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A great strong man with a brush in his hand once said: everything you can imagine is real and art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. So is making music just another form of keeping a diary In terms of Ana Helder, the Argentinian girl with the special twist, the answer is: maybe. More than two years after her last release on Co´meme she is back with a hand full of tracks. Five to be precise. She got more, but this is what the Mu¨stique's received. They are mean, dirty, harmful, amorevolous, seductive and addictive. Surrender tunes from a producer and DJ that does not think in boxes. Her three Eps El Groove De Tu Corazo´n', Fiebre De Marte' and Beating PC' mark some warped grooving heights in the edgy catalogue of Matias Aguayo's label Co´meme. Also on the French label Astro Lab she already dropped the 12inch Soy Canalla' with a playful psyche tune, that additionally got remixed by folks like Les Disques De La Mort seducer Ivan Smagghe or the mysterious West-German ghost-(w)rid(t)er Frank West. Furthermore, she re-tuned tunes from Chilean friends like Alejandro Paz or Mama- cita and sang on songs of colleagues. For Mu¨stique she now looked into her always-growing production crate and found some post-punk waving funk odes, which want more than just to dance this mess around. They bring soulful LSD-melodies for Jazz lovers with techno legs that like to get high on Liquid Liquid. They are electronic but yet so organic. And they move deeply while spreading the feel of a meditative rest. When Diagnose heard them first, he came to the idea of writing a script for a flick that tells the story of a music-making machine, which has more to offer than answers. It forms sound with no traces of reality, but is so human that humans fear it. Why did he think that way Only because of what Ana Helder recently got to say Well, let the music play...

Release number 2 for Burnin Music sees two local heroes of the London underground house music scene, Leonidas and Kay Suzuki, joining forces for a unique project : Synqlock vol II

Hard to describe in a few words 11:24 of pure sonic bliss. With 'Interstellar Meditation' the artists seem to have reached a certain wisdom in the making: rain falling, organic sounds of the forrest and a beautiful analogue symphony. A very very emotional track. A unique journey.

Asteroid (Jackin' Acid Dub) is a short pumped up techno tune which manages to keep the soul from 'Asteroid' (on the flip side) while adding acid elements.

Undercurrent opens the B side with layers of analogue synths on a beatless groove. It feels like the start of an epic journey into sounds where time and space are relative.

With 'Asteroid' you get to full speed: again layers of analogue synths respond to a breathless beat. The hypnotic bassline pulls you to an 'emotional' dancefloor: it is not only a 'dance' track but also feels like an emotional experience.

After a hiatus of 3 yrs : THE MASTER is BACK !!! Vinyl Only

Idle Hands continues its quest to support new talent coming out of Bristol with a fresh 12" from local beatsmith Crump. Up to this point, he's been quietly slipping out razor sharp reduced house cuts on various artist releases for Extended Play and Banoffee Pies, but it's high time he had a 12" of his to truly showcase his sound.

The two tracks on this single tap into a consistent thread on Idle, fusing the minimal sensibilities of contemporary European house music with a swung, dub-weighted presence fit for soundsystem consumption in the fair city we call home. Much like previous releases from Leif, Christian Jay and Matt Karmil, this is a demonstration of stripped down music loaded with swagger.

"Ice & Spheres" pivots around an ear-snagging 2-step shuffle that cuts through any mix, but there's scores of subtlety woven in between the drums to reward the attentive listener. Snatches of vocal, distant field recordings, low-blowing synth licks and other unidentifiable sonic matter lurk quietly in the mix to cast a spell on the sleep-deprived twitcher and warm-up head-nodder alike.

Sporting a brighter disposition thanks to the sheen of its chords, "Mechanisms" provides a different vibe on the flip. The beat throws down with a rugged nod to West London broken styles while still tapping into that aforementioned continental 4/4 sensibility, injecting a refreshing variation into the densely populated minimal house landscape while maintaining the meditative qualities that keep the genre close to our hearts.

Unsurprisingly, Richard Galling, does indeed hail from Milwaukee, having released disco inspired jams since about 2012. With his stuff getting plays on the likes of Beats In Space, he got his name out early. His latest offering is this single that features two original tracks and some remixes too. '303 features the eponymous bass machine all over this deep, arpeggio-heavy tech-disco jam, 'Organ' swaps the 303 for a classic Robin S-style house organ, and 'Prophet' adds some big room bass. Also included is a Prophet version of 'Clear Water", a real late 80s, Shep Pettibone-style, Latin house joint. Luke Solomon's Body Edit, is absolut Dancefloor HEAT !!!!

Ten Years Behind the Scenes - An Anniversary Celebration Keeping anything alive for a decade is worthy of a kudos-but when it comes to club culture and dance music, 10 years is an admirable milestone indeed. For Indigo Raw, it represents another opportunity to bring in the left-field, high-grade dance inducers. And this time, the raison d'etre of the labels tenth anniversary release is a certain infamous duo known as Midnight Operator. Centered around the eponymous creation by Nathan and Mathew Jonson, Behind the Scenes EP is an ode to the kind of off-kilter, moody techno the pair have become infamous for. And on this particular occasion, we're taken for a journey in more than one sense. Equipped with a classic Jonson bass line and a scant little phrase that carries the track all the way through the end, Behind the Scenes is a lesson in transmutation. Sombre beginnings undergo a gradual shift into dancier, sunnier territory-until we are left with the impression that we've tuned into a channel that runs all the way through hills and past Martian wildlife. From dark to light, the brothers lift a veil to reveal a resolutely ecstatic piece of work. One that, in arriving at a very different place from where it sets out, earns all eight minutes of its wandering. In continuation of the jubilee excursion for this anniversary release, reworks of the flagship track have come in from across the globe. From south of the equator, AtomTM delivers an assertive piece that takes the darkest aspects of the Midnight Operator original and, with the help of a relentless stream of stabs and a sped-up beat, brings them into the spotlight. Meanwhile, Nerosky-as in Nerone(indigo Raw label partner) & Fosky-makes their debut with a piece collaborated in the confines of a smoky Catalan studio.

Astray is the Sublabel of Away, Berlin. Tracklist A Wild Hunt AA Sahara Pump Theory B Wild Hunt (Mark Broom Remix) BB Hell For Leather INFO H4L After Discrete Circuit kicked off ASTRAY, another offshoot of the Berlin party series AWAY, the other half of their joint venture AWAY Soundsystem is in charge for ASTRAY's third installment. H4L, the Berlin-based live studio project, explores some tougher, jam-driven experiments resonating from two decades of warehouse reverberation experience. INFO Wild Hunt EP The title track starts off the release with a dusty, stripped-down pursuit. Marching forward with impelling kick drums, H4L creates an overall organic groove incorporating percussive, distorted sound particles, glancing up in and out of the mix like misty voices. 'Sahara Pump Theory' follows a more robust approach driven by vivid stab sequences and gnarly acidic bass elaborating a vibrant exchange of flow and energy. One of these unfolding weapons that know how to tickle that genuine peak-time madness. Speaking of weapons, UK producer Mark Broom is no stranger to that discipline after hitting dance floors with his ensouled workouts for more than two decades now. Following his old-school compass by calibrating the essentials of groove and melody, Broom's remix of 'Wild Hunt' throws the originals' core parts overboard to empower his highly effective hi-hats as the driving force rocketing into a distant atmosphere. 'Hell For Leather' tops off H4L's package with an unexpected hit-and-run sonic attack. Whether the competing broken and off beats, the IDM rooted drum patterns or the leftfield yet industrial jazz design - this reckless trip is by no means an easy finish, more like a feral crash course about an (almost) forgotten principle: electronic music is either an adventure or nothing at all.

The following release on Sublunar Records is a debut EP from a young emerging talent: The Berlin based producer Nh.
"Nihil" is a selection of four heterogeneous tracks in terms of intensity and mood, each one being singular for different reasons but yet coherent by the round-around-the-edges production style, they have been executed in as well as their creator s personal imagery and unorthodox approach to the techno genre.
Warmth and empathy first appear as the driving forces behind Noro , until they vanish and let place to insanity and darkness, present and growing throughout Lothar . On the flip side the eponymous track shows a rave-like up-tempo beat being outweighed by the melancholy of its melodic elements. Finally, in Crimson , a quiet and unstoppable force push us out of the abyss until we reach the initial point again.

Felix Kubin (org, electr,sampler)
Milosz Pekala (vib, xyl, sampler, perc, effects)
Magdalena Kordylasinska (mar, perc, effects)
Hubert Zemler (glsp, dr, perc)

Music composed by Felix Kubin, tracks A1+2 together with Milosz, Magda and Hubert.

The pieces are soundtracks to educational and industrial 16mm films dealing with the subject of "work".

They were commissioned by NDR das neue werk (North German Radio).

Recording engineer: Robert Migas, Black Kiss Studio, Warsaw
Mix: Tobias Levin, Electric Avenue Studio, Hamburg
Mastering: Rashad Becker, D&M, Berlin
Production: Felix Kubin

Film archive: Metropolis Kino, Hamburg
NDR editorial department: Dr. Richard Armbruster

Artwork: Stephen O'Malley

Originally developed as a film score "Takt der Arbeit" is inspired by a handful of industrial and instructional films from the early 1960's until the early 1990's that portrait different forms of work. Felix Kubin is translating these historic documents into a musical poem of conceptual depth. "Takt der Arbeit" - the beat of work - is not only serving as a title but also as constructive element in this endeavour.

Being hunted down by the ever accelerated pulse of our reality is an omnipresent issue in capitalist societies of the the Western world. Living in times of constant exhaustion, it's not only our bodies that have been disciplined by and synchronized to the rhythms of working processes, but also our minds that rage in the tempo of our surroundings. Following an almost analytical effort, Kubin and an ensemble of 3 percussionists are investigating the different qualities and intensities of time that are catalyzed in working processes. While picking up precise temporal and motoric motives of the films, condensing paces and excavating rhythmic patterns, the ensemble is mapping out an animist choreography, shifting from a time when labour was still relying on bodily efforts to a time when machines and ticking clocks seem to reign and model our perception. While Side A is dedicated to procedures that are still based on manual and mechanical movement, Side B is inspired by the digital age, marked by invisible processes and subcutaneous pulses that we internalize.

The result is a critical and poetic reflection on the rhythms of our daily life and yet another example of Felix Kubin's skills as a composer, placing him in the field of orchestral music.

Its Riot Gear number 2 and it's a party monster from the ever reliable Pete Herbert The EP is packed with Italo madness, house pianos, arpeggios and beats galore. Bottin & Yam Who provide the remixes. Venice based Bottin adds a classic Metro Area-esque feel, with new wave boogie touches, proto house beats and killer analogue synthesizers. Yam Who tears apart 'Expresso' with rough disco beats, a stripped down pulsating bass and brings in dreamy Rinder & Lewis keys over an authentic '70s disco production, fully optimised for all the late night dance floors.

First Word Records are very proud to present an EP by Manchester's finest Hip Hop and Soul exports, Children of Zeus. This is 'The Story So Far...'

Konny Kon & Tyler Daley met back in 2005, after both performing a show near Paris in their respective crews, Broke'N'£nglish and Body Roq. The duo met up back home in Manchester, spurred on initially by a mutual admiration of each others music, and produced their first track together, aptly entitled 'Coming Home To You'.

A few years later, Tyler approached Konny about producing a full EP together. These sessions included the creation of a track called 'Still Standing', which ultimately saw the light of day last Summer on First Word. Still a highlight in their live sets, the Lenzman rub won "Best Remix" at the 2016 Drum & Bass Awards. The original has become somewhat of a British Soul anthem since its release, with people that missed it first time round still clamouring for it on wax. So we've included it on this EP.

As they've grown within the family of Manchester's music scene, they've provided a tonic to the city's bass-orientated club scene, breathing Soul back into the city, whilst maintaining their heritage of Hip Hop swagger. As an MC, Konny takes no prisoners, whilst Tyler (a prolific MC in his own right) has gained a rep as one of the UK's strongest Soul voices. Both artists have been blessed with the talent of beat-making. A combined craftsmanship upon the boards and in the booth.

From building a grassroots following of fans, they've since travelled the globe, sharing stages with giants and catching the ear of peers far and wide, from Pete Rock to Zed Bias. As well as hosting their own monthly radio show on NTS, they've collaborated with numerous Hip Hop acts, both sides of the Atlantic, as well as Soul royalty in the form of Caron Wheeler and Drum'n'Bass legends, such as Goldie (Tyler featuring heavily across his latest album).

Children of Zeus have finally begun the process of crafting together their debut album. This EP is a compilation of the creations the duo have produced themselves over the past decade, put together to appease their loyal followers thus far, and as an introduction to those yet to discover their talents. A snapshot of what has been, and a mere taster of what's to come. It features brand new tracks such as 'Smoke With Me' and (vinyl-only cut) 'Tonight', the anthemic 'Crown' (featured on First Word's 'Two Syllables' compilation previously) and fan favourites such as 'No Sunshine Tomorrow' and 'Push On'. A collection of raw, gritty, Hip Hop Soul music.

The debut album will drop in 2018.
This collection signals the end of the first chapter. A prologue even.
Get on board now. The time is right. This is the story so far...

After a triumphant return to Batu's Timedance label with 'Intrigued By The Drum' Ploy keeps the pressure high on his new EP for Hemlock.

Unruly exposes further light on the workings of his now signature style. Waves of metallic percussion tessellate around a thumping central bassline. Pneumatic flashes of noise seal a dense atmosphere full of equal parts euphoria and dread.

Garys is Ploy's most stripped back and potent club tool yet, striding into 'proper techno' territory, equipped and optimised for the highest yield.

Lost Hours drops the beats and pumps out a thick fog of hazy chords and bellowing subs. Perfect for after hours listening.

Dark Entries returns to the New Jersey basement studio of Smersh to unearth an 18-minute jam session from 1989, backed with two contemporary remixes. Smersh was the duo of Mike Mangino and Chris Shepard from Piscataway, NJ who began making music together in 1978. They were uninterested in traditional notions of songwriting or live performance. Between 1981 and 1993 they released over 40 cassette albums on their own Atlas King imprint. As these tapes traded their way across continents, Smersh developed a devoted following in places far beyond New Jersey, leading to releases on dozens of other labels from around the globe.

Sideways' was taken from a cassette titled '100', which refers to a 100-minute jam session the band recorded to tape on June 12, 1989 in Piscataway. The track was composed and performed by Mike, utilizing a Roland TB-303, TR-606, SH-09 and an ARP 2600. A frenetic hybrid of techno and acid with driving EBM style beats, Sideways' weaves intricate industrial noises with synth melodies that drift in and out of phase. On the flip are two fresh remixes by different aliases of prolific Ann Arbor producer Tadd Mullinix. As JTC, he expands the sound palette, adding organ stabs and lush pads, drawing on Detroit deep house and UK garage.The Charles Manier remix features chanted vocals on top of an array of pulsating synths, stark percussion, and post-punky guitar effects. Each song has been carefully remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The record is sleeved in a replica of the '100' artwork, which designer Eloise Leigh modified using motifs and textures sourced from the original cassette. Also included is an oversized postcard with notes.

Tenderlonious led jazz outfit Ruby Rushton drop their second album of 2017. Following on from the success of 'Trudi's Songbook: Volume One' the band are back with their highly anticipated 'Volume Two'. Comprised of a further six cuts the listener is treated to another journey through modern day jazz!

Stand out tracks include "Tisbury Truckin", which is a stunning opener! Starting with an atmospheric soundscape it unexpectedly drops into a neck-snapping hip-hop groove with a punchy melodic line before effortlessly sliding into an up-tempo, afro-beat inspired rhythm with strong solos from trumpet and keys in tow. "Song For Christopher" is a heartfelt ballad, which begins with a touching flute solo and continues to take the listener on a journey through the emotions, ending in a crescendo of optimism - a fitting tribute to the late Christopher Rushton.

"Charlotte Emma Victoria" is another strong track and includes some tasteful sousaphone and trombone parts to add extra oomph to its bounce, accompanied by a soaring saxophone solo by band leader Edward Cawthorne (aka Tenderlonious). The album ends with a classic Herbie Hancock jazz-fusion standard, "Butterfly", which the band handle with finesse. A fitting cover that I have no doubt would impress its original writers.

'Trudi's Songbook: Volume Two' is a fantastic album, which further solidifies Ruby Rushton's place on the modern jazz scene. This is a must have album that would hold its own in any jazz enthusiasts record collection - make sure you check it out!

Als Oasis 1997 ihr drittes Album "Be Here Now" veröffentlichten, waren sie nicht weniger als die größte
Rockband der Welt. Bereits im Vorjahr hatten sie einzelne Songs live gespielt und auf verschiedenen Singles
veröffentlicht. Dennoch waren seit den Beatles die Erwartungen an ein neues Album nicht mehr so hoch
gewesen. Die Reaktionen waren seinerzeit gespalten, aus heutiger Sicht muss man sagen: Das war
Jammern auf hohem Niveau. Vielleicht war aber auch die Zeit einfach noch nicht reif für das, was vor allem
Noel Gallagher über Monate austüftelte, ausprobierte, wieder verwarf und neu erfand. Jetzt ist das OasisMastermind in seine Archive gegangen und hat das "verflixte" dritte Album noch einmal runderneuert. Neben
dem knackigen, entschlackten Remaster auf CD und Doppel-LP hat er aber für die Deluxe-Fassung sage und
schreibe 28 zusätzliche Tracks ausgegraben: bis heute nie veröffentlichte Songs, Single-B-Seiten, LiveAufnahmen und Demos, darunter die legendären ersten Skizzen von 14 Songs, die 1996 auf der Karibikinsel
Mustique entstanden.

Tenderlonious lays down his fute for this LP and goes back to the MPC, with help from the illusive Dennis Ayler. Comprised of ten cuts 'Brick City' takes the listener on a journey through Afro-House, Funk, Jazz, Rare Groove, Boogie and Broken Beat - something for everyone here! Brick City (4am)' and Buterfy' groove efortlessly whilst synth leads interject over tasty chords, all the while being supported by solid bass lines - these two
will undoubtedly set a strong pace on the dancefoor. 'Funky Booda' does exactly what it says on the tn, it's a straight Funk classic! Its infectous groove and soaring leads are sure to have you clapping your hands and stomping your feet. 'Be Ur Friend' is a fery Afro-House number - reminiscent of one of Tenderlonious's early releases 'Bob's Riddim.' There's also more hip-hop inspired selectons like 'Brick City (4pm)' or 'Pepe's Walk,' which bump hard and have strong traces of Sa-Ra and J Dilla infuence.
The record comes complete with quirky skits like 'Bootsy' and 'Ferndale Gateaux,' which blend in and out between the other tunes allowing the record to fow efortlessly from beginning to end. There is something for everyone on this album. It's the kind of record you can play at home from start to fnish or take out to the club as an essental dancefoor fller.

Swedish artist UBX127 is back on Figure with what might just be his most accomplished release to date. Spanning an arc cross four diverse tracks, the story told is abstract yet full of imagination. Gently pulsating crystalline opener woid carefully sets a vast open scene, covered in gushes of interplanetary winds. First contact is made on A2, it's electro-esque drive and spiky synths hinting at its alien origins. A taste of their mighty technology is given on Watch Out Below, booming with a propulsive punch and constantly swelling in intensity. Relief comes in form of Singularity, a beautiful, long-winding closer, on which soothing arps effortlessly outweigh their beaty counterparts. Having already proven his mastery of the machines with three stellar EPs for the label last year, this record further showcases UBX127's special talent of crafting tunes that are as ripe with drama as they are ready for the floor.

Time for some gentlemen cuts - again! Quintessentials spotted some hot european talents and welcomes Kian-T, Replica, Giovanni Damico and Kolja Gerstenberg to the family. Expect some freakyness, some funkyness, some deep basslines and some dope beats. And a lot of coolness. 4 cuts not to be missed! Thank you.

Betino's Records proudly presents its third release: an EP by the very sharp collective The Big Hustle. The band founded in 2014 by bass player and composer Sébastien Levanneur, brings
together 70's old school funk with the hippest actual sound with influences spanning from Steely Dan to Snarky Puppy, from Mandrill to Lettuce and from Herbie Hancock (Manchild era) to Soulive.
With mighty horn players, a rock and funky rhythm section, and percussions added to it, The Big Hustle's music has a very large variety of sound landscapes. Still, the music never loses the groove and always stays close to the funk.
The A side opens with "Afrorever", a tribute to African culture and music. The guest of honor on this song is legendary Malian musician Cheick Tidiane Seck, longtime partner of Salif Keita, and collaborator of Joe Zawinul, Carlos Santana and Damon Albarn to name a few. After Cheick's introduction, the songs jumps into a typical afrobeat vibe featuring a tight and powerful horn section, suddenly breaks into an electro funk groove and ends in a furious percussive party.
Second track on the A side is "Faure is the Magic Number". It is dedicated to Thomas Faure (co-composer of the track) and François Faure (both featured on this song on tenor sax and keyboards respectively). This piece displays the band's ability to blend jazz-funk groove with a heavy hip-hop beat. Kind of DJ Premier meets Steely Dan.
The B side starts with "Afrorever (Sun's Up Mix)". Through this mix, one can acknowledge instantly Olivier Portal's touch. From the very first chords, he conveys us into his realm blending warm and melancholy keyboards with an old school deep-house rhythm pattern.
The fourth track is called 1, 2, 1, 2'. It is a purely improvised moment in the studio while the band was sound checking before recording with special guest rapper Raashan Ahmad. Nicolas Gueguen had the good idea to press the R button and what you hear is basically what happened afterwards.

Enjoy!

Ike Yard recombine their music looking across decades of post punk, electronic, soundtracks and come out with some of their best yet and enough to last the next 20-30 years (in Ike Yard´s very own words). Originally founded in 1979 New York City, members Michael Diekmann (keyboard, guitar, vocals), Kenneth Compton (programming drums, synths arrangements, bass, guitar, vocals) and Stuart Argabright (programming drums, synths arrangements, distortion bass, keyboards, metal perc) reformed the band once in 2007 and again in 2010. Each time different and with new ambitions. This time 'Sacred Machine' EP is defined by detailed drum layers supported by multiple basses and keyboards, some off-timing beat patterns that turn in a second of synchrony into a straight four on the floor kick and first time vocal collaborations.

Composition wise 'Sacred Machine' EP is recorded as a 'rehearsal'. As for Ike Yard songs would not be done so very many times in their existence, all threw in on each piece as they came into being. It sounds like a group that could have been doing records in Anthony Burgess and Stanley Kubrick´s 'A Clockwork Orange'. 'Night Klub' revisits Ike Yard´s original 'Night After Night' from 1981 EP. 'Sacred Machine' might be familiar to those who caught Ike Yard dates in Europe between 2007-2014 as one of the extended jams prepared for the dark ambient shows. 'Tear Drop' night airport music with sweet vocals by Camella Lobo of Tropic Of Cancer is followed by 'Spit' that explores Ike Yard NCR style with jittery beats, clomping, stomping cross cut beats. 'Slaves Of Janet' featuring Erica Belle brings to mind scenes in an S&M parlour with unused lyrics from the Factory America LP recordings.

'Your Satisfaction' first appeared on a mysterious CDr back in 1996. Produced by a well known Belgian band interested in experimenting with electronic sounds, it became part of Moneymax' first and only album called 'Analog Beats For General Use'. The track remained a well kept club secret that didn't get much play outside of Belgium, though on home turf its forward thinking aesthetic ensured a fair few spins on Sven Van Hees' legendary 'Liaisons Dangereuses' radio show. More than 20 years later, 'Your Satisfaction' finally finds its way onto vinyl. Belgian dj Gratts' sleazy extended treatment, remastered and cut loud and clear, will satisfy any adventurous slow motion dance floor. Flip the record for a whole other universe dreamed up by Gratts and partner in crime Eluize. Inspired by the original, the pair turn Moneymax into Ca$hminus to deliver two tracks born in a place where Belgian new beat, EBM and early rave sounds meet. The result is club monster 'No Satisfaction', which comes in two incarnations: the original vocal version plus an even meaner acid dub for those anxious strobo moments.

Señales, Spanish for Signals, is the new work and debut at Femur by Rafa M. Espinosa, aka Geistform. It depicts a round trip to the darkest side, the sullen and dismal side of our sonic concept. The four tracks, which make up this 12' range from odes to smacking electro beat, obsessive mid-tempos, old industrial echoes and sinister and unsettling atmospheres.

Hailing from Helsingborg but living in Berlin since 2012, swedish street artist and electronic musician Erik Jaahalli releases his debut on Borft. With smudgy analog romantic morning theme tracks bordering between chicago house, detroit techno and european new beat influences. But what youre hearing is geographically the sound of Lichtenberg Berlin now and more specifically the morning vibe at the private continous party Domestic Affairs. Lennie the cat and Dong Xuan Center included. -DJ Joakim Cosmo

Durban's 23 year-old producer Emo Kid has announced he is to release eight-track debut EP, 'Gqomtera', through Gqom Oh! on September 22nd. Although titled 'Gqomtera', which Emo Kid explains is a slang term he and others use for the music, the record actually explores Sgubhu — another strain of South African dance music that shares many stylistic parallels with Gqom, though is always written with a 4x4 beat. Like DJ Lag before him, an artist widely considered the king of Gqom, Emo Kid is also considered a pioneer in Durban; 'Some people call me the Sgubhu king, but I'm just happy they're enjoying my music', he says. Based in Inanda, in the Etafuleni area township in Durban, Emo Kid's house looks out over an area called Isandlwana — the spot where the Zulu army famously defeated the British Army in the Battle Of Isandlwana in 1879. It is from this backdrop that he has written the majority of his music over the last few years, including new record 'Gqomtera'. At eight tracks long, 'Gqomtera' provides a comprehensive overview of the Sgubhu sound, with the aim of taking the listener on their own 'Durban Journey'. 'I wanted to show the uniqueness of my own style which I would describe as more musical', Emo Kid explains, 'you can feel the music when you listen but it still hits hard with that Gqom flavour.' That Gqom flavour, powered by hard, fast, uncompromising drums, provides a solid core from which everything else functions. Bright, shimmering trance synths feature on 'Futuristic Gqom', while on 'Enkwarini' — 'another word for a party or fantastic get together' — vocalist Fawell skips over light, playful Sgubhu rhythms. There's also space for harder, deeper cuts like 'Ground Shaker', cut with a twinkling melody line, the charging pace and power of 'Insimbi Yase Dubane' and the anthemic 'Asbambeki' featuring local crew TLC Fam, translating loosely to being unstoppable; 'It means you can't catch us basically', Emo Kid says proudly, 'On the dance floor, you can't touch us, we're on fire.' Capturing the raw, street sounds of his city, Emo Kid is the latest Durban artist to take the music global and with 'Gqomtera', put Sgubhu firmly on the map.

Sublime compilation of long-lost Australian indie-pop, acoustic jangle and beat happenings gathered by Melbourne-based collector and DJ Bayu and label head Moopie. Twelve tracks of singular vision spanning up- and downbeat pop, post-punk and minimal synth rarities recorded between 1982 and now. Australian twee pop royalty the Cat's Miaow shares the stage with the Cannanes and the Particles; Ya Ya Choral with Sarah Records' own Even As We Speak. Included is the previously unreleased 'Dot', by Mutant Sounds cult band Maestros and Dipsos. Full colour reverse-card sleeve with printed insert and lyrics sheet.

ET002 Vinyl Only!

Limited edition 200 Copies

Optimo Trax presents a 4-track EP from Germany's Mathias Schober, head honcho of Berlin's Lossless label. As always we prefer to let our artists do the talking. Here's what Mathias has to say about this release -
The idea behind all tracks on the EP was a simple setup of drums and one synth that would do a main sequence/sound, yet there's a lot of detail in all of them. 'In A Certain Way' features a 808ish beat with a main sequence coming from a tiny monophon synth called Atmegatron - 8Bit love, it turned out being much more music than I thought it would be when I set everything up.
'But What Rules Are Made For' is the same setup but the sequence is a 101 and so are all the washed out fx synths. On 'Is To Break Them' I went a different route, I had the dub, delayed stabs synth first as I was messin' with my Moog and a Space Echo - which btw is used on every single track I release, if you haven't noticed yet.
So I was trying to build something around those stabs in order to fit the track to the others and so I ended up with another sequence coming from my Moog. As there was still space on the record, I decided to add an ambient version of 'Is To Break Them', I love the ambience on this track. I hope that my love for dub sounds is obvious enough on these tracks. Happy I found such an excellent home for the EP!

Listening to Unknown Path's Pathfinder for the first time is a claustrophobic experience. It's as if the tracks had been recorded to tape and left to decompose for 10 or so years, then dug up and re-recorded. A thick layer of grunge and an overall murky feel sets the tone for Path 0.1 and continues throughout the EP. Paths 0.2 and 0.3 add a more upbeat feel to proceedings, as the beats get scattered around like they were in a pinball machine. Path 0.4 finishes off the experience by bringing the tempo back down, while all the time keeping the uneasy atmospherics that make this EP a unique and rewarding listen.

Silencio celebrates the first year of the label with a double-pack vinyl aptly titled Uno.
Comprising of new and established artists, the tracks on Uno collectively summarize the the feel of this label's year, while giving us a hint of what to expect in the year to come.
Click Box & Stefan Dichev kick off the release with 'Memories'. Presenting a collaborative production that will prove over and over again why sound is one of the strongest senses tied to memory. Engineered with emotionally responsive rhythms that roll into a rocksteady baseline, this track evokes feelings with finesse. "Memories" also features funky squiggle sounds and trailing even-tempered tones to punctuate its procession. This is one you'll want to relive every time the opportunity arises.
New comer Wave Particle Singularity has done it again. 'Virtue' is a tremendous track that will quickly establish itself as one of your new favorite things. The drum sequence, accented by beguiling background sounds and curious vocals, gallops throughout this selection with all its feet off the ground together in each smooth stride. Plus, it also comes fully equipped with a pleasingly unpredictable pace in the form of some moody, well-orchestrated changes that result in a perfectly adjusted attitude. Never a dull moment on the dance floor.
Guaranteed.
Kepler.'s latest offering 'Tool A' possess all the qualities one would normally associate with a fine wine because the taste left on the palate after its consumption is both complex and satisfying. During its ascent, effects that compress a thousand echoes into a single sample ride alongside an active baseline that ripples accordingly. Subtle, flavorful snippets bleep and bloop in complete balance, giving this cut a coordinated, contemplative vibe that brings everything into focus.
With his first track on Silencio, Yuuki Hori's 'Scene 5' is truly a unique item. This electromechanicaly exotic sounding export from Japan makes an impression with layers that are neatly stacked and minimal to the max. Its main feature, a sample that seemingly mimics the mating call of a male bullfrog, rhythmically ribbits in harmony with the beat, bellowing over the entirety of this track. All the various elements of this composition come together in a natural way that feels symbiotic and sounds superb.
Another Silencio first, Jorge Ciccioli's 'TD8' has a deliberate intention to create momentum, with a deep, penetrating baseline that rises to the occasion by descending the darkest depths of its own digital horizon. In the midst of the mix the listener is greeted with a clever chorus that effectively sounds like air vibrating, or in layman's terms "blowing", within an empty glass bottle. As it goes through the motions, observe how every note is noticeably nuanced in an effort to reflect the subtle changes that take place.
Closing out the release and year for Silencio, is Laughing Man with 'Reach Out'. Hard, heavyand heavenly are all terms that could be used to express the sentiment of this selection.
Notice how right from the get go this production profoundly pounds out its agenda with a solid, speedy beat that relentlessly rocks throughout the recording. Accompanied by aseries of wavy, spirited vocal layers, ringing bells and an inspired intersection of cymbals,this track is one hell of a ride that will enable you to make contact with the other side.

A leading figure and respected elder in the Teklife family, Traxman has waited patientlywhile releases from young upstarts like Taso and Dj Earl have been enjoyed by footwork lovers all over the world. Now the time has come for Traxman to take centre stage, presenting a collection of new material that demonstrates his mastery of the footwork sound. Tekvision arrives hot on the heels of Teklife 005: Greenlight by DJ Manny, bringing an interesting contrast of production methods and styles. A prodigious crate digger, Traxman has provided the sample sources for many of Footwork's classic tracks over the years. So while DJ Manny recorded the majority of the vocals on Greenlight himself, Traxman uses his expert sample flipping techniques to add the human element to his productions. Traxman is a mainstay of the Chicago underground, with a discography stretching back to the golden era of Dance Mania Records in the 1990s. Ghetto House was an important precursor to Footwork, and Traxman was a key figure during this transition.

Echoes of the Ghetto House sound resonate through Tekvision, with tracks like Drop It Down and Twist The Party Out paying homage to the origins of Juke and Footwork music. Be Gagen feat DJ Earl is a beautiful opening track, with a soulful, melancholic synth unfolding patiently over a half-speed beat. When the bass kicks in after 1 minute 10 seconds it has a profoundly uplifting effect, and the late arriving vocal rounds off the composition perfectly.

Many of the tracks demonstrate brilliant and playful manipulation of vocal snippets, with Let Me Get Up and Control Ya Bitchezzz among the finest examples of this art. Finally,Tone Deaf and Whop Line show yet another side to Traxman's sound with an intoxicating and angular mix of bass and bleeps.

This instalment follows on from our acclaimed 'Volume One' - Lauren Laverne's 'Compilation Of The Week', supported by the likes of Disclosure, Jeremy Underground, Horsemeat Disco, Hunee and Laurent Garnier. 'Volume Two' picks up where the last one left off — with a touch more soul and disco — records we've been spinning in our DJ sets and on the radio show of the same name, that inspired this series.

We opened a new record shop in the centre of Brighton late in 2016 - 13 years after the mighty London store closed it's door. Now situated on the ground floor of our Gloucester Yard home the shop is open every Saturday to sell records that we love, some of which you'll hear on the radio shows, and on this album.

It's been a resounding success and we've been able to host sunny instore events and Facebook Live broadcasts with guests including Nick The Record, Dimensions Festival family Debora Ipekel, Flamingods, Slugabed, The Physics House Band and Remi Kolawole & Sensible J.

In 2017 and beyond, we will be releasing more of our official reissues including lesser-known essentials from Brazil, such as Gal Costa's 'India', Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti, Burnier & Cartier alongside 1980's Mexican psychedelia from Luis Perez. We've been digging deep, and will share another edition of our 'The Original Sound of...' series, this time across the border from Mali to neighbouring Burkina Faso. As ever, you'll hear these first, on our radio shows.

There will be more 'Mr Bongo Presents' events - we brought Alain Mion & Cortex to the Jazz Cafe in London in 2017 - and we've highly anticipated slots at Bestival and Lost Village festivals, plus a return to RAPPCATS in Los Angeles, more guest shows on Worldwide FM and NTS Radio and, of course, the continuation
of our own radio shows.

Compiled by David 'Mr Bongo' Buttle and Gareth Stephens,
plus a few personal favourites from Gary Johnson, Ville Marttila and Graham Luckhurst.

Circular Rainbow and Monsieur Rêve welcome Wladimir ! A superb 4 titles EP bringing at first Galaxie 14 a track full of extreme bridges for shouting crows.... Begin In your Brain, the A2 is a fat Electro techno distribing cut. B side opens with Kolibri, a nice tekhouse balade, the nowaday basic sound.... The EP ends on a superb Abracadabra tune, mollidous electro house, charming and precise... Aways with that Electro groove little beat base.

After their first baby steps with two digital releases, the Leipzig based label Old New Records is finally making it's leap to the stairs made of vinyl. Each artist is involved by heart, willing to contribute something for the higher goal, called good music.

In the end they forged a record of different styles, like House, Deephouse, NuFunk or Beatz. So welcome to the musical soap opera about a circle of friends and their reflection of musical taste - welcome to Old New Records.

The third artist album on Omena is here, 'For The Dreamers' by Saine.

An effortless blend of crisp beat-work and delicate textures, the album feels equally suited for playing out loud or for those hazy summer night headphone marathons.

Album artwork by Rickard Ljungdahl Eklund
Label artwork by Ivo Kiusalaas (bildansvarig)
Mastering by Andreas Saag

2 tracks of a pure Oldschool music...

A solid kick to groove in the spirit of Ptit Gris old school sound...
Redge plays with the loops, and brings some bizarre vocals, some acid diamonds sparkling the ears, many effects... An evolution to trip the sound while the beat carry a tribal sensation. Probably a 69 DB inspired connection...

The B-side slowdown the story, techno tribe 140 BPM newskool... very mental and creepy... with the same tribe beat as the first side. Mental and very acid at the end ! FAT !

MICK HARRIS (SCORN, QUOIT, PAINKILLER) returns after several years of hiatus with ten tracks of blasting landmine bass and interlocking shrapnel rhythms.I've been asked to write a press piece for the dark lord MICK HARRIS.Where does one even start Especially for someone with decades of releases over various solo projects, collaborations and pseudonyms, whether it's doing blast beats in the original NAPALM DEATH to crushing techno brutality as MONRELLA, or savage drum & bass as QUOIT. Then of course there's the mighty SCORN and his numerous collaborations with fellow luminaries such as JOHN ZORN and BILL LASWELL (in PAINKILLER).Rather than being tied to genres or scenes, MICK HARRIS is one of those producers who creates a whole sonic world uniquely of his own, in which varying tracks, styles and tempos take form, but yet in which everything sounds unmistakably characteristic of the creator. Needless to say his work has influenced legions of producers like SURGEON, REGIS, ONTAL, VATICAN SHADOW / PRURIENT, FAUSTEN, SHAPEDNOISE et al, and pretty much anyone in the world of powerfully dark, abrasive music you could name-drop. And yet after all this time, it is impressive that HARRIS still stands way above his successors and has never been surpassed in his own production/performance game.After a hiatus of several years, he is back with a new album under the guise of FRET.Working at a faster tempo than his SCORN material, the FRET project first surfaced years ago on the DOWNWARDS label, rooting it firmly in the dark, industrial and technoid world, and appeared more recently on Tresor (Kern mix by OBJEKT), maintaining the characteristic colossal bass-heaviness and textural depth.And now a full album on KARLRECORDS, Berlin. HARRIS fans will be delighted to know that despite the 130 bpm tempo, the newest FRET still resolutely avoids any straight four-on-the-floor kickdrums, every track lurches, stumbles, staggers and charges forth with beats in beautifully broken asymmetry.We get 10 tracks of crushing, percussive destroyers, each itself a storm of precision chaos, with colossal low-end frequencies that'll cause stampedes in the right circumstances. The classic HARRIS sound is there, searing waves of feedback distortion, intricate, interlocking rhythms and cold, abattoir atmospheres, especially track 6 "Stuck in the track at Salford Priors" which sounds like you're being continuously suspended in the air from multiple explosions all around, each kickdrum throwing you up in the air, the next one going off before you can fall completely back to the ground.The lazy-minded would probably lump it in with the term "techno", but the disciplined brutality, blasting landmine bass and interlocking shrapnel rhythms are clearly HARRIS' own trademark style, sitting somewhere between SCORN and QUOIT.The tracks appear deceptively chaotic on the surface, yet each is meticulously and masterfully composed with great attention to layering and detail. MICK HARRIS fans rejoice, the dark lord still remains at the top of his game.

(Derek Szeto / Fausten / Combat Recordings)

A blaster... defenitly harder than the Metal Plus metal 01, with a solid old school connection to the newskool... Hard, very hard. Beautiful. Very beatiful. Undeground hardcore !

Second album from one of the most popular artists on
Berlin's fine Project Mooncircle label!
Late night music from the back seat. 'Are You Anywhere', sophomore album from Tokyo based UK native submerse blends early 90's slow-jams and instrumental hip hop wrapped in smooth DX7 keys hybridized with his own unique sound. 'Are You Anywhere' is the second full length release from submerse on Project: Mooncircle with features from fellow Tokyo based
beat maker fitz ambro$e. Are You Anywhere' comes out worldwide on limited green colored vinyl (including download code).

Expansion's most successful and longest running compilation series returns with a 2017 edition. The concept remains the same, fifteen must-have modern soul room gems taken from the year's biggest dance floor spins on the soul scene. While tracks here have topped UK soul charts, many have not been available in all formats. Once again, attention is paid to the 'flow' of the 15 gems chosen here from shuffling beats to boogie to more soulful house as played at modern soul events. Participants this year include Omar with Los Charly's Orchestra, Tawatha Agree (voice of Mtume's Juicy Fruit') with Aeroplane, Kenny Thomas with Thames River Soul produced by and featuring Incognito, and both Wez and The Groove Association formerly members of Brit Funk group Second Image. Leela James is here after her stint in a US realty TV show R&B Divas: Los Angeles', other guests including Amp Fiddler, Faith Evans, Trina Broussard and Lifford.