thor's debut EP "Things Will Change" is an amalgamation of his global influence, coupled with strong roots in dance music culture. His music is not a product of samples downloaded from the internet, but from his driving wanderlust and ability to hand select musicians to work with on location in the countries where they are from. By recording in the field with a mobile studio, Thor captures the real essence and soul of the music and where it's coming from. The EP kicks off with "Chapinero", a bass heavy joint with an infectious Colombian Gaita melody. Handclaps and chopped vocal samples make for a booming floor rocker. "Deux a Duex" turns towards the African dancefloor incorporating infectious guitars and beautiful vocal harmonies courtesy of Kongo Electro from Cape Town. "Koz Kazah" heads to the Middle East with it's violin melodies, thick sub-bass, and Arabic vocals courtesy of Karen Be. Finally, "Tera Dewana" lands us in the Indian subcontinent with it's driving beat, tablas, and Hindi vocals from Vasanth S & AKS. Thornato's "Things Will Change" EP shows that while indeed the music does change, the soul and the heart of sounds from all over the world remain consistent, and that dancefloor music is universal - no matter where in the world you are!

Der Regenmacher trägt Hoffnung in sich. Er kann Blüte in Zeiten der Dürre bringen, neues Leben, wo lange keines war. Er weiß, dass er scheitern kann - und dass er gerade deswegen den Glauben an seinen Erfolg aufrecht erhalten muss. Mit seiner Musik ist der Berliner Rapper Megaloh selbst zu einer Art Regenmacher geworden. Er bringt die Hoffnung auf eine neue Ära im deutschen Hip-Hop. Nun erscheint sein neues Album mit genau diesem Titel: "Regenmacher". Die Stärke des Megaloh von 2016: dass er Geschichten nicht nur erzählt, sondern sie in unmittelbar mitreißende Musik zu übersetzen weiß. Dass er so unterschiedliche Feature-Gäste wie Max Herre, Joy Denalane, MoTrip, Jan Delay, den Sänger Maxim, Tua von Die Orsons, Patrice oder den Leipziger Dancehall-Don Trettmann auf einem Album zusammenbringen kann - und dennoch einen unverwechselbaren Sound schafft.

Manuel and Julian (Bedlam) experiment in different Setups on the fringes of modernist Techno. Working about freely allows them to keep a spontaneous Jam feel to their music. Utilizing whatever hard and software they can get their hands on, their tracks levitate from straight-up punchiness to subbed, backstabbing synths and more eclectic notes.

Side A:
Opens with kickless track - NUCK CHARMS , builds up the tension needed for brute, peak energy live cut, DELIA'S DENTIST'. - STEADY ON THE BRAKE however, plays with the expectation of a kick drum, setting the focus on a sneaky synth line, delivering dynamic to the early stages of a set.

On Side B:
The opener JETSUN' sets foot into more field-tested territories of Techno with an expansive bassline and driving percussions. - WALDO'S MOMENT , the track after, provides an electro framework, coated in overly dramatic arabesque melodics. The EP is secluded by close friend and label partner Sedus, who turns the quirky electronics of - WALDO'S MOMENT / SEDUS VERSION into a candid peak-time banger, utile in any Techno set.
Stock Projects - S/T' arrives in a limited run of 300 on 140g vinyl.

Wax digger and producer for over two decades Jay puts on the editor's hat for this new release.

Driven by discoïd baselines the inuences of this 4 track ep are oriental and mediterranean grooves.

4 surprising tracks tailored for the dance oor and ready to delight the open-minded and curious listener.

On his album Songs from Okinawa, Sven Kacirek explores the traces of a unique traditional music from the famed Pacific islands south of Japan. He recorded a wide range of local musicians - both amateurs and well-known figures - and carefully wove in his own instrumentation: marimba, xylophone, and piano. The result is an album of timeless beauty and quiet elegance. The southern Japanese archipelago of Okinawa has a complex and turbulent history, particularly shaped by the conflicts between Japan and the United States - an aspect thoughtfully outlined in the liner notes by Mina Mermoud. Over the centuries, this layered past has given rise to a rich and distinctive musical culture. During the U.S. military occupation of the islands, Okinawan musicians began blending traditional forms with Western styles. Today, Okinawan music is recognised in Japan as a genre of its own. "I"m fascinated by the sublime simplicity and precision of Okinawan music - from its orchestration to the phrasing of the singing voice," says Kacirek. True to this admiration, he keeps many of the original vocal and instrumental recordings intact, gently adding his marimba or percussion without ever pushing himself into the spotlight.

Alex Niggemann's AEON label mirrors the peak time DJs sets that the supremely talented Berliner plays, staying focused on conjuring up the spirit of classic and timeless house and techno, updating it and creating new boundless possibilities for the future. Since launching the label in 2013 Alex has been gradually building a family of like-minded creative individuals to keep the AEON ethos moving ever forward. The label's 17th release sees regular artist P. Lopez team up with fellow araguayan producer Octavio and deliver a glorious 5-track techno EP, including a stylish remix from the masterful Tobias. (Berghain / Life & Death).

This is the second movie with Zeudi Araya, filmed in a hurry to take advantage of the success of the previous "La ragazza dalla pelle di luna". Piero Umiliani's music adds melancholy to the evocative scenes, without neglecting important sound variations, years ahead of the James Taylor Quartet and acid jazz.

Vor eineinhalb Jahren war er noch Tellerwäscher in einem Restaurant in Fort Worth, vor drei Monaten jagten vierzig Plattenfirmen nach seiner Unterschrift. Nun, im Frühling 2015, steht Leon Bridges vor der Veröffentlichung eines DER Alben, die mit Spannung erwartet werden. So musste zuletzt beim diesjährigen SXSW Festival in Austin beim seinem Konzert hunderten Besuchern wegen Überfüllung der St. David's Episcopal Church der Eintritt verwehrt werden. Doch wie war dem extrem schüchternen, 25-jährigen Texaner, der mit seinem Look und Sound den Soul der Prä-Beatles-Ära aufleben lässt, in der kurzen Zeit dieses Kunststück nur geglückt Leons große Liebe war eigentlich das Tanzen und so absolvierte er zunächst eine Ausbildung als Choreograph. Auf die Idee, irgendwann einmal selbst Musik zu machen, wäre er damals nie gekommen. Seine eigene Musikerkarriere begann Leon Bridges mit dem Schreiben einfacher Songs und trat bei "Open Mic"-Abenden im Großraum seiner Heimatstadt auf. Im Laufe der Zeit entwickelte der junge Texaner dann ein Faible für perfekt nuancierten Retro-Soul und -Gospel, der ihm Vergleiche mit seinen Helden Sam Cooke, Percy Sledge und Otis Redding bescherte.

Collecting Eddie Ruscha's cassette recordings over two compilation albums has been one of the highlights of the
label, so it seemed right to hand over the choice tracks to a set of his contemporaries from the City of Angels.First up is rising star Suzanne Kraft. The alias of Diego Herrara, very much a young man to watch. With releases for Running Back, Young Adults and Noise In My Head, as well as possibly EP of the year already as Dude Energy, while holding down being a member of The Pharoahs (ESP Institute / Not Not Fun) and not forgetting, one half of Blase with Mr Ruscha himself, he's a busy man so getting this remix took some effort! However, it was all worth
it, as Diego takes the crazy afro-stylings of Afrobotics and pulls it towards the danceflor, adding percussion and sirens, forging the originals vibes in to a ethno-beat club jam that is all about that heads down moment. Next up is the quirksum individuality of The Samps. The project of one of LAs fiest, but hidden musicians,
Cole M.G.N. Working with Nite Jewel, Ariel Pink and Puro Instinct is cool enough, but his solo Samps project is another level, with a mind-altering exploration of funk warped electronics. Sure enough then, his take on Shockers is just that, a mash of beats, bass and sample cut ups. This is pyschedelic dance music for the mind.
Flipping things completely is LA's Mr Funk himself, Tom Noble. Taking the laid back grooves of Underdogs, Tom does his trademark good time, party vibes with a killer boogie style remix. Letting the groove do the work, keys and a good deal of wiggle just led it all ride home. Finally then is something Emotional Response is all about, highlighting producers the label is fans of, but letting them explore alternate spheres. While Cameron Stallones' Sun Araw project has become one of the names in
modern psychedelic experimentation, little is known of the alter-ego Aristrocrat P. Child. With just one cassette of warped disco edits to his name, here he closes the EP with exactly that, a re-edit of cut up irreverance, twisted and looped to distraction - an ethereal experimental and modern musical genius...just like Mr
Ruscha.