House News

Some Crate-digging Compilations Are Often The Result Of Someone Hand-picking Their Choice Favourites From Another Country's Musical History, Perhaps Unaware Or Uninvolved With Its Cultural Lineage In The Process. On Soundway's Latest Release - A Treasure Trove Of Synth Jams, Pop, Samba Boogie, Balearic And Electro From 1980 & '90s Brazil - The Tracks Are Picked By Millos Kaiser, One Half Of The Brazilian Duo Selvagem, Who Are At The Helm Of Throwing Some Of The Country's Best Dance Parties. It's A Rare Compilation That Offers Brazilian Music Actually Picked By A Brazilian.
Whilst Names Such As Ricardo Bomba, Villa Box, Fogo Baiano, Electric Boogies And Batista Junior May Not Be Household Names, They Tell An Untold, Yet Rich And Important Part Of Musical History In Brazil. The Release Also Covers A Decade That Has Been Intentionally Forgotten And Brushed Aside By Many In The Country.
Onda De Amor Is A Release That Is Loaded With Smooth Grooves, Bubbling Bass, Glistening Synthesisers, Funk Strutting Guitar Lines And Sheen Of Production That Undeniably Marks It Of Its Time. For Kaiser This Compilation Is About Reintroducing Music During A Period Of Reappraisal, Catching A New Wave And Hoping Contemporary Listeners Will Ride It With Him. the Idea Is To Do Justice To These Songs. Songs That Combine All The Right Ingredients That Should Have Put Them On
Radio Playlists When I Was Growing Up Or At Least In The Cases Of More Adventurous Djs'.
Millos Kaiser Is A Dj, Digger, Vinyl Junkie/dealer Born In Rio De
Janeiro And Living In São Paulo For The Past 8 Years. He Launched The Dance Party/club Night Selvagem With Partner Trepanado In 2010, Bringing Thousands Of Dancers One Sunday A Month To A Public Square In The Heart Of São Paulo.

Pete Herbert, Afro fusion outfit Oyobi and Neo Soul singer Andre Espeut jump on the train to the South American territories in order to meet Juan Laya & Jorge Montiel for the continuation of their latest sonic excursion: Electropical Part 2.

One year after Michigan-based artist Zach Saginaw released his third album as Shigeto, a genre-blending Detroit love letter called The New Monday, he returns with another eclectic display of affection for the musical community that makes Motor City music tick. The four new tracks on his Weighted EP, including a sumptuous remix from Detroit house luminary Andrés, continue to rene and augment the patchwork of jazz, hip-hop, and electronics that Shigeto has built his catalog with.

But far be it from Saginaw to repeat himself. Whether it's the heavy, disjointed beats of "Fight Club" or the vibey house roller "The Line Up (feat. Ian Fink)," Weighted drops as many low-key surprises as it does smokey grooves. A track as blown-out and deceptively simple as "Ooh Ooh" might at rst feel like an anomaly coming from Shigeto—once the cacophonous production settles in, however, it clearly bears the mark of a master producer exing new muscles. And that's true of Weighted as a whole. Saginaw is pushing his music into fresh spaces, forming imaginative shapes while keeping his focus on the city and culture that so deeply inspires him.

- Features remix from Detroit produces Andrés
- Transparent purple vinyl

After Noticed Releases And Sold Out References For The First Two, N&b Innovates With This Various At The Edge Of The House, Between Balearic, Deep And Nu-disco. Eager To Mix Styles And Influences By Inviting Long-time Favorites And Close Entourage, It's Now Done. Joining The Canadian Roberto S, A Vision Of Panorama From St. Petersburg And The French Léon Revol And Too Smooth Christ. Without Forgetting Folamour And Tell, Respectively Composers Of The First And Third Opus Of The Label Who Reoffend So.

Goddard is next up on Church White with three hazy nuggets, alongside a remix from your fave house band Session Victim.

It is with great honour that Emotional Rescue comes back to the music of Jaki Whitren & John Cartwright for a special 7" of two previously unreleased songs on to vinyl for the first time in That Will Be That and This Time. Originally part of the International Times reissue project (ERC004) in 2013, the songs have previously only been available on CD and digital formats as 'out-takes'. However, all that time the plan was to release the songs as a stand-alone vinyl release at some point.
Discussion with John continued over the years and the plan was for a release as part of the label's fifth anniversary, until sadly the project was put on hold due to the untimely loss of both Jaki and John in late 2016. The recent repress of their masterpiece that is their privately pressed album, International Times, led to these songs being revisited for the first time since and so here at last are both available together, as much in homage to these two wonderful musicians. More than studio-plus recordings, That Will Be That actually appeared in rerecorded form on the couple's Rhythm Hymn album of 1983. Here though is the original (and superior) version, with all the hallmarks of classic Whitren and Cartwright song writing craft, musicianship and production skill. Again remastered by their son (and at the time, teenage drummer) Joby Baker, the song drips with a confidence of masters of their instruments, full heartfelt, righteous and as relevant today as then lyrics, all backed with some deep white funk and enough soul to move mountains. This is accompanied by one of their greatest compositions in the spine-tingling This Time. Only ever known on this live recording from Glastonbury Hall, Jaki's vocals and light accompaniment from John's keys let the song shine. If the sheer power of her voice and words don't move you, then something is missing in life. A pure, sad, joyous way to thank and remember this wonderful music and people.

Time for some completely fresh business from a relative newcomer to the scene, though we're sure the name Cosmonection will be on your radars soon enough. The Parisian producer knocked us off our feet with a beautiful debut back in March this year on the fledgling Pont Neuf imprint. His '10 Feet Before The Horizon EP' was loaded with the just the kind of spaced- out, synth-heavy deep late night house that gets us all aquiver over here, so when a demo popped into the inbox we were all over it like a donkey on a waffle.

Here we present you with the Menorca EP; three blissed-out synth jams which explore the space between Balearic euphoria and Detroit futurism. On the title track a mournful Moog lead takes centre stage floating over a rising chord progression whilst punchy 909 drums bring the groove to the dance floor.

Next up, You picks up the pace for a deep and dubby house workout where soft focus pads converge with clattering percussion. Fragments of chiming melody bouncing around the stripped back groove.

Flipping over we have Light which shows Cosmonection at his most musical, layering up arpeggiating synths lines through a slowly building intro until a heavy groove with hefty kick joins the scene. The arrangement ebbs and flows as the rhythm drops out, rising synths creating anticipation and tension. This track feels like an ambitious fusion of musical styles and textures with 90's ambient colliding with Underground Resistance and coming up with a fresh sound for 2018 in the process.

Rounding off the record we have Delusions regulars, DJ supremos and all- round good guys Session Victim taking the reins on a remix of You. Keeping the warm, feel-good pads, the German duo inject a new found shuffle to the groove, bringing a wide-screen sensibility which adds a sublime yet dance-floor pleasing dimension to the release.

TYR number 5 is here from emerging artist GMG. This Berlin based producer is a classically trained jazz musician and you can hear it shining through each carefully crafted composition. On the B side we start out with a top-tier remix from D_Roots, who delivers one of the most solid grooves of the year. These tracks are like nothing we'd ever heard before; they are truly original. Hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Love Not Sex is the second Stubb 12" from Paper Recordings' Ben Davis.

The original is a melancholic slice of sunshine that draws inspiration from MOR and blue-eyed soul with a hefty dose of Balearica.
Acoustic guitars, Rhodes, live drums and strings plus Crazy P's Tim Davis on bass provide the perfect cinematic backdrop for the plaintive vocals of Huw Costin (Torn Sail) and Rachel Foster.

Japanese edit hero Mori Ra delivers his first ever remix and its a doozy. Keeping the bones of the original track, he takes it in to dark psychedelic waters with the help of former_airline's tripped out guitar.
A spoken vocal tips it in to full balearic wonkiness that will have the likes of DJ Harvey and Bjorn Torske getting hot under their disco beards.

Bergen's Leca employs his trademark stripped back crisp production for a warm, dreamy remix. Steel guitar, clicks, whirrs and a Nordic playfulness make for a cosmic journey in to the Northern Lights.
The 12's will be a limited run of 300, screen printed in West Yorkshire by The Egg Factory with artwork by artist Rachel Johns in a project that celebrates community and collectivism.

Dancing queen and DJ based in Stockholm DJ Clea - debuts on Hot Haus Recs with an EP of South African inspired Scandinavian house cuts including a Bell Towers Remix.

Phillipi & Rodrigo's 'Paciencia' (DEEWEE033) is the next taste of the Brazilian duo's debut longplayer, recorded, produced and mixed at Studio DEEWEE in Gent. Boasting songs about the cosmos, relationships, nostalgia and signs of the Zodiac, the album, also called 'Paciencia', will drop early next year on DEEWEE.

Released 9 November on all formats, 'Paciencia' (single) is 5 minutes of hypnotic Balearic goodness, chattering synths and a floor-skimming groove. Wrought by the hands of the Dewaele brothers, the transatlantic DEEWEEDUB sports a cunning percussive build-up before shedding its skin and heading straight for the heart of the dancefloor.

'Paciencia' follows Phillipi & Rodrigo's two previous DEEWEE singles, 'Mantra'/'New Beach' (DEEWEE017), and 'Karma'/'Gueto De Gent' (DEEWEE010).

Emotional Rescue returns to the music of Elaine Kibaro with a special 7" single to accompany the Pour L'Amour album collection (ERC066). Here then are two bonus versions of songs from the LP with a unique Arabic recording of her "hit" Aurore and also, the previously unreleased on vinyl instrumental version of her balearic / boogie jam, Ne Doute Pas.

Having moved from Tunisia to France at the age of 13, Kibaro's duel sensibility has long been apparent in her music and performance. The early success of her debut 7" De L'autre Cote Du Miroir in 1977, was soon followed by her most 'successful' song in Aurore, first released as a 7" in 1978, before appearing again as 9 minute extended version on the 1979 Miroirs LP.

In the same year she recorded a special 7" single on the little known World Music label. Singing the lyrics in Arabic - renamed here to its true translation - much else remained the same. The music of the original, the spoken intro soon gives way to what is essentially a leftfield disco groove, with building strings, funky bass and some late archetypal 70s Euro drumming. Atop this the vocals are delivered in Kibaro's ubiquitous chanson delivery, her heartfelt singing, the congos breakdown and then chorus, as the songs builds, all lead to head-nodding smiles all round.

With this is Ne Doute Pas. A stand out from Pour L'Amour, the vocal version appeared in 1989 as a single and on the now sought after, Kiroel album. This instrumental simply let's the music shine. A Linn rise and fall bassline, soft, layered keys and mode horns are run and rerun in a catchy, incessant flow like a PWL demo. The 10 years between the 2 tracks is apparent in the instrumentation but the link between the two - Kibaro herself - is clear and worth enjoying for that.

Special Limited Series on Life an Death with Limited Presale Time = "Blitz"

As a delightful taster for his upcoming debut album called 'Between A Smile And A Tear' on Music For Dreams, Danish artist Be Svendsen launches his new vocal driven - the weird and wonderful deep disco single 'Drop The Gun'
World premiered by Pete Tong on BBC1, and already harnessing great momentum in Ibiza and the summer festivals, this crossover track is very likely to stick in your head.
Produced, arranged, mixed, played and sung by Be Svendsen

The spiritual and uplifting music of Clifford White is highlighted with two of his most sought after songs, taken from his 1989 album The Lifespring, and presented here in a special extended 12" for the first time. Starting in music production at just 15, White could be described as a protegee, however his take is that they were part of a music journey that continues today. With a centre found in electronic music and spirituality, his progress, from simple home use 4-track stereo to working in professional 16-tracks studios was swift, but matched by a deeper appreciation, greater confidence and wider palette of music styles. Utilising his love of early samplers, his first use of the Akai S612 to accompany and expand his keyboard recordings saw continued development from his debut album at just 17 with Ascension (1985), to the follow up Spring Fantasy (1987) and on to The Lifespring (1989). A small review in the local paper literally led to a knock at the door and offer of a deal from the Start (State Of The Art ) label to record his next album. With a subsequent advance, professional studio equipment was hired and out of these sessions his sound expanded to include ambient, orchestral, synth pop and even ballads. From this both Lifestream and Rain Trek emerged. With a love of Jean Michel Jarre's Oxygene in mind, Lifestream's smooth beginning soon gives way to the pulse of an arpeggio driven groove. Aiming for "relaxation with an edge", the track has become a secret play for the more Balearic minded DJ in the decades since and now sees the LP trade for dizzying sums. However, the original is achingly brief, gracefully fading as part of the album's journey. Here though, with DJs and collectors in mind, White returns to the song to craft a specially extended version that completes the song and will be appreciated at sunsets across the globe. Seeking to take the music and listener to another place, Rain Trek took White's interest in Sci-Fi and the mystic powers of water to a rightful conclusion. The healing nature of his music is apparent, the mystery, yearning and travelling, all emotions evident, but with a kick that will grace the more enlightened dance.

The Second Single of Prins Thomas brand new - 5th Album - gets unveiled with a Remixes and Bonus Beats by our dear friends - The Pilotwings ! Tracklist: PTM003A_Prins Thomas - Lunga Strada (The Pilotwings _Bubble-Zouk_ Remix) PTM003B_Prins Thomas - Lunga Strada (The Pilotwings Bonus Beats) Thomas on 'Lunga Strada' : The track that took me the longest to complete hence the 'long road". Personal favourites The Pilotwings from Lyon sent over 2 ridiculously good and fun remixes

Edits Disco, Balearic, Merengue, CLUB KILLER ! ! !

"Emotional Rescue presents French 80s electronic band Takenoko and their unique and quirky euro synth-pop, here as collected works from 1982 to 1988. The compilation includes their 3 singles plus a number of unreleased songs heard for the first time. Formed in 1981 when Bruno Aujard, Jean Louis Simonet and Jean Michel Louisor met in Bordeaux, France, the trio took their admiration of post punk bands like Talking Heads and Gang Of Four and mixed it with the pioneering sound of Kraftwerk and the new wave of UK electronic bands and set about composing songs with the simple aim to make people dance. Encompassing their interest in Japanese culture, Takenoko, meaning young bamboo shoot - a metaphor for teenager in Japan - was born.
Initial demos were soon signed and Elle a Tokyo was released on 7" in 1982. A vision of the Far East garnered from magazine stories of Geishas, robots and the arrival of the modern, movement of designers, such as Yohji Yamamoto.Their second single, Lee Harvey Oswald, didn't appear until 1985. This time darker, the song reflects on the assassination of Kennedy from the perspective of infamy. Questioning human relations became a theme, the contrast and under-lying violence between them.
Their final single, Trans Amor Express, was released in 1988 and expressed their synthesized euro pop to the max, transporting the listener across a world of sensuality and was backed by anthemic John Wayne, also included here, as with all, in remastered form.
Recording throughout this period, 4 unreleased songs are fully realised for the first time. From the driving Pas de Petit Garcon dans mon Avion to the leftfield leanings of Les Guerriers, the Yello-esque Love Is My Weapon and finally, the off kilter closer, Rendez-vous a Malibu, the band finally can be heard as intended, a perfect encapsulation of a new, optimistic, European sound, transposed by the technologies coming to hand."

Claremont 56 Continues To Champion New, Previously Unheard Talent With 'ready To Die', The Stunningly Beautiful And Catchy Debut From Bel Aka Charlie Bell - A Young, Liverpool Based Singer-songwriter, Musician And Producer Who Has A Huge Future Ahead Of Him. 'ready To Die' Is An Emotion-rich Chunk Of Catchy, Loved-up Balearic Pop With Heart-aching, Gut-wrenching Lyrics About Unrequited Love, Bell's Debut Is As Catchy, Infectious And Heartfelt As Anything The Label
Has Released To Date - As Proved By Lauren Laverne's Decision To Champion The Record On Her Bbc 6 Music Show.
Such Was His Love For The Song, Murphy Decided To Remix It For Release, Completing Extended Vocal And Instrumental Versions That Enhance The Track's Sun-kissed, Glassy-eyed Appeal. Both Mixes Are Magical, With The Vocal Version In Particular Capable Of Making The Hairs On The Back
Of Your Neck Stand To Attention.
Bell's Impassioned Vocal And Breezy Acoustic Guitar Playing Naturally
Takes Centre Stage, With The Track's Sweeping Synth-strings, Toasty
Bass And A Few Trademark Murphy ourishes - Think Well Placed Delays
And uid Electronics - On Hand To Amplify The Song's Bittersweet Mood.

Label Soviett Presents New Vinyl Release "plastinka #2". The Release Includes Deep House Track From Japanese Producer Satoshi Fumi And Three Tracks From Russian Producers: Balearic House Track From Ivan Starzev Disco House Track From Iner And Beach Disco Track From Evneniy Svalov.

The Secret Seapony debut E.P. with 4 pieces of varied cuts. Joined by Hillevåg dwellers: Afrahis JJ, Tom Ace & Ulli. Introduced with scattered morse codes pumped into deep turquoise oceans from the acidic dubmarine. Chiming lost triangles of Bermuda-trance w/ solid squared TB 303-bubbles and deep MS10 waves.

B-side greets nature with an uplifting melodic percussion session lead by JJ´s solid DX´ing and playful muranidaes. Last cut comes with full blesselse and merges into a bliss trip w/ Tom Ace & Ulli.

Norwegian Seapony Power!

Blair French returns to Rocksteady Disco after last year's brilliant Standing Still IsAn Illusion for another 12' of mind, body, and soul music. Public Park' starts off the release, with flutes, guitars, and African marimbas abound, presenting itself as the song of the summer. Spirit Guides' follows, taking listeners and dancers on a spiritual afro jazz odyssey. The flip features two versions of Public Beach', a communal ecstatic dance meets Detroit Jit footwork cut with a massive bassline, pulsing percussion, and harmonized chanting, constructed for open­minded dance floors and deejays. Limited to 300 vinyl, TIP!

Having pinned to perfection the sonics of the Adriatic, Croatia's Love International Festival bottles up their blissed out rhythms and sunrise sessions for the inauguration of Love International Recordings, fittingly, with a first release from UK producer Begin.

Bringing the Love International feel to wax and digital, the label will encapsulate the range of music the festival's secluded party paradise has become renowned for. All the way from the balearic tinges of this first release, to the meatier house, techno and electro selections on show at Barbarellas.

Begin aka James Holroyd has a long history with Love International. Dating back to the early 2000s, Holroyd was one of the first guest DJs at the old Garden festival on the former festival site in Petrcane. Long serving Chemical Brothers tour DJ, Back to Basics resident since the 90's and Bugged Out co founder, Begin has long paid his paid his dues to the scene. In the words of Dave Harvey: 'he's been an absolute workhorse in dance music for time'.

Love International 001's tracks seemingly fit the festivals own daily lifecycle. From the docile guitar picking of meditative EP opener 'Wood Trees' to the slow daybreak funk of 'Daypulse' where synths pierce through the track like sun rays through the Adriatic dusk, the EP is a holistic reflection of what one might hear at one of the festival's fabled sunrise sessions. 'Garden Interlude' ushers in a fresh burst of energy, with the revitalizing sounds of piano house, paired with warming neo soul vocals. 'Into The Fun' is a self fulfilling prophecy, closing the EP on a quintessentially balearic note.

"Cherrystones. The Man. The Legend. The Beanie. The Sunglasses iz here !! Simba King - Afro ronger whizzer Pork King - La la la Skeletons King - Ace caffffe rockerz Topical King - Comme ca Kong King - Wammer bammer mammer Bouncer Shit King - Les dance des HONK Cherrystones peoplez takeover !! "

Max Essa - Lanterns is a brand new artist album from the Japanese based Producer & DJ and his first release on Copenhagen's Music For Dreams label.
'Tranquility, alone in a taxi riding through empty streets, neon fades into sunrise. A refuge from the disorientating energy of the night. The sleeper train to Izumo. An Okinawan beach at dusk. ' Max Essa
"An LP of music that makes you imagine you're floating on a calm sea, underneath a blanket of stars." Balearic Mike
'A delight from start to finish. The sound of 2018 taking a siesta on the beach.
Undoubtedly one of the albums of the year' David Pickering (One Million Sunsets)
Max Essa has been active as a DJ and producer since the early 90s, initially releasing music on labels such as Warp Records and Paperecordings and DJing alongside the infamous D.i.Y Sound System. His recent work, for labels like Is It Balearic Recordings, has been play-listed by the likes of Andrew Weatherall and the late David Mancuso, gaining him a devoted following around the world.

2015 saw his first release with a major label in the shape of the 'Vacations Never Taken' CD for Victor Entertainment (Japan). The same year also found him completing another round of world-wide DJ bookings in Brazil, Indonesia, and Vietnam to name but a few.

2018 sees Max continuing his hectic weekly DJ schedule in Tokyo as well as playing the length and breadth of Japan from Sapporo to Okinawa, and releases are scheduled this year for Hell Yeah!, Music For Dreams, Palms & Charms, and Aficionado.

For this EP, Jófríður Ákadóttir has re-recorded some of the finest songs from her bands and solo-projects (JFDR, Samaris, Pascal Pinon) with new string arrangements. These versions have a simple, inherent beauty that is juxtaposed with their seething, stark intensity.

To replace the original arrangements with strings was originally planned as a one-off event: When preparing a Pascal Pinon performance in Portugal, Jófríður asked NYC-based composer Ian Davis to help her re-arrange four tracks. After the show Jófríður realized that the material deserved to be captured.

The featured songs were chosen from the repertoire of JFDR (her solo project) and Pascal Pinon (the duo she forms with her sister Ásthildur). There were no objective selection criteria: - I chose the songs that called for strings, songs that I was interested in continuing their story', Jófríður says. - Making this EP was meant to cast new light onto old bodies, to explore what is song and what is arrangement'. Indeed, the arrangements establish a fresh perspective on the selected songs (except for - My Work' - as the track will appear on a forthcoming JFDR album). Being freed from genre, these versions also expose JFDR's voice and its dynamics— the absence of beats gives her vocal performance new possibilities.

The EP was recorded live in a studio in Reykjavík, where Jófríður was joined by producer Albert Finnbogason, her sister Ásthildur (additional vocals and piano) and a string quintet. Ian Davis also made it to the recording sessions and brought two new transcriptions: - I wanted to have moments of clear simplicity juxtaposed with more dense, experimental passages. Sometimes the strings are just holding root notes and simple chords and other times they open up into more contrapuntal and textural moments', Ian explains. As a result, you'll find both moments of modest beauty as well as intensely seething passages. Even if Jófríður's voice clearly is the main attraction here, this EP - as she emphazises herself - is a collective work of those involved: - Trusting your collaborators is the truest gift'.

Edits label from the party series in Berlin, Germany. Balearic, Disco, Hi-NRG

Summer Mode On. BALEARIC 4, compiled by Breese, is the soundtrack for summer, brim-full of beach-ready tunes that truly reflect Ibiza's chilled musical spirit. Featuring two album exclusives: On-U Sound's cosmic fla-menco dub of Los Twangueros and a Breese remix of Robot 84 that brings Spanish guitars firmly to the fore. Digital exclusives too; Quinn Luke's 'Different Aspirations' offers 'I-know-this' familiarity, Emerson Kitamura covers 70s classic 'Rock Your Baby' in lullaby style, while Max Manetti's 'Changuinola' winks back towards the Happy Mondays circa 1989. Other highlights include Gallo's 'Faron' - currently proving the sunset bomb with Ibiza DJs; J-Walk's modern remake of Maze's 'Twilight'; Fuga Ronto's Rework of Kay Zee's 'Barny' as a modern-day down-tempo beauty, plus Joe Morris' 'Skies Reprise', which carries the mood dreamily off into the night. A dozen true pearlers, each one confident and ready to take their place amongst any quality collection.

Liai is the audio/visual project of Lo Bise, a Chicago-based experimental electronic musician and recent graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Working largely with digital platforms such as Ableton Live and Max MSP, they create pieces inspired by Minimalist composition, techno and ambient.

Recorded 2016-2017 in Chicago, IL Art and music by Lo Bise

The Brooklyn duo of Bryce Hackford and Joakim teamed up again, this time as Joyce, 2 years after their debut as Jhack.
.
/A two track 12' featuring a thumping and heady psychedelic deep house groove, in a classic Prescription zone, on the A-side ( Bubbles'). On the B-side, Die Siesta' is a tribal ode to the Balearic art of napping, a moody live percussion improvisation jumping down the bpm and floating on filtered piano chords.

General Purpose brings you Len's latest offering, Initials. An electronic experimentation in forward-thinking Balearic music.

Originally written between 2014 and 2015, these discarded, lost ideas persisted enough to require further investigation. Taking a pause between his dub explorations, Initials is the result of this inquiry.

Two of Russian electronic music's rising stars, Phil Gerus and Alexander Lay-Far, invite you to join them at the Solitary High Social Club. While table service is provided, they'd much rather you throw caution to the wind and head to the dancefoor.
Before joining forces in the studio, both Moscow-based musicians have delivered a string of memorable solo productions. Lay-Far has previously released a wealth of material on such labels as Local Talk, City Fly, Lazy Days and 4Lux Black, while synthesizer fetishist Gerus has showcased his electrofunk and disco-fred cuts on Futureboogie Recordings, Sonar Kollektiv, Public Release
and Superior Elevation Records.
The fve tracks that make up Solitary High Social Club deliver a perfect marriage of the two producers' distinctive solo styles, combining the rich musicality of Lay-Far's house productions with the spacey, intergalactic electronics of Gerus's discoid adventures. In many ways, it's a marriage made in heaven - or in Lay-Far's celebrated In-Beat-Ween Studio, at least.
The duo's spacey and melodious musical fusion is arguably best exemplifed by lead cut City 2 City, Star 2 Star', a widescreen, mid-tempo disco epic rich in tactile Rhodes riffs, supernova synth solos, delay-laden drum beats, tumbling melody lines and heavy analogue bass. Fittingly, the track returns in Reprise' form - think sweeping, weightless ambient bliss - to round off the EP.
Elsewhere, the duo provides further proof of their combined musical talents.
Check, for example, the gentle drum machine electro beats, cascading new age melodies and sparkling, stretched-out synthesizer chords of the impeccably beautiful Am I Tripping', or the devilishly percussive, mind-altering brilliance of Love Life', where mutant electro bass, wide-eyed chords and alien melodies rise above a heavy, Afro-infuenced groove. As for Snowfakes On Her Lips', you'll struggle to fnd a more confdent and positive dancefoor workout all year. Blessed with killer piano parts, darting analogue synth-bass and a range of disco-tinged musical fourishes, it's by far and away the most celebratory moment on an already happy-go-lucky EP. It confrms, too, our initial hunch: at the Solitary High Social Club, life is always good.

Claremont 56's latest beguiling two-tracker is as picturesque, sun-kissed and humid as they come. It may surprise some, though, to fnd that the artist behind these intoxicating tracks is
not an experienced creator of wide-eyed Balearic fare, but rather a little-known but fast-rising producer from Moscow.
Alterleo is the production alias of Denis Leonovich, a television sound producer who has spent his spare time making music for the best part of ten years. He released a handful of
danceoor-focused EPs (mostly on local label National Techno) at the dawn of the decade, before retreating to the shadows to experiment further in order to develop his own trademark
sound. Last year he resurfaced via a track on a two-part vinyl compilation
It's this exotic new direction - inspired, Denis says, by his desire to join the dots between psychedelic disco, Balearica and tribal rhythms - that's showcased on the producer's Claremont 56 debut, which also marks his frst solo vinyl excursion. Both tracks are underpinned by gentle, undulating tribal rhythms, and include sounds and melodies crafted by the producer on kalimba, vargan and some of the small native instruments that form part of his
growing collection of such items.
A-side 'Sunset Sparks' is a thing of rare beauty: a dreamy, humid and tropical excursion in which uttering ute melodies and delay-laden African vocals gently rise above slowly-shifting
chords, psychedelic electronics and a synth bassline so squeezable that you could use it as a stress ball.
Denis's love of bold synth basslines is also evident on ipside cut 'Boma', a slightly bolder and more polyrhythmic excursion whose sparkling melodies, fuzzy guitar motifs, Jew's Harp
lines and foreboding aural textures create a quietly trippy mood. Some may note the inuence of Jan Schulte's Wolf Mueller project, but Denis has crafted a mesmerizing signature sound
all of his own.

(LP+CD


"I use music as a medium to talk to other people", Sun Ra once revealed. The Düsseldorfer Stefan Schwander would agree with this statement by the avant-garde jazz great, though he would not necessarily sign his name to it. He also speaks to people through music. Yet he also likes to let music talk to music. Since 2008, as Harmonious Thelonious, on numerous EPs and two albums, he blends the reduced patterns and structures of American minimalist music with African, Latin American and Caribbean rhythms. For his new work "Santos", which he sees as an LP with a unified concept, he embarked on a mental journey to the north of the African continent and became entranced by Moroccan trance music. The resulting pieces are light, with traces of pop, interweaving the atmospheres of the Master Musicians Of Joujouka and Gnawa music with the driving force of techno. This time Schwander invited a handful of guest musicians to serve as sound sources. The Berliner Ghazi Barakat, former bass player of Stereo Total and man behind the psychedelic experimental project Pharoah Chromium, contributed modified sounds from his Moroccan flute. A second guest musician is the Cologne-based composer Volker Zander, who has long played double bass and electric bass with Calexico. For songs like "Mountains" or "Belloumi" he played a melody on the Turkish Tambur, lending an oriental flair to the vital rhythms of the tracks. The intricate rhythmic patterns also incorporate instruments such as banjo, mandolin and Afro-Cuban drums, played by the percussionist Stefan Suhr, who studied Afro-Cuban ritual drumming in Cuba. Schwander's electronic sequencing blurs these organic sources and brings them into a fluid dialogue with his electronic ideas. For a piece like "Rendez-vous of the Dead", for example, Harmonious Thelonious projected himself out of the studio onto the Djemaa el Fna square in Marrakech. Here, every evening after sunset, local musicians meet and play themselves into a frenzy on distorted mandolins. Harmonious Thelonious translates this dream into a quaking dance monster whose home might be a techno club with an experimental sonic approach. Of course, most of the pieces of "Santos" are heavily danceable, although this time Harmonious Thelonious' tracks roll a little slower than previously. Their rugged beauty has also given way to a very smooth sound. His music, however, has lost none of its complexity. The many voices speak together, propelling each other toward something that traverses traditional genre boundaries, creating a playful trance. The cover of "Santos" underscores this: It is a collage designed by the artist himself, depicting his notion of an all-star band. Everyone must decipher for themselves exactly who is to be found there. Here, once again, the pictures are not direct portrayals, but veiled references to an emotional state hidden far beyond the visual realm. Just like the music of Thelonious Harmonious, which uses various layers tell countless stories.

Infusing tropical vibes and electronic grooves to reflect the vivid ever evolving Latin American soundscape is the fresh musical excursion 'Electropical' as synthesised by London based producers, Juantils a melting pot of authentic Latin anthems, jazzy grooves, disco infused songs and Balearic sounds all processed in HD for an immersive experience which explores the colourful influences of the Caribbean, vast Amazonian dimensions and beyond. Its heart-warming journey is a highly seductive experience that further enhances the mood with repeated play.

'Electropical' sees Juan Laya & Jorge Montiel (best known for their Los Charlys Orchestra albums and tracks) re-imagine some of the most emblematic tracks from the Latin music world including ''Manduco' and 'Fruta Fresca' as well unveiling new material including an awesome jazzy Latin Disco version of the millennial summer anthem 'Pasilda'. Playful sounds and organic grooves are carefully balanced with a subtle 'Electropical' touch to forge a natural expression of fusion - a perspective that has characterised the work of Juan & Jorge for more than a decade now.

From the impressive folk-inspired Todd Terje favourite, 'Cumbanchero' (included on his Radio 1 Essential Mix) to the raw percussive style of 'Tambor Urbano' 'Electropical' elegantly weaves into its textures the primal drums, rippling jazz guitar, undulating bass and unique sounds such as vibraphone, Peruvian pan flute and congas conjuring the roots of Latin music in 'Electropical' style. This unique sonic landscape forges an intimate connection.

Flag-bearers for contemporary Latin-infused sounds London/Venezuelan production duo, Juan Laya and Jorge Montiel, celebrated their 10th anniversary in 2017 by joining forces with the soul legend, Omar on 'It's So/History' alongside classic cuts such as 'All Around The World', 'Everlasting Love' & 'Sunshine'

Credits

Angelica Rincon - Vox, Alejandro Martinez - Congas, Andre Espeut - Vox, Carlos Saldana "Kentiqena" - Perubian Flute, Eikel Venegas - Trumpet, Grahan Mushnik - Accordion, George Malamas - Bass, Jon Desbrulais - Drums, Kiris Houston - Keys, Maria Rivas - Vox, Matheus Nova - Bass, Marcelo Andrade - Flute & Sax, Raphael Delfino - Guitar & Percussion, Zeu Azevedo - Accordion, Xantone Blacq - Vibraphone.

Produced by Juan Laya & Jorge Montiel.

Almost three decades after he put out his first record as one half of Tummy Touch twosome Tutto Matto, Paulo Guigliemino continues to produce effortlessly brilliant music that joins the dots between vintage disco, boogie, proto-house and sun-kissed Balearica. For proof, just check the heavyweight dancefloor sunshine that is 'Bella Topa', his first release on Leng Records.

Slow, sensual and blessed with all manner of delay-laden drum machine percussion hits, the track fixes the producer's usual colourful, boogie-era synth flourishes and ear-pleasing instrumentation (think fluid electric pianos, fluttering flutes, eyes-closed jazz guitar solos, lilting saxophones and spacey electronic chords) to a chugging, head-in-the-clouds groove reminiscent of Lindstrom and Prins Thomas's early collaborative work. 'Bella Topa' cleverly shifts shape several times throughout, utilising jazzier rhythms and bolder melodies to light up key moments.

Remixes come from Guigliemino's old pal Federico Marton, a producer best known for being one half of sometime Get Physical, Superfiction and Snatch Recordings artists Italoboyz. He lays down two distinctive revisions, starting with a 'Slow' club reconstruction that adds additional percussive heaviness and sparkling electronics to Super Paolo's twinkling, sun-baked original.

His other version, a 'Fast' club reconstruction, drags Guigliemino's track towards peak-time dancefloors kicking and screaming. Making the most of his friend's killer groove and finding sufficient time and space for each life-affirming musical element to sparkle, his mix bobs, weaves and eventually soars for 12 mesmerizing minutes. The mix, like his slow version, makes use of additional percussion and wisely gives more prominence to the A-side's spacey electronics and boogie-influenced synthesizer flourishes. The results are little less than breathtaking.

Next up in Tartelet's limited-edition series is renaissance man N.O.T.E. with Night Frames' - a compilation of barrel-aged sounds for the warm nights ahead.

N.O.T.E. is a new project by an already established artist who might be of Swiss or Italian origin, depending on who's asking. A seasoned sailor of musical waters, he enjoys jazz piano, fine wine and silk linens. Though none of that matters.

The first release under his new name could be described as a mini concept album where different routes are explored, bringing N.O.T.E.'s musical diversity and capabilities to light. Starting with Falsa Laudis,' N.O.T.E. takes the listener back to the 80s with clear references to Italian boogie and jazz-funk of that era. The track is warm, fat and sparkly, and best enjoyed with a cocktail in hand. Following this is the title track Night Frames' - a bruk-jazz escapade not shy of elaborate Rhodes solos and filthy funk.

The B-side opener moves further south: Obaleyako' is fueled by tropical energy, mixing African percussions with soft piano chords. It's weird, mysterious and red hot! Last but not least, N.O.T.E takes on the finest deep house sound with En Route,' where endless layered melodies and percussion form the farewell.

This is an ultra limited-edition release of 250 copies (strictly no repress!), written and produced by N.O.T.E. and mixed at Panalama Studios in Copenhagen on the Neve 5088 Shelford console for good measure. Enjoy!

Robot 84 returns with another set of killer balearic inspired reworkings.'These Drums' opens up the e.p. layering drum loops and bongo fills with dubbed out keys, brooding pads and afro vocals. The A2, all the more cosmic yet club ready in its nature, marries a powerful bassline and captivating kick pattern with some space echo synthwork, before those epic toms and vocal chants ring out.On the flip side, 'Long Hot' is exactly that....a smoldering, soulful, slow jam rework to ride off into the sunset to.