quête:electro potato

Trumpeter, rapper and sonic wanderer Pan Amsterdam has carved out one of the most distinctive voices operating at the intersection of jazz and hip-hop today.

Pan Amsterdam is a musical enigma wrapped in an enduring riddle. His creator is a jazz musician from Houston who’s found fame working with Detroit punk rock God, Iggy Pop, and British indie royalty, Metronomy, and now makes shapeshifting, adventurous hip hop out of the music’s spiritual home, New York.

He’s an irreverent character born out of frustration and named after a misunderstanding, yet one who’s on the verge of releasing his fifth album of truth-slaying, genre-crossing rhymes and beats. The result is a catalogue that feels both deeply rooted in Black American musical tradition and completely untethered by convention.

Pan Amsterdam returns with ‘Panarama’, his fourth full length album and a bold reassertion of his hip hop identity, released via Def Pressé. Created by Houston-born, New York-based musician and composer Leron Thomas, the record finds Pan Amsterdam embracing the harder edges of his sound while continuing to blur the lines between jazz improvisation, abstract rap, punk attitude, and experimental production

Written as a response to contemporary life and the endless cycle of information, conflict and distraction that defines modern culture, ‘Panarama’ unfolds as a stream of consciousness journey through hyper-normalised realities. Across sixteen tracks, Thomas navigates social commentary, personal reflection, absurdist humour, and cultural critique, delivering his observations with the same spontaneity and freedom that have become central to the Pan Amsterdam project

Lead single ‘Szechuan Beef’, produced by acclaimed collaborator 1FS, serves as one of the album’s defining statements. Built around Thomas’ signature free-flowing delivery, the track explores the overwhelming nature of contemporary life, where domestic conflict, social division, entertainment scandals and political discourse become flattened into a constant stream of content.

In Thomas’ own words: “My stream of consciousness style comes quite naturally to me due to the conditioning of scroll down culture where everything, no matter how minor or extreme, is hyper normalised.”

Elsewhere, the track ‘Vanilla Ice’ was written in response to widely publicised ICE killings and the speed at which tragedy is absorbed and forgotten within online culture. Thomas channels the anxiety and emotional disorientation of endlessly consuming information, allowing his thoughts to unfold in real time as social commentary collides with everyday digital noise. The result is both deeply personal and sharply observational, reflecting the fragmented reality of modern life. Other album highlights include the cinematic, Interpol-esque opener - ‘Old Friend’ complete with shimmering guitar lines and an far-reaching introspective, no-filter vocal as Thomas teams up with Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and Brad Truax (Interpol) across multiple tracks, often the production traverses left-field indie territory, but always maintaining Pan Amsterdam’s unique musical identity throughout. For the hip hop purists and beats lovers there are plenty of riches to discover from the clever nostalgic sample flips of ‘Cutlery’, the sleepy lofi of ‘Shuriken’ and the wonky LA beat scene / early Flying Lotus era beats of ‘Drunken Noodles’ - all boasting quick witted lyricism. ‘Deep Fried Shiney Things’ explores early electro and industrial sonics while album finisher is an upbeat new wave / indie band cut which sees Thomas take a break from rapping, but of course never letting up on the sharp observations nonetheless


While his previous record explored more alternative territory, ‘Panarama’ marks a deliberate return to rap, as Pan Amsterdam explains:

“I just wanted to do a rap album again.I enjoyed making my last album, but I felt like rapping again. I like to have the freedom to move in between musical worlds that suit the current state I’m in. Frequency accommodating frequency.”

This philosophy runs throughout the album. Tracks move effortlessly between jazz-inflected arrangements, experimental beats, punk energy and underground hip hop aesthetics, allowing ideas to evolve organically rather than conforming to traditional structures. Thomas describes himself as an improviser first and foremost: “I think like an improvisor. That’s how my albums pretty much move. It’s improvisation.”

Featuring additional contributions from Spice Programmers, AnOtter and Mr. Shn, ‘Panarama’ presents a wide-ranging cast of collaborators while remaining firmly rooted in Thomas’ singular creative vision. The record embraces contradiction, humour and unpredictability, capturing fleeting thoughts and observations with the same freedom and spontaneity that define jazz improvisation itself.

A musical enigma wrapped in an enduring riddle, Pan Amsterdam has built a reputation as one of contemporary music’s true outsiders. The project emerged from frustration, experimentation and artistic freedom, with Thomas drawing equally from his background as a jazz musician and his collaborations with artists including Iggy Pop and Metronomy. Operating from New York while carrying the spirit of Houston’s musical heritage, Pan Amsterdam has developed a distinctive voice that sits comfortably between avant-garde jazz, underground hip hop and experimental music.

Reuniting with Def Pressé for ‘Panarama’, Thomas explores what he describes as the more hardcore side of his artistic identity:

“They let me do anything and everything I wanna do so long as it’s on audio, and I need that freedom. What may verbally be perceived as vulgar to one group of people may be very thoughtful and a poignant description of the times that we’re presently in, so I’m glad that I’m part of a label home that understands that.”

Four years ago Andermay released their last album 'El Viaje Inesperado'. We missed the talent of Nemowave and the magical voice of May. It's been way too long but the wait is finally over! The new vinyl of Andermay is an EP including two great tracks.
On A side, El Olvido, a very personal but also catchy new track with an Electro Potato Remix more dancefloor oriented.
The opening track for the album 'El Viaje Inesperado', 1989, was originally intended to be an album instrumental intro but we thought it deserved to be a track itself. So, B side is the whole version of 1989, including a brand new Vocal.

Available on Splatterd red/black vinyl and on black vinil.

For its tenth release Pareidolia Recordings has brought a squad of young talents coming from the Italian Electro scene. Despite their stylistic and melodic differences they create a compact united music front. Feel the energy of the future

Vintage Pleasure Boutique is proud to present another reissue from the Made Up Records catalog. The success of Claudia’s debut single “Dance With Me” in 1988 left Michiel Van Der Kuy no choice. The impatiently awaited follow up wax was released a year later and became an instant hit in Europe and Asia. The VPB’s reissue of this single includes remastered original versions and 2 new remixes by Electro Potato and A.P. Mono.

One-off electronic disco project of 1984 for the unmistakable sounds of the Yamaha DX7 - especially the notorious "tubular bells" during the verses - introduced at the end of '83, but which didn't catch on in Italo-Disco until the following year. "Dancing Dode" has the strangest spelling ever. Whoever created this truly amazing super theme barely knew English as the word "dode" does not exist in English. This explains why some Italo-Disco songs have obvious grammatical errors even on the original records. The artist or the authors thought that du:d would be written "dode" in English, but in reality it's "dude"... which means a meticulous and elegant man, potentially homosexual, in short a gay type, "King /Queen" of disco dancing like in that film with J.T.. The role of disco in the 80s was a ground for negotiating rights throughout history, so most people didn't care too much about choosing and hating someone's sexual orientation, but dancing, listening to music and this song with a beautiful melody is perhaps the rarest Italo-Disco song ever made.

Marino Scarabelli, the creator of unforgettable progressions in “Are You Loving” and “Love In A Summer Night”, so characteristic and unique that can still give us goosebumps, sat down in the studio again and composed another italo banger. Traditionally, he was joined by Stefano Brignoli, who wrote the lyrics and lent his voice, and that’s how we witnessed the creation of new bomb by Some Bizarre.

But this is not the end of the sensation, because Linda Jo Rizzo joined the band as a guest and you will hear her in female vocal parts, as befits real, indigenous Italo disco. The whole thing was produced by A.P. Mono in collaboration with Marino Scarabelli. For dessert, a very nice remix by Electro Potato.

Rocco Universal presents four cuts of cosmic machine funk on Cosmic Tiger.

Lovingly recorded using analogue synthesis, the floor-focused music favours feeling over control, with saturated drums, thick bass notes and slow-burning melodies loosely entwined over intuitive arrangements. Shaped patiently amid Rocco’s long-running residency at Potato Head Bali, the tracks meander through cosmic disco, proto-house, electro-funk and psychedelic chug, each finding its place beneath evolving twilight skies.

Rocco Universal is the alter-ego of Patrizio Cavaliere — DJ, producer and journalist serving the roots of music from the space in between. His cultured turntable curation alongside years in conversation with some of the scene’s architects and ambassadors inform freeform productions that have previously arrived on labels including Leng, Soul Clap and Adeen Detroit.

Originally launched as a blog, Cosmic Tiger now surfaces only occasionally through interviews and original releases, operating as a slow-moving but trusted archive of influences, conversations and dancefloor oddities.

Brighton’s Moon Attendant team up with Go! Team's leader and drummer Ian Parton for new LP ‘Dum Evol’. Following their debut ‘One Last Summer’ with this incendiary, heart-pounding, drum-led masterwork full of untutored surf-guitar, Scarlet Rivera style fiddle, psychedelic orchestration and sharp-playful lyrics, all within just over 30 thrilling minutes.Since their debut, Paul Blewett and Nick Holton had been knee-deep in experimental music and needed something or someone to smash the shit out of the new songs. Instead of making heavier music, the result left lofty but wobbly structures teetering on fractured Giacometti-like frames, exposed, more arresting. Paring back the Musical palette from previous wash of synths and reverb to surf guitars, Moog, and violin, leaving Blewett's vocal (often compared to Colin Bunstone) leaning into an unvarnished, direct sound like Jimmy Campbell. Thematically, Dum Evol turns inward. Where their debut asked questions, this record sits with the answers, exploring love, conflict, and growth as experiences that must be lived first hand - “It’s such dumb evolution, you still have to learn the hard way”. Their lyrics get under the skin and under The Establishment in a wistful worm like way. Nudging at the truths. Smiling but always ready to bare some fangs.The fantastic instinctive violinist, Roger Proctor, joined as fourth member, bringing raw fragile beauty to ‘Look The Other Way’ & ‘Difficult Ifficult’, blending swooping string lines with the monster-surfing-Sonic Youth racket elsewhere. They explain - “We kept to a first take policy generally as it keeps everything just fresh and daisy like.” Dum Evol’s restraint allows the band’s more experimental instincts to land with greater weight. Musically, the record occupies a space somewhere between the slacker-rock nonchalance of Pavement and the gypsy swagger of Dylan - 'Desire' through a lens that is consciously, almost defiantly, English. It’s a sound that channels the 60's pastoral folk tradition alongside the sharp-edge of The Auteurs, an honest version of England, one to be proud of, existing in stark contrast to the hollow jingoistic nationalism of flag-shaggers climbing lamp posts. Jagged, lived-in, and entirely vital, Dum Evol is a record that feels fully realised, yet remains dangerously built to unravel in a hair's breadth.“Psychelelic grungy synth-pop - Moon Attendant marry analogue electronics to a lovely burbling pop sound, like Felt exploring the recesses of krautrock. Trippy, ramshackle and a cult in waiting.” Shindig!

Brighton’s Moon Attendant team up with Go! Team's leader and drummer Ian Parton for new LP ‘Dum Evol’. Following their debut ‘One Last Summer’ with this incendiary, heart-pounding, drum-led masterwork full of untutored surf-guitar, Scarlet Rivera style fiddle, psychedelic orchestration and sharp-playful lyrics, all within just over 30 thrilling minutes.Since their debut, Paul Blewett and Nick Holton had been knee-deep in experimental music and needed something or someone to smash the shit out of the new songs. Instead of making heavier music, the result left lofty but wobbly structures teetering on fractured Giacometti-like frames, exposed, more arresting. Paring back the Musical palette from previous wash of synths and reverb to surf guitars, Moog, and violin, leaving Blewett's vocal (often compared to Colin Bunstone) leaning into an unvarnished, direct sound like Jimmy Campbell. Thematically, Dum Evol turns inward. Where their debut asked questions, this record sits with the answers, exploring love, conflict, and growth as experiences that must be lived first hand - “It’s such dumb evolution, you still have to learn the hard way”. Their lyrics get under the skin and under The Establishment in a wistful worm like way. Nudging at the truths. Smiling but always ready to bare some fangs.The fantastic instinctive violinist, Roger Proctor, joined as fourth member, bringing raw fragile beauty to ‘Look The Other Way’ & ‘Difficult Ifficult’, blending swooping string lines with the monster-surfing-Sonic Youth racket elsewhere. They explain - “We kept to a first take policy generally as it keeps everything just fresh and daisy like.” Dum Evol’s restraint allows the band’s more experimental instincts to land with greater weight. Musically, the record occupies a space somewhere between the slacker-rock nonchalance of Pavement and the gypsy swagger of Dylan - 'Desire' through a lens that is consciously, almost defiantly, English. It’s a sound that channels the 60's pastoral folk tradition alongside the sharp-edge of The Auteurs, an honest version of England, one to be proud of, existing in stark contrast to the hollow jingoistic nationalism of flag-shaggers climbing lamp posts. Jagged, lived-in, and entirely vital, Dum Evol is a record that feels fully realised, yet remains dangerously built to unravel in a hair's breadth.“Psychelelic grungy synth-pop - Moon Attendant marry analogue electronics to a lovely burbling pop sound, like Felt exploring the recesses of krautrock. Trippy, ramshackle and a cult in waiting.” Shindig!

Here’s another gem from the Made Up Records catalog, crafted by none other than Laserdance legend Michiel van der Kuy. Once again, Vintage Pleasure Boutique delivers a beautifully remastered original, breathing new life into this classic cut. But that’s not all. Thanks to the access to the original studio stems, the release also features four brand-new remixes. A.P. Mono, Electro Potato, Bellatrix, and Chris van Buren all stayed true to the essence of the original production, but each one gave “Let Me Free” a fresh twist – tweaking, polishing, and reimagining it to build a smooth bridge between the old school vibe and modern dancefloor energy, all while giving a respectful nod to today’s DJs.

In collaboration with Telekom Electronic Beats, HOMEAGAIN005 captures the spirit of this year's Home Again Club Festival 2025 with a forward-thinking selection of tracks from artists across the festival roster.
Spanning house, tech house, breaks, ambient, and progressive sounds, this 7-track VA is a deep dive into late-night euphoria, sunrise moments, and everything in between.
Side A opens with Thabo's "Cheza Mwili" featuring Nairobi's Brian Msafiri-a high-octane Afro-electronic anthem with Swahili vocals and dancefloor urgency. Miura follows with the punchy and introspective "Home Alone," while Meggy delivers pure Berlin house warmth on "Around." Soela & Module One close the side with "Obsidian," a deep, shimmering journey built for long-form sets.
On the flip, "Pull Me Back" by LUV ATTACK pushes progressive, fast-paced house to an emotional edge. Thalo Santana & Oran Ray shift gears into breaksy territory with the playful, rhythm-heavy "Sweet Potato," before All Shade rounds things out with "Something Like This"-a sleek, driving tech house roller built for peak-time sets.
Mixed and mastered by Matthias Millhoff, and adorned with artwork by Ken Hanamura, HOMEAGAIN005 is a celebration of the diverse sonic threads running through Home Again's dancefloor community.

Pumpin tribe little pearl from da High Potatoes !

Another great artist from the 80s back to vinyl: Roberto Buti has been involved in many important projects in the past, sometimes as a composer, sometimes as an arranger and many times by giving his voice for the project: “Xenon – Symphony”, “Next – You’re An Illusion”, “Reeds – In Your Eyes”, “Dr. Martini – You Are The One”, “Bob Robert – Storm In A Teacup”, just to name a few.

After almost 40 years, Mr. Buti is back in the 80s Italo Disco scene with a beautiful new track “You’re The Only One”. The vinyl release has an original production by Buti on the A side and as an alternative, the Flashback Remix (by Electro Potato) on the B side. Limited edition of 175 copies on the market.

Cyril The Great returns with his second release, "Quantum Fairytales." This record showcases two analog "long drinks" infused with the raw vibes of the 90s and it delves into the mysterious journey of electronic sound, emerging from the quantum realm of pure energy and adhering to its own esoteric principles, resulting in the emergence of a solid tracks in our contemporary reality.

Das Duo mit Wohnsitzen in San Francisco und New York besteht aus Mike Stroud, der sich gelegentlich seine Brötchen als Tour-Gitarrist von Dashboard Confessional und Ben Kweller verdient, und Mastermind und Soundtüftler Evan Mast. Evan mag manch einem bereits unter dem Pseudonym E*Vas bekannt sein oder auch als Mitbegründer des Labels Audio Dregs. Er ist der Mann hinter den Achtziger-Amiga-Sounds und den relaxten Beats und zeichnet verantwortlich für so verrückte Ideen, wie z.B. die deutsche Nationalhymne zu verclashen. Solche Geistesblitze hat er im Dutzend, und so entstand ein Album prallvoller Emo-Electroclash-Tunes für Couch Potatoes. Da ist es beinahe Ironie des Schicksals, dass diese Band ausgerechnet von Paul Bangs entdeckt wurde, seines Zeichens Sänger einer der fleißigsten Live-Bands der Welt: Interpol.

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!

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!

Cawd Slaydaz is a clear shift for Frigio Records. Yet, this debutant also marks a return of sorts. The album brings together Hugo de Naranja, co-founder of former Red Light Radio, and Max Abysmal. The link that connects the two? Their love for Colombia and the rich musical melting pot of this diverse nation. Nothing is stable on this eleven track LP, recorded in Bogotá Colombia with 10 different local guest artists. Rhythms are cross pollinated, cold and stark city thump collides with rich and lively organic flows. The style pursued is anything but singular, like the messages. Social exclusion and brutality in the poetic Perreo “Dejen Bailar” is mirrored in the Cumbia food ode “Potato Trip”. Dark Electronics, Experimental Bass & Trap are the genre tags that most will attempt to label this record with. This ignores the Leftfield Funk of “El Gorila Del Desierto”, the Stoner Ambient of “Uffff” or the Synth-Punk rage of “Razones”. An audio snapshot of a country: TOTÁL.

One of Europe's key figures in the drum and bass music scene of the 2000s - Sunchase - returns with his long-awaited album on Kashtan, a newly launched label from Ukraine, on 1st of December 2020.

Sunchase had numerous singles on such cult labels like Moving Shadow, Metalheadz and Hospital Records and after 10 years he finally returns to the LP format. His second album 'Timeline', just like the concept of the label, blurs the boundaries between genres of electronic music, and cannot be assigned to any particular style. The melancholic and abstract sounds give off a sense of reclusiveness, with dubstep and drum and bass rhythms peeking and sometimes breaking through to the surface, yet more often they go deeper, creating room for bass music, dub and even a slight touch of IDM, thus creating a very special state. The album as a whole appears as a voluminous, complete, and aesthetically established piece of work.

The releases of Kashtan will be executed in a rather unusual format: it will be a limited series of collectible packs, including a USB stick with music and additional multimedia content, as well as other materials. These packs can later be collected into a catalog. Also, the LP will be released digitally on Kashtan's Bandcamp page and all other known online stores.

What or HOO do you get if you mix guitarist Neil Halstead, Farmer Dave of Beechwood Sparks with uncompromising folk angel- Jackie Oates, producer-songwriter and organic gardener with a penchant for wah-wah, Nick Holton? The answer is the widescreen, heartbreaking glory of HOO’s second album WE SHALL NEVER SPEAK. A more song filled leap forward from debut CENTIPEDE WISDOM’s post-rock electro adventures. Holton is a master builder of woozy dynamics, his songs unfurl with a mysterious, hooky logic all their own - this is cinematic and deeply emotive machine music. A glorious hybrid of electro, shoegaze, dubby ‘niceness’ and floating dream pop. The spooked, narcotic throb of opener GHOST IN YOU. The pounding, chewy Kraut/Space rock of CRANIUM. THE MIGHTY’s exquisite slow build towards Can-like lift-off. The snarly, groovy drive of centrepiece & single STILL DREAM. A brief flirt with musique concrète on the metronomic NO ONE CAN SEE THIS. The Halstead co-penned shoegazy, echoey swagger of WE SHALL NEVER SPEAK. The album’s poisoned chalice & peak song moment, POWDER MOON. The synthpop of YOU CHANGED THE WAY YOU SMILE. Closer SEA OF GLASS sounds like Leonard Cohen visiting Kraftwerk’s Klingklang studio. Let that sink in - the idea is perhaps the heart of this venture.The detail and texture is extraordinary. A glorious hybrid of an album that over eight songs builds into something unique. Epic and homegrown. Upbeat and melancholic. Questing and questioning. Haunted by loss but future-facing. It’s a genuine marvel. Holton’s HOO co-conspirators this time are Neil Halstead, Charlie Holton, Ian McCutcheon, Paul Blewett, Chris Monger and Lee Lavender. Guests include acclaimed folk singer Jackie Oates and West Coat Legend Farmer Dave Scher

What or HOO do you get if you mix guitarist Neil Halstead, Farmer Dave of Beechwood Sparks with uncompromising folk angel- Jackie Oates, producer-songwriter and organic gardener with a penchant for wah-wah, Nick Holton? The answer is the widescreen, heartbreaking glory of HOO’s second album WE SHALL NEVER SPEAK. A more song filled leap forward from debut CENTIPEDE WISDOM’s post-rock electro adventures. Holton is a master builder of woozy dynamics, his songs unfurl with a mysterious, hooky logic all their own - this is cinematic and deeply emotive machine music. A glorious hybrid of electro, shoegaze, dubby ‘niceness’ and floating dream pop. The spooked, narcotic throb of opener GHOST IN YOU. The pounding, chewy Kraut/Space rock of CRANIUM. THE MIGHTY’s exquisite slow build towards Can-like lift-off. The snarly, groovy drive of centrepiece & single STILL DREAM. A brief flirt with musique concrète on the metronomic NO ONE CAN SEE THIS. The Halstead co-penned shoegazy, echoey swagger of WE SHALL NEVER SPEAK. The album’s poisoned chalice & peak song moment, POWDER MOON. The synthpop of YOU CHANGED THE WAY YOU SMILE. Closer SEA OF GLASS sounds like Leonard Cohen visiting Kraftwerk’s Klingklang studio. Let that sink in - the idea is perhaps the heart of this venture.The detail and texture is extraordinary. A glorious hybrid of an album that over eight songs builds into something unique. Epic and homegrown. Upbeat and melancholic. Questing and questioning. Haunted by loss but future-facing. It’s a genuine marvel. Holton’s HOO co-conspirators this time are Neil Halstead, Charlie Holton, Ian McCutcheon, Paul Blewett, Chris Monger and Lee Lavender. Guests include acclaimed folk singer Jackie Oates and West Coat Legend Farmer Dave Scher

Luz Azul is a group started by LA-based vocal and performance artist Anna Homler (aka Breadwoman) together with musicians Marcos Fernandes and Robert Montoya in 2007. On this record they compose their own mesmerising cosmic universe where the hypnotic speaking in tongue voice of Anna Homler blends mesmerising together with the sound of her found toys intensified by the shamanistic percussion of Marcos and the pulsating electronics of Montoya.

As fellow percussionists and sound artists, Marcos Fernandes and Robert Montoya's collaborations began in 1983 and ran the gamut from ambient to noise, rock to electronica to improvisation. Both were founding members of Trummerflora, a collective of creative musicians based in San Diego from 1999 to 2009.

All three artists were active in the improvised music scene in Southern California and met at Spring Reverb 2006, an annual festival of experimental music curated by the Trummerflra Collective. At the time, Fernandes was experimenting with processed percussion as well as phonography and samples while Montoyawas exploring improvisational possibilities on the computer.

Fernandes and Homler expressed their mutual interest in collaborating but it was not until the fall of 2007 that they performed a series of concerts together. Pleased with the results, they performed together again in the spring of 2008 with the addition of Montoya. There was chemistry and the trio promptly decided to enter the studio to capture their collective magic. The session yielded the music found on Luz Azul.

Anna Homler - voice, pocket theremin, sample sticks, whistles, assorted dry and squeaky objects, greeting cards, wood devil, tiny metals and motors and potato slicer
Marcos Fernandes - percussion & electronics
Robert Montoya - electronics

Bastard Jazz is proud to present the new EP from Vancouver's AstroLogical, also known as one half of production duo Potatohead People. With a long list of collaborations outside of the group ranging from Pomo, Phife Dogg, Illa J and Chin Injeti - Astro's new EP "Private World" resides somewhere in between jazz, soul, ambient and future electronic vibes with it's lush keys, chunky breaks, and deep musicality.

Nate Drobner aka. AstroLogical is a multi-instrumentalist producer/composer based in Vancouver, B.C. Canada.
After releasing a number of solo instrumental hip-hop projects through the net label Jellyfish Recordings in the early 2010's under the AstroLogical alias, he had began focusing his energy on the producer duo Potatohead People; a collaborative project with his old friend Nick Wisdom, eventually getting noticed signed by Brooklyn-based record label Bastard Jazz in 2012 (with the help of Nightmares On Wax). Their 2018 full-length sophomore album 'Nick & Astro's Guide To The Galaxy' was released to great acclaim and led them to be invited to Jazzy Jeff's annual Playlist Retreat alongside such luminaries as Lord Finnese, Young Guru, and Pharaohe Monch.

Comprised of Vancouver producers and multi-instrumentalists Nick Wisdom and Astrological, Canadian duo Potatohead People boast a number of noteworthy accolades thanks to a their signature sound drawing influences from 90's boom-bap, future soul, classic jazz, deep house and boogie/funk. Beginning with a series of EP's, including their landmark "Kosmichemusik" EP, Potatohead People's productions quickly made their way to artists like Illa J who tapped the duo to produce his now critically acclaimed self-titled album, as well as producers like Kaytranada (who co-produced Illa J's "Strippers" with the pair). Supporters such as Soulection, Nightmares on Wax, Pomo, DJ Spinna, Big Boi, and Phife Dawg have also played formidable roles in championing the sound of Potatohead People worldwide.

Now with three years since their last release, 2015's critically acclaimed debut album Big Luxury, Potatohead People are back their long awaited new album Nick & Astro's Guide To The Galaxy (due out May 11th via Brooklyn label Bastard Jazz) The record picks up right where the pair left off, showcasing a leap forward in production chops, musicality, and songwriting. The first single "Quest For Love" "with it's neck snapping drum break, lush rhodes chords, cosmic synths, guitar & horn flourishes and unexpected musical changeups bring in the hip-hop infected musicality the duo has become so loved for, while Nick & Astro collaborate vocally on top. "Morning Sun" featuring Danish vocalist (and Anderson.Paak collaborator) Nanna.B is in part a melancholy piece with knocking drums, an infectious bassline and a soulful, shimmering hook, while "Do My Thing" featuring Canadian singer Kapok and Illa J is a neck-snapping Hip-Hop joint perfect for the dancefloor. "Liftin' Up" featuring San Francisco's K-Maxx ventures into West Coast boogie territories, while the album's closer "Rituals" goes for a deeper more atmospheric electronic vibe.

Working on opposite sides of the landmass we call Canada, Vancouver/Montreal duo Potatohead People (producers Nick Wisdom & AstroLogical) have been making waves for quite some time with their signature jazzy boom-bap meets boogie inside the bassbin vibes. Called a "formidable tandem" by OkayPlayer, their sounds have been championed early on by the likes of Kaytranada, Soulection, Nightmares on Wax, Pomo, Exmag, Big Boi, and Phife Dawg. After a few early releases on Vancouver based netlabel Jellyfish Recordings, Brooklyn's Bastard Jazz reissued their 2012 landmark Kosmichemusik EP and pressed a 7" released on Valentine's Day 2013. The association landed their song "Back To My Sh*t" (featuring Frank Nitty of Frank'n'Dank) on a Powerade produced LeBron James documentary and Nick and Astro began working on a debut LP for Bastard Jazz, presented here.

Big Luxury draws from influences disparate as classic jazz, prog rock, disco 90's hop, DJ Shadow-Era downtempo beats, alongside modern influences like the Brainfeeder crew and new electronic sounds coming out of Nick Wisdom's adopted hometown of Montreal. What's resulted is a finely honed, extra buttery album that effortly glides between tempos, but never loses the mood. The album also features a whole host of guest vocalists - J Dilla's younger brother Illa J, legendary Canadian MC Moka Only, New Zealand's Sorceress, and Amalia all provide contributions to the sounds within. Big Luxury is a velvety ride through vibes and a magnificent debut for these talented young Canadians.