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* The second in Joker's trio of special releases to commemorate 10 years of his Kapsize label is to release this coming May.
* Over the past decade, Kapsize has put out some of Joker's most defining work, including the iconic 'Purple City' (produced with Ginz) — a track widely recognised as ground zero for Joker's purple dubstep aesthetic — and 2015 album, 'The Mainframe', as well as early records from Asa & Sorrow and L-Wiz.
* To be released both on special edition vinyl, A-side 'Marching Orders' features legendary grime MC and producer, Footsie, who goes hard over Joker's monstrous instrumental — think relentless, hyper-distorted club hydraulics — even acknowledging him on the hook; 'Oi Joker this beat's sick, crazy'.

* On the flip, B-side 'Polka Dot' is equally as tough, despite the dizzying melodies and gentle tones of the track's opening throws, landing as a crunching melee of textbook Joker sounds.

2x12" Reflecting on a career spanning three decades, Luke Slater is a true dance music legend. The British producer has not only been pivotal in the rise of techno but his work continues to play a vital role in driving the genre forward, particularly under his Planetary Assault Systems name. Following its launch in 2006, Slater's L.B.Dub Corp moniker has been responsible for refreshing house music on labels like Mote-Evolver and Ostgut Ton, with the latter hosting the pseudonym's debut album in 2013. 'Side Effects' is the project's first body of work since then. "I wrote the tracks over the last year between being on the road as P.A.S. and playing a few L.B.Dub Corp house sets, which naturally evolved into 'Side Effects' almost accidentally" - Luke Slater Crashing stabs and a rolling hook inaugurate the album in 'Reel One' before the meandering 'Night Time Hawk' demonstrates effervescent effects and bursts of white noise. Commanding kicks and a moody bassline make up the robust 'Edge 7' whilst 'IELBEE' exhibits a bouncy aesthetic complete with intricate melodies. 'Float When You Can' is dark and ominous from the off but an echoing note sequence adds a glimmer of light, making way for the reverberating mechanics of 'Bass Machine' before leading into the twisted sounds and ghostly air of 'Forever In A Day'. Nearing the end, 'LBEES Jam' is the most lighthearted track on the album with its twinkling lead melody until Slater rounds off the release with a soulful and vocal driven affair 'All Got To Live'.

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.

Flexure is a collaboration between Jamie Behan & Stephen Mahoney. Both have been DJing since the mid-'90s, but Flexure is a relatively new hardware-based project that sounds like a mashup of techno, acid, electro and Chicago house. In Orbit is Flexure's second EP, a collection of unhinged machine bangers.

Orbit is the A side, a smash of a stomper, massive claps and a wild hook with vocals swirling claiming Orbit as a peak time destroyer.
B side contains Computers, a floor filler with a massive acid hook, total dancefloor killer. Next is Opioid a deep growler mof a track that is sure to find its' way into a multitude of sets.

Two seminal cuts from Norman Whitfields standout project, The Undisputed Truth. Remastered and reissued on 180g vinyl.
If you're not familiar with 'You + Me = Love', well that bass synth intro will have you hooked from the off. 'Sandman' on the B side is a funk bomb nestled on the Smokin' LP....must have!

Desolat's Loco Dice joins the roster of Martinez Brothers Cuttin' Headz label this April with
'$lammer', backed with a remix from Detroit Techno veteran DJ T-1000.
Du¨sseldorf's Loco Dice has long been one of the most respected figures in contemporary electronic music with releases over the years on leading labels like Cocoon, Cadenza, Ovum and of course his own Desolat as well as a heavy touring schedule taking him across the globe year in year out. Here though we see Dice offering up his new single courtesy of Cuttin' Headz, a platform the Martinez Brothers and associates to deliver high octane, dance floor focused House and Techno.

The original mix of title track '$lammer' leads with spiralling brass like bass tones, flute licks, shuffled shakers and resonant synth hooks running alongside a bumpy bass line and an amalgamation of heady, processed vocal lines.

Following is Detroit's DJ T-1000 stepping up on remix duties, stripping back the aesthetic of the original to lay focus on robust rhythms and various vocal refrains from the original whilst chugging bass and tension building atmospherics gradually unfold throughout.

After a short break in the African wilderness, Black Rox return for part 4 of this acclaimed series. 'Date With The Rain' sees Soft Rocks turn in an 11 minute 'One For The Lion King' manipulation of a joyous and uplifting jam that fuses traditional rhythms (think a humm-ba-ba) and vocals that are underpinned with a strong 4/4 kick.On the flip side,Roots Unit perform some major surgery with a 'Pump Up The Jam' reconstruction on 'Le Beat Is Technotronic'. Crazy percussive jungle rhythms and wonky vocal hooks rule the roost until it merges into a future 'techno-techno' Amazonian world.

The latest release on Serotonin brings recently remastered versions of four classic Synapse tracks from the early years of the label together into the "Cosmic Freak Gas Bubble" EP

Side A features two tracks from SER004 "Get the Freaks and Get Some". Side B contains two tracks from SER-002, a split EP with Auto Kine c.

"Cosmic Connecton" is classic Synapse electro-chill, featured
back in the day on the infamous late night German television
series 'Space Night' and related compilatons. This track is a call
to intelligent extraterrestrial seekers of intergalactc FNK. Fse
this as your beacon, broadcastng across the galaxy and bringing the aliens to you.

"The Freak" is an undeniable body mover and was featured on the legendary DJ Assault mix CD "Straight Up Shit Detroit Vol 3". An homage to straight up Detroit funk is exactly what Synapse was going for and with 'The Freak' they clearly hit the target.

Back in the rave days 'Gas" was an electro/breaks cross-over 'hit" in the FSA, getng play in dirty warehouses across the naton in 996. A randomly

selected spoken Japanese vocal clip provides a repetetve, non-sensical hypnotc hook. The sample apparently has something to do with environmentalism and sounds cool. The hybrid style of "Gas" hits a lot of the Serotonin values, from funk to new wave melody to breakbeat rave energy.

Just when you think you've fgured out what Synapse is all about, 'Bubble" presents yet another hybrid. The hypnotc dub techno chords create a dream state in which to lose consciousness of the fact that the infectous beat already has you rocking.

The "Cosmic Freak Gas Bubble" EP from Synapse is one record to have when you need some funk to match any occasion.

Over the past few years orchestral instrumental music from outside the classical establishment has become huge, and Neil Leiter and Margaret Hermant of the Belgian Echo Collective have witnessed the evolution and extraordinary rise of this movement right up close. They've worked with some of the most important players, including Stars Of The Lid, Dustin O'Halloran and Adam Wiltze's A Winged Victory For The Sullen and O'Halloran's solo projects, as well as Jóhann Jóhannsson. And though the Echo Collective members themselves very much do come from within the classical music establishment, they don't care which side of the fence they are seen to be on. It was this which grabbed the attention of German music hub !K7's new sub-label 7K! - who have signed them for a two album deal: first to release the Amnesiac reinterpretation, then for a record of Echo Collective's own compositions. Not only that but they have been signed for publishing by Mutesong, which led to a hook-up with Mute mainstays Erasure, re-arranging and re-recording their latest album World Be Gone with classical instrumentation backing Andy Bell's vocals. This ability to flow easily from black metal to Radiohead, from Erasure to Stars Of The Lid shows exactly what kind of musicians Echo Collective are. The album, which features artwork by the renowned photographer and artist Roger Ballen, will be released on 30 March on CD, 2LP and digital platforms.
- New album by belgian band Echo Collective covering Radiohead's classic Amnesiac'.
- Perfect balance between classical, neoclassical & indie.
- Past and ongoing collaborations include Erasure, A Winged Victory for the Sullen, Stars of the Lid, Johann Johannsson and Dustin O'Halloran.
- Echo Collective have produced, arranged and performed on Erasure's upcoming album due to release early March on Mute.
- Artwork by renowned photographer / artist Roger Balle.

Tommy Mandel's Mello Magic' on Invisible City Editions is a compilation of personal synth-laden pop songs created between 1980-87 in NYC. BIG BIG TIP!
.
His professional work as a keyboardist and vocalist found him on stage and in the studio with many of the 80s greats from the Clash, Todd Rundgren, B-52s, Violent Femmes, The Ramones, Tina Turner, Mark Ronson, Dire Straits and Bryan Adams. While offstage and out of the major studio sessions, Tommy wrote in little books, made animation films and hooked up a massive amount of synthesizers, sequencers,microphones and recorded songs like diary entries. He self released almost 20 CDs, cassettes and one Self Titled 12' Ep. Each song selected here is stunningly simple, lush, desperate, playful, and harmonic, touching on disparate trangents like Brian Wilson, Egyptian Lover, Michael Shrieve,Holger Czukay, Ariel Pink, YMO, AOR FM West Coast Rock, Arthur Russell, Martin Denny, Peter Gordon, Drexciya, Prince and Private Issued New Age Boogie. Tommy recently jokingly coined his music corporate ambient' and and it all shouldn't work, but somehow he manages to effortlessly make each song a Tommy Mandel song - DIY, homespun,personal, stunning, and not too serious. This is perfect pop, charming, sincere, infectious and the work of a humble, good hearted, romantic savant. Tommy Mandel's Mello Magic' will be out on limited LP Vinyl release and available Spring 2018. Be sure to check his ambient new age LP from his cassette Music For Insomniacs'also out soon on ICE/Intelligent Instruments. Designed by Marko Vuleta-Djukanov. - Sesto F

A cool film needs a cool soundtrack, right And none come cooler than ATOMIC BLONDE. A double LP filled to the brim with needledrops of some of the '80s best known cuts, as well as some under the radar gems, and a smattering of brand new tracks recorded especially for the movie.

David Bowie, George Michael, The Clash, Nena, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and A Flock Of Seagulls of course need no introduction, and they all contribute absolutely killer songs here. Rubbing shoulders with these A-listers are lesser known acts such as Re-Flex, whose track 'The Politics of Dancing' was a minor hit in the UK and is a pure '80s synth-pop banger from start to finish. After The Fire went from playing uninspired prog rock to recording the should-have-been classic 'Der Kommissar,' full of funky guitar licks and a chorus so hook-laden it should be illegal. 'Voices Carry' by American new wave band 'Til Tuesday features Aimee Mann on vocals and is an all-timer everyone needs on vinyl.

There are some records that manage to sound both of a time and utterly timeless and Bon Voyage Organisation's Jungle Quelle Jungle (a nod to Supertramp's Crisis What Crisis) is one of those albums. Its silken-smooth production, irresistible grooves, funk-tinged guitars, lush soundscapes and general glowing presence could easily lead one to believe that have dug up a lost disco gem from the 1970s. However, behind the disco-pop gleam lies eerie dystopian sci-fi ruminations of a futuristic bent and tones that can often feel as French as they do Asian or African.

This sort of cross-continental exploration is an expansion on BVO's previous two EPs, the man behind the Organisation, Adrien Durand, says. 'I tried to continue the musical expedition between dystopian Science-Fiction Haunted Africa - plus Haitian Vaudou on 'Soleil Dieu' - and futuristic Asia. Addressing, in a double entendre manner, some of the political issues that I am sensitive to.' In fact the jungle in question in the album's title is a metaphorical one and one that creates a vast series of environments for Durand to explore such subjects as world trade, utopian ideals and themes of idols, as well as of time and communication. However, one will need to speak French to decipher such explorations, as well as shake off the natural impulse to move with every glorious beat on its 13 tracks, of which are moved along by Maud Nadal and Agathe Bonitzer's golden vocals.

Durand is a full-time producer based in Paris, working with the likes of Amadou & Mariam, so it makes sense that this record would absolutely sparkle in this department. Durand feeds off the variety of musicians coming and going during recording sessions as well as the rotating members and numbers of people involved with the band but fundamentally he writes all songs on piano first before bringing them to record live. 'We recorded a rhythm section of five - drums, percussion, guitar and myself on bass/synth bass and keyboards - at La Frette which is a studio located in a mansion outside of Paris and fitted with a beautiful 1973 NEVE desk. We only used analogue gear, by taste really, and found it a pretty reliable way of doing things. This simply consists of putting good players together in a room and waiting for the right take to happen.' Two four-day sessions and a 'cooling off' period (to let the recordings settle) soon followed before Durand picked the material back up to give it a final polish.

The resulting album is one loaded with intricacies and idiosyncrasies, something that Durand puts down to his own unique approach. 'I don't consider myself much of a songwriter but I love arranging rhythm sections and I'm pretty proud of the ones on this record.' This applies when it comes to working with such musicians as Inor Sotolongo Zapata, who with Durand used traditional Cuban percussive instruments and explored Haitian rhythms. When Durand expands on some of the ideas and influences that were funnelled into the record, you begin to get a sense of the vastness of the sounds that fill his world, from Trevor Horn's production work on ABC's Lexicon of Love, to the literary work of JG Ballard to the visual flair of the original Blade Runner and even the Tuareg sounds of Tinariwen, due to the fact that his studio neighbours their manager's and he would hear their rhythms bleeding through the walls. You therefore end up with an album that offers tracks such as 'GOMA' that fuses Chinese and African rhythms as well as 'SI D'Adventure' a piece of pop music that is dazzlingly hook-laden.

As a result of this cooking pot of sounds, influences, thoughts and creations, Durand has more of a gumbo approach to making this music than a set-out scientific formula. 'There is no definite recipe for me to like the production of a record,' he says. 'Of course it really sticks out that my work is really influenced by the 1978-1983 period, the golden age and last stand of analogue studios and session musicians.' Whilst Durand adores the traditional and conventional music, he really views this as something bigger and wider. 'I have a taste for the otherworldly vibe from records coming from less sought-after musical scenes, particularly Poland, Haiti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Congo and early Cantonese pop. Languages and the rapport of the people involved in the making of those records really inspires me. I particularly hate the use of the word 'World Music' as a potpourri for everything that doesn't sound quite western enough.'

Tim (aka Jean Marie Tiam)and the sadly departed Maurice Foty who died in 2011. The musical cousins hails from Bafoussam in Cameroon. Their signature vocal harmony sound may be the first thing you hear, however they also have produced a host of funkiest African funk around. They sing in their native language Ngomâlah, as well as Duala and English.

We start the album off slowly with the scene-setting and largely instrumental "Douala By Night". Tight guitar and choppy clavi drive this song along. The groove is so deep even Missy Elliot couldn't resist a cheeky sample. "Funky Bafoussam" carries on the theme and expands it to include a kick-ass horn section. "More And More" is next and here the vocals burst forth over this up tempo punchy pop-funk track. With "Love Is Light" the pair show their versatility with a smooth English-sung soul ballad.

The hopelessly upbeat "Aie" is next with its earworm keyboard riff, slice guitar and catchy falsetto vocal. "Not So Bad" brings on the boogie. "I Love Yaounde" is a smooth swinging boogie-ballad with a killer chorus hook. "Eda" is a hit from early in their career. We close of the comp with the disco funk of "Funky Boogie Love" and synth grooves of "Eya Mba".

The songs on the comp represent only a 2 year period but some of the finest from the duo. These days Tim keeps the Tim and Foty flame alive. He currently lives between France and Cameroon. A musical flame that most definitely is burning bright.

In the vapor trail of How Does It Make You Feel,' the first track on this self-titled full length, one can smell the burnt ozone of a seventies-full-orchestra-nebula-pop-odyssey, the flakes floating down and landing like snow, giving grave-chills ... the ash of a masterpiece pop song. Once And Future Band: this incredibly accomplished cabal of total prog wizards has circled the earth, but then, these are the accomplished gentlemen of many former pursuits (the formidable Drunk Horse among them) and all of them comets themselves.

The very mid-'70s vibe at work here surpasses pastiche, and crests that lovely anachronistic conceptual peak: a fully realized and meticulously arranged psych record, meant to be listened to from top to bottom, with the lights down low and in a comfy chair perhaps, or while gazing out the window of your life pod. The Dark Side of the Moon feel, with shades of early Yes's technicality, a dash of Steely Dan's vocal prowess and effortless sheen, and some seriously outsized hooks that call to mind the mighty ELO, Le Orme and, yes, even the unsinkable Queen powered on Brian May's tape echo jet fuel and sequined power cells.

This is a head record in the classic sense but utter fealty to The Dark One insures both being trapped and infected by the pop-parasite. That it is largely self-produced (with tracking / engineering on three of the songs by Phil Manley at El Studio) makes it all the more jaw dropping. Making prog cool again, again, and then slightly more complicatedly, again.

Rudy returns to Faze Action Records with an all-new collection of atmospheric and evocative tropical sounds. Last August saw the release of the By Nature EP that encapsulated the steamy and exotic textures of the Balearic sound.
This time, Midnight Safari takes up where on the beaches of Formentera, where the last EP left us. This time setting sail on a Midnight Safari with Marimba's and chugging rhythms underpinning sophisticated Piano' melodies. Following this we drop anchor and appreciate the evening breeze of In The Air with its haunting 'Cello, endless drifting arpeggio's and tropical percussion with a hint of North Africa. Reach Backless points the way squarely to the dance floor with chunky drums and synth bass, synth hooks galore and that piano solo that launches into starry evening skies. It's back down to earth with the settled quiet bass guitar harmonics of Windchimes before heading into the more soulful and synth melodic territory of Solar Plex.

Detroit duo Ataxia offer up their 'Kodak Moment' EP via Visionquest this March, accompanied by an edit from label co-founders Shaun Reeves and Ryan Crosson.

Eric Ricker and Ted Krisko aka Ataxia have been at the forefront of the contemporary house and techno scene for some time, racking up releases on some of the leading labels across the globe such as Leftroom, Nervous, Culprit and Play It Say It, making the duo one of Detroit's finest exports in recent years. Here we see them making their debut on Visionquest, the label of fellow Detroit natives Ryan Crosson, Shaun Reeves and Lee Curtiss.

'VHS' leads the package with murky synth swells, resonant synth sweeps and fluttering square wave bass tones at it's core as shuffled drums carry the ever-evolving hypnotic groove along. The original mix of 'Kodak Moment' follows, shifting the focus over to snaking bass lines, mind-bending, modulating synth whirrs and dynamic, choppy percussion throughout.

Reeves & Crosson's 'Edit' of 'Kodak Moment' then rounds out the release, stripping things back to ethereal atmospherics and shuffled drums whilst subtly stirring in the original's hooky bass groove as the interpretation unfolds.

Mr Bongo brings another Brazilian rarity to the masses with this sublime reissue of Tim Maia's Disco Club. Recorded in 1978, it's a latter-period gem from the larger than life legend, combining the glitz and glamour of disco's heyday with Maia's raw funk and soul roots.
When Maia first heard Little Richard as a teenager, he knew what kind of singer and artist he wanted to be. Five formative years spent in the US, where he ran wild in NYC and joined a
doo-wop group called the Ideals, did little to dampen his enthusiasm for black music.
Stirred by the civil rights movement in the US and driven by a punk spirit, Maia went on to blaze his own trail through the early 70s over the course of four successful albums for Polydor. Moving away from the straight MPB, Tropicalia and international rock dominating the airwaves, his sound represented a new black Brazilian consciousness. When he sang, he could be raspy and defiant one moment ... and then romantic and reflective the next. But always on a groove and with a hook. It was an irresistible combination.
Yet by 1977 he was bankrupt and in limbo having first joined a religious cult called Superior National and then alienated listeners with his first album sung entirely in English. To complicate matters further, Brazil was feeling the Saturday Night Fever. Gloria Gaynor, Chic and Kool & the Gang were dominating the charts and filling hotspots such as New York City Discotheque in Ipanema and Frenetic Dancing Days in the Gávea Mall.
Maia left his usual band and went into the legendary Estudios Level with a mighty ensemble of Rio's finest including Paulinha Braga on drums, Jamil Joanes on bass, Robson Jorge on clarinet, Hyldon De Souza on guitar, Sidinho on percussion, trombonists Edmundo Maciel and Darcy Seixas, and Juarez Assis on tenor sax.
Arranger and keyboardist Lincoln Olivetti was a crucial presence during these sessions. He added that all-important string flourish and brassy joy to the uptempo tracks while giving the
star enough room to express himself. The album kicks off with a trio of floor fillers: the exuberant party starter 'A Fim De Voltar', a sing-a-long anthem in 'Acenda O Farol' and the undeniably funky hit 'Sossego' (file that one next to Fatback).
But then Maia drops it down and gets existential on 'All I Want', questioning the meaning of happiness. He also shows his tender side on slow burners such as 'Murmúrio' (written by the great Cassiano) and 'Pais E Filhos', the latter featuring a supersoft bed of harmonies you can't help but lay down on. But the party ain't over and mid-tempo groover 'Juras' gets the feet moving again before 'Jhony' sends us swaying off into the night.
Maia's appetite for excess would eventually get the better of him. But Disco Club is the sound of an unpredictable genius on top form. Get ready for the time of your life.

Intimate November tour also announced After their 2012 Mercury Prize nominated debut and 2015's Top 20 follow-up 'Born Under Saturn', musical adventurers Django Django are back for 2017, exploring new sounds with their brand new album 'Marble Skies' which will be released on January 26th on Because Music. Today the album launches with first single 'Tic Tac Toe', a rousing, trippy upbeat rock track with an enormous echoing hookline which will excite fans of the band's rockabilly-influenced elements. The accompanying video for 'Tic Tac Toe' was directed by John Maclean, brother of Django Django drummer/producer David Maclean and director of the critically acclaimed modernist western 'Slow West'. It depicts vocalist/guitarist Vincent Neff enjoying a rapid-fire day-trip to Hastings which takes a turn into the surreal and sinister when a ghost train puts him on a collision course with a grim reaper inspired by Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal. As John Maclean explains: The film could be about the fading era of the beach arcades, time moving too fast, love and games, horror and happiness but it is actually about a man who needs to go buy a pint of milk to make a cup of tea.' After the brilliant, rave-shaped grooves and expansive arrangements of its predecessor, 'Marble Skies' is a more concise and focused offering which recalls the dynamic, genre-blurring music of their debut. It's a return to form, an album which finds them returning to the handmade, cut-and-paste approach of the past. Upon finishing the 'Born To Saturn' tour, Dave ventured to LA to work on a production project, whilst the other band members went to India with the British Council. When they returned, the new album process began with a back-to-basics approach which recalled the DIY ethos of the band's early days, Django Django - minus an absent Maclean - assembled at Urchin Studios in Tottenham, London with Metronomy drummer Anna Prior to experiment with the idea of coming up with new tracks through loose jamming sessions. After ten days of recording, there was plenty of raw material to send up to Dave (then back in his hometown of Dundee) for him to edit, refine and evolve. As ever, all four band members (completed by Tommy Grace on synths and bassist Jimmy Dixon) contributed to the band's music, melodies and lyrics as the final album took shape. Parts of 'Marble Skies' find Django Django sailing into uncharted territories, not least the driving title track (propelled by Prior's drumming), with its echoes of Krautrock and Suicide. Meanwhile, the hazy Zombies-like summer pop of 'Champagne', which explores the joys and ills of alcohol, was inspired by the band's over-indulgence during a boat trip on the Seine that was hosted by their label. Those drawn to the more dance-orientated side of Django Django will find much to love in the twisted '80s electro pop of 'In Your Beat' and the dancehall-influenced 'Surface To Air', a dreamy-headed pop song fronted by Rebecca Taylor of Slow Club. The collaboration came as a result of the two bands meeting up at SXSW some years ago, where Rebecca and Dave in particular bonded over shared interests in R&B, hip-hop and dancehall. Another more surprising collaborator is Jan Hammer, the Czech-born, American-based jazz-fusion and electronic artist who shares writing credits with the band on the gorgeously floaty 'Sundials'. If there's a mood running through 'Marble Skies', it's one of reflection on things past and present, and finding some kind of peace with your place in the grand scheme of things.

Quality is the key word from Copenhagen based Music For Dreams and here is another home run. Willie Graff splits his year between DJ residencies in New York and Ibiza. In this new outing with studio partner Darren Eboli, the influence is, as the title suggests, clearly NY-based. Over only four tracks, the pair manage to craft a stunningly comprehensive exploration of the essential elements of dance music.

Opening track "Love Flight" staggers into a lush string-driven groove that recalls the glory of Metro Area meets Wally Badarou vibes. Minimal yet playful, it lounges somewhere in the depths of the house tradition, calling on familiar sounds while throwing in odd details along the way (harmonicas). It takes both skill, devotion and a sense of humor to pull this track off, making for a strong opening. "Moon Tan" lingers on a metallic hook that drags you into a plethora of percussion followed by a rubbery soft baseline. Dubby key work would suggest this was a new wave band jamming at Compass Point, while the icy chill of the xylophone transports you into 80s italo territory.

"Second Sun" pulls out the bag of boogie tricks, relying on a firm but humble baseline and smattering drum machine claps. Nile Rodgers-style guitar licks guide us onwards into a well-orchestrated jam that builds up and breaks down with perfect timing while dreamy chords reach for the sky. "First Light" keeps the groove tight while dipping over towards more Balearic temperatures. Steeped in a watery atmosphere and gentle organic percussion, it focuses in on a trance-inducing arpeggio that lulls you in to the swaying Badarou-style synth swirls that intercept it.

A generation younger than the founders of the Teklife crew, DJ Rashad and DJ Spinn, DJ Taye was originally a rapper and beat maker before hooking up with the collective and jumping into the world of footwork production and DJing.
However, it was Rashad's untimely passing in 2014 that was the unlikely catalyst for developing the sounds and ideas for this album. He says, "When Rashad passed away I felt inspired to continue evolving the music that I loved so much coming up in this world. So, I had to do something...make something brand new."

100% committed to pushing further the potential of the footwork template, Still Trippin' is ambitious in its range and scope. Taking two years to formulate, the record broadens the possibilities of the sound, forcing it to adapt to songwriting, and also revives Taye's talent for MCing and producing beats to which he can rap and sing. Furthermore Taye definitely ups the ante with his complex and precise drum programming, never losing sight of footwork's ability to confound. The album features a range of guests that span contemporary music, the eccentric, instructive rapping of Chuck Inglish of Detroit duo the Cool Kids is featured on 'Get It Jukin', Odile Myrtil, a young vocalist from Montreal, lends her smokey soul to 'Same Sound', Fabi Reyna, the editor of the celebrated women's guitar magazine She Shreds, sings and plays bass and rhythm guitar on 'I Don't Know' and Jersey club queen UNIIQU3 offers production and rapping on 'Gimme Some Mo'.Also, Teklife members DJ PayPal and DJ Manny assist on production, and DJ Lucky is a guest MC on 'Smokeout'. Taye is ambitious in his hopes for the album, "I took this as an opportunity to not have boundaries with footwork. Different approaches to our 'underground' sound to make it broader. It's only underground until it crosses that visible threshold.' This album brings all of this to the forefront.

Long-term Soma collaborator Tony Scott drops his debut album with the label under his Edit Select alias, the perfectly crafted experience, 'Cyclical Undulations'. Having released with Soma under his Percy X moniker for years and having countless hits under his belt, Scott reinvented himself as Edit Select. Known for his dark, expressive and expansive music, Edit Select has become once of the most well respected and renowned artists in the genre. With this latest full length, he continues to explore the furthest reaches of the Deep Techno spectrum.

The Cyclical Undulations journey begins with Insta Grain, a mesmeric odyssey of ebbing pads and sparse percussive elements that seem to drift of into the expanse. A perfect opener before the first foray into more 4x4 territory begins with Above Ground a pulsating affair before Two Step Phase, a more stripped back affair, reminiscent of earlier Percy X works in it's 90s heyday. Undulation, more propulsive in it's approach, melds warping synth hooks alongside spectral tones. Horizon#1 follows in a similar vein yet drift into slightly more hypnotic territory as recurrent tones lead the track. Scott flourishes with yet more machine-throb crafting Close Up & In The Beginning She Was, both stacked with subtle nuances of his stylised percussion lost across dream like states. The later half of the album has a distinct minimalistic approach yet seem to provide maximal output with every beat. Horizon#2 is dark and ominous yet still characterised by a tough percussive element. Contact, produced in collaboration with Claudio PRC, delves into more submerged sounds with heavy sub bass and echoed drums, finishing of with Towards The E; a shuffling broken beat affair with after hours vibes and an endearing ethereal quality.

Cyclical Undulations demonstrates a mature sense of production from Edit Select. An assured collection of material, each track providing a striking insight into a true artistic mind.

Written and produced by David Burraston. Recorded at Noyzelab, 2014-2017. Random artwork, generated using seed number 0xAF30F0843192FC4, by Matthew Petty.

After a happy chance meeting at an event in the National Portrait Gallery in London, NYZ was invited to make a tape for The Tapeworm. On returning to Australia he went into the studio, digging up some recent-ish pieces from the last few years, and also making a handful of new ones. The music on this tape is a mix of Cellular Automata sequencing hooked up to various synthesis/FX methodologies including: Frequency Modulation, Phase Modulation, Sampling, old school hardware DSP and ROMplers. Musically this tape covers a range of different tunings and intervals, designed to take you on journey through the obscurities of NYZ's approach to experimental sound and music making.

Dedicated to giving newcomers an honest platform to showcase their talents, this run of compilations is to be comprised of crystalline electronic music, spanning out across various forms. The inaugural offering sees Villanova and Time team up to reshape La CHICA's Oasis with brushstrokes of subtle melancholy, TEHO fuse contemporary Deep House with UKG and YEUZ' pair of idiosyncratic compositions, for the modern dance floor. Label founder, Agoria, ventures South of one hundred and ten beats per minute on his remix of Embers, cloaking Stefan Smith's original in humility and innocence. A FEW WORDS FROM THE ARTISTS ... about their tracks Oasis: 'The original track brings us a very unique vibe, the work of the analog textures implement perfectly the unique voice of La CHICA ...as soon as I listen to it I was hooked to make a remix that would keep the same feeling .. but adding the energy and dynamic to make it floor friendly.' Embers: 'Other than Music, Stefan's only other Passion in life is reading Samuel Beckett. Whilst reading his radio play Embers he got a call from Nicolas Becker asking him to contribute some work to a project. He set about composing this track with Becketts words reverberating around his head. This track somehow made it into the hands of Becketts friend/collaborator Agoria and here we are.

ossession Records proudly present the new album by Soft Riot, entitled 'The Outsider In The Mirrors'.Soft Riot is the stylised musical alter-ego of JJD, Canadian by birth and an ex-resident of London and Sheffield, now based in Glasgow (so not unfamiliar with sites of post-industrial decay!). With over twenty years of playing in various post-punk and synth-punk bands, he has been crafting the sound of Soft Riot since the early turn of the decade, releasing a slew of albums across a multitude of labels and touring obsessively around Europe and beyond.With 'The Outsider In The Mirrors', his sixth full-length, he has found a new home for his sound on Possession Records, a fledgling Glasgow imprint founded by JJD, Claudia Nova (aka Hausfrau) and Andy Brown (Ubre Blanca). Their aim is to bring together their pool of musical talents and provide a more permanent home for their future creative endeavours, whether it be music, video or otherwise and to experiment with what it is to be a 'label' in the ever evolving 21st century. Future projects and releases will see them getting a select group of their peers and friends involved in Possession's focused vision, locally or from further afield.'The Outsider...' is a consolidation of all the stylistic elements Soft Riot has pursued in the past; the manic propulsive energy of 'Waiting For Something Terrible To Happen', the infectious, off-kilter dynamics of opener 'The Eyes On The Walls' and the pulsing, elegiac synth washes of 'The Saddest Music In The World'. Throughout the album Soft Riot fuses his maximalist sonic palette with a sharp-edged sense of post-punk anxiety, unique synth interplay and brooding, claustrophobic new-wave dread. Comparisons to musical kindred spirits like John Foxx, DAF, early Depeche Mode, Fad Gadget and Virgin-era Cabaret Voltaire would be analogous, but JJD is defiantly fusing these basic references into something highly idiosyncratic and personal.
The music on 'The Outsider...' is evocative of an kind of nostalgic futurism, of a refusal to give up on a desire for the future (dystopic or otherwise) and the unpredictable nature of the urban situation. The music is tense, synthetic and precise, embodying and exploring issues of isolation, urban alienation and social paranoia. Yet despite these dark thematic preoccupations the Soft Riot sound is not without its warmth and humour. Wry and self aware without irony, the songs are hook laden, infuriatingly catchy and designed for dancing as much for static listening. It is a peculiarly Soft Riot take on the electro pop sound that will engross and captivate any adventurous listener.

An ethereal, unresolved presence fading into the stereo field, Hilja breathes into life with a haunted synth line and self-sampling vocal hook that instantly creates an enchanted space. Hilja is the debut album by Glasgow-based musician Maria Rossi aka Cucina Povera. Named after a style of southern Italian traditional cooking associated with precarity and making-do, a philosophy of simplicity and stoicism that applies perfectly to the spare but beautiful music Rossi experiments with. Hilja's marriage of minimal synth, field recordings and the hymnal dexterity of Rossi's vocal performances creates a new language, sometimes literally, to be spoken in some mythological Fourth World we've yet to create.
Originally from Finland, Rossi brings an acute sense of space, surroundings, and practicality to her working practice, with each composition often relying on a limited sound palette to create deeply affecting messages which transcend language. Cucina Povera's power is to communicate purely, often down to the solo-choir nature of Rossi's multi-layered voice, an achingly beautiful instrument which has seems to have an innate spirituality in its grain. The tension between the means and the end is at the heart of Cucina Povera, the invocation of a kind of secular spirituality at times using nothing but Rossi's voice. Indeed there's almost a Dogme-like purity to the arrangements: Elektra is a soothing song based around the lapping waves of Rossi's wordless backing vocals and a simple field recording of stones knocked together. Kehoitus is completely a cappella, a haunted fairytale told in glossolalia, evoking a quasi-religious experience with very little.
For music often minimal and simple there's a boldness that belies Hilja's status as a debut. Rossi allows each word, each sound and rhythm to exist in its own space, finding its own relationship with its surroundings. Mesikämmenen Veisu is perhaps the most ecclesiastical sounding composition here, burbling water trickles below a virtuoso vocal, with incredible arrangements in several registers undulating above. A meditation to relieve hunger and restriction, it's a perfect summing up of Hilja, a music ambient but completely earthed, finding enchantment in what you have to hand, the realism of magic, the magic of realism.
First Press limited to 300 with hand-screened sleeves.

The current resurgence of jazz in all its' forms has certainly been impossible to ignore in recent times - from the chart-bound, mainstream crooning of Gregory Porter, to the left field 'jazz not jazz' soundscapes of Kamasi Washington, Moses Boyd, Nubya Garcia and Snarky Puppy proves this is a worldwide phenomenon. One artist who has been been ploughing this furrow in the southern hemisphere for longer than most is Lance Ferguson. As the driving force behind The Bamboos, Cookin' On 3 Burners, Lanu, and the Black Feeling series, these are the varied and versatile projects on which he has built an enviable reputation.

Menagerie 'They Shall Inherit' saw the light of day in 2012 (Tru Thoughts Records) and established the fact that jazz of the contemporary type could reach back to it's essential roots and present itself, refreshed and vital for a contemporary audience.

Lance himself explains: "The Arrow Of Time' draws its inspiration conceptually from the themes of space exploration, human evolution and the future of humankind. It's pretty big stuff to be underpinning an album of modal Jazz tunes - but the main message is one of hope, and I hope that comes across in the music"

Late 2017 saw the 2 track album sampler 'Evolution/Arrow Of Time' create a genuine buzz of anticipation, being playlisted on Jazz FM, and also supported by Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2) and both Don Letts & Gilles Peterson on their BBC 6 Music shows - having as it does the spirit of deep jazz, but combining an accessible sound that reached way beyond the usual jazz hungry audience - due in one part to Evolution's immensely catchy hooks, with the voice of Fallon Williams focusing the listeners attention on the philosophical themes Lance highlighted above. Now the album, laid out in its' entirety can be experienced, attempting to encapsulate the music with the written word feels like a somewhat futile exercise, so it is best to consider Lance Fergusons' final thoughts about its inspiration, influences and ongoing appeal.

"The sound of record labels like Strata East, Tribe and Black Jazz has been a massive influence on Menagerie. To me that sound is timeless, exciting and just as vibrant as a musical format in 2018 - and the proof is that we're hearing more and more young musicians embracing it"

Al Brown was inspired to write the single 'Proverb' after spending hours hunched over his bible in Spanish Town as a youth. He had become known for his more commercial covers of singer Al Green material, but 'Proverb' was one of the few tunes that he recorded that were roots inspired and has become highly sought after. Recorded at Channel One with Ernest Hookim engineering, who did an excellent job of squeezing out a thumping horns led tune. The inspired version on the flip has Lloyd Parks on bass and the singer Derek Lara on drums. The Seventh Extension Band was the house band of the Zodiac label. Not a tight knit band as such, but built built around singers Bunny Lara and Derek Lara. 'Words spoke in haste will all go to waste so be cool'. True thing Al. Comes in hand stamped bag.

The Berlin-based Citylow label has been releasing quality house and techno for some time now. Born from a mix of musical influences from the metropolitan suburban life, the label is characterized by vintage, analogue sounds, modular systems and the many other influences of label manager Alfredo Trastulli aka F.T.G. The heart of the label is Citylow Humans Crew, a movement of underground artists around the world who day-after-day match their story with an underground music philosophy.

Staunchly dedicated to vinyl culture and with an ethos that tends to veer toward assured, confident sounding house and techno, theirs is a modus operandi that's served them very well indeed. For their latest, the attention switches to Fuckthegovernment.Ltd label boss F.T.G, who hooks up with regular collaborator Brando Torri aka Siyha Kuma for another release that speaks volumes of their talents. The A side features the remix, which comes at us from none other than the fucking parisienne talent Jef K, who in this instance has hooked up with Mikael Weill to supply a differing take on the original. Jef K of course, is a man who needs no introduction to house music fans. One of Paris' most acclaimed DJs and producers, he has a monthly gig at famed club Concrete, where he's renowned for sumptuous basslines and exquisite house music. Gritty and relentless, their remix is characterised by some steely bass hits and a stubborn refusal to compromise. A gnarly jam that soon comes to life courtesy of a quite brilliant bassline, this one is sure to make an impression wherever it's let out of the bag. Exceptional stuff we're sure you'll agree. Elsewhere, the B side features the original, which we soon realise is where the aforementioned remix earned its industrial stripes.

Art pop meets Mongolian throat singing, Blade Runner meets Walter Carlos (Clockwork Orange), Tom Dissevelt and Kid Baltan (Bowie's favourite band) meet Tame Impala.

The fifth album from Marsmobil has been hailed by many as their best yet. With closer ties to Minx' (2006) than the last two albums, Fairytales Of The Supersurvivor' returns to Marsmobil's signature strength of wondrously brilliant songs ( And The Fishes In The Ocean', Shadows Of The Inner Light') that blend off-the-wall cinemascope sounds with dazzling beats and punchy, powerful hooks to create uniquely distinctive art pop anthems.
As always with Marsmobil, Roberto Di Gioia writes, plays, sings and programs everything himself. Here, as on Minx', he's brought in support from a fabulous singer - the very wonderful Amber Lin, who contributes vocals on four songs. All the cover illustrations are also by Di Gioia.

Multi-instrumentalist Roberto Di Gioia needs little introduction. The curious can explore his biography, discography and extensive lists of projects and collaborations as musician and songwriter (see below) for an impression of the hugely diverse achievements of this multi-talent and brilliant musician.
As a topical heads-up, Roberto Di Gioia is also the founder of the German jazz supergroup Web Web and released the album Oracle' in September 2017. The second Web Web album will follow in early 2018, hard on the heels of the fifth Marsmobil release. Di Gioia also wrote and produced Teufelswerk' for DJ Hell and contributed virtually all the songs on Hell's latest album, Zukunftsmusik'.

LP incl CD
Garden of Love' one of the first single tracks feat Peter Hook (New Order) On the cover of their new album Malamore, their first album for Because Music, Lionel and Marie Limiñanas are back in black, and looking ineffably cool, standing next to a classic silver Fifties trailer, shot at a beach festival in the French town of Paulilles by the Spanish border, just 30 minutes drive from the duo's home town of Perpignan. They'd been playing a DJ set, only with 45 rpm vinyl - Sixties punk, Italian pop, movie soundtracks and Seventies rock tracks,' they recall. The picture syncs well to the colour of Malamore, like the artwork of a movie soundtrack. The lettering on the cover is significant too.

The Patchouli Brothers first began throwing parties in an Albanian dive bar in Toronto's east end, but have gone on to grace the stage at a spectrum of the city's establishments.

They hold down a residency at a rotating disco jam called Beam Me Up which, while held monthly at the Piston, has taken place in a film studio, an artist commune, above a furniture store and inside the Great Hall.

Their debut 12" for Basic Fingers features two cuts.
First up 'Wicked One', a fiery slice of gospel served with a rich piano hook.
On the flip we're treated to 'Magic Rhythm (Of Love)', a masterclass in pure disco-funk insanity.

Looking for a peak-time workout with lots of percussion Look no further...

A tasty 7" coming from two talents from up North, Toronto's freewheeling producer/DJ Birthday Boy and Canadian songstress Trish (plus songwriter and backup vocalist Joe Law) who link up for a lesson in positive vibrations and soulful, R&B-infused future grooves. "Magic" toys with a mellow bassline and warm guitar loop from Tom Misch while "Chance To Go Far" is a Kaytra-esque hip-hop number with big drums and hook that will stay with you all day.

AK1215 features the very first press of two previously unreleased versions written by Frank Hooker and produced by Cory Robbins. This Feelin' was first released in 1981 on Panorama Records, YD-12197 and sampled in 1988 by Motor City Drum Ensemble. This version of This Feelin' features choice guitar scatting, phat moog bass lines and funk disco breaks!

Swiss producer Honorée returns to Rekids with 'Marée Haute EP' this January, featuring two intelligently produced deep cuts with a remix from Perlon's Margaret Dygas.
Basel-based artist Honorée's inaugural release 'Marée Basse EP' appeared on Rekids earlier this year and demonstrated a musical understanding acquired from extensive DJ experience within Switzerland's club scene. 'Marée Haute EP' is Honorée's second outing on Rekids and includes a remix from renowned minimal DJ/producer and Panorama Bar regular Margaret Dygas.
'Dorian' delivers crisp drum grooves which underpin mesmerising chord progressions, haunting synthesizer motifs and spacey vocals before '208' provides infectious drum rhythms, glitched vocal cuts and hypnotic melodies which sit on top of a rumbling low-end. Margaret Dygas' take on 'Dorian' offers a pulsating bass hook and sharp percussion which lays the foundation for dubbed-out synths and ethereal atmospheres to close the release.

Purveyors of enigmatic dreamscapes and organic, danceable electronica, Leeds-based, electronic-soul quartet Noya Rao are set to release their debut album, Icaros, this November. Founded by producer Tom Henry (Cosima, Yellow Days) Noya Rao was originally conceived as a solo production project with a separate live band representation. Alongside bassist Jim Wiltshire and drummer Matt Davies, whom Tom had met playing in other bands within the Leeds music scene, the project grew to become a collaborative effort mixing Tom's production ideas with the attributes of Jim's unique bass synth lines and Matt's polyrhythmic beats. Their compositions drew on the influences of jazz, hip-hop and electronic music whilst incorporating the sounds of the bass-heavy-dub music synonymous with the Leeds music scene. Their sound really came into focus when they met vocalist Olivia Bhattacharjee who brought her gospel style and complex choral harmony to the band. Developing from raw, psychedelic improvisations, their sound became more defined and minimal, underpinned by live instrumentation and more structured song writing. This co-existing electronic and organic thread gives the band a strong identity and their powerful live show sets them apart from other producer-led bands. Matthew Halsall from Gondwana Records saw the band perform at an intimate show in Manchester in 2016 and blown away, signed the band on the spot.

Icaros takes the listener on a journey through the band's unique sound-world amplified by Tom Henry's bold and inventive production techniques. Sometimes fragile, sometimes raw and visceral the album opens with the ethereal Azimuth. It's contrasting sections and mysterious chords offer echoes of the band's instrumental beginnings whilst the repeated vocal harmony layers at the end demonstrate a signature feature of the new Noya Rao sound. Moments is the first tune they wrote together and reflects upon taking joy in the everyday: the opening womb-like chords are another distinct sound of the band. The gritty Golden Claw describes the effects of a manipulative heartbreaker, it's darker, more driving and has a ruder '80s flavour. Midas demonstrates the band's use of linear structural forms and complex rhythms influenced from around the globe. It tells the story of someone who, led by greed, made some regrettable decisions. The atmospheric Dreaming Part 1 and Part 2 are sumptuous dreamy soundscapes. They were born from the same epic improv-based writing sessions as Fly, which has a trippy disco vibe, offset with wonky chords and crunching vocal harmony. The hook-led I Feel points to future ventures for the band: mixing their electronic textures with a more formal song-writing approach. A sublime slice of dreamy space-jazz, Same Sun Will Rise, finds Olivia contemplating mankind's utter selfishness and a desire for change, "Over borders we've assigned, same sun will rise'. Minimal and spacious, This Time demonstrates the merging of ethereal edginess and delicate songwriting. It is this combined with their electronic and live approach and more than a hint of Leeds attitude that gives Noya Rao their unique sound.

So, after a little break we're back with a new release. This time we're joined by the multi-talented production powerhouse that is Swarm Intelligence (aka Simon Hayes). Landing heavy with four bruising techno cuts that each find their own unique way of taking your head off, EAR017 is a bumpy journey through darker club flavours. 'Flatlands' opens things up, reminiscent of the type of marching, granite-heavy Brum techno of old - this is minimal in construction but maximum in its impact. Move forward to 'Ground Up' where demonic, dissonant keys take the lead above a rattling midrange that sounds like a corrugated roof ready to fly off. Opting for cleaner, elastic drum patterns on 'Tingla', Hayes swaps tense for dense, with a LOUD take on steppy techno, that'll please fans of some of Blawan's earlier work. 'Skitz' starts out an a more dub tip with a wailing, paranoia inducing hook and snaking rhythms, eventually joined by more hard-hitting broken kicks, leading us comfortably into oblivion.

French psych duo The Limiñanas today released their new single 'Istanbul Is Sleepy' through Because Music. Featuring Anton Newcombe (The Brian Jonestown Massacre) and produced at his Berlin studio, the single is taken from their 'Istanbul Is Sleepy' EP out 17th November. The band, who are set to release a new album early next year, will play their debut London show at Oslo on 5th October. Directed by Jean Luc Moly, the moody, Sixties-inspired video to 'Istanbul Is Sleepy' premiered on Brooklyn Vegan: link here

Reflecting on the single and their collaboration with Newcombe, Lionel explained, "'Istanbul Is Sleepy' is like the classic dream where you become the hero, the Captain Blood or Midnight Sultan(). The one who rescues and seduces Maureen O'Hara or Ava Gardner. Anton is singing and playing guitar on the track. He was inspired, in particular, by The Cult during their 'Rain' period. Last year, Mojo magazine asked us to record a cover for a special Kinks tribute. We chose 'Two Sisters'. Marie and I were thinking for the vocal part it would be great to approach Anton Newcombe, having opened for The Brian Jonestown Massacre at Le Trianon in Paris. The work began like that. We had an album to record and we decided to finish it with him. During the Christmas week we took our demos, flew to Berlin and recorded at Anton's studio. Six days later we had a finished album".

One of France's most beloved treasures, The Limiñanas are Marie (drums/vocals) and Lionel (guitar, bass, keyboards and vocals). Hailing from Perpignan, the duo straddles the boundary between psych, shoegaze, and yé-yé. With hazy, reverb-laden hooks, combined at times with noisy distortion, and fronted by effortlessly cool vocals, reminiscent of Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot, the band is at once timeless and quintessentially French.

We welcome back long-time First Word family, Souleance, with 'Bamboule', fresh from their respective cut-ups for our sister label, Excursions, and their recent 'Raw Funk' set, we have a 5-track EP containing something for all the family, crafted with love once again by France's Fulgeance & DJ Soulist. A truly eclectic collection, comprised of afro grooves, tropical vibes, b-boy rhymes, head-nodding shakers and intensely hype floor-fillers. A seriously fun selection.

It kicks off with 'Partay', a mid-tempo slice of bouncy tropical boogie that does exactly what it says on the tin. An effervescent synth-bassline rides on top of a delectable disco shuffle, complete with classic reggae chants.

Title track 'Bamboule' is a seriously energetic afro-funk beast. A truly infectious percussive rhythm track, laced with an immense bassline, vocal chops and synth rides, this one is 100% guaranteed to entice any dancefloor into a trance-like state of bugged-out body moves.

'That Guy' is some uptempo piano-rolling hip hop business, enlisting the help of Brooklyn MC, Von Pea, from the crew Tanya Morgan, who've been making noise on the independent hip hop scene for over a decade, as well as recently collaborating with GUTS.

We dip down to around the 85BPM mark for 'J'aime Marcher', a lounging boom bap bumper with sloppy drums, jazzy rhodes and vivacious horns.

Closing the EP is 'Brown Bags', an almost Dilla-esque cut-up, complete with rolling neck-breaking drums, sweet soul samples and stabs of prog rock. An abundance of variety, we think you'll agree.

For those that don't know, the Parisian duo hooked up just over a decade ago, and haven't stopped to rock & shock parties, clubs and festivals globally since, building a fan-base of solid party people and revered selectors along the way. As always, the wonderful Alice Dufay provides the artwork, making this an essential package for you and yours.

Some songs comes along that you seem to know the moment you hear it, even though it's for the first time. In the case of Spark The Universe it had exactly that impact. A mixture of late-60s psychedelic homage, early 80s new wave, white boy soul, plus a good dose of dub, all wrapped around a killer hook and super tight production and a hit was surely made.
The fact there are many deserving records that don't become a hit doesn't mean some are better than others and in fact, the joy in collecting and reissuing is finding amazing songs and bringing them back.
Increasingly heard in the sets of the more discerning DJs, Spark The Universe has become a cult play and with second hand prices now in three figures, a reissue is timely. As the label oft says, no one owns this music other than the writers, musicians and producers and their craft deserves to be appreciated.
Before going on to carve a successful career in 'electronica' project, Euphoria, Toronto's Ken Ramm had shown his considerable writing and playing ability with the 1981 debut LP Dragon and this 1983 follow up, known simply as Ramm.

Coming together through a meeting with a then relatively unknown producer, Daniel Lanois, via a mutual interest in tape loops and dubbing, it was the suggestion to bring in local vocalist Lorraine Segato that Ramm formed.
Recording at Lanois' Grant Avenue Studios, his interest in mixing past and present technology, with multiple digital delay units, harmonizers and other effect processors allowed Ramm and Lanois to explore using the studio as an instrument alongside real musicianship.

Backwards guitars, tremolo bar dives and guitar harmonics are incorporated with the vocals and percussion to perfection. With a 'Dance' and alternative 'Dub', the song's hypnotic and dreamy feel superimposed over beats pin-pointed to the later Euphoria project and with the addition of a latter day 'Discomix', from the labels' own Chuggy, Spark The Universe deserves it's place on contemporary dancefloors.

Eric Copeland (Black Dice) returns to DFA with a brand-new set of hyper and hectic leftfield club music. 'Goofballs' places its emphasis on playful melodies, ear worm hooks and vocals mixed with trademark machine funk rhythms that hit hard and land off balance. Any other way would be too obvious for an artist like Eric.

Eric explained the creation of this new album via email from his home on an island in lovely Balearic Palma Spain: i made it here in Palma at my studio, this is the first full record i've made entirely here since moving. some of this material was road tested September 2016 on tour supporting Animal Collective. This album was the result of real isolation here, countless hours, focused only on this. The whole recording & writing was a fast process. I focused most on the bass groove. I had a very minimal gear setup: 90's drum machine, cheap bass machine and a sampler. But most important was a homemade 'drum brain' that Barry's London custom made for me. Barry was in the Van Pelt Soldiers of Fortune & Oneida. That piece of gear was a big part of this record and informed the direction it took the most.'

Eric Copeland is a founding member of Black Dice as well as a prolific solo artist. Besides DFA, he has released albums on L.I.E.S., Post Present Medium and Paw Tracks.