Suche:foundation sound

The final release in the Eight Trigram series. Alpha Steppa concludes the Trigram series with an etherial heavyweight dub staying true to the Trigram sound. Super limited edition press housed in the reverse-board Trigram house bag. Raw, unadulterated tribal bass music with a deep roots foundation

Lost Futures is a new label that explores experimental and often radical approaches to dance music from the past. In a musical landscape that increasingly claims to seek and reward new forms and ideas, Lost Futures delves into the recent past to revisit forward-thinking, optimistic projects that, owing to the social, musical or outright political climate, perhaps struggled to find an audience. Allowing only time to re-contextualise these leftfield, sometimes misunderstood and ultimately human bodies of work, Lost Futures taps into the inherent idealism of rave.

LF001 trips back until the early nineties to revisit the alternative scene emerging from the Dutch city of Utrecht. Here, three young men - DJ Zero One (Sander Friedeman), TJ Tape TV (Arno Peeters) and DJ White Delight (Richard van der Giessen) - joined forces to form 'The Awax Foundation'. Inspired by the transcendent and revolutionary electronic music arriving on their shores imported from Chicago and Detroit, combining their knowledge, gear and ever-expanding vinyl collection allowed additional freedom in paying sincere tribute to these intoxicating sounds, while also developing their tastes in a more personal, eclectic direction.

The musical flavours of Awax initially leaned toward acid house and the roots of techno. However, with three different mindsets in the mix, their tastes were rarely fixed. One thing each shared in common was a devotion to collecting rare sounds, specifically more adventurous and international samples than those emanating from the increasingly-hard, masculine dance music emerging from the Netherlands during the period. Inspired by the cross-over global sound of bands like Suns of Arqa, or 'World Music', as it was perhaps patronisingly termed at the time, the trio became interested in the idea of making techno with 'ethnic instruments'.

Of course, this being 1992, none of The Awax Foundation had access to such instruments, instead, they had a vast, collective library of samples from all over the world. There were no collaborations and no clear plan. Instead, they set to work using a Yamaha TX16W sampler, the legendary Atari 1040ST computer, a cheap mixing desk and a couple of low-end synths and FX machines. When Richard mentioned the project to his friend, Akin Fernandez, the London DJ and owner of cult label Irdial Discs, Fernandez was intrigued enough to invite the trio to record a one-hour show for his 'Monster Music Radio' series on London's then-burgeoning Kiss FM.

Forced to come up with a name, 'CultureClash' seemed like the obvious choice, even if the members of Awax were only creatively sparring among themselves. Along with the term 'ethno-techno', slightly dubious to a hopefully more conscious Western audience in 2017, these were the only guiding principles to the quietly ambitious project that soon combined cutting-edge machine rhythms with samples sourced from everywhere from Bolivia to Togo, and inspired by everything from Ravi Shankar's epic soundtrack to the Oscar-winning movie Ghandi, to the technical limits of their own setup requiring a dazzling degree of cut-and-paste work. Some tracks even emerged out of academic studies within the ethnomusicology department at The University of Amsterdam.

The show aired on October 2nd, 1992, recorded in one blistering take and without any rehearsals, traversing a huge variety of tempos and styles. If the performance wasn't seamless, it was undeniably thrilling, fresh and ambitious. As such, several labels, including Fernandez's aforementioned Irdial Discs expressed an interesting in commercially releasing CultureClash, while another imprint proposed a series of twelve-inches and an album. But the sheer complexity of the project meant that it never saw the light of day, while the trio embarked on different journeys ahead, both creative and personal.

Twenty five years later, and the original CultureClash lineup and founding members of The Awax Foundation provide the sound of the first release from Lost Futures. An otherworldly, ambitious and optimistic compilation, accompanied by extensive sleeve notes from the trio, CultureClash is a timeless ode to experimentation in dance music's ever-overlapping culture.

Mark Barrott is the man behind International Feel, Roca, Future Loop Foundation, as well as being a founding of the Balearic boy-band 'Talamanca System' alongside Gerd Janson & Lauer. Nature Sounds of The Balearics is Mark's debut LP on Running Back Incantations.

For the last 20 years London-based author and party organiser Tim Lawrence has dedicated himself to excavating the history of New York City party culture and bringing some of the most powerful aspects of that culture to London's dance scene, from where it has ricocheted around the world. Having conducted the first set of major interviews with David Mancuso, Lawrence started to put on Loft-style Lucky Cloud Sound System parties with David and friends in London in June 2003. In early 2004 he published Love Saves the Day: A History of American Dance Music Culture, 1970-79, which tracked the influence of the Loft on the wider New York DJ, dance and disco scene. In 2009 his biography of the iconic musician Arthur Russell became the first book to map the wider downtown music scene. These beautifully written and politically insightful histories have educated, inspired and celebrated the previously overlooked foundations of contemporary dance music.

Lawrence's most recent publication, Life & Death On The New York Dancefloor, 1980 - 1983, published in late 2016, shines a light on 'one of the most dynamic and creative periods in the history of New York City'. Falling between the more regularly celebrated sounds of disco, house and techno, the period produced a uniquely hybrid series of sounds that never acquired a settled name. This led them to be largely ignored by historians and even DJs, yet the power of the period's music and the scenes it birthed, Lawrence argues, remains undeniable. Met with a rapturous response, Life and Death On The New York Dance Floor saw Lawrence on the road for most of the next year as he spread the word about the characters, the records, the clubs and the bands that shaped the post-Disco, post-Punk, and burgeoning Hip Hop landscapes of New York City during the early 1980s—a period when freedom still ruled.

This, the first of a 2-part sonic tribute to the 1980 - 1983 era as well as a musical companion piece to Life & Death On The New York Dance Floor sees recognised musicians (David Byrne of Talking Heads) nestle up alongside the belatedly recognised (Arthur Russell's Dinosaur L and Loose Joints, and Suicide's Alan Vega) and the downright obscure (Gray, 2 Teens Kill 4 and Tuxedomoon). An indication of what's to follow, Dinosaur L's original album version of 'Go Bang' has been dramatically overshadowed by the definitive François Kevorkian remix yet received regular play by David Mancuso and remains an enthralling experimental Arthur Russell jam.

Lovingly curated across 2 slabs of vinyl, the album introduces listeners to a stunning array of sounds, styles, vibes and feelings that encapsulate this most fertile and forward-thinking era, when music, fashion, sound system innovations, leaps in music technology, a DIY attitude and a freedom from corporate politics combined with extraordinary expressivity. All music contained within this album has been hand-picked and programmed by Tim Lawrence. It represents a selective yet rich introduction to one of the most extraordinary periods in New York City's epic musical history.

This is the first release on Reappearing Records, a label led by Tim Lawrence and distributed worldwide by Above Board distribution. Licensing courtesy of Tracksuit Music. Mastering by Optimum Mastering, Bristol UK. Artwork & design courtesy of Atelier Superplus. 2018.

The demons of night are out again: Seoul's one-stop shop creative collective Byul.org returns this fall with its third international album, entitled Nobody's Gold, out via Alien Transistor (worldwide) and the group's own Club Bidanbaem imprint (South Korea). Comprising 14 new songs, it's a dizzying, haunting affair that channels the group's manifold influences and references points (from post-punk to Stockhausen and back via club culture) and yet sounds intriguingly coherent.

Moving in and out of the shadows, Nobody's Gold breaks forth as pure sonic landscape - a universe of its own, folding and unfolding into both more experimental patterns, yet also with occasional hooks and dark catchy structures, gracious build-ups flickering among the hazy roar and thunder. After the screak and squeal of 'Lamb with a Wolf Mask,' the foreboding sounds of 'The Museum of The Two of Us' segue into a synthesized party tune about a missing friend being chased by police ('Nari Yuko Yin'), one of several vocal tracks with a sinister edge. Taking things up another notch, 'Friendly Enemies' is probably the closest this group will ever get to creating a stadium-ready anthem. On the other end of the spectrum, 'The Place Where Designers Go To Die' is a magnificent void with an immense and irresistible undertow...

Never too jolly (not even while 'Day Drinking at a Seaside Town' or during takeoff via epic pop tune 'Bats We Are'), Nobody's Gold compiles soundscapes with a very tangible, corporeal presence - iridescent sonic sculptures placed in unlikely settings (e.g. outer space, see: 'Dirty Dirtiness'), born at the fringes where night blends into day and vice versa.

Inspired by everyday life, half-remembered drug/club experiences, Pascal Quignard's disturbing La haine de la musique, Stockhausen and Bill Evans, the new LP sees the collective remain true to its DIY foundations while repeatedly questioning our listening habits and 'the exaggerated love for the concept of love,' as they put it.

Founded around the dawn of the millennium as a group of poetry-loving friends who'd occasionally meet for drinks, Byul.org has long become an extremely prolific and versatile collective within Seoul's scene: Main song-writer TaeSang Cho and his mates Yu Hur, Jowall, YunYi Yi, SuhnJoo YI, HyunJung Suh, and SoYoon Hwang went from publishing to recording, from releasing tunes to design, art direction and more. Although their list of clients includes Atelier Herme`s and the Venice Biennale (they did the Korean Pavilion twice), the group still remains a drinking circle of close friends at its core: Pals who simply like to create and carouse and dream and live and perform and play tunes together.

john Yancey' Is The Second Album Illa J Will Release On Jakarta Records, Following The Successful
Release Of Home Last Year. The Project Is The Second Collaboration With Los Angeles
Based Producer Calvin Valentine, Who Once Again Contributed All Of The Production For The Long
Player. While home' Was Largely Inspired By Illa's Native City Of Detroit, john Yancey' Now
Focuses On His Time In California.
(this Album Is) Definitely More Personal Than All Of My Projects, Nothing Specific, But I Basically
Talk About About The Ups And Downs Of All My Relationships Over The Past 10 Years, Still Grieving
About My Bro, Etc. This One Is Trippy Because The First Single Comes Out A Day Before My 32nd
Birthday And The Original Title Was 32 Because This Is A Special Year To Me Because My Brother Died
At That Age So It Had A Lot Of Meaning. But It Makes Sense That It Ended Up Being Called John
Yancey Because For So Long In My Career I Felt Like I Was Tryna Be Me And My Brother, And I'm Finally
At Peace, Like I'm Not J Dilla's Younger Brother Illa J, I'm James Younger Brother John.'
While The Story Of The Album Might Have Changed, There Are Certain Continuities As Well, Built
Around The Strong Foundation Of The Combination Of Illa's Voice And Calvin Valentine's Soulful
Sample Based Production. The Previous Album Already Saw Illa J Incorporate More Singing Into
His Raps And He Goes Down This Path Even Further: i Wanted To Emphasize The Singing But Use
More Of My Natural Singing Voice, As Well As Rap More Than On Home.' In Regards To The Music,
Calvin Wanted To Make The Project Sound a Bit More Polished Where Home Was Purposely
Rough Around The Edges.' Still, The Production Remains Soulful And Rich With Layers To Leave Things
Interesting For The Listener, The More Spins You Give The Record.
The Cover Was Created By Robert Winter, A Cologne Based Photographer Who Was Also Behind The
Visual Appearance Of Home.

Although the band never released
an album during the years of their
activity, Wilde Flowers is certainly
to be counted among the foundation
stones of the Canterbury scene
of the mid-to-late Sixties. After
their departure from the band, the
members formed other two seminal
groups of the Canterbury Sound: Soft
Machine (Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers,
and Hugh Hopper) and Caravan
(David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair, Pye
Hastings, and Richard Coughlan).
The name is of course an homage
to Oscar Wilde, and this album is a
selection of some of their rarest gems
that originally came out in 1994.

Wild Oats proudly presents the new EP from Kyle Hall entitled 'Equanimity'. This release marks the 10 year anniversary of Wild Oats and its only fitting that we celebrate with a release from the label boss himself. Along with the engineering treatment from 'Chicago's very own" (C.V.O.) deep house legend, Glenn Underground, "Equanimity" takes on a new foundational sound and assembly.

Following on from the three highly-acclaimed CoOp Presents 'Selectors Assemble' compilation EPs from the past year, it's now time to focus on some of the individual talents from the ever-evolving movement. As the international foundation grows, we invite aboard the extremely talented Neue Grafik into the fold.

French producer, instrumentalist and DJ, Neue Grafik, has been building a strong rep for himself over the past few years, releasing records previously on labels such as Rhythm Section, 22a and Wolf Music. His sound is a hybrid of jazz, house, broken beat and hip hop, all with his unique geographical flavours of African ethnicity, Parisian roots and a love for London thrown into the mix.

So to the music - two brand new tracks, 'I Miss Something' and 'Bed Stuy's Mood', complete with remixes from EVM128, Danvers, Xtra Bruk and NameBrandSound (aka label bosses IG Culture & Alex Phountzi) respectively, making this one essential package for the bruk soldiers and beyond.

In Neue Grafik's words...

"I remember the first time I was at a CoOp party and met IG - I just said something like "unbelievable party, well done! Thank you, man". I didn't expect to be a part of this brilliant family a few months after that; it's totally insane to think about it now.

I began to hang properly with the CoOp fam during a DJ session at The Flex in East London. I was so happy to live in this moment; surrounded by these talented performers, artists and producers, excitedly talking about unreleased music on everyone's USB sticks.

This EP is a personal vision of the broken beat scene and my love for that. A meeting with artists who build my own taste, with friends keeping the same vibrancy and desire for this music. 'I Miss Something' and 'Bed Stuy's Mood' are two tracks dedicated to Porte Des Lilas (Paris), and Bedford-Stuyvesant (New York). One was made in my house, the other on holiday. These two tracks, as well as the remixes from the Selectors Assemble crew, represent a real and deep friendship."

More essential music from the CoOp Presents camp, available on limited vinyl and all digital services. Don't sleep.

With her debut album Self Fulfilling Prophecy, released by InFiné last June, the French producer closed the loop on the first sequence of her life. A sequence filled with transformations, encounters and collaborations: her successive moves to Montréal and Berlin (where she was closely involved with feminist activism), and her foundational residency at Detroit's Underground Resistance, among others, informed her authentic, global-minded techno aesthetic. The aptly-named Self Fulfilling Prophecy is thus the honest expression of a artist who has found herself at the center of techno activism, an eloquent testimonial to 'how today's electronic is made.' With the necessary hindsight and application, La Fraicheur has created an opus that blends raging techno with more atmospheric moments. An opus that is now being reviewed in light of the electronic scene's main pillar: the dancefloor. 'Self Fulfilling Prophecy remixes' recasts in vinyl version the Techno esprit of La Fraicheur´s original album with four reworks, which condition the dancers to unstoppable footwork as much as they open the listeners 'minds up. On the A-side, an activist of the Polish scene, VTSS is a leading figure in the protest against conservatism, racism and ambient homophobia and one of the founders of the Brutaz parties in Warsaw. She rocks 'Eau Troubles' in an 'industrial' soundscape, as disturbing as fascinating

Standard Edition, Mastered at half speed, 140g vinyl, Sticker We Release Jazz (WRWTFWW Records' new sister-label) is thrilled to present the official reissue of criminally overlooked Japanese jazz gem Mellow Dream (1977) by Hokkaido pianist wunderkind Ryo Fukui, released in conjunction with the its legendary predecessor Scenery, sourced from the original masters and mastered at half speed. Firmly standing on the foundation he laid down with Scenery, Ryo Fukui continues his exploration of modal, bop and cool jazz sounds with meticulous grace and absolute mastery. As its title suggests, Mellow Dream ventures into slightly mellower, more soulful, and sometimes more contemplative territories (the Bill Evans-reminiscent 'Mellow Dream' and 'My Foolish Heart") while still packing the commanding punch Fukui's work is loved for, as heard on the amazingly bombastic 'Baron Potato Blues' or the gigantic McCoy Tyner/John Coltrane-influenced 'Horizon' which sees each member of the trio (Satoshi Denpo is on bass and Yoshinori Fukui is on drums) demonstrating their virtuosity for 9 exhilarating minutes. With his sophomore album, Ryo Fukui swings from melancholy to vibrant joy with ease, reminding us that jazz is best served with a pinch of blues, and displays an immensely rare combination of pure talent, unique personal approach and focused discipline. The man undeniably deserves a spot in the pantheon of all-time great jazz pianists. After releasing the outstanding Scenery and Mellow Dream back to back, Ryo Fukui worked on developing his live skills, often performing at Sapporo's Slowboat Jazz Club (which he co-founded with his wife Yasuko Fukui), and even releasing 2 live albums. He sadly passed away in March 2016, leaving behind a legacy of works that all jazz lovers should explore.

This is the third album of Book Of Air, a series created by the granvat platform and curated by the composers and brothers Stijn and Bert Cools.

As in the first Book Of Air album "Fieldtone" and the second "vvolk", the parameters time and sound are again widely present. This time the 3 interwoven bass lines give the deep drive and foundation of the sound, completed with a layer of acoustic instruments and sparkling chords on top. "Se (In) De Bos" is inspired by the fluctuation objectivity of our daily observations.

vvolk investigates performing and improvising music, in close relation to present time; what are the possibilities in playing music, when changes in this music pass by unnoticed How do we as musicians relate to the running time of a performance This clearly challenges the improvising musicians, and makes audience and
performers discover new territories in collective improvisation.

Leifur James will release his debut album in October through Late Night Tales' artist label Night Time Stories.
A Louder Silence is the London-based producer and multi-instrumentalist's first proper release; his two earlier singles feature on the record, after gaining support from Gilles Peterson's Worldwide FM with a live airing and interview in 2017, plus continued backing from XLR8R, Stamp the Wax, and BBC Radio 6 Music DJ's.
The album is both spacious and thought-provoking, energetic yet restrained, brimming with nuanced electronic instrumentals, dubby synths, and jazz breaks — creating an array of rich textures, complemented occasionally by James' own soulful vocals.
While James' early unreleased work was singularly electronic, A Louder Silence focuses on analog synths and warm acoustic instruments, all played by his own hand. It's the product of a two-year spell in James' home studio, with additional live drums recorded with Jim Macrae at London's Old Paradise Audio.
James' rich musical influences are laced through the release. Encouraged by his mother, a classically trained pianist, he learned to play the cello and developed adeep understanding of rhythm and melody that informs his approach to writing electronic music. James playsthe piano he grew up listening to in 'Mumma Don't Tell' and samples an indefinable percussive element to drive forward 'Suns Of Gold.' 'Night and Day' sees cello plucks and long melodic strokes interlink with a grooving synth line. He also field records the atmospheric Moroccan sea in 'Red Sea.' Inspiration stems from the experimentation of modern day electronic producers, fused with the Jazz, Classical, Blues, and Soul music that soundtracked his youth.
Central to the album is the idea of space. James recalls the early advice of his uncle, a jazz guitarist, who features on 'Uncle Blue': 'I remember him saying to me: "What goes in comes out' James says. 'Every detail should be a worthy detail; sometimes nothing is better than something.' Moments of blissful, structured intensity are juxtaposed with stillness and near silence — dark and light; loud and quiet. This also forms the foundation for the album title: A Louder Silence reflects the dichotomy of finding pockets of stillness in a noisy world.
The result is 10 distinct tracks delivered as one coherent and well-structured long-player debut, set for release on LP, CD, and digital, on 5th October 2018.
Live dates follow a debut live show earlier this year at the Jazz Café with Yazz Ahmed, including an album launch at London's Ghost Notes in October.

In 1975, the prolific and multi-talented Brazilian comedians Chico Anysio and Arnaud Rodrigues recorded an album based on the protagonist of one of their most celebrated TV series. Sporting a dodgy moustache and an equally troubling haircut, Carioca conman Paulo Maurício Azambuja (played by Anysio) would flog his own mother's leg if he could, and his ever-ridiculous scams are inevitably always destined to fail. This soundtrack/musical re-imagining of the series combines jazz-funk with samba soul and MPB, with the help of cult Brazilian trio Azymuth. Keyboard maestro Jose Roberto Bertrami, who arranged the album alongside renowned conductor and composer Jose Menezes, elevates the groovy odd-ball sound to another dimension, with his set up including Fender Rhodes, Arp Strings, Arp Omni, Clavinet and Hammond organ. Remaining Azymuth members Ivan Conti (drums) and Alex Malheiros (bass) provide the signature Azymuth foundation, and saxophone prodigy Victor Assis Brasil and legendary multi-instrumentalist producer Durval Ferreira also feature.As well as its distinctly comedic character, what makes the music so special is the coming together of traditional samba roots, and Azymuth's ahead-of-its-time psychedelic funk influence. Each side ends with a comedy monologue, complete with live audience laughter, but before that you get seven tracks of weird and wonderfully emotive Brazilian groove music.

Studio One Freedom Sounds Is The New Collection From Soul Jazz/studio One Focussing On The Intense Period In The Second Half Of The 1960s When Studio One's Vast And Unbeatable Output Of Ska, Soul, Rock Steady And Reggae Made It Literally One Of The Hottest Musical Empires In The World.
During This Highly Successful Period, Clement 'sir Coxsone' Dodd Released Hundreds And Hundreds Of Superlative Singles Seemingly On An Almost Daily Basis, In The Process Making Huge Stars Out Of Jamaican Singers Such As Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson, The Wailers, Slim Smith, Jackie Opel And Many More.
Powered By The Finest In-house Musicians Working In Jamaica, Whether It Was The Skatalites, Jackie Mittoo's Soul Brothers, The Sounds Dimension Or The Soul Vendors, Studio One Functioned As Hit Factory On The Scale Of Motown In The Usa, Shaping And Defining Reggae Music For Decades To Come.
Singlehandedly Studio One's Founder Clement Dodd Was Able To Create The Most Successful Vertically-integrated Record Company That Jamaica Had Ever Known With Pressing Plant, Printers, Studio, Shops, And Sound Systems All Running At Once, With Over 50 Employees And Hundreds Of Artists Working With Studio One During This Time.
Studio One Freedom Sounds Tells The Story Of Studio One In The 1960s With A Stunning Set Of Ska, Soul, Rock Steady And Reggae Killer Tunes As Well As Informative Sleevenotes And Track-by-track Info By Noel Hawks. The Album Is Released As Heavyweight Double Vinyl (+ Free Download Code), Deluxe Cd And Digital Album.

Produced by Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak. LP is on coloured coke bottle green vinyl + inclues download code and 12x12' lyric sheet/ liner note insert.

Madeline will be on tour throughout the UK and Europe this Autumn.

'Building from understated beauty to dense guitar theatrics. It reminds me of Chicago circa '93 as remembered in a dream — a little bit of Liz Phair 'Exile In Guyville' - rendered in soft-focus with the graceful confidence of a young master. ' STEREOGUM

In January of 2018, five months after the release of her debut album Night Night at the First Landing, Madeline Kenney traveled from Oakland, California to the woods outside of Durham, North Carolina to record her sophomore album with a new collaborator, Wye Oak's Jenn Wasner.

The choice was a conscious decision to explore new methodology in writing, recording, production and even genre. Perfect Shapes sees Kenney leaping headfirst into fresh and adventurous territory, largely eschewing conventional rock structures in favor of theme and melody. Its ten songs are full of surprises big and small - from vibrant synth lines to taut bass figures and subtly modulated vocals - that instead of feeling fussed over, reveal Kenney's penchant for elegant and abstract composition.

Kenney's 2017 debut, Night Night at the First Landing, was a guitar-centric rock album, produced by friend and collaborator Chaz Bear of Toro Y Moi, Perfect Shapes leans on the foundational pieces of Night Night - fuzzed-out guitar tones, coy wordplay and Kenney's notably strong voice - but with an unconventional approach that allows them to bloom, reincarnated. Perfect Shapes marks Wasner's first foray into producing another artist's work and is permeated by the pair's collaborative spirit. Both Wasner and Kenney play multiple instruments on the record, and engineered the session alongside Kenney's touring percussionist, Camille Lewis.

An eagerness to explore and experiment is apparent from start to finish, as Kenney and Wasner weave endless sonic curve balls into the arrangements. From the delightfully warped percussion on opening track 'Overhead' to the burbling synths on the R&B-tinted 'The Flavor of the Fruit Tree' and the left-field trumpet solo in 'Your Art,' these rich and inventive ideas echo Yo La Tengo's everything-but-the-kitchen-sink mentality, as well as the surging soundscapes of Tame Impala and Wye Oak at their most impressionistic. Lead single "Cut Me Off" is a surprise of its own - the most pop-forward song Kenney has written yet. 'Bad Idea,' finds her balancing fragility as foil; later, 'I Went Home' manages to evoke both frustration and affection in a single breath.

The complex and open-ended questions that lay at the core of Perfect Shapes mark Kenney's arrival into a hard-hitting reflective space: How do you love another when it hurts to do so What is the physical limit to which one can carry the emotions of others How does a modern female artist reckon with the expectations demanded of her femininity Yet for all the notes of doubt and fear that Kenney raises, she delivers each song with confidence and poise, grounded by the pointedly laid and surging soundscape.

Kenney has always had a penchant for curiosity and experimentation. Raised in the Pacific Northwest, she began studying classical piano and dance in kindergarten, and grew to believe her future lay in modern dance choreography. Not one to be tied to a singular pursuit, however, Kenney took a hard left in college, studying Interpersonal Neurobiology and supporting herself with a career in baking. Music remained a constant however, and after moving to the Bay Area in 2013, Kenney quickly found footing in the supportive arts community in Oakland. There, she met and began collaborating with Chaz Bear (Toro Y Moi), which led to the production of her Signals EP and later her debut album, Night Night at the First Landing. Both releases were received with great critical acclaim, and saw Kenney exploring the sounds within her self-proclaimed twang-haze genre, defined by cathartic fuzz breakdowns and lyrical sensitivity.

Following a killer acid-piano house 12" and contributing a Test Pressing-certified new-disco chug to a split release with Tuff City Kids (both) on Terre des Pommes in 2014, The Working Elite further refine their ability to soundtrack festivities with Rockman / Born Again. While "Rockman" conveys an understatedly cinematic mood with repeated imitation string cycles over crisp electro foundations, "Born Again" presents a new wave / rave endurance test, summoning perspiration from dedicated day-dancers with its metronomic hammer of a beat overlaid with motivating synth-lines like marching toys. On the flip, Saap and Lauer (Tuff City Kids) provide inventive interpretations of these tunes, reshaping "Rockman" into a stomping, flashing-lights electro jam while "Born Again" gets a delightfully multi-dimensional digi-dub treatment complete with acid-reggae breakdown over a 4/4 house beat.

Planet E are proud to present 'AW18 Collection', a 3 track EP from British producer Tom Flynn due September 14th. Drawing upon a broad and learned musical understanding, 'AW18 Collection' fuses disparate strands from the worlds of fashion, club culture and sound design to forge a highly atmospheric, singular release. 'Packard', the title of which is inspired by parties in the historic Detroit power plant of the same name, establishes an unrelenting energy from the get go. A bouncing kick lays the foundations for rolling synths, unnerving vocal samples and delicate piano refrains to wander. 'Anna' is an indulgent nod to the catwalk, marching with intent amidst immersive chords and subtle melodies. The B side hosts a trippy cut full of interplanetary glitches and melancholic harmonies. Drawing upon hints to the extraterrestrial, 'Marx' creates a dizzying swirl with glistening textures. Carl Craig was sold straight away: 'When Tom sent me his demo of 'Packard' I knew I wanted to release it on Planet E. The mix of looped electronics with soul of the piano brought me back to when I first heard the post-Disco classic 'Beyond the Clouds'. I can imagine the kids on The Scene rockin' hard to this.'

The music contained in this album invokes the vibes and spirit that were so crucial to much of the music recorded during the 1960's & 70's in Jamaica. If you talk to the musicians and singers of this era, they will tell you that the driving force behind the songs they created was the sheer love of music. This is one of the reasons these recordings are so powerful and move listeners to this day. Music like this can only be made by those who were schooled in the studios and yards around Kingston and is not something that can be easily reproduced outside Jamaica. The Kingston All Stars represent some of the most legendary musicians to ever grace the little island & it is thanks to their passion and dedication that we have a lifetime of music to enjoy.

The members of KAS have been working & recording with each other in some of Jamaica's most legendary studios for over 50 years. The vibes and music that are created when they get together is nothing short of magic. This is the 3rd KAS LP showcasing the talents of Jamaica's top session musicians from the golden era of Jamaican music. These are the artists who laid the foundation for Rocksteady, Reggae, Roots and beyond in countless recording sessions around Jamaica & without them the music we love would not exist.

The album's intro piece 'Boo Rock', is a tribute to the legendary drummer Mikey 'Boo' Richards. Mikey has recorded with many of the Kingston All Stars in some of Jamaica's most fabled studios. It is obvious that Mikey is revered by all of the Kingston All Stars and it is fitting that this is the 1st track on the album.

Singer Allen Jahsana who is known for his work with Mikey Chung in the early 70's brings two amazing songs to the project. The first 'Jungle Justice' is a commentary on the lack of justice in the tough streets of Kingston, one which Alan knows firsthand as a longtime Kingstonian. The second vocal 'Rising from the Ghetto' is a call to the youth to rise up out of sufferation with some seriously heavy basslines courtesy Jackie Jackson.

New to the KAS family Carol Brown's 'Only Jah Knows' on a sweet dubbed out Rocksteady riddim shines that much brighter with the help of her daughter, Krystal Mittoo. Carl was married to Jackie Mittoo before his untimely passing.

Greenwich Farm rasta and legendary roots vocalist Prince Alla adds a real classic vibe to a new he wrote titled 'My Vision". The deep and powerful style Alla is known for was voiced on a riddim built by keyboard legend Ansel "Stagalag" Collins.

'Guns & Pulpit', the companion vocal for 'Clappers Dub' which saw release on the KAS Dub LP, finally sees the light of day. A proper roots anthem from singer RZee Jackson with conscious lyrics and RZee's unique vocal style.

The Kingston All Stars include Sly Dunbar, Hux Brown, Mikey 'Mao' Chung, Ansel Collins, Jackie Jackson, Robbie Lyn, Everton & Everald Gayle with the guidance of musician, writer & engineer Moss ' Mossman ' Raxlen. Members of the Kingston All Stars have been part of / or recorded with The Revolutionaries, Lynn Taitt & The Jets, Studio One's Sound Dimension and Soul Vendors Band, Lee 'Scratch' Perry's Upsetters, Peter Tosh's Word Sound and Power Band, Toots and the Maytals, Now Generation, In Crowd, Wailers Band and countless others.

The music contained in this album invokes the vibes and spirit that were so crucial to much of the music recorded during the 1960's & 70's in Jamaica. If you talk to the musicians and singers of this era, they will tell you that the driving force behind the songs they created was the sheer love of music. This is one of the reasons these recordings are so powerful and move listeners to this day. Music like this can only be made by those who were schooled in the studios and yards around Kingston and is not something that can be easily reproduced outside Jamaica. The Kingston All Stars represent some of the most legendary musicians to ever grace the little island & it is thanks to their passion and dedication that we have a lifetime of music to enjoy.

The members of KAS have been working & recording with each other in some of Jamaica's most legendary studios for over 50 years. The vibes and music that are created when they get together is nothing short of magic. This is the 3rd KAS LP showcasing the talents of Jamaica's top session musicians from the golden era of Jamaican music. These are the artists who laid the foundation for Rocksteady, Reggae, Roots and beyond in countless recording sessions around Jamaica & without them the music we love would not exist.

The album's intro piece 'Boo Rock', is a tribute to the legendary drummer Mikey 'Boo' Richards. Mikey has recorded with many of the Kingston All Stars in some of Jamaica's most fabled studios. It is obvious that Mikey is revered by all of the Kingston All Stars and it is fitting that this is the 1st track on the album.

Singer Allen Jahsana who is known for his work with Mikey Chung in the early 70's brings two amazing songs to the project. The first 'Jungle Justice' is a commentary on the lack of justice in the tough streets of Kingston, one which Alan knows firsthand as a longtime Kingstonian. The second vocal 'Rising from the Ghetto' is a call to the youth to rise up out of sufferation with some seriously heavy basslines courtesy Jackie Jackson.

New to the KAS family Carol Brown's 'Only Jah Knows' on a sweet dubbed out Rocksteady riddim shines that much brighter with the help of her daughter, Krystal Mittoo. Carl was married to Jackie Mittoo before his untimely passing.

Greenwich Farm rasta and legendary roots vocalist Prince Alla adds a real classic vibe to a new he wrote titled 'My Vision". The deep and powerful style Alla is known for was voiced on a riddim built by keyboard legend Ansel "Stagalag" Collins.

'Guns & Pulpit', the companion vocal for 'Clappers Dub' which saw release on the KAS Dub LP, finally sees the light of day. A proper roots anthem from singer RZee Jackson with conscious lyrics and RZee's unique vocal style.

The Kingston All Stars include Sly Dunbar, Hux Brown, Mikey 'Mao' Chung, Ansel Collins, Jackie Jackson, Robbie Lyn, Everton & Everald Gayle with the guidance of musician, writer & engineer Moss ' Mossman ' Raxlen. Members of the Kingston All Stars have been part of / or recorded with The Revolutionaries, Lynn Taitt & The Jets, Studio One's Sound Dimension and Soul Vendors Band, Lee 'Scratch' Perry's Upsetters, Peter Tosh's Word Sound and Power Band, Toots and the Maytals, Now Generation, In Crowd, Wailers Band and countless others

Planet Mu are excited to announce Ital Tek's 'Bodied', the follow up to his acclaimed 2016 album 'Hollowed'. Stepping in a different direction from that album, It's as if Hollowed's detailed world has been fleshed out and filled with the spectre of human voices.

As on his last album, the sounds on 'Bodied' are highly designed, but this time barely a whisper of dance music remains. Instead it's built around acoustic elements and ghostly choral arrangements, refracted and transformed into atmospheric, alien forms which are given the time to settle and transform. Rhythm is used only as a tool to give his world a sense of dark, mechanical momentum.

Alan explains; "After completing 'Hollowed' I had over a year away from writing any of my own material. I was working, composing music for a video game and a number of different projects. I needed to find a way back in and I rediscovered the joy of music being a release as opposed to a job. I was getting up really early and sketching out lots of ideas very fast, squeezing in quick bursts of writing at the beginning or end of long studio day spent working on other musical projects."

"It was important for me to define the world that the album was going to inhabit before taking it any further, so I put a much greater focus into the sound design and palette than I had before. I wanted to make the music sound very physical, geometric, and monolithic, as if it inhabited a physical space."

"On 'Bodied' the music focuses on the interplay between the minuscule and the vast, beauty and brutalism. With this album I was much more concerned with dynamics and the discipline of holding tension; the use of space and silence to provide a counterpoint to the intensity."

"Most importantly, I was keen for there to be a human acoustic foundation, so I did a lot of live recording of cello, violin, harp and guitar - anything I could get my hands on. I was certain that I wanted there to be a greater vocal presence - nothing lyrical or at the forefront but to give it an underlying organic quality - to impart some humanity into the music."

As Ital Tek moves further from his roots, he's creating new sounds and spaces in which his music can exist. It's up to the listener to decide what kind of world 'Bodied' evokes, but it's certainly one that's beautiful and rewarding to spend time in.

The tune 'Strength' was written for my partner Bozanne Evans. This EP is dedicated to her.

Side note: The tracks 'I' and 'Strength' were originally going to be released as UNITY006 on the label 'Unity Through Sound' before they folded after their fifth release.

I didn't want the release to go to waste so decided to put them out on my label taking advantage of the 12' format by including a personal favorite of mine 'Life' and Ill_Ks monstrous remix of 'I'.

This is my most personal release to date and I hope you enjoy it.

Chad Dubz

The long awaited answer from the notorious southern-hemispherian sound system, Subtle Sound System. This debut release from their record label aptly named Subtle Recordings is bringing some heavy weight straight out of Christchurch, New Zealand, first up with local legend Headland. Exquisitely imprinted 'no holds bar' by the masterful Optimal Media in a full art sleeve, this 180 gram, vinyl only, no-repress recording superbly ushers in a new beginning for the sound system and is another pillar of foundation to the future sound of bass music.

Headland, with his atmospheric soundscapes, sparatic drums, jarring percussion and punishing basslines, has been taking his unique sound to the world for the past few years and has sequentially been picked up by some of the most forward thinking labels in the bass music scene. From notoriety like Innamind Recordings and Zam Zam Sounds, Headland is one of the most noteworthy artists on the scene today and is a staple in sets from artists including, Samba, Mala, VIVEK, Commodo, Sleeper, just to name a few. Headland's infamy continues on Subtle Recordings debut release with the two outstanding tracks, Quiver and Deathbed.

From a spacious beginning, Quiver quickly builds pressure, manifesting into a track that by the end of, you'll have to regroup your crew as all would have been taken on their own solo journey. Navigate through high level percussion, sonic stabs, sub-temperate basslines and menacing vocals, all encompassed within a 130 bpm landscape where the richters leave you feeling vulnerable and insignificant. Quiver is a force of nature not to be taken lightly. After setting the stage, this behemoth pushes to another level, with erratic note changes and misplaced beats, before opening up to a plateau of relative safety within rolling basslines and familiar haunts. Recollecting yourself, you are once again thrust into unknown territory. A barrage of death blows commences until eventually you find yourself on the other side, disorientated, demoralised, but thankfully unharmed. With support from dons like Gantz, Boofy, J Kenzo, Mr K, Quiver has begun to leave its mark through the next frontier of bass music.

A usually silent, still and chilly affair, Deathbed is anything but, with its uplifting groove, conscious beat scape and warm bassline. But don't get too cosy, cause this assortment of frequencies is cold. Foreboding basslines. Wholesome mids. Trademark Headland accents. Deathbed builds in monumental 140 bpm splendure, in a simplistic formation, that will have you calling home to tell Mum of your triumphant return. Bask in all the glory as the track sheds back into its essential ingredients before collapsing into a well rewarded breakdown. Another confident drop will re-immerse you within the ride, reminiscent of what has been conquered and celebrated in the dystopian sound Headland has crafted in this atmospheric masterpiece. Banging dancefloors worldwide by artists like, Commodo, VIVEK. Deathbed produces the goods for an old fashioned shelling.

The Moment We've Been Waiting For. Youngsta's Sentry Records Continues To Set The Pace And Raise The Standard With One Of The Most Sought-after Artists In The Current Dub And Dubstep Scene. After Releases On Institutions Such As Deep Medi, System And Zamzam Sounds - Egoless Is Back For Another 12' Shell. Revealing The Next Masterpiece Of The Croatian Heavyweight, The Prolific Imprint Welcomes Its Next Family Member And Two Mammoth Tracks. From Vintage Fx To On-the-fly Arrangements And Live Instruments - Egoless' Production Style Encapsulates The Jamaican Roots, Transferring Its Spirit Into The Modern Era.

Heading Straight Into The Abyss Of 'decolonize', We're Being Greeted With Tastefully Overdriven Tape Hiss, Obscured By Reverb. Oriental, Sitar-esque String Plucks Take Form, Wielding An Increasingly Inquisitive Nature. Alongside The Organic, Percussive Swing The String Plucks Cease For A Moment - A Fierce Vocal Statement Excites The Air As The Full Intensity Of This Sonic Weapon Hits The Speakers And Every Last Fibre In Your Body. The Superbly Orchestrated Arrangement Flows In A Continuous Groove, Led Onward By Haunting Surges And Psychedelic Flute Arpeggios. On Top Of The Stomping Foundation, Longing Spheres Conclude The Anthem And Leave Us Crave For A Rewind.

Turning To 'global' - The Alarm Bells Of An Apocalyptic Future Reverberate Into To Your Ears. Gargantuan Drone Pulses Lead The Way For Tribal, Acoustic Drums To Stir The Dance. A Daunting Swing Hurls Its Monumental Weight. Deeply Imbued With Rhythm - The Meticulously Crafted Sound Design Leaves Us Dancing In Awe. Life-like, Vibrant Flute Performances Form A Harmonic Composition Of Exceeding Quality, Sure To Fire Up Any Dance. Polished By Creative Vocal Sampling And Egoless' Fine-tuned Sense Of Controlling Tension & Release - These Tracks Will Stand The Test Of Time - For This Year And Beyond.

The 2nd Release On 823, A Creative Project Founded By Ta-ku, Is Featuring The Label Debut Of Portland Wunderkind Quickly, Quickly.

823 Is Also The Numerical Representation Of The Phrase 'thinking Of You'. It Represents The Appreciation For The People/ideas/places That Inspire Us And Push Us Forward. As A Label We Are Proud To Present A Series Of Musical Releases That Showcase The Artists Musical & Visual Endeavors. The Artwork Is Shot By The Artist Themselves & Each Release Has An Accompanying Photo Zine That Acts As A Visual Story That Compliments The Music They Wrote At That Time.

There's A Maturity To The Sound Of Portland, Oregon-based Producer Quickly, Quickly That Makes It Difficult To Believe He's Just 17 Years Old. Using Elements Of Jazz, Hip Hop, And R&b, Quickly, Quickly Weaves A Tapestry Of Wispy Productions That Feel Equally Inspired By The Dusty Drums Of Early '90s Boom Bap As They Do By The Whimsical Electronics Of Head-turning Contemporaries Like Tennyson. Taking Over On Vocals, Bass, Drums, And Piano, He Offers Insight Into A Greater Understanding Of Musicality, There's Time Devoted To Each Audible Layer And It Shows.

Ta-ku:
graham First Caught My Eye With His Film Photography - It Was Only Co-incidental That He Also Made World Class Sounds & Made Me Ever So Jealous With His Musical Talent At Such A Young Age. Graham Is One Of Those Wunderkinds That Have Managed To Create Such A Strong Musical Identity For Himself And Makes It Look So Effortless. Graham Is The Reason Why I Started 823. He Is The Epitome Of Someone Who Embodies That Free Flowing Creative Energy That Needs To Be Showcased To The World!

Music Has Always Been A Part Of Quickly, Quickly's Life, As He Started Playing Piano When He Was Two Years Old. This Love Of Music Shaped His Young Life And Created A Solid Musical Foundation For Future Efforts. In 5th Grade Quickly, Quickly Found Hip-hop, Citing Common Market, J Dilla, Blue Scholars, And The Pharcyde As Early Influences. With His Love Of Hip-hop And Early Musical Background, It Seemed Only Right That Quickly Would Begin To Produce His Own Music.
Having Now Made Beats For Around Six Years, Quickly, Quickly Is Producing At The Top Of His Game. The Production On His Debut Ep over Skies' Is As Easy-going As It Is Complex, And The Fact That There Are No Samples On The Ep Makes It All The More Impressive. Inspired Heavily By The Sky And The Many Forms It Takes, This Ep Blends Genres And Crosses Musical Borders With Ease.

This four-track EP named 'Curiosity' from techno duo, Abstract Man marks the beginning of the new On the 5th Day imprint, the latest branch to extend from the heart of the London-based underground techno project. The final outputs of a year-long creative journey in the studio with a focus on analogue machines, 'Curiosity' (including Mike Parker remix) represents a chapter of exploration into sound design and manipulation, and the unity and evolution of two separate musical identities through the collaborative process.

The debut release from Abstract Man begins with 'Curiosity' itself, portraying the first stages of the pair's collaboration and inspired by a shared appreciation for driving, hypnotic techno. Mesmerizingly linear and highly textured, the components forming Curiosity's foundations each command their own space, separately evolving with clear purpose whilst interacting in a compelling, ritualistic dance to lock in the listener. Its overall progression, including an emerging chant-like drone, signifies the manifestation of a new artistic voice, all together making this a symbolic achievement for Abstract Man, as well as a compelling and highly effective tool for the dance floor. The subsequent Mike Parker remix of the same track is another striking portrayal of his distinguishable sound and style, whilst developing to present something surprising and perhaps unexpected from the techno veteran, making this a must for collectors of his work.

Then follows 'Proposition', exploring the powerful possibilities through simplicity and symbolising the 'less is more' approach which fuelled much of the first chapter of Abstract Man's time in the studio. The joining of its elements creates a dark, seductive and unwavering tension, making it the ultimate tester for any venue's sound system!

Finally, 'Exploration' steps in a with an uplifting vigour and propulsive, rhythmic magnetism, rounding off the EP nicely with its feeling of freedom and completeness, leaving a sense of intrigue in readiness for their next instalment.

South London producer Ben Hauke takes a sonic excursion to South America via Lewisham for a new seven track release for Far Out Recordings. While littered with Afro-Latin percussion, and samples of obscure Brazilian, Cuban and Colombian records, Only Old stays true to Ben's distinctly London identity, with a record that fluctuates between house, broken beat and instrumental hip-hop.Having collaborated with the likes of Nubya Garcia and Joe Armon Jones, Ben Hauke stands at the electronic end of London's new jazz movement. Currently working on new releases with more of a focus on live instrumentation, Ben titled the release 'Only Old' as it leans more heavily on his foundational approach to music making: an idiosyncratic, almost brazen sampling style in productions bursting with personality.Always full of character and style, Hauke's productions have seen him likened to Theo Parrish and Madlib, with an altogether physical approach to sound. Title track 'Only Old' is moody broken beat with eerie sampled vocals and piano. 'Get Up To Get Down' is a light n' breezy summer house stepper, while Brazil-inspired 'Runners' sounds as if it was made for MF Doom. Only Old will be released on 180g Vinyl on 20th July. Sleeve design by fellow South London based artist Samuel Lloyd.

Here it is !

The long-awaited new LP from former Dubtribe Soundsystem shaman Sunshine Jones

Far from basking in Bay Area bliss, Sunshine has been busy redefining his organic approach to music making and sound synthesis into a rich and textured fresh take on the House blueprint - best realised in his elaborate & ever-evolving live shows.

Assembling these improvised pieces into a cohesive whole, that might well just be the best vinyl based representation off a full night out you're likely to hear this year.
From the emotive opener to last year's anthemic 'Fall In Love, Not In Line' closer, Home represents the fluid but refined garden of sound that's grown from Dubtribe's rich 90's foundation.

The artwork on this splendidly presented gatefold LP is a photograph of Sunshine performing live at the Garden Party in San Francisco by The Holy Mountain, the collage is done by Sunshine and the design is by Fernando_Graphicos. Accompanied by detailed track notes, with all equipment used to make the record alongside sonic schematic. Man and machine aligned for total transcendence !


SINGLE GATEFOLD LP

The penultimate release in the Eight Trigram series. This edition coming from Brazilian producer Spiritual Rockers, and played up until now as an exclusive and much sought-after dubplate. Super limited edition press housed in the reverse-board Trigram house bag. Raw, unadulterated tribal bass music with a deep roots foundation. This is the sound of Trigram.

3 Sound System anthems by man of the moment Teffa.

CHIWAX welcomes Andre Red Hand to the Family!

Dubbed by Igloo Magazine as the 'Romanian Detroit electro/techno pioneer' and by the late Aaron Carl as 'the Romanian Underground Resistance himself', Andrew Red Hand from Romania's spiritual capital of lasi stands up as an unwavering militant of the underground, a true Detroit spirit possessed as Romanian humanoid!

From his early gigs throwing parties as one of the first generation DJs in lasi since 1997, ARH continues to break boundaries as part of the Romanian resistance scene and numerous time portals as they open around Europe. His blistering, mind-bending sets such as at Berlin's Tresor and Griessmuehle see the DJ with the red hand fuse pure Detroit electro and techno with the sounds of techno-bass, raw Chicago acid house, classics and futuristic beats. His mixes for Radio UR (Underground Resistance) and The Grid (Detroit Techno Militia) remain some of the best frequency transmissions to surface to air.

Armed with a Soviet Union reel to reel Majak 203, his scorching raw analogue and searing acid productions have been picked up by foundational Detroit labels such as Twilight 76, Matrix, Detroit Underground, Databass, Detroit Techno Militia, Cratesavers Intl, Visillusion as well as around the world from Holland's iconic M>O>S Recordings to 1Ø Pills Mate (Lobster Theremin), Bass Agenda and Land Of Dance. On his remix list includes work for Scan 7, Santonio Echois, Thomas Barnett, Sean Deason, Niko Marks, Six Foe, T.Linder and more while support from Anthony Shake Shakir, DJ Bone, Dave Clarke, DJ Godfather has been garnered for our sonic warrior... Beware of the Red Hand!

African Scream Contest 2

A great compilation can open the gate to another world. Who knew that some of the most exciting Afro-funk records of all time were actually made in the small West African country of Benin Once Analog Africa released the first African Scream Contest in 2008, the proof was there for all to hear, gut-busting yelps, lethally well- drilled horn sections and irresistibly insistent rhythms added up to a record that took you into its own space with the same electrifying sureness as any favourite blues or soul or funk or punk sampler you might care to mention.

Ten years on, intrepid crate-digger Samy Ben Redjeb unveils a new treasure- trove of Vodoun-inspired Afrobeat heavy funk crossover greatness. Right from the laceratingly raw guitar fanfare which kicks o Les Sympathics' pile-driving opener, it's clear that African Scream Contest II is going to be every bit as joyous a voyage of discovery as its predecessor. And just as you're trying to get o the canvas after this one-punch knock out, an irresistible Afro-ska romp with a more than subliminal echo of the Batman theme puts you right back there. Ignace De Souza and the Melody Aces' Asaw Fofor" would've been a killer instrumental but once you've factored in the improbably-rich-to-the-point-of-being-Nat-King-Cole-influenced lead vocal, it's a total revelation.

The screaming does not stop there, in fact it's only just beginning. But the

strange thing about African Scream Contest II's celebration of unfettered Beninese creativity is that it would not have been possible without the assistance of a musician who had been trained by the Russian secret services to "search and destroy" enemies of the country's (then) Marxist-Leninist president Mathieu Kerekou.

Already familiar to fans of the first African Scream Contest as a mainstay of ruthlessly disciplined military band Les Volcans de la Capitale, Lokonon André vanished in a cloud of dust at Ben Redjeb's behest with a list of names and some petrol money, only to return a few days later having miraculously tracked down every single name he'd been given. The source of this Afrobeat bounty-hunter's impressive people-finding skills - his training with the KGB - highlights the tension between encroaching authoritarian politics and fearless expressions of personal creative freedom which is the back-story of so much great African music of the 60s and 70s. Happily, in this instance, Lokonon was tracking the artists down to oer them licensing deals, rather than to arrest them.

Where some purveyors of vintage African sounds seem to be strip-mining the

continent's musical heritage with no less rapacious intent than the mining companies and colonial authorities who previously extracted its mineral wealth, Samy Ben Redjeb's determination to track this amazing music to its human sources pays huge karmic dividends.

Like every other Analog Africa release, African Scream Contest II is illuminated by meticulously researched text and eortlessly fashion-forward photography supplied by the artists themselves. Looming large - alongside Lokonon André - in the cast of biopic-worthy characters to emerge from this seductive tropical miasma is visionary space-nerd Bernard Dohounso, who laid the foundations for Benin's vinyl predominance by importing and assembling the turntables that would play the products of his Bond villain-acronymed pressing plant SATEL, a factory that would revolutionise the music industry in the whole region.

The scene documented here couldn't have been born anywhere else but in the Benin Republic , and the prime reason for that is Vodoun. It's one of the world's most complex religions, involving the worship of some 250 divinities, where each divinity has its own specific set of rhythms, and the bands introduced on the African Scream Contest series and other compilations from that country were no less diverse than that army of dierent Gods. At once restless pioneers and masters of the art of modernising their own folklore, the mystic sound of Vodoun was their prime source of inspiration.

One especially irascible Vodoun-adept was Antoine Dougbe, who styled himself The devil's prime minister' while turning ancestral rhythms into satanically alluring modern beats. As Orchestre Poly-Rythmo songwriter Pynasco has observed sagely, Evil is not elsewhere, evil extends into the house'. And African Scream Contest II is a gloriously cinematic road-trip through an undiscovered realm of music lore whose familiarity is every bit as thrilling as its otherness.

Written by Ben Thomson, March 2018

From his Saint Denis apartment, and with the help of his machines, Labelle has laid the foundations of an electronic maloya, modern and deeply rooted in its home territory: La Réunion. On 'univers-île' his latest album released in September 2017, the sound of the Creole Reunionese language played a key role. On 'Post-Maloya", Labelle release a fascinating EP of introspective trance music. Post-Maloya EP is characterized by vivid dream-like journey through which traces a path of exploration. Here you will find the maloya stamp, which is Reunionese traditional music, both in the rhythms and the instruments used, like the valiha. This traditional tubular harp from Madagascar is played by Vola on the track 'Jaojoby'. Vola was taught by Rajery himself, who is widely considered as master of this instrument. This track is an homage to Jaojoby, king of Salegy, a popular musician in Madagascar. The hypnotic sounds evoke distant dimensions and resonate like shamanic incantations whose aim is to gently lead us towards the trance. As the title suggests - 'Post-maloya' is the exploration of new musical processes mixed with the use of traditional maloya instrumentation. This is an appropriate name for this new opus, which is more electronic and percussive; carving an experimental path between electronic and traditional music. In parallel with the creation this EP, the Regional Conservatory of Réunion Island has given free reign to Labelle to create a series of live performances which he played all around the island last month, including an original creation linked to his expression of 'Post-maloya' supported by an ensemble of eleven musicians from Réunion Island's regional orchestra.

Scottish producer & DJ Graeme Clark AKA The Revenge releases his second album 'When The Thrill Comes' on his own Roar Groove imprint on 11th May 2018.

'When The Thrill Comes' is a demonstration of a producer achieving a point of maturity in their work, able to exercise a sense of restraint, to allow for their sound to have space. It is also the opportunity for The Revenge to explore his own electronic music roots with a deeper pared-back sound more in touch with his earliest production experiences in house and techno.

Clark is no novice to the art of production and the sweaty alchemy of animating bodies on dance floors. He has been producing and playing electronic music since 1995, in many forms, though is well known for 'some of finest modern disco dubs and re-edits on the block' (DJ Mag). This passion for dusty disco and deep cuts is reflected in his long-standing collaboration with Craig Smith as 6th Borough Project which has yielded 3 albums and provided the foundation for the influential but now defunct Instruments Of Rapture label.

2015 was a momentous year for Clark with the release of his debut album 'Love That Will Not Die' on his own Roar Groove imprint. The LP picked up 'Best British Album' from DJ Mag, was shortlisted for Scottish Album Of The Year and drew support from leading DJs including Jackmaster, John Talabot, Solomun, Craig Richards, Axel Boman amongst others. Recent production work has both cemented and extended his reputation; with his future-facing remix for Auntie Flo being re-touched by Dixon for the Philomena label and his two EP's for Berlin's Dirt Crew Recordings reinforcing his love for solid club jams

A native of the Caribbean coast of Colombia, Abelardo Carbono achieved legendary status in his country's storied ranks of musical icons by combining the homegrown sounds of cumbia with the chiming guitars of West African soukous, enormously popular with the local tropical sound systems, and drenching the whole thing in his off-kilter, surreal and slightly psychedelic sensibility.

With the exception of a well-received compilation of songs from his 1980s heyday, Carbono has been rarely heard from outside the sweaty dancehalls he still commands in his hometown of Barranquilla. Now, Names You Can Trust has welcomed the reclusive guitarist and singer back to the vinyl format with a simmering Afro-Carib beast of a cut, recorded with the assistance of Will "Quantic" Holland on rhythm guitar and Mario Galeano (Frente Cumbiero, Ondatropica) on keys and in conjunction with Lucas SIlva of Palenque Records & Polen Records. It's a true cross-generational and international collaboration that is uniquely possible via Colombia. The first release of this expansive & power packed studio session is a cover of vallenato pioneer Guillermo Buitrago's La Piña Madura. This updated take veers heavily towards Africa on a rock solid foundation of bass and drums, with Abelardo's trademark guitar and quirky vocals leading the way.

Since the early 1990s, keyboard player Jessica Lauren has been a familiar part of London's alternative music scene. Jessica's keyboard skills have augmented the live performances and studio recordings of world renowned artists such as Jean Carne, Tom Browne, Dexter Wansel and James Mason, Japan's United Future Organisation, and UK soul diva Juliet Roberts.

Her previous Freestyle album 'Jessica Lauren Four' (2012) highlighted Jessica's minimalist approach, something rare and refreshing in the jazz world: she instills her compositions and playing with a refined sense of space which makes her music as much about what she doesn't play as what she does.

The albums' opener - Kofi Nomad is a deeply percussive afrocentric epic, featuring the beautiful baritone saxaphone of Tamar 'Collocutor' Osborn, one of the most in demand woodwind players working today, underpinned by a powerful foundation of percussion courtesy of Richard látúndé Baker, Phillip Harper and drummer Cosimo Keita Cadore.

Jessicas' amazing skill for writing simple, understated yet superbly memorable and catchy hooks remains undiminished. Highlights in this new collection are almost too numerous to mention, but Amalfi is a breezy bossa, which conjures up images of easy living days and sun dappled Mediterranean coastlines, whilst the angular and brooding Simba Jike has something of an Eddie Harris style deep, dark groove over which Jessica riffs and solos beautifully on grand piano - and Tamar once again blows freely, whilst 'level' Neville Malcolms' upright bass figure roots the entire thing in a solid, almost primeval sound.

The albums closing statement Argentina is a masterpiece of pathos and perfectly demonstrates Jessicas' approach which is almost akin to a minimalist architecture style of composing and playing, such is the strength of its atmosphere and subtlety.

Techno Album of the month March 2018 in Mixmag UK!

Central to the Israeli club scene, Deep'a & Biri have long been defying expectations even within a community they helped construct. Serving as resident DJs, activists and bookers for Tel Aviv's legendary Barzilay Club, the pair helped build a transcendent club scene. Hugely influential artists such as Robert Hood, Derrick May, Rødhad, Ben Klock and Moritz Von Oswald passed through the club, enjoying legendary crowds and what they could surely sense was a genuine air of anarchy, rebellion and unadulterated rave pleasure.

As the duo held down dozens of parties with dozens of DJs, there was no 'eureka' moment for their emerging sound; just a steady stream of brilliant, inspiring electronic music, much of which left an indelible imprint on the pair. Now based in Berlin, for Deep'a & Biri, things are much the same, even if the landscape and the city is different. Always rooted in the fertile ground between machines and emotion, on their second full-length LP, 'Dominance', the duo demonstrate their unique grasp of the sensitive, unfolding relationship between man and machine. Steadfast in their insistence never to remain in one lane in terms of their sound, 'Dominance' flawlessly segues between forcefulness and weightlessness. From beginning to end, this is not a record afraid to show its teeth with an uncompromising, instantly recognisable techno palette that kicks the foundations of any sound system with menace, anger and determination, particularly on tracks such as the dense 'Voltage' and pulsing throughout the more industrial flourishes of 'Ecole De Nancy' and 'Seeking Solace'.

Beyond these grittier, although never mindless, moments of authority, a sense of escapism and curiosity imbues the album. 'Alpha Cephei' offers the first hint of Deep'a & Biri's more wistful concepts, producing a smoke trail of twinkling electronics out of a smudged but distinctive bassline. That understated sense of emotional catharsis carries throughout, to be found between the complex-yet-familiar bells that drive 'Flow Diverter's' rhythm to a Detroit-indebted landscape that will surely instantly elasticate any keen dancers, while 'False Memories' offers big-room techno fulfillment with none of the character or sincerity removed for cheap thrills. Saving the most remarkable moments for last, the pair sign off 'Dominance' with the poignant and purifying 'Astral Trails', fusing an ethereal, ambient landscape with the more pronounced rhythms of their hardware.

The album's distinctive artwork comes from the studio of Jewish orthodox artist Avraham Guy Barchil, who forged a powerful connection with Deep'a, both was immediately drawn to 'weird atmosphere, amazing technique and emotions involved with his work'. Perhaps one of the most interesting painters from Israel, Avraham is known for his unique perspective, taking his inspiration from the Zohar - the foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. The ambiguous figures represent mystical aspects of the Torah (the five books of Moses), as well as material on mysticism and mythical cosmogony.
Ensuring their natural, conscious touch always remains at the forefront of this unapologetically machine-driven music, Deep'a & Biri have produced an album in the lineage of their heroes and greatest influences. Cerebral yet satisfying, deep yet always engaging, 'Dominance' both reasserts and evolves Deep'a & Biri's forward facing and singular sound.

Led by Saxophonist Rob Mitchell, Abstract Orchestra have been a consistent presence on the u.k. music scene, touring constantly in the promotion of their debut LP "Dilla" and steadily building a loyal and supportive fanbase.Inspired by the legendary live performances of The Roots with Jay-Z and the 40 piece orchestral arrangements by Miguel-Atwood Ferguson of the work of J Dilla, classic arranging techniques underpin modern loop-based structures, breathing new life into familiar material.The band itself is based on the classic jazz big band instrumentation of saxes, trumpets, and trombones and features the cream of the north of England's jazz scene, who collectively have played with Jamiroquai, Corinne Bailey Rae, Mark Ronson, Martha Reeves, John Legend & the Roots, Roots Manuva and Amy Winehouse.

"New Day" is the eagerly anticipated new single and features rapper and J Dilla's brother Illa J on vocals. Supported by a U.K. tour with Illa J throughout February, "New Day" takes the blueprint laid out on last years LP "Dilla" and expands it with Illa J's understated vocal delivery. Radio support anticipated from BBC6's Gilles Peterson who has been an advocate for Abstract Orchestra on both his BBC6 and Worldwide FM shows, as well as Huey Morgan (BBC6), Shawn Lee (Soho) and Dom Servini (Wah Wah 45s). "New day" is the first original work by Abstract Orchestra and builds on the foundations laid on their debut. Flutes and electric piano lay out a gentle pad, propelled forward by Joost Hendrickx's insistent drums. Occasional fragments of saxophones add an urgency to the insouciant groove laid out by the rhythm section as soft trumpets and trombones are gradually added to the flutes. This provides the perfect foil to Illa J's laid-back vocal delivery as he describes a typically relaxed Tuesday morning spent contemplating the day ahead. The B-side is the AO remix which takes the instrumental performances of the A-Side, chopping and fragmenting them and re-framing the original with a slightly harder edge, which should be popular with those DJs and listeners looking for something with a tougher sound.

Seven years ago, Unbalance created his own label as a base for his musical ideas; a platform to play around with the conception of what "techno" is and would be alongside his own creative progression. Come to present day and the label is now at its ninth release, reaching a point where the line of accumulated experiences must be drawn in the sand — and the experiences of previous projects and releases lead to venerable conclusion.

Enter Ten, an album of internalized strife that was created during a period of big changes in the artist's life. Between enduring personal experiences, his creative output veering between his straightforward club eccentricities and subdural sensibilities; Unbalance cultivates a symbiotic link between sounds played and sounds portrayed — whilst paying tribute to the essence of groove, vibration and the hypnotic unknown that exists to balance the scales. This album will be the final point in the label's journey into the depths of multifaceted techno music.

The second release on Sbire furthers the on-going collaboration between label co-founder Gaspard de La Montagne and Nathan Baumann. 'Spectres' is a bold, seductive and wonderfully-unhurried record which shows the breadth of the Sbire sound world.

The title track is orchestral and profoundly alluring, with an earworm bassline creeping out from behind the kick drum's refined thud. You're pulled further in by the lengthy intro of 'Aube', where floating pads, draw from the instrumental flair of classical music. Mid-way through they give way to a stripped-back bassline, exemplifying the nature of this collaboration.

B-side opener 'Masque' has harmonic beams of light swirling over its foundations. The melodies transfix and the drums keep time. 'Perspectives (1 & 2)' occupies a thin veil of haze, tempering the beat and bringing out the groove in the baggy percussion. In fitting style, it ends a record whose grace comes in the striking interactions between elements far-removed.