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Discrepant proudly presents the Vinyl edition of Lebanese trio Malayeen. Malayeen is the project of Lebanese musicians Raed Yassin (Keyboards, Turntables & Electronics), Charbel Haber (Electric Guitar & Electronics) and Khaled Yassine (Darbouka, Percussion). Born from Yassin and Haber's love for the music of quintessential Egyptian guitarist Omar Khorshid, Malayeen disassembles and re-configures the work and style of the iconic guitarist innovative take on Arabic music. The final result makes for an original and unique update of Khorshid & belly dancing inspired songs from the past. Over the course of 7 compositions, appropriately named after Khorshid and famous belly dancers from the Arabic diaspora, the three musicians' varied backgrounds and techniques collide and coalesce in an experimental yet magical fashion, not actually playing Khorshid's music, but inspiring themselves from the cult guitarist's genius to create something completely new, modern and unexpected. A unique LP featuring the combined talents by key players of the Lebanese avant-garde. The Malayeen LP edition is released by Discrepant in collaboration with Lebanese exploratory label Annihaya effectively combining East and West musical strains of thought as well as conclusively deconstructing and displacing this particular form of 'popular' music. Design by Studio Safar S.A.L. Comes with full color poster painting by Omar Khouri Special vinyl one time pressing to 500 copies. "Uplifting, beat-driven pieces, often melodic, definitely Arabic, with destabilizing touches from external sounds, sound manipulations, and textural plays. The 17- minute 'Samia' is a roller-coaster ride culminating in a dizzying solo/duo between Yassine's darbouka and a darbouka track from a record played by Yassin. Great stuff. Monsieur Délire

2023 Repress

Millennial dream boy Gen-Y and his twisted takes on everything! With his roots in Iran, hailing from Berlin he goes deep in, mixing up styles like Kanye mixes up opinions. On this follow-up Ep to the critically acclaimed Saturn Flow Ep from 2021, he keeps it funky and upbeat! On the opener Dreamboy, he collabs with Estonian singer Maryn E. Coote and takes the dancers on a smooth ride with a touch of 80's proto-house, electronic funk sound and vocals from Maryn's original version. River of Light and Time Of Death are proper flowing electro-funkers while Type 0.7 and Rari Jack ft. DJ Ebhardy are proper jackin Dj favorites! Closer Kirby Step takes the term 'funky acid' to another level. When you make tunes that are this cool there is no need to stick to one style... just enjoy what the universe transmits to the ether and vibe along!

2023 Reissue

Following up some big recent tunes on Noire & Blanche and Scruniversal Tunes, Juravlove is back with more party starting and sample-heavy jams. These are DJ and dancer-friendly tunes suited to a range of settings. First up classic vocal samples define the fresh beats of 'Eleonora' then 'Crystal Cave' is all silky disco loops and 'Stoner Doner' slips into a sunset vibe for beach parties and open-air dancing. There is more of heady feel to the deep house grooves of 'Warm Gate' while 'Tap Water' goes for the peak time and the EP highlight comes at the end with 'Grand Delux'.

- Panda Bear, Voice of the Seven Woods, Mammane Sanni Abdoulaye. File under: Jazz / Electronic. Titi Bakorta almost didn't make it. Born in and raised in Kinshasa, the Congolese multi-instrumentalist was on his way to Uganda when he fell off the boat as it traversed the mighty Congo River. Unable to swim, Bakorta was saved by a friend who dragged him to the closest city Kisangani, where he was unexpectedly acquainted with local singer Dancer Papalas. Soon they were performing in bands together, traveling across the continents and settling in Tanzania, South Sudan and Dubai - they even appeared in front of General Defao, the beloved Congolese vocalist who fronted legendary soukous bands Grand Zaiko Wawa, Choc Stars and Big Stars. Now based in Kampala, Bakorta offers his own unique take on Congolese pop and folk sounds, weaving traditional elements through a psychedelic lattice of guitar loops, mangled voices and eccentric beatbox rhythms on his debut full-length. He bends woodblock snaps on 'Kop' into stuttered blurs, wailing emotionally over twanging riffs and bizarre, theatrical xylophone twinkles. It's still pop music on some level, but curved around Bakorta's unwieldy personal narrative - there's a sense that everything could unravel at any time but it all hangs together, strengthened by Bakorta's confident, contemporary production smarts. 'Elles Vais' is more airy, with celestial soukous vocals that float above tight, electronic drums. Tangled guitar echoes overlap each other like dense, weaved tapestries, contrasting perfectly with Bakorta's urgent, driving pulse. Occasionally, he transcends completely, like on 'Molende' where his chants and phrases neatly flutter between praise music and contemporary R&B. "Hustling, hustling, hustling, everyday I'm hustling," an angelic voice coos over phased electric guitar plucks and looped, AutoTuned chorals. It makes perfect sense that Bakorta should team up with Metal Preyers' Jesse Hackett on the album's final track, the aptly-titled 'Titis Haunted House'. The two artists share a similar obsession with moonlit, carnivalesque soundscapes, and Hackett's eerie synths provide a suitably eccentric foundation for Bakorta's ghostly wails and fuzzy guitar sounds.

The first encounters of Chassol with Indian music date from his teenage years where, thanks to John Mc Laughlin and his band Shakti, he could hear ragas, rhythm structures and Indian instruments mixed with jazz.

Then came Ravi Shankar, Hariprasad Chaurasia and the devotional songs.
More recently, the documentaries by Louis Malle (Phantom India) and by Johan van der Keuken (The Eye Above The Well) left their marks on him and after having harmonized New-Orleans in "Nola Cherie", the choice to attempt at an harmonization of life, sounds, motifs, noises and traffic from Northern India quite naturally grew on him.

In Calcutta and Varanasi, India's most ancient city, he went to shoot sitarists, percussionists, singers, dancers, the kids, the Ganga, the city and the apparent chaos of the traffic.

Indiamore spreads over four movements, one same tonal harmonic suite of warm and real pop chords that marries the modal Indian music usually resting on a sole continuous bass line played by the tampura.

In repeating these images, in treating their sound as a music material and in harmonizing the actors' speech with his own harmonic obsessions, he achieves to blend a documentary approach into a

Mixtus Orbis is a split album between Rennes' wizard Le Matin and the Danish astrocosmonauts Parallel Planet (Grammar of Movement & Ecxo).

It’s the 18th release of the label Maturre.

Mixtus Orbis is a place where the bad and the evil are meeting. Strange forms for strange minds, and big bangers for big dancers.

Summer is now upon us, and with it one of our dearest dancefloor artillerymen returns to Timedance.

Ploy's « For when we haven’t slept » stands as a mission statement for the party athlete, it is a celebration of weekends ran like both a sprint and a marathon and its three tracks narrates the spirally craze that keeps you out and makes the dancers forget the sole existence of their beds.

Starting with the first hits of strobe lights on a Saturday night, as the energy rises and the dancefloor manically comes together (Crazy BB), it then moves on to a welcome and slightly hectic high octane after-party (Rose) before rolling all the way through to the sheer moments of lustful euphoria that defines the best Sunday sessions (Finally).

Bass pressure and intoxicating techno collide seamlessly without falling into the traps of forced seriousness, while hints of hook-laden house music keep the groove at peak levels, so the bodies can keep moving, beyond sleep and exhaustion and into the final stages of pure frenzy, for when we haven’t slept.

In a career spanning 50 years, Leo Sayer has sold more than 80 MILLION records worldwide.
• 'Silverbird' is Leo’s incredible debut album, originally released late in 1973, reaching #2 in UK Albums Chart and includes
the debut single ‘Why Is Everybody Going Home’ and the hit ‘The Show Must Go On’ (#2).
• Co-produced by Adam Faith and David Courtney, ‘Silverbird’ was recorded at several locations including Virgin Records’
Manor Studios, The Who’s lead singer Roger Daltrey’s Barn Studio and Apple studios.
• Following another successful UK tour in Autumn 2022, Leo Sayer has recently been on tour in the USA for the first time in
decades; a country that took him to their hearts with two #1 Singles and a GRAMMY Award and although he now has
Australian citizenship, Leo remains one of the UK's great singer/songwriters and performers of all time.
• This 50th Anniversary celebratory half-speed master version has been newly mastered by Phil Kinrade, and expertly cut
using transfers of the original audio tapes using precision half-speed mastering by Barry Grint at AIR Mastering, London
and is pressed on heavyweight 180g vinyl, with a 4-page insert containing the lyrics.

Japanese producer boys be kko returns to Labyrinth Records for his latest EP 'Pico'. Elegantly dance-centric, Pico and Kanari focus on textured drum work and richly layered melodies, underpinning these elements with club-ready energy and dynamics.

With its tribal beats, Japanese-inspired instrumentation and infectious energy, every element of the track 'Pico' has been crafted for summer festivals & parties through its euphoric blending of different styles - creating something unique and unforgettable.

The title track ‘Pico’ blends organic drum work with effortlessly unique and compelling synths to create a detailed sonic landscape, presenting new discoveries upon every re-listen.

‘Kanari’ adopts a darker edge with growling bass, haunting melodies and pulsating FX. A true heads-down roller likely to transport dancers to new realms.

Repress!

Johnnie Taylor is revered as one of the all time great Soul singers. He replaced Sam Cooke as the lead singer of the Soul Stirrers and started recording as a solo artist in the early 60's. In 1966 he signed to Stax records where he recorded these two in demand exciting Raw Soul gems.
'Ain't That Loving You' from 1966 is a fantastic two step mid tempo ballad and has been an in demand cut for many years, original UK copies now sell for up to £100. It is the original version of the track later recorded by Luther Ingram, Alton Ellis, Dennis Brown and others.
'Blues in The Night' from 1967 is an up tempo R&B Dancer popular on the Northern Soul scene which was originally issued on a hard to find French EP which also sells for over £100.
These two great tracks are paired together on a 45 for the first time with a specially designed label which reflects their 60s origins. This single is sure to be snapped up by DJ's and collectors.

To call Current Affairs a Glasgow band may initially seem misdirection. Though Joan Sweeney (ex-Rose McDowall’s Band, Aggi Doom, The Royal We) is a lifer, Sebastian Ymai (Comidillo Tapes, Pissy, Anxiety) came from Chile via York, recently relocating to Berlin in 2021, and new member Gemma Fleet (The Wharves, Order of the Toad, Dancer) alongside Andrew Milk (Shopping, Pink Pound) were persuaded to leave London for the ‘second city’ after touring through with previous bands. However, Glasgow is the heart and hub of the band’s music, musical life and the place where Off the Tongue was solidified and produced. Their current line up formed in 2020, but the four have been circling each other for years, touring and playing with their previous bands within the close UK network of DIY music. Stalwarts of their respective scenes they finally began working together through the creation of the Spitehouse collective – a project designed to promote Queer and female-fronted music through events mainly held at Transmission Gallery and Glasgow Autonomous Space, putting on many local and international acts (Sneaks, Sacred Paws, Still House Plants and Comfort amongst others). When an opening for a new bassist arrived, Gemma was the obvious compliment, the slogan of Spitehouse being the language of Current Affairs – “Everyone’s welcome, but don’t get it twisted.” Following on from 2019’s singles collection, Object & Subject, the wait for their debut full-length may belie the urgency of its sound. Songs that were written in pieces over a long time and distance, but fully formed in the instant of the recording room across just a few days by producer Ross McGowan at Chime Studio. Current Affairs’ song-writing process has always been collaborative. Songs are developed responsively, with each of the band’s members sending/bringing elements or hooks to each other, but practices being the place where the songs flesh out, structure and are fully realised. These new songs feel a little brighter than their previous offerings, yet still hold true to their propulsive and caterwauling sound. Still embryonic in the most exciting way that that can be. Current Affairs’ music straddles new-wave pop and gothic post-punk in the way that you should expect a Glasgow-Berlin band to do so: with grit and panache. Written from within the world of crumbling services, broken bonds and wounded spirits, Off the Tongue rolls off an ecstatic rage, filled with hope for you, them and everyone else. It’s a rallying cry away from hopelessness, forgiving your fears and laying them to waste. Their album holds a place for you to be angry and to be focussed. In lieu of having anything else, we’ve always got each other, and an uncertain future is open game for us too

The English-Irish electronic/dance duo Moloko released their first album Do You Like My Tight Sweater? in 1995.

It’s one of their most experimental records, before moving on to a more mainstream approach. Roisin Murphy is carrying the album with her versatile vocals, both in range and style, while Mark Brydon created the breakbeats, sound effects and groovy disco lines.
This is electronica at its best, danceable and funky.

The album includes their hits ““Fun for Me” and “Dominoid”, besides fan favourites like “Day for Night” and “Where Is the What If the What Is in Why?”. They never slow down in their exiting music and absurd lyrics, but that’s exactly what makes this record unforgettable.

Pure joy to be danced on all night.

Do You Like My Tight Sweater? is available as a limited edition of 3000 numbered copies on turquoise vinyl.

High Roller Records, reissue 2023, black vinyl, ltd 200, insert, poster, mastered for vinyl by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony

High Roller Records, reissue 2023, oxblood/ yellow mixed vinyl, ltd 300, insert, poster, mastered for vinyl by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony

INTERSPECIES RECORDS, an inter-disciplinary label that brings together not only DJs and producers, but also visual artists, electronic instrument engineers, and other specialists in sound and space, is proud to release its fourth 12-inch record!

For our latest offering we present the return of Recloose, a veteran producer who has created numerous masterpieces on labels like Planet E, Rush Hour, Peacefrog, and other global imprints since the late 1990s. He continues to explore his sound in this ambitious work, blending old and new influences, samples and synths, delivering two anthems for the dancers and heads alike.

This release also includes stellar remix work from Middle Point, DJ NORIZM and kashi, the label crew of INTERSPECIES RECORDS. In the spirit of their label, each remix presents a unique twist on the original by pushing musical boundaries, fusing elements of Balearic, Loft House, Dub, UKG, Jazz House, and African sounds.

As is the case with the world’s best DJs, this is a piece of music that conjures a new, unknown world by freely mixing without restraint.

Ltd Gold Colored Vinyl. Tony Allen JID018 is the eighteenth installment in the Jazz Is Dead catalog. This album features eight original songs by Adrian Younge and Tony Allen, the pioneering drummer of Afrobeat. Tony Allen JID018 was recorded during the summer of 2018 making Younge one of the last to record with Allen before his untimely passing in 2020. Allen never heard the finished recordings. Together, the two created a masterpiece that will stand alongside Allen's legendary recordings with Fela Kuti. All songs produced, recorded and mixed by Adrian Younge at Linear Labs, the preeminent analog studio of Los Angeles, CA.

Megastar Elton John befindet sich im Frühjahr und Sommer 2023 auf seiner Abschiedstour in Europa. Passend dazu hat sich Jean-Michal Bernard, französischer Pianist, Komponist und Arrangeur, der mit Koryphäen wie Ennio Morricone oder Lalo Schifrin gearbeitet hat, am Klavier 17 Songs von Elton John in eigenen, subtilen Arrangements angenommen. Mit dabei sind die bekanntesten Hits von "Rocket Man", "Your Song", "Tiny Dancer", "Crocodile Rock" bis zum traurig-süßen "Candle in the Wind".

Who did Aretha Franklin not want to miss out on when she recorded
her most inspiring albums in the early Seventies? Who gave Steely
Dan the beat? Who did Isaac Hayes, Donny Hathaway, BB King,
‘Sweet’ Lou Donaldson and Joe Cocker give the chair behind the
drums? No drummer has seen the inside of a studio as often as
Bernard ‘Pretty’ Purdie.
 Not for nothing do colleagues attribute the ‘funkiest soul beat on the
scene’ to the drummer, and consequently, Purdie has never relied on
the genre of jazz alone, but rather curiously looked beyond the
borders. Sessions with The Rolling Stones, James Brown, Jimi
Hendrix or Tom Jones are no problem for him, whose precise and
sensitive playing is synonymous with drive and groove. This is
probably one of the reasons why his rhythms are still sampled by
many DJs today.
 Released on CD back in 1996 and 1997 (and now out of print), the
two ‘Soul to Jazz’ recordings have a cult factor today and sound as
fresh as they did back then. Now both albums are released together
for the first time as a 3LP set.
 These recordings are peppered with lots of prominent star guests
from jazz and soul, from Eddie Harris, Michael Brecker and Nils
Landgren to Hank Crawford, Stanley Turrentine and Cornell Dupree.
 Purdie’s ‘Soul to Jazz’ project takes two different approaches: The
first part focuses on the renowned WDR Big Band led by Gil
Goldstein. Soul classics such as Stevie Wonder’s ‘Superstition’,
‘When a Man Loves a Woman’, Eddie Harris’s ‘Freedom Jazz Dance’
and Lee Morgan’s famous groove tune, ‘Sidewinder’, are interpreted
in large scale sound. One discovery of these recordings amidst all the
renowned guest soloists is the New York-born singer, Martin Moss.
 The great success of this first album, released under ‘Soul to Jazz’,
led to ‘Soul to Jazz II’, a more intimate record, but one that picks up
where the first recording left off, by exploring similar themes. Again,
Purdie has called together a notable band of kindred spirits, including
saxophonists Hank Crawford (BB King, Ike and Tina Turner, Ray
Charles), Stanley Turrentine (Jimmy Smith, Shirley Scott) and Vincent
Herring, as well as guitarist Cornell Dupree (King Curtis) to pianists
Benny Green and Junior Mance.
 Bernard Purdie’s ‘Soul to Jazz’ is a timeless classic and a blueprint of
the soul jazz genre in all its facets. Above all, it is a portrait of one of
the most influential and best drummers in the world, who made jazz
groove with his inimitable funky soul beat

"Hits & Pieces" showcases the band's most recent single releases, including "RATA-TATA", "Superlove", and "Diggin' It". Meanwhile, "Live at l'Olympia" captures some moments of the band's sold- out show in Paris, complete with a thrilling cover of Lenny Kravitz's "Are You Gonna Go My Way" featuring supporting act KO KO MO. With its stunning visual design and great energy, this vinyl is a must-have for any Royal Republic fan. So don't hesitate - add it to your collection today and experience the best of this incredible band!

A wild and funky collection of Afro grooves that was ahead of its time in 1977 and has become a collector’s item in recent years, especially due to the growing international interest in Colombian picó sound system culture. Fruko and his studio bands Wganda Kenya and Kammpala Grupo treat us to a diverse set of African and Caribbean styles, laced with crazy synths, psychedelic guitar and infectious pan-African polyrhythms. By the time Discos Fuentes released the album “Wganda Kenya Kammpala Grupo” in 1977, Wganda Kenya’s discography was expanding with many 45 singles and appearances in various artists collections. The group’s 1975 debut record “África 5.000” was a full length LP in the U.S. and a various artists compilation in Colombia, which was followed by the self-titled long player the following year. However, Kammpala Grupo, which shared the album’s title and was credited to three songs on the record, had never appeared before, yet was basically the same studio group as Wganda Kenya. Most likely the creation of this short-lived studio band was just a ploy by the label to make it seem like there were more groups playing the type of exotic afro tracks favored by the picotero DJs of Colombia’s Caribbean coast (especially in Barranquilla and Cartagena). 1974 Discos Fuentes’ management had sent musician, band leader and producer Julio Ernesto “Fruko” Estrada to the coast on an A&R mission to discover what people were dancing to in the verbenas (communal open air neighborhood parties) run by the owners of picó sound systems (decorated mobile DJ rigs). Always game for an adventure, Fruko was tasked with bringing some popular examples of these esoteric, hard-to-find African, French and Dutch Antillean records back to Medellín to serve as inspiration (or to outright copy) so that the label could enter into the growing regional market and spread its popularity to the interior of Colombia and other Latin American countries via its own studio creation, Wganda Kenya. Fuentes was always returning to exploit the rich African-rooted culture of the coast as it had with the cumbia and other regional genres before, so in a way it was not surprising that they were attuned to this particular niche phenomenon from a marginalized sector of the population. The most popular genres with the champeta dancers in the 70’s and 80’s were styles like Congolese rumba, highlife, afrobeat, juju, mbaqanga and soukous as well as the music of Haiti, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Curaçao and Dominica, all of which were fiercely guarded by the DJs who had managed to acquire them often through extreme means of travel, barter and intense digging. The record kicks off with the joyful ‘El Gallo Africano’ which features exquisite interplay between Sepúlveda’s highlife style guitar and an authentic-sounding African style saxophone, perhaps played by Carlos Piña. In reality it was ‘Go Call Police Chief’ by prolific Nigerian highlife guitarist Chief Oliver Sunday Akanite, aka Oliver De Coque. Next up is Kammpala Grupo’s ‘La Yuca Rayá’ (‘Grated Yuca’), written by Isaac Villanueva in a style he termed son haitiano which sounds much more like Zimbabwe Shona mbira music. Wganda Kenya’s ‘Caimito’ (star apple, a type of tropical fruit), on the other hand, is actually a cover of a relatively well-known Haitian merengue song. Kammpala Grupo then takes us from the French Antilles to the multi-cultural discotheques of Paris, where a cover version of Black Soul’s Afro-boogie anthem ‘Black Soul Music’ is retooled and renamed ‘King Kong’, perhaps in a nod to the 1976 remake of the monster flick of the same name. Side two introduces us to the infectious merengue rebita of Angola via ‘La riphyta’ with “Paparí”, aka Mariano Sepúlveda, doing the vocals and faithfully replicating the Angolan guitar style. ‘La Trompeta Loca’ (‘The Crazy Trumpet’), probably the nuttiest track on the album, is an ingenious cover of ‘Ye Gbawa Oo Baba (Tribute To Nigeria)’ by Joe Mensah of Ghana. As with all their covers of African tunes, this rendition tightens up the original with some pop sheen, more consistent drumming and higher production values, remaking it into a powerful slow-burning dance floor filler. This is followed by one of the most powerfully original songs to come out of the entire Wganda Kenya project, Mike Char’s reggae anthem ‘El Nativo’ with Joe Arroyo on vocals. The record ends on a more authentically Caribbean sounding note with the instrumental ‘El testamento’, a cheerful islands banger with bright brass, syncopated calypso beats and chunky cuatro guitar (or ukulele). The original was in the mento genre and titled ‘Sweet meat’, written and recorded by Jamaican trumpeter Bobby Ellis. First time reissue. 180g vinyl.

Before there was Saturday Night Fever there was underground disco. DJs across America went out and found the music to play; dancers went out and found the clubs. At this point, in the early seventies, the disco was the venue and not a genre of music.

By the time Nik Cohn’s short story Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night was published by New York magazine in June 1976, disco was the biggest genre of music on the charts and was about to get bigger still, becoming an all-enveloping cultural phenomenon. Cohn sold the film rights to Robert Stigwood, and his classic club yarn became Saturday Night Fever.

“Tribal Rites Of The New Saturday Night” is the soundtrack to Cohn’s story, where disco began; a 1975 score for the underground clubs of Brooklyn and Queens that played R&B, soul and Latin beats to people who lived for the weekend.

Bob Stanley has put this collection together, sourcing what was actually played in Brooklyn discos in 1974 and 1975. Only a few specific records were mentioned in Cohn’s feature, but two of them – Ben E King’s ‘Supernatural Thing Part 1’ and Harold Melvin’s ‘Wake Up Everybody’ - were cosmically great and both are included here, alongside underground favourites like Moment Of Truth’s Four Tops-like ‘Helplessly’ and Gloria Scott’s Barry White-produced modern soul classic ‘Just As Long As We’re Together’. Ivano Fossati’s incredible ‘Night Of The Wolf’ has fans in northern soul, disco and prog circles.

Without Cohn’s original story, it’s quite possible that disco would have remained an underground phenomenon – “Tribal Rites Of The New Saturday Night” paints a scene in full flower. Saturday Night Fever would eventually, if unintentionally, wreck the underground nature of this scene, and clubs like Studio 54 would destroy the democracy of the party, but for two or three years the scene was largely undocumented and magical. This album is the sound of disco before it was captured.

From Alehouse to Playhouse Bjarte Eike and his barnstorming Barokksolistene capture the vital spark of Restoration London’s entertainment scene with a captivating new recording for Rubicon Classics! The Playhouse Sessions will be released on 23 September 2022 to coincide with Barokksolistene’s concert double-bill at London’s Southbank Centre.

‘A smattering of Purcell, dances from Playford’s Dancing Master, shanties, reels and ballads succumb to a nine-piece ensemble drawing on Baroque, jazz and folk styles for a no holds barred hooley of riotous improvisatory give and take,’ (BBC Music Magazine review of The Alehouse Sessions, August 2019)

London’s musicians, pushed in the 1650s, to the margins of society by order of Oliver Cromwell, found room for new forms of entertainment in city-centre taverns and alehouses. They remained there long after the restoration of the monarchy, performing sets of dances, theatre songs and bawdy ballads to audiences glad to be free from Puritan constraints on pleasure.

Norwegian violinist Bjarte Eike and his Barokksolistene have restored the spirit and substance of those long-forgotten performances with their Alehouse Sessions, hailed by The Times as ‘irresistible’ and ‘fabulously unrestrained’ by The Guardian. Five years ago the Norwegian violinist and his band scored a best-selling album with The Alehouse Sessions on Rubicon Classics. They return to the label with another compelling collection of music and words of the kind on offer more than three centuries ago at Henry Purcell’s favourite Westminster watering holes. The Playhouse Sessions, set for release on Rubicon Classics on 23 September 2022, reflects the uplifting energy and engaging emotional contrasts of Barokksolistene’s Alehouse performances.

“The album contains a sort of inner narrative that runs through the recording,” says Bjarte Eike. “It has become like a play in its own right, with each track being a small tale within a larger story.” The recording’s tracklist includes Eike’s beguiling arrangements of music from Purcell’s semi-opera The Fairy Queen and his own original compositions on words from the play on which it is based, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream; popular songs and ballads such as ‘The Irish Washerwoman’, ‘I often for my Jenny strove’ and ‘The Three Ravens’; tunes from Purcell’s welcome odes and stage shows, Come ye sons of art and Dido and Aeneas among them; the ‘Willow Song’ from Shakespeare’s Othello; Eike’s own voice in Puck’s monologue from Act 5 of A Midsummer Night’s Dream; and John Dowland’s sublime air ‘Can she excuse my wrongs’.

London’s theatres were closed at the start of the English Civil War in 1642 and remained shut until the Restoration. Alehouses offered redundant musicians, actors and dancers a place to scrape a precarious living and soon became their creative refuge. “Although a few surviving theatres reopened in 1660 with the return of Charles II, there was little money around to rebuild those that had been demolished,” observes Bjarte Eike. “And a generation of musicians had already found an audience in places like the Black Horse in Aldersgate Street. So popular were their alehouse sessions that Cromwell tried to abolish them! But they outlived him and became part of Restoration musical life.” The form of a Barokksolistene Alehouse, he adds, is like a creative room. “Within its framework I can frequently refurbish the show with new contents. The Playhouse project is likewise an extension of the ever-evolving Alehouse Sessions. Together they tell the story of music and theatre in London during Cromwell’s time and after the Restoration. Of course there’s an historical context to what we do. But there’s also the practical context – which is even more important to me – of connecting with a contemporary twenty-first century audience. An Alehouse / Playhouse performance is not something for the museum; it's about music made in the present moment, just as it was in the London alehouses of Purcell’s day -- with their playhouses annexed to the rear of the beer-drinking saloons. The encounter of musicians onstage and the audience in the hall is the real magic of it. We have to fuse the audience into the action of our performance!”

The Playhouse Sessions will be launched on Friday 23 September with a late-night concert at the Purcell Room and a post-concert Alehouse Session in the foyer of the Queen Elizabeth Hall. Soprano Mary Bevan is set to join Eike and his Alehouse Boys for the first half of their Southbank Centre double-bill, offering unique interpretations of songs from Purcell shows and other hits from the late seventeenth-century London stage. “The Southbank Centre is a direct descendant of concerts given in the 1650s in the alehouses of London,” notes Eike. “These alehouses after all staged some of the world’s first public concerts. Later, after the Restoration, it became common for promoters to advertise alehouse concerts in the press and offer subscription tickets. Purcell and his fellow musicians were thus just as at home performing there as they were in the chambers of the royal court or in London’s new theatres.”

Bjarte Eike launched his Alehouse Sessions in company with like-minded musicians 15 years ago. The ensemble comprises a core of regular performers, all of whom have committed to memory a huge setlist of up to four hours of music. Typically they meet a day or so before a concert tour to share a meal and make music together; then next day, re-grouping thirty minutes before the show, they discover Eike’s select-menu for the evening. “That ensures that every show is fresh,” he notes. “I make sure we never repeat the same programme twice. It’s therefore essential to work with people who share my outlook and dare to adventure. We’re into a high-risk sport, with lots of traps and places where the unexpected appears - for good or for ill. And so the audience knows we’re vulnerable. But our skill is seen in how we re-act on the hoof to the unpredictable. That’s authenticity and honesty - and above all it’s a performance that’s genuine.”

Armed with a classical training and a background in folk music and improvisation, Bjarte Eike was drawn naturally to Early Music in all its stylistic variety. “I never really felt at home with only one genre,” he recalls. “Early Music allowed me to study profound, complicated compositions, but performing it has also opened up the chance of rebellion and uproar! Early music offers wide, multi-faceted areas of musical exploration for me. You find, for instance, links to different types of music wherever you look in seventeenth-century English repertoire. And I am fascinated by all these connections. They offer a foundation for the Alehouse Sessions and for all Barokksolistene performance more generally. Every member of the group plays, sings, dances and improvises without limitation. We’re all interested in the many different fields of being a stage performer and pushing hard at the ‘normal’ boundaries of what it means to be a classical musician.”

Welcoming the inimitable DJ and Producer Dan Shake with his forthcoming EP Verde, set for release on May 26 2023.
Renowned for his infectious charm in the booth and an expert ear for funk, soul and disco rarities, the producer who cut teeth making maximum impact dancefloor groovers is now taking an introspective new direction. Dan was inspired after his relocation to Devon from London where a new found feeling of escapism and appreciation for nature allowed him to experiment with his own sound more than before, including using his own vocals at the forefront for the very first time.

Dan Shake (Daniel Rose-Weir) began his notoriety with the Mahogani Music released 3AM Jazz Club / Thinkin’ in 2014, using Moodymann’s seal of approval as a springboard for his ambitions. Even as dancefloor-igniting releases piled up year on year, such as the Ibiza-smashing ‘Claudia’s Trip’, or any number of Shake Tapes white label edits, Shake’s expertise as a DJ began to match his production chops. This makes for two combined sides of what Dan Shake represents: an explosion of colour, variety and flavour, no matter whether he’s jamming on a rotary in the booth, or juicing fresh joy from old samples in the studio. Basements, lofts, tents, festival stages with the production dialled up to 11 – all are welcome opportunities to let loose. But as his sound has evolved and his reputation as a killer DJ has grown, Shake’s love of connecting to the dancers in front of him has remained, well, unshakable.

The ever-prolific and established artist Alan Abrahams aka Portable makes a swift and very welcome return to Circus Company with the impressive lead single "Guiding Me", giving us an early taste of his forthcoming album Augmented Dreams to be released in the fall.

Conceptually the direction of this new project refers to the use of technology to alter our dreams, inadvertently or not, as so much tech advancement becomes available and ingrained in our daily lives. The timely lead single here inspired by Abraham's South African ancestors the Khoi San people and the guidance they provide, appropriately exuding both futurist formed sonics and dream-like tenderness in content, led by his dulcet-toned vocals and delivered with the super solid production we've come to expect. Wonderful multi-purpose electronic music which will find itself right at home on late-night discerning dance floors, or indeed guiding the listener through their respective travels, solo meditations or get-downs in headphones.

Along with the excellent "Guiding Me" original mix, we are graced with a masterful remix by Hamburg's Lawrence of Smallville and Dial fame, who takes the track into an even more floor-focussed realm with his patented rolling sub-bass lines which will guarantee plenty of summertime sound system finessing, as well as the EP-exclusive B2 track "Vigor" in which Portable goes even deeper in tone with classic styled vocal cut-ups and repurposed shards of tasty sound design added to keep the dancers endlessly entranced when and wherever they may be.

The third Mollono.Bass Album is dedicated to what we need most. We as inhabitants of the same planet, we as members of a free society, and we as a culture. We have to stick together more than ever, rather than drifting further and further apart. At the same time, Together brings together everything Mollono.Bass stands for since more than 20 years: Ritualist Afro-influences and acid loops, the sensual physicality of House, the laid-back boost of Dub Techno, analogue depth and digital highs, hope transcribed into groove and utopia set into rhythmic motion. It’s the dynamic novelty and pioneering spirit of the arrangements that reflect the unmistakable signature style of this producer. True to the traditional idea of an album, complete with previously unreleased tracks and special versions, Together is a highly immersive listening experience from start to end and works beautifully on the dancefloor and far beyond it.

"Another Love Song - The Frames are an Irish indie rock band formed in Dublin in 1990. The band is known for their passionate and emotive sound, which blends elements of rock, folk, and traditional Irish music. Over the years, they have released several critically acclaimed albums, including ""Another Love Song,"" which is widely regarded as one of their most influential works.
""Another Love Song"" was released in 1991 and marked a turning point in the band's career. The album featured a raw, stripped-down sound that was a departure from their earlier, more polished work. The songs on the album were deeply personal and introspective, exploring themes of love, loss, and the complexities of human relationships. The album's title track, ""Another Love Song,"" became an instant classic, showcasing the band's signature sound with its driving rhythms and soaring vocals. The song's bittersweet lyrics and haunting melody struck a chord with listeners and quickly became a fan favourite.
In addition to ""Another Love Song,"" the album features several other standout tracks, including ""Say It to Me Now,"" ""The Dancer,"" and ""Downhill."" Each song on the album showcases the band's dynamic musicianship and poetic lyricism, earning the album a reputation as a seminal work in the Irish indie rock scene. Over the years, The Frames have continued to evolve and innovate, releasing several more critically acclaimed albums and earning a dedicated following of fans around the world. With their unique blend of raw emotion and musical artistry, The Frames continue to inspire and captivate audiences with their powerful, soulful music.


Fitzcarraldo - ""Fitzcarraldo"" is the sixth studio album by the Irish rock band The Frames, released in 1995. The album marked a significant departure from the band's earlier work, with a more experimental sound that blended rock, folk, and experimental elements.
The album takes its name from the Werner Herzog film of the same name, which tells the story of a man who attempts to build an opera house in the Amazon jungle. This theme of ambition and perseverance in the face of adversity runs throughout the album, as frontman Glen Hansard explores themes of love, loss, and the human experience. The album opens with the hauntingly beautiful track ""Revelate,"" which sets the tone for the rest of the album with its soaring vocals and intricate guitar work. From there, the album takes the listener on a journey through a diverse range of sounds and emotions, from the upbeat rock of ""What Happens When the Heart Just Stops"" to the melancholic balladry of ""Fitzcarraldo.""
One of the standout tracks on the album is ""Lay Me Down,"" a tender and heartfelt ballad that showcases Hansard's powerful vocals and poetic lyricism. The song has become a fan favourite and is often performed live by the band. Another highlight of the album is the epic nine-minute track ""Fitzcarraldo,"" which features lush instrumentation and intricate guitar work. The song is a tribute to the film of the same name and explores themes of ambition and determination in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Overall, ""Fitzcarraldo"" is a powerful and deeply personal album that showcases The Frames at their most ambitious and experimental. With its diverse range of sounds and emotions, the album remains a fan favourite and a landmark in the Irish rock canon.

Dance the Devil
Dance the Devil is the fourth studio album by the Irish rock band, The Frames. Released in 1999, it marked a significant departure from the band's earlier sound and was a critical and commercial success.
The album features 10 tracks, including the hit single ""Pavement Tune,"" which received extensive radio play and helped to propel The Frames to greater prominence in the music industry. Dance the Devil showcases the band's versatility and musical prowess, blending elements of rock, folk, and pop to create a unique and compelling sound. The lyrics are introspective and poetic, exploring themes of love, loss, and self-discovery.
Produced by Steve Albini, the album was recorded in just five days, giving it a raw and unpolished feel that perfectly captures the energy and passion of The Frames' live performances.
Dance the Devil remains a beloved album among fans of Irish music and continues to inspire new generations of musicians. Its enduring popularity is a testament to the artistry and vision of The Frames and their commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in rock music.
"

"Another Love Song - The Frames are an Irish indie rock band formed in Dublin in 1990. The band is known for their passionate and emotive sound, which blends elements of rock, folk, and traditional Irish music. Over the years, they have released several critically acclaimed albums, including ""Another Love Song,"" which is widely regarded as one of their most influential works.
""Another Love Song"" was released in 1991 and marked a turning point in the band's career. The album featured a raw, stripped-down sound that was a departure from their earlier, more polished work. The songs on the album were deeply personal and introspective, exploring themes of love, loss, and the complexities of human relationships. The album's title track, ""Another Love Song,"" became an instant classic, showcasing the band's signature sound with its driving rhythms and soaring vocals. The song's bittersweet lyrics and haunting melody struck a chord with listeners and quickly became a fan favourite.
In addition to ""Another Love Song,"" the album features several other standout tracks, including ""Say It to Me Now,"" ""The Dancer,"" and ""Downhill."" Each song on the album showcases the band's dynamic musicianship and poetic lyricism, earning the album a reputation as a seminal work in the Irish indie rock scene. Over the years, The Frames have continued to evolve and innovate, releasing several more critically acclaimed albums and earning a dedicated following of fans around the world. With their unique blend of raw emotion and musical artistry, The Frames continue to inspire and captivate audiences with their powerful, soulful music.


Fitzcarraldo - ""Fitzcarraldo"" is the sixth studio album by the Irish rock band The Frames, released in 1995. The album marked a significant departure from the band's earlier work, with a more experimental sound that blended rock, folk, and experimental elements.
The album takes its name from the Werner Herzog film of the same name, which tells the story of a man who attempts to build an opera house in the Amazon jungle. This theme of ambition and perseverance in the face of adversity runs throughout the album, as frontman Glen Hansard explores themes of love, loss, and the human experience. The album opens with the hauntingly beautiful track ""Revelate,"" which sets the tone for the rest of the album with its soaring vocals and intricate guitar work. From there, the album takes the listener on a journey through a diverse range of sounds and emotions, from the upbeat rock of ""What Happens When the Heart Just Stops"" to the melancholic balladry of ""Fitzcarraldo.""
One of the standout tracks on the album is ""Lay Me Down,"" a tender and heartfelt ballad that showcases Hansard's powerful vocals and poetic lyricism. The song has become a fan favourite and is often performed live by the band. Another highlight of the album is the epic nine-minute track ""Fitzcarraldo,"" which features lush instrumentation and intricate guitar work. The song is a tribute to the film of the same name and explores themes of ambition and determination in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Overall, ""Fitzcarraldo"" is a powerful and deeply personal album that showcases The Frames at their most ambitious and experimental. With its diverse range of sounds and emotions, the album remains a fan favourite and a landmark in the Irish rock canon.

Dance the Devil
Dance the Devil is the fourth studio album by the Irish rock band, The Frames. Released in 1999, it marked a significant departure from the band's earlier sound and was a critical and commercial success.
The album features 10 tracks, including the hit single ""Pavement Tune,"" which received extensive radio play and helped to propel The Frames to greater prominence in the music industry. Dance the Devil showcases the band's versatility and musical prowess, blending elements of rock, folk, and pop to create a unique and compelling sound. The lyrics are introspective and poetic, exploring themes of love, loss, and self-discovery.
Produced by Steve Albini, the album was recorded in just five days, giving it a raw and unpolished feel that perfectly captures the energy and passion of The Frames' live performances.
Dance the Devil remains a beloved album among fans of Irish music and continues to inspire new generations of musicians. Its enduring popularity is a testament to the artistry and vision of The Frames and their commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in rock music.
"

Angel Deradoorian and Kate NV are Decisive Pink - Ticket To Fame is their highly anticipated debut. After teasing the single 'Haffmilch Holiday' the duo amassed a rapturous response, with The Guardian calling it "a space-age-dancefloor swoon that brings to mind Kate Bush's Waking the Witch" and the New York Times highlighting the single as "substantive and thoroughly hypnotic". On their first LP they do not disappoint, calling on Kate NV's experimental pop leanings and Angel Deradoorian's taste for atmosphere and otherworldliness, Decisive Pink have created a playful and abstract album designed for escape and enchantment. Electronic pop at it's finest, the debut points to the fact that life is a puzzle, but you can still get a lot from living it. 'Destiny' is a smart take on the nature of belief, built on a question-and-answer format, where Angel plays a role as the seer, and Kate the enquirer. The poppy beat is reminiscent of Talking Heads' 'The Great Curve', from Remain in Light. There again, it could be a sinister take on Will Powers' 'Kissing with Confidence'. The synth squeaks, squelches and toots sound like the timid affirmation of the initiate. Ticket to Fame is also unashamedly romantic in atmosphere and tone. Romance is to be found in the simple pleasures, such as listening to a blackbird on the instrumental 'Rodeo', where warm synths, a melancholic guitar pattern and hissing rhythm combine with some vocal snippets to form a soothing contemplation. Then there is 'Ode to Boy'; a perfect pop track. The walking into the room of "more than just an ordinary boy" (doubtless "drunk with fire") allows a set of initially different, and shortened synth patterns to build to a glorious affirmation of the power of love. "Perfect pop music" Marc Riley, BBC6 Music And guess what? The vinyl comes in pink!

A banger from 160 to 180 BPM... Kicking and twirling... evolution inna logic of the dancer.. naturally moving your feets... a Killer once again !!!

Abstrakce recover this lost gem recorded in 1999 and published by Keliehor himself in a very short-run CD named "Create Music", which had almost no diffusion.

An outstanding collection of exotic tracks with a wide range of influences from primitive cultures all over the world. An unexplored region where the Minimalism concepts developed by Steve Reich, La Monte Young, or Terry Riley and renewed by Midori Takada meet Jon Hassell's 4th world ideas.

You will find here repetitive patterns that evolve and transform the sound space, unlikely instruments gathered together in a perfectly harmonic way, making flow an unusual melodic sense when the uncommon combinations of these instruments interact with one another. Simple instruments, yet exotic, primitive sound makers with complex personalities, timeless sound treasures unchanging a hundred years. Crude or sophisticated, most of the instruments, compel us to listen to them. A more flexible and wider range of tonality is discovered by limiting the number of instruments that play together and choosing those whose tones and harmonics resonate together.

The record results from a didactic project for nursery and primary school environments while searching for ideas to guide children in following the details of music. The music architectures are often transparent, even repetitive, but the culminative effect soon becomes more than that. These pieces are aural landscapes for dreams and adventures, doorways to imaginative worlds.

The Artists:

Jon Keliehor and Signy Jakobsdottir performed together in Seattle, Venezuela, and Scotland. During their stay in Seattle, both had studied gamelan music with Gamelan Pacifica under the direction of Jarrad Powell. After returning to Scotland, they continued to study and perform with Gamelan Naga Mas, in Glasgow, in projects directed by dhalang Joko Susilo, dancer/director Nyoman Wenten, and Professor Matthew Issac Cohen.

In Scotland, they created adult and children's workshops under the banner of Luminous Music. Preceding the formation of Luminous Music, Keliehor had worked as percussionist and composer with contemporary dance companies, both in London and Seattle. Following on studies in percussion music at Dartington College of the Arts, Signy moved to Seattle to begin work with Jon. The partnership that ensued brought them to Caracas, Costa Rica, Brazil and Spain to create music for the dance company DanzaHoy. In 1996, they returned to Glasgow, and continued to work together at the newly created Luminous Music Studios. Signy's involvement with musicians/groups has continued beyond this to include genres in Scottish/Celtic traditions, in Jazz, as well as music innovations of her own design.

Milestone album from n°1 Dancehall artist in Europe available for the first time ever on vinyl. Includes the monster hits "Bad" and "World Whin" as bonus tracks.

Blaiz Fayah currently lives between Paris and London and comes from a family of musicians. Songwriter- singer-composer, he made a name for himself thanks to the Dancehall and Moombahton djs who selected him for their best mixes around the world.

After making the world dance with his track « Bad » and its millions of streams, Blaiz Fayah is the dancehall hit maker of the moment.

Blaiz Fayah is the most exciting dancehall artist of his generation !

The French artist has been very successful all over the world and this has brought him to the South American, Caribbean and European dancehall scenes.

Independent and unstoppable, his freshness and talent have pushed him to the top with several million streams per month thanks to hits such as : Best Gyal, Bubble & Whine, Bounce it, Call The Police... With millions of views on TikTok, his hit "Bad" (with Tribal Kush) has gone viral, accumulating thousands of videos.

Independant and unstoppable, his freshness and talent have pushed him to the top with several million streams per month and a string of hits...

Blaiz Fayah, with his charisma and accompanied by his dancers on stage, brings to each of his live performances, a crazy energy and happiness to the public.

High Roller Records, black vinyl, ltd 500, insert, bonus 7", Mastering and audio restoration by Patrick W. Engel in February 2022.

Emotive sweetness from the one they call Gratts, coming correct via those ever-reliable purveyors of all things house, WOLF Music. Two dream-state gems from the Belgian-born, Australia-based DJ and producer, complete with a signature, deep and delectable remix from one of Dublin’s finest exports Glenn Davis.

On the A, ‘Pretty Lights’ is a bittersweet saunter beachside, sun setting in the distance, bass striding beside as keys dance across the horizon. A melancholic narrative over a blissful groove, Brandon Markell Holmes’ heavenly vocals add an undeniable elegance to proceedings, combined with Leïto’s deft touch on the keys. Subtle house music with soul from a producer that’s been toiling away for nearly 25 years.

Flip it to find ‘Polaroids’, a late-night trip across the underground with Tee Amara leading the way. Her sublime vocals are laid over a bumping, piano-laden beat, bit-crushed synths and all. A track that keeps that distinct soulful thread, yet laces it with a club-ready dose of the good stuff.

Glenn Davis then rounds off the package laying down a remix of ‘Polaroids’ that hits in all the right spots. A deeper journey, that sees Davis reworking the drums, dousing it in ethereal pads and dreamy synthwork, elevating Amara’s vocals to stratospheric heights. One for the dancers and romancers.

Audio Soul Project is back with their latest vinyl-only EP, Simurgh. With a title inspired by the mythical Persian bird, these four tracks fuse elements of house, R&B, dub, and drum & bass to create an ecstatic and hypnotic experience.

The EP kicks off with "Deliver Me," a dreamy house track with warm filtered chords and bouncing synth bass. R&B female vocal ad libs pepper the groove and the refrain "Deliver Me" adds a sense of yearning. The percussion, including morphing 4x4 and breakbeat drums, piano and synth stabs, nod to the cerebral Detroit and Chicago house compositions of the mid 90s.

"Azizam Dub" takes a more stripped-down approach with a subsonic bass line bump and Juno 106 stabs. Frantic percussion and deftly cut vocal samples accent the ebbs and flows of the arrangement, making for a dynamic and engaging dance.

The B-side of the record starts with "Internal Vybrations," a bass-heavy drum & bass track that winds and jumps with multiple layers of deep, fluttering bass and ambient pads and strings. Percussion layers like hi-hats, shakers, and maracas lift and relax the rhythm in parallel to the rest of the composition, making for a hypnotic and trance-inducing vibe.

The B2 track on the EP, "Celebration Dub," is a bass-heavy swinging house track with ecstatic diva "Whooo" samples that punctuate the ups and downs of the groove's energy. Classic reggae and dub-influenced vocal samples and heavy tape delay on certain key instruments add to the joyful and uplifting vibe of the track. The keyboard

and string section can transport a dancer to other realms of consciousness if they let themselves go to the groove.

Simurgh is a masterful fusion of various genres that showcases Audio Soul Project's production prowess and ability to create an entrancing sonic journey.

TL;DR: Audio Soul Project's Simurgh EP features 4 tracks of dub-infused house music. Deliver Me has dreamy chords and female R&B adlibs, Azizam Dub is stripped down with subsonic bass and vocal samples, Internal Vybrations is a bass-heavy drum & bass track, and Celebration Dub is a swinging house track with reggae and dub vocal samples.

Angel Deradoorian and Kate NV are Decisive Pink - Ticket To Fame is their highly anticipated debut. After teasing the single 'Haffmilch Holiday' the duo amassed a rapturous response, with The Guardian calling it "a space-age-dancefloor swoon that brings to mind Kate Bush's Waking the Witch" and the New York Times highlighting the single as "substantive and thoroughly hypnotic". On their first LP they do not disappoint, calling on Kate NV's experimental pop leanings and Angel Deradoorian's taste for atmosphere and otherworldliness, Decisive Pink have created a playful and abstract album designed for escape and enchantment. Electronic pop at it's finest, the debut points to the fact that life is a puzzle, but you can still get a lot from living it. 'Destiny' is a smart take on the nature of belief, built on a question-and-answer format, where Angel plays a role as the seer, and Kate the enquirer. The poppy beat is reminiscent of Talking Heads' 'The Great Curve', from Remain in Light. There again, it could be a sinister take on Will Powers' 'Kissing with Confidence'. The synth squeaks, squelches and toots sound like the timid affirmation of the initiate. Ticket to Fame is also unashamedly romantic in atmosphere and tone. Romance is to be found in the simple pleasures, such as listening to a blackbird on the instrumental 'Rodeo', where warm synths, a melancholic guitar pattern and hissing rhythm combine with some vocal snippets to form a soothing contemplation. Then there is 'Ode to Boy'; a perfect pop track. The walking into the room of "more than just an ordinary boy" (doubtless "drunk with fire") allows a set of initially different, and shortened synth patterns to build to a glorious affirmation of the power of love. "Perfect pop music" Marc Riley, BBC6 Music And guess what? The vinyl comes in pink!

Gladstone Deluxe is a New York based artist, producer and percussionist whose work takes form in recorded music, installations and live performances. Stone has performed as a soloist at the Kennedy Center, worked as a technical audio engineer, a software engineer and as an installation artist addressing concepts of rhythm, geometry, the black body and technology. “Spherical Intelligence” is Stone’s first appearance on vinyl. The crux of the record is three live performances recorded at his studio in West Harlem. These sprawling improvisations wove acoustic and electronic percussion, ambience and melody into forms that span the chasm from soundscape to advanced and intelligent club music. The stems were captured and then arranged into club-oriented tracks aimed directly at DJ and dancer. The result is an EP of cerebral, percussion-intensive music for the mind and body that reclaims and re-envisions the term “Intelligent Dance Music” from the Afrofuturist’s perspective.

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

2023 welcomes the a new 12” on the label with 3 hot smoking tunes ready for the springtime which dig deeeep!

“Vera” is a stomping bass-driven groove that brings back some tropical flavor into the Light Touches series. On the flipside, “Savage” is a percussive tour de force at the crossroad of soca, garage and disco. Let the climax fully develop to finally please your dancers! “We De Youth” closes the release with a deeeeper smooth and conscious flow, for the most demanding djs out there.

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!

Sylvie Vartan's most wonderful songs beautifully remastered by Mr. Nick Robbins at Sound Mastering... Super cute, lovely, yet Rock n Roll artwork by Mr. Allan NoMan

Detailed liner notes by M.Jean-Emmanuel Deluxe, author of the acclaimed, beautiful, and definitive book "Ye-Ye Girls of '60s French Pop"

Imagine..if you will...a world in which your dearest chic girl pop singer guests a couple of humour records, goes on to have hit after hit, is all over TV and media, with the coolest radio shows and magazines for youngsters being almost fanzines for her. Then she gets her own TV shows and um, marries Elvis, and does a multi-night stand at the Paris Olympia where The Beatles are supporting HER! That world existed, it was early 1960s France, a marvellous, self contained world of music, film and art, where Vince Taylor was not a weird guy in leather pants who never really clicked with the kids,but the major star he was in his own head! And..Well, obviously, it wasn't really Elvis, but the French-World analogue Johnny Hallyday (handsome, good hair, and a great dancer!), so..in France it WAS!... But the hits? The TV shows? And the magazines and radio? Yes! Those really happened....and The Beatles did support her (and it was a big and lucky night in their career!)...Now, don't you wish we were there, in that world? A bizarro technicolor mix of....I don't know, Viva Las Vegas/HELP!/Les Demoiselles de Rochefort? I certainly do...or maybe pop this record on and let's pretend? Oh, I think so, yes...