Special Offers

2023 VINYL REPRESS

Received an 8.3 Best New Music from Pitchfork.

What could be better than a reissue of GROUPER’s Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill? How about an entire album of unreleased material recorded at the same time that is equal in quality?.

Berlin based Philipp Otterbach debuts on Offen with "Correct Me If I Am Incorrectly You". TIP!

Post-music phantasmagoria for the world in which the past became more unpredictable than the future.
Remember Cowboy Bob, Salaryman and Gary Floyd in that opium den in Fischeln?

Deconstructed entertainment for hopeless romantics and testament to Otterbach's unique artistic language.

Supersound vinyl LP, full cover inside out print.

After reissuing Hedzoleh by Hedzoleh in 2022, a collaborative effort by Meakusma and Soundway, this new 12inch features remixes by Jimi Tenor, Mark Ernestus, Gavsborg and Waltraud Blischke, transporting and transfusing Hedzoleh's tracks into new spheres and circumstances. Hedzoleh Soundz were one of the first and most original ‘Afro’ bands from 1970s Ghana, playing an unusual mix of traditional music and western rock as part of the West African Highlife scene. The music for the Hedzoleh album was used by legendary South-African trumpeter Hugh Masekela as the backbone to his afrojazz classic, “Masekela – Introducing Hedzoleh Soundz”. The Hedzoleh Soundz Remixes 12inch features an eloquent, deep, deeply poppy even, dub by Mark Ernestus, Jimi Tenor taking the original Rekpete track into even more joyous territory, adding some subtly hypnagogic touches at the end, Gavsborg transforming Y Yes Baa Gee Wo into a beat-based drone of sorts, a toolin the right hands, and a majestic experimental twist by Waltraud Blischke, sampling one Hedzoleh track and one unreleased solo track by Sascha Todd, son of Hedzoleh bass player and vocalist Stanley Todd.

This record came about with the support of Ostbelgien.

Die thüringischen Meister des Morbiden bieten mit ihrer neuen Single "Heckenschütze" einen Hit, der all ihre Trademarks vereint: Einen Text aus der Sicht eines psychisch gestörten Amokschützen, der durch das soziale Netzwerk gefallen ist, eindringlich dargeboten von Bandchef M. Roth und musikalisch in tiefschwarze Melodien gebettet, die sofort im Ohr hängen bleiben.
Die B-Seite ziert eine Neueinspielung des allerersten EISREGEN-Liedes "Zeitenwende", das bislang nur auf dem legendären "Promo 96" vorzufinden war.
Die Single "Heckenschütze" bietet also das bislang neueste Lied der Band und als Kontrast den allerersten Song, den EISREGEN jemals geschaffen haben.
Veröffentlicht wird die Single als besondere 7" Vinyl Edition in verschiedenen Farben mit jeweils beiliegender CD, welche ebenfalls die beiden Songs enthält.
Für den gewohnt brachialen Soundteppich sorgten Yantit als Produzent sowie Markus Stock, der für den Mix und das Mastering zuständig war.

Sept duos pour guitar acoustique et piano préparé is the second duo recording from Stephen O'Malley and Anthony Pateras. Their first together, Rêve Noir (2018), took an electro-acoustic scalpel to a 2011 duo concert for electric guitar and piano, using Revox and digital treatments to twist and smear gig documentation into ghostly echoes and fractured drones. Here, in contrast, the music is entirely acoustic and presented as it was performed, without overdubs. Both players’ choices of instruments are notable: this is O'Malley’s most extensive recording on steel string acoustic guitar (playing an instrument whose previous owners include Marissa Nadler and Glenn Jones) and Pateras return to the prepared piano, which he has rarely employed in recent years, after spending much of the first decade of the 21st century exploring its possibilities.

Recorded during O'Malley’s residency at La Becque on Lake Geneva in the summer of 2021, from the first moments of the opening ‘déjà revé’ the music immediately establishes the distinctive landscape of chiming tones and hovering clouds of resonance explored throughout its one-hour running time. Pateras’ preparations create tolling bell-like tones alive with complex overtones, alongside which O'Malley’s open strings and natural harmonics add a sparkling clarity. While Pateras’ music often uses a densely chromatic harmonic language, these duos are remarkable for their modal simplicity. However, the interaction between the pure intervals of O'Malley’s just-intoned strings and the unstable harmonies created by the piano preparations suspends the music in an oneiric state of hazy ambiguity. Without obvious reference to tempo or meter, the music floats in what the composer Ernstalbrecht Stiebler has called a ‘bottomless sound space’, the temporal placement of events determined by bodily rhythms and the performers’ own listening to (and enjoyment of) the sounds being made.

Heard one way, this music can seem striking in its consistency, almost environmental. Attending more carefully, the listener hears the pitch sets and tunings changing throughout the album’s length. Each piece has its own character, subtly distinguished from the others through mood, pacing, and timbre. On ‘déjà voulu’, for instance, O'Malley makes prominent use of slide, the woozy, bending pitches weaving through a series of lush arpeggiated chords from the piano. ‘Déjà senti’, on the other hand, is particularly spare, the gestures spaced out to the extent that they often float in isolation against the background of fading resonance. Much of ‘déjà su’ is built around a slowly pulsing single prepared piano tone, creating an almost ominous tension, whereas the sparkling guitar harmonics and arpeggios of the closing ‘déjà raconté’ have a gently triumphal air. While the music’s calm, rippling surface is immediately entrancing, these seven duos – in the tradition of the best improvised music – also reward close listening, which reveals sonic details and focuses the listener’s attention on how the music unfolds spontaneously from decision to decision, from gesture to gesture.

Recorded during a period when O'Malley and Pateras were grieving the loss of recently departed friends and collaborators, these seven duos possess a reflective, at times almost mournful quality. More importantly, though, they are imbued with other qualities that can arise from personal loss: a clarity that allows one to clear away the inessential, to begin again, to renew one’s faith in friendship and music.

XY0815 wraps up his magnum opus with an additional collection of eight tracks. The second volume of 'Gates Need Inputs' blends crafty, melodic electronica with intricate rhythms.

Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band come in heavy with a two-sider for the Halloween season that is sure to get the masquerade ball moving. Side A is their cover of "Stranger Things Theme" where they play the top line on steel pans with echoed out guitar chanks and sound effects that haunt the track. This is the second time they take on a popular TV theme song and both times they knocked it out of the park. They manage to keep the eerie vibe but their cover takes on a more hypnotizing tone than the original. On side B they take on a tried and true October 31st classic: John Carpenter's iconic "Halloween Theme" and they do it up in a disco four on the floor style that is guaranteed to get spins at Halloween parties from now til infinity. Get the ghouls and the ghosts off their seats_ LIMITED EDITION PUMPKIN ORANGE COLORED VINYL!

High Roller Records, black vinyl, ltd 300, 4 page insert, poster, Cassette transfer, audio restoration and mastering by Patrick W. Engel at TEMPLE OF DISHARMONY in November 2020 / January 2022. Artwork and handlettering by Alexander von Wieding.

The second vinyl release by young, interdisciplinary Dresden label fragmented: is called fragmented:borders (FRAG:002) and features three original productions by fragmented: resident RANDOM DATA accompanied by a remix from WARNING resident Mars Leder. It is composed of experimental breakbeats defined by dubby bass and eclectic drum patterns infused with oriental rhythmic elements, creating a sonically unique atmosphere. The remix by Mars Leder is a dreamy and playful house re-interpretation of the original, which skillfully opens up new perspectives on its various elements by embedding them in a refreshingly uplifting soundscape.

The cover artwork by Lydia Henkel deals with the haptics of memory. Traces of working in the ransacked material are emblematic of gestures of individuals who have to fight their way through water, authorities, everyday life, in order to find a foothold and to be allowed to arrive. The often invisible struggles of those who must fight for perception and treatment as individuals and not as the cause of problems are reflected in the vase and remembered silently and angrily.

A central part of this release is the cooperation with political association “Mission Lifeline'' which mainly focuses on sea rescue missions in the Mediterranean. By drawing attention to their work on the vinyl cover and inner sleeve print, fragmented: aims to provide a platform for this vital cause. To further support their efforts, 50% of the proceeds from this release will be donated to Mission Lifeline.

Kapture presents their new sub-label Kaptive, the first release featuring label owners Los Bastoneros, delivering 3 distinct tracks that fit the different moods encountered not only at events, but life in general.

'After a first album as a duo released on Okraina Records: "Le Corps Défendant", Delphine Dora and Mocke invite us to join them again in listening to a new album. We slip into it as if in a dream, the music carries us away with its floating images.

Heard before on a handful of disturbingly beautiful solo albums and in collaborations such as Midget!, Arlt, Chevalrex, Mohamed Lamouri, Mocke (Dominique Dépret's nom de plume) is a subtle and inventive guitarist, who draws melancholic arpeggios, with a beautiful languor, that walk the line between tensions and tears. Delphine Dora has been heard with Roxane Métayer, Sophie Cooper, Andrew Chalk, Jackie McDowell, Helena Espvall, Valentina Magaletti ... meeting in a moment of improvisation, a solitary sincopated voice blooming between the black and white keys of her piano, tuning betwist these keys, or at other times in the gap of the right note. Here improvisation feeds on melody, or is it the other way round?

Recorded in an old church in the village of Mauzun in the Puy-de-Dôme, by Cyril Harrison, "L'invisible est multiforme" is an invitation to join them, to let these abstract songs erase our obsessive thoughts of the day, to open ourselves to the vibrant poetry of the air and the evening, to finally forget ourselves. Each note played by these four intertwined hands is like a slight break in the fabric of time, sliding one over the other, reminding us of mortality and its beauty. Ritornellas flow out of mechanical clocks, fragile, taking care not to hurt the silence. Both seek to dig and open up new paths to enrich their duet, to open up imaginary landscapes. Sometimes the guitar cuts through the fabric of an organ, fractures the song, just as the rain erases a landscape, redrawing it. But very quickly, both of them continue to follow this new path, improvising what will serve as a framework, a perspective, a language. There is a kind of praise for slowness in this "invisible", a desire to hold back the song, not to let it slip away, to let the listener's ear enter its course, to share the last note, its illumination. Each of these thirteen short sound pieces merge into a common colour, a vibration close to the different tonalities, which inter-penetrate, like a cubist painting. Words cannot take away the mystery of this record, words can only fail to describe the music, you must hear it.'
- Michel Henritzi

'Vibes player Johnny Lytle was one of the heroes of the early acid jazz club circuit, with his cuts 'Selim' and 'The Man' being anthems of the scene.

The Ohio born player’s first album, as a leader was on the Jazzland label in 1962 with “Nice And Easy” and his second, three years later, on Riverside "The Village Caller" made him a star in the jazz world. When Riverside encountered difficulties, co-owner Orrin Keepnews collaborated with Lytle on two albums which came out on the Detroit label Tuba.

The first of these "The Loop" featured his regular trio partners organist Milt Harris and drummer “Peppy” Hinnant. This line up was augmented on some tracks by former Miles Davis’ pianist Wynton Kelly and bassist George Duvivier. A 7” version of the title track actually spent five weeks in the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1966. As for the album, as well as the acid jazz cut 'The Man' it features a stunning version of Duke Pearson's 'Christo Redentor' and the dancefloor friendly 'Possum Grease' and 'Hot Sauce'. The band also stretch out on extended track ‘The Shyster’.'

'This is an unusual album in the catalogue of Ornette Coleman, and one that passes by most critics. It is however a unique insight into the ‘free jazz’ pioneer’s way of working in the early 70s. Recorded at his large loft space in downtown New York which inspired a whole scene of experimental musicians who were locked out of playing established venues.

The music is a romp showing Ornette playing trumpet as well as saxophone. His quartet which featured second saxophonist Dewey Redman alongside long term cohorts Ed Blackwell and Charlie Haden prove to be the perfect foil for this short set.

This is the first vinyl reissue in nearly 20 years and utilises a fresh 24/96 transfer from the original production master.'

Blonde Redhead melden sich mit 'Sit Down for Dinner' zurück, ihrem ersten Album seit sieben Jahren und Debüt bei section1. Der Titel ist eine Anspielung auf das oft zelebrierte kollektive Ritual, eine Mahlzeit mit den Menschen zu teilen, die man liebt. Dieses fesselnde, minutiös ausgearbeitete Album ist Ausdruck eines beständigen Miteinanders und ein Zeugnis der einzigartigen inneren Logik, die Blonde Redhead in den letzten drei Jahrzehnten verfeinert haben. Zurückhaltende, aber dennoch eindringliche Melodien tragen jeden Song und schaffen eine Kulisse für Texte über die unausweichlichen Kämpfe des Erwachsenseins: Kommunikationsprobleme in andauernden Beziehungen, die Frage, wohin man sich wenden soll, das Festhalten an Träumen. Letztendlich ist 'Sit Down for Dinner' das vielleicht stärkste Album in einem ebenso illustren wie abwechslungsreichen Katalog.

Der multidisziplinäre Künstler Jasper Marsalis, bekannt unter seinem Künstlernamen Slauson Malone 1, kündigt sein neues Album EXCELSIOR als Debüt für das Kultlabel Warp Records an. Unter den Juwelen dieses Albums befinden sich die Singles NEW JOY, eine faszinierende Erkundung des Vergnügens, das aus der Unterwerfung entsteht, und VOYAGER, die von der Zeit der Liebe und Freude nach Veröffentlichung seines von der Kritik gefeierten 2019er Albums 'A Quiet Farwell, 2016-2018 (Crater Speak)' erzählt, bevor er nach LA zog.

Das Wort EXCELSIOR verkörpert den ewigen Aufstieg. Slauson Malone 1 stellt es sich als metaphorisches Schwert vor, das im Besitz von jemandem unaufhörlich wächst, bis es in einem großen Finale die Erde spaltet. Diese Metapher wird zu seinem Objektiv, um alle Facetten der Männlichkeit mit einer neuen Klarheit zu erforschen, während er seine eigenen gelebten Erfahrungen anhand von Songs und Bewegungen auf dem gesamten Album hinterfragt, die von allem inspiriert sind, von der Grammy-preisgekrönten Komponistin Wendy Carlos bis hin zu den Ähnlichkeiten zwischen dem Ende der Liebe und der nuklearen Halbwertszeit. EXCELSIOR hat die Form einer Sammlung persönlicher Essays mit Vignetten, die ineinandergreifen und eigenständig sind, aber letztendlich dem Zweck dienen, Slauson Malone 1s bislang persönlichstes und fesselndstes Musikwerk zu bilden.

Die großen Italo Disco Klassiker gibt es jetzt auf Vinyl !
Original Mixe und Original Artwork als 12' Maxi Single
Wir starten mit Valerie Dore 'The Night' und Scotch - Disco Band'.

After three years of lying dormant, Elma Rivaga returns with a psychic V.A. containing two vibrant dancefloor tracks and two warm and sentimental journeys. Switch your radio on the psychic channel.

Halbert kicks off "OUR STORY“ EP with no fear and no compromises to his sound legacy. It has been produced during the last year in the neighborhood of Santa Catalina - where everything is happening - under the experience and influence of local parties such as private villas and small sweaty clubs.

A1 "OLEEVA" features a weird half-tempo break, grooving along a 4x4 kick and Bmore loop style. The "Spanish" trumpets act as an irresistible hook, leaving a long lasting impression. A fusion of folklore and timeless sounds, "Oleeva" is a true party anthem that defies genres. Continuing the journey, A2 "WHAT IS IT?" is a playful cocktail-Molotov made of fat FM rolling bassline, slap bass guitar, arabic strings, and other mind-bending surprises. Get ready to let loose and immerse yourself in this freaky gem.

On the flip, B1 "SECRET PATH" delivers a functional old catchy house jam with a non-directional arrangement where organic meets dark electronic synth sound. An ideal companion for a pool party or daytime vibes. Wrapping up the EP, B2 ”POWER UP!" shines as a high energy breakbeat tune influenced by Plank Records sound. Featuring an evolving big guitar synth stab, lively percussion, uplifting trancy synths and robust old school bass.

Mixed by Halbert and Hamid at MariaDiaz Studio. Mastered by Marco Pellegrino at AnalogCutMastering Berlin.

E.P. of low slung and tripped out Cologne style mind melters. Grischerr achieves a live and open sound in these grimy productions which adds to the immersive atmosphere conjured up across all tracks. It's inspiring stuff!
Lucas Croon doses up the psychedelic measures with a flipped version of 'The Man That Never Smiled' topping off the E.P. just nice.. RH TIP!

You know Krash Slaughta right? The man behind the recent wildly successful DOOM/Sugacubes mash-up LP Sugar-Coated DOOM, not to mention his unofficial remixes of the Wu’s K.R.E.A.M. and P.L.O. Style and collab. 45 with Phill Most Chill, Rebel Base? ‘Is he at it again?’ the monkey hears you ask. Yes, he is at it again, though the closest of the the three aforementioned releases to what he’s about to drop is the Wu remix 45. And what he’s about to drop is Diggin Deeper, not a single this time but a whole remix album of one of his (and the monkey’s!) all-time favourite hip-hop LPs – to wit, Niggamortis – more usually known as Six Feet Deep (especially in the U.S., though minus the best track under that name) by hip-hop supergroup Gravediggaz.

As many will know, this LP with its horror-movie fixated lyrics gave birth to a whole hip-hop sub-genre – that of ‘horrorcore.’ However, none of those who came after seemed to manage the lyrical humour of The RZArector, The Grym Reaper and The Gatekeeper (a.k.a. RZA, Poetic and Frukwan) and the only bit of production by The Undertaker (a.k.a. Prince Paul) that they seemed interested in was the sub-metal rap sludge of the shouty Bang Your Head – i.e. the LP’s one weak spot. But don’t worry, Krash isn’t interested in that sort of thing. Not only does he avoid rap-metal beats for Bang Your Head, he doesn’t use any on the LP at all – hurrah! What he does do is employ, arguably, as eclectic an array of sample sources as Prince Paul on the original – though with an entirely different end result. Bang Your Head with its apparently sixties garage band-derived beat for example is one of the standouts. The skeletal piano skank of 6 Feet Deep is another, while a beat featuring spaced-out eighties synths forms the new musical backdrop to Constant Elevation. Two more of the monkey’s favourites on this one are Here Comes The Gravediggaz, now underpinned by double-bass-led funk and the glorious inappropriately joyous bounce of Blood Brothers. The result? Your favourite cuts on this one might not be the same as your favourite cuts on the original. Two different versions of a much-loved LP, then; it’s why people remix hip-hop. All the vocal stems were created by Krash and the ultimate intention is to do a limited vinyl release. Cover art is by the Dead Residents’ Junior Disprol.

The debut release from Sofia Grant delves into the topic of environmentalism, a subject close to her heart and a topic foremost in the minds of many. With smoky vocals and accompanied by spectacular musicianship from the likes of Poppy Daniels, Ernesto Marichales, Lorenz Osengor Okello, Sofia has created a five track EP that introduces a noteworthy talent to the Jazz re:freshed catalogue. In keeping with her values, Sofia specifically requested that the physical format be pressed on eco-friendly vinyl which produces a uniquely coloured product that utilises recycled materials and offsets carbon emissions created in its manufacture....

Piros appears again and this time with a very interesting release , with 3 tracks by the legend of Paris FSK24 aka Chris Carrier and a methodical , explosive remix by the Chilean based in Berlin , Felipe Valenzuela ( Melcure ) , a very nice set of sounds and rhythms , that will sound strong in Festivals and Clubs ………. Only vinyl 300 copies no repress

Fake Society is proud to present the seventh release of the label! 3 minimal oriented original tracks that vary in different subgenres by the talented Dutchman Joren Edwards with a special Ion Ludwig Remix, for the later hours of the night, as the cherry on top! This one is not be missed. Supported by Ricardo Villalobos, Raresh, Praslea, Rhadoo and many others..

The fourth release on Damo B’s Emotec label, following on from MOY, BufoBufo and Auto Sound City. This one is deeper than Atlantis!

The Cliffdive EP begins the journey of Astral X-Ray, the collaboration between Rain & White Transit Van. Inspired by a cosmic journey, the EP encompasses many facets of the duo’s influences.

Spanning from melancholic breakbeat to melodic fizzling electro, Cliffdive is a versatile EP that moves and evokes emotion in its listener in equal part.

Soom T aka “The Raggamuffin Queen” will release her sixth studio album “The Louder The Better” on October 13, 2023. A combination of live band studio recordings and digital compositions, it took only 3 years to fully realize from the very first live band recordings in Brazil during the 2020 pandemic to its release this year. Entirely self-produced with her own music label Renegade Masters with Kunta as executive producer, Soom T called on her most trusted collaborators to produce this new Reggae/Dub gem, and it’s sunnier than ever.

“Path of the Wanderer” with its poignant and deeply emotive vocal, irresistible rolling bass line and driving rhythm was composed by French production maestro Tom Fire with “Ezekiel’s Vision” and “Michael” being the fruits of live band recordings at Pangea Studios in Sao Paolo Brazil under the skilled direction of Mauro Rabello.

“Fly My Bird” and sunny pop anthem “Good Will Come” are original compositions by Terry Vibes out of the USA while “Bad Road”,“Emergency” and “Normal People” were stylised digital productions by France’s own Dr Bud reminiscing on Soom T’s first love of digital. Additional synths were added by executive producer Kunta and studio partner Green Teddy of Highly Seen.

“Prophets”, “Free the Man”, “There is love”, “No worries” and “Don’t Make Me” composed and curated by Christian Cowlin who is the live sound engineer for The Wailers USA, takes the journey into a more roots direction with some solid harmonies and flashbacks to a bygone era. Many of the instruments on these songs were performed by Mr Cowlin himself among other seasoned musicians and recorded at his studio in the UK. Led by her great respect for activists whose aims and efforts are rooted in making society movw forward with dignity and honour, Soom T denounces the incarceration of businessman/politician Schaeffer Cox, unjust in her eyes and tens of thousands of others globally, in a call to “Free the Man”.

If “The Louder The Better” has definite roots influences, “Like a Dog” composed by French label and music production studio Irie Ites and “Walk the Earth” performed by legendary British drum & bass duo Mafia & Fluxy, added some more digital delight alongside a sweet roots trip for the listener to indulge in a medley soup of varying influences throughout this album, mixed by Mista Maff and mastered by Simon Capony at Basalte Studio.

« Hail to the Watchman », an easy favourite for more traditional reggae lovers was composed by Kunta in conjunction with Green Teddy, both of whom contributed to the production of the 2017 ‘Arch’ LP.

Finally, with this new reggae album, Soom T sticks to what is closest to her heart covering a multitude of topics from the corrupt state of the world, to the emptiness of politics and the urgent need to awaken to the reality of the condition of society.

Behind the need to inform and urge society moving forward, « The Louder The Better » delivers a positive and inspiring message, led by melodies and vocals at the crossroads of genres, that fans will love to listen to at any time.

See you on October 13, 2023 to discover this new opus by Soom T.

Polish septet EABS apply an innovatve approach to jazz, distlling it
through the prism of hip-hop, blending it with elements of soul, funk and electronic music. ‘Slavic Spirits’ was 2 years in the making and contains 100% original material. They are joined by 22a head-honcho Tenderlonious who lends his exceptonal soprano saxophone and flute playing to all seven tracks.
Afer their very well-received 2017 debut album ‘Repettons (Leters to Krzysztof Komeda)’, focusing on the lesser-known works of the legendary Polish composer, the Wroclaw-based EABS decided to further expand this lead and released two more vinyl records, ‘Live At Jazz Club Hipnoza (Katowice)’ and ‘Kraksa / Svantetc’, the later recorded directly on tape and released via 22a, which crowned the “Kom eda triptych”. The astounding recepton of these releases built up loyal following outside of their natve Poland and whet listeners’ appette for completely new recordings.
For this LP the musicians turned to Slavic mythology and Polish demonology, while pondering upon the contemporary spiritual conditon of Poles. The enigmatc “Slavic melancholy” remains the main inspiraton, as the band tried to extract it from their own DNA. ‘Slavic Spirits’ is an endeavour to get in touch with the world of a long and brutally lost culture which, due to lack of sources, will never be thoroughly explored.
Personnel: Marek Pedziwiatr (piano, synths & vocal), Vojto Monteur (guitar), Pawel Stachowiak (bass), Jakub Kurek (trumpet), Olaf Wegier (tenor saxophone), Marcin Rak (drums), Spisek Jednego (samples, sound fx & percussion), special guest: Tenderlonious (soprano saxophone & flute)

Die unnachahmliche Róisín Murphy veröffentlicht ihr mit Spannung erwartetes neues Album, 'Hit Parade' das sie in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Virtuosen der elektronischen Musik DJ Koze produziert hat. Das 13 Tracks umfassende Kompendium aus genreübergreifenden Perlen wird am 8. September 2023 auf Ninja Tune veröffentlicht.

Die warmen Klänge des HipHop, die psychedelischen Elemente und die eleganten, gefühlvollen Grooves sind allesamt Teil der Vision von Murphy und Koze, was zu einem Album führt, das man endlos wiederholen kann, während die Melodien darauf sich im Gehirn festsetzen. Die 13 Tracks, die zu dem mühelosen Glanz des Albums beitragen, wurden in sechsjähriger Arbeit fast vollständig aus der Ferne zusammengebastelt. Fans beider Künstler:innen werden wissen, dass diese inspirierte Zusammenarbeit aus Murphys Beiträgen zu Kozes 'Knock Knock' aus dem Jahr 2018 entstanden ist - insbesondere 'Illumination' und 'Scratch That' - und als Murphy mit Koze an 'Hit Parade' arbeitete, fand sie den gemeinsamen kreativen Prozess auf seine eigene Art und Weise aufschlussreich.
Seit sie in der irischen Stadt Arklow aufwuchs, schien die Musik Murphy fast sofort zu rufen, von dem Moment an, als sie im Alter von 10 Jahren die Kraft ihrer eigenen Stimme entdeckte, indem sie den ewigen Showtune-Klassiker 'Don't Cry For Me, Argentina' bei einem lokalen Poesie-Festival vortrug. Murphy stürzte sich kopfüber in die Musikszene, nachdem ihre Familie nach Manchester umgezogen war, als sie noch ein Teenager war. Nach einem kurzen Flirt mit Noise und Punk in Manchesters Umgebung trampte sie mit 19 Jahren nach Sheffield, um in die Clubszene einzutauchen. Ein zufälliges Zusammentreffen mit dem örtlichen Bassisten Mark Brydon führte die beiden zur Gründung der gefeierten Gruppe Moloko. Seitdem hat Murphy eine beeindruckende Solokarriere hingelegt, die sich über fünf hochgelobte Alben (mit einer Nominierung für den Mercury Music Prize für 'Hairless Toys' in 2015), gefeierte EP- und Single-Kollaborationen und in jüngster Zeit auch über Auszeichnungen für Videoregie und Schauspielerei erstreckt.

A bold first creation set in motion, Yore is the fantastic debut solo release from Charlie Hill. Yore captures the excitement and naïve creativity of Charlie’s new journey as a producer after studying and performing as a jazz drummer.

A mixture of club-ready basslines, earthy space funk and ethereal Trip Hop, Yore follows Charlie’s 2023 collaborative Galaxy EP alongside fellow Meanjin producer Sampology.

Middle Name Records are proud to present this project, the first release on the imprint that is not of a solo or collaborative Sampology record.

There is an exciting energy currently bubbling within the Meanjin/Brisbane music scene and Charlie’s debut work as a producer has reflected this instinctively. Recorded performances from local jazz ensembles, his vocalist singer as well as his own drumming were utilised as samples throughout the EP.

It’s clear, when looking at Jlin’s body of work, and her recent activities, that she's the definition of what a creative composer looks and sounds like in 2023. She’s able to work across borders in many different environments and situations. Her work, and sound, is fluid and not locked into genre. The only apt tag for her now is ‘composer.’ Let’s be clear - she’s not EDM, IDM, electronic, footwork or post-footwork. She’s simply Jlin.

In thinking about this new release we have to draw attention to her collaboration with Chicago’s Third Coast Percussion - ‘Perspective’ - since it’s also the title of this six-track mini-album. And of course, we’d be remit if we didn’t point out that Third Coast Percussion’s acoustic version of ‘Perspective’ saw Jlin shortlisted as a finalist for The 2023 Pulitzer Prize in Music! Jlin notes how “Working with T.C.P. was a rewarding experience. I love their constant driving ambition. When I would go to their studio we would experiment as much as we could, and that to me is the beauty of composing.” Note that the CD version of ‘Perspective’ adds the four tracks from her ‘Embryo’ EP, apt since ‘Embryo’ itself was the 7th Perspective piece.

To shift perspective slightly, Jlin notes that collaborating with dance companies, especially those of Wayne McGregor and Kyle Abraham “has seen a significant evolution in my work.” She adds, “Working with Kyle and AIM, I felt the need to incorporate more organic percussion and drums. The raw, visceral nature of Kyle's choreography demanded a more tactile, grounded sound. I believe that music and dance are deeply interconnected, and the rhythm and physicality of organic percussion needs to mirror the dancers' movements whether it is conceptually or abstract.”

The organic aspect of her composition ‘Dissonance,’ a key cut on her new mini-album sounds like it might have been written for Kyle and AIM but, like the entire release, it was in fact written for Third Coast Percussion. With the organic drums in the track being a part of what Jlin calls her “from scratch” foundation. For many ‘Dissonance’ will be a first glimpse at Jlin’s mastery of organic sounds. It’s a stunning work that showcases her distinct approach to organic percussion. Further audible evidence can also be heard all over her new mini-album. She continues to evolve her sound and her approaches to composition on a steady and constant basis.

Jlin’s new mini-album “Perspective” works as a catch-up for those wanting new music from her, and wanting to hear how her sound is evolving. Tune in. There’s much more ahead.

Repress!

Originally released in 1973, Black Pearl’s overall sound is the epitome of cool, orchestral funk / dramatic styles of the 1970s (e.g. “Next Stop LA”, “Collect”, “Oh! Militia”, “Choctaw”, “Black Pearl”, and “Blue Shadow”). Also featured are several more romantic, laid-back, emotive pieces such as “Miraculous Dream”, “Tryst”, “Sunny Monday”, “Melody and Lace”, “Monochrome”, “No Return”. Not to mention a couple of surprise solo honky-tonk piano jaunts – “The Vamp” and “Night of the Garter”.An eclectic mix that is sure to pique anyone’s interest. The album was produced by Alan Parker and Alan Hawkshaw, who is perhaps best-known for composing “The Champ”, which has been widely sampled and emulated by hip hop artists.“Library records are a collection of little one-minute pieces for soundtracks recorded by session musicians for movies, TV, student films, whatever. I don’t actually know the story behind when, why, or where they were made but…there were a bunch of different labels that made them and still probably do, and I was on the hunt for any recorded between 1969 and 1976. They all have random song titles like “Bouncy Strut” with descriptions like “hard-driving beat with percussion.” So imagine how much funky shit is on them. For me, De Wolfe Music was the best.”– Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz of the Beastie Boys

Nach seinem 10. Album, einem Meilenstein, und einer Reihe von Reissues früherer Werke, die im Laufe des Jahres erschienen sind, setzt Bibio den Trend fort, jedem Album eine EP folgen zu lassen. Seine neue Sunbursting EP berührt Brazil-Sound und Yacht-Rock mit einer großen Vielfalt an Instrumenten, die Olivier St. Louis' Vocals begleiten. Ein Release für den endlosen Sommer.

Got dust? Krash Slaughta has. In fact, for him, Everything’s Turning Up Dusty right about now. Surely this can’t be his brand-new double-vinyl LP journey into sound which finally realises an ambition to create a cut n paste opus held since his pre-turntable days of pause-button mixes? It certainly can! The project comes in four parts corresponding to four sides of 12″ vinyl which weigh in at approximately fifteen minutes each and each side of which took around a month to make!

Man, that is epic! When did he ever get the time and concentration to put such a beast together? Wait – are we talking about yet another Krash Slaughta lockdown project? We are! And this bad boy stitches together vintage vocal loops, rare breaks, library records and obscure samples along with remixes of Stetsasonic, O.C., Tanya Winley, Jurassic 5, Edan, Nas, ODB, Gang Starr, Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud (any one of which would be straight fire on 7″or 12″) along with pretty much whatever the hell else he wanted to put on there. Pressed at 45 rpm, this one features two differently-coloured slabs of wax: one mauve and one blue while even the centre labels and cover art get in on the cut n paste vibe having been created by hand by Krash homie Saleem Andrew McGroarty. As with previous such efforts from the KS camp, there will be no re-press! Sleep at your peril.

Alienist Rec is back with its third installment, presenting a special split EP that showcases the diverse talents of two exceptional artists. Each side of the vinyl is dedicated to a different artist, delivering a captivating blend of underground electronic music.

On the A-side, we are thrilled to introduce Chaou B, a promising young producer from Morocco. Known for his distinct style, Chaou B explores the realms of deep Techno Electro House with two mesmerizing cuts that are not for the faint-hearted.

Track A1, titled "Instinct," is a dynamic composition featuring sharp drums that create an irresistible rhythmic foundation. Combined with a mesmerizingly mental and spiritual bassline, as well as a captivating synthline, this track is sure to take the breath away on every dance floor.

Track A2, "Untitled Groove," takes a more straightforward and loopy approach while maintaining the captivating vibe established in the first track. Chaou B incorporates crispy synth leads that elevate the energy and intensity, keeping the listener fully immersed in the groove.

Flipping over to the B-side, we encounter DJ Void, a seasoned veteran of Vienna's best parties and afters. DJ Void brings forth two groovy and uplifting productions that effortlessly traverse the realms of House and Minimal Techno.

Track B1, "Frankfurt Jaam," is a masterful creation that showcases DJ Void's intelligent arrangement skills. Combining pulsating beats with a meticulously crafted blend of melodic elements, this track will undoubtedly keep your ears focused and your feet moving.

Concluding the EP, Track B2, "Transaction," offers a dynamic journey filled with textured layers and intricate soundscapes. DJ Void skillfully builds anticipation, incorporating drops and evolutions that keep the energy levels high throughout the composition.

Stay tuned for the release of Alienist Rec's third installment on 12" vinyl, available at selected record stores and online platforms. Let the music guide you on a sonic journey through the minds of these talented artists, as they push the boundaries of electronic music and ignite dance floors worldwide.

E-Talking crashes onto Love On The Rocks with a 4-track EP that’s weirder, faster and harder than anything Paramida’s ever-evolving imprint has put out to date; pushing the label into new territory that’s simultaneously unexpected and unmistakably true-to-form.

The Berlin-via London-based French producer, one half of the duo & collective Nummer, released his studio debut on AD93 in 2018 and his first album on Going Good in 2021, with productions that are dense, intricate and intoxicating, overflowing with ideas and effortless finesse, qualities all on display on this EP in otherworldly abundance.

The ‘Cosmic Egg’ refers to our modern understanding of the universe as ever-expanding; extrapolated backwards in time, it implies a finite starting-time and a small starting-place, from which the entire cosmos metaphorically hatched.

‘Pads & Frogs’ finds E-Talking in the midst of this process; slowly awakening to find himself up to his eyeballs in a shimmering psychedelic rainforest, awash with swirling pads, lush percussion, tripped-out inter-species vocals and tribal rhythms, building and looping into each other in a joyous dance of life-giving. A cosmic field recording from the incubation of this special egg, recorded somewhere between whatever passes for a rainforest in Berlin and deep, infinite space, sat upon lovingly and diligently by Paramida and Alex while in the process of developing a close friendship with its birth-mother – the three of them keeping it collectively warm and preparing to hatch since early lockdown days.

The time, motherfuckers, is now. After a warm, fuzzy beginning, of course, comes a huge, shattering explosion: ‘Rise Up’ is the EP’s first big leap into new territory, turning up the pace considerably and wasting no time in serving up some seriously pounding cosmic techno, LOTR-style, with some unexpected twists and turns halfway through. It’s all in the switches and details here, and they are so good you will want to literally get naked and lick your speakers for momentary sonic relief.

Unfortunately for you, ‘Life Begins Now’ doesn’t let up, proceeding with the same intensity but a more house sensibility, with layers of percussion and grooves building off each other into a drop which could easily carry the track, but is really just a tease for another twist that sends this one off fully into intricate, exquisite orbit. ‘Neidan’ brings us slowly back to Earth for another slamming house workout with all the hallmarks of a future LOTR classic: sun on the horizon, cosmic energy to infinity, all your friends together on the dance floor. It doesn’t get better than this.

Previously, the universe was thought of as eternally old, with no start and no growth. Boring. This EP exemplifies just how wrong that is: an adrenaline-fuelled salute to the constant creative expansion of the universe, and all the weird beings who inhabit it.