House News

Detroit's premier creative space, art gallery and club Spot Lite is proud to announce its second vinyl/digital EP from the sensational duo Oliver Dollar and Mike (Agent X) Clark entitled “Body Talk.” The legendary DJ Dez Andres jumped in on the bonus remix.

This three track EP floor filler was written and produced in the heart of Detroit in 2021. With its deep grooves, soulful vocals and infectious beats, Body Talk is sure to get your body moving and heart racing.

The A-side features the original mix complete with a lush melody and a driving rhythm section sure to evoke the disco queen in all of us.

The B-side delivers with Dez Andrés adding his unique touch to the original, creating a perfect balance between his manual production style and the track's polished vocals.

This release is a must-have for any house music collector or DJ who is looking to add more Detroit flavor to their sets. Body Talk is a timeless record that captures the essence of the Motor City's vibrant music scene.

Be sure to get your hands on this limited-edition vinyl that is limited to 300 first pressing on a deep purple colored vinyl. Experience the magic of Detroit's underground house music.

JOHN BARERA (2MR/ALLERGY SEASON/DOLLY/SORRY RECORDS) is a DJ, Producer & Label owner based in NYC. His sound is rooted in techno and house’s most classic iterations: sturdy, barreling grooves, shimmering pads, deep liquid dubs and the occasional acid burn. BRIAN ABELSON is the producer of JENNIFER VANILLA’s “CASTLE IN THE SKY” album. Here they team up for 6 mesmerizing tracks of funky disco-tech on the latest 12" from the YOU TOO CAN WOO crew. Intricate rhythms, hypnotic synth arpeggios, lush ambience & seriously funky basslines make "THE ARC" a fantastic showcase of this duo's talent and versatility.

Incl. Michael Gray Remix

Blanc Manioc present NYAMAKALA BEATS N°3 their third compilation, and frst-ever vinyl release, due in the spring of 2022.
The label, once again, brings together its extended global musical family - Cardozo, La Dame, Asna, Mc Waraba, Praktika, Aunty Razor, Sheitan Brothers and Pedro Bertho. Blanc Manioc also showcase new family members - Sly A10, Chabela, Pangar and AnyoneID. Rising starts of Abidjan, Oyoki Onanayo and Stelair, and South African heroes, Aero Manyelo, Shujaa Bora, Pulo N'Dj and Mc Swordman also join the family with contributions to the release.

Running parties, festivals and courses in Abidjan (Le Maquis Electroniq), Blanc Manioc pioneer extraordinary talents between Africa and Europe. As well as presenting their frst vinyl release, Blanc Manioc will launch "Blanc Manioc party” this year, a live event following the "Nyamakala" principles (Nyamakala" means "the antidote of evil” in Mandinka) curing the people through dance.

A little mystery goes a long way, but it's fair to say the appetite for unearthing those secret tunes and lost classics has rarely been stronger...

A LOVE THAT NEVER DIES give us a peek inside their formidable archive with three wonderful pieces of coveted music, in very short supply in their original form

One super limited, clear vinyl pressing.

FLAT5 features a previously unreleased tune from legend Sterling Styles with a remix from Highrise on the flip.

After opening the dimension door via a hypnagogic contribution to recent Ruf Kutz comp 'Expansion Pack 2: Textures' and offering a sonic submersion into his 'Deep Waters Mixtape', Inner Glow takes the controls for RK18, treating the DJs and dancers to a high grade house triptych.

For the uninitiated, the man behind the music is a lifelong friend from Ruf Dug's Sydney sojourn, when the two would host mushroom squat parties with the rest of the "Bodega Clan", and who helped mastermind the seminal Paradise Lost warehouse parties. Virtuously patient, the Australian spent the years since perfecting his craft, maxing out the XP and emerging as his evolved form, Inner Glow.

On the A-side, Inner Glow comes through with the two clubbiest cuts from the 'Deep Waters' cassette, unmixed, mastered loud and exclusive to vinyl. Already a firm favourite with Bradley Zero 'Party People' pulses on the A1, its one note bassline and taut pads keeping tension at a maximum. At the top of the frequency band sparse stabs and nuanced percussion dance in tandem, while the deft use of E-Smoove and First Choice acapellas provide an underground intertext Sprinkles would be proud of.

'Call Me' coaxes us into the shadow realm with the lure of Lynchian dialogue, slowly taking shape as a dub techno phantom. It's a heads down affair as urgent subs push against the mist of static, until a rising, wriggling keyboard riff unwinds waists with a hint of UKG exuberance.
Inner Glow brings the beatific on the B-side's 'Love Has No Age', combining rippling keys and MK vocal chops over waves of hiss and haze.
The percussion combines classic house swing with the tinny hats of electro, keeping perfect time as the soulful vocals swell into the sublime.

Over the last twelve months Ruffy's rocked the spot from Pikes to Houghton with these heaters, and now he's sharing them with you.

Lux' is what we use to measure the intensity of light as we perceive it, when it's hitting or passing through a surface.

The first track, that gives the EP its name, embodies exactly that - the fluctuating, ever-changing nature of light; from fragile and fleeting to overwhelming and powerful. 'Lux' kicks off with warm synths creeping in, like rays of sunlight breaking through the clouds. Dreamy crescendos take you for a ride and build up until they melt into a comforting blanket of piano chords, accompanied by a propelling hi-hat pattern that will make you want to move. The track is hopeful, the start of a journey, with compelling break downs, industrial rhythm elements and powerful build-ups such as the one to the final section, dominated entirely by its fusion between techno-beat and dance-feel.

Next up is 'Odyssee'. An unapologetic track that picks up the pace. Kicking off boldly with harmonic tension and enticing drum sounds, it's hard not to surrender to the rich and fast-moving soundscape. Proud drums meet steel sounds and tentative piano figures, all glued together by the driving beat, determined to get to the next stop of this lifelong voyage. Striking accents, in the form of short-lived breaths or staccato bass lines take you through a labyrinth of growing gritty synths. A track that easily leads you through space and time and makes it feel like the most natural thing in the world. We're greeted with standalone bright and sparkly synth movements as 'Phoenix' rises and wraps us in warmth. Gently, like raindrops, a rhythmic pattern starts dripping in. Definition, like in many of his other works, blends rhythmical sounds that couldn't be more different into one, making them sound like they were never meant to exist unless next to each other. The track is a symbiosis of modern and classical sounds, lets us bathe in analogue warmth but always rolls along with digital precision.

'Phoenix' starts softly and ends in roaring flames: in a repetitively enchanting party, fabricated out of dark, pumping beats and gritty synths. 'Raven', the final of the four tracks and the lead single (released alongside the Jonas Ratshman remix just 1 week ago), intrigues with chants and empowerment just as much as with its determination and fragility. Falling from the highest heights, Raven lets you rediscover who you are when you hit the ground. Carried by a throbbing four-on-the-floor kick drum and covered in a synth-haze that is hard to resist, you'll float along, fall and rise with the everlasting wave-like movement of human existence.

The Blessed Madonna has remixed Dua Lipa’s ‘Levitating’ featuring Missy Elliott and Madonna.

This is the first track from ‘Club Future Nostalgia’, an entirely remixed version of Dua Lipa's global #1 album “Future Nostalgia”, created in collaboration with The Blessed Madonna.

repress

Re mastered for 2014 from Oscar Gaetan & Ralph Falcon's original Murk DAT's for 2014. Fantastic re issue of these legendary producers early catalogue from 1992. Containing all the original versions and dub's. These will sound better than anything on discogs.

Distinguished Utrecht-based duo Tinlicker (Micha Heyboer and Jordi van Achthoven) have revealed that their forthcoming album ‘In Another Lifetime’ is out spring 2022 via independent record label Anjunadeep. Written during lockdown, ‘In Another Lifteime’ was heavily influenced by Tinlicker’s experience of the past two years. Reflecting on the album name, the duo explain; “These last two years saw the creation of a parallel universe in which human beings had to reinvent themselves whether they wanted to or not. We experienced a lot of lows in this process, but also beautiful highs - in some moments it felt like everything was about to slip through our fingers, while other days the process brought a lot of peace. For us, the title ‘In Another Lifetime’ captures this journey.” Featuring eleven previously unheard tracks and an ensemble of vocalists, ‘In Another Lifetime’ reflects this dichotomy of highs and lows. Whilst invoking the familiar Tinlicker sound of powerful progressive house, the album also explores tangential styles of electronica, deep house, and melodic techno. Tracks such as ‘Always Will’ featuring Nathan Nicholson and ‘You Take My Hand’ featuring Jamie Irrepressible are characteristic of the duo; masterful compositions of fervently driving percussion, considered synth design, and hypnotic vocals that make for darker, memorable club anthems. Other tracks, such as ‘I Am Free’ and instrumentals such as ‘Healing Forest’ and ‘Just To Hear You Say’ convey a less conventional approach from the duo, where they favour breakbeat arrangements and brighter melodic elements. The end result is an album that reflects Tinlicker’s artistic and personal growth. Champions of forward-thinking sound design and dynamic songwriting, Tinlicker members Micha Heyboer and Jordi van Achthoven combined their storied musical backgrounds in 2013. Quickly it became clear that Jordi’s polished pop and house production was a consummate match for Micha’s deep sonic palette - a quality he honed as a member of drum and bass group Black Sun Empire. Tinlicker released their first studio album ‘This Is Not Our Universe’ in 2019 via Anjunabeats. Drawing international attention for its powerful progressive sound, the album was championed by Pete Tong and Annie Nightingale at BBC Radio 1, Jason Bentley at KCRW, and SiriusXM.

Michael "Adonis" Smith is a name that garners respect from fans of House and Techno across the world. Many of his productions are classics and "Freedom" by his short lived collaborative project The Children is one such record. A deep, otherworldly and almost sinister piece of Chicago House that features the conversational spoken word talents of Jamie Christopher who tells a mysterious robotic voice "Freedom... That's what life's about" over a driving, acidic backdrop of clicking drum machines and descending synthesizer pads.

Originally released in 1987 "Freedom" boasts 4 different mixes, all retaining that slamming Adonis vibe and trademark sound.
"Freedom" has been re-mastered, re-pressed and re-issued with original label artwork for the first time in conjunction with DJ International / Rocky Jones.

"Wake Up, Look Around You"

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the mythical SL-1200 MK7 turntable, discover all the hip-hop, house and techno iconics tracks.

New 7 inch. Legofunk, that continues this precious legacy.

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Get Physical Music kicks off 2022 with another of their classic vinyl releases featuring Chelonis R. Jones' enduring underground hit 'I Don't Know' with a superb new remix from Oscar L and two classic remixes from Butch and Herbert.

Chelonis R. Jones is the California-born, New York-based poet, singer and writer who has released several albums, both as a solo artist and in collaboration. Most famously, he co-wrote and sang on Ro?yksopp's '49 Percent,' while 'I Don't Know' remains a much-loved house track. The original is a heavyweight house groove with taught drums and slapping hits. The seductive vocal is packed with warmth and soul and is what makes this one such a classic.
The fresh new remix comes from Oscar L, a house and tech mainstay of the last 15 years. His personal sound comes with a rich array of left-of-centre references and has won him the support of the likes of Richie Hawtin and Adam Beyer. After signing with labels like Drumcode and Knee Deep In Sound he now showcases his style on this fantastic remix. It is a fulsome version with big, pumping drums and a steamy intensity that is heightened by the passionate vocal. As the track builds to the breakdown the crowd will be in raptures before it kicks off in style once again.
Next come two previously released but still vital remixes. The first is from the hugely prolific Butch. He has defined house music over the last decade with tunes on all the great labels, collabs with Ricardo Villalobos and characterful sets all over the world. His take is rooted in deep minimal drums. The track builds slowly with soulful synths adding colour before the iconic vocal arrives and sends shivers down the spine. Herbert is the second remixer and a bonafide legend of the electronic music world. His famously eccentric production techniques and definitive club tracks remain in a class of their own. His take on the original is typically individual, with layers of sleek synths and elastic harmonies overlaid with the carefully treated vocal.
This is a package of timeless house sounds that span the ages.

Gold Vinyl - Limited Edition, 350gsm, Sleeve With Logo by Shintaro Kago Printed Inside, Sticker


Presented by Mitsuko & Svetlana Records, distributed by WRWTFWW Records.

Archival reissue of highly sought-after 1979 soundtrack from funky maestro Yuji Ohno, the genius jazz player/composer behind the music of Lupin III (?????) and Capitaine Future (?????·??????) and much much more. Big grooves, irresistible basslines, horns for days, funk for-ever. This superb piece of music from the legendary Toho Records catalogue is a MUST HAVE for fans of Japanese gems.

It’s the original soundtrack of Shigeyuki Amane’s excellent TV movie Golden Dog (Ôgon No Inu). With a secret agent dog carrying secret documents. Last appearance by the one and only Reiko Ike!

Highly recommended to everyone who loves good dogs and good music.



Points of interests

- For fans of funk, jazz, Japanese music, rare groove, boogie, 70s soundtracks, rare gems, WRWTFWW Records, Lupin III, library music, and beautiful dogs.

- Rare gem reissued on vinyl for the first time since 1979.

- Fifth release from Mitsuko & Svetlana Records (Bells of Koyto, Masahiko Sato - Kayobi No Onna, Piero Milesi - The Nuclear Observatory of Mr. Nanof, Sora - Re.sort), distributed by friends WRWTFWW Records (Midori Takada’s Through The Looking Glass, Lunar Cruise and MWKAJU en-semble’s projects, Kenji Kawai’s Ghost in the Shell Original Soundtrack, Yasuaki Shimizu’s Kakas-hi, John Carpenter’s Dark Star Soundtrack, Piero Umiliani’s Tra Scienza e Fantascienza and Il Mon-do Dei Romani, Bernard Parmegiani soundtracks, Colored Music’s self-titled album, EP-4’s Lingua Franca-1, Normal Brain’s Lady Maid…), label founded and curated by Olivier Ducret of Mental Groove and Musique Pour La Danse (Miss Kittin, Orbe, Donato Dozzy, Imperial Tiger Orchestra...) and Stephan Armleder of Villa Magica Records (Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Christian Marclay, Ste-phan Eicher & Rainier Lericolais, John Armleder, Sylvie Fleury…)

Nothing Makes Us Jump Up From The Desk, Shouting 'whaaaaat ' Like A Bitter End New Release !

The Label Continue To Forge A Path That's Entirely Their Own, With Another In The Limited Pre-release Series...

'kneel B4 Thelma' On Side A, Flips One Of Her Biggest Hits Into An Utterly Futuristic Cyborg-soul Anthem !
Almost As If We'd All Forgotten How Good One Of Earth's Greatest 20th Century Divas Might Sound Over A Filthy 21st Century Klanken-banger !

On The Flip 'mast Song' Transports Us To A Seaside Tavern, Where The Old Folks Sit In The Back, Evoking (and Imbibing) Strong Spirits, With Traditional Shanty's While The Next Generation Find Communion In The Gentle Throb Of The 4/4 In The Tap Room Next Door

Light Years Ahead !

140G

- Limited Edition auf 2023 Stück weltweit, handnummeriert zum 10-jährigen Jubiläum! Die 2LP erscheint im transparenten Vinyl (crystal clear), die Bonus 7inch im schwarzen Vinyl inkl. Gatefold Sleeve!

2013 verblüffte DJ Koze die Menschheit mit seinem zeitlosen Meisterwerk `Amygdala´, einem Album voller psychedelischer Strahlkraft, Tiefe und magischen Klangwelten, in denen es auch nach 10 Jahren Dauerschleife immer noch neue Nuancen zu entdecken gibt. Dieses Jubiläum feiern wir nun mit einer gnadenlos limitierten Coloured Vinyl Edition. Schnell Warenkorb Patsche Patsche machen!

150 copies available

"Band Of Cloud’s David Owen has previous. Hailing from Leeds, he knocked about with Soft Cell early doors, hoovered up 80s synthpop, got distracted by The Sisters Of Mercy, formed The Hollow Men, dropped out for a couple of decades and popped back up in 2011 with the utterly brilliant ‘We Know Where The Time Goes’ by The FLK – a folk version of The KLF’s ‘Chill Out’. Yes, it’s as great as that sounds.

Judging by all that, ‘This Is Tomorrow’ should be good. David reveals that the first album he bought, aged 16, was Tangerine Dream’s ‘Force Majeure’. On clear vinyl. With a sticker. It’s a record that has impact, this is his homage.

‘This Is Tomorrow’ is like a fever dream, all drifty and floaty and hypnotisey. It comes as four lengthy tracks that sound like they should build to some of release, but never quite do. It has a kind of ‘Twin Peaks’ what-the-f*ckery about it. Odd samples, noises here, strange sounds there. ‘The Hidden Memory’ is proper flickering light bulbs stuff."
- Neil Mason, Moonbuilding, Summer 2022

New year, new energy, new music...

We’re all waiting for that tune to land in our lap, reach up and slap us simultaneously in the ears, feels, souls and feet. That big sonic blast of emotion and inspiration that sets the tone and gets us excited about a new season of shows.

Hard Times Records present ‘All I Need’, a powerful, slab of house music positivity that smacks of ‘first anthem of the year’ vibes and comes courtesy of one of house music’s biggest pioneers AND a certified UK House music institution that permanently changed the face of global club culture over 30 years ago... Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley and Hard Times.

Neither Hurley or Hard Times need any introductions, but both have histories that deserve so much more than this hype-fuelled promo blurb. Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley is a certified legend. As one of the pioneering House music artists to emerge from Chicago’s primordial 80s phenomenon and the first ever to score a UK number one Hit with ‘Jack Your Body’, the multiple Grammy nominated artist has been a powerful source of energy and inspiration ever since as one of the most consistent forefathers of this scene.

Hard Times have played an equally influential role and are arguably responsible for some of the most defining moments in uk House Music. One of the first club nights to import the US titans to UK dancefloors, the Yorkshire brand were instrumental in creating a blueprint in international DJ culture as they invited the biggest pioneers and legends to their events that began in the sleepy town of Mirfield, but eventually sprawled across the UK with line-ups that ranged from Todd Terry to Masters at Work to Deep Dish and every titan in between. A dominant force throughout the 90s, Hard Times wound down in the 2000s as its founder Steve Raine took a break from the industry to become a sheep farmer, which he still does to this day... Safe in the knowledge that he helped to create an ethos for uncompromising underground House Music that remains steadfast to this Day.

The Hard Times label originated back in 1994 And ran alongside the club night, boasting a small but elite catalogue. It’s about to thrive on a whole new level as Hard Times returns as a label with its first new material for over 20 years with ‘All I Need’.

Timeless yet forward-thinking, loaded to the brim with precision groovemanship, glazed with a strong Latin twist and sprinkled with the gorgeous vocals of Sara Garvey, who many will instantly recognise from her Nightmares On Wax collaborations, ‘All I Need’ is a pedigree house anthem-in-waiting. Universal in vibe and spirit, fully transcending trend or flavour-of-the-month fickleness, this taps into the source and has full potential to be the first big boundary-breaking house hit of 2023... 36 years after Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley topped the charts with ‘Jack Your Body’!

It comes complete with a rainbow of remixes from some equally eye-opening heavyweights: Alex Arnout, Eddie Leader, Terry Farley & Kevin Swain and DJ Skip (who runs S&S Records with ‘Hurley) all provide different perspectives on ‘All I Need’, giving it even more scope and depth to slap us simultaneously.

Dub-Stuy kicks off 2023 with a very special collaboration between Nazamba, the "voice of thunder," and California-based producer Dubamine. This is one of the last projects Nazamba recorded before his sudden passing following a string of singles on Dubquake records and a collaboration with The Bug. In his label return after a five-year hiatus, Dubamine showcases his trademark heavyweight production style which perfectly complements Nazamba’s dub poetry, reminiscent of LKJ and Prince Far I. Together, they crafted a meditative anthem that is mellow and introspective, yet driving and dance inducing.

The release’s title track, “Cool & Relax” is a welcome invitation to slow down, take a breather, and reconsider what is important in life. As mental health crises skyrocket and self-care becomes increasingly important, Nazamba invites the listener to disconnect from the stress of the city. His rhythmic and percussive chanting of “cool, relax, easy” brings to mind the thunder of a spring rain storm, tremendous, bright, and soothing. Dubamine’s production emphasizes this sense of calm and contemplation while keeping the track rooted in the dancefloor, with its bubbling bassline and massive kick. With sharp percussion that bolster the vocals and a sitar melody that suggest an Eastern influence, “Cool & Relax” induces listeners into a meditative state, as Nazamba intones “peace and tranquility, at last.” The B-side, “Nature’s Dub”, is an instrumental that expands on the meditation theme, this time through Dubamine’s darker side. With bass heavy enough to shake the ground beneath your feet, combined with an ingenious use of samples and sonic wizardry, this is a dub for the true sound system fiends, with sub frequencies that pump through your veins like blood.

Music is the imprint that best honors the legacies of artists that left us. “Cool and Relax” is the perfect track to end a session, conjuring Nazamba as he would want to be remembered: an artist, a voice for change, and a source of power and inspiration. RIP George “Nazamba” Scott.

After a sell-out EP by Rahaan in the spring, Dublin label Fatty Fatty Phonographics returns to the home of house with two murky 21st Century excursions aimed straight at dark'n'sweaty dancefloors.

Rahaan flips the script here with 'Secondo Coro Della Lavendie', a propulsive update of Roberto Di Simone's 1976 modern opera piece of the same name.
Over the years it's become a cult club hit in Chicago, Detroit and Montreal and found it's way into the record bags of the likes of Brennan Green.
The title translates as 'The Song Of The Working Girls' and it sounds like it, a hipshakin', Afro-delic chant married to a relentless b-line and wired Chi-Town electronics.

On the flip-side comes DJ Darryn Jones, yet another Chicago native with a bottomless record collection and the production chops to know what to do with it.
'Mouth Passion' weaves elements of The Flirt's 'Passion' in and out of another ruff track of rumbling percussion,raw bass and spooky sound effects and comes out right on top, transporting you down into a darkened basement with your eyes closed and your disco fist in the air!

2023 Repress

Exactly 10 years after the release of the original 10“ record Systematic delivers you a strictly limited white vinyl repressing. Gourmets of old school house music become excited when they listen to „Love´s got me high“. The song, released in 1994, became a milestone in terms of soulful house, in the same way like Adeva´s „Respect“ and Urban Soul´s „Alright“. Marc Romboy has re-explored this pearl for his series „Lost Treasures“ and was able to convince Terrence to release it again, for the young generation and fort he old school lovers. The package comes along with a respectful interpretation of no one else than house master Jimpster (Freerange) and Marc´s remix.


big support by: Laurent Garnier, Dixon, Markus Worgull, Soul Clap, Osunlade, Ame, Ian Pooley, Agoria, Paul Woolford, D'Julz, Ripperton, Jackmate, Joris Voorn, Charles Webster, Phonique, Till von Sein, Tim Sweeney, Will Soul, Chris Carrier, Brother's Vibe, Sascha Dive, Deetron and many more... One of the most emotional and ground breaking house records of the early 90s was out of the question "Love´s got me high", produced by Detroit´s producer legend Terrence Parker.

2023 Repress

Jovonn starts off the year with the release of 'Turnin Me Out' Feat Casioware, taken from his 'Timeless' album on his Body N'Deep label. Remixes come from house music legend Louie Vega and Jovonn. Don't sleep on this!

Glasgow’s Seated Records return with more archival Scottish New Wave material; this time, in the form of Pop Wallpaper’s disco-not-disco interpretation of the Shuggie Otis classic, “Strawberry Letter 23”. And interpretation is the right word, guitarist Evan Henderson confesses that the lyrics sang by Audrey Redpath on the record were, “err inaccurate due to pre-internet home recording translation”.

The Edinburgh band first released “Strawberry Letter 23” in 1986 as a double A side 12” alongside original song, “Nothing Can Call Me Back". The 1986 record’s sleeve states that the original - “Strawberry Letter 23" has been “re-modelled for special pleasures, namely on the dance floor”. Here the re-model has been re-modelled once more. The track is recontextualised for 2022 playing on a four track 12” that includes an unreleased instrumental demo version of the track, as well as mixes from label founder Pigeon Steve and close friend of the label, Useful Tom.

Wallpaper’s first EP “Over Your Shoulder” was released in 1984. The release received a considerable amount of radio support, not least from Radio 1’s John Peel and Janice Long, which culminated with a live session for Long’s show at the BBC’s studios in London. Released a couple of years later, Strawberry Letter received similar levels of radio play. Despite (much to the band’s confusion) being tracked by Motown UK at one point, Pop Wallpaper did not go on to receive commercial success and eventually went their separate ways.

“Strawberry Letter 23” sits in the singular historical, cultural context of mid-80s Britain. Following the explosion of punk at the end of the 1970s, in the 1980s many British bands began experimenting with new styles and instruments - always keeping an eye firmly on their punk roots. The loose percussion and synthesiser melodies have an almost new-age, balearic mood, while the falsetto vocals of singer Audrey Redpath are an unmistakable embodiment the Post-punk style of the time. The prominent bass-line suggests a reggae or disco inspiration, and bass player Myles Raymond admits that he obsessed over a Sly & Robbie Taxi records compilation around the time the band put the tune together.

This reissue includes an unreleased, unheard instrumental demo-version of the cover, “SL23”. The band recorded the demo during an nighter at Wilf’s Planet studios in Edinburgh, just after Wet Wet Wet had just finished up their own demo for “Wishing I Was Lucky” (Pop Wallpaper all insist they thought it would never be a hit). In this version, we hear the band messing around with drum machines and synths which, in a similar style to Kevin Low and Fiona Carlin on Seated 001, creates a stripped back dance floor work-out that bares almost no resemblance to any version of “Strawberry Letter 23”. In an attempt to emulate the Trevor Horne production style of the time, the band’s drummer Les Cook recalls pushing for more and more reverb on the drums during the session to a reluctant producer Chic Medley, who “eventually obliged, but needed a lot of persuading”. Much to Cook’s disappointment “the reverb was toned down when we got to the final release”.

On the B side, label boss Pigeon Steve delivers a dubbed-out and acid drenched, cosmic rendition of the track with “SL24”, before Useful Tom (son of Pop Wallpaper bass player Myles Raymond) brings the EP to an end with spacey de-construction of fractured vocals and gliding synths on the B2 with “SL25”.

COMES WITH A HUGE FOLD OUT POSTER, INSERT, AND DL CODE

L.I.E.S. Records founder, Ron Morelli, makes a rare appearance on his own label with his eagerly anticipated double lp, "HEART STOPPER". (LIES-200)

Heart Stopper is undoubtedly the "dance" record that reaches back to the early days of his L.I.E.S. Records label where artists such as Delroy Edwards, Steve Summers, Traxx, and Svengalisghost all came together digging into the primitive, foundational sounds of original Chicago, New York, and Detroit House music putting it through a contemporary lens.

Recorded between 2019-2022, this lp is the culmination of many years of Morelli honing his craft, from digging and studying old records, to focusing and sharpening his production techniques, the L.I.E.S. boss has delivered an album that is a testament of his true love and obsession of the genre, with "Heart Stopper" being the record to cement the now iconic L.I.E.S. legacy even further.

In the often shapeshifting world of modern dance music, "Heart Stopper" is what a House record should be. Full of passion and unfiltered emotion, uplifting at moments, pensive at others; with raw, jakin' drum programming, big basslines, and anthemic synths driving the release throughout.

Over the 11 tracks we hear the depth of the production hitting all ends of the House music spectrum from WBMX style beat tracks (Just Another Old Beat Track, Tricks of the Trade), to seemingly lost Music Box tapes (House Music Revenge), to 89' style 727 anthem (Heart Stopper), or the piano driven, introspective "Time Stands Still". "Heart Stopper" is an all encompassing record in its scope and sure to appeal to true fans (and djs) of the genre.

Here we have Morelli's definitive dance music statement to date in "Heart Stopper." It is the modern interpretation of what came before and what the artist and L.I.E.S. dedicate themselves to- carefully crafted music that firmly places their signature in the present, past and future days of dance music.

Suffice to say, there couldn't be a more vital time than now for raw, heartfelt music such as this to be reintroduced into a confused and fractured dance music scene.

Marc Brauner makes his return to the label, this time collaborating with fellow Berliner, Ulrich Harrison - better known by moniker Tender Games - on five summertime sweeteners.

These two producers are no stranger to working together, co-running their own imprint, Nostalgics Records in their home town of Berlin. This collaboration then came together naturally, and represents the ideal blend of Marc Brauner's syncopated rhythmic tendencies, and Tender Games' musical antecedents in soul music and penchant for instrumentation.

'Concrete Jungle' epitomises this fusion: a two-step rhythm carries a deep bassline which cruises beneath a blissed-out trumpet melody. 'You Keep Me Up' and 'Listen' are skippy old school bangers, the former complete with anthemic piano stabs a la Manix and Inner City and the latter peppered with blithe whispers of a saxophone. 'It Makes Me' follows suit, substituting hi-hats for a focus on funk-inflected low ends before the UKG-leaning 'Violation' draws things to a close with MC vocal chops and bass womp ruffage.

Concrete Jungle EP drops 17th June 2022 via Shall Not Fade

We love nothing more than house music direct from the Windy City and that's what Vick Lavender's Sophisticado Recordings has got for us here. Angel-A is actually a native of Detroit currently living in Chicago and influenced by everything from jazz to gospel. She brings that to the fore here on the 'Master Fusion' single which is as soulful, lush and heartwarming as house can be. Her voice takes on many different forms from wordless coos to expressive declarations of love via diva wails. Lavender himself serves up a mix, while Albert Menendez offers both a piano-laced vocal mix and a broken beat, jazz-licked and synth-heavy instrumental which does still have the standout original vocal.

One from the vaults here with great new mixes of 'Hypnotise' from Danism + Train, Moplen and Tedd Patterson.

'Hypnotise' is one of the very first Danism records from back in 2006 and earlier this year Danism + Train put a fresh touch on this timeless vocal from Heidi Vogel and breathe fresh life to a sleeper. Moplen and Tedd Patterson both deliver new remixes to complete the package and take 'Hypnotise in two new directions.

MAW take it back to the Masters At Work Dub Style with a swinging, deep groove, that brings forth hypnotic tones. “Just keep that dance music alive” in the words of the Late, Great, Donnell Rush (RIP) who recorded over 25 years ago on Maw Records, carries on a message to the world through this new production from Masters At Work. Taking it back to the OG days, Kenny on the beats, Louie Vega on the Keyboards, it’s a Maw Special!!!

With a string of standout releases already in their catalogue, first-class Italian label Groove Culture are back in full effect with two sure-fire disco house jams from Right To Life. Pure peaktime party tracks from start to finish, that have already been turning heads a plenty.