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Re-issue label Sentinel Island Disco returns to the stage with their long-awaited soca compilation featuring highly sought after soca cuts, raw 90’s soca house and deep blends of reggae, calypso and disco.

Structured by a PARTY and a SOUL side, the compilation offers a snapshot of the 90s electronic soca scene in all its multifaceted glory. The party side serves up a selection of pulsating, feel-good party tracks that encapsulate the carefree spirit that is the very heartbeat of soca parties. While the soul side explores a more introspective soundscape, where soulful vocals and deep electronic beats merge to create a powerful emotional experience and where melodies linger long after the music stops.

Label owners Barney Graman and Coco Vink have spent the past 3 years on bringing these lost and obscured recordings back into the limelight, some of which now pressed on vinyl for the very first time. All tracks are carefully remastered and some have been edited or remixed for the modern dancefloor, while staying as close as possible to the original brilliance.

The result is more than just a collection of songs; it’s a celebration of soca’s rich heritage and its ability to unite both different cultures as well as divergent musical themes, from joyous celebration to soulful reflection. All in all, a must-have compilation for all the collectors and aficionados of the rich and uplifting music of the African diaspora, as well as DJ's, dancers and music lovers looking to spice up their collection with some incredible soca music!

Comes as a transparent colored vinyl, featuring a small booklet with artist and label pictures as well as full liner notes on the genre's history and introduction of the tracks.

Limited to 500 copies.

Born out of a summer (and time) most sadly lost forever - this new release on Souvenirs From Imaginary Cities will break your skull open most tenderly, so it's fine particles of audio-dust can mingle with the last rays of sunshine and the bitter storm of this autumn. Track after track, this LP draws you in with a natural flow and a deep-felt pulse - reminiscent of classic slices of raw and sample- based ambient like Susumu Yakota's 'Sakura' and 'Everyone Alive Wants Answers' by Colleen. These tunes are heartfelt and channelling tons of real emotions and other melancholia.

It's a very personal and unique blend of almost nineties chill out zoning with a dubby undertone, rich textured loops, mixing a whole range of crazy acoustic and electronic flavours - stuff that shouldn't work together but are dancing all the way to heaven anyways - with slow burning dusty slabs of melody and yes those deep choral pads ( some Rachmaninov vesper magic in the air ), everything rough around the edges and low slung but so damn precise. A subtle mélange between abstract and more concrete sonic territories, but delivered in an upfront, improvised manner with great intuition and a quite ruff but poetic touch.

Name of this piece of swampy, chopped up but most nicely selected ambient work is La Ho, by Purpurny Dyadya aka Purple Uncle aka Sergey Demitriev, originally residing in St-Petersburg but living now for obvious reasons in Armenia. Sergey has been busy on labels like Echotourist, Hair Del, Nazlo and most recently with fellow traveler Nikita Chepurnoi as Amkarahoi on Patience/Impatience. Using a bunch of old tapes from his childhood times, filled with all kinds of sonic memories and Russian underground hip-hop as sample ground, he loaded up his MPC with magic dust and jammed out the basis of this LP during a summer fest near St-Petersburg before current hell broke loose.

It's the kind of a record that needs some time to really let loose his inherent power, give it some air, let it hop along a bit and those sounds will bloom wide open.

Since 1982 'Looking Up To You' has become one of the signature tracks of the modern soul world and played out regularly at events to this day. It is co-written by Leon Ware with Zane Grey (of Grey & Hanks) and produced by Webster Lewis, all giants in this music genre. The song has also been much sampled, most notably by Zhane (Hey Mr. DJ), Ortega Cartel (Miami Vice), Yusher (Gorodskie Uzory) and three this year alone by Skule Toyama (To You), Jericho Jackson (Seventeen) and Saint Duck (Bamboo). This 7' version has also become more in demand, as too the B side 'Tell Me Why', both condensed to four minutes. Michael Wycoff was from Los Angeles and worked with Stevie Wonder on 'Songs In The Key of Life' prior to his three albums for RCA

Originally released on 13th September 1994, Ready To Die is the debut studio album from hip-hop legend, The Notorious B.I.G. Upon release, the album was met with widespread critical acclaim, with Pitchfork giving it a 10/10 rating along with various other critics praising it for its brutally honest depiction of gang violence and conflict as opposed to the often-glorified portrayal in the genre and the wider media. The album has cemented its place in hip-hop history and has since gone on to achieve 6x platinum certification in the US, selling over 3.5 million copies, and has achieved platinum status in the UK as well.

This x2LP re-issue featuring the iconic artwork of an infant bearing a resemblance to the rapper has been out of the marketplace for over a decade and also features all 19 tracks from the Ready to Die Sessions.

The album cover is often cited as one of the greatest of all time, with Billboard magazine placing it no.4 on its list of “The 50 Greatest Album Covers of All Time” stating that juxtaposition of the music with the “innocence of a child” on the cover illustrates how “a cruel world imprints on unmoulded minds”. NME has also placed it no.12 on its list of “Timeless Hip Hop Album Covers” and Complex Magazine have placed it at no.16 on its list of “Greatest Album Covers”.

After a stream of constant quality, locked in records returns once again this time with uk based Jack keo who finally unleashes ‘Bigger’ ep. After videos circulating of raresh and Ricardo hammering most of the ep in one of there legendary b2b sets at fabrics birthday and other big names spinning it throughout the summer of 24’ it’s been highly anticipated by those in the know.

The record starts with the stunningly crafted ‘bigger’ with a lovely mix of subtle electronics and warm pads. A2 ‘ode to e’ is a breaks piece of dreamy tones and vocal patterns. On the heavy and darker b side the naughty bass of ‘quartet’ heads b1. Built for an attack on the floor with its vocoder driven rhythm. For the b2, One of raresh’s weapons of 2024 ‘bra sett’ its ever changing and switching layers is an energy boost to any dance floor!

From a club-friendly chrysalid onto deploying his wings as a full fledged pop artist in recent years, Saint Petersburgs Kito Jempere has enjoyed a journey unlike any other and his newest album, Part Time Chaos Part Time Calmness live-documents the chameleonic changes / game-changing paradox experienced this year between his life both as a musician and as a family man.

Better known for his work as a house producer which has earned him accolades from prominent dance music outlets throughout well over a decade of intense work both into and outwith the limelights, Kito has for all that never been focussed on writing solely discoid material, throwing as much effort over the years into multi-faceted parallel ventures, far and apart from strictly dance floor-oriented functionality. Yet, from this partition between various projects and mindsets, this is through a radical shift towards downtempo pop and out of the 4x4 loop that Kito got to fully assert himself as a musician, embracing the rejoicing variety of tone and mood of his tender loves, secret and not. The movie Ive never made but have the soundtrack for, Part Time Chaos Part Time Calmness is the fruit of change as much as change itself. A return to the simple means of his young self, his old trusty guitar from his late teens serving as the backbone to Killer Line and Love Myself But I Cant Make It Love, and the natural development to last years Green Monster, which
initiated these deep tectonic movements in Kitos approach to his art, PTCPTC is an intimate trip down the kaleidoscope of his present life. Joined up by an impressive cast of artists, including Jimi Tenor, Adam Evald and Hard Ton, Kito didnt just bin his old persona, he took it back to where it belongs. From the low-slung emotional folk of the opener, Killer Line, to the eerie flamenco-jazz hybrid Before Music Dies. via the broken soulfulness of Put Love Into Your Heart and anthemic 80s balearic breaks meets coastal synthwave vibe of Sounds of Love, the album pulsates with a refreshingly genre-unbound vision. To the naive, laid-back sonic bokeh of Footsteps,
succeeds the left-of-centre cinematic narrative of In The Countryside, which includes some fun nods to fictional brands taken from Tarantinos imaginarium (Red Apple cigarettes) or other movies like High Fidelity, after Nick Hornbys eponymous novel.

Freed from gridlocked programming and impersonal tropes, PTCPTC showcases a wide array of songs, beats, grooves old and new, some dating back to 2018 and improvised sessions with his 9-people Kito Jempere Band, all of which were finished within the same timeframe and with this all-inclusive momentum in mind. Through the epic synths of Absent Ascent. in revamping the universal classic Over The Rainbow with Celebrine, on the appeasing ballad Shorespotting feat. Evald or in the waves-ready closing cut Lovers, Jempere tells a tale of hard-earned emancipation and life-affirming freedom.

2024 Repress

There isn’t many who would disagree with the underlying sentiment that electronic music makes us feel something extraordinary. Much in the same way, the possibilities for creative discourse and cosmic interactivity are accessible to anyone with an open mind. It’s in this place where these possibilities materialise, and it’s in this space where SYNCROPHONE 39 operates within.

You see, you won’t find cleverly constructed adjectives or nonsensical descriptors for the music presented here. It doesn’t need them. The music speaks for itself, much in the same way the artists do. Stojche has been carving out timeless techno for two decades now, working tirelessly without fanfare to enrich a scene that sits close to his heart. Whether that be through releases on his own imprint TANGIBLE ASSETS or the ever expanding a.r.t.less, his trademark sound signature is synonymous with the soul of Detroit. You may be hard pressed to find anyone else who’s been as consistent with this sound over the years as he has. On the other hand, Gerard Hanson aka Convextion has been doing exactly that without fault his entire career. So the combination of these two artists on this release makes perfect sense.

Syncro39 is a celebration of core values in music. Of devotion to a singular obsession crafted over the course of decades devoid of trends or cheap influences, social or otherwise. It’s that unwillingness to compromise and to put everything on the line in the pursuit of the dreaming process that makes this a special release.

One thing is for certain. Those who are inspired by Stojche’s signature original and the timeless journey of Convextion’s remix,
will carry themselves through the smoke and haze into the sunlight as it takes some time for the rush to subside. That’s probably an apt abstract for this release thus far. For the most part though, the narrative for Stojche has only just begun.

The National veröffentlichen mit "Rome" am 13. Dezember ein komplettes Live-Album mit 21 Tracks auf Doppel-Vinyl, als Doppel-CD und natürlich digital.

Das Konzert wurde am 3. Juni 2024 in Italien live (ohne Overdubs) aufgenommen wurde. Das Doppelalbum, welches von Peter Katis, einem langjährigen Begleiter der Band, abgemischt wurde, spannt einen Bogen über die mehr als 20 Jahre der Karriere von The National und zeigt, wie jeder Song auf der Bühne sein ganz eigenes und neues Leben entfaltet hat. Man muss diese Band live gesehen haben, die mittlerweile Stadien und große Arenen füllt. Warum das so ist, hört man auf "Rome". Aufgenommen in dem architektonisch beeindruckenden und nach dem berühmten italienischen Filmkomponisten benannten Veranstaltungsort "Parco Della Musica Ennio Morricone", zeigt die 21-Track-LP schillernde Versionen großer Songs wie "Bloodbuzz Ohio", "Don"t Swallow the Cap", "I Need My Girl", "The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness", "England" und "Fake Empire" - so wie Live-Interpretationen neuerer Tracks wie "Eucalyptus", "New Order T-Shirt", "Tropic Morning News" und "Smoke Detector". Die Band ändert ihre Setlist von Abend zu Abend, spielt Klassiker aus zwei Jahrzehnten und kombiniert diese mit Tracks aus den letzten Alben - kein Konzert ist wie das andere und beschert den Zuschauern jedes Mal im wahrsten Sinne ein einzigartiges Erlebnis. "Rome" ist geprägt von Raritäten wie dem Show-Opener "Runaway", "Lemonworld", "The Geese of Beverly Road", "Lit Up" und einer Tour-de-Force-Paarung von "Humiliation" vom von der Kritik gefeierten Album "Trouble Will Find Me" mit "Murder Me Rachael" von dem früheren Album "Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers". Als Zugabe gibt es in Rom die Wahlkampfhymne "Mr. November", "Terrible Love" von High Violet und das abschließende Fan-Singalong "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks". In ihrer Live-Kritik bezeichnete der Guardian The National als "eine die Ära definierende Band auf dem Höhepunkt ihrer Kräfte... als dieses atemberaubende zweieinhalbstündige Epos zu einer gemeinschaftlichen Katharsis wird". Auch der Rolling Stone UK schrieb: "Es ist klar, dass die Band...ihren Platz an der Spitze seit einem Jahrzehnt verdient hat.... Eine Show, die einfach euphorisch ist und die Band auf einem neuen Höhepunkt sieht." Das Doppel-Livealbum "Rome" ist das Zeugnis dafür.

Repress!

Moby is a name synonymous with us all in the electronic music world and we are lucky enough to have been able to hand select some Drumcode artists to remix his work.This 9 track package included remixes from Enrico Sangiuliano, Dense & Pika, Bart Skils, Alan Fitzpatrick, Marco Faraone, Tiger Stripes, Manic Brothers and Luca Agnelli. Each one has been thought out and accomplished with precision using some of Moby's synonymous samples.

Moby is a name synonymous with us all in the electronic music world and we are lucky enough to have been able to hand select some Drumcode artists to remix his work.
This 9 track package included remixes from Enrico Sangiuliano, Dense & Pika, Bart Skils, Alan Fitzpatrick, Marco Faraone, Tiger Stripes, Manic Brothers and Luca Agnelli. Each one has been thought out and accomplished with precision using some of Moby's synonymous samples.

Soul Brother Records present two rare Scepter/Wand disco classics on one limited edition 12” single for Record Store Day Bobby Moore was a singer, musician and bandleader from New Orleans. He worked as a writer and arranger from the 1960s to 1980s, “(Call Me Your) Anything Man” one of only a handful of solo 7” single releases. The 12” version has never been commercially released before, it’s prior existence in this format has only been on acetate. Legend has it that the one acetate was cut at the time because when Tom Moulton mastered the record in 1975, the studio had run out of 7” parts so made it a 12”. The quality sounded so good the 12” single was born!
Sweet Music were the vocal trio who sang background vocals with KC & The Sunshine Band. This is one of the few records ever remixed by West End legend Mel Cheren.

You’re NEXUS 21, central to the dizzy zeitgeist of the 1991 adrenaline rammed UK House Music juggernaut, and you have just recorded a masterpiece of an album MIND MACHINES.

DON’T DO IT LIKE THAT - somehow even though your record label love the album it does not get released.
DO IT LIKE THIS - it finally gets issued now.

When Mark Archer and Chris Peat flew back from a seminal recording session at Kevin Saunderson’s KMS Studio in Detroit there was a palpable feel of excitement. Instead of merely paying homage to their Techno forerunners, they were now creating their own just as innovative waveforms.

In the can was a gem - DON’T DO IT LIKE THIS, DO IT LIKE THAT. Motor City songstress Donna Black had unconsciously seemed to add Ma to the start of her name and her recorded in the dark vocals helped conjure up an almost Madonna and a drum machine meets Techno hybrid. This it was agreed could be a huge breakthrough single which - preceded by strategically released set up tracks - would build up Nexus 21’s surely inevitable rise to glory. And the release of the MIND MACHINES album. But it never happened. Instead one day Mark and Chris burst into Network’s Birmingham office excitedly brandishing no less than 8 new recordings infused with a propulsive Rave energy flash compared to their more cerebral Nexus 21 work. The label agreed that the new tracks should be released under a new artist name and an initial suggestion. Alien 8 replaced by Altern 8. What was planned as temporary dalliance became a long term relationship. You all know the score - Altern 8 became surf riders supreme on the rave tsunami, not just music makers but myth creators. The plan has been to run Nexus 21 and Altern 8 parallel, a kind of schizophrenic experiment by two men, a drum machine and a mad for it record company. History shows that Altern 8 became too DOMIN 8 and the lovingly recorded Nexus 21 album was left on the proverbial shelf (actually a box in Birmingham)

So now MIND MACHINES finally meets the World. First thing that screams out that it hasn’t half aged well. Obviously it is a wet dream for the anoraks of electronica, that goes without saying. But above and beyond the history lesson of how 2 young UK techno mad kids got the dots from Detroit and deconstructed them to create something very British the music they created, sometimes naive but frequently knowledgeable, sounds .. well just great.

The four Detroit recordings - NEXODUS, TOGETHER, DON’T DO IT LIKE THAT, DO IT LIKE THIS and EVERYTHING (NO STATUES) - variously feature contributions from Motor City luminaries Marc Kinchen and Anthony Shakir.

Only two of the twelve recordings were properly released in 1990/1991 with two more making it on a withdrawn white label 12 inch at the time. Three of the tracks, including a live recording at London’s Brain Club that has been retrieved from a DAT that was thought to have disappeared, are previously unreleased. And as well as two previously unreleased much altered versions of Nexus 21 gems there is the legendary much tougher mix of the duo’s signature techno treasure Self Hypnosis.

NEXUS 21

LOST AND NOW FOUND

DLR drops his first album since starting Sofa Sound Bristol - ‘Money Till I Got None’.

The album is a tongue in cheek reflection on modern life, society, politics and of course MONEY. The never ending thirst and need for it; the stress and freedom it can bring; its power, its illusion and all its contradictions.

Drawing on life experiences from a relatively privileged position, but also from travelling and meeting many types of people across the UK and worldwide, the album explores different perspectives about money from varying sections of society.

In the 7 years since his last album, DLR has been through highs and lows, played big shows, struggled, released classic tracks and spent, spent, spent, spent. 'Money Till I Got None' is his journey of frustration and realisation and his first fully solo album in terms of production, but with a stellar lineup of vocalists and musicians to bring invaluable perspectives and experiences to the project.

Established poets, story tellers and MCs such as Fox, Rider Shafique, Jakes and Gusto bring unique insight, upcomers Freddy B & Kathryn Brenna add crucial flavours and we welcome Hal (Snazzback) on keys plus additional musical direction, with further instrumentation from Abbey Neave & Joe Bradford.

Light Touches Records is devoted to shed new lights on hot rarities, unknown grooves as well as forgotten classics.

While the older numbers are much sought after on Discogs, Andrea Passenger digs deeper into the best shades of disco, afro, boogie and funk to deliver the 10th release on the highly revered Light Touches Records.
On A side, “Roots” is a relentless disco tune for incendiary peak times, while “Psych Afro Roller” keeps faith to the name going into crazier territories. On the flipside, “New Dance” adds some boogie tones and quirky synth arrangements, while “Feel The Feeling” rounds things up with its moody and deeper vibe.

All tracks have been carefully edited by Andrea Passenger without overdubs, in order to bring the spirit of classic disco manipulators to today’s dancefloors!

12” limited to 300 copies (no digital).

Nitechord is an anonymous "ambient-tech duo" that impresses with this fine debut, Lume, which is a meditative exploration of the calmness and mystery of the night as distilled through mid-tempo rhythms and atmospheric whispers. These sounds were first submitted as a raw, uncredited cassette demo in 2002 and have hardly been changed from that state but for the mastering. Tracks like 'Reflect' and 'Near' blend shimmering guitar loops, sub-bass and subtle twangs over dancefloor beats. 'Dim' breathes with layered drones, while 'Absent' offers mournful serenity and last but not least, 'Carry' blossoms into orchestral harmony. A sublime soundscape.

Adam’s Bite label manager Martinesuqe delivers his new EP ‘Curtain Call’ this November via the label, comprising two original compositions and one instrumental mix.

Basel, Switzerland’s Martinesque has been etching his mark into the underground over the past decade through releases on Adam’s Bite and as an integral part of the Swiss scene, heading up the bookings of the widely beloved Elysia club on his home turf up until 2023.

Here, Martinesque makes a welcome return to Adam’s Bite following on from his debut album ‘Think Outside The Box’ on the label in 2023.

‘Drama’ leads the EP and sees Martinesque lay down twitchy synth lines, squelchy acid bass tones and resonant flutters alongside spiralling dub echoes, murky vocals and crisp, shuffled drums.

The ‘(Instrumental)’ version of ‘The Final Hour’ follows next, shifting gears down to deeper realms courtesy of airy chord sequences, intricate off-kilter percussion and gritty bass notes all dynamically nuanced throughout. Lastly the ‘(Vocal)’ mix of ‘The Final Hour concludes the package, introducing a hypnotic spoken world vocal to the composition

Breve is the new album by Stefan Paul Goetsch aka Hainbach.

"After a ceaseless amount of work and family struggles, 2023 had left me empty and tired. Instead of the many hats I usually wear, I shifted my focus exclusively on my music. For two weeks every day I sat down behind a few modular synths, a toy piano and an Ondioline, recording tape after tape. I did not lock myself in though - my kids were playing around me, commenting, touching knobs, adding oscillations. What in „deadline times“ can be disrupting, became restorative. I was with my family, just drifting on waveforms. I hope some of that atmosphere shines through, and the album can help you to find peace as it did for me.

Thanks to Forgotten Futures for the loan of the Ondioline and technician Daniel Kitzig for the beautiful restoration work." - Hainbach

Based out of Berlin, Germany, electronic music composer and performer Hainbach creates shifting audio landscapes THE WIRE called "One hell of a trip". His music has been released on Opal Tapes, Seil Records, Spring Break Tapes, Limited Interest and Marionette. He has been fascinated with sine tones, noise and FM since he discovered the dial on the radio. Never losing his childhood wonder, he still searches for the sounds in between on modular synths and other devices.

Repress!

Flørist returns to Pacific Rhythm with two versions of a track called DVOTE that have been circulating around the Canadian underground for quite some time. You'll know exactly what to do with it!

Originally scheduled for release way back in March 1996, "The Raw Factor" by North Carolina native Omniscence is one of the last of the unreleased mid-90's albums to see the light of day. Despite being awarded The Source's coveted "Hip Hop Quotable" and dropping two well-received singles ("Amazin" and "Touch Y'all"), record label politics meant the full-length "The Raw Factor" album was never released and fans were left wondering what might have been.

28 years later, "The Raw Factor" is finally being released on vinyl, CD and digital stores. Featuring punchline-driven lyrics from Omniscence delivered in his unmistakable cadence, and backed by head-nodding production from Fanatic, the album is a must-own for fans of 90's Hip Hop.

Omniscence haunted the same early 90's cyphers and stages that many lyrical greats from the era had to cross. With a gruff delivery and equal adeptness with punchlines and metaphors, his high finish at the 1994 edition Battle For World Supremacy at the New Music Seminar assured heads across the culture were watching. After this, Omniscence locked in with producer Fanatic (who also laced tracks for Notorious B.I.G., Ma$e and Michael Jackson). The result was "The Raw Factor" album, fifteen plus tracks of jazzed out boom-bap, replete with crackin' drums.

Now Below System Records has not only given the album its first deluxe physical release (including 2xLP, CD and digital) as well as a slew of bonus/unreleased tracks.
















p Touch Y'all (Remix) feat. Sadat X
















p Touch Y'all (Remix) feat. Sadat X
















p Touch Y'all (Remix) [feat. Sadat X]

Fantastic Planet returns with its sixth release, "Survival Mode," a statement dedicated to the ongoing struggle for freedom in Georgia. This electrifying compilation brings together a diverse lineup of visionary artists, each channeling their own unique sound to amplify the message of resilience and resistance. Survival Mode - is a mindset, a relentless fight for existence when all other options have been stripped away. It's about the raw, primal instinct to keep moving forward, even when every door seems closed, and there's no way back. In this mode, every moment is a battle, a test of endurance and resilience. For the people fighting for freedom in Georgia, survival mode represents their unwavering determination to push through oppressive forces, refusing to be silenced or broken. It's the point where compromise is no longer an option, where you either rise or fall-but surrender is not part of the equation. This struggle is about more than just survival-it's about carving out a future, no matter the cost. Design Giorgi grdzelishvili

DJ Support: Enzo Siragusa, Chris Stussy, Toman, Mateo Dufour

In mid-2020, we proudly introduced Key Records, a platform for exceptional artists like Mennie, Mateo Dufour, Cosenza, Local Dub, Sidney Charles, Locklead, and Laidlaw, to name just a few who have been part of our journey.

With 25 digital releases under our belt, we’re now ready to embark on the next chapter. Our first vinyl release will feature Jesse Maas, alongside a remix by T. Jacques, the mastermind behind Nuances De Nuit.

Thank you for your ongoing support. Enjoy the music!

Who's that finally wrestling tanum from the tyranical clutches of klaus? It's winsome.

Coming in from the wilderness to deliver his first record since 2017, stepping off the path he's been trodding through lovers rock to explore new territories of rhythm, sound and sub bass pressure.

It is the year 1995 and it’s summer, the second extremely hot summer after 1994, and the asphalt on Gladbacher Straße in Cologne is glowing. Ravers in much too wide and much too colorful clothes doze off in the glaring midday heat. These are the last days of the legendary Delirium record store, a socio-cultural biotope that would later become KOMPAKT. In June 1995, the store moved deeper into the Belgian Quarter, to Brabanter Straße 42 near Friesenplatz.

Wolfgang Voigt liked to wear too-big sunglasses even back then, just as he already had the master plan for the next few years, the new store, the renaming to KOMPAKT, and the upcoming takeover of the musical world order by minimal techno in his head. On less sunny days, the musician Wolfgang Voigt was tinkering with his very own label Profan, a new sound, new pseudonyms and masquerades. His alter ego Mike Ink had grown tired, another self, one of many, was now pushing forward to become the next torch in the storm.

By early 1995, the first Grungerman EP, "Hout," had been released on Profan. A nucleus of ambient loops that already announced the sonic aesthetics of GAS, stoic rhythmic structures that would shape the coming decade of minimal house and techno, and an all-encompassing gloom and heaviness that didn't want to fit at all with the gaudy reality of the nineties between Loveparade, Mayday and VIVA House TV. This probably most hedonistic decade of the 20th century had celebrated, besides techno, above all a rough guitar music called Grunge, coined and immortalized by a depressive, hyperactive and narcoleptic young man with matted blond hair who had taken his own life a year before. In no other track has Wolfgang Voigt packed these inner and outer contradictions of his art as well as of the mid-nineties more ingeniously than in "In Tyrannis". From wall to wall there are four steps.

"Klang" by Wolfgang Voigt originally comes from the first and only GAS EP on Profan, "Modern", from the spring of 1995 and is one of the most beautiful exhibits of Voigt's sound of those years, which relentlessly runs its course somewhere between glistening sunrises on Ecstasy and bad drugs in the dark Liquid Sky Cologne. With "Hocker DJ 1" and "Hocker DJ 2" there are two more musical references to this myth-enshrouded place in Kyffhäuserstraße, where for a few years the entire, so-called Sound Of Cologne had literally settled down.


Wir schreiben das Jahr 1995. Es ist Sommer, der zweite extrem heiße Sommer nach 1994, und der Asphalt auf der Gladbacher Straße in Köln glüht. Raver in viel zu weiten und viel zu bunten Klamotten dösen ihren Rausch aus in der grellen Mittagshitze. Es sind die letzten Tage des legendären Delirium Plattenladens, eines soziokulturellen Biotops, aus dem später die Firma Kompakt hervorgehen sollte. Im Juni 1995 erfolgte der Umzug tiefer hinein ins Belgische Viertel, in die Brabanter Straße 42 in der Nähe des Friesenplatz.

Wolfgang Voigt trug schon damals gerne zu große Sonnenbrillen, so wie er bereits den Masterplan für die nächsten Jahre, den neuen Laden, die Umbenennung in KOMPAKT sowie die anstehende Übernahme der musikalischen Weltordnung durch Minimal Techno im Kopf hatte. An weniger sonnigen Tagen tüftelte der Musiker Wolfgang Voigt an seinem ureigenen Label Profan, an einem neuen Sound, neuen Pseudonymen und Maskeraden. Sein Alter Ego Mike Ink war müde geworden, ein anderes Ich, eines von vielen, drängte nun nach vorne, um die nächste Fackel im Sturm zu werden.

Anfang 1995 war die erste Grungerman EP “Hout” auf Profan erschienen. Ein Nukleus aus ambienten Loops, die bereits die klangliche Ästhetik von GAS ankündigten, stoischen rhythmischen Strukturen, die das kommende Jahrzehnt Minimal House und Techno prägen sollten, sowie einer allumfassenden Düsternis und Schwere, die so gar nicht zur knallbunten Realität der Neunziger Jahre zwischen Loveparade, Mayday und VIVA House TV passen wollte. Dieses wohl hedonistischste Jahrzehnt des 20. Jahrhunderts hatte neben Techno vor allem eine raue Gitarrenmusik namens Grunge gefeiert, geprägt und unsterblich gemacht von einem depressiven, hyperaktiven und an Narkolepsie leidenden jungen Mann mit verfilzten blonden Haaren, der sich ein Jahr zuvor das Leben genommen hatte. In keinem anderen Track hat Wolfgang Voigt diese inneren und äußeren Widersprüche seiner Kunst wie auch dieser Zeit Mitte der Neunziger genialistischer verpackt als in “In Tyrannis”. Von Wand zu Wand sind es vier Schritte.

“Klang” von Wolfgang Voigt stammt ursprünglich von der ersten und einzigen GAS EP auf Profan, “Modern”, aus dem Frühling 1995 und ist eines der schönsten Exponate des Voigtschen Sounds dieser Jahre; ein Track, der irgendwo zwischen gleisenden Sonnenaufgängen auf Ecstasy und schlechten Drogen im dunklen Liquid Sky Cologne unerbittlich seine Bahnen zieht. Mit “Hocker DJ 1” und “Hocker DJ 2” finden sich zwei weitere musikalische Referenzen an diesen mythenumrankten Ort in der Kyffhäuserstraße, an dem sich für einige Jahre der gesamte sogenannte Sound Of Cologne im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes niedergelassen hatte.

Buckle up, electronic aficionados! Queen of Coins is about to drop a six-track sonic odyssey that’s your one-way ticket to Electro, Italo-Disco, and Detroit Techno nirvana. This isn’t just an album, it’s a masterclass in psychedelic dancefloor alchemy, tailor-made for DJs who crave cutting-edge sounds while paying homage to the genre’s founding fathers.

From the slow-burning hypnosis of “Head Tension” to the heart-racing throb of “16K Cal,” this release is a BPM rollercoaster that echoes the spirits of legends like Legowelt, Drexciya, and Francisco. But make no mistake – Queen of Coins isn’t just rehashing the past, the Queen is propelling these influences into the future.

“Bring it to the top” is pure condensed energy, engineered to shake every powerful soundsystem while maintaining an emotional depth that’ll hit you right in the feels. Speaking of feelings, “Damaged Souls” is the track you didn’t know you needed – a poignant electronic love letter to all those “what if” moments that haunt our dreams.

But don’t think for a second that Queen of Coins is all melancholy. “Oreo Cake” swoops in with its irresistible bouncing bassline, serving up a fat slice of low-end theory that’ll give your mind, body, and soul the workout they’ve been craving. It’s a reminder that in the realm of Queen of Coins, the future is bright, and the beat goes on.

Remember the mantra, ravers: Queen of Coins is “Music to grow with Expanding your soul Thriving in Prosperity.”

This isn’t just an album release; it’s a coronation. Long live the Queen of the electronic underground!

In the early 1980s, Britain had a vibrant cassette culture that now gets spotlighted through a limited edition 12" featuring multi-instrumentalist Kez Stone's project, Imago. He was a notable name in Cornwall and the West Country's music scenes with previous projects, Artistic Control and Aaah! which have come back via reissues many times in the last ten years. Imago was a new one-ff project that first emerged with one track on the Perfect Motion compilation curated by NTS Radio's Bruno and Flo Dill and now the full LP, originally released in 1985 on the local label A Real Kavoom, has been remastered and added to with three additional gems. Stone's teenage punk influences sit next to Imago's eclectic approach to sound that blends new wave and psychedelic elements into something irresistible.

Always endeavoring to drop it a little way different, Ital Counselor Records once again stretch things in a forward direction while paying full and forceful tribute to that which has come before. This heartical 7" is a tribute to the late great Prince Lincoln Thompson in the form of a reimagined take on his composition "Kinky Money Game."

It is with great honor that ITAL COUNSELOR records has been able to work with two legends of the music business on this slab of plastic. Firstly, Jeb Loy Nichols comes with a storied history in music and the visual arts. He first came to ITAL COUNSELOR’s attention upon discovering the 1981 compilation, “Wild Paarty Sounds” via Cherry Red/On-U Sound. Later would be greater, with projects skirting the realms of country, soul, reggae, and leftfield. Bands like the Fellow Travelers, solo albums with Adrian Sherwood, and more recently writing songs for Horace Andy’s latest On-U album have all contributed to an impressive body of work.

Over the years when Jeb is not making music, he can be found writing books or churning out block prints of birds, leaves, pithy phrases, and the odd sleeve art for labels like Pressure Sounds, and, yes ITAL COUNSELOR. His sleeve work on this 7” indeed captures the essence of the music hiding under the cardboard exterior. Lo-fi, retro while poignantly on time. Social commentary manifested auditorily and visually.

Jeb’s reinterpretation of Thompson's original bubbles over a slow burning one drop built by none other than Studio One, Riz Records, and Tuff Scout Records alum Gil Cang. In yet another musical first brought to you by ITAL COUNSELOR, this piece of wax represents the only time Jeb and Gil have worked together. The results are a magical mix equally at home in the hands of a sound system operator unconstrained by the current ‘steppers’ norms as it is on a home stereo where one can deeply sit with the lyrics of depth and significance. An old time something feel for these nowadays times. An ITAL COUNSELOR Records essential.

Feel the vibes…

“Raggamuffin Soldier” was recorded at Channel One Recording Studio in 1983 with Soldgie as engineer and a rhythm track played by Jolly Stewart and Daniel “Axeman” Thompson. Growing up in the Waterhouse neighborhood of Kingston, Jolly Stewart obviously developed this singing style and gave us a killer early digital dancehall missile with pure conscious lyrics “Raggamuffin soldier, big ina your area...me no deal with badness, me nah deal inna war, me is a raggamuffin soldier...mi raggamuffin ina foreign, raggamuffin sit down pon di riddim...how you know the raggamuffin? Me no wear no gold chain, me no wear no gold ring...”. “Raggamuffin Soldier” was produced by Fitzroy Peterkin who also produced the digital lover tune "Angie".
The Waterhouse style is a particular style of singing that emerged in the late seventies and early eighties within the Jamaican reggae scene. The Waterhouse style is commonly described as a plaintive, groaning and fluctuating vocal style, often nasal and strident, characteristics that will give it a sound that is distinct from the rest of the reggae singers. The commonly recognized founders of the Waterhouse style are the singers Michael "Mykal" Rose, Junior Reid and Don Carlos. The name derives from the famous neighborhood of the same name in Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, the place where the three pioneers were born and emerged. The Waterhouse style influenced many dancehall reggae artists of the eightiesvsuch as Tenor Saw, Half Pint, Nitty Gritty, Anthony Red Rose, King Kong, Yami Bolo, Andrew Bees...
Vincent Stewart aka “Jolly Man” is a reggae singer from Kingston 11, born december 16 1960 at Hunts Bay Lane, 4 Miles, Jamaica. Jolly started singing at age 13, he was placed in an approve School for 3 years and at the age of 16 he was released.
He started his musical career in the late 70's with Ossie Thomas, Phllip Morgan and Tristan Palmer from Black Solidarity label. Jolly Stewart recorded his first song entitled "Money Pyaka" on the classic "Pretty Looks" riddim which was recorded for Oswald Thomas on Ganja Farm label and released in 1979. Tristan Palmer who has another tune "Disappointed Lover" on the same riddim backed by The Soul Syndicate made the link with Jolly Stewart because he liked his style of song writting.
Jolly Stewart wrote three songs for Black Solidarity label: "Collie Man", "Bad Minded" and "Symbol Of Justice". All three tracks were covered by Triston Palmer. As a song writter, Jolly Stewart is behind Yami Bolo's hit on Stalag riddim “When A Man Is In Love” released on Winston Riley's label Techniques.
Jolly Stewart then decided to move on with his singjay career. He ventured to Tuff Gong studio where he met two producers. One was Prince Jazzbo from Ujama label, and the other was John John who owned the Bun Fi Bun label. He recorded "Praise jah" for Ujama and "Poverty Rush" for Bun Fi Bun. Still not satisfied with how his career was heading, he moved on to Lannaman's Preparatory School. There he learned to play guitar from a man named Fred McMurray aka Faf and Donald Jackson. Later he learned to play the keyboards by watching other musicians.
In the late 80's and early 90's, Jolly Stewart recorded many songs for various labels such as “Do Me Like So” for Bunny Gemini's label “Bun Gem Records” in 1987, “Late Last Night” and “War” for producer Zelma Rust and his label Myotta Ruff.
He also recorded for Augustus Pablo on his label Rockers International just before he died in the late 90's but we never heard about this release so probably Addis Pablo have it on old master tapes in the Rockers International archives....only Jah knows!

Its been an incredible journey so far for the Austrian label Fortunea Records. Founded in 2014 by Vienna-based dj and producer Klaus Benedek it was originally launched to release his own productions. But over time many of his friends and colleagues from the scene send him demos. And since then it grow exponential and is now an embodiment of the capitols house and electronic music scene.

Now they are celebrating the labels 10 year anniversary with a 2x12“ vinyl compilation called ‚Down The Danube River‘. This package features 9 tracks by already established figureheads (Peletronic, Dzc., Moff & Tarkin, Jakobin, Nick Hanzo etc.) aswell stunning new productions by new faces (gutinstinct) and projects (SXP). Ranging from bass dub heavy broken beats, deep and funky house tunes to experimental cosmic downtempo trips.

Available soon in a record store near you!

Cameron Jack returns to Crosstown Rebels as he delivers his first EP on the label with ‘The Late Shift’. The release, set to drop on 6th December 2024, delivers a standout offering featuring two collaborations with vocalist Liz Cass and two solo productions from the fast-rising house music talent.

London-born, Ibiza-based DJ/producer Cameron Jack has quickly become a name on the up, having been championed heavily by Crosstown Rebels’ founder Damian Lazarus, as well Blond:ish and Lee Burridge. While still young in his musical journey, 2024 has seen him sharing stages with heavyweights such as Seth Troxler, Jamie Jones and DJ Tennis. His five-show residency at Hï Ibiza coupled with appearances at Extrema Outdoor, PHAEX Festival, Get Lost Mexico and Fabric London as well as an upcoming Asia tour to round off the year, has cemented his rise as one house music’s most in-demand up-and-comers. Having previously appeared on the label as part of Crosstown’s SPIRITS VA series, and adding to releases via Knee Deep In Sound, Abracadabra Music, and All Day I Dream, Cameron now returns to Lazarus’ brainchild with his first EP on the label as he unveils a refined exploration of his late-hours sound with ‘The Late Shift’.

The EP kicks off with two collaborations featuring singer/songwriter Liz Cass, whose vocal talents have graced tracks from Hot Since 82 to Nora En Pure. The opening track, ‘Dusk Till Dawn,’ pairs deep, rolling grooves with Liz's seductive spoken word vocals, setting the tone for the late-night atmospheres that define the release. ‘Move Your Body’ follows, with driving rhythms and infectious energy, inviting listeners to get lost in dancefloor moments. On the flip side, Cameron showcases his prowess further with ‘Get High And Dance’, bringing a captivating fusion of rolling percussion grooves and playful tones, before ‘Won’t You?’ rounds out the EP with another drum-led workout perfect for keeping dancers in motion.

Twenty-four strikes on Exarde with Parchi Pubblici, the hardware analog act from Italy who records his songs in one take and have been laying it heavily and steadily for a while, henceforth we can hear the result of it with our own ears. The release consists of four original works by the man himself with first three ready for peak time club cuts with the help of roaring analog machines. They are produced to ready to sweat the dance floor, these stories are followed by a great outro track to conclude this EP. “Pressed Trouble” which is the name of this disc describes the content of it perfectly, because sure as hell this body of work is on the mission to create trouble and trouble sometimes needed to construct the top-level audio trips. Having produced digital contents for the respected labels that you can look up, this is a debut physical vinyl release by the artist and it is a great honour to host him on the label and hopefully to many more to come in the future.

repressed !

It's been a busy 3 years since Danny Berman aka Red Rack'em released on his own Bergerac imprint.

Since then he's toured relentlessly, released a whole album of live music based disco/punk funk for Sonar Kollektiv as Hot Coins, managed to completely update his biggest track 'In Love Again' to make it a hit the second time around plus released spaced out, wonky party smashers on Wolf Music, Phonica, City Fly and Telefonplan.

While all this was going on Bergerac was largely on ice but now Berman is turning his energy back to the label with a vengeance.
Wonky Bassline Disco Banger is accurately titled. An uplifting intro breaks down into a slamming disco house number and just when you think you know what's going on...
Then the trademark Red Rack'em wonky bass drops in. 150% Guaranteed party smasher... Jazzy House Extension is super vintage Red Rack'em from around 2004 - something for the jazz heads out there - cracked out piano and far too loud double bass come together to birth a euphoric yet banging snapshot of a producer learning his chops. Destined is a slightly demented leftfield house number featuring mangled, pitch shifting fretless bass and vocals samples discussing someone's destiny.
A woozy end to the EP.

Peppermint Jam is proud to present Mellow Man’s latest release, 'In A Flow', an EP that takes you on a sonic journey through time. With three distinct tracks, this release captures the essence of three different eras of groove: the 70s, the 90s, and today.

Mellow Man has been with us since our founding days in 1994 and is a master of THAT old school sound.

First up, 'In A Flow' throws you straight into the golden age of 90s house music. With its smooth grooves, uplifting melodies, and driving bassline, this track embodies everything we love about classic house.

Next, 'Rumpshaker' brings you right back to the present. This track is all about today’s sound—fat beats, tight production, and a bass to die for, designed to keep the dancefloor moving.

Finally, 'Ghettoblaster' takes you even further back to the early 70s. Featuring the soulful sounds of Artist Locmelis on the tenor sax, this track is a nod to the funk-infused, boombox culture of the era.

Mellow Man produced these tracks using a mix of vintage and modern gear, including the Korg MS 20, Akai samplers, and a Rode NT1000, to name just a few. The result is a rich, textured sound that honors the past while still feeling fresh and relevant today.

With its blend of eras and styles, "In A Flow" is a must-listen for anyone who appreciates the evolution of house music.

NOTON is pleased to announce the release of Xerrox Vol. 5, the final installment of Alva Noto’s Xerrox series.

For anyone who has been following the series since its inception in 2007, the concept of Xerrox no longer requires introduction. Originally, it aimed to create copies of images—both visual and acoustic—that are more memorable than the originals. The exploration of the relationship between the original and the copy, along with the invention of the copier, not only inspired the series name but also informed its underlying concept. In 2024, this series comes to an end, marking the culmination of a journey that began with the first recording in 2005/2006. Over nearly two decades, the five albums in this series have accompanied the artist's evolving perspective and conceptual approach.

Initially characterized by rawness and a conceptual focus on seeking resolution in white noise, the later works engage with themes of dissolution while shifting their emphasis toward acoustic particles. The copying process is now less visible through software manipulation; rather, it unfolds as the artist describes melodic and acoustic images that are then manipulated, copied, and transformed into new patterns during composition.

Nicolai describes this evolution as a journey encompassing buildup, exploration, and resolution, drawing parallels to the Odyssey and the stories of Jules Verne, particularly those featuring Captain Nemo.

The conclusion of this album holds a sense of finality for the artist. “I aimed to create a whole cycle of tracks that frame both the beginning and the end,” Nicolai explains. “The motif of the journey continues, but this time, the story reaches a dissolution through a conceptual object that embarks on its own journey into infinity. The word “dissolution” (“Auflösung” in German) is a wonderful concept. On one hand, you can solve a riddle, on the other hand, a pill can completely dissolve in water. Here, I am deliberately describing the process of dissolution.”
In crafting Volume 5, Nicolai has evolved his compositional process, eschewing samples in favor of original melodies. “This album probably took the longest to complete,” he reveals. “I first created melodic sketches, which became the foundation for the pieces. These recordings are created entirely from scratch. Based on these sketches, I constructed the process of copying, manipulating, and reshaping.”

Drawing from his recent experiences working with film and larger ensembles, Nicolai's approach to composition reflects a growing influence of classical instrumentation. “This experience of working with acoustic classical instruments has flowed into the compositional process for Xerrox Vol. 5. Certain instruments are designed with potential orchestral translation in mind.”

The sonic atmosphere of Xerrox Vol. 5 is one of profound dissolution. “I wasn’t initially interested in strong, emotional melodic aspects,” Nicolai shares, “but I realized that the fragment plays a central role.” This shift leads to an emotionally charged experience, imbued with melancholy and the bittersweet essence of farewell. The passing of Ryuichi Sakamoto, an admirer of the series, has further deepened the album’s emotional resonance.

“Xerrox Vol. 5 has a lot to do with farewell,” the artist explains. "Not only the farewell to the series itself, which I’ve nurtured for almost two decades, but also there have been many farewells to people who were close to me. I believe these people are recognizable in the music. It’s a very emotional, personal album.”

Listeners can expect a visual dimension to the music, though Nicolai intentionally leaves this open to interpretation. “I prefer to allow the music to evoke personal experiences and images rather than dictate a specific narrative,” he states. The result is a layered listening experience that invites tenderness and introspection.

Schlammpeiziger, who had previously only been known to us for his top hits and T-shirts, burst upon us like a wild boar in search of affection in the middle of the coronavirus lockdown. He nested in our fully vaccinated home, drank our Eversbusch, ate from our plates, slept in our bed (wait - wrong fairy tale) and repeatedly urged us to organise egg runs with his testicles (after some contortions, we gave up trying). Childish faecal humour, far-fetched obs(t)enities, juicing, a desire to dissolve, composting of thoughts. In excesses of lack of concentration, the chains of associations curled and meandered like Jo's famous curlicue drawings. Every evening, after we had forcibly levered him out of our flat, he would ‘walk’ home to put together very unique , dreamy pieces. In the blissful brainfog of those days, for example, ‘Handicapfalter’ was created, for which the congenial °Bär° made our flat into the corresponding video. Among other quirks of the little gut-breather, we were fascinated to observe his phobia of literature and books. Just hold a printed page in front of his face for a few seconds and he writhes on the floor crying. A level of phobia that only my own laughable disgust and fear of writing myself can compete with. Jo shudders at the thought of reading sentences that build on each other in a meaningful way, and I shudder at the thought of having to write them down because I have something ‘to say’. A certain affinity cannot be denied. We are much, much more pleased by snatched-up, misunderstood or misheard snippets, hollow but unforgettable phrases, the diamond stoner humour of our ancestors. ‘From one turn/ I stop/ to walk on/ in all directions’ (as it murmurs in “Selten Gesehenes”), describes the process quite nicely. After all, Jo is ahead of me in that he can simply break off every tedious sentence and let it fade into music. Back to the essentials. It's five to 12 for the Schlammpeitzger (scientifically Misgurnus). The shy goby is under threat from climate change, so perhaps this vinyl is the last expression of life of the specimen that we have been allowed to look after sporadically since the lockdown phase of the corona epidemic. And it's turned out pretty. Even the aesthetically gutted like me and my beloved husband can THINK about sex when they see these sublime, silvery fart bubbles! It's tender as a fart. Make love!!!!!

Schamlose Dubtöse: Do you have words. Do you have sounds. Impertinently harmless piano tinkling turns into tugging zounds of increasing severity. It is not dubbed (would be unethical) but dubbed. Sounds dubby, as you can imagine. (Instrumental)

Loch ohne Licht: Possibly vaguely misogynistic. Could also be that there was simply no light in the hole. The sparse snippet of lyrics (‘du biss mir och esu e Loch ohne Licht’) sounds like one of those stroppy Cologne replicas whose anti-charm is hard to resist. Buzzing and grooving.

Selten Gesehenes: Casual. Confident. Soft. Fragrant. Thoughtful but lively.

The Arabian Vietmanese (instrumental) is probably the food we trust in the case of the munchies we get when we watch other people smoking weed. Transcendental and psychedelic states casually permeate the humdrum of everyday life. Klar Knuspermarsch: Marches and floats at the same time. Klebt Runner: Soundtrack to the cult film of the same name. Tyrrell Corporation loosens up. Ungenutzte Sätze: Stinks somehow, because there is dangerous proximity to comprehensible and then also critical statements here. Instead, the sinister electronic cheapness of Carpenter soundtracks can be heard. Parzipan: Actually, the time of origin was not so roaringly funny and simple, but for Jo it was also a gruelling, slow letting go of his brother. Here he sends him off with a gentle nudge into the vastness of a hopefully happy beyond.

Clara Drechsler

Schlammpeiziger, der uns bislang nur durch seine Top-Hits und seine T-Shirts bekannt gewesen war, brach mitten im Corona-Lockdown über uns herein wie ein wilder Eber auf der Suche nach Zuwendung. Er nistete sich in unserem durchgeimpften Zuhause ein, trank unseren Eversbusch, aß von unseren Tellerchen, schlief in unserem Bettchen (Moment - falsches Märchen) drängte uns wiederholt dazu, mit seinen Hoden Eierlauf zu veranstalten (nach Verrenkungen gaben wir den Versuch auf). Kindischer Fäkalhumor, weit hergeholte Obs(t)zönitäten, Entsaftung, Auflösungswunsch, Gedankenkompostierung. In Exzessen der Konzentrationsschwäche ringelten, kringelten und schlängelten sich die Assoziationsketten wie bei Jos berühmten Kringel-Schlängel-Zeichnungen. Jeden Abend, nachdem wir ihn gewaltsam aus unserer Wohnung gehebelt hatten, „ging“ er dann heim, um dort sehr eigene, verträumte Stücke zusammenzubasteln. Im seligen Brainfog dieser Tage entstand z.B. „Handicapfalter“, für das der kongeniale °Bär° aus unserer Wohnung das entsprechende Video machte. Neben anderen Marotten des kleinen Darmatmers beobachteten wir fasziniert seine Literatur- bzw. Bücherphobie. Halt ihm nur sekundenlang eine bedruckte Seite vors Gesicht, und er windet sich weinend am Boden. Ein Grad an Phobizität, mit dem sich nur meine eigene lachhafte Abscheu und Angst vor dem Selberschreiben messen kann. Jo schaudert beim Gedanken, sinnvoll aufeinander aufbauende Sätze lesen, mir wiederum beim Gedanken, sie hinschreiben zu müssen, weil ich irgendetwas „zu sagen“ habe. Eine gewisse Verwandtschaft ist nicht zu leugnen. Viel, viel mehr freuen uns aufgeschnappte, falsch verstandene oder misshörte Fetzen, hohle, aber unvergessliche Phrasen, der diamantene Kifferhumor unserer Vorfahren. „Aus einer Drehung/bleibe ich stehen/ um in alle Richtungen/weiter zu gehen“ (wie es in „Selten Gesehenes“ raunt), beschreibt den Prozess schon ganz schön. Immerhin hat Jo mir voraus, dass er jeden leidigen Satz einfach abbrechen und in Musik ausplempern lassen darf. Zurück zum Wesentlichen. Es ist fünf vor 12 für den Schlammpeitziger (wissenschaftlich Misgurnus). Die scheue Grundel ist von Klimawandel bedroht, vielleicht haltet ihr mit diesem Vinyl also die letzte Lebensäußerung des Exemplars in Händen, das wir seit der Lockdownphase der Corona-Epidemie sporadisch betreuen durften. Und die ist hübsch geworden. Selbst aus ästhetischer Erwägungen Entdarmte wie ich und mein geliebter Mann, können bei diesen sublimen, silberhellen Pupsbläschen DENNOCH an Sex denken! It´s zart as a fart. Make love!!!!!

Schamlose Dubtöse: Hast du Worte. Hast du Töne. Impertinent harmloses Klavierplätschern geht über in ziepende Zounds von zunehmender Strenge. Es wird nicht domptiert (wäre unethisch) sondern dubtiert. Klingt dubtig, wie ihr euch vorstellen könnt. (Instrumental)

Loch ohne Licht. Möglicherweise vage misogyn. Könnte auch sein, dass im Loch einfach kein Licht war. Das sparsame Textfetzchen („du biss mir och esu e Loch ohne Licht“) klingt nach einer jener pampigen kölschen Repliken, deren Anticharme man sich schwer entziehen kann. Schwirrt und groovt.

Selten Gesehenes: Lässig. Souverän. Softig. Duftig. Nachdenklich aber beschwingt.

Beim Arabischen Vietmanesen (Instrumental) gibt es wahrscheinlich die Speise unseres Vertrauens im Falle der Munchies, die wir kriegen, wenn wir anderen Leuten beim Kiffen zusehen. Transzendentale und psychedelische Zustände durchziehen beiläufig den schnöden Alltag. Klar Knuspermarsch: Marschiert und schwebt zugleich.

Klebt Runner: Soundtrack zum gleichnamigen Kultfilm. Tyrrell Corporation macht sich locker. Ungenutzte Sätze: Stinks irgendwie, weil hier gefährliche Nähe zu nachvollziehbarer und dann auch noch kritischer Aussage gegeben ist. Dafür klingt die sinistre elektronische Billigkeit von Carpenter-Soundtracks an.

Parzipan: Eigentlich war die Entstehungszeit gar nicht so brüllend lustig und einfach, sondern für Jo auch ein zermürbendes, langsames Loslassen des Bruders. Hier schickt er ihn mit sanftem Schubs hinaus in die Weiten eines hoffentlich schönen Jenseits.

Clara Drechsler
Downloads

As the tenth candle flickers atop the torta alla panna, Archeo Recordings play the Uno reverse card, breaking with tradition to give us a gift in celebration of its birthday: the first in a series of exquisite EPs on which the label's favourite contemporaries pay homage to past masters. Each re-polished gem is plucked either directly from the beatific back catalogue of the fine Florentine label or is at least Archeo-adjacent, perhaps a sign of future wonders to come. Like a musical version of Janus, who can be found at the heart of Bertoldo di Giovanni's frieze in the Medici villa, Archeo Recordings will continue to look forwards and backwards to provide sublime sounds for us all.
Pepe Maina officially joined the Archeo family in 2019 with the much-needed reissue of his 1979 masterpiece Scerizza (AR015), but his astounding music has been a constant companion to label head Manu for much longer. An inter-dimensional, multi-instrumental maverick, Maina weaves the frayed edges of prog rock, new age, organic jazz and global minimalism into a shimmering tapestry all of his own. The results are spread across fifty years and almost as many albums, largely self-released and always absolutely untarnished by commercial concerns.
Based in a small village in the hills of Brianza, just north of Milan, Maina translates the beauty of his surroundings into transformative tone poems, and the folkloric fusion of "The Infinite", originally released on his 2014 CD Tales From The Hill, is the perfect example of his practice. It opens with a recitation of Giacomo Leopardi's 1825s poem "L'Infinito" by famed Italian actor Vittorio Gassman. A leading figure in the romantic movement, Leopardi explores the idea of time and space within the natural world, and the peace that comes with an appreciation of the immensity of eternity. Manu, longtime digger and now a burgeoning producer, expands upon the original with tribal percussion, chirping electronics and a spheric bassline, folding Maina's elegant strings and gossamer pads into a new arrangement suited for a slow dance under the stars.
Unless you had a well-trained ear tuned to Italy's avant-jazz scene, chances are your first encounter with innovative flautist Roberto Aglieri came via the 2017 Archeo reissue of hisalmost untraceable LP Ragapadani (AR011). It's a true testament to Manu's digging credentials that he snatched this masterpiece out of the esoteric atmosphere and brought it attention it so richly deserved. A delicate union of digital synthesis and versatile flute - be it soft and silvery or
brilliant and clear - the 1987 album was a shapeshifting masterpiece, replaying scenes from Virgil, Verdi, Visconti and Pasolini with a neon glow. Quintessentially Italian, but uncanny and previously unimagined - Penthouse and Portico perhaps. Powered by a percolating prototechno sequence, cascading keys, hallucinogenic vocal snippets and a variety of tonal timbres from Roberto's reed, "Danza N. 1" long deserved the praise reserved for Jean-Luc Ponty's pinnacle, so many thanks to Manu for our collective introduction. The tall task of reinterpreting this particular paragon falls to Perugian polymath Daniele Tomassini AKA Feel Fly, whose peerless skills as both producer and musician have delighted DJs and dancers alike. Hot on the heels of his diverse and definitive remixes of Tony Esposito for AR027, Daniele delivers a radical rework of "Danza N. 1" perfect for both day rave sunshine and full moon party alike. Enhanced by snapping breaks and a rattling kick, the bassline gurgle emerges as a progressive powerhouse, laying the foundation for the trilling flute and circular keys to cast a psychedelic spell. As the slow-Goa revival picks up pace, this one is way ahead of the pack.
Archeo take us all the way back to the start of its story here - well almost. Though it bore the stamp AR001 (2015), this Radio Band reissue actually hit shelves months after Tony Esposito's "Je-Na' / Pagaia"; a false start perhaps but a true classic all the same. Radio Band were a group of DJs from Florence who all sailed the airways of Radio Fantasy in 1984 and whose one and only release was this super groovy slice of Italo-boogie. Following the example of Milanese DJs Band of Jocks but far surpassing their formulaic funk fizzle, Radio Band employed an intergalactic bassline, cosmic keys and that undeniably Italian style of rapping to deliver a sophisticated party-starter which even found its way to disco deity Ron Hardy. Back to the here and now, and if you've found yourself pumping an ecstatic fist to a supercharged Italian epic of late, chances are its from the mind of the mysterious Radiomarc. Operating on the ascendent Popcorn Groove imprint, this shadowy figure steers his country's lost classics into peaktime territories, finding a sweet spot between late Italo-disco, early Italo-house and contemporary cool. Pushing the tempo with a club-ready 4/4, setting the sequencer to stun and supplementing the original melodies with a series of synth riffs, the mystery producer send this one into orbit. Radio Band - Radio Rap - Radiomarc, the circle is complete.
Few have done more to develop cross-cultural musical exchange than Futuro Antico. A collaborative venture from musician, archeologist and ethnomusicologist Walter Maioli, keyboardist and tonal theoretician Riccardo Sinigaglia and multi-disciplinary artist and composer Gabin Dabiré, Futuro Antico formed in Milan in 1979, combining ancient international folkloric traditions with otherworldly electronics. The result is an arresting melange of Mediterranean, African and Asian instrumentation, mimicked by esoteric synth tones and hypnotic minimalism, which the group perfected on their acclaimed 1990 LP Dai Primitivi All'Elettronica. The meditative and transportive "Pan Tuning" belongs to their largely overlooked 2005 CD only release Intonazioni Archetipe, and has been amongst Manu's most loved tracks from the first moment he heard it. Who else is better placed to reshape this evocative opus into an immersive, transcendental dance floor journey than label favourites Mushrooms Project? The duo sows the original elements into a sprawling fifteen minute fusion of séance and science, at times propulsive with a ritualist rhythm of tuned percussion and crunching drum machine at others drifting off into ethereal ambience. Mushrooms Project continue to push the boundaries of the Afro-cosmic style, and this remix marks a new zenith.

Repress
Patience is a virtue well-rewarded in techno; finding the right groove to build on then holding your nerve long enough to pay off the wait at the optimum moment is a much more skillful endeavour than it would seem for such a minimalistic style. And few display this talent better than Detroit originals Scan 7. Part of the hallowed Underground Resistance family, Scan 7 first broke out in the mid-90s with a series of jacking machine funk 12”s that showcased their savvy for self-control - a faculty they have demonstrated in releases year-on-year since.
Highlighting this continuous font of vitality, Tresor Records has returned to the source and is proud to announce the reissue of Scan 7’s debut LP, Dark Territory. First unleashed on the label in 1996, the album has been remastered from the original DATs by Mike Grinser, augmenting already powerful tracks such as the snake-like, teasing Unusual Channel (mixed by the master Blake Baxter), and the harder-edged VII resulting in music that will, without doubt, provoke an enhanced response when the pressure is finally released.
Repressed on vinyl with updated artwork, these tracks still sound like a blueprint for the future, testament to the prescience and assurance Scan 7’s leader, Trackmaster Lou, clearly had when writing “I hope you enjoy my records in the phuture to come” in the sleeve notes nearly 30 years ago.

DaRand Land, who hails from the post industrial confines of Buffalo, NY was one of the leading figures of Deep4Life, a cult label known for submersible oriented, yet dancefloor-friendly productions. With ambient synth-driven tones and heavy funk basslines being at the center of his sound, DaRand Land’s music often evokes an introspective quality, without losing its groove fundamental. DaRand’s works, which span decades on deep house labels such as Downbeat, Confluence and Pulp have been described as “uncompromising” and has afforded him a passionate following of listeners who seek a more emotive, thought-provoking brand of underground music.
Teaming up once again with Scissors and Thread - the perfect fit for his sound - DaRand Land drops an album full of crafty, trippy house for the heads. Wander Being contains 10 tracks on the double vinyl release with a pair of additional tracks for the digital release. The vibe is deep and sleek, with a rough, bumping edge. The title track sets the tone, a smattering of percussion accompanying a thick, round kick drum and Rhodes chords, giving off a classic Detroit feel. Tracks like Turn to The Music ramp up the energy somewhat, but overall the tracks sit in the sweet spot between dancefloor burners and soulful, jazzy, deep cuts. Noticeable is the space given to each element across the tracks - the hi-hats sparkle, the snare snaps, and the basslines roll and rumble. Add to this the magic melodic flourishes provided by the pads and synths, reminiscent of the late Mike Huckaby in places, made this whole album a thoughtful, joyful experience.
„The genesis for the Wander Being LP”, says DaRand “was a desire to return to the essence of some of my original Deep4Life productions. How was this accomplished? Principally, through the exclusive use of hardware components, minimalist arrangement, and a minds-eye approach to source the musical elements. In particular, the single, The Nature of Reality was written to convey a sense of what it feels like to be in a state of suspended animation. There is a natural tension introduced via the organic, swirling pad progression juxtaposed against endless vocal echoes and the low-end groove of the bassline. Thematically, I wanted to carry this forward through the entirety of the album.
balancing subdued keys and strings with ethereal tones and atmospheres