quête:jus just

Following a stellar run of recent releases including best-of-year EPs from the likes of DJ Plead and DJ JM, Nervous Horizon are back with their first record of 2020 — a unique new collaborative EP by object blue and label co-head, TSVI. Out on September 25th, ‘Hyperaesthesia’ details four sweltering new club tracks — described by the pair as “body music” — that mesh together object blue’s widescreen, experimental club tones and TSVI’s borderless percussive styles. “I was curious to see how TSVI and I could merge our sounds, whether we could supplement each other without eclipsing one another, and I'm so happy with the result”, explains object blue. “I never thought I could write with somebody else but this happened so easily. It's been a liberating process, just a pure pursuit of fun, yelling in our chairs when we dropped the beat.” Inspired by ‘ever-present conversations about machines and sentience’, the EP’s mechanical crux plays out in the narrative of the tracks too; from a sense of machines ‘waking up’ on near 8-minute opener ‘Thought Experiment’ to the frantic, processing energy of ‘Turing Machine’. The record also comes complete with a special remix by Loraine James and vinyl-only bonus track, ‘Syntax’. ‘Hyperaesthesia’ follows a fruitful 12 months for both object blue and TSVI: Following the release of her breakthrough debut EP, ‘Do You Plan To End A Siege?’, for Tobago Tracks back in 2018, object blue has since become one of dance music’s most crucial new artists. As well as releasing her third, critically acclaimed EP last summer (‘FIGURE BESIDE ME’), she’s turned in remixes for everyone from Murlo to Seb Wildblood, been invited to record a BBC R1 guest mix for Benji B and performed live at Paris Fashion Week, after composing the music for Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood SS20. object blue was also announced a SHAPE artist for 2020 earlier this year, alongside artists like Afrodeutsche, Rian Treanor, Jay Glass Dubs, Oli XL and more. TSVI’s upward trajectory shows no sign of slowing down either. From the release of his enchanting debut album ‘Inner Worlds’ in 2018, he’s since gone on to put out a series of game-changing records under his Anunaku moniker for both Nic Tasker’s AD93 label and Martyn’s 3024 imprint, including July’s ‘032’ — a joint EP written with DJ Plead. Alongside fellow co-heads Wallwork and Federico Ciampolini, he’s also overseen the rise of Nervous Horizon since the label’s inception in 2015, moulding it into of the UK’s trailblazing new-school dance labels.

London based artist Fede Lng is back on Axe Traxx with his 'Shaolin 808' Ep. The Ep features a collaboration with Miami artist Mojeaux called 'Prove Yourself' - 80s music lovers might spot some samples they know in there.
The original track get a smooth remix by the Alabama house master Byron The Aquarius who's just fresh off his Apron Records Debut.
The B Side sounds more like what Fede's been working on lately in the studio with his analog machines, 'Broken Miami' is the most melancholic track of the Ep and with it's broken rhythms it ties itself to a more recognizable and highly pleasurable sphere, while the B2 is more hard hitting and club ready.

Introducing the first release on MARICAS Records from the Barcelona queer collective. After three years of living the Maricas techno-pervy-loving lifestyle and spreading their message of freedom and love in their hometown and beyond, it was time to share the music they love and live by. With their very own imprint, they strive to lift up and showcase their family of queer artists and spread their sound to parties and after parties all around the world.

The first EP is delivered by none other than resident and co-founders ISAbella. She makes her debut with a solid five tracker, which bounces between house and breaks, all with a touch of old school. Hard-hitting drums and crispy perc are blended with just the right amount of dirty Rave and Electro flavours.

The A side kicks off with the dance-floor-banger Extrema, a driving house weapon rich in synth textures and stabs. Each layer takes its turn to be heard over the fat bass line, before combining into a dense melodic texture at the climax. This is sure to crush any dance floor.

Side B features Contacto, which perfectly encapsulates the Maricas sound. Deep, dreamy layers of atmosphere and the ethereal, euphoric melodies floating above are driven forward by a crunchy breaks riff and an airy but tough four to the floor kick.

Repress!

For its second release, Radiant Love sticks to family values. Paying homage to the party and label’s co-director and resident Byron Yeates, Byron’s Theme comes from the likes of Vani-T (one half of Berlin’s forceful, femme party Climax) and D. Tiffany (who threw down a ruthless remix on the label’s first release by Fio Fa). Together, they take the name of Pillow Queen – a semi-pejorative term for the kind of sub who expects to receive pleasure like a well catches rainwater. No reciprocation, just a reign of sexual passivity.


Their tracks, however, give plenty. “Byron’s Theme” presents a rich palette in its 2-minute buildup: a dry trance hook, high-end synths buzzing and wavering, pitch-shifted voice samples and a pan-flute ran through with tremolo. Throbbing, the 303 bassline picks up after a breakdown at the 4-minute mark, and only then does one realise the song’s still building. There’s still room in the last 40 seconds for some percussion modeled on a breakbeat loop – which is to say, the track is incredibly cheeky and hard-hitting – all that I would hope for in any lover.

While the EP’s first track feels wide, rangy, “Estrel Nights” opens the EP’s B-side in a much closer, tighter space. The build is percussive: bongo taps, claps, cowbell; then a hi-hat snaps things into shape, and in lopes the kick drum. And rhythm remains the central player here. It’s not until 3 minutes in that the percussion finds a melodic backdrop – a dreamy, detuned pad, choral, like a moan.

Ex-Terrestrial’s remix of “Byron’s Theme” repositions some of the elements and ratchets up the tempo of the original, but maintains its respiration: the energy and erotics flow into a different structure, closer to traditional trance, with sharp hi-hats and loopy arpeggios that phase in and out of syncopation, measure to measure. Diagonal, we incline to a climax that dizzily plateaus at 6 minutes, de-escalates and breaks down over the next 2, glows until it’s just a kick drum, slower, slower still; we’re catching our breath.

After six years, The Notwist return with three new tracks on Morr Music. It’s both an exposition of the the band’s musical variety and a prospect on a forthcoming album.

Six years have passed since The Notwist released their last regular studio album, but that doesn’t mean that the members of this outstanding band have been idle in the meantime. There have been side projects, movie scoring, and other activities, like programming four editions of „Alien Disko“, a festival taking place in Munich, Germany. One of that event’s regular guests was the Japanese duo Tenniscoats – and a lovely side effect from that was an evolving friendship between the two bands. It lead to various collaborations: most recently in a new album by international band „Spirit Fest“ (featuring Tenniscoats singer Saya & The Notwist’s Markus & Cico) & a deep digging compilation of Japanese indie music called „Minna Miteru“.

The title track of this new EP is another step in this collaboration – and a first step to an upcoming album by The Notwist – as it features Saya, who lends her voice to the percussive song. It is build around a slightly detuned synthline, which is contrasted by more pragmatic guitar work. „It neither sounds like The Notwist, Tenniscoats, nor Spirit Fest“, tells Markus Acher. „Just like Saya is saying in the lyrics: ‘I want to go outside, I want to meet people’, „Ship“ is another chapter in what The Notwist always tries to do: redefining itself, exploring something new, integrating different styles of music and collaborating with musicians they admire.“

The second song „Loose Ends“ is, in contrast, more classic Notwist material. A gently expanding ballad, this time featuring the distinctive voice of Markus Acher. The song came out of recording sessions for the soundtrack for „One Of These Days“, a movie by Bastian Günther. The EP then closes with „Avalanche“ a carefully optimistic instrumental.

With its variety of styles, „Ship“ also serves as an outlook on an upcoming album, which will be influenced by the band’s experiences from their detailed work of creating sounds and moods for film soundtracks, and it will include more collaborations with international guest musicians.

A dramatic, string-drenched epic, James Ralph Bailey’s Just Me ’N’ You has been a sought-after soul masterpiece for decades. A lush suite of beautiful songs, it was conceived as a concept album; a sophisticated paean to love.

Originally released by MAM Records in 1974, Just Me ’N’ You is a breathtaking jazzy soul album. It’s similar in style to Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On - particularly the performances, orchestrations and chord progressions - but dealing with a different universal subject matter. If What’s Going On was about romance instead of politics, it would sound like this.

Fans of Marvin, Leon Ware, Donny Hathaway, Leroy Hutson and Willie Hutch will love this record. Not as well known - this is definitely an underrated gem - the work of James Ralph Bailey is no less mind-blowing. It’s got to be one of the best soul albums of all time.

The original productions were made on a basic home tape machine and enhanced with strings, rhythmic overdubs and a variety of other instrumentation. These are beautiful arrangements of strings and jazzy horns. Rhythm guitars and bouncy bass serve as the groove foundation, congas provide a Latin feel whilst the vibraphone and harmonica add colour. And then of course there’s JR’s voice.

His style recalls Hathaway, with a delivery akin to Marvin at the time. As he scats and sings, accompanying himself in sweet harmonies, there is still a rawness of pain and longing in his voice, the rawness familiar to all deep soul.

As an album, Just Me ’N’ You is no mere collection of songs. The tender, smooth tunes flow perfectly together into a fluid, single artistic statement. This is one where it’s hard to pick out any standouts. You may have heard the soaring title track before, maybe on Gilles Peterson’s Digs America compilation. The opening track “After Hours” sounds as fresh now as it ever was and segues beautifully into the majestic “Heaven On Earth”. Recorded by Hathaway the previous year, Bailey’s original of “Love Love Love” is incredible and arguably the definitive version. The powerful, dreamy, sax-and-harmony-laced “All Strung Out Over You” has echoes of the Chi-Lites, it’s that good. Goosebumps. And we could go on.

Mastered by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman and pressed at Record Industry, this Be With edition of Just Me ’N’ You sounds every bit as brilliant as it should. A joyous celebration of love, this album is perfect in every way. If you don’t already own a copy then now is the time.

Barcelona to Brooklyn via UK: following two very special releases from Beartrax, for their third release (and second of 2020) hot new NYC label Melodize welcome one of Spain’s most consistent electronic ambassadors, Factor City co-boss Undo, and Cin Cin bossman Fort Romeau for remix duties.

Hot on the heels of his stunning ‘Dark Woods’ EP earlier this summer, Undo comes packing some stunning electronic tackle. Sitting somewhere between Border Community and Underworld, both cuts are lavishly layered as myriad synths bubble and ripple away in their own little co-existing worlds.

Baggy, charming and just nicely off-grid, both sides of the coin can be flipped; those looking for a darker jam will be all over ‘Sixty Days’, a powerful cut where the basses melt into swaggering loose kicks. Need things even darker? Then jump on Fort Romeau’s remix where the kicks are cemented into place with a stark acidic twist.

Meanwhile those of us hungrier for more of a cosmic head trip will find serious pots of gold at the end of the rainbow that is ‘Just One Day’. A twinkling, shimmering odyssey, tracks like these don’t come round all that often. Melodize realise total bliss once again.

Caiphus Semenya, AKA Mr Letta Mbulu, is a South African legend, and Listen To The Wind, his iconic debut album, is simply a superb modern-soul/boogie album. It’s also incredibly rare, especially in good condition, so Be With is delighted to present this reissue.

Now a revered composer, musician, and arranger, Caiphus left apartheid South Africa in the 60s for self-imposed exile in Southern California together with his wife, Letta Mbulu. Settling in Los Angeles he started working with the likes of Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba and other exiled and semi-exiled South african artists, as well as, of course, his wife Letta.

Caiphus also found himself working with and composing for a broad range of jazz and pop artists, including Lou Rawls, Nina Simone and Cannonball Adderley. His facility with both jazz and African forms served him well. His LA stay was also the beginning of an ongoing collaboration with Quincy Jones, the fruits of which can be tasted in Caiphus’s African compositions for the scores to Roots and Spielberg’s adaptation of The Color Purple.

Given his decades of work behind the scenes, it’s no surprise that it took until 1982 for Caiphus to get around to putting out the first album of his own. But all that experience shows. Listen To The Wind is a deeply impressive synthesis of early 80s US production and instrumentation together with his traditional South African musical roots.

It’s stylistically diverse but the ingredients are never diluted. There are elements of boogie, soul, funk and jazz, all shot through with pan-African flavour, and moving effortlessly from uptempo floor fillers to more meditative, slower soulful tracks. Produced by Caiphus himself, he makes full use of a stellar line up of session musicians including Nathan East, Michael Stanton, Sonny Burke and Paulinho DaCosta. And of course, there are Letta’s show-stopping vocals. To our ears, Listen To The Wind is just one big party, and lord knows we need that more than ever right now.

Opener “Angelina” is one of Caiphus’s most beloved tracks at Be With HQ. It’s a breezy, feel-good SA boogie-funk classic. Harmonic and horn heavy, it sounds as fresh today as it would’ve done in the early 80s. If this one doesn’t make you move, you may need your pulse taking. The drum breakdown alone, a little over halfway through, is sensational.

It’s followed by the gentle reggae lilt of “Play With Fire”. A real melodic slo-mo delight, carried by the tropical vibes and, above all else, by the extraordinary performance of Caiphus himself and his backing singers.

Closing out side one, the spectacular “Umoya” is driven by triumphant horns and slick bass. With its proto-Graceland vibes, we reckon Paul Simon must’ve been listening. Hard. Caiphus trades verses with the unmistakable tones of Letta, and it sounds divine. Yes, it’s as good as anything on Letta’s canonical In The Music… The Village Never Ends. A wide-eyed wonder, made for unity and togetherness, it’s all infectious, smiling faces for nearly nine minutes. But never mind nine, we could party to this for ninety minutes and “Umoya” would leave us re-energised for ninety more.

Elegantly firing up side two is perhaps the album’s best known track. “Without You” is a heavenly slice of modern soul, an end-of-nighter to end them all. Smooth strutting, disco-fied funk with that unmistakably South African sound, it’s just sublime, with those lyrics that keep coming back to smiling faces and community, “without You the sun won’t shine”. Big with the likes of Rush Hour’s Antal, this is aural perfection.

“Ziph’inkomo” is a soul-soothing, swooning epic. Gently building throughout, its final few minutes are genuinely stirring as the backing vocals and instrumentation swell. Jaw-dropping. The irresistible groove of frantic, percussive workout “Gumba Boogie” closes out what must surely be one of the greatest artistic statements of the 1980s. If his friend Quincy wasn’t feverishly taking notes for Thriller, then you could’ve fooled us.

With Simon Francis handling the mastering of this Be With edition, you know it sounds as fantastic as ever. The cover art, as breezy as the music, has been faithfully restored. All that’s missing is you.

Walter ‘Junie’ Morrison released his third solo LP, Suzie Super Groupie, in 1976. A slick, smooth and soulful record, it’s a genre-melting tour de force with rich elements of proto-boogie, funk and jazz. In short, this is yet another essential album reissue from Be With.

The sublime “Suzie Thundertussy”, is a favourite of Harvey and Theo, and was brilliantly sampled by Madlib for Kanye West’s “No More Parties In LA”. The track opens with a sinuous synth and combines Junie’s storytelling abilities with an emphatic vocal style and funky arrangements. The powerful bass and sinister chords create an undeniable groove, and the explosive chorus is full of ambition and joy.

“If You Love Him” is a great, mid-tempo soul song. With a swinging jazz-infused middle-eight, it demonstrates Junie was much more than a mercurial funkateer. The laconic groove of “What Am I Gonna Do” recalls “Fresh”-era Sly Stone, whilst the frantic “Super Groupie” showcases his sharp imagination and sense of fun. The lyrics range from humorous to dirty, all fuelled by an infectious groove and tight horn arrangements.

The P-Funk of B-side opener “Surrender” bounces and sparkles, with a strutting Junie backed by great harmony vocals and joyous horns. “Suzie” is a sleek, softer affair albeit with a disco pulse; a beautiful combination of bright, funky horns, fluid basslines and vigorous rhythms. “Stone Face Joe” is another character song, this time one that chugs along on a sweet boogie rhythm.

The winner for us, however, is the closing piece. An extended funk-rock jam, “Spirit” has a heart-rending spoken-word intro and, as a nod to Jimi Hendrix, creates a live concert sound, complete with screaming crowd and fuzzy vocals.

Junie made his name as the lead singer and keyboardist of the Ohio Players. As the mastermind behind “Pain”, “Pleasure”, “Ecstasy”, and the oft-sampled “Funky Worm”, he was beloved by countless musicians, not least Prince. As co-writer of some of Funkadelic’s seminal works - “One Nation Under A Groove”, “(Not Just) Knee Deep” – his standing as one of the structural fathers of funk is undisputed.

In late 2016, Solange’s “A Seat At The Table” featured a track called “Junie”, a tribute to the freedom he created in music. His work continues to be as relavent and inspiring as it was when it was first recorded.

In February 2017, Junie died, aged just 62. With records as mighty as Suzie Super Groupie, his legacy will live forever and Be With is proud to be able to do our bit to make this LP accessible again on vinyl.

Marilyn Manson returns with his eleventh studio album WE ARE CHAOS via Loma Vista Recordings. Co-produced by Manson and GRAMMY® Award winner Shooter Jennings Brandi Carlile, Tanya Tucker, the ten-track opus was written, recorded, and finished before the global pandemic. Manson heralds the record’s arrival with the title track and lead single “WE ARE CHAOS.”

Manson’s painting, Infinite Darkness, which can be seen on the album cover, was specifically created to accompany the music. His fine art paintings continue to be shown all over the world, including gallery and museum exhibitions from Miami to Vienna to Moscow.

Manson says of the album, “When I listen to WE ARE CHAOS now, it seems like just yesterday or as if the world repeated itself, as it always does, making the title track and the stories seem as if we wrote them today. This was recorded to its completion without anyone hearing it until it was finished. There is most definitely a side A and side B in the traditional sense. But just like an LP, it is a flat circle and it’s up to the listener to put the last piece of the puzzle into the picture of songs.

“This concept album is the mirror Shooter and I built for the listener - it’s the one we won’t stare into. There are so many rooms, closets, safes and drawers. But in the soul or your museum of memories, the worst are always the mirrors. Shards and slivers of ghosts haunted my hands when I wrote most of these lyrics.

“Making this record, I had to think to myself: ‘Tame your crazy, stitch your suit. And try to pretend that you are not an animal’ but I knew that mankind is the worst of them all. Making mercy is like making murder. Tears are the human body’s largest export.”

With Dead Planet Oliveri has taken a band once considered a side project and turned it into a full-fledged rock and roll powerhouse. As has been his trademark when he had written songs with Kyuss or QOTSA, this album just oozes with punk rock ethos. Combined with the stoner rock influences that he helped create, this album is a study in excess and self-indulgence. And that is exactly what makes it so damn good. - Ed Thompson

Banging acid productions from Mik Izif AKA Acid Wanker !

tunes offering a large view on his possibilities : from Acid Techno just inbetween the Hackney Road and the Hardtrance with the first tune...
Second track is a midrange sniper from UK Hardtechno to French Hardtek... And the last one is a pure BigBeat acid devotion !

FAT !

a a1. Turn Around And Count 2 Ten Y&Co."B" Mix 7.54
b a2. My Heart Goes Bang Love Machine Remix 5.05
[c] a3. Hit And Run Lover [Ventura Mix] 5.01
[d] b1. You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) [Zi Zone Mix] 4.35
[e] b2. Something In My House [Deadend Of Eurasia Mix] 5.42
[f] c1. Lover Come Back To Me [Earthquake Mix] 9.31
[g] c2. Isn't It A Pity [Bustard Remix] 5.15
[h] d1. Just What I Always Wanted [R.M. Hyper Techno Mix] 4.47
[i] d2. Blue Christmas [P.K.G. Remix] 4.32
[j] d3. I Paralyze [B4 Za Beat Remix] 6.35

Vatican Shadow ist das Techno-Projekt des Multimediakünstlers Dominick Fernow. Melodische Loops und martialisch-zerklüftete Rhythmen stehen finsteren und bestechenden Ambiencen gegenüber. Als Vatican Shadow bringt Fernow eine Körperlichkeit und feierliche Energie ein, die im Techno rar ist. Seine hypnotischen Ambientmelodien werden konterkariert von donnernden Drumschlägen – ein Ausdruck der Furcht und Furchtlosigkeit, die seine Musik speisen. Sein neues Album und Debüt bei dem sonst im Metal ansässigen Label 20BuckSpin wird Vatican Shadow endgültig auch den Industrial-Metal Fans näher bringen.
Außderm für Fans von Muslimgauze, Prurient, Badawi, Raison D'Etre, Tangerine Dream, Justin Broadrick, Haxan Cloak u.ä.

limited vinyl

The Sweethearts is a project by Tyler Thacker together with Sam Mehran (ex Test Icicles).
Songs were written on a tiny casio between Sam and Zak Mering. Tyler pretty much played all the instruments.

As Tyler explains:
This album was recorded a decade ago underneath a bunkbed in a crowded apartment we shared in Brooklyn. At the time, ‘The Sweethearts’ was just another anonymous moniker among many, intended as a pop-minded musical outlet between primary contributors myself, Zak Mering and Sam Mehran, featuring whatever friends happened to be passing though that day including but not limited to Morgan Whirledge, James Ferraro, Zak Davis, Aaron Frankle, Ian Drennan, Ariel Pink, Ryan Howe.
Like so many of the collaborations from those years, these songs and many more floated to the wayside as we each barreled through various other configurative projects, eventually retired to failing hard drives. But the specter of this specific catalogue always haunted me despite shifting primary focus to painting shortly thereafter. Two years ago in July, the world lost one of its most fearless creators, Sam Mehran , and I lost one of my best friends who oozed melody as effortless as breath.
These songs are letter bombs to adolescence in the information age: reterritorializing the tropes of heteronormative psycho-sexuality proliferated throughout western pop music on top of self-deprecation, heartbreak, disappointment, indulgence, and loss of innocence.
At one point, I caught myself singing harmony to Zak and Sam on a song called ‘Tonight’s the Night’ and it was in that meeting place between the metaphysical and the spirit world, that I finally got to say goodbye to Sam.

For years, Frente Cumbiero has served as the torchbearer of a new wave of experimental exploration in the diverse modern-day cumbia canvas. Led by Mario Galeano Toro, a Colombian native and accomplished veteran of Bogotá's rich music scene, the group first connected with listeners outside of South America via their head-exploding 2010 debut on Names You Can Trust. "Pitchito" would become a cult favourite, a catalyst for the Brooklyn-based label, and soon after a bonafide rarity. Those beginnings of Frente Cumbiero focused on an honorary recognition of the massive musical impact that the many formations of cumbia have had over the decades within Colombia. Subgenres such as gaita, porro, vallenato, and caracolito, to name just a handful, have all played their part within the evolution of the country's tropical music lineage. That deep-digging determination coupled with a truly unique and talented musicianship has informed Frente's music, some of the most forward-thinking and reverential examples of the current tropical scene. It has led to some incredible opportunities and collaborations in Europe, Asia and the States, including genre-defying recordings with London's Mad Professor and Japan's Minyo Crusaders.

Still, Galeano Toro's assemblies with Frente Cumbiero have been scarce amongst his other exploits, splitting time as player and producer in other ground breaking projects like Ondatropica and Los Pirañas over the recent years. After three 45 single releases together with NYCT, the time away has left everybody wanting for more. Now, reassembled and seasoned with years of touring and gigging in a multitude of projects, the group's current quartet of Galeano Toro (keys and synths), Pedro Ojeda (timbales and percussion), Marco Fajardo (tenor sax) and Sebastián Rozo (bombardino) is a stripped down powerhouse of unadulterated psico-tropi swing, a beautiful Colombian musical stew, incorporating a host of flavors from the melting pots of the Pacific, Caribbean and Atlantic pathways. The final result is of course quite unclassifiable, simply a new breed of good music and a dancefloor delight.

Hypnoskull is part of the global anti-music conspiracy networkTM (since 1992). Hypnoskull was created in 1992 as a solo project in order to experiment in the area of electronic noise combined with rhythmical structures. In the first years of its existence, Hypnoskull was releasing cassettes and tracks on international labels in the so-called cassette network, a widely spread network of independent and experimental musicians and artists who expressed themselves throughout limited tape releases often including artworks, ideas, texts. In 1998, hypnoskull signed to the German label ant-zen and up to today he is still releasing his albums on this highly influential record label. That is not a coincidence: ant-zen stands for ‘anti-zensur’ (anti-censorship), one of the main starting points of the provocative hypnoskull project. Patrick Stevens does not limit himself to just producing music as such, albums always include a severe message, a thought-provoking underlying concept text, questions. The main philosophy: ‘the dance floors, the clubs, the festivals,… are staged warzones with a different set of rules – a therapeutic zone where hidden anger and even aggression of both the artists as well as the spectators can be released in a proper, human way. Music as a means to open up the deepest anger inside human beings, letting it out in a way which is not harmful to others. A strange symbiosis between the two worlds Patrick Stevens is a part of: the techno and the industrial scene. Techno being a genre promoting a peaceful yet hedonistic way of life, industrial on the other hand being a highly nihilistic, philosophic but pitch black reflection on society. The mix of both musical as well as content wise elements of these genres result in what hypnoskull is all about. Added to this an explosive mixture of post-war and contemporary western subversive philosophy – in a rather impulsive manner – makes the project what it is today, after 30 years of existence.

We welcome to the Moustache Records family the oldskool electro legend Martin Matiske with his Electronic disco-ish 12 inch EP release "Robotic Theatre" This is a future vision of a theatre run by robots and is the era in which machines entertain mankind. Operas are written and played in a mechanical way. The pieces of "Robotic Theatre" deal with different terms of stage work. Track A1 is called "Acting Faces" and Refers to the rehearsing of the role, as well as the interaction of the actors on stage. The well-being of the actor does not often match what is played. He has to play even If it's painful. B2 is the track called "Machinery" Human beings are machines that build machines today. The advantage is perfection and time saving. Robots as actors are reliable and precise. B1 listen to the name "Transistor Dances"its Like The Hungarian Dances by Johannes Brahms you just need a dance to express happiness and remind your culture. Dances bring people together. A robotic dance should not be missing in a play. The last track of the EP is the tune "Practise" a story about a robot the has to practise to achieve perfection and it is fun." Don'tplay this underwater order now gone is gone.

Yearning for a lost summer, free of pandemic pandemonium, Pomme Frite go all out with this three-track disco house whirlwind from A/P complete with a fizzing collaborative opener alongside Husko. Peaktime sunshine business, iced just how you like it, with an extra shot of the good stuff to get those limbs moving.

Closing out proceedings, Dance System flips ‘Terrace Fever’ drawing on some nostalgia from a much happier time during the the summer of 2002 and the World Cup Final. Goooaaalll….

Rare musical magic from the Bruton library catalogue – ambient, spacey, pastoral and electronic. Music by John Cameron, Alan Hawkshaw, Fran-cis Monkman, Brian Bennett and more – all total masters of the scene. All very cool. All very now. All will sell very fast.

Over the last three decades Jonny Trunk has collected and written about library music. But he’s never had a great deal of luck with the Bruton catalogue. By this he means that he’s never stumbled across a massive stash, or lucked-out buying a huge run for practically nothing –that’s the kind of thing that used to happen in the 1990s and the early noughties if you were out there looking hard for library music. But he did manage to get about 25 in one hit about 20 years ago when the BBC shut down their “TV Training Department” near Lime Grove and also when a box of Brutons ended up being dumped at a hospital radio, and they didn’t want the records, so Jonny got a call.

There are lots of Bruton albums in existence – over 330 LPs in the vinyl catalogue, issued between 1978 and 1985. That’s a lot of music to wade through if you are looking for sublime modern day sounds. For many years now the “trophies” from the Bruton catalogue have been the beat or action driven LPs – the two Drama Montage albums (BRJ2 and BRJ8) have always been the big hitters, and others such as High Adventure (BRK2) too.

But Jonny has always found himself drawn to the lime green LPs, the pastoral, peaceful albums (The BRDs), which were full of the kind of gentle, lovely music that would turn up in Take Hart as Tony was paint-ing a woodpecker or a badger or an Autumn tree. The other Brutons he likes are the orange ones (The BRIs) simply because they are full of ex-perimental futuristic electronics and would remind him of 1980s ITV backgrounds. This LP series includes Brian Bennett’s cosmic classic Fantasia (BRI 10). Jonny has been knows to refer to this style of library music as “Krypton Factor library”, because it’s exactly what that strange but successful 1980s TV quiz show sounded like.

In recent years as interest in library music has expanded, we’ve watched
the price of a handful of Brutons really going through the roof - not the just the action and drama ones, but the more esoteric and experimental LPs too – like the BRDs and the BRIs. Jonny gets the vibe that people fi-nally want to hear this other more interesting and experimental side of the Bruton catalogue. So what better time than now to put together a compilation of such sublime period sounds.

Not only does this album bring together a set of fabulous cues that would cost the average man in the street a month’s wages (if the origi-nals were all wanted and if you could even track them all down), but it also chops out the need to listen to other tracks on library albums that are nowhere near as good.

The cues here all date from between 1978 and 1984. They come from the BRD, BRI, BRH, BRJ, BRM, BRR and BRs catalogues.

The composers are all legends within the genre, and here, were doing what great library composers do best – fulfilling a brief and utilising modern studio equipment to both commercial and beguiling effect.

The different seeds that have been planted throughout the life of Croatian Amor come to bloom on 'All In The Same Breath,' affirming an equilibrium that's all its own. Spiralling through the half-light electronics are gentle bumps and breaks that are layered into moments of elevation. A coarse edge remains just an arm's length away, but there is an unmistakable element of celebration throughout the album's 10 tracks. As the syncopated terrains ring out, their perpetual rhythmic motions call a medley of human voices that speak in security. They sing to everyone just as they sing to themselves. In the years since the seminal Croatian Amor album 'Love Means Taking Action' Loke Rahbek has strode a twofold path. There are the delicate, meditative compositions that he has made with Frederik Valentin; setting acoustic instrumentation against affecting digital treatments, each of their collaborative albums are an exercise in the magnificence of subtle restraint. And with the sharpest of turns you'll find Rahbek's parallel universe of rave-shocked rhythms and kinetic helixes that eddy through genre and tempo with few constraints. Collaborations with Varg²™ have yielded the wildest of this, and remain ongoing, yet the traces were already apparent across much of the previous Croatian Amor album 'Isa' with its treated vocalizations and cascading rhythmic mechanics. 'All In The Same Breath,' arrives as a steady handed synthesis of these divergent instincts. Elaborating the distinct techniques and themes that form the wistful essence of the project, the album's quiet composure is a sign that these familiarities have been set adrift to settle into their own private ecosystem.Small vessels travel in a perfect array. Light following shadows, following light. Every movement a signal, every second is camouflage. 'All In The Same Breath' is perhaps more than anything an invitation to be open to wonder.

1988: Six years after entering the music scene, and just a few months after the release of the teen, 80s earworm, “Bonne bonne humeur ce matin” by Tristan, the producer and arranger, Michel Bassignani, recorded “Tu me tues” in Belgium. Dissatisfied with the result, Michel went back to the drawing board at Waldbery Studios in Paris recording all instrumentals (except sax). After hearing his new work, Dominique, a high school pal, proposed to sing for Bassignani. Dominique's stage name became Maureen, and in addition to the single and extended versions, the duo recorded a “Dance mix”. We asked Jkriv to express is talent to produce a new version of this classic music track. Pardonnez-nous, but check it out!

Nihiloxica is a project that harnesses the full force of the ancient Bugandan drumming tradition of Uganda and focuses it on the contemporary dance floor through a dark lens of techno sensibility.
Formed by UK musicians Spooky-J & pq and members of the Nilotika Cultura Ensemble and incubated in Kampala by acclaimed label Nyege Nyege Tapes the cross-continental band explore the common ground between techno an tradition, a conversation between two cultures with a common aim: to mak people dance. Already tearing apart dance floors and festivals across the worl with an at once transcendental and earth-shattering live show, Nihiloxica ar
only just getting started.

Deluxe 2 x 140g LP edition, gatefold sleeve, colour innersleeves, includes download card.

Direct from New York city hardcore :) The Rayor still bring the heavy noize around after producing on Rancorous of Peace off !! Pityless stuff !

Taken from their acclaimed self-titled debut album, ‘One Hand Tommy’ is its latest single and proves no matter how strange our world seems right now, it could always be stranger…

In a blitz session of blood curdling vocals, disarticulated fretwork and wickelly deranged lyricism, ‘One Hand Tommy’ sees The Imbeciles tell us the tale of: Tommy; a child trapped in a dystopian landscape of nuclear annihilation with only a giant killer snake for company.

‘One Hand Tommy’ is the latest exhilarating track to be released from The Imbeciles self-titled debut album - out now. Comprising 13 imploded songs which rarely last more than two minutes, the album was recorded on tape in eight deranged days on the Texan-Mexican border. Packed with stripped-down musical information and resonant with atmosphere, the album was hailed by CLASSIC ROCK as “Some kind of Apocalypse Now” (✭✭✭✭). The band also gained masses of support at radio from BBC 6 Music, Radio X, BBC Radio 1, amongst others. The delirious fun of ‘One Hand Tommy’ is just another reason to believe the hype...

And now it’s been remixed by DJ Tennis & Danny Daze, Mark Broom, Suzanne Kraft and Duncan Forbes.

The remixes have picked up a fantastic amount of support from a long list of names, including this lot – Radio 1’s Pete Tong, Red Axes, Jackie House, Len Faki, Gerd Janson, Laurent Garnier, Ben Sims and more!

It was a busy 2019 for Asian Dub Foundation with the long-awaited reissue of their Mercury Prize-nominated 1998 classic Rafi’s Revenge. The reissue garnered ecstatic reviews, all of which agreed that the sound and the message that ADF threw down in 1998 is as relevant now as it was then-perhaps even more so. So it’s timely that in 2020 the band are set to release their 9th album “Access Denied” which finds them as uncompromising as ever. The album showcases ADF in full spectrum mode from the tough Jungle Punk sound of “Stealing The Future” and “Mind-lock” through to the orchestral meditation of “Realignment” and the reggae lament of the title track.

With guestspots from Greta Thunberg, incendiary Palestinian shamstep warriors 47 Soul, Chilean revolt’s rap main figure Ana Tijoux and radical UK comedian Stewart Lee, Asian Dub Foundation continue their sonic opposition to the powers that be and “Access Denied” kicks harder and higher than ever.

Asian Dub Foundation are a genre unto themselves. Their unique combination of tough jungle rhythms, dub bass lines and wild guitar overlaid by references to their South Asian roots and militant high-speed rap has established them as one of the best live bands in the world. During their long and productive career Asian Dub Foundation have shared the stage with the likes of Rage Against The Machine, the Beastie Boys and Primal Scream also collaborating on record with the likes of Radiohead, Sinead O’ Connor, Iggy Pop and Chuck D.
The story began in the early 90’s when ADF formed from a music workshop in East London at the institution which is their spiritual home, Community Music. Their unique beginnings in a music workshop in east London marked out both their sound and their wider educational aspirations, as showed by their early involvements with Roma Youth in Budapest, hooking up with the leg-endary Afro Reggae in the favelas of Rio, and setting up their own education organisation ADF Education (ADFED), not to mention their campaigns on behalf of those suffering miscarriages of justice. Building a solid live reputation in the mid-90’s, particularly in France, they eventually es-tablished themselves as an important worldwide force and particularly as an explosive alterna-tive to the backward-looking obsession with Britpop in the UK.
In addition to their blistering live reputation ADF were one of the first bands to experiment with the now more commonplace live film re-score, beginning with their rapturously-received interpre-tation of the French classic La Haine back in in 2001. They’ve continued to perform said project or nearly two decades, taking in David Bowie’s Meltdown at London’s South Bank and a contro-versial show at the Broadwater Farm Estate, scene of the events that led to the London Riots of 2011.They’ve also rescored George Lucas’ debut THX 1138 (with encouragement from Mr. Lu-cas himself) and they’ve recently revived their explosive live interpretation to the continually rele-vant Battle of Algiers at the Museum of Immigration in Paris.

Glasnost is a maximum transparency policy used in the music creation of the italian Alexander Chiesa and the russian Alina Vaulina with minimalistic keyboards, cold vocals and harsh but fresh ebm and electro beats. They just need those ingredients to set on fire any decadent dancefloor. All tracks have been specially remastered for LONG CUT vinyl by Daniel Hallhuber at Young and Cold Studios.

The legendary Monk's quartet appearance at the world-famous Concertgebouw in Amsterdam in May 1961. The high priest of Bop, one of the most important, if enigmatic figures in modern Jazz together with three of his main disciples, tenor sax specialist Charlie Rouse and the ultra dynamic rhythm section of John Ore - double bass and Frankie Dunlop - drums, in a wonderful performance based on super tight renditions of classic tunes such as Jackie -ing, Straight No Chaser, Crepuscule with Nellie and Rhythm-a-Ning. Surely, both the band and a packed house had a ball that night!!!

This is the 1973 solo album by Ghanaian percussionist Anthony Kwaku Bah, who was given the nickname „Reebop“ by American
jazz legend Dizzie Gillespie. He passed away early at the age of 39 in Stockholm in 1983, but before made himself a name for his
works with UK 70s rock heroes TRAFFIC and German Krautrockers CAN, amongst others. If you might expect here the prototypical
Afro Beat and Afro Rock you mostly know from British bands, you will be surprised that this is only one part of the deal. Yes, there
are African elements to be found, buried somewhere in this boiling cauldron where polyrhythmic grooves are the base for jazz
improvisations by the brass section, that range from naughty swing and bebop, to freaked out free jazz and enchanting soul jazz
the way it was popular in the late 60s. The arrangements are utterly lush with so much going on here in every aspect that you
would get lost if there was no trace of melody to be discovered, but there they are and they tell you fantastic stories of exotic
places that only exist in your wildest dreams. Kwaku Bah’s rhythm patterns grab you by the horns and pull you into a world of
their own. Hypnotical, irresistible, hot and vivid. The tunes combine jazz, soul, funk and each one is constructed like a self –
contained story. One could imagine these tunes being used as library music for 70s movies from action to romance. All pieces
though are characterized by the constantly pulsating rhythm. To avoid drifting into the field of insubstantial disco dance music,
the performances witnessed here were executed with the highest possible emotional intensity and dedication. Lay back, close
your eyes and float away on a raft of sound upon the wild river of grooves and melodies. Some haunting Exotica jazz passages
with a typical „jungle“ feel get thrown in for the good measure. There are even vocals in an African language hard to identify,
which create and even more mysterious atmosphere. This is just an introduction part of another powerful speed funk groover but
the vocals stay and make this a clear standout track. Saxophone and guitars seem to have a duel here. You will not sit still while
having this tune „Iphonohimine“ coming down on you like a thunderstorm. Blues, Afro Beat, Psychedelic Rock, Funk, it can all be
found in here and the band goes wild into an everlasting improvisation that deprives you of your breath. Can this record get even better? Do not ask, just enjoy what comes next. If you think that some melodies by the giant brass section sound a bit too catchy
just reach out beyond these harmony lines and find yourself in a thicket of grooves, pulsations, bits and pieces of melody with a
dense, sultry atmosphere. Some smaller parts might make you think of cruise ship big bands and white suits, but everybody will
soon drop these and dance in their underwear for the hot blooded power funk base of the tune called „Africa“, which will take
over one’s soul and set it on fire. So clean, so nice and so filthy and dangerous at the same time, this album is a masterpiece of it’s
style. The exciting and very sensual funk rock of „Lovin‘ you baby“ with crazy fuzz guitars and a dark and haunting approach is
another reason to kneel down when you put this record onto your turntable. Great clean lead guitars give it a latin garage rock
edge Carlos Santana would commit serious crimes for. If you love bands like OSIBISA, Eric Burden & WAR, GINGER BAKER
AIRFORCE, SANTANA, Miles Davis, all around 1969 to 1973, this is what you always wanted to listen to. Grab your copy now.

THE KILIMANJARO DARKJAZZ ENSEMBLE are a project which has always been tied to films. Films are luxurious because they dispose of all these boring, unimportant, and trivial parts of our lives. This allows them to fully control our sensations, to put us in a very specific mood. Joy and sadness are occasionally OK, endless joy or endless sadness are clinical. But there is one sensation which can be persistent and unconditionally bearable at the same time. In the absence of a better alternative, let's call it "the mood". The mood is what TKDE are aiming at. The mood.

The mood is infinite and illimitable, but not uniform and unique. On "From The Stairwell", TKDE deliver eight new incarnations of the mood. Stairwells have always been intriguing. They appear to unavoidably lead you to your destination, but they only disclose the path bit by bit. What lies far ahead of you and far beyond you is hidden in the shadows. The stairwell could just as well be infinite. You climb up this murky stairwell, passing by many doors. Every door contains a variation of the mood, a short film, a song. You open the first one, "All Is One". The evaporating mist discloses a large and empty room with a barstool in the middle. On the barstool, a chanteuse from the roaring twenties. Her voice starts to trigger vibrations of the ground, the walls start spiralling around her, but she remains untouched in the eye of the storm. Second room, "Giallo". Sly guy, telling smile, nice suit. Walking down the streets in the dusk. The ambience starts to get out of phase, the guy stumbles in horror while blending with the surrounding to a brown soup. Fourth room. "Cocaine". Naked people with pig heads crawl on the floor, on the walls, on the ceiling. They try to hopelessly suck up the white dust which covers every single piece of this room and is constantly spit out by tubes coming out of the walls. Dissonant sounds accompany the work of this desperate hive. As the people manage to counteract the tubes, fragile melodies start to overpower the dissonances. Sixth room, "Cotard Delusion". Baby morphing into a black fluid morphing into an old man which turns his eyes inwards and finds his inside to be completely empty. The journey up the stairwell, down the stairwell, continues. The pictures fill your head and make you forget where you wanted to go in the first place.

"From The Stairwell" is a surprise and a logical step at the same time. It is a surprise because the songs are far less beat-driven in comparison to TKDE's earlier works, and even contain a few hopeful tints here and there. It is a logical step because in the end each song turns to have a very diverse dramaturgic flow. This could raise the conjecture that TKDE, initially started out to make music for existing and non-existing films, wanted to incorporate the audiovisual impression completely into songs, making the films superfluous. At times, "From The Stairwell" makes you think of 60's soundtracks, but the organic feeling of those is always interwoven with mechanical elements. Altogether, every single of the numerous details present in TKDE's new songs feels to be at the right place and you can either just dive into the mood or pick one of the many aspects and enjoy it on its own - be it Gideon Kiers' beats & fx, Jason Köhnen's bass & piano, Hilary Jeffery's trombone, Charlotte Cegarra's voice & piano, Eelco Bosman's guitar, Nina Hitz' cello, Sarah Anderson's violin, or - appearing as guest musicians - Eiríkur Óli Ólafsson's trumpet and Coen Kaldeway's saxophone & bass clarinet.

It is possible that a deeply fickle Bryn Jones, who was never happy with remixes of Muslimgauze music apart from his own, might be with this one.
Extreme, an earlier Muslimgauze label, had a long history of remixing the material Bryn sent to them and this was the main reason for the artist to move to the staalplaat label.

It’s an interesting coincidence that Extreme hired Anders Peterson to remaster Muslimgauze for them. In the process of listening to masters and studying the music, the idea of a remix or ‘rework’ seemed an intuitive next step, reflects Peterson, “The remixes are based on various material from about 6 DAT tapes. I did not choose any specific tracks, rather sections and parts of all the recordings on those tapes. I did not seek to do a remix, it just grew up of that remastering project. I think I could not find any artist in any genre, anywhere, that would be more interesting to rework / remix than Muslimgauze, so I definitely feel very honored having been able to record these remixes.”

Musically, this release falls in line with the more deep spiritual, meditative, abstract side of Muslimgauze, which is often overlooked. The music remains timeless, the production as crisp as ever. Those familiar with the Muslimgauze oeuvre know this music is more than just a series of infectious rhythmic works. Rather a historical document, a musical commentary on the tumultuous times that inspired it; a reflection on the Iran/Iraq war, Operation Desert Storm, the Soviet invasion of and retreat from Afghanistan and the first Intifada. Anders Peterson brings the music of Muslimgauze and successfully found new ways to reveal the artistries from one of the 20th century’s more intriguing artists. Through circumstance, Staalplaat is to ensure that the remix project sees the light of day, now available on the evidently timeless medium of a vinyl record.”

A memorable name with an outstanding cover, Fuzzy Duck is a classic slice of underground London art rock and melodic psychedelia. Originally released on MAM in 1971, it’s truly a musical force of infectious riffs and fiery solos, sharp tempo changes, a tight rhythm section and heavy, Hammond-drenched grooves. With echoes of Spencer Davis Group, early Grand Funk and Vanilla Fudge, it comes on like a heavier Soft Machine or Caravan. No wonder Fuzzy Duck’s cult appeal has endured.

The album features Mick Hawksworth (Five Day Week Straw People, Andromeda) on bass, acoustic 12-string, electric cello and some of the vocal duties, and also Roy “Daze” Sharland (Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Spice) on organ and electric piano. Accompanying those two were Paul Francis on drums and percussion, and Grahame White on guitars and the rest of the vocals.

Originally released in an edition of 500, Fuzzy Duck became legendary all over the world through a holy trinity of scarcity, personnel and its sheer brilliance.

The album kicks off with a heavy, bass-fuelled, Hammond rocker titled “Time Will Be Your Doctor”. This is pure hard-edged blues rock, brilliantly played. Its drum break intro was sampled by DJ Premier for Gang Starr’s “Mostly Tha Voice” on 1994’s legendary Hard To Earn. And we can hear its personality all over Harvey and Thomas Bullock’s Map Of Africa.

Rollicking highlight “Mrs. Prout” follows. At nearly 7 minutes long, it incorporates more psych-leaning guitar and drawn-out keyboards à la Ray Manzarek with the band effortlessly switching from jazzy rhythm section to a progressive one. That magnificent instrumental jam that starts half-way and continues through to the end is a true wonder.

“Just Look Around You” is propulsive folk-rock with a soaring, proto power-pop chorus, backed by frenetic organ and heavy bass high in the rich, intoxicating mix. Back comes the heavy, strung-out psych to both close out side one with “Afternoon Out” and kick off side two with “More Than I Am”. Both tracks are improvisational winners that stylistically nod to the late sixties and “More Than I Am”’s guitar hook, catchy organ and memorable chorus would’ve surely made it a great single.

“Country Boy” quenches the thirst for rhythm and melody, only the lyrics and vibe are wonderfully creepy. The sudden cut of the groove and the drop into a more sinister tempo will make you stumble, before the band pick up speed and toss you back again into the opening jam, this time with a badass organ to ride you home. The final, fully fleshed out track is the majestic “In Our Time”, which oscillates between endless organ-driven boogie and heavenly, genuinely moving vocals. Just stunning.

Infamous instrumental cut “A Word from Big D” rounds out the album. Yes, that’s the band jamming with duck quack sound effects accompanying the music. “Ducking vocals” as the sleeve says. You know, just in case the whole “duck” theme had passed you by. It’s an appropriate closer for what sounds like an album that must have been *a lot* of fun to record. It’s definitely fun to listen to.

Mastered by Be With’s chief sound duck Simon Francis and cut with glee by the veteran Pete Norman, this reissue of Fuzzy Duck’s one-and-only LP sounds as mighty as it should. That unforgettable sleeve artwork has been carefully restored and the records pressed by the wonderful Record Industry in the Netherlands. Essential.

‘Love & Peace’ sees Steve mixing up all of his much-loved ingredients to deliver a fresh new record that offers the perfect antidote for the troubled times in which we live. Full of hope for the future, it’s a great mix of boogie, blues, rock, Americana and folk – all delivered in Seasick Steve’s unique style. It’s a sizzler of an album that he can’t wait to release.
“In these crazy times seems to me there just ain’t enough love and peace to go around,” says Steve. “I ain’t exactly sure what this here record got to do with love and peace, but I figured I’d call it that anyways!”
Produced and written by Seasick Steve, this album sees him breaking with tradition. While some of it was recorded in his barn, the majority was recorded in Los Angeles at Studio 606 and at East West Studio 3. The album was mixed by Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton) and Steve at East West.

it's been a while since we decided to open and launch this new project, we were just waiting for the right moment, and maybe we waited too long. or maybe not. we were a little stucked by the indecision of when to put it out, how to contextualize, and all the usual "psychological" practices that one faces before starting a new journey. but ever since we received the masters of this wonderful concentrate of different minds, we have been looking forward to smashing it out. and whether it's the real right time or not, it's now finally here! the true meaning behind this capsule is not so definable in words, perhaps because it is an attempt to look back and forth at the same time, without getting lost in a one concrete definition. but when we got to the tracks, first individually, and then together, it came spontaneous to glimpse something new and unconventional as a whole. we are therefore proud to present another of our musical journeys, this time in certainly more experimental and odd territories. the sounds you hear can definitely be taken as the true manifesto of this new chapter. proto? post? everything in between. ENTER >

When your roots have a broad geographical diversity, it’s very likely this will resonate in the music you make. This is certainly the case with Alma Negra and their new release on Heist. It seems they have embraced all their cultural influences more than ever in their new ‘Dakar Disco EP’. The whole record oozes class and musicality and feels like a carefree collage of the rich musical lives they live. The three originals on this EP vary in tempo and energy, giving you something for each moment of the day or night. They are accompanied by a remix from none other than the Japanese master of cosmic funk: Kuniyuki.

The EP kicks off with the title track ‘Dakar Disco’; an island style mid-tempo burner, rich with filtered guitars, bells and bleeps. Soothing chords and synth melodies are introduced for a lovely build up, but it’s the live horn section that takes centre stage. Here, the track really comes to full fruition, with a squeaky lead accompanying the horns for an electronic twist to what is above all a lovely summer jam.

‘Contra’ ups the pace and moves more into dance floor territory with loose claps, spacey pads and faraway chants. This track really gets to you with the live percussion and extremely catchy lead running throughout the track. This is afro house just the way we like it.

We’re very proud to have Kuniyuki remixing ‘Dakar disco’. This master of his craft has done an outstanding job with his cosmic take on ‘Dakar disco’. He lays down a great riff on bass guitar, while playing around with all the live elements and adds a serious bit of reverb for a stunning effect. This track is a perfect example of Kuniyuki’s musical skills and we can almost see him jamming this out, eyes closed and directed towards a distant point in space only he can see.

The EP’s closing track ‘Back in town’, is perhaps the clubbiest track of the set. A friendly acid line squeaks over tribal drums & chants and you immediately get pulled in by a great balafon hook. You can really hear how the guys feel at ease combining these worldly elements with modern electronics and ‘Back in town’ is a great example on how to blend these sonic worlds.

So there we are. A taste of the Alma Negra summer with a healthy dose of Japanese funk. Enjoy!

Yours sincerely,

Maarten & Lars

Fabe makes his highly anticipated debut on FUSE this August as he unveils his four-track vinyl sampler from his sophomore album, ‘Four Point Island’.

A key figure within Mannheim’s blossoming scene and a core member of the city’s well-respected BE9 collective, DJ, producer and label boss Fabe has quickly forged his position as an artist of note within the house and minimal landscape. Featuring as a regular for both Cocoon and FUSE/Infuse across their worldwide events and labels, whilst also launching his own imprint Salty Nuts, the multi-faceted talent has carved out a trademark sound palette combining groove-heavy bassline with elements of classic house, forceful techno, forming a unique, high-energy style which is now instantly recognisable as his own across the scene today. Following on from the release of his
debut album ‘Water Tower’ in 2019, late-summer welcomes the release of his second long-player project as he debuts on FUSE to deliver ‘Four Point Island’ – becoming only the second artist to release an album on the label after founder Enzo Siragusa.

Four smoking hot disco tunes picked by Mr. Fonk and reworked by our veteran edit producer and KitKat resident Billy Idle. Sounding like the mid 70s and early 80s, these tracks have all been tested thoroughly on our Disco Bizarre floor to maximum effect. No fillers, just thrillers!

2020 marks the 30th Anniversary of ‘Bossanova’, the third studio album by Pixies.

The band continued to work with Gil Norton after collaborating to such success on their platinumselling second album ‘Doolittle’; this time choosing to record in Los Angeles over their native Boston
(the track ‘Blown Away’, however, was recorded at the Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin during a European tour in 1989).

Their third album in as many years, 1990 was a particularly fertile time for the band with Kim Deal also having success with The Breeders, who released their debut album ‘Pod’ just a few months prior.

Featuring the singles ‘Allison’ (a tribute to jazz and blues pianist Mose Allison), ‘Dig For Fire’ and ‘Velouria’, plus the first cover to feature on one of their albums, ‘Cecilia Ann’ (originally by The Surftones), ‘Bossanova’ showed a less primal side to the band, with surf and space rock rising to the fore. Lyrically, Black Francis is even more cryptic with a recurring sci-fi theme running throughout, which in turn influenced Vaughan Oliver’s classic planet design for the sleeve.

To celebrate ‘Bossanova’ hitting its third decade, 4AD are releasing a special red vinyl edition with the original 16-page booklet being reinserted, having previously only been available with the initial UK LP pressing.