Hip-Hop News

First Word Records are very proud to bring you a new album from Don Leisure with Amanda Whiting. 'Beyond The Midnight Sun' expands upon ground first explored on Don Leisure's track 'All Praises Due', which also featured Amanda (with Angel Bat Dawid), and featured on his previous album 'Shaboo Strikes Back'.

This is a full-length project that these two formidable Welsh artists have collaborated on together. To bring you up to speed, Cardiff DJ and beat-maker Don Leisure has been twice nominated for the Welsh Music Prize, with the afore-mentioned album 'Shaboo Strikes Back', and a previous project, 'Steel Zakusi'.

As well as being 50% of Darkhouse Family with Earl Jeffers, he's released music under various monikers on labels such as Metalheadz, International Anthem, Fat City, Earnest Endeavours, Group BraCil and on Rough Trade with another regular collaborator, Gruff Rhys. Other collabs have included Charlotte Church, Om'Mas Keith, DJ Spinna and First Word label-mate Tyler Daley ...

Taken from Dilla's 2001 BBE Music debut solo album Welcome 2 Detroit, 'Big Booty Express' gets the remix treatment from German duo Âme, Parisian Pépé Bradock and London's Coda Deep. Alongside the OG version these new productions add up to a six track exploration of Dilla's tribute to Detroit's melding of the Motor City's Black music heritage with Kraftwerk's experimental Euroelectro. Contributing two mixes to the EP, Parisian producer Pépé Bradock AKA Julien Auger first forays into music were after learning guitar as a 14 year old and playing with various Jazz-Funk bands. At this time he also started DJing with Hip-Hop bands and turning his hand to producing their tracks. As the 90s progressed he also discovered Techno and House music. His musical influences range from Jazz to Dub Reggae and he has remixed for Blaze, Cassius and Alex Gopher among others. Also providing a remix of Big Booty Express is the German production duo of Frank Wiedemann and Kristian Beyer who work together under the name of Âme. After first meeting in Kristian's record shop in their home town of Karlsruhe and bonding over a shared love of Chicago House and Detroit Techno the pair started working together and producing records for Sonar Kollektiv in 2003. The final two remixes on the Big Booty Express EP and only included on the digital package come from the Londoner Coda Deep. Influenced by avant-garde Electronica, Nu Wave and African Tribal sounds, he is a DJ and producer playing deep and melodic Tech and Techno and will also be known to music fans for his 2019 BBE release 'The Running of the Bulls'. This EP of remixes sits very well alongside the catalogue of J Dilla releases on BBE Music and adds to the rich heritage of innovative beat making and music production that we can associate with Dilla and those he worked with.

Uluru is back with another dancefloor filler.

This time we welcome our friends Dedy Dread & Mr Bird to the family. “Theme from Marzipan” arrive right on time to bring some flavors into your last sunset beach party.

Flip it and get deeply shaked by another Restless Leg Syndrome production. The Austrian trio bring into the game a classic middle eastern groove, already 10 years old but for the first time on vinyl.

Pull up guaranteed!

Pressed on high quality black and green vinyl (48 gr.)
Edition of 500, cut it loud and fat, highly recommended for big sound systems.

Uluru is back with another dancefloor filler.

This time we welcome our friends Dedy Dread & Mr Bird to the family. “Theme from Marzipan” arrive right on time to bring some flavors into your last sunset beach party.

Flip it and get deeply shaked by another Restless Leg Syndrome production. The Austrian trio bring into the game a classic middle eastern groove, already 10 years old but for the first time on vinyl.

Pull up guaranteed!

Pressed on high quality black and green vinyl (48 gr.)
Edition of 500, cut it loud and fat, highly recommended for big sound systems.

Kalipo prepares to launch his new album Happy Little Accidents, which counts with twelve electro-focused tracks as well as the participation of feature artists Rampue, Ira Atari, Oberst & Buchner and subkutan. Iconic 80s painter and TV host, Bob Ross is celebrated for his thirty-minute landscapes, recognizably soothing voice as well as the 'happy little quotes' he imprinted on pop culture. One of Ross' most memorable turns of phrase, "We don't make mistakes; we just have happy accidents," went on to encourage thousands worldwide. And not just painters. "For me, this album was about letting the songs develop very quickly and not evaluating them too much, or trying to avoid mistakes," says German electronic music producer, Kalipo (Jakob Häglsperger) who named his latest release Happy Little Accidents after Ross' signature phrase. "Bob Ross really impressed me as a child, he was always so accessible to everyone and demonstrated how easy it was for anyone to work creatively," says Kalipo, who translated Ross' fast and instinctive wet-on-wet painting technique to music-making on Happy Little Accidents. The 12 tracks that make up PART I and PART II of the album are a celebration of the method - sometimes it's a floaty journey with tinkering sounds, at other times dark fast beats create the core of the music, but there's always a sense of intuition and heart driving Kalipo's productions.

Behind Manni Mono hides Schu, he was 1/5 of the band "Blumentopf" and has given the band as a lyricist and rapper several Top10 albums.
He finally exchanged the mic for a sampler.
On "Pension Central" he now celebrates with us his vinyl debut on album length.
Almost infinite samples and set pieces are disassembled down to their molecular structure and put together to a nerdy and yet unique mosaic.
"Pension Central" is a true Frankenstein in the world of beat

Hinter Manni Mono verbirgt sich Schu, er war 1/5 der Band „Blumentopf“ und hat der Band als Texter und Rapper mehrere Top10 Alben beschert.
Das Mic hat er konsequent gegen einen Sampler eingetauscht.
Auf „Pension Central“ feiert er nun mit uns sein Vinyl Debut auf Albumlänge.
Nahezu unendlich viele Samples und Versatzstücke werden bis auf ihre Molekular-Struktur zerlegt und zu einem nerdigen und gleichwohl einzigartigen Mosaik zusammen gesetzt.
„Pension Central“ ist ein wahrer Frankenstein in der Welt der Beats.

After a recent, acclaimed EP on Madrid’s Analogical Force label, Suction Records is thrilled to announce “Grey With Breaks,” the 8th full-length album by Lowfish.

The electro veteran, who’s been programming 808s since the early ‘90s, returns to Suction Records, the label he co-founded and debuted on in 1997. “Grey With Breaks” is an electro record, with thick analog basslines and TR-808 boom tschak front & centre, but Lowfish’s electro-style stands out from the pack.

Not only is the LP devoid of the Drexciya/Dopplereffekt worship that permeates the scene these days, it also rarely hits above 110bpm, oozing with melancholic melody.

"Following this year’s VA ‘Marmo’, a collaborative offering co-released with XCPT, Baroque Sunburst releases its first Various Artists EP. Tracks from Taro, Pugilist, Slacker and Flørist, create a statement record championing subtle yet hybrid club-oriented sounds.

Buffalo, NY's Taro ignites the white label 12" with ‘Gas Burn’, a dreamy, rarified IDM zipper. An off-kilter UK funky remix from Flørist follows (his second appearance on the imprint after 2020's Intermedia 1 EP). The B side drags us into a half-time, downtempo sideroom, with tracks from Slacker (Aqueduct) and Pugilist (Symbiosis) slowing pace but maintaining intensity."

Limited to 300 copies.

repress

Hot on the heels of two EP releases on Bristol label Shall Not Fade, Felipe Gordon is preparing for the release of his debut album on the important UK imprint. With human contact at an absolute minimum, it's refreshing to hear an electronic music record that ventures away from the machine in favour of the organic. Gordon's ability to blend complex jazz instrumentation with acid-licked basslines, golden-age house aesthetics and the cultural sounds of South America is unrivalled; creating distinctive, beautiful and exciting house records from his home in the Colombian capital of Bogota.

"A Landscape Onomatopeya" was crafted through the concept of a painting; exploring shades, changes of tone, use of light. "I found myself making tons of music and wondering how to start an album process", he says, "something with more concept; a long journey between all the different musical influences in my head. I wanted to try to accomplish something with soul, deepness and an inherent melancholia to it. More organic, more human."

The record - which includes the Spanish word Onomatopeya as a Colombian statement and ode to the Latin American house scene - kicks off with the early evening funk of "How Do You Spell That", the distinct sugar cane sweetness of Guaro hanging in the late sunlight. "Wes" ventures into hip hop territory; dusty boom baps, 90's scratching and live guitar provoking a vibe that lies somewhere between Dilla and fellow Colombian AvenRec before the A-side reaches its climax with a cut of Gil Scott-Heron-esque funk on "She Will Come".

The B-side raises its curtain and with it comes two cuts of sublime house, each more colourful than the last. "The Colombian Excursions of House Music" does exactly what is says on the tin; fusing South American drum patterns with the creative innovation of live jazz to create a dimly lit, Latin American energy. "Momma, It's A Long Journey" maintains a more progressive vibe as it meanders through subtle acid stabs, radiant atmospherics and an oxymoronic blend of mournful, hopeful vocals.

Tape throbs and breakbeats make up the C-side as we delve deeper into Gordon's sound palette: think The Cyclist and Kaytranada, but with an Ibero-American vibe. "Howl" meanders slowly through the smoke-filled booths of a jazz cafe whilst the sounds of Detroit and Chicago shatter and break ("Away", "Das Nuyorican Vibes") over the crowd below on, before "Brazil" invites you outside for a post-dance cigarette with itsdowntempo boom-bap and mellow energy.

The record comes to its end with three D-side cuts that perfectly encapsulate its artistic vision. "Like the album itself, the artwork process was all about texture and analog treatment", he says. "We used old pentax cameras with black and white ilford rolls to achieve an intimate feeling. I found that my mind was drawn to a landscape with a house deep inside the Bogota mountains; where I hang all the time with my girlfriend and friends. It's a quiet, emotional place. Far from the city."

Wiggling basslines, vibrant shimmers and bold jazz instrumentals bring a fitting end to a truly beautiful record, and further cements Shall Not Fade's reputation as a label with its finger on the pulse of exciting dance music.

Splash Blue is proud to present a brand new album borne from the latest collaboration between Jean-Paul ‘Bluey’ Maunick and Francisco Sales of Incognito – ‘The New Guitar Underground Vol 1’.

THE NEW GUITAR UNDERGROUND
The New Guitar Underground are Jean-Paul ‘Bluey’ Maunick and Francisco Sales of Incognito. Neither require introduction – Bluey – founder of the legendary Incognito, Inner Shade, CitrusSun and co-conspirator on the STR4TA project, solo artist, Composer and Record Producer & Francisco Sales, guitarist of Incognito and Citrus Sun, as well as being a solo artist in his own right, have come together to deliver a set of 10 highly crafted and accomplished tracks that lift the spirits and soothe the soul.
Inspired by the inspirational playing of the giants of the guitar world – Tony Mottola, Denis Budimir, George Benson, Bill Jennings & Melvin "Wah Wah" Watson to name but a few, the album reflects the deep love that Bluey and Francisco have for this multi faceted and beautiful instrument.
Guests on this album include bass players Francis Hylton, Hendrik Linder, Rui Pedro Pity and Julian Crampton, keyboardists Matt Cooper, James Berkeley and drummer Francisco Mendolia.
Of course the quality and depth of this musical composition should not be a surprise – given the pedigree of the artists involved, however, as Bluey says himself in the album notes, ‘’This is not a project seeking chart success. Just two guitar buddies having fun chasing musical waterfalls, and not sticking to the rivers and the lakes they’re used to.
We are just making ourselves happy. And if in doing so we make you happy too, then that, as they say, is "the payoff!" The result is an intoxicating fusion of guitars, samba, latin jazz, drum-driven beats, heavy bass lines - with some scratching and sampling thrown in for good measure!

Der Sound von Blue Note wurde im Hip-Hop bereits in seinen frühen Tagen durch Samples und Remixe fest verankert. Aber als der DJ, Produzent, Rapper und Multiinstrumentalist Madlib 2003 die Blue-NoteArchive für sein Meisterwerk “Shades Of Blue” “plündern” durfte, legte er die Messlatte auf ein neues Niveau. Das Resultat war ein visionäres Album mit Remixen und Neuinterpretationen klassischer BlueNote-Aufnahmen von u.a. Donald Byrd, Bobbi Humphrey, Ronnie Foster, Bobby Hutcherson und Wayne Shorter.

Big Hands marks Blank Mind's twentieth release on ‘A square, a circle’. A product of “the loopy miserable life in the big city which we are forced to live; and the need for metaphysical meaning, deep feelings and the tribalistic aspects of early folk music”.

In other words, this EP is a contemporary urban blues that echoes in the austere realism of London. The recursive patterns and melodies haunting the sound groove like a spirit, and twist inside an echo chamber and tape machines. The ‘square’ and ‘circle’ in the title are symbols of simple abstraction that can generate multiple figures in nature and culture, as well as in the gyration of geometric play. As maintained here, his minimal sound palette shapes the elegant freedom of unexpected behaviours of the machinic ensemble. ‘A Square, a circle’ is an invitation to experience the geometrical liberation of sounds.

Rainbow Disco Club and Rush Hour, a long-standing friendship that transcends continents! House, disco, new wave, Caribbean, rare groove, leftfield.. Antal compiles the second release on "Beyond Space And Time", loaded with personal choice cuts.

Internationally recognised and much-loved festival from Japan, Rainbow Disco Club’s offshoot project "Beyond Space And Time" record label presents their sophomore release! Following the work by DJ Nobu, their second compilation has been compiled by none other than Antal. Also known as the festival's headliner and the man behind Amsterdam record shop/label Rush Hour, all 11 tracks are selected by Antal in a 2 x 12-inch + bonus 7-inch format. From local Dutch newcomers to '80s Japanese cult music, rare grooves to danceable house music, and rare Caribbean soul, this compilation is a portrait of music enthusiast Antal Heitlager’s enormous collection and 30-year DJ career, a work of art that can be enjoyed by all music fans!

An afro electronics track recommended by South African collector DJ Okapi, who co-produced the masterpiece compilation "Pantsula!: Rise Of Electronic Dance Music In South Africa: 1988-90" released in 2017, which brought Kwaito back onto the map. A-1

Improvisation Organic Deep House track by New Zealand’s newcomer. A-2

A rare breezin' boogie by Larry Heard’s alias Trio Zero from 1989. Highly sought after by all collectors as a cult Balearic track. Previously unreleased version. B-1

From the 2015 album by L.A. funk maker DAM-FUNK on the prestigious Stones Throw label. LO-FI beats and synthetic breakdowns that are reminiscent of early Rush Hour works and ‘90s house. B-2

The debut single of Japanese idol unit, Shohjo-Tai. Haruomi Hosono also produced some of their tracks later on in their career. Japanese new wave disco from 1984. C-1

The soundtrack from the Japanese manga "Touring Express". RDC fans will recognize this track from the final hours of the festival. A nostalgic oriental disco from 1985. C-2

80s Silky Mellow Soul by Connecticut jazz vocalist Dianne Mower who also contributed to the re-press of the prestigious Numero Group. D-1

The original version is a masterpiece from 1983 by Zouk singer Jocelyn Mocka of French Guadeloupe. This edit still very much emphasizes an emotional mid-tempo Caribbean soul, nicely reconstructed by Rush Hour's Bonnefooi. D-2

The first 500 copies will include a limited 7-inch bonus disc featuring a Dutch artist.
Modal jazz track from the Han Litz Group led by Han Litz, a jazz flute player representing the local Amsterdam scene. A-1

A freestyle percussion jam track inspired by Brazilian and Klaus Weiss music. Los Calxunxos Tuyos, derived from the band Zuco 103 formed by students of the Rotterdam Conservatory. B-1

A mysterious electronic pop floating, between the dance floor and easy listening by Rush Hour's Kamma. B-2

A total of 11 tracks from all types of genres and generations, a true masterpiece and representation of Rainbow Disco Club’s vision “Beyond Space And Time”. Bringing you the love from Amsterdam to the world!

A limited-edition, hand-numbered L.P. dedicated to the previuosly unreleased 1990 project by Manrico & Nicola - featuring two special new Balearic versions by Ed Longo. Manrico & Nicola are comprised of Italian artist, singer, composer and author Manrico Mologni, together with saxophonist, composer and sound engineer Nicola Calgari. Manrico and Nicola were collaborating for some time in artistic harmony, and decided to form a duo to undertake their own album. Nine songs identified, arranged and recorded on a wave of enthusiasm - their "alchemy" gave excellent results. At the last stage of the work unfortunately, misfortune struck - Manrico fell very ill. For the respect of a unique creative moment, and for a sort of psychological "removal" all of this was forgotten until recently. By chance, Manrico had an old cassette with a couple of those songs - the memories resurfaced and it was immediately a race to meet again. Going though many recording studios, Nicola found the DAT with the temporary mixes which had been waiting for years with their emotional content.
But finding a way to transfer the songs was not easy. Quite by chance, a miracle took place. Their friend Massimo Parretti, in his post-production studio, was still equipped to transfer from DAT, and everything worked - with the sound intact as 30 years before!
The rest is news, and now a 1990 album - and piece of history - resurfaces.
Archeo Recordings is a re-issue record label that regenerates old, lost, or forgotten rare gems, of mostly Italian music, but also 70's, 80's and 90's music from across the world.
All releases are licensed audio tracks, re-mastered in their original form. The sleeves are re-created for today, but all based on the original images.
Archeo would like to make the music available to a wider audience of collectors, DJs, music lovers of a forgotten time.
Artwork by Filippo Sala, Milan, 1990.

The only release from FROM HERE ON IT'S ALL, a duo composed of Gyeongsu and Justine Dorion from Paris. 4 unreleased tracks to complete the track "Vincennes" released on the compilation "Everything Was Supposed To Be So Easy" by the English label Left Alone in 2021.

After his appearance on Frigio Allstars Vol 3, Scannoir (also half member of the amazing GOTT project) delivers his first full length EP with "Through My Silence". Emotive and raw, the style pursued blurs the lines between synth wave, EBM and techno. “Industrial Technology” opens with powerful percussion and thick strings as distant vocals recite the coming of change. “Get Ready (For Sorry)” maintains the stern drum patterns as samples and lyrics float on rumbling chords. The breadth of Scannoir’s style is truly remarkable, with this amazing 5 track EP being emblematic of his range. The flip takes a different direction, the lovelorn lament of “Through My Silence” melts sweetened synth lines with cold pain-streaked words before blooming into a brooding burner. A shaky alliance between samples and vocals runs through the rhythmic assault and violent undertones of “Why Old News.” The closure comes with the marching melancholy of “Alles Wird Gut”, a dark and moody end to this debut EP.

The White Series continues after a little pit stop. Tankwart is at the start with four tracks of wave, triphop and kraut and leads us into a cosmic slipstream. As one half of Dâdalus & Bikarus he is already known to us and now shows a more danceable side of his productions. Tankwart is known around here for his versatile DJ sets, which always surprise us with a pinch of the unexpected. We also find this in his music – Tankwart gives the supposedly familiar a new and sparkling twist.

“A Dream In A Dream” is the debut LP by DJ Piper, also known as Felix Wagner of techno superstar duo FJAAK.
One might be surprised about this all hip-hop instrumental album looking at Felix’ all dance music focussed musical resumé. Nevertheless, he has been crafting rap beats ever since he started producing as a teen, but had his childhood friends freestyle over the tracks solely. It took until 2020 when he teamed up with Lukas and
Jonathan Nixdorff of Kommerz Records to release his first solo track “Iluminay”, which was part of “Kommerz Season 1: Anti-Virus” compilation and shared by B-Real of Cypress Hill right away.

Now, 2022, marks the right moment to share his debut album, a waltzing ode to hip-hop’s golden era. The Berlin- Spandau original merges the legacies of both Pete Rock and Dr. Dre, while funky breakbeats meet laid back SoCal “Chronic” vibes. 12 instrumental tracks and 2 skits strong, his album tells the story of a young man, who lives up to his wildest teenage dreams. Most of the track ideas came up while being on tour with FJAAK. Between international transit areas, making inspirational new friends and bizarre encounters all over the world, beat making became DJ Piper’s safe space to process all the positive madness around him. As a result, “A Dream In A Dream” breathes that raw, untamable creative energy around Felix’ extraordinary day-to-day life, while being heavily influenced by the sound of his childhood, 90s and 2000s rap.

To visualize “A Dream In A Dream” DJ Piper and Kommerz Records joined forces with Raman Djafari, a childhood friend of the artist, who illustrated music videos for Dua Lipa and Elton John (no joke!) and worked for New Release Information Adult Swim. Raman’s supernaturalistic aesthetics bring life to DJ Piper’s somewhat psychedelic, somewhat nostalgic fantasy, locating the album in an otherworldly version of Spandau, hometown to both of the artists.
As one half of FJAAK Felix became an icon of Berlin techno conquering major festival stages and mainstream audiences while heavily representing underground D.I.Y. mentality up to this very day. As an initiator of Spandau20 label and collective, Felix pushes his creative family and day 1’s regardless of commercial potentials.
The same ethos and love for culture fuels the DJ Piper project. No matter if it’s FJAAK or DJ Piper, techno or hiphop… Integrity is key!

As time moves forward, it becomes increasingly clear that the need for emotional expression through artistry is more important than ever, especially in the wake of emerging AI technology that threatens to replace human creativity. Minus & MRDolly's new album, "Giant Stops," is a testament to the enduring power of art to connect with audiences on a deep emotional level.

Named in direct reference to arguably one of the greatest albums ever created, "Giant Steps" by John Coltrane, "Giant Stops" pays homage to the rich legacy of jazz while pushing the boundaries of the genre with a contemporary twist. The album seamlessly blends jazz, hip-hop, and electronic elements to create a unique sonic landscape that is both nostalgic and modern.

For Minus & MRDolly, "Giant Stops" represents a new chapter in his evolution as a musician, showcasing his growth and commitment to pushing boundaries in his genre-bending style. Taking inspiration from the creative process of Makaya McCraven, the album features dynamic instrumentals backed by a live band, with Minus & MRDolly's signature lyricism and storytelling shining through both the instrumentals and the lended work of guest musician such as Meta_ or Luca Argel. By using this production method the album takes a bold stand for the importance of sampling as an art form hoping to encourage listeners to appreciate the rich history and evolution of hip hop and to recognize the essential role that sampling has played in shaping the genre.

As a nod to his Portuguese roots, "Giant Stops" represents a deeper exploration of the artist's identity and a commitment to looking inward to find creative inspiration. With this album, Minus & MRDolly hopes to inspire others to embrace their own unique perspectives and use them to create art that connects with audiences on a deeply emotional level.

In a world where technology threatens to replace human creativity, "Giant Stops" is a reminder that the power of art to connect with people on a fundamental level is enduring and will continue to shape our world for generations to come.

Summer hit missed the summer... While the shadow of the Machine World seems to cover everything, let's drop our clothes and offer our bodies to the sun again. Delicate love for exotica, rythmic freshness, Mathias Kulpinski's music is full of eccentric charm!

Crossover balearic/leftfield house cuts from newly minted Australia based Within Reason Records.

Zèbres Records is back celebrating Plein Soleil’s new release blending his polyrhythmic, ambient and dub aspirations. Through his solo project, Jonathan Grandcollot —also part of Société Etrange, Pan Pan Pan and supergroup Omertà— explores his broad DIY instrumen- tation, working his percussions towards a dub, fourth-world space, ruling out every cliché associated with the genre.

The second NJ is from Malmö's Prins Emanuel Fasaan, Fri Form, geezer and master of many trades. First up is the wonky, rugged flanger jam Okända Skäl (Reasons Unknown) then comes the spesh slow burner Ensamma Stunder (Lonely Moments). This doozy of a 7" is very much about his place of birth in Skåne. With the art inspired by a cave painting and a megalithic monument from the iron age close to his mum's house. Life goes in circles…

Walking home late through the streets of your hometown on a summer night brings peace of mind and a special state of joy. This single with its sparkling sound and undulating rhythm is a blissful soundtrack to the hike home that keeps you awake just a little longer.

Deadstock copies of a rare Belgian New Beat masterpiece from ‘88

Limited to only 300 copies on heavyweight vinyl.

Warm and lush analog undertones and simple lyrics that touch the soul.

Perth producer Captn K (Nathan Nisbet) took a dive into the lofi pool over 2020, the result is this collection of moody tracks that sum up the general feeling of the times.

Deep house, downbeat, lofi house and broken beat.

Emotional Rescue returns to early 1980s Manchester with the previously unreleased music of Michael James Pollard and his beautiful distillation of indie pop in Too Confusing and bedsit cover version of Ashford and Simpson's Surrender.

While studying photography at Manchester Polytechnic, (MJ) Pollard lived and played in a band in a ramshackle house in Walley Range. In the cellar studio he would write and record his own songs using their guitars, fretless bass and keys, as well as his own Casio VL-Tone VL-1 and Simmons Clap Trap to augment his drums onto a 4 track TEAC.

By 1983, and now solo, he was recording out of Dislocation Dance's studio (ERC111), had secured a Peel Session and via Factory Records' Lindsay Reade, was discussing with Fundacao Atlantica about releasing an album.

Working with singer Sioux Goddard as a duo, they put down 8 songs in 2 weeks in summer '84. However, Fundacao Atlantica's financial difficulties and soon closure meant the songs were lost until now.

Recovered off the original tapes and lovingly restored, Too Confusing captures the optimism of the sessions, a summer love melody of forlorn youth. Surrender accompanies, recorded back in that cellar in '81, with friend Stephanie Danziger on vocals, its lo-fi simplicity is a perfect take on an all-time classic, making this a newly prized gem of British indie pop history.

Montreal’s sapphic mixxtress, the elusive mogul Maara, unveils her debut full length LP via Step Ball Chain. A pairing written in the stars, with twelve dynamically diverse and emotive soundscapes of downtempo bliss, spine-chilling drum and bass and elevated electronica - timeless anthems for sonic indulgence and reflection. Take a deep dive into the sensually charged inner workings of the already prolific producer’s mind.

An effervescent atmosphere envelopes it’s way through the records entirety, whether it be gloriously lush pads, melancholic words and whispers from her own lips or subterrantian bass. Maara’s world of sound showcases the wild spectrum of emotion, the empathetic passion of joy in Awaken, Plum Plum and Sapphic Rehabilitation Centre alongside the darkness of Insidious Force or Rough ‘N’ Ready. But like most things, the purest beauty can be found within the grey areas, where majority of this records lies. A powerful ebb and flow between cloudy twilight and it’s recurring silver lining, Nothing Sacred wraps you around it’s finger whilst Erotics Of Betrayal pulls you in unexpected directions sure to conjure feelings you didn’t know existed.

A masterfully united album from start to finish, each listen unveils endless intricacy, delicately and deliciously revealing the potent DNA of Maara.

Session Victim and Erobique join forces once again for a beautiful cover version of Mark- Almond's "The City", starring Jamie Lloyd's enticing vocals and featuring Linnart Ebel's subtle rhythm guitar. Ever since Hauke Freer stumbled over Mark- Almond's final studio album Other People's Rooms at Montreal record store Death Of Vinyl a few years ago, the pair would regularily finish DJ nights with this 1978 recording of their hit single "The City" - and since then, the idea of recording their own rendition had been tossed around frequently. Carsten "Erobique" Meyer was not the first but really the duo's only choice to see this through and well, just listen to the impeccable Rhodes/Clavinet combination he came up with. However, it is Sydney's Jamie Lloyd who steals the show and takes the song into his realm, putting his very own stamp and character on this certified classic. Long time collaborator Linnart Ebel complete's the band with his ever subtle rhythm guitar. The two, three, four, five man house, not house band branches out for all the right reasons and this is the result.

Mr. Fingers second part of the Around the Sun series of albums!!! Larry Heard's (under his most notable monniker) continuation on the path from last years "Around the Sun part 1".

Encompassing all his influences from Jazz, R&B to Techno and Ambient these lush tracks with a feel that no one else expresses quite like him. No need to further elaborate... Larry Heard at his finest.

Flower Storm is a new multi-disciplinary project from the minds of Sepehr and Kasra V -- recontextualizing classic Iranian sounds and folklore, with the modernity of each artists aural palettes to create a sharp-edged musical sword. Birthed from the desire to combine contemporary club culture with the deep roots of their nationalities and motherland, Flower Storm is a simultaneous deep dive into the history of their ancestors as well as a nod to underground electronic soundscapes. Their debut EP entitled 'Yek' (translates to the number 1 in Farsi) is a fierce, four track collection of music alluding and akin to the mythical journeys of ancient stories like Shahnameh. New and classic sounds interlay and converse with each other in an explosive yet intimate manner, like flowers raining from the sky.

Pie Eye Collective has been a part of the Albert’s Favourites family for a little while, working with Hector Plimmer and Scrimshire on studio and live performances, he has also played alongside Emma-Jean Thackray and And Is Phi.

Pie Eye Collective is the solo project of sound scientist and explorer Matthew Gordon.

While at its heart electronica, Gordon creates an organic collage of influences and evocative noises, even drawing from jazz and soul music. Time signatures and rhythms, sometimes hard to pin down, only lead to a more hypnotic sense of being afloat in a sea of harmonics and strangely familiar musical memories.

It is music that wants you to completely free yourself and let it move through you.

Available on vinyl for the very first time. ZERO 7 4th album Yeah Ghost from 2007, spans everything from dance pop to acoustic folk and everything in between it's an idea-splattered work of genius that even includes a quartet of instrumental tracks derived from their experimental side projects and sampled, overdubbed and rebuilt from scratch.

‘Yemaya’ is the long-awaited new album and Tru Thoughts debut from future soul and electronica duo Anushka. Therelease features proceeding singles “You My Love”, “Speak To Me” and “Brave” which have seen support from the likes of GillesPeterson, Lauren Laverne, Jamz Supernova, Nemone (BBC 6Music), Jack Saunders (BBC Radio 1), EARMILK, Music Is My Sanctuary, Clash Magazine and Toshio Matsuura.

Released on limited edition transparent numbered double vinyl, the LP takes its name from the Orisha Yemaya – the Goddess ofthe Sea, protector of women and the Eternal Mother in the Santeria/Yoruba religion. It is believed in Santeria that Yemaya guidesand supports her children, helping them to grow; as explored with the reference to the life-giving essence of water in focus track“Bad Weather”. Celebrating their progression and those who have helped them on the way, the title expresses the oneness that theduo felt making the record.

This growth is explored on album opener “So Far Journey”. Written by Victoria Port (singer/songwriter) as a “call to the ancestors”,the track explores coming back to yourself and who you truly are after a period of feeling displaced and lost. With astrally chargedsynths from Max Wheeler (producer), it sits alongside the cosmic love story of “You My Love” and the luminous “Serenity”.Speaking of the latter, Port adds: “It’s that feeling when a person makes it feel like home wherever you are. When something isstressful and you know they can help you find your peace”.

This EP sees the third outing for Celestial Being, with creator Felix Buxton ( Basement Jaxx ) unveiling a recorded version of the Love Frequency Trilogy, sung by Citizens Of The World Choir & London Contemporary Voices ( LCV ) accompanied by some further sonic ethereal journeys.

Celestial Being creates music and art with Spirituality and Connection to the Divine at its core.

Love Frequency Trilogy was performed twice last year, by the ‘Got Soul Choir’ (created to combat loneliness and isolation) as part of the Edinburgh Wellness Festival and by Citizens Of The World Choir (Refugees and friends) & LCV as part of a global Peace Broadcast for International Peace Day 2020 with Peace One Day.

The Trilogy consists of:
‘Awake’ - A hymn to the power of now and a realisation of the divine essence in all of us.

‘Raise The Vibration’ - Spiritual jazz dance for free spirits calling us to ‘Raise The Vibration, all throughout creation!’

‘The Love Frequency’ - A meditative mantra accompanied by Crystal Harp harmonics of the love frequency and healing harmonics.

Accompanying tracks include:

‘Finding Our Way’ a shamanic trance-inducing deep house journey.

‘Always’ Uplifting angelic voices move through a cathedral of space and time. Spacey Alternative Electronic.

‘New Moons’ a John Cage-esque minimal soundscape of lunar awakening.

‘Love Tones’ for deeper reflection and meditative connection to the ‘Love Frequency’.

Love Frequency Trilogy: "I have been looking into the nature of sound and it’s healing properties for several years and discovered one of the best ways to heal ourselves is through singing with others. Incredibly, when we do all our heartbeats come into alignment and start to beat as one. In a pursuit of the Frequency of Love and also having heard about miracle DNA healing through transformational sonics I was determined to combine these factors and the result is ’The Love Frequency’, says Felix Buxton,
'Our truest, sweetest melody is always with us and within us. We don’t need to learn it, it is simply there and there to share, where just need to find it.'

CB03 EP will be released on digital (14th May) and vinyl (Summer 2021) with artwork by Celestial Artist Silvy Liu.

Having released his debut album Around The Corner in 2018, as well as a critically acclaimed LP in collaboration with Los Angeles-based musician Tristan de Liège two years later, Keno aka David Hanke's latest opus, Out Past The Current, brings together not only some of his finest remixes from the past four years but also a handful of new and exclusive works.

Once again Hanke's love for more downtempo styles is on show - a passion that has immersed the producer into the electronic music scene since the early 2000s. Developing his own style over the last few years with lush instrumentations, more complex songwriting and distinctive drum programming, his songs and remixes ease the mind with echoes from the past.

„Meraki“ ist LESKYs erstes Album. In weniger als drei Jahren hat sich LESKY als einer der vielversprechendsten und ambitioniertesten Produzenten der deutschen Beatszene etabliert. Für einen aufstrebenden Künstler zeichnet sich seine Diskographie als wahnsinnig tiefgehend und vielseitig aus. Egal ob er sich in Sample-gestützte Lofi-Beats oder Trap und Phonk stürzt, es gibt immer eine starke melodische Seite in seiner Musik. LESKYs Sound kurz zusammengefasst: „All meat - no fat: harte und busy Drums, Neo-Soul Akkorde auf dem Fender Rhodes und eine gefilterte Moog-Basslinie“, wie er sagt. Mit einer Gästeliste, die alte Freunde wie Phlocalyst und Sátyr neben MPM Künstlern FloFilz, MC Turt von den Summers Sons, Sakura Murakami und neue Talente wie das Kölner (Beat- )Wunder Midan oder New Jersey Sängerin Tally Schwenk umfasst, bringt „Meraki“ das Beste aus vielen Welten unter LESKYs Groove zusammen. Weitere Künstler, die auf dem Album erscheinen sind DDob, Meadow, Cuebe, Flynn und Mensing. „Meraki“ ist griechisch und eines dieser Worte, die sich nicht ins Deutsche übersetzen lassen. Man könnte es so formulieren: „Wenn du ein Stück deines Selbst, deine Essenz und Kreativität, in das legst, was du tust.“ Für LESKY steht es außerdem für den Wandel vom Hobby zum Beruf. Geboren und aufgewachsen in Leipzig, ist LESKY mit 21 nach Köln gezogen, zunächst für ein Praktikum, später für einen Job bei MPM. Vorgespult in‘s Jahr 2021: LESKY hat ein weiteres Mal seine Taschen gepackt und sich nach Tiflis begeben, der Hauptstadt Georgiens. Es scheint ganz so, als hätte die Reise des jungen Produzenten gerade erst angefangen.

On today’s episode of LA’s Most-Blunted, the POOLS boys are back with a brand new sample-laden selection of beats and blends!

Picking up where their previous RNT outing ‘Innertubes’ left off, the 12 tracks of 'Sunned’ layer found and filtered sounds over rough’n’ready MPC beats, dripping with delay and vibey ambience. Each track boasts its own unique soundscape and structure, but taken together as a collective listen the record has a zoned-out and sun-drenched quality that is…well, unmistakably POOLS.

Tune in, light up and vibe out!