Suche:island

Who doesn't love a bit of sophisticated soul? We certainly do and it's always good to hear some reworks of the soul great's finest cuts for the dancefloor. And that's what we have here on a new 7" that opens with a disco version of 'Cherish the Day' and doesn't go hard, instead building in some gentle drums and lo-fi melodies, swooning vocals and a mystical late night sense of romance. On the flip, we get a lovers rock version of 'Nothing Can Come Between Us' which adds plenty of lovely guitar lines to bring that island vibe while the shuffling drums lock you in gently.

2nd pressing on 2xLP Black Vinyl with Starlight Sparkle Vinyl 2nd pressing comes with a 2x7" EP on Transparent Yellow & Magenta Vinyl Please Note: "quality of sparkle vinyl comparable to vinyl with metallic effects" Sparkle / Starlight: Large silver particles Carefully designed, beautifully remastered and loaded with new ways to play - "Risk of Rain" is back and better than ever! Dive into the iconic roguelike full of unique loot combinations, enhanced with new Survivors, overhauled multiplayer, fan favourite content from Risk of Rain 2 and more! Ten years after "Risk of Rain" was released into the world to become a true classic, the game was revived in November 2023 as "Risk of Rain Returns" to reconnect with its fans and be discovered by those who didn't realise what they were missing. Time to give the iconic game soundtrack an update as well, isn't it? Creator Chris Christodoulou gives an insight on his work as well as the extensive and luxurious new vinyl release that comes with some remarkable extras: "Can you believe it's been ten years already? It seems like yesterday that I was sitting in my small bedroom/studio in front of an aching computer writing the music for `Risk of Rain'. And here we are, ten years later, returning to it to, adding to its musical compendium. What an unexcepted, magnificent journey! With this very special release we're celebrating both, the 10-year anniversary of `Risk of Rain' and the release of `Risk of Rain Returns'! This modular album contains the entire Risk of Rain soundtrack remastered and the four new tracks written for `Risk of Rain Returns' (with contributions from special guest musicians Damjan Mravunac & Maria Papageorgiou). Daniele (art), Kevin (Black Screen Records) and I worked very hard to make this complex release a reality and we are extremely proud of it! We hope you enjoy every aspect of it as it is a labour of pure love! Finally, a very special thanks to all of you who have carried this music across the past decade! You have my love, Chris

Recorded 1979 at Pathway studios, an eight-track studio in Islington, North London, this is an album of inventive, timeless electro-pop. Mastered from the original analogue tapes, the album still sounds incredible thanks to Foxx’s minimalist approach, which was partly inspired by his experience of watching Lee “Scratch" Perry produce records at Island Records’ studios in the 1970s. Engineer Gareth Jones - who later worked on some of Depeche Mode’s finest recordings - also proved to be a fantastic collaborator and innovator on this record.

John Foxx:
"I was in retreat from bands, touring, etc, mightily convinced that electronics were the future, and reading too much J.G. Ballard. I lived alone in Finsbury Park, spent my spare time walking the disused train lines, cycled to the studio every day and wobbled back at dawn, imagining I was the Marcel Duchamp of electropop. Metamatic was the result. It was the first British electronic pop album. It was minimal, primitive technopunk. Carcrash music tailored by Burtons.”

Following the success of his debut EP on WeMe records, Binary Digit is back with a brand new 6-track EP dedicated to the mythical Balearic Islands. From the very first tracks, we find the atmosphere represented by the legendary island of Ibiza, synonymous with partying, relaxation and getting high. The rest of this EP is a good definition of the well-being and the holy and benevolent feeling that all these clubbers can offer every year, who come to party in an atmosphere of sharing and respect, and above all who make a point of honor of ecology by favoring swimming. The track "Smkndpe", literally translated from Latin as "how to better consume your herbal tea", is already a hit on Tik Tok to accompany the best female influencer of the moment! We end this ep with the track "Overdoze In Ibiza", which will bring this well-deserved vacation to a close.

Víkingurs Debütalbum „Philipp Glass: Piano Works“, das vor 7 Jahren bei Deutsche Grammophon erschien, war der Grundstein zu seiner bemerkenswerten Weltkarriere und markiert einen vielversprechenden
Start seiner Zusammenarbeit mit dem Label. Anlässlich des 80. Geburtstages des Komponisten Philip
Glass präsentierte Ólafsson eine Auswahl seiner Solo Piano Etüden. „Musik ist ein Ort, der so real ist wie
jeder andere Ort, an dem du schon einmal gewesen bist”, hat Philip Glass einmal gesagt. Mit seiner Musik
gelingt es ihm, Raum und Zeit zu überwinden und neue Dimensionen erfahrbar zu machen. Kaum jemand
hätte dies intensiver umsetzen können als Víkingur Ólafsson, der feinsinnige isländische Ausnahmekünstler.
Zur Feier seinererfolgreichen Karriere ist nun erstmalig eine 180g Vinyl Crystal Clear Edition seines Debü-
talbums „Philipp Glass: Piano Works” in allen Stores erhältlich

In den 1990er Jahren mit dem Album "A GRAND LOVE STORY" bekannt geworden, hat sich KID LOCO als Massstab der internationalen Trip-Hop Sene etabliert. Mit "SLANDS, LIES & VANITÉS!" kehrt er zu seiner ersten Liebe zurück. Featuring Horance Andy, Don Letts, Lex Amor, ...

Lungu Boy is the third studio album from global superstar and Nigerian singer/songwriter, Asake. The album promises to captivate fans with its vibrant rhythms, soulful melodies, and poignant lyrics that reflect Asake's unique artistry and cultural roots. Lungo Boy showcases Asake's signature blend of Afrobeats, Amapiano, hip-hop, and highlife, creating a rich tapestry of sound that is both innovative and deeply rooted in African musical traditions. Each track on the album tells a story, weaving personal experiences with universal themes of love, struggle, and triumph. The album features collaborations with some of the biggest names in the music industry, like Travis Scott, WizKid, Central Cee, Stormzy, and LUDMILLA – adding exciting dynamics to Asake's already impressive sound.

Produced by a team of top-notch producers, Lungo Boy is a testament to Asake's commitment to quality and his relentless pursuit of musical excellence. The album also narrates the transition of Asake growing up on the streets of Lagos to becoming a global icon and living life in urban cities around the world. It identifies with the sights and sounds of Lagos (Eko, Lagos Island, Idumota Street), London (Hackney, Shoreditch, Brixton, Peckham), and New York (Brooklyn, Harlem).

The Mommyheads will release "One Eyed Band" digital on 9th November 2024. The vinyl will be available WW in the beginning och 2025. After delving into the realm of concept records with last year's "Coney Island Kid", Mommyheads have returned to push the boundaries once again, while still sounding like they're having a great time. Without the slightest concern for genre or categorisation. They've now released seven LPs in six years! Well-crafted songs, deft musicianship and progressive arrangements keep them sounding fresh and relevant after 37 years together.

On October 18th, Nicolas Michaux will release his third album, titled Vitalisme. This album consists of twelve recordings made over the years on the Danish island of Samsø and at the Free House, the studio of Capitane Records in Brussels. Much like in his previous album Amour Colère, Michaux navigates between polarities in Vitalisme : dawn and dusk, birth and destruction, hope and cold lucidity, past and future. However, this time it is less about exploring the different poles of human experience and more about bringing them together at a precise point where life unfolds. Armed with impeccable writing in both French and English, Michaux traverses the familiar lands of inspired songwriters, addressing grand themes of timeless poetry as well as the empirical realities of the contemporary world: love, illness, war, wisdom, resurrection; but also climate change and class war

Record includes 2 page insert and download

Flipping rhythms from Guadeloupe, Cuba, Senegal and Puerto Rico, Time Capsule founder Kay Suzuki releases an acid-soaked collection of remixes that transcends time and space.

From the blacked-out basement of Plastic People to the psychedelic dancefloor of Beauty and the Beat, Kay Suzuki’s musical world has been shaped by some of London’s most iconic sound systems. High quality audio, he says, can open portals to new universes. Rhythm is time made plastic and beauty is the space between the beats.

Spanning over fifteen years of music from the prolific DJ, producer, Time Capsule label boss and one time Brilliant Corners sushi chef, this collection of remixes is the logical conclusion of Kay Suzuki’s musical thinking. Drawn to unique percussive or syncopated rhythms, he describes remixes as conversations between the original artist’s sense of time and his own. Weaving broken beat, house and dub influences into rhythms from across the Black Atlantic, these four tracks find each other kinship on the dance floor.

The A-side begins with a dubbed-out rework of the Gwoka celebration rhythm ‘A Ka Titine’ by Guadeloupe’s Gaoulé Mizik that was originally released by Beauty and the Beat in 2022. Layering electronic flares, dub sirens and space echo reverb across the shuffling toumblak beat, Suzuki leans into the track’s creole heritage, turning the track into a sought-after dancefloor jam, played by everyone from Colleen Cosmo Murphy and John Gomez to Yu-Su and Bradley Zero.

Skipping to Puerto Rico, Broki’s ‘Es Que Lo Es’ emerged from a collaboration between Bugz in the Attic’s Afronaut and Seiji and local musicians. Here Suzuki reworks the Afro-Latin percussion into a subtle bruk, conjuring a third space between London and San Juan that remains both of and outside the era in which it was made.

Blackbush Orchestra’s ‘Sortez, Les Filles!’ opens the B-side, taking apart the original and kneading the Senegalese percussion into a chugging Balearic house track, buoyant and full of life. Also first released by Beauty and the Beat, the track features new synth and structural elements that bring out the innate dancefloor potential beneath the surface of the original.

The final track on the collection heads back to the Caribbean and the island of Cuba, where Sunlightsquare a.k.a. Claudio Passavanti worked with vocalist Rene Alvarez and expert in Afro-Cuban percussion, Giovanni Imparato, on ‘Oyelo’. Here, Suzuki strips out the kick completely, leaving an implied rhythm which he calls an “imaginary four-to-the-floor” - a groove that is felt rather than heard, leaving the listener floating in another universe entirely.

Cuban music has a new global ambassador: Cimafunk. With a name and image that pays tribute to the Cimarrons – Cubans of African descent that resisted slavery – and music and showmanship that re-embodies funk legends from the last century, the medical-school student turned funk artist has developed into a musical force crafting the sonic future of the island and a global, cultural phenomenon that unites and celebrates blackness across borders, oceans and languages.

After the success of El Alimento, Cimafunk delves even further into his exploration of the intersections between funk and the sounds of the continent and gives us Pa' Tu Cuerpa (Mala Cabeza Records), his most polished and mature production to date. For this occasion, Cimafunk has summoned a constellation of extraordinary artists and musicians.

"Collaboration is something I really enjoy," he confesses. "This album has artists that I had always wanted to work with, of whom I am a fan and of whom I have a lot of influence from them." From the legendary touch of funk master George Clinton, who also appeared on Cimafunk’s last album, to the jazz mastery of top AfroCuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, through the vibe of Colombian rockstars Monsieur Periné, to the Caribbean rhythms and melodies of Haitian producer Michael Brun, and the youthfulness from Havana’s urban street scene of Cuban newcomer Wampi, each guest works like a piece of clockwork in this masterpiece.

“Cuchi Cuchi” is the track that immediately takes you to the Cimafunk of 2024. Catchy, danceable and super funky, “Cuchi Cuchi,” which is a playful way to say “hooking up,” is a Cuba meets New Orleans mashup ready to explode when performed live. “It’s really funky and you can envision me on stage with my band and feel the way I dress, dance and live life just by playing the track,” says Cimafunk. “My musical director Dr. Zapa is the producer and he’s been with me since the beginning. ‘Cuchi Cuchi’ is Cimafunk & La Tribu after a few years of exploring the world thru festivals, venues, dressing rooms and parties.”

New Orleans – Cimafunk’s new home – jumps out track-after-track on “Pa’ tu cuerpa.” The explosive flow of New Orleans bounce-icon Big Freedia on “Pretty” and the unreplicated, powerful horns of Trombone Shorty on “I don’t care” highlight Cimafunk’s affinity with and full-on embrace of New Orleans music and culture. He’s now a regular performer at the New Orleans Jazz Festival and leads an annual New Orleans – Cuba festival and cultural exchange program, Getting Funky in Havana, that has brought New Orleans top artists and musicians to Cuba to perform for the Cuban people and do work in the schools. The result is a sonic experience as innovative as it is impossible to label; Caribbean but borderless, rooted in Havana but with echoes of Detroit funk and New Orleans bass, horns and street-corner vibes.

"Ebony Goddess" is the debut LP by Freeport, NY emcee Marcel Allen, released in April 2022. Entirely produced by Thelonious Martin and Jacob Rochester, this first offering by the Long Island native shows maturity and great lyricism, with Marcel Allen setting the bar real high for what's to come, and features guest appearances by Havoc of the infamous Mobb Deep as well as Detroit legend Boldy James. Now available as a very limited edition vinyl release of 200 copies!

The Official Vinyl Release from The Dreamworks Animated Feature Film
Deluxe 2xLP Crystal Clear with Blue Orb & Green, Mint, Blue, and Black Splatter
Heavyweight Gatefold Packaging with Matte Satin Coating
Exclusive Director and Composer Liner Notes
12 Page Booklet with Artwork from The Film

In partnership with Back Lot Music, Waxwork Records is thrilled to release THE WILD ROBOT Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Music by Kris Bowers.
The soundtrack also features two songs performed by Maren Morris titled Kiss The Sky and Even When I'm Not.
Waxwork Records is ecstatic to release THE WILD ROBOT Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Music by Kris Bowers as a deluxe double LP
featuring crystal clear vinyl with blue orb and green, mint, and black splatter housed in a heavyweight gatefold jacket with matte satin coating.
Also included is a 12-page booklet with exclusive liner notes by director Chris Sanders and composer Kris Bowers alongside artwork from the film.

Moka Only is a hip-hop legend with a career spanning nearly three decades. Hailing from Vancouver, he's renowned for his prolific output, introspective lyrics, and unique blend of melodic rap and thoughtful storytelling. His music explores themes of personal growth, societal issues, and introspective reflections, making him a respected voice in the hip-hop landscape.

Moka's highly anticipated new album, "Arbutus Canyon” is a deeply personal tribute to his formative years on Vancouver Island, the album is a sonic exploration of the region's landscapes, culture, and memories. Inspired by the iconic Arbutus tree and the Arbutus Canyon, a real geographic location near Victoria, the album is a rich tapestry of sounds and stories. Moka's signature beats evolve while remaining true to his established style, creating a seamless continuation of his previous work, "In and of Itself."

Throughout "Arbutus Canyon," listeners will encounter coded references to adventures and experiences on Vancouver Island, as well as cryptic elements that invite deeper exploration. The album features a variety of interludes, including the extended "Arbutus Intermission," providing a unique listening experience.

Scions are a new innovative experimental ensemble. The group features members from the award-winning minimalist chamber-jazz quartet New Hermitage, the Polaris-nominated drone-hymn duo Joyful Joyful, and the acclaimed producer and composer Michael Cloud Duguay. Their collaboration began at the Sappyfest music festival in Sackville, New Brunswick, in August 2022. During this event, New Hermitage and Joyful Joyful connected for the first time and teamed up with Duguay for a spontaneous improvisational performance based on his song writing. The enthusiastic response, capped by a standing ovation, solidified the ensemble's decision to pursue the project further, with Duguay deftly shifting from front-person to producer and musical director. After being awarded a Canada Council project grant in early 2023 the group took residence in Hotel Wolfe Island on Wolfe Island. Over a week the seven core members lived and worked together, culling material from sunrise improv sessions and collaboratively shaping it into a unique body of work that would later become To Cry Out In The Wilderness. In June 2023, the ensemble, now joined by double bassist Gabriella Ciurcovich, recorded their debut album in Halifax’s north end. Led by Duguay’s distinctive approach to site-specific production, the recording took place in the sanctuary of St. George’s Round Church, with engineering by Jake Nicoll, known for his sustainable recording methods using a solar-powered, mobile control room. The resulting album, To Cry Out In The Wilderness, finds the ensemble expertly exploring and powerfully combining their skills in jazz, devotional, classical, drone, folk, ambient, metal, improvisational, minimalist and avant-garde music. The project culminated in a week of production, with contributions from numerous artists from Halifax’s creative music community. Scions then presented their work live, performing on the opening night of Halifax’s Everyseeker festival of experimental music, where they shared the spotlight with the renowned Sun Ra Arkestra. Speaking on the narrative of To Cry Out In The Wilderness vocalist and lyricist Cormac Culkeen said: "When we came together to make this body of work, we started from a narrative seed; a post-apocalyptic humanity relearning and recreating itself, after a total ecological collapse." Speaking on "Fight Song" they add, "“Fight Song” became the song we thought the last of us might need. It is sung for an imagined last stand. It is a rallying cry to wholeheartedly fight a losing battle. So it is for us now, in this time of great dismay and unease. The axe must be disobeyed.

LIL PEEP; PART ONE war das erste große Projekt von Lil Peep, das in seinem Schlafzimmer in Long Island, New York entstand. Es markiert einen
bedeutenden Moment in Peeps Karriere, da es den Grundstein für seine einzigartige Mischung aus Emo, Punk und Hip-Hop legte. Das Projekt enthält
rohe, emotionsgeladene Texte gepaart mit eindringlichen Melodien, die Peps Kämpfe mit psychischer Gesundheit, Herzschmerz und
Drogenmissbrauch widerspiegeln.
Das Projekt enthält einige seiner populärsten Songs, darunter „Praying to the Sky“ und „The Way I See Things“. Außerdem enthält es einzigartige
Samples von Künstlern wie Thirty Seconds to Mars, Flyleaf, Lil B und dem Titelsong von Fullmetal Alchemist. Zur Feier des 9-jährigen Jubiläums wird
LIL PEEP; PART ONE auf Vinyl und CD veröffentlicht.

This re-issue faithfully replicates the original 1971 Island Records UK release in gatefold sleeve, inner sleeve with lyrics, 8 page booklet, promotional poster and sticker; it is pressed onto high quality 180g vinyl. 'Babbacombe' Lee was Fairport Convention's foray into the concept album so loved by groups in the 70s. Instead of looking at something fantastical or progressive, the group went back to the tale of John 'Babbacombe' Lee, the man they couldn't hang: The gallows failed three times after he was convicted of the murder of Emma Keyse in Torquay in 1885. Dave Swarbrick found details of the trial in a junk shop, and the band worked up the story into an album. Released at the end of 1971 with ephemera from the day telling the story, 'Babbacombe' Lee had episodes listed rather than tracks. It contained the most original material of a Fairport album to date, and was seen as taking folk-rock a huge step forward. Within weeks of the album's release both Dave Mattacks and Simon Nicol left the group, leaving Swarbrick and bassist Dave Pegg to lead Fairport on through their next chapter. Today, 'Babbacombe' Lee is one of the group's most enduring albums.

This album is a gritty yet sophisticated journey through life’s harsh realities and ultimate triumphs. Hailing from two vastly different worlds, Fashawn and Little Vic bring unique stories and sounds that blend the raw with the refined. Fashawn, raised amidst the gangs and struggles of Fresno, California, brings an unapologetic realism to his verses, detailing the roads that took him from survival to success. Meanwhile, Little Vic’s roots trace back to Long Island, New York, where he grew up with the influence of the Orena family’s notorious reputation. Known for his lyricism and mastery of the MPC, Vic’s production is the perfect companion to Fashawn’s storytelling, layering gritty boom bap beats with live instruments that add richness and texture.

The theme of the album is like a fine dining experience—a nod to elegance—while peeling back the layers to reveal the raw, often darker realities simmering behind the scenes. Little Vic’s production flexes between hard-hitting rhythms and delicate, soulful sounds, creating a soundscape that mirrors the rags-to-riches journey both artists represent.

Brought together on the East Coast by executive producer Ricky Grey, Fashawn and Little Vic spent an intense week creating this project, crafting a work that feels as alive and textured as the streets that shaped them. Each track is an experience, serving up an unfiltered taste of both struggle and success, designed to leave listeners both stirred and inspired.

All the music in the world is at your fingertips, and it's up to you to set the vibe_ So, what should we listen to? If you're having trouble deciding, turn on the radio. It's the perfect place to discover something new, or jam along to a tried-and-true station that'll never let you down.Tune In is due out 11/1/2024 via Chiefdom Records. The second of three installments in the Terrestrial Radio series, it's a carefully curated collection of instrumental fusion, designed to serve as the perfect radio mix for fans of jazz, hip hop, funk, soul, reggae and beyond. It's the latest release from Cincinnati based executive producer Doctor Bionic (Jason Grimez). As a DJ, producer, and former member of 90s rap group MOOD, Grimez' musical career revolves around hip hop. He's always preferred to sample songs from the late 60s and early 70s because of the authentic tone. "Growing up collecting and sampling records was an education, whether we realized it or not," he explained. Grimez records and produces music using analog gear to emulate the instrumentals that he's always loved as he works with some of the best musicians in the Cincinnati area to bring his ideas to life. Among others, Jonathan Luck Spaulding and Josh "Mojo" Cole made several appearances on guitar throughout the record. Every Doctor Bionic release is accompanied by a unique, thought-provoking album cover. For Tune In, Grimez worked with Refael Idan Suissa, a painter and digital artist based in Israel.Next time you're looking for some new instrumental tunes to set the tone, you can count on the growing catalog from Doctor Bionic. Tune In is available everywhere on 11/1/24.

The Equatoguinean Norberto de Nöah established in Madrid in the early 80s, where he became a firebrand of African culture in the vibrant Movida. In 1988 he self-released his first solo album, a blend of homeland sounds —modern and traditional— with new synth and drum machine touches. The vanished album finally gets its well-deserved reissue.

Edition of 500 albums on vinyl (Bandcamp download code included) - Original artwork with new 14 pages insert and poster

In the mid-1980s, the European media, music industry and public became increasingly interested in African music. This was a period of international success for King Sunny Adé, Salif Keita, Youssou N’Dour, Ray Lema, Touré Kunda, etc. Spain, with its own particular conditions, wasn’t oblivious to the phenomenon and the Equatoguinean Norberto de Nöah may be its best exponent.

Norberto moved in the early eighties from his hometown in the island Fernando Po (now known as Bioko) to its former colonial capital, Madrid. While studying dramatic arts, he created and led the band Nohkis, made up of African and Spanish musicians. In 1985 they released the maxi-single “Mujer española” / “África, ¿dónde está tu gloria?”, and the song “El loco”, was released on a compilation LP called Esto es increíble, both on the label Lollipop. According to the journalist Patricia Godes, they were first artists to record an African music record in Spain. It received positive reviews and a great impact on the most independent side of Madrid’s La Movida movement. Very soon afterwards, Nohkis’ band split up.

Afterwards, Norberto would concentrate on his solo career, and Norberto de Nöah and The Böhöbé Spirits Müsic was released in 1988, definitely a solo album. Norberto created his own label, Kilimandjaro Productions, and composed, arranged and produced all the songs of the LP. Moreover, he sang and played all the instruments: a vast selection of organic instruments, a Yamaha RX-5 drum machine and a Roland D-50 synthesizer.

In the album he exposed his deepest roots, updating the lexicon of traditional Bubi music, the musician’s ethnic group, a compendium of ceremonial melodies that ancient troubadours composed for the court. Doing so he showed new possibilities to one of the oldest ethnic groups in the world. Besides all this, he was also inspired by American music such as funk, R&B, Latin American music and also by a wide range of African and Caribbean rhythms.

Mixing the traditional and the avant-garde in a spontaneous and natural way, the music contained in the record’s grooves flows freely and takes you to places full of magic and mystery, while still transmitting new and exciting sensations. Even more, according to the Equatoguinean musician and writer Baron Ya Búk-Lu based in Madrid, the album’s sound was “the perfect combination of all characteristics that defined the Equatoguinean Afropop music made in Madrid during the 1980s”, a story that still needs to be told in all its depth and intensity!

Following the release of two LPs and several singles, the activity of Norberto de Nöah and Kilimandjaro Productions (and the subsequent Bananas Podridas) ceased. Nevertheless, Norberto’s links to music continued, as a promoter and DJ in Madrid’s nightlife.

Norberto de Nöah contributed greatly to changing Spain’s musical landscape, breaking barriers and mental frameworks. He was the first to make contemporary and popular Guinean music known to the Spanish public.

The repercussions in the African market of a Spanish (and Bube) speaking African musical project, where English and French dominate, was very difficult. In addition, the passage of time and changes in phonographic formats have diluted the memory of Norberto's legacy. Now it’s time to reverse the situation and break all the outdated frontiers!

Norberto de Nöah and The Böhöbé Spirits Müsic, as every important music piece, was at the same time part of a universal phenomenon of recognition of African music and a very personal project, based on the artist’s nostalgic and heartfelt need to show and homage his ethnic group, the Bubis. In this process he also refreshed his hometown music legacy, giving it a new air and opening the door to lots of other great Equatoguinean artists coming afterwards, as well as being an inspiration for many musicians in Spain.

In the fall of 2022, celebrated UK chill-out institution Seahawks landed in Los Angeles for the first time in their 15-year history, with plans to record a sweeping new age downtempo "exploration of visionary California."

Instead, they immediately fell ill with flu (Fowler collapsed next to a taco truck; 911 was called), and were bedridden for the better part of a week. Upon recovering, they resituated at the synthesizer sanctuary of Brian Foote (Peak Oil, Kranky, Leech), channeling their post-sickness psychedelia into one of the band's lushest and most elevated creations to date: Time Enough For Love. Inspired by the "groove and mood" of Harry Nilsson demos, as well as its wider 70's wavelength - Rhodes, Wurlitzer, wood paneling - Seahawks transposed their classic post-rave ambient exotica onto a warm and woozy Golden State palette. Buoyed by the liquid touch of English maestro Kenny Dickenson on keys, the results rank high among the duo's smoothest and most multi-sensory voyages. "Sail Across The Moon" delivers on its title, a simmering, phaser-smeared cruise through the beauty of the night. "Messengers" echoes the cosmic lounge of Air's Moon Safari, shuffling, weightless, and ethereal, while "Falling Deep" reaches for the stars, pure cascading bliss, the ecstatic moment writ large.

The album skews steadily more astral as it progresses, drifting towards jazzy, galactic outer reaches. "Like A Grain Of Sand" opens with a spoken sample by the celebrated late American poet Rachel Sherwood ("The children watch, breathless / with the birds / They feel an emanation / from this shuddering place"), before taking flight on a Balearic trip through island house, PM Dawn gold dust, upright bass meditation, and kaleidoscopic light. A remix of the title track by Chicago trio Purelink closes the record in a suitably subdued and skittery state of mind. Time Enough For Love radiates color, complexity, and positivity, infused by the "life enhancing" nature of the band's time in Los Angeles - sunsets, sound systems, and sativa, framed by coastlines and cloudbanks, the city's mystic sprawl glittering beneath purple dusk.

Mark Barrott’s 2024 album, 'Everything Changes, Nothing Ends', is a profound and deeply personal exploration of life, love, and loss. Released on Anjunadeep Reflections, this album is a follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2023 release, Jōhatsu (蒸発). Unlike his previous works, this album chronicles a more intimate and emotional journey, reflecting the life Mark had with his late wife, and the harrowing experience of her illness and eventual passing. It stands as both a tribute to her memory and a reflection on the profound impact she had on his life and music. Mark has been a constant innovator throughout his nearly four-decade-long career. He’s best known to some as Future Loop Foundation, the alias under which he created ambient drum and bass in the mid-90s. Others know him for his ‘Sketches From an Island’ series, released under his own name, which played a significant role in the revival of the Balearic music scene. He’s also the founder of International Feel, a label that was instrumental in the bespoke vinyl movement of the 2010s and played a role in bringing DJ Harvey back into the spotlight. Barrott’s work has always pushed the boundaries of genre, and 'Everything Changes, Nothing Ends' is no exception. However, this album is perhaps his most personal and emotionally charged work to date. The album’s creation was born out of tragedy. Barrott began writing music for the album during the eleven weeks of his wife’s illness, using it as a form of therapy to cope with the overwhelming grief and loneliness that followed her passing on January 25, 2023. “I actually started writing music most nights throughout this process—it was therapy to mitigate the loneliness of coming back to a cold, dark winter home after spending the day with her at the hospital,” Barrott explains. What began as a way to process his emotions evolved into a project that would ultimately become 'Everything Changes, Nothing Ends'. The album traverses genres, blending orchestral, ambient, and jazz elements to create a rich and varied soundscape. Each track on the album serves as an audio diary, capturing specific moments from the eleven weeks of his wife’s illness. The music oscillates between intense emotional peaks and more soothing, delicate moods, reflecting the rollercoaster of emotions that come with facing such a profound loss. Ultimately, this album is about acceptance and gratitude for what was, not grief for what could have been. It addresses the fundamental issue that confronts all human beings: life and death. ‘Everything Changes, Nothing Ends’ is out on 29th November on Reflections.

Released in October 1974, Fear is an incredibly important in the 50+ year career of John Cale - This re-issue faithfully replicates the original 1974 Island Records UK release and is pressed onto high quality 180g vinyl.Fear marked Cale's return to recording in London after the best part of a decade in America. Signing to Island, he made fast friends with two key admirers, Phil Manzanera and Brian Eno, who assisted him in returning his music to the rawer sound of his earlier work, as opposed to the lush textures of his previous studio album, Paris 1919. The tense, clipped "Fear Is A Man's Best Friend" harks back to the work of the Velvet Underground, as does the standout, "Gun", eight minutes of overdriven bleakness with Eno duelling with Cale's guitar solo on synthesisers. Much is rightly made of these tracks, but there is also the sweetness of the gospel of "Buffalo Ballet" and the Beach Boys homage "The Man Who Couldn't Afford To Orgy". The pretty, semi-autobiographical "Ship Of Fools" offers listeners an opportunity to hear Cale reference the South Wales city of Swansea, its seaside suburb, Mumbles and his home village of Garnant. In its often-skeletal simplicity, the often triumphant Fear is an album that brought an angular aggression with it.

Recorded quickly between John Cale producing Patti Smith's Horses and his going out on an Italian tour, Helen of Troy became Cale's third and final studio album for Island Records - This re-issue faithfully replicates the original 1975 Island Records UK release and is pressed onto high quality 180g vinyl. Helen Of Troy is a raw, fascinating listen. The title track with its horns and spoken word is one of Cale's best: after the sweet bubblegum of "China Sea", the album gets increasingly stripped down the acoustic guitar and piano of "Cable Hogue" and the punkish cover of The Modern Lovers' "Pablo Picasso" have long been favourites on the album. "Leaving It All Up To You" in which Cale becomes increasingly disturbed garnered controversy at the time and was actually removed from later pressings of the album because of its references to the Manson murders. Cale never lost his ability to shock. Taking its title from the opening line of Johnny Cash's "I Walk The Line", "I Keep A Close Watch", a track Cale would record again several years later, with its Robert Kirby-arranged strings and horns, is the closest Cale has veered toward a power ballad. It is a work of great beauty among all the jagged edges of Helen Of Troy.

Habibi Funk is excited to announce the release of Samh Almea'ad, a new 7" record by Libyan artist Cheb Bakr, hitting the shelves on December 6, 2024. Recorded in the early 2000s, Bakr’s music fuses the pulse of Libyan pop with R&B and hip-hop influences, bringing the energy of Benghazi to the dance floors of New York in the early 2000s. Cheb Bakr’s sound is a unique blend of styles that captures the essence of two worlds and includes production and vocals by Ahmed Ben Ali.

Our journey with Cheb Bakr’s music began when Yousef Alhoush, whose father Najib Alhoush led The Free Music from Libya, generously lent us boxes of cassettes to digitize. With the help of a journalist traveling from Tripoli to Cairo, we brought the tapes and a high-quality deck to Egypt. For three days in a hotel room on Zamalek island in Cairo, we sifted through nearly 100 tapes, finally landing on several from Cheb Bakr that dated back to the late 1990s and early 2000s. His albums stood out for their fresh, genre-defying sound—Bakr’s vocals flowed effortlessly over R&B and hip-hop beats with touches of jungle and drum and bass percussion, creating a fusion that crossed cultural and musical boundaries.

Returning to Berlin, we took a deeper dive into the digitized tapes, identifying bands, singers, and producers that excited us. In the process, we noticed familiar rap verses on a few of Bakr’s tracks—verses by none other than Ahmed Ben Ali, who was about to release an album with Habibi Funk. When we asked Ahmed about his connection with Bakr, he explained that they’d collaborated closely at Jamaica Studios in Benghazi, with Ahmed even producing some of Bakr’s songs.

Despite having lost touch for years, Ahmed helped us reconnect with Cheb Bakr through mutual friends. Their reunion took place in Bakr’s living room, where we joined them on a video call to discuss Bakr’s career and his influences. He explained how he sought to reinterpret eastern Libyan folk sounds for a new generation, blending them with contemporary genres.

This 45 marks the beginning of our work with Cheb Bakr, offering a glimpse into his unique musical style, with a full album to follow at a later date. The release includes two standout tracks that showcase Bakr’s dynamic range. Side A features “Samh Almea'ad,” a reinterpretation of a 2003 New York classic with Bakr’s signature spin. Since our first listen in that Cairo hotel room, it’s been played at every Habibi Funk set without exception. Side B, produced by Ahmed Ben Ali, features “Rjana Lamta,” a track that hints at American influences alongside a nod to Ahmed’s “Dameek Majeb.” Bakr’s artistry ties these contrasting elements into an original, dancefloor-ready track that remains as captivating today as it was two decades ago. As always, this 7" release comes with a booklet detailing some of the Cheb Bakr story. Samh Almea'ad will be out on vinyl December 6th.

Licensing info: These songs were licensed from Cheb Bakr. We pay the licensing partner 50% of the profits of this release. Only project related costs are deductible from the gross income, research and travel costs come out of our own share. Publishing was not included in our agreement (We feel it’s important to be transparent about these deals, therefore we will include these infos in all future releases).

Following on quickly from Fear, and capitalising on that album's energy Slow Dazzle is another fiery release by Velvet Underground founder John Cale - This re-issue faithfully replicates the original 1975 Island Records UK release and is pressed onto high quality 180g vinyl. Released in March 1975, initially, the album offers a false sense of mellow security: "Mr Wilson", a tribute to Brian, the leader of Cale's beloved Beach Boys starts the on a much sweeter note than "Fear Is A Man's Best Friend", as does "Taking It All Away"; by "Dirty Ass Rock'n'Roll" Slow Dazzle is off to darker terrain, business as usual. Cale, however, cannot resist a pop song and a ballad "Ski Patrol" is a great two-minute vignette, and "I'm Not The Loving Kind" is soul-baring. The album's reputation, however, rests on two tracks "Guts", a bald telling of Cale's wife's infidelity and his pitch-black cover of Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel". 50 years later, these songs still pack a tremendous punch.

2024 Repress


Johnny Clarke stands tall as one of the great vocalists that ruled the Jamaican reggae scene from the mid 1970's to the early 1980's Dancehall period. This re-issue of his 'Don't Stay Out Late' set shows his versatility to sing any song that was put in front of him and make it his own. Under producer Bunny 'Striker' Lee's guidance, Mr Clarke produced a run of singles and albums few could match.

Johnny Clarke (b 1955, Jamaica, West Indies) cut his first record 'God Made the See and Sun', after winning a local singing contest in the Bull Bay area of Jamaica. Although the single was not a hit, it led to two follow up tracks for producer Rupie Edwards, '
Everyday Wandering' and 'Julie' that fared much better, both on the island and overseas in England and Canada. These tracks also brought the singer to the attention of producer Bunny Lee and a working relationship that would go on to produce a prolific catalogue of music.
Johnny Clarke's Dread Conscious/ Love Song style were to grace many hits around this time in 1974. Such tunes as 'None Shall Escape The Judgement' , 'Move Out Of Babylon' , 'Rock With Me Baby' , 'Enter The Gates With Praise' to name but a few. All new songs added to a host of cover tunes, recommended by Bunny Lee, many taken from singer John Holt's catalogue, that suited Clarke's vocal style.
The rhythms were cut at various studios around the Island. Randy's Studio 17, Channel I, Treasure Isle, Dynamic Sounds and Harry J's by a group of musicians loosely called The Aggravators and voiced King Tubby's studio.

All great tracks backed by great rhythms, cut by Mr Johnny Clarke with a voice that few could equal.

Pat Kelly possesses one of the great soul voices to come out of Jamaica. Influenced by the fantastic American singer Sam Cook, Pat Kelly could ride over any tune that came his way and with his outstanding falsetto voice always added a little magic to each recording.

Pat Kelly (born 1949,Kingston, Jamaica) began his singing career in 1967 when he replaced Slim Smith as lead singer of the Techniques, his voice working so well with the impeccable harmonies of Winston Riley and Bruce Ruffin. Their first hit for the mighty Duke Reid stable was a version of Curtis Mayfield's tune 'You'll Want Me Back' retitled 'You Don't Care' which held the Number 1 position in Jamaica for six weeks. Their next hit was another Curtis Mayfield cover of the Impressions 'Minstrel and Queen' again retitled for the Jamaican market as 'Queen Minstrel'. Further hits followed with such cuts as 'My Girl' and 'Love is Not a Gamble' before in 1968 Kelly decided to become a solo artist and hooked up with producer Bunny Lee. Bunny decided not to break the tried and tested formula and put Kelly on another Curtis Mayfield track 'Little Boy Blue' a style that
suited his voice so well. This paid dividends and was followed with 'How Long' (will I love you)' which gave them the biggest selling Jamaican hit of 1969. A track which broke the mould in that often used tradition where Jamaican tracks are sweetened
for the foreign markets by adding string arrangements. This was reversed on this occasion as the tune had already been released in the UK and dubbed over with strings so came back to the Jamaican shores and released there.
Another string to Pat Kelly's bow was his engineering skills. Having already spent a year in America studying electronics he put this to good use and became little known to many
one of the chief engineers at Channel 1 studios in the late 1970's and early 1980's.

For this release we have focused on the fabulous singing skills of Mr Kelly and have compiled some of his finest recording moments for your listening pleasure. The aforementioned timeless cuts to 'How Long ( Will I Love You )', 'Little Boy Blue'
alongside some other killer lost classics, as our set opener 'It's a Good Day', 'Somebodys Baby', 'Give Love a Try' and 'I'm In the Mood for Love'. His version of 'Twelfth Of Never' in a Rocksteady Style sounds as good now as it did then. We have
also included his interpretation of the James Carr soul hit 'Dark End of the Street' which has Pat Kelly working over the same rhythm as 'How Long' but giving it a different slant
with these fresh lyrics. A fine set from one of the Islands finest, Jamaican Soul indeed... hope you enjoy the set.

Alton Ellis is one the finest soulful voices to come out of Jamaica. As well as writing hit singles himself, he could make a cover version known as a foreign tune sound like a Jamaican reggae tune with the greatest of ease.

As the more upbeat rhythms of the earlier 'Ska' period began to slow down around the turn of 1966 some say due to the extreme heatwave that hit the island of Jamaica that year, slower rhythms suited the people to groove to at the various sound systems and dances. This also allowed the singers to express themselves more and allow the song to shrine through. No one did this better than Alton Ellis.

Alton Ellis (b.1944, Kingston, Jamaica) started off singing at an early stage as part of a duo with singer Eddie Perkins and recorded for both Studio One and Randy's as 'Alton and Eddy' and had a massive hit with the song 'Muriel'. The singing pair went their separate ways with Alton going solo with Studio One and being a much in demand voice also recorded with Duke Reid's Treasure Isle Studio as 'Alton Ellis and The Flames'. As we stated earlier as the beat slowed down the top singers shined through and Alton Ellis reigned supreme. One of his tunes that we feature on this set 'Get Ready(Do the Rocksteady') even gave this period in reggae's history its name 'Rocksteady'. It's this fantastic period Rocksteady 1966-1968 that we feature on this release. This set carries all the big hits 'Ain't That Loving You', 'Girl I've Got A Date', 'Cry Tuff' alongside many more classics. All the cut at Treasure Isle songs that really defined the era.

So sit back and enjoy the Rocksteady sound it's finest....
We hope you enjoy the set....

Baby I’m serious! Frits Wentink’s Bobby Donny Ace Series welcomes the illusive Prince Palmer for his first vinyl release on the label. Frits himself steps up on remix duties alongside another Bobby Donny artist, Joy Jenkins to round off another killer release from the Bobby Donny camp!

Eden ahbez, a pioneering figure of the hippie generation, wrote the hit "Nature Boy" and created the influential album Eden’s Island.

Highly regarded as a former resident at Salon Des Amateurs at his native Düsseldorf, Tolouse Low Trax/Detlef Weinrich has carved one of the most distinctive sounds in contemporary leftfield club music thanks to his deeply unusual grooves and hypnotic arrangements over the past 15 years as a solo artist.
Fung Day is his first album with entirely new material since Leave me alone which was released through Bureau B in 2022. Fung Day was written and recorded over the course of two years, slowly mutating and progressing from one state to another. Mixed, produced and finally mastered in Paris, his new domicile by choice.

A few words by Yvan Smagghe about Fung Day:
„He pretended he was in exile from Germany but he was a French lover like all of us; his MPC Sampler was smoking hot, an Enigma machine, an ashtray full of ghosts. I had left Paris for the same reasons he came. I could strangely relate. We’d met before he left Düsseldorf, and I knew of him through his oeuvre, his art over words (they were few) and piercing blue eyes.

He was now texting me on a night train from Warsaw going East, as in a Greene novel, asking me to go over his file. He sent me a spontaneous, fun, brave and bold record which is his new album - one that curiously smelled of mechanical grease - machinery of the soul, broken transport rhythms, samples like memories, noise at peace. Referenced yet uncoded. I don’t believe in ulterior motives and complex explanations. Not here at least. On the other hand, I do believe that works can be exposure - especially with the silent type or mistaken identities - and I knew about these too.“ - London, 2024

"New Modern Homes" is the first album by The Chesterfields since nearly 40 years and was produced by John Parish.

The Chesterfields came to prominence in 1986 as part of a thriving UK underground scene that had turned its back on bland over-produced 1980s chart music and was looking for back to basics pop music. Bands, independent record labels, gig promoters and fanzine editors were making their own entertainment, with The June Brides, The Wedding Present, Primal Scream and The Loft leading the way, supported by Radio One's John Peel and Janice Long. They released 3 albums ('Kettle' getting to number 2 in the independent charts), 5 singles ('Ask Johnny Dee' reaching number 3), and toured the UK and Europe non-stop before splitting in 1989.

They reformed briefly in 1993 to tour Japan and release a fourth album and sixth single, and then returned to action 23 years later when they were asked to play New York Pop Fest in 2016. The current line-up features Simon Barber on bass and vocals, Rob Parry on drums, Helen Stickland on guitar and vocals, and Andy Strickland (of The Loft and The Caretaker Race) on guitar and vocals.

Like the ever-changing seascapes of award-winning saxophonist/composer Josephine Davies" Shetland birthplace, the music of her Satori project presents a constantly evolving tableau, at once consistent and different every time. The music on "Weatherwards", pays direct tribute to the islands that she left at an early age but that continue to exert a powerful fascination for her, drawing her back, just as the Satori project has continued to draw her back over the course of seven years and four albums - "Satori is where I find myself most at home as a saxophonist."

All the music in the world is at your fingertips, and it's up to you to set the vibe_ So, what should we listen to? If you're having trouble deciding, turn on the radio. It's the perfect place to discover something new, or jam along to a tried-and-true station that'll never let you down.Tune In is due out 11/1/2024 via Chiefdom Records. The second of three installments in the Terrestrial Radio series, it's a carefully curated collection of instrumental fusion, designed to serve as the perfect radio mix for fans of jazz, hip hop, funk, soul, reggae and beyond. It's the latest release from Cincinnati based executive producer Doctor Bionic (Jason Grimez). As a DJ, producer, and former member of 90s rap group MOOD, Grimez' musical career revolves around hip hop. He's always preferred to sample songs from the late 60s and early 70s because of the authentic tone. "Growing up collecting and sampling records was an education, whether we realized it or not," he explained. Grimez records and produces music using analog gear to emulate the instrumentals that he's always loved as he works with some of the best musicians in the Cincinnati area to bring his ideas to life. Among others, Jonathan Luck Spaulding and Josh "Mojo" Cole made several appearances on guitar throughout the record. Every Doctor Bionic release is accompanied by a unique, thought-provoking album cover. For Tune In, Grimez worked with Refael Idan Suissa, a painter and digital artist based in Israel.Next time you're looking for some new instrumental tunes to set the tone, you can count on the growing catalog from Doctor Bionic. Tune In is available everywhere on 11/1/24.

Highly regarded as a former resident at Salon Des Amateurs at his native Düsseldorf, Tolouse Low Trax/Detlef Weinrich has carved one of the most distinctive sounds in contemporary leftfield club music thanks to his deeply unusual grooves and hypnotic arrangements over the past 15 years as a solo artist. Fung Day is his first album with entirely new material since Leave me alone which was released through Bureau B in 2022. Fung Day was written and recorded over the course of two years, slowly mutating and progressing from one state to another. Mixed, produced and finally mastered in Paris, his new domicile by choice.

High Hopes - New album from the Mole.
High Hopes is 17 songs across 40 minutes on one slice of wax that, as advertised, sounds nothing like last month’s Ep, High Dreams. Here, rather than the long form dance form, is a continuation of the beat tape pacing from the last album, a collection of moments posing as ideas posing as a narrative stuffed with oddities and surprises that reward the close listen.
What’s heard on High Hopes is the Mole’s exploration of a love letter, from one person to a family, from the northern Pacific to the southern Atlantic, from a boy to a painted bird. Vancouver Island to Manantiales. The songs range from ambient sound bath and hip hop sludge, up to micro boogie and almost House before tumbling back down and forth again. Bubbling synths, MPCs swung out, samples chopped and chewed, bass and violins from Rick and Sophie, field recordings of birds and frogs and beaches, friends and family and fiestas. Did we mention the love ?! This album has got it all! Original collages from Antonio Carrau envelope this wax: jacket, sleeve and cookie. Antonio’s work is typified by playful combinations and bold statements about living in a embrace of analog and digital health. His co lages marry the corporeal world with an updated, digitalized age of reproduction, inducing feelings of gratitude for the simple everyday scenes we sometimes lose touch with when we forget to slow down. Good living, like breathing, requires inhaling as well as exhaling.
We can’t always produce content, make art, we must also pause, and listen. And enjoy. The Mole is joined by friends and colleagues on several songs included on High Hopes. Rick May plays bass on both Que Rico and album stand out GoinF4er. Sophie Trudeau (Godspeed You Black Emperor) plays and arranges violins on GoinF4er and Danuel Tate (Cobblestone Jazz) and Julz Chaz (Wagon Repair) both play Vibes and Emaxx throughout the album. Working with these incredible talents not only enriched this album, but fulfilled a long standing goal of the Mole’s; to work again with the musicians from whom he learned so much. People who helped inform the shape of Mole to come.
The Mole who was As High As The Sky. The Mole has been ‘recognized’ by the ‘global underground’ since his critically celebrated premiere album, As High As The Sky, but his earlier Eps (Wagon Repair, Philpot, Musique Risquee) got the attention of Top DJs, clubs, and festivals around the world first. His sound remains unique, fresh and deep: enjoying plays in a wide variety of spaces and places.
High Hopes is the Mole’s 5th solo album and his 2nd album for Circus Company (The River Widens) who have also proudly released two eps of Mole magic (Little Sunshine, High Dreams).
*Isn’t that too much time for one record? Short answer - No. Long answer - depends on the material. Due to the many quiet passages in the album, the groove spacing can be modulated and the needle can slow it’s progress towards the center/end resulting in longer sides with continued high gain and low distortion.

High Hopes - New album from the Mole.
High Hopes is 17 songs across 40 minutes on one slice of wax that, as advertised, sounds nothing like last month’s Ep, High Dreams. Here, rather than the long form dance form, is a continuation of the beat tape pacing from the last album, a collection of moments posing as ideas posing as a narrative stuffed with oddities and surprises that reward the close listen.
What’s heard on High Hopes is the Mole’s exploration of a love letter, from one person to a family, from the northern Pacific to the southern Atlantic, from a boy to a painted bird. Vancouver Island to Manantiales. The songs range from ambient sound bath and hip hop sludge, up to micro boogie and almost House before tumbling back down and forth again. Bubbling synths, MPCs swung out, samples chopped and chewed, bass and violins from Rick and Sophie, field recordings of birds and frogs and beaches, friends and family and fiestas. Did we mention the love ?! This album has got it all! Original collages from Antonio Carrau envelope this wax: jacket, sleeve and cookie. Antonio’s work is typified by playful combinations and bold statements about living in a embrace of analog and digital health. His co lages marry the corporeal world with an updated, digitalized age of reproduction, inducing feelings of gratitude for the simple everyday scenes we sometimes lose touch with when we forget to slow down. Good living, like breathing, requires inhaling as well as exhaling.
We can’t always produce content, make art, we must also pause, and listen. And enjoy. The Mole is joined by friends and colleagues on several songs included on High Hopes. Rick May plays bass on both Que Rico and album stand out GoinF4er. Sophie Trudeau (Godspeed You Black Emperor) plays and arranges violins on GoinF4er and Danuel Tate (Cobblestone Jazz) and Julz Chaz (Wagon Repair) both play Vibes and Emaxx throughout the album. Working with these incredible talents not only enriched this album, but fulfilled a long standing goal of the Mole’s; to work again with the musicians from whom he learned so much. People who helped inform the shape of Mole to come.
The Mole who was As High As The Sky. The Mole has been ‘recognized’ by the ‘global underground’ since his critically celebrated premiere album, As High As The Sky, but his earlier Eps (Wagon Repair, Philpot, Musique Risquee) got the attention of Top DJs, clubs, and festivals around the world first. His sound remains unique, fresh and deep: enjoying plays in a wide variety of spaces and places.
High Hopes is the Mole’s 5th solo album and his 2nd album for Circus Company (The River Widens) who have also proudly released two eps of Mole magic (Little Sunshine, High Dreams).
*Isn’t that too much time for one record? Short answer - No. Long answer - depends on the material. Due to the many quiet passages in the album, the groove spacing can be modulated and the needle can slow it’s progress towards the center/end resulting in longer sides with continued high gain and low distortion.

his release marks the first complete album reissue on Canopy. Originally released in Nigeria in 1987, “Oppressor” was executive produced by Myke Moul himself and distributed domestically by EMI Nigeria & Tropic Records.

“Oppressor”, the album, finds the sweet spot between synth reggae, boogie, and euphoric Balearic island vibes.

Written by Myke Moul and arranged in collaboration with reggae star Majek Fashek in Nigeria, it was later re-crafted and recorded in France with a host of French musicians. Most notably the contribution of multi instrumentalist Pierre de St Front added engaging synthesiser parts and electronic drums.

Unfortunately the pressing of the album suffered from inherent technical flaws which adversely affected the sound quality and therefore even those lucky enough to find a copy, will not be able to enjoy it without considerable sonic defects. Therefore this remastered reissue will prove welcome to both collectors and new discoverers.

The titular track “Oppressor” stands out as a mid-tempo synth-reggae-boogie jam espousing the turbulent political times in Nigeria that were present in the late 80s. Elsewhere “Shadows in the Rain” is an instrumental cut displaying a jazz-funk sensibility which was unusual for a Nigerian artist at that time, and reflects Myke’s influences outside his home country. “Heading for the Top” is a boogie dance floor gem that shows the popularity of this genre at the time, as evidenced in many Nigerian releases and still sounds just as vital today. “Rescue us. O! Lord” shows Myke’s great song writing and Pierre’s fine musical skills working in tandem to create a reggae boogie tune, displaying the reggae & ska tendencies that were present in pop music in this era, from artists such as Grace Jones, Sly & Robbie or The Police.

All in all, the album demonstrates something fresh & exciting for Nigerian album reissues, touching down in a reggae fusion direction, with some fuller sounding production aesthetics, making the dynamics full and crisp on sound systems while also well suited to home listening.