House Novedades

AXNER are Disco Freaks' Chris Davies (Acid Jazz Records) and singer Julia Axner. Their debut 'Got The Look' is a self-empowered celebration of getting your glow on and heading to the club for a boogie. An all original production, featuring drummer Ralph Rolle (Nile Rodgers & Chic), Joel Sarakula on Rhodes, Paul Housden on bass and a super-tight Philly brass section to finish things off. Keeping things analog, AXNER called in Al 'Million Dollar Disco' Kent to give the track the extended remix reel-to-reel treatment. Stripping back the 'Feel Good' vocals, letting that beautiful Rhodes breathe and stirring the track into a dance floor focused crescendo of brass complimented harmonies that legendary Walter Gibbons would be proud of. The instrumental is trimmed down for maximum impact. Perfect percussion ammo for any groove obsessed DJ. Pressed at 45pm for added disco goodness, AXNER's debut is dance floor dynamite that's ready to explode.

This time DOBRO has prepared a release from the dutchman Jan Janssen with amazing remixes from Lay-Far, Scruscru and Juravlove.

For a duo whose youthful energy rejuvenated the world of house music at the start of the 2010s, it seems incredible that Disclosure are now into their second decade of musical life. The incredible vigour of those early records, the spark of invention and ever-onward musical thrust, remains with the Disclosure brothers, Howard and Guy Lawrence, to this day. The emphasis throughout DJ-Kicks is on motion. After a brief ambient introduction from Pépe's Life Signs, Disclosure keep the energy high, in a mix that showcases the wonderful malleability of a house beat in the right hands. From sub bass to disco samples, African funk to 303 tweak, all is welcome in Disclosure's house, with the mix allowing individual songs space to breath even as the pace remains harefooted.

Big name pile up alert! Frankie Knuckles and fellow Chicago producer Ricky Sinz team up for a funky house outing that has classic written all over from the moment its R&B-slanted vocal starts to wind your around its little finger and the pumping, stripped down 80s groove kicks into life. Orlando Voorn delves even further back for inspiration on his remix, shimmering in disco strings, before Ben Sims carves out two harder-edged mixes that nestle neatly on the house/divide, both playing a single bass note off against restless rhythms.

limited pressing

Sergey's second release on his own Funkyjaws Music label ready for summer, vinyl only limited pressing!

Kalita are proud to unveil the first ever compilationvfocussing on the phenomenon of 'Burger Highlife', avcrossover of West African melodies with synthesizers, discovand boogie that took over Ghanaian airwaves during the 1980's and beyond. Highlighting key recordings fromvgenre-defining artists including Thomas Frempong andvGeorge Darko, as well as more obscure sought-after tracksvby elusive bands such as Aban and Uncle Joe's Afri-Beat,vKalita come to the rescue of audiophiles, DJs andvmusic-lovers alike with 'Borga Revolution!' Spread over avdouble-LP housed in a gatefold sleeve. Accompanied by av16-page booklet featuring extensive interview-based liner notes on each artist and never-before-seen archival photos.

CHICAGO'S DJ RAHAAN SUPPLIES SOME SERIOUSLY FUNKY EDITS FOR KAT RECORDS.

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.

Take It Easy is back with the first solo appearance by Bugsy, party co-owner and DJ. "Love For You" open the EP with some acid vocals vibes. Chicago's master Jamie 3:26 gives his groovy and disco-sample reinterpretation to the track on a2. "Sick "And Tired" on b side gives some dreamy, filter-sweeping reverie to the EP. Dirty Channels are back on the label too with their groovy and powerful house remix of "Sick and Tired"

This record is dedicated to Bologna and to all the artists who have contributed to bringing a bit of soul to this label.

Summer 2022 marks the release of Here And There, the new album by the critically acclaimed Ethiopian jazz musician Kibrom Birhane. His third and most adventurous record to date, Here And Thereis a conscious exploration and deep dive into the waters of life; complex yet harmonious soundscapes stem from a diverse range of influences across a broad spectrum, ranging from the sacred and profane, to the pioneering and contemporary. Having absorbed thousand year old Ethiopian orthodox chanting as a child, while expertly acquainting himself with the traditional instruments of the region, Kibrom has focused his diverse musical talents studying past Ethiopian Jazz legends from the 1970s with modern day contemporaries while continuing to reach new depths and discovery. The result of this is the new album Here And There: an inimitable body of work that is a fresh and compelling proposition in today's musical landscape.

Supported by a stellar, multicultural roster of some of LA's finest session players and recorded direct to two inch tape during an intimate live studio session without headphones under the direction of engineer/producer, Kamal de Iruretagoyena Humphrey at Flying Carpet Studios, this latest jewel truly captures Birhane's unquestionable talent. The resulting tracks recall such jazz masterpieces as "Celestial Blues" by Gary Bartz and Joe Henderson's "Earth", creating a special atmosphere within the recording that adds much character to the album as a whole.

The Upbeat Groove of 'Merkato' swings like the outdoor markets of Addis Ababa, while the bossa nova influenced 'Weleta' melds Afro-Latin soul with 1960's West Coast cool. Kibrom offers a stiffing homage to family and community on 'Mender', reflecting furtheron his family ties in 'Enate', a jumping vocal tribute in 11/8 time that features a notable sax solo by Randal Fisher.

Here And There not only delivers the ancient traditional and deep jazz roots of Kibrom's native Ethiopia, but also lifts the listener to a new and unique musical space informed by his work as member of L.A. based Ethio-Cali; an ensemble that boasts such illustrious musicians as Kamasi Washington, Dexter Story, Mark De-Clive Lowe and Todd Simon. In this album, Kibrom has woven Ethiopian Jazz, East-African Funk, Spiritual and Soul Jazz with Psychedelic threads into a rich tapestry of musical colors.

Kibrom Birhane is the future of Ethiopian jazz. He has a deep connection to the past and a vision for the future. His keyboard playing and improvisation reaches the deepest depths of the cosmos inside an unlimited musical universe.

This release takes you on a airy ride and will have you floating on bass. The sexy minimalistic vocals and jazzy elements add an organic sauce to the tracks that tastes very good. Futuristic disco at it's best.

Following the release of SUN, Crackazat’s stellar fourth album, we’re proud to present a limited repress of Evergreen — his debut album on Freerange Records, originally released in 2021. Long sought after by collectors and currently fetching up to £250 on Discogs, the LP is finally available once again — and at a far more reasonable price.

YUNG DUMB is pleased to welcome the return of Westcoast Goddess for the label's first release of 2022. 'Elfin Glamour' is a delicate balance of feel-good melancholia, as the Berlin-based synth wiz comes forward with innovative sample flips over intricate melodies. The EP includes 'Deep Trance City' and 'Girl Who Dreamed Tomorrow', two unearthed DAT recordings from 2002, bringing new life to 20 year old songs.

Local Sugar Diggers features re-edits & reworks of old and rare records from Scru's friends collections.
The series starts with two perfect tunes "Mostly Sunny" a mash-up of some German & Japanese 80's funk, and "Opyat' 25" an obscure Japanese jam spiced with some classic Roland 303 acid sounds.

In 2002, New York producer Ursula 1000 released his groundbreaking, genre-busting album Kinda' Kinky, meshing groovy retro sampladelic licks with modern breaks and beats. For its 20th anniversary this year, Ursula revisits the 60's swinging London mod shaking title track with his own 2022 redux. UK breakbeat master A.Skillz remixes the flipside into a relentless, giggling funky disco monster! The cover design is by world renowned space-age bachelor pad artist Shag.

Marshall McLuhan’s famous edict ‘the medium is the message’ has never been more apt than with regard to modern remix culture. Although the idea of the remix goes way back to the Jamaican dub pioneers and New York disco remixers of the 1970s, the form didn’t truly come into its own until the acid house explosion of the 1980s, when remixers’ credentials often subsumed — and sometimes surpassed — the original source material. Some, among them our lost friend Andrew Weatherall, used remixing as a springboard into multiple other directions, and became auteurs in their own right.

Forged in the white-hot heat of post-acid house Britain, these Heavenly remixes are perfectly weighted with respect and irreverence, the remixer in each case carefully chosen to add heft to the song (as on Al Breadwinner’s dubwise reworking of Mattiel’s ’Guns of Brixton’— the pairing more a game of chess than a best-of-three arm wrestle).

Although Heavenly was founded in the wake of huge upheavals in electronic music, it was still imbued with its own curious parallel life. I’ve always thought of Heavenly as one of the UK’s alt-pop labels; a place where brilliant pop bands live and record, if the general public would only realise. Some of them have ended up in the real, actual charts (Saint Etienne, Doves), but that’s missing the point about Heavenly, who are, like Factory and Fast Product before them, pop music’s conscience.

There is no sense of order to this compilation and we make no apologies. It’s the Heavenly way. Think of it as a present from Loki, the Norse god of mischief. You’ll find a smattering of older tracks: album openers Saint Etienne are taken on a Poseidon Adventure with Underworld, who inject ‘Cool Kids of Death’ with typically manic energy. Elsewhere, ’90s Brum duo Mother add dancefloor pzazz to Espiritu’s innate glamour on an all-funked-up reworking of ‘Los Americanos’, and Mark Lusardi’s remix of Moonflowers’ ‘Get Higher’ is an early Heavenly classic.

On ‘Terracotta Warrior’, a perfect, psyched-out, Mancunian union is created betwixt Jimi Goodwin and Andy Votel, whilst Goodwin cohort Simon Aldred, in his Cherry Ghost guise, receives a proper Tamla-Motowning from Richard Norris (aka Time & Space Machine) on an inspired cover of Cece Peniston’s glam-house hit, ‘Finally’.

There are several of Heavenly’s current darlings here too. One of the most exciting young British prospects, Yorkshire’s Working Men’s Club, effectively remix themselves, as Minsky Rock — WMC’s Syd Minsky-Sargeant and producer Ross Orton — cleave ‘X’ into a riotous industrial racket. Jagwar Ma’s Jono Ma takes the Kraftwerkian leitmotif on ‘Automatic’ and drives the Australian jazz-funkers Mildlife down an electro-convulsive psychedelic tunnel (thankfully no-one was harmed during the making of this remix); Sheffield’s DJ Parrot and Jarvis Cocker deliver one of the outstanding remixes of 2018, turning Baxter Dury’s ‘Miami’ into a lovelorn minor opera; and, making its first appearance on vinyl, David Holmes’ Unloved project is taken on a panoramic Welsh waltz thanks to Gwenno.


There may well be no rhyme, nor reason, to how these compilations have been put together, beyond the fact that they are assembled with love, an innate understanding of the power of great pop music, and a skilled marriage of song and remixer — but does one really need anything more than that for an album to make sense? I’d suggest not.

Whether or not they are actual twins, Shiho and Yuhiro do create magic on their Basic Fingers debut.

Both of them have made edits and reworks for quite some time and the idea of combining their crate digging skills with their love for edits is nothing short of brilliance.

On the A side, the Twins goes all in with 'Magic Theme', a driving percussive, exploding latin groove that's relentless in its dance floor and chin stroking pleasures.
It's heavy on rhodes and jazz funk solos, a jazz dance bomb for the peaktime hours, what's not to like?

They also bring us 'It's Bright', a joyously celebratory piano jam, the perfect fit for your sunshine filled dancefloor.

Enjoy !

Here's a pairing you know will taste delicious, The Patchouli Brothers & Dino Soccio sharing two quick bites on a 7”, a cheerful tumble of great ingredients.

3 expansive edits of Turkish funk and psychedelia, each dubbed out through tape delays and spring reverbs, as well as carefully EQ-ed and mastered for an enhanced sonic experience.

Side A kicks off with the low slung funk of 'Ayçiçegi', featuring an infectious bassline which weaves between subtle flashes of spring reverb, whispered vocals, each underpinned by pounding drums. Side B begins with 'Biz Burdayiz' , a relentless drum loop and singular vocal hit looped around and manipulated with tape delays, and the record closes with 'Günesi Kesin', a tense funk break which builds before reversing inside of itself. Hand stamped vinyl only.

The Konduko series features Noel Williams (King Sporty) working with other artists and singers on the label's roster, and continues with the killer boogie 'You're In My Pocket' by Reanna Coleman.

While little is known about Ms Coleman - beyond the fact that she was an R&B singer who was part of Betty Wright's 'Miami Sound' backing troupe - here she is stepping up in front of the mic for a one off release - backed by an esteemed team of writers and producers including the legendary Tommy Stewart.

Stewart's standing in disco history is guaranteed by his classic eponymous solo album, and the boogie classic 'Bump And Hustle Music'. He has also written for the likes of Loleatta Holloway, Tamiko Jones, Mad Dog Department. Fellow writer Julian Chatman was an established composer in his own right, for Salsoul, T.K Disco and AVI Records.

All based in Florida, teaming up with Noel Williams was a logical step. Working with members of Stewart's own band, the marriage can be heard from the first bars. Williams' funk and JA influenced bass is pulled back and a laidback, horn-intersected boogie groove underpins Coleman's warm, gliding lyrics. Now a mega rarity, here it comes in vocal and instrumental, it is backed with the latest Discomix for the label, welcoming back digger, dealer and DJ, Nick The Record to create his own version. Gently cutting between versions, with deft dub touches to bring this latest Konduko delight up to date.

NYC Disco and House legend Danny Krivit has 45 years in the DJ game under his belt and having played endless gigs all over the world during that time it's safe to say the original Mr.K knows exactly what he's doing when it comes to this DJ thing! Pair Danny with his long time collaborators and family King Street Sounds and you're having a party! This is exactly what happened in 2001 when the label asked him to contribute to their legendary 'Mix the vibe' series where top flight selectors like Danny get to dig deep and produce a fresh DJ mix for the label. Now, you know the quality control is going to be sky-high on a project like this and this limited DJ sampler featuring tracks from the compilation proves just that!
All featured tracks have been fully licensed from King Street, remastered and reissued with %100 involvement from the label. Essential House music for the seasoned heads and neophytes alike!

Voilaaa is one of the many projects led and produced by Bruno “Patchworks Hovart, who’s proven over the past 15 years, his place amongst the finest producers of groove music in all genres. This time exploring the wide spectrum of the African and Tropical Disco scene, he received a massive international support for Voilaaa’s two first album, On te l’avait dit, and Des Promesses. Following to that success and pursuing the same direction combining of the festive, yet sometime futile nature of Disco, and the instinctive, deep, sometimes rough nature of African music, Voilaaa’s now presenting a new 4 tracks EP, which will be followed later this year by a new LP.
Another killer package where Patchworks teams up again with longtime partner Pat Kalla, but also with newcomers to the project, like here Ramatou Traore and Ayuune Sule, both bringing great African languages vocals to “Tu mens devant moi” and “Woman Can Do”.

The mysterious Love Drop continues to blend a taste for quality, eclectic grooves with an ear for making DJ versions that will really work the dance floor.

Equal parts spiritual and exotic, but also irresistible, the second instalment on his own Love Drops imprint certainly does not disappoint.

Feel the music !

3 track EP of post-punk NYC disco from 3 members of the legendary LIQUID LIQUID. "GROOVE TO GO" was recorded in the 80s and was due to come out on 99 RECORDS but never did. Now decades later the trio has gone back into the studio to complete it. Hand stamped, 1-sided..

Just what we need, another 4 cuts of essential mayhem that only reinforce what a wonderful world we have. This time we get the official beatdown from one of the best to do it. Front to back & something for all ages! Another limited run of bliss, please be swift!

Telephone Man bring the joy of the Paradise Garage to Mafalda’s Tropic of Love with expansive 17-piece live disco EP, Angel.

A coming together of close friends Nostalgia 77 aka Benedic Lamdin and DrumTalk aka Nathaniel Pearn, Telephone Man fuse the stirring arrangements and technical prowess of library music with a dance floor sensibility drawn straight from the heart of Larry Levan’s NYC.

Imbued with the DNA of iconic library label KPM, the project began as an exercise in disco, written to the KPM brief, complete with the stuttering drum loops, funk guitar licks and euphoric piano breakdowns of classic Sleeping Bag and Dinosaur L recordings.

Angel was then recorded live by a core group of musicians featuring Tom Herbert (bass), Jose Joyette (drums), Kishon Khan (piano), Ross Stanley (Rhodes), Anselmo Netto (percussion), Rob Updergraff (guitar) and Nathaniel Pearn (synths).

They were joined at Fish Factory studio in London by vocalists Jaelee Small and Chantal Lewis Brown and an 8-piece string section arranged and conducted by Giles Thornton, in a scene that recalls the golden era of live disco, when large ensembles of the world’s best musicians would cut live arrangements for the likes of P&P Records, Prelude and Salsoul.

Described by Nathaniel as “warm, deep, colourful music, that wears its influences on its sleeve with pride,” these live recordings were then taken back into the studio, where Benedic and Nathaniel cut them with tape echo, layered additional synths and crafted each track with the extended topography of a Walter Gibbons disco mix.

Presented as a four-track EP, Angel opens with the rolling percussion and heavy piano stabs of the title track, before the lush and opulent strings set the tone for what is an ambitious and astutely executed piece of club-ready disco.

A motorik beat and sparse guitar work line the edges of second track ‘Burning’, where the bass and synths simmer on a groove without letting the intensity drop. The third track ‘Stand Up’ is pure Class Action - all wriggling baselines, wonky cowbells and rising chords - dubbed out for another 6-minute odyssey on the EP’s final track.

The EP was mixed to tape through the MCI console at Fish Factory, and mastered and cut by Frank Merritt at The Carvery in London. That it has landed on Mafalda’s label chimes with the vibrant, sunshine music of her own much-loved DJ sets.

Angel is disco as it should be done, touching the soul and lifting the spirit in the process.

Yellow Vinyl
The first volume of Back To Mine was released back in 1999 by Nick Warren, designed to showcase a selection of tracks you’d find and be heard playing at the artist's home. Selectors have come in the form of New Order, Pet Shop Boys, Fatboy Slim, and Faithless who all dug deep to find their essential at-home listening.

The latest compilers in the Back To Mine series are none-other than the renowned four-piece, Horse Meat Disco. The horsemen are known for their incredibly fun, deep-diving selections, and this shines through in their Back To Mine compilation in flamboyant style.

Over the course of 16 years of their nightclub tenure, they have become a global brand as pinnacle players of the queer party scene in London and beyond, holding down residencies in New York, Berlin, and Lisbon. Their flamboyant nature and incredibly fun, deep-diving selections have made them one of Disco’s most beloved acts.

Across 15 eclectically brilliant tracks, Horse Meat Disco, which comprises Jim Stanton, James Hillard, Luke Howard, and Severino Panzetta expertly traverse through classic disco cuts, wonky dancefloor groovers, and silky smooth soul.

Legito follow up their first single ("Be Happy" which was played by various DJs inc. Giles Peterson, Francois K, Artwork, DJ Harvey and Folamour), with a nod to both Philadelphia soul and Chicago house, in the form of new release "The Old Routine". Describing the frustration of wanting to change in a stressful world over a smooth, head nodding backing track with shuffling house drums for the dancers and gorgeous orchestral strings for the dreamers. The B-side has a deeper house vibe with a conga groove over a nagging guitar line that leads into a synthetic string, drone like breakdown with inspirational spoken word over the top, before bursting back in to the dancefloor groove with driving bass and shuffling hats. Limited repress of 200 copies after intial 100 sold out quickly in 2021.

2 tracks lifted from RBB’s 2015 “Rhymes, Beats & Brass (Remixed)” digi-LP make it to vinyl for the first time - two superb remixes from 2 superb producers Chris Read & Sam Redmore – what’s not to like ?

Plastik People is proud to bring you a new collection of vinyl classics that takes us back to those House & Garage vibes from our most loved era, the 90's. all are rare & hard to find track compiled with love by label owner Marc Cotterell.

Makèz have come a long way since they first sneaked into Amsterdam’s studio 80 at the age of 17 to hand over their demos to Dam Swindle. Those demos led to their debut EP ‘Different planets’ on Heist in 2019 which gained major support from artists like Seth Troxler and Chez Damier. Quickly after, they signed two records on New York based label Let’s Play House. Fast forward two years, and here we are: the release of their debut album “City of all”.

"City of all” shows an admirable level of sophistication and matureness and effortlessly bridges genres across its 13 tracks. You can feel the amount of thought that has been put into this record, with songs happily blending into each other as Makèz submerge themselves in their concept of accidental encounters, inclusiveness and what it means to live in a city like Amsterdam.

On “City of all”, Makèz bring together all the musical influences they’ve picked up in their life as music fans, clubbers and art students. The jazz-funk of opening track “The entrance” feels breezy, casual almost, like the freeform rhythms that are played in a jazz club during soundcheck. That energy also oozes from “Not so different”, which features the smooth vocals of LYMA. There’s a hint of the house-meets-R’n B vibe that made Anderson .Paak the star that he is now. The song is brilliantly funky and shows the songwriting and arrangement talent of Makèz, who cleverly use pop & soul cues to create one of the album’s highlights.

What follows is 4 cuts ranging from the syncopated Balearic funk of “Orbit”, the strings of album title track “City of all”, the organ-led jam “Gonna getya" and the downbeat “Sonder”. Allysha Joy -best known for performing in Melbourne Hip Hop collective 30/70 - is featured on the deep and jazzy cut “Looking up”. If Makèz and Allysha are all looking up, it’s clear they’re seeing the same thing. These kindred spirits perfectly complement each other on this track, where the deep bass, warm harmonies and jazzy percussion prove to be a perfect foundation for Allysha’s rhymes.

Is it an album all about jazz and soulful tracks to listen to at home? Far from that. There’s a nice bit of dance floor-oriented tracks, where the distorted filter funk of “Roselane” featuring Fouk proves to be a highlight along with what is arguably the heaviest cut of the album: “Bent with funk”.

In an EP context, these house tracks would surely do their work, but they really come to life in this album format. No compromise has been made to storytelling and the house tracks all play their part while still standing their ground as powerful club tracks. It’s the expert production and smart arrangement that gives this album its casually funky feel. On “City of all”, Makèz showcase their remarkable talent for writing an album that goes to so many different places, but most of all, just really feels like home.

Enjoy the music,
Maarten & Lars

Controversy, Prince's fourth album, originally released by Warner Bros in 1981 and now re-issued by Rhino with original content.

For the most part, the album was an expansion of its predecessor, 1980's Dirty Mind. This record was considered to be his most political to date. The album was also an important stepping stone from his early works to the more mature song writing of the mid 1980s.

LUXXURY’s luscious edit series is back for another round. What’s on the menu? Four classics like you’ve never heard them before, given that cosmic sprinkling of re-edit magic that turns the dial to hyperspace. Big basslines, looped up ecstasy, echoed out reverberations and reworked mastery. Essential!

Brit Funk at it’s finest! Tony Simmons eye-wateringly expensive ’83 jam ‘I can’t let you go’ backed with Soul Shack’s cosmic masterpiece ‘Galactic Funk’ from 1980, reissued for a new generation.

Stepping up first ‘I can’t let you go’, slaps a smile on your face before you’ve even got 30 seconds in. Harnessing that raw, live instrumentation energy that made up so much of Brit Funk’s charm, a recipe for happiness via a killer drumbeat, heavyweight bassline, dazzling guitars and uplifting vocals. With originals trading hands for close to £200 this reissue will be welcome sight for many.

On the flip, a cosmic kaleidoscope in the form of Soul Shack’s ‘Galactic Funk’. Slap bass at boiling point, synth lines to tingle the spine and raucous chants to send your head to another dimension.

Two Brit Funk gems that you need in your life!

After 3 months holed up in the studio Blair French has emerged to bring you Genes/Space Conductor 7” in support of his forthcoming album The Art Of Us on Rocksteady Disco. The A-side holds the “Loose Fit” mix of “Genes”, where Blair channels his inner Tony Allen for an expertly executed modern psychedelic Afrobeat cut featuring a heavyweight cast of Detroit characters including Todd Modes, John Arnold, and Paul Randolph. On the flip is “Space Conductor”, a cosmic afro broken beat joint with heavy drums, a huge bassline, kora, and Blair’s vocals, exclusively available on this 7” only. Housed in a full color jacket, cut loud to lacquer, and pressed heavy with pride at Archer on Detroit’s east side.

Illegal Jazz Vol. 2 was a strictly limited edition and now finally 2.1 is ready to see the world!
4 Disco-Jazz-Funk from the 70ies reworked by Delfonic & Kapote.

An ecletic musical representation of infamous Rotterdam Jazzclub BIRD with well-known and lesser-known Dutch artists from the black music spectrum, varying from Jazz, soul, hip-hop to electronic music. Compiled by BIRD musical curators Philip Powel and Guido van Dieren.

Freerange Records are thrilled to announce the arrival of Crackazat's latest long-player, the scintillatingly soulful and jazz-enriched masterpiece, 'Evergreen'.

There can be few artists to have emerged in the last decade or so who've made a more indelible mark on the deep house universe than producer, Ben Jacobs, better known as Crackazat. The accomplished musician's effervescent productions routinely hit the sweet spot between elemental dancefloor fire and cerebral musicality – thanks to a propulsive sound combining influences of jazz, house, garage, funk, hip hop, Latin, neo-soul (and far beyond). While he's already forged an instantly recognisable sonic palette all of his own, new album 'Evergreen' represents his most accomplished work to date. Making his full vocal debut while introducing a new level of songwriting prowess to his long-established dancefloor credentials, this is the complete Crackazat.

Composed during – and undoubtedly informed by – these trying times, 'Evergreen' explores themes of adversity and gratitude, arriving as both a masterclass in contemplative songwriting and a celebration of musical influences. Elegantly bridging the gap between the soulful house underground and jazz-flecked crossover realms – inhabited by the likes of Jacob Collier, Thundercat, Tom Misch, and Jordan Rakei – the album echoes of a time where jazz-funk sensibilities and popular appeal were not mutually exclusive. Few artists boast the musical aptitude or creative vision to attempt such a bold fusion of styles, and thanks to its exceptional execution and irresistible appeal, 'Evergreen' is primed to introduce Crackazat's sound to an entirely new audience.

'Evergreen' is endowed with a distinctly live feel throughout, with virtuoso musicianship combined with carefully assembled song structures – elements so often missing in the dance canon. “It's the album I’ve always wanted to make” says Crackazat. Soul-heavy vocals – performed by Jacobs himself – are a cornerstone of the collection, with the power and soul of his delivery proving something of a revelation. “By far the hardest part was getting my vocals to a standard I was happy with,” he says. “So I was over the moon when Freerange responded to the first draft with two thumbs up and a big grin.” The album's arrival on benchmark UK deep house label Freerange feels like a particularly natural fit. When, in 2020, Crackazat started posting clips of himself singing alongside live bass and Rhodes, it quickly piqued the interest of the label's ever alert A&R team. “Crackazat really nails the sonic realm where crunchy house beats inspired by the likes of Masters At Work and Mood II Swing meet contemporary neo-soul and jazz-influenced rhythms,” says the imprint's co-founder, Jimpster. “There’s not many that can fuse the two so well and I get a sense that big things lie ahead for Ben. We're very proud to be able to release this brilliant LP on Freerange!”

Blending the purest forms of deep house with authentic jazz sensibilities, opening track 'Beacon Of Light' lays down a tantalising statement of intent – with its combination of live instrumentation, heartfelt vocal, club-ready beats and compelling arrangement offering a vivid introduction of what's to follow. Illustrating the pop-centric focus of the album, 'Everybody Talks About It' explodes with emotion – its searing vocal rising over shimmering pads and bass before building to a horn-filled crescendo, showcases Crackazat at his song-writing zenith.

The deep disco of 'I'm Easy' sees blissful chords glide over weighted bass as the vocal powers across the panorama, bursting with Quincy Jones-inspired horns above delicately woven keys and raw house drums. Nowhere are the album's meditations on hardship more vivid than on the modern jazz ballad 'Simple Things’, This compelling composition blends shades of Robert Glasper with futurist deep house to dramatic effect.

Fusing modal jazz with UK garage, we segue directly into the warm throes of an enraptured dancefloor via the irresistible bump of 'It's All Different', its soulful vocal embellishing a heavy club rhythm as the trumpet solo and Rhodes chords cascade across the horizon. Title-track 'Evergreen' opens with a sprightly jazz swing before dusty drums add body to the sophisticated instrumentation, presenting jazz and house as a single entity as the well-orchestrated wind instruments, keys and mallets dance over an improvised walking bass line. The distant vocal elevates the track into the stratosphere before the arrangement resolves, neatly leading us into the Collier-esque accapella and vintage jazz aesthetics of 'Cedencia', where signature vocal cadences ascend to celestial heights for an interlude that ushers in a departure from the futurist first-half of the album.

Arriving in the funk-infused second act, the salsa rhythms of 'True Power' intoxicate as they propel the Peven Everett-inspired vocal, with driving percussion skipping over live bass and keys before horns add tension to the groove, dissipating for a dub-heavy outro. The scattered, broken jazz of 'Save Something' finds Crackazat and his live band in full effect. Fiercely dynamic while intellectually riveting, the track incorporates Latin energy with understated cool to devastating effect.

Once again illustrating an unparalleled songwriting prowess, the Hancock-esque e-piano solos, slap bass and enthralling lead vocal of 'Nominee For Love' prove spellbinding as they combine, the sing-along chorus interplaying with buoyant horns for an unfettered celebration of life. Maintaining the celebratory sentiment, boogie-themed 'Thank You' arrives as an exuberant outpouring of gratitude, once again marked by breathtaking orchestration and a proudly positive aesthetic as loose-limbed piano solos and boogie bass cement the track's authentic Stevie meets MAW feel. Finally, the immaculate collection comes to a close with the self-nurturing intention of 'Good Enough', where sparkling chords, emotive synth solos and impassioned vocal merge for an emotional modern soul ballad.

'Evergreen' is nothing short of a triumph, exhibiting all the hallmarks of a future classic while propelling Crackazat into stratospheric artistic dimensions. Expertly fusing primal dance magnetism and jazz dexterity with a flawless production sheen, this remarkable album is destined to find its way into the playlists of a multitude of admirers while enhancing this exceptional artist's already glittering reputation.