House News

Melancholia is a made-up medical condition manifested in an incessant moment of reflection. The newest album is a soundtrack to different stages of it and the accompanying feelings. The extremes of those got illustrated by Wojtek Łebski who designed the graphic identity of the album.

"I wrote this music during the last 3 years which for me and to many others were the most bizarre time on the planet we live. Lots of dilemmas, problems, ups and downs, self-doubt and permanent anxiety I transformed into different frequencies of sound. From the very first song, you can hear my fascination with the bass and half-step music scene. Thanks to Mr Envee who mixed the album, it sounds exactly how I imagined - deep and worm. Welcome to the journey." - says the author.

Teielte is a very important person to U Know Me Records - his debut album was the first one in the history of the label. To honour the album properly, the "Melancholizm" was labelled with the number UKM 100 and it will be released exactly 12 years after the famous debut of Taielte's album "Homeworkz".

The album will be released in two versions - classic black LP and limited colour LP. What's special about the limited edition is that every copy is different and is numbered by hand (100 copies). Also, both versions have different covers designed by Wojtek Łebski

The Maghreban has been making Dance music and related genres under various names since the mid 90s, spanning Jungle, Hip Hop, Rave, House and Techno; on labels like Versatile, Black Acre, Eglo Records, R&S Records and his own Zoot Records.

This is his second full length LP under this project and is a refinement on his first. He has worked with the jazz saxophonist Idris Rahman to craft something more cohesive perhaps and more rooted in Jazz and Techno as well as Eastern music. There are also vocal collaborations with Nah Eeto, Omar and Abdullah Miniawy.

Airplay from Benji B, Gilles Peterson and Tom Ravenscroft on BBC Radio. DJ and Radio Support from Ben UFO, Nina Kraviz, Mosca, Otik, Eclair Fifi, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaur, Martyn Bootyspoon, Appleblim, Krikor, Photonz, Gramrcy, and many more.

Favourable reviews so far in Uncut & DJ Magazine: "His most expansive statement so far..Innovative and Irresistable", Reveiws to come in Mixmag, The Wire and other publications.

There is this phenomenon that I call the „Keope moment“. I saw it again at this year's Sacred Ground Festival. Two guys start playing music on a guitar and a table full of unknown objects. Nobody knows them and nobody knows what to expect. 20 minutes later everybody’s dancing because some strings just pulled you close to them and made you dance. I sincerely hope that when you listen to their second LP - which I’m very proud to be able to present you - you can’t help yourself but dance! Frank Wiedemann

At its best, music is a feeling. Even before the rst note hits,
the experience is already alive; dropping the needle onto a
new record for the rst time, the room’s dust particles
serenading you through the silence of the run-in groove. And
then, all in an instant, immeasurable change. At its best,
music isn’t really worth talking about–it seems somewhat
futile not to just be listening, drinking it in. DJ Counselling’s
Caring EP is an ode to these unbound frontiers of music.
More interested in atmosphere than narrative, more
concerned with the celebration of sound than the promotion
of a style, the record transports its listener to the sonically
singular world of DJ Counselling from the moment the stylus
rings out the record’s rst note. While this record shies away
from no emotional depth, it refuses the allure of sadness.
And while this record covers vast expanses of the musical
landscape, it holds to a joy situated in starry heights. The
music ultimately seeks to strip everything else away so there
are only two things left: you, and the song

We're happy to report that the music on the 'Son of a Biscuit' EP from Kuwahara aka Mick Wilson and Scott Gray is every bit as colourfully eccentric as the title it bears. 'Ginger Cut' is dubbed up cloud of sound billowing over choppy hip-hop breaks, with an old skool female MC poking her head out of it to have her say every now and again. Rich Tea's edit of the track takes it into housier territory but, like one of those old Orb ambient singles singles on Wau Mr Modo, still gives plenty of work to the studio's echo chambers. 'Jaffa Quake' goes for snazzy, jazzy overtones and off kilter breaks, 'Kustard Cream' offers up reggae skank, again served up with plenty of sonic exotica, and there's even a more relaxed, Balearic bonus mix of 'Ginger Cut'. A thoroughly nutty record, but a genius one at the same time.

It's been almost 3 years since the first volume of Dancefloor Detonators enhanced our nocturnal revelries, so it's a welcome treat to see a second volume has now made an appearance.
As with the first release, Volume 2 follows a similar principle, namely to put on vinyl some of the most popular tracks from the label's digital catalogue alongside some exclusive new cuts, appearing here for the first time to keep things 100% fresh. The resultant 5-tracker is nothing short of sublime.
Label regulars Secret Circuit, Sordid Sound System and Bal5000 appear alongside Optimo Music regular Feon and newcomer Wanda Krak.

Next up on the Kyiv-based label Kashtan comes from a very promising Ukrainian artist Monoconda.

Oleksandr Filonenko aka Monoconda is a Kyiv based multi-instrumentalist, music composer, sound producer and a live performer. While making music for commercials, theater and public places, Monoconda started to release his own electronic music in 2018 with an album called "Alphabet". His second release, "Low Light" was recorded during the pandemic isolation, and was named as one of the best records of the year by top Ukrainian musical journalists. There was much music recorded after that, alone and in collaboration with different musicians, but the pandemic and the war have made the release process somehow impossible or at least quite a hard quest. But the music is always being done, cause that's what he is here for.

The main concept of the Kyiv label Kashtan is to identify and carefully choose the pearls of Ukrainian electronic music, which are not defined and limited by genre definitions. This playing with genres has been released through the album "Horizon" by musician Monoconda.

Twenty-six year old South African producer Mbulelo Mehlomakhulu grew up with a passion for house music. He began releasing music early at only 18, working with Blaque Core's Profound Nation and issuing a slew of records under the Xerophytic Soul moniker. Achieving local and global success with tracks like 'Ancient Cultures', he began to pioneer a more experimental sound - a cross between Durban's dark, propulsive gqom sound and vintage Detroit techno. This forward-thinking composite didn't go unnoticed, and Mehlomakhulu was tapped by Derrick May to release "The Robotics People" EP on Transmat in 2018. Now Mehlomakhulu returns with four stargazing hybrid compositions that again dance in the shared sonic space between Detroit and Durban. Gqom's slow, sensual pulse carries 'Play the Beat' with chants and echoing cowbell smacks swallowed into a wormhole of squashed analog bass and reverberating Underground Resistance stabs. Title track 'Kalibre' is less florid, but commands the dancefloor with clattering South African drums, ballroom slams and the ticking urgency of Chicago's DJ Sneak. 'Uranus' and 'God's Groove' lift the dancefloor to a higher plain, spiritually connecting with Carl Craig's historic early run and layering synthetic neon pads and cinematic shimmering effects. Mbulelo's sound is smart and poignant, and completely his own. By linking contemporary South African dance music to Detroit's pioneering 1980s techno vision, he makes a connection that's never felt more current.

Ltd Edition!

Format: Purple / Red Marbled Vinyl

Debut album from Ovend, delivering his most personal work so far.

The ever masterful London based DJ/Producer Shy One is back with a new 5 track EP titled From The Floor To The Booth. Following on from the fuzzy, acidic haze of the vinyl only Crumb Trail 7 inch the new EP encompasses futher rich and eclectic sounds of Shy's musical heritage, London leaning from Broken Beat to Soul, Garage to Grime. The record journeys through and abstracts a variety of styles, tipping its cap to the archtectics of Londons musical underground from Soul II Soul and 4Hero to Loose Ends and Roll Deep. A notion every bit apparent in Shy's eclectic bass heavy, hi-energy club selections. The record is Shy One's most in-depth and ambitious release to date. The artwork is created by Herald Essuman of Artbox London. An incredible London based charity that supports artists with Autism and learning disabilities.

Top-Sampler mit den Tracks der vierteiligen ZONEZ 1-4 Mixtape-Serie der Produzentin, Songwriterin, Komponistin und Performerin Suzi Analogue aus Miami. Ihr musikalischer Prozess umfasst elektronische Experimente mit modernster Musiktechnologie und Synthesizern, um einen weltweiten Sound zu kreieren. Ihre globalen Gigs umspannen Kontinente wie Afrika, Asien, Europa und Amerika. Sie ist eine energische Pionierin der neuen Welle von Produzentinnen in der elektronischen Musik und darüber hinaus. Suzis Arbeit ist kulturprägend. Limitierte Erstpressung auf violettem Vinyl mit doppelseitigem A2-Faltposter und DL-Card.

500, 12" 180g, hand stamped, individually numbered records, single press only.

Limited run of 300x. No repress!

The Pearl is a collaboration between Planteaterz and the mercurial NYC rap-mystic, Sensational. The EP features four songs recorded in the winter of 2021 with Sensational on the mic and eaterz on production, and is accompanied by instrumentals and killer remixes by Maara, J. Albert, and Lowjack.

The Pearl is a sound, a world, and definitely a vibe.

We’re pleased to share the fruits of this collaboration with you here.

Matmos are one of the most prominent experimental electronic artists working today, crafting work by creating new conceptual frameworks & immediately testing those frameworks absolute limits. For Regards / Uklony dla Boguslaw Schaeffer they've focused on another artist known, in large part, for doing the same. Boguslaw Schaeffer was one of the first Polish artists creating electronic music. In step with American contemporaries like John Cage and Morton Feldman, he worked across the boundaries of classical composition, electronic experimentation, and radical theater in playfully form-breaking ways. Matmos are not the first ones to recognize the power of his catalog, from Solo (a 2008 documentary that garnered numerous international awards), to the annual Shaeffer's Era Festival (most recently celebrated simultaneously in Warsaw and Los Angeles) his work continues to inspire. Regards.. however, was not just inspired by his work, Matmos were given access to the entirity of Schaeffer's recorded works to use as they saw fit, commissioned by the prestigious Instytutu Adama Mickiewicza. They re-assembled & re-combined these recorded works with modern instrumentations in a way that only Matmos could, and what emerges is a composite portrait of the utopian 1960s Polish avant-garde and the contemporary dystopian cultural moment regarding each other across a distance. To facilitate the transcultural exchange that is the album's essential premise, all song titles and liner-notes are provided in both English and Polish. The album was mastered by Rashad Becker and features illustration and design by acclaimed artist Robert Beatty (Tame Impala, Osees, Mdou Moctar). Like the anagrams of the letters of Boguslaw Schaeffer's name that were re-assembled to create some of the song titles, the album itself is a musical re-assemblage of component parts into possible but unforeseen new shapes. Adding harp from Irish harpist Una Monaghan, erhu, viola and violin from Turkish multi-instrumentalist Ulas Kurugullu, and electronic processes from Baltimore instrument builder Will Schorre, and Horse Lords wunderkind Max Eilbacher, the resulting arrangements constantly toy with scale as they move from the close-mic-ing of ASMR and the intimacy of chamber music to the immensity of processed drones and oceanic field-recordings that close the album. Offering a "life review" of production styles, Regards / Uklony dla Boguslaw Schaeffer builds temporary shelters out of the panoramic wreckage of modernist composition, sixties tape music, seventies dub, eighties industrial music, nineties postrock and dark ambient, 2000s era glitch fetishism, and contemporary post-everything collage sensibilities.

Deaf Safari is an audio collage of subjects that interest me and speak of the world I live in. It is an album composed of sampled recordings from the media landscape that has been the soundtrack to my life over the last ten years.

The most important development in my current music and as can be heard on Deaf Safari has been my understanding of the beauty and power of the spoken word. I have experienced severe indifference to contemporary pop and electronic music as a whole over the last many years, as I have felt that social comment of any relevance has been ignored by music in general.
Deaf Safari attempts to bring sociopolitical comment into my music without taking any specific stand.
Sampled outside of musical influence directly from the news; from preacher sermons or from contemporary African documentaries.
I have finally created a story with sound that I feel accurately conveys my personal experience with the African world I live in.

My musical influences on this album lie mostly with local Kwaito house. Deaf Safari is an experiment within certain boundaries of the 4/4 genre, to create my own South African "house" album.
I am proud and inspired about the South African Kwaito house scene.
However, as with my first three albums, "Thin Shoes In June“ (2001) - "4/4 Down The Stairs“ (2002) and "Dark Days Exit“ (2005), I am still interested in making strange and evocative music.

American Roots music from the earlier periods of the 20th century has deeply resonated with me during the making of this album.
The incredible field recordings by Alan Lomax of Negro prison and chain gang work songs, and the
beautiful early recordings of artists such as Leadbelly have had a major influence on Deaf Safari.

I am truly excited to release this album and to start performing in the music world again. It has been ten years since I released "Dark Days Exit , and although I have been purposefully absent from the music world, I have none the less never stopped making music.
I feel that I have finally arrived at a mature and challenging stage in my pursuit of making emotional music of relevance .

Felix Laband 13.02.2015

Quotes about the previous album "Dark Days Exit“:

“Dark Days Exit is an interesting blend of latin, ambient, folk, and lounge flavors. The production and composition is top notch throughout, but check the choppy clicks of "Crooked Breath" or the eerie, melodic "Radio Right Now" for signs of true inspiration. A talent to watch.” XLR8R

“One of South Africa's most gifted electronic artists” Resident Advisor

"It has the dark sparkle of Air`s `Moon Safari`, random trippy flashes of Pink Floyd´s earlier sounds, and if David Lynch had based `Twin Peaks` in Cape Town´s City Bowl, then this would work as the soundtrack." SA Rockdigest

“An insane swirling ambient dub glitch freak show.“ Dazed & Confused Magazine

“Dark Days Exit … will ingrain itself into your psyche until you have no choice but to listen to it over, and over, and over again. Every time, it will be worth hearing.” Pop Matters

“Laband´s superbly-layered, multi-tiered soundscapes are tantalizingly tranquil and intriguingly unique – they amble like ambient and slip into the bloodstream like liquid LSD.“ rage.co.za

"An album that will bewilder due to weird electronic nature, but by the same token has the power to melt the soul. Mindblowing." Jon Freer

“For the younger generation, Felix Laband became a mythical legend.“ Below The Lion

"So gehört hat man das noch nicht - die komplett klischeefreie Deepnesss dieser verzwickt-geschickt gefrickelten Elektronik mit Suchtfaktor zehn ist geradezu beängstigend." INTRO

“Elektronische Musik, die schwerlich nur natürlicher, menschlicher klingen kann. Oder kurz gesagt: ein mehr als ausgezeichnetes Album. Tricky Chillout…“ GROOVE

“Man nimmt “Dark Days Exit” einfach nichts übel, alles scheint hier zu funktionieren.” DE:BUG

Nachauflage des zweiten Albums des Zürcher Musikers und Produzenten Kalabrese, der zwischen Elektronik, House, Indie, Pop und jazzigen Sounds seine ganz eigenen Wege geht. Jetzt als Doppelvinyl mit Download Code erhältlich!

Zweites Album des Zürcher Musikers und Produzenten Kalabrese, der zwischen Elektronik, House, Indie, Pop und jazzigen Sounds seine ganz eigenen Wege geht. 2007 kam Kalabrese mit seinem Debutalbum "Rumpelzirkus" um die Ecke und hat einigen Staub aufgewirbelt. Nun sind sechs Jahre vergangen. In der Zwischenzeit rockte der Plattenleger alle erdenklichen Kellerlöcher und sorgte für Schweiß an der Decke, betrieb mit seinen Freunden erfolgreich den Klub Zukunft in Zürichs Rotlichtmilieu und bespielte mit seinem Liveprojekt, dem Rumpelorchester, die Klubs und Bühnen dieser Welt. Jetzt ist endlich sein zweites Album "Independent Dancer" da. Man schließt es in die Arme wie einen alten Freund. Vertraut ist so manches: der Blues und der Funk. All die schönen Tänzer und tragischen Helden der Nacht. Das Album überwindet Grenzen, weltliche Tanzmusik paart sich mit dem Klubsound auf sehr natürliche Art und Weise.

Regen, Sonne, Bogenlampe - Fern Aller Entgeisterung Schwebt
Euphorie Übers Parkett. Kaum Faerlezt Und Seicht Ent¢ammt
Verbiegen Sich Vergangene Räume. Leise Und Voller Durst
Entgleist Die Struktur Hinzu Frohlockender Ekstase.
Charismatisch Windet Sich Carlotta Aus Den Trümmern Der
Ideenlosigkeit - Die Sanftmütigkeit ¢attert Elektrisierend Wie
Eine Lockenpracht Vor Dem Inneren Auge Des Ersten Eindrucks.
Lag Er Direkt Am Fuße Ihres Berges, So Hat Er Doch Vergessen
Ihr Wesen Ohne Reue Einzufangen. Ungebändigt Gestikuliert Der
Letzte Moment Trauter Unverbindlichkeit Wie Ein Morsezeichen
Und Ohne Jeden Titel In Eine Gestanzte Leere. Heiser Legt Eine
Bekannte Versuchung Wärmend Und Voll Von Wahrhaftigkeit
Die Kühle Hand Auf Des Treibenden Schulter. Es Scheint Wie Ein
Werk Der Analogen Entfaltung - Episch Knacksend Und Mühelos
Rudernd.

From its humble beginnings in 2001, the Brooklyn label Bastard Jazz Recordings has trailblazed a unique path in the world of independent record labels. Appealing to both DJs and music fans from all walks of life, BJR has become known for its eclectic sound & community of global artists from Mumbai to Napoli, New York to Kinshasha, who touch on everything from funk to hip-hop, house music to forward thinking beats, soul to jazz and international sounds, along with its unrelenting commitment to the vinyl medium. This November, the label will be celebrating 20 years of operation in various incarnations and are releasing a special compilation and a DJ friendly 4xLP titled '20 Years of Bastard Jazz' filled with brand new cuts from its current roster, plus a selection of catalog material, some of it classic, some of it overlooked, and some of it unpressed.

Highlights from the compilation include Australian outfit The Goods, who team up with Steve Spacek (famously of the eponymous British band) on the spacey future soul banger, "FEELS 4 U," while label stalwarts Potatohead People (who recently teamed up with both De La Soul, Jazzy Jeff, and Kaidi Tatham as well as a host of others on their new album) deliver "Bonzai View," with its live instrumentation & technical prowess fused with a head-nodding boom-bap beat the group has become known for. Pittsburgh producer Buscrates delivers "Spotlight," a slinky modern funk / boogie production, while brand new signing POSY gives us "Amai," a delicate beat construction with gorgeous strings, horns and live bass weaving in and out.

Notable past catalog on the compilation include LA producer Captain Planet's classic "Un Poquito Mas" featuring Chico Mann (Antibalas, Here Lies Man) which is still being sung along to in clubs worldwide from Mexico City to Berlin 7 years later, and the airy, indie dance vibes of Manatee Commune's "Majestic Diver." Los Angeles producer and talkbox wizard B. Bravo's "Can't Keep My Hands Off You" featuring Reva Devito goes into more sultry territory, while Rumtum's "Tropic Air" gives us a fresh splash of wobbly tape synth and relaxed lo-fi drums. Of course, the club is not left out and the catalog includes dancefloor ready remixes from friends of the label like Jimpster, DJ Spinna, Jacques Renault, and the red hot up & coming Brooklyn duo musclecars.

Bastard Jazz started early as so many nascent DJ-oriented imprints come into existence, as founder & president Aaron Schultz just barely out of his teenage years was beginning to find his footing as a DJ in Brooklyn, New York. Culling together a small group of artists early on, the label ran as a side project for many years, releasing a handful of records per year. Following a reorganization & renewed commitment in 2014, the label has experienced exponential growth while moving from a DJ oriented standpoint to an artist focused organization that thrives on signing and nurturing new talent and new sounds, while maintaining a concurrent sonic thread in its music. POC owned with a majority POC artist stable, Bastard Jazz's story is the slow build of a real indie label with a diverse sound & roster from the ground up, through trial and error, listening, learning, and adapting to the times without becoming jaded or losing its original vision. 20 years on, it's still here & stronger than ever.

A world in flux; temporal and metaphysical realities questioned. The unit - us and self - entering a new phase. With two dark, discordant EP's of eccentric and kinetic music - the aim is connections conceived. Avidya is experience, seeing the ignorance and understanding in one.

002 starts with Aphonia, L.A. based producer and sound designer Matia Simovich's new solo (ad)venture. As part of Inhalt (Dark Entries / Emotional Especial), he pushes new wave and dark synth-pop for the future. Exploring rhythmic, long forms of ritual, Burning Fields' jacking schematics were conceived of and from the severity of the California wildfires.

Industrial, metallic, lo-fi Angels Of Pompeii are a by-product of Montreal's Italian diaspora, an assemblage of Matt D'Alessio (Temple Records) and Anthony Gallati (Solitary Dancer), who pay homage to the motherland's electronic pioneers like Kirlian Camera and Victrola. Moscow's sons, Odopt (Discos Capablanca / Hivern Discs) explore cavernous, virulent techno and soporific atmospherics and tonality in Athma. Finally, St Petersburg's Linja offers Retreat, a brooding aura of slo-mo-proto trance to wrap within the first essence of Avidya's crown.

It takes great courage to see the world in all its tainted glory, and still love it.

Ranging from sanguine emotional clarity to distortion and unrest, Wow Sailor voyages through sunlight and storms in this mindful and explorative album. Happy Fear is an intricate tapestry of emotional experience, where fear and joy clash heads in the pursuit of self-understanding. Scattered field recordings of literature, ambiance and chance encounters provide atmospheric depth to enrich a resonant and meditative soundscape.

This tale begins with fond yet powerful nostalgia, before segueing into a range of hybrid instrumental explorations in which guitar, voice, violin, and trumpet blossom alongside refined electronic foundations. The album closes off with indulgent melancholia reminiscent of the opening, providing lifelike circularity to the album.

All songs remain connected; one leading into another without pause or silence. This urges the listener to digest the work in a single sitting as elements of the story seem intrinsically connected.

The first half is studded with gems of atmospheric conversation and recordings, providing a living and textured environment for the crafted synthetic sounds of Wow Sailor to evolve. Most songs are free from percussive structures, but In Her Gaze breaks the mold with clear percussive dictate. The middle and latter titles are connected by ominous frequencies that err on the darker side of curiosity - encouraging exploration into the transformative power of fear.

All in all, the work glimmers with spontaneity and diversity that resembles real-life experience. Carefully crafted sonic interplays bare semblance to the fluctuating emotional life of the ever sensitive and sentient human being.

Dugnad Rec sits at the helm of yet another wonderfully creative and philosophical work. This release gives verity to the artistic integrity, sound design, and mental exploration of the label. Wow Sailor’s work radiates an enticing, authentic, and indelible mark of individuality.

Serbia's Disco Fruit crew has been putting out lush sounds that take in funk, breaks and soul influences on top of their bread and butter disco grooves for years now. This time they welcome back a label regular, Loshmi, who has put out plenty of edits here before now. His new one 'Dark Night' is a 60s-tinged high speed spy theme with funky brass and bristling drums all overlaid with rock-styled vocal yelps. The instrumental on the flip is a more paired back but just as hustling groove.

Fasziniert von der Dynamik elektronischer Tanzmusik und der ungeheuren Kraft und Reichhaltigkeit von Live-Instrumenten, schufen Chris Davids und Liam Ivory, aka Maribou State, mit "Portraits" ein unwiderstehliches Album. Es ist ein Album, auf dem sich Organisches und Synthetisches umarmen und an James Blake oder SOHN erinnern und dessen Groove es durchaus mit dem von Moloko aufnehmen kann. Maribou State setzen uns atmosphärischen Dubstep gepaart mit House und einer gesunden Prise Pop vor - "glitchy, sad and slow" (The Guardian), aber ungeheuer tanzbar und garantiert aus der Mitte des Herzens kommend. Die letzten 18 Monate des Duos waren strikt getaktet: An den Wochenenden wurde wild durch die Gegend getourt (von England, Europa, den USA und Australien war alles dabei, die Bühnen von Glastonbury und Bestival waren nur zwei der Meilensteine auf ihrem Weg), während man sich unter der Woche disziplinert den Albumaufnahmen widmete. Bei Radio-Schwergewichten wie Zane Lowe oder Huw Stephens schaute man auch vorbei und werkelte ganz nebenbei an einer schönen Palette von Remixen für "alte Hasen" wie Kelis, Lana del Rey oder den Crookers. Die harte Arbeit zahlt sich mit Erscheinen des Debüts nun endlich aus.

Auch wenn seine Ergebnisse meist ziemlich elektronisch klingen, die ersten Ideen entstehen oft zuerst am Klavier, auf der Violine oder der Gitarre. Nicht anders verhielt es sich bei den sechs Stücken, die der Londoner Elektronik-Produzent Ryan Lee West aka Rival Consoles für "Sonne" einspielte. Wie sein Vorgänger "Odyssey" erscheint auch diese EP beim Label Erased Tapes, dem Zuhause der zeitgenössisch-klassischen Komponisten Nils Frahm, Olafur Arnalds und Peter Broderick. Mit seinen minimalistisch-elektronischen Arrangements, die auf der Basis kraftvoller Klang- und Rhythmuswellen Atmosphäre und Raum kreieren, fügt sich der experimentelle Sounddesigner wunderbar in dieses namhafte Künstlerensemble ein. Für "Sonne" hat Ryan Lee West Musik geschaffen, die sich selbst um einen Puls herum strukturiert, anstatt den Puls als bestimmendes Element festzusetzen. Den Kernsound der EP bilden neben einem alten Bandverzögerungsgerät analoge Synthesizer wie der Moog Voyager, gelegentlich hören wir den Musiker auch live an der Akustik-Gitarre oder am Schlagzeug.

The mystical Elijah Minnelli steps away from his own imprint for the very first time, with a sublime 10" for Accidental Meetings with his trademark dub-folk sound...

There's not a huge amount of information surrounding the illustrious Elijah Minnelli, but after a run of highly sought-after 7"s with his own label, Elijah Minnelli debuts on Accidental Meetings. An exciting match-up by any means, Elijah's unique style is in full blow, with extra added hazy reverb & delay.

A simple idea in an over complicated moment. Strip away aesthetics and be artist centric, sharing and explore collisions, sounds and genres. Step out of comfort zones to release a series of EPs of broad, challenging and deep music.

Starting with The Proposal by A Strange Wedding, this Lyon based producer from the Worst label, builds on their "modern style" slow trance to create a label anthem, a template. Stretched Arp, hypnotic bass and searing melody, underpinned by ocean wide kick. Merci for the perfect beginning.

Datasal are next, as this Gothenburg's trio's debut arrives. Acoustics (Miyazawa flute / Fender bass) and electronics (Roland RS-09 / Korg Mono) collide; prog rock meets post punk meets dance; outside organised compositions to improvise to the beat.

Side two leads back to the origin. 84PC, the dormant Tel Aviv collective that developed out of the city's Michatronix Crew (featuring Katzele, Naduve, Asaf and Yovav), return with a previously unreleased remix from Khidja. Their "Welcome To The Pleasuredome" moment is peak time perfection.

To close Barcelona's Iro Aka arrive with another debut. Having dispatched edits on Hard Fist and 44,100Hz Social Club, their bubbling 303 is a tender dreamtime finale that points ahead.

LP + BOOK!

For most of the 20th century, Portugal's economy has relied on fishery and an exploitative canning industry arising from it. To endure their hardship and coordinate their work, fishermen sang. Leva Leva: Litany of the Portuguese fishermen documents this particular culture of the Portuguese coast, through a vinyl compilation containing undisclosed original recordings of fishermen’s songs and contemporary compositions by artists Filipa Cordeiro, Joăo Pais Filipe, Nandele, Romain Baudoin and S1m0nc3ll0. Alongside the record, the project features a detailed art book (Portuguese – French) (not available through wholesale). The volume gives a voice to artists, writers, witnesses and experts, all invited to reflect upon the question of this culture and the rapid transformation it experienced.

A simple idea in an over complicated moment. Strip away aesthetics and be artist centric, sharing and explore collisions, sounds and genres. Step out of comfort zones to release a series of EPs of broad, challenging and deep music.

Starting with The Proposal by A Strange Wedding, this Lyon based producer from the Worst label, builds on their "modern style" slow trance to create a label anthem, a template. Stretched Arp, hypnotic bass and searing melody, underpinned by ocean wide kick. Merci for the perfect beginning.

Datasal are next, as this Gothenburg's trio's debut arrives. Acoustics (Miyazawa flute / Fender bass) and electronics (Roland RS-09 / Korg Mono) collide; prog rock meets post punk meets dance; outside organised compositions to improvise to the beat.

Side two leads back to the origin. 84PC, the dormant Tel Aviv collective that developed out of the city's Michatronix Crew (featuring Katzele, Naduve, Asaf and Yovav), return with a previously unreleased remix from Khidja. Their "Welcome To The Pleasuredome" moment is peak time perfection.

To close Barcelona's Iro Aka arrive with another debut. Having dispatched edits on Hard Fist and 44,100Hz Social Club, their bubbling 303 is a tender dreamtime finale that points ahead.

Unison Wax 01 as a whole is an exercise in classy, reduced house for the summer generation. A-side 'Seize' crashes into force, with unapologetic bass that seems to be breaking at the seams. Perfect for building or taking it down, it's simple, four-four quality as dusty hats scatter and float around the top. Then the keys hit, sizzling and singeing at the edges like they've been left on the grill too long, before the whole thing melts into the break. It's hot summer garage house for late evening breakdowns. Flip it over and the vinyl takes on a distinctive darker flavour. 'Groundhog' plays smooth, reduced house elements against a driving, deep bassline that rumbles and pushes you on. Around that coils softly pulsating synths that swell in and away from you before the tooly, smooth finish reduces to a close. 'Special Treatment' is smoother though. Dusty shakers, jacking claps, druggy synths and a rolling, questioning bassline shows a deeper, darker shade of Berlin house before it casually pumps its way to the close.

Dutchman PTDD has boarded the Pleasure Express with a cleverly crafted, hard-to-pin-down 4 track EP. While each track is unique in it’s own refreshing way, his secret recipe clearly contains all of the dancefloor essentials: snappy break-ish drum designs, hypnotic (r)evolutionary synths & intergalactic basslines.

Limited promo stock !

Longing melodies, warmly distorted harmonies based on deep house foundations.

4 years can feel like a really long time – “Long Time No See“ was Achim Maerz’ frst Wake Up! EP back in 2013, “It’s Been A While“ is his frst track on Metal and Machines and it’s good to see that some things don’t change. it’s a true Achim Maerz track – focused on longing melodies, warmly distorted harmonies based on deep house foundations. “Listening To Machines“ features a kickdrum like a steam hammer in factory hall. For the right mind, even a factory can be an inspiring place.
Benjamin Brunn’s “Iron Copper Gold“ follows his manner of creating timeless and eternal soundscapes. It is less playful and takes the tension to higher grounds. Just like metal, it’s cold being touched and it doesn’t take long until it reaches body temperature. The fourth track Express Mode“ was released on Benjamin Brunns Drop LP in 2015. Achim Maerz’ remix sounds like a screwed-down uptempo house track – slow and heavy, but Benjamin Brunn’s quirkiness is undeniably there.

First Word Records is pleased to welcome back Souleance with a brand new single for Summer 2022!

'GUILI GUILI' is a double AA side 7" single, with an additional remix by Art Of Tones on the digital version.

French slang for "tickle", 'GUILI' is an epic disco-funk piece inspired by the likes of Azymuth, Herbie Hancock and Marcos Valle, but incorporated with Souleance's trademark sounds of fuzzy bass-heavy electronica, synths and samples, giving the track a fresh contemporary twist. Meanwhile, the (digital only) Art Of Tones mix ramps up the disco elements heavily, incorporating some vocals, strings and horn stabs to create some sure fire heat for the summertime. The flipside 'TORO' is a much more tweaked-out, synth-heavy bomb, influenced by artists such as Prince, Parliament and French electronic club music. All tracks mark the evolution of the duo into a full live band, whilst remaining true to their sonic mission of producing music crafted especially for the dancefloor.

The band have been performing live at various festivals and venues across Europe, with upcoming appearances scheduled at the Pura Vida Festival, Greece in August and Jazz à Vienne in July.

This two-track vinyl 7" / three-track digi-single is released on First Word Records, worldwide on May 27th 2022. Another essential one for your record bags.

Credits:

Bass guitar, synths and programming by Fulgeance.

Scratches and programming by Soulist.

Wurlitzer, Moog grandmother, ASM Hydra synth & Roland Juno 60 by Vincent Choquet.

Mastered by DJ VAS.

Hell Yeah welcomes the Italian musical collective Aura Safari for a debut EP on the label.

The band, who are at the forefront of a new Italian fusion sound that blends jazz-funk, electronic and world sounds, is made up of acclaimed house devotee Nicholas Iammatteo, plus Alessandro Deledda, Lorenzo Lavoratori, Daniele Melloni and Andrea Moretti. They contributed a standout track to the Buena Onda - Balearic Beats compilation last year as well as releasing a full length LP on UK label Church to critical acclaim.

Opener 'Dreams of Music' is a lush, new age groove with rich musicality, wind instruments and live drums all glowing warmly as you roll into sundown. 'Oasis' then sinks into a reflective mood, with lazy drums and sensuous late night chords sounding like Roy Ayers all loved up and super stoned. The noodling keys really melt your heart before the excellent 'Slow Divers' pairs more majestic bass riffs with wet claps and splashing cymbals as a wandering lead drifts up to the heavens. It has a dubby swagger to it that is superbly subtle.

Closing out the EP 'Libra', is a heartwarming, slow motion, jazz-funk fusion packed with detail and life affirming synth playing.

These are gloriously heartfelt tracks that showcase this collective's supreme musical ability as well as their unquestionable understanding of jazz, funk and soul, past, present and future.

L'Eclair's EP shows the band taking new directions and approaches to its commitment to the groove.

Gravity Graffiti is back with a pearl.

A compilation of essential music created to make your nights and days fearless, from house to techno, trough ambient and experimental. A genuine selection of six tracks that speak the same language in different moods. Make your choice: fear or music!