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Mike Cooper returns to Discrepant with The Dream Island of Birds, a release that blurs the lines between memory, field recording, and reimagined sound.

In the early 1990s, Cooper met illustrator and writer Charles van Sandwyk while walking on a small island in Fiji. Van Sandwyk was living there quietly, working from a modest bamboo house near the beach. Years later, Cooper learned that following a serious car accident, van Sandwyk experienced vivid dreams during his recovery — one of which became a small illustrated book titled The Dream Island of Birds. A signed postcard from that book still hangs in Cooper’s studio.

In 2012, Cooper spent a month as artist-in-residence on Pulau Ubin, a small island between Singapore and Malaysia, recording birds and insects across the island. Home to more than 300 resident and migratory bird species, Pulau Ubin provided the source material for this album, later combined with electronics and digital processing. The track titles reference some of the island’s more evocatively named birds, though the sounds themselves are not literal representations. One piece is not derived from live birds at all, but imagined entirely through electronic means.

Neither documentary nor abstraction, The Dream Island of Birds sits between field recording, memory, and invention — an island heard through time and circuitry.

XPRESS Singles Vol.2 is here, and its a certified dance floor weapon. Here at TDE we're stoked to welcome back mystery London duo Dirty Supercar with a brand new cut, Nothing But The Music.

Powered by the deep, soulful vocal of Elliot Chapman, it’s a direct call to the floor. Lush, emotive strings glide over choppy 70s guitar licks, all driven by a throbbing house kick and bouncing bassline combination that hits with precision. It’s a confident, fully-formed house record that speaks to both classic and contemporary sensibilities.

On remix duties, Italian house music heavyweight Angelo Ferreri steps in with a fresh rework that’s already slamming our worldwide parties. A consistent force in the global house scene for over a decade, Ferreri’s catalogue spans chart-topping releases, millions of streams, and support from the scene’s most respected selectors. Regularly ranking among Beatport’s top-selling artists, his signature blend of groove-led, feel-good house is unmistakable. Here he delivers a version that’s primed for peak-time impact. Tested, refined, and truly defined house heat.

Fesh off strong support from Purple Disco Machine, DE SOFFER returns to TDE in fine form. The nu-disco specialist delivers two standout remixes, reworking 20 Buck Funk by Bustin’ Loose and Hot by La Felix. The latter was one of our label’s biggest records of 2025 and gets a slick extended treatment. Meanwhile, 20 Buck Funk is reimagined with a sharp, modern nu-disco edge. Both featuring West Coast's Relaye on the rap, these're both tight, energetic, and fiery Nu Disco bangers ready to cause club carnage.

A seriously strong vinyl package from front to back. Pressed on a limited run of 300, this is one for the collectors and the selectors alike.

It’s True What They Say is the debut EP from Edinburgh-based, husband-and-wife duo Sarah/Shaun (pronounced simply Sarah Shaun), aka Sarah and Shaun McLachlan (pronounced “McLochlin”).

“Sarah and I both have a love for nostalgia,” explains Shaun. “We watched that amazing old 80’s Sci-Fi, (John) Carpenter movie, Starman, a few months back. Myself and my brother David used to watch it all the time. We must have been, roughly, 5-7 at the time. I remember loving the movie but the end, you know, with the beautiful, atmospheric, synth ending, I love that particular moment the most - best part of the movie, you know, when he goes home… It’s heartbreaking but stunning, all the same. It’s the music that moves you most… It did when I was 5 and it still does to this day. It must have had some form of a (much deeper) impact on me.”

The duo narrates stories across themes of love, hope, family, friends, dreams and sadness - the good that comes with the bad in everyday life, not just on a personal scale but within a community as well.

“Starbed is the first song I have ever written and just came out of the blue really, with Shaun playing a melody and me singing along,” says Sarah. “It’s simple and just about two people in love. Love songs are always the best songs, after all… Music has been a big part of my life from a young age. I was unwillingly dragged to piano and violin lessons, which I’m thankful for now! I’d say the first band I really became obsessed with growing up were the Beatles, and on the back of that a lot of 60s music and fashion. From then on, I had a love for music.”

“Shaun definitely opened my ears to a lot of sounds and got me thinking about soundtracks and all the noises that can be made,” she goes on. “We love just spending time experimenting in the house with instruments, pedals etc and Ali is a real magician to work with, too…”

The recordings took place over the summers of 2022 and 2023, with fellow Delta Mainline member Ali Chisholm (aka Jaguar Eyes) plus long-term friend and collaborator Gavin King. Further collaboration then came via the ‘net from the (international) likes of Chris Dixie Darley (Father John Misty), Darren Coghill (Neon Waltz) and Daniel Land (The Modern Painters), among others (see a full list of credits below).

Both Sarah and Shaun have a love for uber-soundtrack producers such as Hanz Zimmer, Max Richter, Cliff Martinez plus live acts such as Beach House, Spiritualized, M83, Suicide, Moby and OMD (to name a few). Shaun also credits the work of Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein (from Survive) on the Stranger Things score… “Even a moment in a movie, whether it be just 30 seconds during a particular scene, it grips you,” he says. But there’s something much deeper at play as well. “Music is a healer,” he goes on, “and I write from my own perspective but more so for others. Once I've done my bit, it doesn't belong to me any longer. It belongs to whoever wants it or needs it.”

The result is a cinematic, synth-wavey, dream poppy and downright beguilingly beautiful body of work. And they’re just getting started…

REVIEWS/RADIO/FEEDBACK:

“Starbed is folky, flavoured by pedal steel, cello, and brass. Dust Tears, in stark contrast, is a mini synth-pop rave epic. Part Bicep. Part Human League. Keep Your Eyes Closed summons a mood that’s romantic, but also dark and potentially doomed – like David Lynch’s Twin Peaks meets Cliff Martinez’s Drive score. My pick though is It’s True What They Say, whose interwoven jangle and picking recalls New Order’s more introspective moments (Love Vigilantes, Love Less… ). Drums crashing, cathartic. Guitar raising dramatic arcs. Its chorus a rush, like a reprise of Pains Of Being Pure Of Heart’s ‘Higher Than The Stars’.” BAN BAN TON TON
"Dust Tears sees them sharing vocal duties over a synth foundation reminiscent of Moby’s Go - Artist Of The Week” THE SCOTSMAN
"Woozy pop" NEMONE (Mary Anne Hobbs Morning Show, BBC 6Music)
"Nice one, very David Lynch meets Euro dream pop" YOUTH (Killing Joke, Paul McCartney, U2, The Orb, Spiritualized etc)
"Music sounds killer! Real emotion” DAVID HOLMES
"I’m enjoying it” TIM BRINKHURST aka LONDON (IKLAN, Young Fathers, Callum Easter)
“Oh, this is lovely!” SEAN JOHNSTON (A Love From Outer Space)
"It’s totally my cup of tea with milk and biscuit" BRENT RADEMAKER (Beachwood Sparks/GospelBeach)
"Beautiful, ecstatic electronica! Short and to the point" KEVIN BALES (Spiritualized, Julian Cope, Soulsavers, BE)
"Makes me wanna sit in the sun and sip an Arnold Palmer" CHRIS DIXIE DARLEY (Father John Misty)
“Really beautiful - Cocteau Twins / Spiritualized vibes but has its own thing going on, too - worth checking out!” JULIAN CORRIE (Franz Ferdinand, Miaoux Miaoux)
‘Sounded nice on a sunny day, makes me think of Twin Peaks, nice moods’ EAMON HAMILTON (Sea Power)
"Dealing in nostalgia, no bad thing at all, great to play that (Dust Tears) for you” RODDY HART (BBC Radio Scotland)
“I'll give the vocal tracks a spin before the release." VIC GALLOWAY (BBC Radio Scotland)
"Rather good!" IAIN ANDERSON (BBC Radio Scotland)

CREDITS:

Lyrics, Guitars, Keys, Synths, Drums, Drum Programming, Percussion, Mandolin, Glockenspiel: Shaun McLachlan
Lyrics, Vocals, Keys by Sarah McLachlan
Guitars, Synths, String Arrangements, Drum Programming, Engineering: Jaguar Eyes Percussion/Drums/Effects, Fire Extinguisher: Darren Coghill (Neon Waltz)
Guitars by Daniel Land
Slide Guitar by Chris Dixie Darley (Father John Misty)
Brass by Bruce Michie
Keys, pre-production & engineering on “It’s true what they say”: Gavin King
All produced by Jaguar Eyes and Shaun McLachlan and then mixed at Glasgow’s Chem19 Studios by David McCaulay (From Scotland With Love, Rick Redbeard, BBC TV’s Attenborough and The Mammoth Graveyard score).
Artwork: Jamie Walman (Fourteen Admirals)

MORE INFO:

Although Shaun released a pair of solo singles (When We Dance and Give Your Love To Me) during Lockdown, he will be better known to many via his work as the multi-instrumentalist in Edinburgh band Delta Mainline. With two albums released to date, Oh! Enlightened and Bel Avenir, both rapturously received by fans and critics alike, Delta Mainline have developed an international, cult following. Oh Enlightened (2013) achieved widespread critical acclaim on release, earning the band comparisons to Arcade Fire and Echo & The Bunnymen, while 2019’s Bel Avenir pulled in references to The Flaming Lips, Pink Floyd, David Bowie and krautrock. A third DM album is currently being mixed and due for release later this year…

Starting in 2021 the critically acclaimed Next Wave Acid Punx series has seen Luca Venezia, aka Curses, celebrate the music that has shaped both his life and career. Across the first two compilations Luca took us from theindustrial and post-punk sounds of the late 70s, through the emergence of EBM, new beat and freestyle in the 1980s and onto the music he both makes and plays himself in clubs today. Bringing the series to a close Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS sees the Berlin-based musician and DJ return full circle, this time exploring the sounds that first initiated him into Brooklyn's rave scene and the music that, in some way, continues to embody its eclectic spirit today.

Spread across three 2LPs and 3CDs Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS captures a moment whose influence can still be heard reverberating around clubland today. With the nascent rave scene obliterating boundaries, this was a moment where the darker, harder industrial electronic sounds of the mid 1980s were crashing headfirst into the ecstatic wave that was washing over clubland creating thrilling juxtapositions. Whether in the clubs and warehouses of New York, London, Frankfurt, Valencia and beyond, electronic music would never be the same again as countless new genres we take for granted today were born from the chaos and energy that had been unleashed.

Featuring 46 hard-to-find, new and exclusive tracks, Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS both documents that fertile period and shows how, despite rumours to the contrary, that early anarchic spirit can still be found today. From the Detroit Techno of Model 500 to Nitzer Ebb's EBM and the proto-Trance of Age of Love and onto brand new tracks from some of today's best producers such as Zaatar, Italo Deviance and Leona Jacewska, this compilation closes out a series that has to date revelled in exploring the darker corners of clubland in uplifting style.

This is Chapter 2.

This first-time reissue of Quinteplus’ 1971 album revives a key moment in Argentine jazz, featuring crisp trumpet and tenor sax, electric piano-driven funk and modal grooves, and a tight, spacious rhythm section. It showcases prominent figures like Jorge Anders and “Pocho” Lapouble.

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Quinteplus was born in Buenos Aires at the end of the 1960s, emerging directly from the ideas and experiments of the legendary Agrupación Nuevo Jazz. Founded in the early ’60s, this collective brought together some of the most forward thinking figures in Argentine jazz functioned as a creative lab where musicians questioned where jazz could go next. Among the key ideas discussed was the fusion of jazz with Argentine folk styles such as zamba, chacarera, malambo, cueca, and candombe, as well as a deeper look into African rhythms as a bridge between musical worlds.

Two members of that collective, keyboardist Santiago Giacobbe and bassist Jorge “Negro” González, carried those ideas forward when they formed Quinteplus in 1969. The group came together naturally: all the musicians already knew each other and had played in different projects around the Buenos Aires scene. They shared a strong admiration for Julian “Cannonball” Adderley’s quintet, along with a clear goal—to develop a modern jazz language grounded in local Argentine rhythms.

From the start, Quinteplus stood out for its openness and adventurous spirit. Rhythm was central, and so was experimentation. The band belonged to a generation of Argentine jazz musicians eager to explore electric instruments and new textures, anticipating what would soon be known as jazz-rock. This was happening in Buenos Aires at the very same time Miles Davis was opening new doors with “In a Silent Way” and “Bitches Brew”. Giacobbe introduced one of the first Fender electric pianos in Argentina, while González pioneered the amplification of the upright bass and even developed a hybrid electric, boxless version of the instrument. Trumpeter Gustavo Bergalli, meanwhile, maintained close ties with the emerging Argentine rock scene, collaborating with Luis Alberto Spinetta and appearing on Almendra’s first album.

In 1971, Quinteplus recorded its first and only studio album for EMI. The original lineup featured Jorge Anders on tenor saxophone, Bergalli on trumpet, Giacobbe on keyboards, González on upright and electric bass, and Norberto “Pocho” Lapouble on drums and percussion—who also illustrated the album’s iconic sleeve. The record is a refined showcase of the band’s musical vision: original compositions, fluent jazz language, folk-derived rhythms, funky electric textures, tight ensemble playing, and standout brass solos. Though critically praised, the album received little label support and sold modestly, eventually becoming a sought-after collector’s item.

Quinteplus disbanded in 1973, their music was perhaps too bold and unconventional for its time.

Cory Wong's eagerly awaited new studio album, Lost In The Wonder! The collection spotlights Wong's remarkable gifts as a producer, writer, arranger, band leader, and master of modern pop craftsmanship, while of course never losing sight of his trademark guitar virtuosity. Lost In The Wonder further affirms Wong's enduring love of musical collaboration, boasting a truly eclectic range of guest artists that includes Taylor Hanson, Devon Gilfillian, Stephen Day, Cody Fry, Yam Haus, Louis Cato, Ellis, Elysia Biro, Benny Sings, Theo Katzman, and Magic City Hippies.

Sound Records proudly presents ‘Morpho’, the debut LP from UK-based producer Benyayer, formerly one-third of celebrated electronic trio Dark Sky. A deeply personal record and a symbolic transition, Morpho captures the emotional and sonic evolution of an artist in metamorphosis.

Having stepped into the solo spotlight following his successful Infiltrator EP, Benyayer (aka Matt) delivers a bold, vinyl release that combines seven previously digital-only tracks with a brand new cut, ‘The Return’, all meticulously curated and pressed for the first time on wax.

Bridging influences from techno, UK bass, Afrofuturism, and electronica, Morpho is a meticulous exploration of rhythm designed to excite, cause chaos, personal reflection and movement. Each track is a raw, rhythmic exploration that draws on his time spent busking on the streets of London with found objects, experimentation with modular synths and years of experience honing his craft as a performer at some of the finest establishments in the electronic music landscape.

This initial vinyl edition is limited to just 300 copies. Designed in collaboration with Harry Cresswell, each sleeve features a deconstructed butterfly motif, laser-cut on both sides of heavy matte stock, paired with a matte-printed inner sleeve and a transparent vinyl disc, making each copy a true collector’s item.

The LP arrives amid support from tastemakers like Gilles Peterson, Benji B, and Tom Ravenscroft (BBC 6 Music), as well as heavyweight artists including Ben UFO, Bicep, Laurent Garnier, Bonobo, and Modeselektor.

Benyayer's new live show, built around these very tools, has already been trailed to great acclaim across Europe, adding a powerful performative dimension to the record. With previous performances at Berghain, Fabric, Glastonbury, MUTEK, Dimensions and Melt Festival. Benyayer's solo trajectory continues to rise with intent, mystery, and a fierce sense of artistic purpose.

Silicon Scally and Fleck E.S.C. need no introduction at this stage. Both artists are veterans not just of Sheffield's Central Processing Unit label but of modern electro as a whole, with the pair having decades of skin in the game at this point. Their new release, a four-track EP entitledSlipwhere Silicon Scally handles the first half and Fleck E.S.C. the second, carries itself with the adventurous confidence of a record made by masters of their craft.

Slipopener 'Phased Array' is exactly the kind of top quality machine-funk tackle you'd expect from this meeting of minds. The beat programming is deliciously tactile from the off, hissing and clanking like machinery in an old Detroit factory. The feel of 'Phased Array' is altered, though, when the chords come in, a series of alternating floating sounds which give the track an altogether eerier feel. When all of this is coupled with the otherworldly synth blurts that periodically force their way to the front of the track, the overall effect is a piece of real depth assembled by an expert practitioner.

'Phased Array' is followed up by 'Stax', another brilliantly propulsive number. Here we find the drum beat - one which is a little reminiscent of that Kraftwerk tune about the numbers, no less - once more offset by some decidedly more shadowy synth work, all while arpeggiated keyboard licks work against an intricate web of basslines, chords and unidentifiable flying synth tones.

Fleck E.S.C. opens theSlipB-side with 'Good Ride', a number where the nudge-wink title is borne out by a track built around looped snippets of sighing vocals. That said, with a bassline that sounds like a blurting old landline telephone, a ghoulish synth lead and all manner of motion-sick breakdowns, the 'ride' in question could just as well be aWipeout-style whizz through hyperspace as anything more suggestive. 'Good Ride' also sets itself apart from the other joints here by showing off a swaying halftime breakdown.

'Intox Remedy',Slip's closer, wraps the EP in a manner which continues some of the trends of the record's earlier tracks - richly tuneful chords, precision-engineered broken beat drum programming and a wide palette of delightfully unusual synth tones are all present and correct. However, there is also something about the chords here which pares back the eeriness of previous joints for a bit more of a wide-eyed, stargazing feel, and as such 'Intox Remedy' sees the record out by placing the listener firmly back in the cosmos.

Tough enough for the dancefloor and intricate enough for home listening, theSlipEP is a fabulous collaboration from two of the most respected voices in the electro game.

Delivering the second sermon in their Disco Gospel series, Chicago’s Sadar Bahar & Marc Davis hand-pick and re-edit two more under-the-radar disco/gospel fusion tracks for the modern dancefloor.

Both revered selectors and producers, Marc and Sadar are integral parts of Chicago's underground music scene, sharing the city’s spirit with the world. Through his own label, Black Pegasus, and the Chi Talo series, Marc has become an in-demand DJ known for his raw and eclectic sets. He joins forces with good friend, DJ’s DJ and Soul In The Hole head Sadar Bahar, whose name regularly tops the bill at some of the finest clubs and festivals around the globe.

Digging deep once again, the pair serve up two certified secret weapons from their renowned collections. Finding that sweet spot that drew out the most uplifting, powerful, and danceable elements of both gospel and disco, they shine a light on two beauties from Myrna Summers and also The Yancy Family. Tweaked and re-edited with style and consideration, they re-work the tracks with DJs and dancers in mind.

As Robert M. Marovich of Journal of Gospel Music puts it, “The rise of contemporary gospel music in the 1970s and 1980s changed the style, if not the substance, of Black sacred music. Artists, including the Yancy Family and Myrna Summers, worked within the groovy new sound to attract the attention of a generation growing up on rock, jazz, pop, and soul. Bring them into the church through the music, the maxim goes, and they’ll stay for the sermon. Likewise, these two re-edited album tracks by Sadar Bahar and Marc Davis keep the gospel music heritage alive while encouraging a brand-new generation to dance through the church doors.”

Up first, Myrna Summers ‘So Much to Live For’ channels that straight from the heart passion and collective joy that gospel embodies. Bursting with uplifting lyrics, scintillating organ melodies, and an infectious sing-along spirit, Marc and Sadar give it a club-ready DJ edit, extending it for maximum dancefloor deliverance.

The B side sees the duo work their magic on, ‘Lifted Me Higher’. Written by Kevin Yancy and taken from the Yancy Family’s 1989 album From One Christian Family to Another, it features vocals from siblings Kevin, Judy, and Rev. Darryl Yancy, along with Lois Scott. The all-star team of Chicago musicians includes Sherwin (Butch) Yancy on organ, Michael Wade on piano and synthesizer, and Richard Gibbs (longtime accompanist for Aretha Franklin) on piano and bass. With a soulful boogie flavour, dripping in slap bass and ‘80s synthlines, Marc and Sadar rework the intro so it rides out on a section of delectable instrumental grooves, before letting the glorious vocals hit home.

On his new album, Micha Acher rearranged compositions for bands such as Tied & Tickled Trio and Ms. John Soda from previous years.

Why are we interested in ghosts? What fascinates us about the eerie? According to cultural theorist Mark Fisher, the allure that the eerie possesses is not captured by the idea that we „enjoy what scares us“. It has, rather, to do with a fascination for the outside. For that which lies beyond standard perception, cognition or experience, as he writes in his book „The Weird and the Eerie“.

In fact, also none of the 15 pieces from Henry and the Ghost is really scary. On the contrary, they all feel strangely familiar. Like revenants or doppelgängers, which in fact they are. They have all been released before. But in a different form. In different line-ups. With different band projects such as Tied & Tickled Trio, The Notwist or the Alien Ensemble.

With the „Songbook“, Micha Acher's aim was, as he says, to find out how the familiar pieces sound in a chamber music instrumentation. Therefore he met with Theresa Loibl (bass clarinet, piano), Timm Kornelius (bassoon), Markus Rom (guitar, banjo, electronics) and Simon Popp (drums, percussion) in his living room for a musical séance in the summer of 2022. The séance lasted two days. Afterwards, Markus Rom (Oh No Noh), added some haunting electronical ideas.

The mood of most of the pieces is melancholic. There are surprising twists and siren-like melodies. Just as ghost stories should be. However, most of the songs sound very light-footed. With their feet in pop, folk, jazz and classical music. Pieces such as „Johanna“ with its wheezing harmonium and spooky piano, or the dreamy „Modest Farewell“ on the other hand have a cinematic flair. Immediately faces and scenes arise in the mind. But at the beginning, there is „Hamlet“. It starts with ghostly electronics and merges into a calm, almost classical guitar piece. Could it be that the ghost of Hamlet's father is hiding between the strings?

„34E“ begins with a banjo. Then the deep humming of Micha Achers sousaphone and the other brass instruments kick in. In the slow, solemn „Aelita“, the sousaphone starts a dialogue with a children's piano. With the banjo and the other wind instruments acting as mediators. The title of „All Tomorrow's Past“ brings Velvet Undergrounds „All Tomorrow's Parties“ to mind. Another ghost from the past. What connects the two pieces is free-floating percussion, which accompanies the sumptuous melodies.

„Arc“ takes us on an exhilarating voyage at sea, with the sousaphone providing powerful propulsion. Towards the end, things get quite turbulent. With the clarinet stirring up the water, before the sea calms down again. „Henry and the Ghost“ is characterised by a ghostly mood change between major and minor. In „Radio Four“ the banjo with its stoic chords keeps the lively brass section in check. „Solid Ground“ is imbued with melancholy. „Space Minor“ takes us into outer space, with the power of sousaphone and percussion.

„Tomorrows“ is filled with cautious optimism. And the concluding „Nordlead“ turns out to be a revenant of the instrumental „N.L.“ from The Notwist's legendary album „Shrink“ from 1998. In the new version, the piece sounds like a distant echo. One that also brings to mind how Micha Acher's music has evolved. Which new worlds he explored and opened up since the nineties. And yet Acher's signature is recognisable in every single note of this fascinating „Songbook“.

Step into the golden era of soul-jazz with the long-awaited vinyl reissue of “Vibrations” by Roy Ayers Ubiquity — a record that captures the unmistakable warmth, groove, and sophistication that defined Roy Ayers’ sound at its peak.

Originally released in 1976, “Vibrations” stands as a cornerstone in Ayers’ catalog, marking a moment where his signature blend of jazz, funk, and soul reached a refined, deeply cohesive form. Building on the foundations laid in earlier works, this album presents a tighter, more focused musical vision without sacrificing the lush textures and emotional depth that made his music resonate worldwide.

Roy Ayers was a pioneering vibraphonist, composer, and producer whose influence stretches far beyond jazz into R&B, neo-soul, and hip-hop. Often referred to as the “Godfather of Neo Soul,” Ayers crafted a sound that feels both timeless and forward-thinking, pairing silky vocals with hypnotic grooves and rich instrumental arrangements. His work throughout the 1970s helped shape the sonic DNA of modern Black music, and “Vibrations” is one of its purest expressions.

The album flows effortlessly between moods: from the jazz-inflected elegance of ‘Searching’ to the irresistible funk pulse of ‘The Memory,’ the dancefloor-ready ‘One Sweet Love to Remember,’ and the laid-back, atmospheric title track ‘Vibrations.’ Each track showcases a masterful balance between musicianship and groove, brought to life by a stellar ensemble of collaborators who elevate every moment.

Beyond its original impact, “Vibrations” has taken on a second life through hip-hop. Its grooves, breaks, and melodies have been extensively sampled by generations of producers and artists, becoming a foundational source for crate diggers and beatmakers alike. Tracks from the album have been reinterpreted and flipped by influential names such as A Tribe Called Quest, J Dilla, Dr. Dre, and Common, cementing its legacy as a vital bridge between 1970s soul-jazz and contemporary hip-hop culture.

After almost two decades out of print, we are pleased to present this much-needed vinyl reissue of an essential album in Roy Ayers’ career. Whether you’re discovering it for the first time or returning to a beloved classic, this album remains an essential piece of musical history. Pressed on 180g vinyl.

Original Funk Band from Paris

With just three years on the scene, Jéroboam is already considered as one of the most exciting and essential new voices in contemporary soul funk.

A true manifesto for live music and the dancefloor, this 11-piece live machine hits the stage like a juggernaut and doesn’t just play funk, they live and breathe it.

After a slew of certified underground classic releases on Space Grapes and Chuwanaga which have been supported worldwide by tastemakers and connoisseurs, Jéroboam is now presenting its long awaited first LP on Favorite Recordings.

From boogie-funk to 2-step soul crossover, Jéroboam delivers 8 heartelf songs, combining razor-sharp compositions with genuine and relatable lyrics.

Achieving such an exciting and challenging piece of work is the outcome of a long and inspiring process started more than 10 years ago in Paris.

From their early beginnings on the local scene, the core musicians of Jéroboam thrived on their mutual love for funk music under the name and concept of Echoes Of.

Building on these successful experiences and expanding its line up over the years, the band has been able to sharpen its sound, craft a distinctive crossover identity and create its own original music under a brand new entity : Jéroboam.

This momentum culminates in their debut full-length album, set for release in june 2026 on Favorite Recordings, a defining moment for one of Europe’s most vital modern funk acts.

Art Blakey is one of the inventors of the modern bebop style of drumming. Known as a powerful musician and a vital groover his brand of bluesy, funky hard bop was and continues to be profoundly influential on mainstream jazz. For more than 30 years, his band Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers included many young musicians who went on to become prominent names in jazz.

Released in the late fifties, A Night In Tunisia is a jazz milestone and prime example of Blakey's exceptional rhythmic prowess. This album is not all about drumming though; it leaves much space for great melodical interplay by fellow musicians Sam Dockery on piano, John Griffin and Ferris Benda on saxophone, Bill Hardman on trumpet and Jimmy De Brest on double bass.

A Night In Tunisia is available as a limited edition of 1500 individually numbered copies on orange vinyl, and is packaged in a deluxe sleeve with linen laminate finish.

The small print:
• Due to rights restrictions, this item is only available in the MOV store to European customers.

Back on Celestial Echo Records with a true modern soul classic — Jan Jones “Independent Woman”, finally given the treatment it deserves.

A record that’s been circulating in DJ sets and collector circles for years, often via bootlegged pressings as the originals are incredibly rare, this is the first fully licensed reissue, presented properly and with both sides intact - something the bootleggers didn’t do.

A-side Part 1 delivers the track in its purest form — tight, uplifting, and driven by that unmistakable modern soul groove. On the flip, Part 2 stretches things out into a longer, more open version, letting the arrangement breathe and giving the dancefloor the 6 minutes it deserves.

Musically, it sits right in that sweet spot for us — rich vocals, warm keys, and a rhythm section that just grooves. It’s one of the ultimate modern soul tracks.

Licensed officially, as always. Celestial Echo is here to put proper soul records back into circulation — respectfully cut, properly pressed, and ready to play.

1 Umbrella represents a watershed moment for modern Bay Area hip-hop, effectively serving as the region's "Avengers" assembly designed to consolidate the Northern California sound. For years, the local scene has been bisected by the distinct "mob music" bounce of Oakland and the melodic, trauma-drenched "pain music" of San Francisco; this collective is the first major commercial force to deliberately fuse these competing energies into a single, dominant infrastructure. The roster is a calculated cross-Bay alliance that balances opposing sonic weights: Lil Bean and Lil Yee anchor the group with the emotive, auto-tune-heavy melodies that define the current SF landscape, while Zaybang cuts through that introspection with his signature high-octane aggression.

Balancing the scales are ALLBLACK and 22nd Jim, who inject the classic East Bay attitude-ALLBLACK delivering the motivational, sports-heavy "player" lineage of the region, contrasted against Jim's nonchalant, rhythmic flow. Backed by the powerhouse infrastructure of EMPIRE and united under tracks like "Baller Blockin" and the unification anthem "The Blueprint," the group is attempting to solve the fragmentation that has historically plagued the Bay's independent market. By synchronizing their movement with the arrival of Super Bowl LX, 1 Umbrella is positioning itself not merely as a rap group, but as the official cultural ambassadors for the region, betting that a unified front can finally command the national spotlight that often eludes the West Coast's independent giants.

Originally released in 1981 on the New Jersey-based Debbie Label, Sweet Magic is the one and only album by Lee McDonald. Produced by Ron Foster -
best known as a member of Ecstasy, Passion & Pain—the album is widely regarded as a standout modern soul classic, covering everything from uplifting
Philly-style dancers to sweet and mellow slow jams.

The album also features superb arrangements that update well-known classics into vibrant Philly soul, including The Carpenters’ smash hit “We’ve Only Just
Begun” and Ecstasy, Passion & Pain’s “I’ll Do Anything For You.” This reissue is pressed on limited yellow-colored vinyl inspired by the album’s iconic
illustrated sleeve, long cherished by rare groove collectors.

This 7" record by Agogo Records features two remixes by Mo' Horizons. Track one is a cover of Nat King Cole's "Calypso Blues", performed by percussionist and singer Nené Vasquez, who is part of the Mo' Horizons family and used to play in Shakira's band in a former life. Super Oud is a musical project from Bremen, Germany, combining traditional Middle Eastern sounds with modern electronic grooves.

a. Nené Vasquez - Calypso Blues (Mo' Horizons Remix)
Written by Nat King Cole & Don George. Published by Crestview Music.
Original production by Nené Vasquez. Remix production by Ralf Droesemeyer.
Lead Vocals by Inna Vizotska. Additional Remix Vocals by Frankie Figueroa.

b. Super Oud - Zala (Mo' Horizons Remix)
Written by Claas Bösling & David Niedermayer.
Original production by Claas Bösling. Remix production by Ralf Droesemeyer.
Oud by David Niedermayer. Remix Vocals by Marriam.

From the coastal city of Paramonga, three hours north of Lima, comes one of Peru's most electrifying and unjustly overlooked stories. Victor Ramirez and his band forged a sound that fused cumbia with guaracha, salsa and guaguanco - psychedelic guitars, wah-wah pedals and Fender amplifiers driving rhythms that conquered first northern Peru, then the capital itself. Spread across four sides, this lovingly assembled compilation draws from their two landmark albums and their 45 singles catalogue, so it is a full colour capture of Los Orientales at their peak. A complete portrait of a band that helped define modern cumbia is long overdue.

2026 Repress

Alarico returns to Mutual Rytm with his 'Drops Of You' EP, packed with his mind-bending signature rhythms while focussing on a more minimal and atemporal approach than before.

Milan-based artist Alarico has firmly arrived on the world stage in recent years. Taking cues from the harder realms of techno of the 90s, he adds his own quirky rhythms and quickened sense of groove to showcase his modern take on the genre. Building on material dropping via his own Katana Records, with high-profile support from bigname DJs across the scene, he breaks new ground again here on this compelling new EP as he returns to SHDW's label Mutual Rytm with 'Drops Of You'.

Excellent opener '0 Kelvin' races out of the blocks with wiry synths and percussion that sounds like knives being sharpened, all over tight, punchy techno drums. 'One More' then gets more twisted with freaky synth line scurrying about the mix while hammering hits and bouncy drum programming races onwards into an unknown future.

'Asma' slips into a deeper but no less impactful groove - the tightly coiled drum funk is overlaid with soulful vocal whispers and militant snares that cannot fail to sweep dancers away. Next, the slick 'Sunburn' keeps the pace high and is another warp-speed techno excursion with bold drum patterns and dry hi-hats cutting up the beats. It's a fulsome sound fleshed out with great synth detail and euphoric vocal cries, before closer 'Drops Of You' layers broken beats, vocal snippets and psychedelic synth colours into an intense and emotional workout.

Alongside the vinyl cuts, three digital-only offerings are also loaded into this one as a trio of treats in the form of 'Sino', 'What For' and 'Erased', with each track harnessing pacy, energetic rhythms, a mix of bright and murky sonics, and tunnelling grooves crafted for maximum impact.

Alarico 'Drops Of You' drops via Mutual Rytm on 8th September 2023

Two original house cuts. One statement. Soulbound / Abracadabra lands as a double-header single as part of our new XPRESS Singles Series, bridging gritty South London soul with slick Franco-American house energy - a release designed for the salubrious moments on the dance floor.

“Soulbound” sees Bustin’ Loose deliver cutting-edge disco-soul infused house music straight from the concrete textures of South London. Sung and produced by Bustin’ Loose himself, the track rides a pumping, elastic bassline with warm strings and raw vocal emotion - modern house with classic soul DNA. Capturing the energy of London's expansive music culture, Soulbound is both uplifting, euphoric and street-wise. Inspired by the music of Fatboy Slim, rappers like JME and Ghetts and the club culture of London.

On the flip side, “Abracadabra” from Magnolia & Sam Karlson featuring LA wordsmith Relaye drips with French house sensibilities, blending glossy filters, catchy wah guitar and punchy grooves with razor-sharp rap vocals. Imagine Music Sounds Better With You colliding with the cool charisma of Q-Tip - hypnotic, stylish, and irresistibly repeatable.

The remix package pushes the release deeper into club territory:

• Dam Swindle transform Soulbound into a deep, bumping underground roller, rich in groove and late-night atmosphere.
• Phil Weeks delivers a signature Ghetto Mix of Abracadabra, crafted with his beloved MPC sampler - raw drums, stripped-back funk, and a pure nod to house music’s roots.
• La Felix closes the circle with a nostalgic, early-2010s-tinged deep remix of Abracadabra, balancing modern polish with timeless dance-floor warmth.

DJ Support: Garnier, Opolopo, Worldwide FM, Marcia Carr, Bill Brewster, Timeout Moscow, Craig Smith, Delfonic, Tony Nwachukwu, Marcel Dettmann, DJ Rocca, Shuya Okino, Borrowed Identity, Titonton Duvante, Alex Attias, Rainer Truby, Sol Power All-Stars, Kyri R2, Robert Luis, Severino Panzetta, Lars Behrenroth, Kassian, Alkalino, Getdown Edits, Moodymanc, Gerd, Lea Lisa, Young Pulse, Mark de Clive-Lowe, Mark Grusane, Alex Barck….

International dance music heavyweight, producer and DJ Alexander Lay-Far returns with a powerful new chapter - Lay-Far Dance Orchestra (LFDO) - a fully-fledged live band project that reconnects him with his jazz-funk and fusion DNA while pushing dance music forward with unmistakable groove, musicianship and emotional weight. Formed in early 2024, LFDO is no nostalgia exercise. With Lay-Far at the helm as bassist, bandleader, composer, arranger and sound engineer, the orchestra has already been turning heads with explosive live performances, reinventing classic Lay-Far cuts, and now unveil their first album “Skybreak” with all new and original material written and produced by Lay-Far together with his bandmates and star guests, including Lipelis, Antoha MC and Seven Davis Jr. This work shows the departure from the predominantly electronic sound of Lay-Far's previous solo albums in favour of live instrumentation recorded to analogue tape and effortlessly bridging the gap between Jazz, Library Music, Disco-Funk, House, Broken Beat and Drum’n’Bass. “Skybreak” is dynamic, passionate, spiritual, cinematic, playful, heartfelt, life-affirming, dreamy and deeply romantic. Ultimately, there’s something profoundly romantic in recording and releasing such music in this day and age!


“Take Flight (Part 1)” is opening the album with style. It takes us on a beautifully orchestrated journey, blending the sensuality of Library Music with high-octane Jazz-Funk and raw b-boy breaks, propelled by breathtaking flute and Rhodes solos of Timur Nekrasov and Maxim Glonti. This aural symbiosis of “beauty and the beats” will become more and more prominent as the album unfolds.



It’s time for “Aquarius Love” created with the inimitable artist and vocalist Seven Davis Jr. (Secret Angels, Ninja Tune). In this composition cinematic soul and heavy jazz meet the restless energy of live drum & bass with deep and heartfelt vocals - timeless sound combined with a timeless message about love and life!



Next is “Head In The Clouds” - a theme for an imaginary rom-com, an ode to all the dreamers - sweet, light, naive and heartwarming. Space-Disco-Funk at its best!

“Where You From” is a fiery Soulful House number with heavy Afro-Latin influences recorded in collaboration with Lipelis. It’s full of Sun, joy and passion. Its irresistible rhythm is emphasised by funky octave bass, wah-wah guitar, catchy piano riffs, guitar solo by Lipelis and seemingly light conscious message delivered by Lay-Far and Maryag. Summer is here!

Now the album takes an unexpected twist in the form of “The Harp of Boom” which at first glance appears to be a classic-sounding Boom-Bap banger. Yes, It’s loud, raw, and gritty, yet it gradually evolves into something delicately-touching and deeply-soulful thanks to a memorable flute melody and lush string arrangement. Definitely recorded with tongue in cheek.


Next is “Feel The Moment” a remarkable collaboration with one of the most recognisable and distinctive Russian artists, singer, trumpeter and cultural icon Antoha MC. It’s a feel-good song, hopeful, life-affirming and bittersweet. A stylish excursion into Brit-Funk and Soviet Jazz-Fusion sound, drawing inspiration from the likes of Atmosfear, Light Of The World or Soviet Jazz bands like Allegro and Arsenal, but reimagining the influences through the modern West London broken beat lens.


The spectacular music journey continuous with “Take Flight (Part 2)” - it’s all about the deep infectious jazz-funk groove, heavy beats, rolling percussion and the glory of the soloing instruments - saxophone and flute by Timur Nekrasov, demonstrating the wide range of emotions from thoughtful and lyrical to restless and borderline vicious. One for freestyle dancing!

As the album draws to an end a vibrant musical triptych “Soul Constant” awaits, mixing together the deep and sensual mood of spiritual jazz with heavy syncopated drum’n’bass rhythms by Michail Fotchenkov, lush orchestration, expressive saxophone solos and the ending which can simply be described as “aural bliss”. It’s breath-taking!

A pleasant bonus is the exclusive version of “Where You From” by Lipelis himself, who is taking it into dub territories, further enhancing the rhythm section and enriching the song with his trademark playful synth flourishes and dreamy guitar solos for maximum effect (and appeal).

The album “Skybreak” by Lay-Far Dance Orchestra is the work of real artistry and craftsmanship with timeless sound that’s not only deeply-rooted but also forward-thinking.

pdqb shows no signs of slowing down. Relentlessly productive and constantly locked into transmission mode, it delivers 13 tracks of its unmistakable Electro-Cognition sound. Sharp, futuristic, body-moving music wired straight into the nervous system.

From precision electro workouts to mind-bending synth transmissions, every track hits with purpose, style, and identity.

However, the remix lineup is equally heavyweight. Four elite reworks from four serious operators, each one twisting the source code into new dimensions.

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Half pinball table, half neural reactor, wired directly into a wall of aging synthesizers. The so-called Transient Witness (aka Preconscious Data Quantum Buffer) records not what people did - but what they almost did: Every flash of hesitation, every thought that vanished before becoming real, every dream erased at sunrise.

At its center pulses a synthetic brain, decoding impulses too brief for language. These signal transients are micro-events that appear and disappear in milliseconds.

When activated, the table will not play sound. It remembers it. Each collision of steel ball and sensor triggers forgotten futures, lost timelines, phantom rhythms from decisions never taken. Basslines from parallel selves. Melodies from unrealized lives. Percussion patterns from collapsing probabilities.

The 13 original tracks featured on this release are a transmission recovered from one of its sessions. Electro pulses, synaptic breaks, machine funk, and signals from thoughts that never survived long enough to exist.

‘Future Quiet’ signals a striking new chapter for one of electronic music’s most enduring and visionary artists. Across fourteen tracks that encompass modern piano minimalism, immersive ambient soundscapes and a smattering of vocal collaborations, the album finds Moby reflecting on the tension between hyper-connected modern life and the deep human need for stillness.

Cut The With The Cake Knife was recorded by Rose McDowall in 1988/89 following the break up of her group Strawberry Switchblade. Produced with the aid of several musicians in several studios, the album features songs written for the fabled second Strawberry Switchblade album. More importantly perhaps it showcases the honest, direct and life-affirming songs of one of the greatest unsung songwriters of the modern pop era at a tumultuous time in her career.

Tibet opens the set and could be one of the best pop songs you've never heard. The innate sadness of the songs' content - the loss of a friendship, impending sorrow - is heightened to heart-melting level by McDowall's pop nous and melodic sensibility. Choruses and hooks are everywhere on Cake Knife, from the outsider take on stadium 80s pop in Wings Of Heaven to the spiraling, ecstatic So Vicious, a glorious anthem that highlights the human fragility in McDowall's vocal performance, an instrument that has never lost the naïve purity it first exemplified in Strawberry Switchblade's early 80s recordings. The centerpiece of the album, the title-track, is the greatest Switchblade pop chart hit that never was. Like the veiled melancholy of her former group's hits, Cut With The Cake Knife hints at a darkness beneath the gloss, a darkness that saw McDowall delve into more esoteric territory with her subsequent recordings and collaborations. Cut With The Cake Knife serves as the bridge between the pop music McDowall had been making with her friends Jill Bryson, Lawrence from Felt and Primal Scream to what became a more extreme, deep sound informed by neo-folk and post industrial music.

Rose McDowall's role in the canon has always been one of an outsider. Beginning in Glasgow's East End in the avant proto-noise group The Poems, achieving fame briefly in the 80s and then disappearing into counter-cultural folklore, the emphasis in the internet-age has been skewed towards her image and cultural significance. Unseen to many, her solo work, her groups Sorrow and Spell and her collaborations with a whole host of underground luminaries have still touched lives. As McDowall elucidates: 'They're real sad songs, about real life. I've had people come up to me to say I'd connected with them and helped them. I remember a gig in America when we made a whole room cry. It was bizarre. A couple at the front of the stage started crying and then these two boys beside and suddenly everyone was crying. And I thought, "that's power."

Night School's issue of Cut With The Cake Knife includes unpublished photographs, extensive sleeve notes from Rose McDowall and 2 bonus tracks culled from the bootleg 7' 'Don't Fear The Reaper.' First vinyl pressing is Clear w/ Black swirl; 500 only / has DL card and booklet, with a poster
CD has extensive booklet and is packaged in anO-Card.

The monumental 2006 live recording of mama!milk, which laid the foundation for their current performance style, is now available on CD and LP!
mama!milk, hailed worldwide as “Japanese New Exotica,” praised for their “music that entices you on a journey” and “soundtracks to unseen films.”
This site-specific, one-day-only performance, unique to the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, is packaged here.

Following his debut on ICONYC in late 2024, Italian producer Daniel Tagliaferri returns to the label as Ivory with "Want", a four-part suite that deepens his sonic language and sharpens his emotional vocabulary.

With a precise command of space, rhythm, and tension, "Want" feels less like a follow-up and more like a statement of intent, one that situates Ivory among the most sensitive sculptors of the modern dancefloor.

The fourth chapter in the daring XTRICTLY ELEKTRO saga once again pushes the boundaries of the genre.

Volume 4 delivers six powerful cuts that move from timeless electro foundations to futuristic, experimental territories — achieving a perfect balance between precision and raw energy.

This release brings together familiar faces — Parand, ElektroTechnik, EC13, and X-Truder — alongside two new additions: Roi, a DJ and producer recognized for his sharp, detail-driven sound and modern take on electro; and DJ Overdose, the veteran force of Dutch electro.

A tight and cohesive mini-LP that embraces diversity while remaining faithful to the spirit of electro: sharp rhythms, dark atmospheres, and pure machine funk.

Limited to 150 copies. Don’t sleep on this one.

Gatefold Sleeve

M’Bamina – African Roll (1975)
The story of an album born between Africa, Italy, and the nightclub culture of the 1970s
In the heart of 1970s Italy — a country undergoing profound social change and a music scene just beginning to open itself to distant sounds and cultures — an extraordinary, almost improbable story took shape. It is the story of a group of young African musicians who found their way to Europe, of a Turin nightclub that became a crossroads for communities and experimenters, and of an album which, released in small numbers and largely unnoticed at the time, is now considered a rare jewel of Afro-fusion.
The band called themselves M’Bamina — an ensemble of musicians from Congo, Cameroon, and Benin, who arrived in Italy in the early Seventies. Settling between northern Italy and the Pavia area, they began performing in small clubs and community events, bringing with them a vibrant rhythmic heritage: African polyrhythms, call-and-response vocals, funk-infused bass lines, and Caribbean or Afro-Latin colours absorbed along their musical journeys. Their raw, contagious energy on stage quickly drew attention.
Meanwhile, in Turin, another story was unfolding. There was a venue becoming almost legendary: Voom Voom, one of the city’s liveliest nightclubs, run by Ivo Lunardi. The club attracted an eclectic crowd — students, artists, foreigners, night owls — and Lunardi quickly understood that the dancefloor wasn’t just a place for music, but a melting pot for a new kind of cultural energy. Out of this vibrant atmosphere came his idea: to turn the club’s name into a small independent record label, Voom Voom Music, capable of capturing the spirit of those years and giving voice to unconventional projects.

When Lunardi heard M’Bamina, he immediately sensed that this was the sound he had been searching for: fresh, different from anything circulating in Italy at the time, and capable of blending African tradition with funk and European sensibility. He brought them into the studio.
Production was handled by Lunardi along with Christian Carbaza Michel, while the engineering was entrusted to Danilo Pennone, a young sound technician with a sharp, intuitive ear.
The recording sessions — held in Turin in 1975 — produced a remarkably warm and direct sound. The music feels almost live: grooves rooted in African tradition, but open to funk-rock structures and modern arrangements. It is a natural fusion, never forced. Tracks move between tribal rhythms, funk basslines, light electric guitars, congas and Afro-Latin percussion, with call-and-response vocals and melodies that echo both Congolese tradition and the lineage of Latin jazz. Not by chance, one of the album’s most striking tracks, Watchiwara, reinterprets a Latin standard through M’Bamina’s own rhythmic language.

The album was titled African Roll — a name that was already a statement of intention. It is African music that “rolls,” that moves, adapts, transforms within a new geographic and cultural setting. It is not strictly Afrobeat, nor Congolese rumba, nor Western funk: it is a spontaneous, hybrid blend, shaped more by lived experience than by any calculated aesthetic program.
When African Roll was released, the world around it barely noticed. Distribution was limited, and 1970s Italy had yet to develop a cultural framework for receiving such music. The national music press rarely paid attention to African or “world” productions. The album slipped into silence — though the band’s own story did not.

M’Bamina continued performing across Europe and Africa, even sharing a stage in Cameroon with none other than Manu Dibango. By the late Seventies, they moved to Paris, signed with Fiesta/Decca, and recorded a second LP, Experimental (1978). Meanwhile, the peculiar record they had made in Turin began to resurface quietly among vinyl collectors, Afro-funk enthusiasts, and DJs hunting for forgotten grooves.
That is when the album’s fate began to shift.

Over the decades, African Roll emerged as an almost unique document: a snapshot of an intercultural Italy before the word “intercultural” even existed, a fragment of migrant history, a spontaneous experiment in musical fusion born far from major industry circuits but rich in authenticity. Original copies began commanding high prices on the collector’s market, and the album became recognized as one of the hidden classics of European Afro-fusion from the 1970s.
Today, more than fifty years later, this reissue finally restores visibility and dignity to a project that deserves to be heard, studied, and celebrated. It is not simply an album: it is the testimony of a rare cultural encounter, born in an Italy unaware of how fertile such exchanges would one day become.

It is the story of a visionary producer, an extraordinary band, and a fleeting moment in which music, migration, and nightlife came together to create something genuinely new.
African Roll is — now more than ever — the sound of a bridge: between continents, between eras, between cultures. A record that, after rolling far and wide, has finally come home.

In a sharp-angled, fiercely inventive reflection on the nature of club culture and digital fatigue, Simo Cell and Abdullah Miniawy reunite to deliver their new album, Dying is the internet, to Dekmantel's UFO series.

French producer Simo Cell has blazed a singular path from his dubstep-influenced origins to become a leading light in contemporary leftfield club music, twisting up adventurous rhythms and flamboyant production in pursuit of a perpetual freshness for the floor. Egyptian singer, poet, producer and composer Abdullah Miniawy has become equally omnipresent in the past 10 years, straddling the arts world and leading with his piercing Arabic lyricism while maintaining an eternally curious spirit that leads into open-ended, experimental music from the abstract to the propulsive.

Following up on their 2020 EP for BFDM, Kill Me Or Negotiate, Miniawy describes their sharply focused new album as "a playful prophecy about the triggers of a new global revolution." Cell considers the title, Dying is the internet, to be a mantra about "how the internet lost its soul," becoming "less about sharing ideas and more about surviving in a digital business ecosystem." Deliberately at odds with the reel-ready two-minute attention span of the average social media surfer (i.e. everyone), the pair set out to make an album that takes its time to reveal nuanced ideas and expressions. Rather than one-note despair for the modern malaise, Cell and Miniawy offer a philosophical reminder that this present moment in the human experience is a temporary phase, no matter how overwhelming it feels.

Dying is the internet finds Miniawy experimenting with auto-tune across the record, while Cell has developed his voice design chops and compositional instincts, moving closer to fully realised song structures without losing the fundamental 'clubbiness' of each track. The result is a cohesive, wildly original kind of heavyweight dance music that slings out hooks left right and centre, from Miniawy's laconic trumpet looming through low-slung 'Reels in 360' and 'Travelling In BCC' to the persistent handclaps that bring 'Living Emojis' to life. Miniawy's poetry explores the power of insistent, repeated phrases in a break from his more typically structured form.

Kenyan powerhouse Lord Spikeheart adds extra snarl to stripped-back, slow-burn opener 'I See The Stadium', but otherwise Dying is the internet is purely the work of Miniawy and Cell casting their considerable chops out into unexplored territory. The results are electric, bound together by a consistent economy of sound that burrows into a shroud of bass-heavy minimalism barely masking Cell's incredibly detailed studio flex. Even the beatless flourish of the Miniawy-produced 'Tear Chime' comes loaded with physicality — a sensory rush at the mid-section of the album bookended by some of the most idiosyncratic club music in recent memory.

Both Simo Cell and Abdullah Miniawy have already proved themselves as fearless innovators across different fields. The strength of their partnership lies in their ability to make space for each other while letting their distinctive sonic identities ring loud and true. Dying is the internet has immediacy and physicality to translate over a soundsystem, but its intricacies are purpose-built for repeat visits and contemplation, unveiling hidden dimensions the deeper you dive into it.

London-based producer IZCO is set to release his latest single, “Guiding Star (feat. Reek0)”, blending soulful nostalgia with the raw energy of the capital’s underground sound.

Drawing from influences that span UK dance music, hip hop, and soul, IZCO’s music captures both the energy of the dancefloor and the emotion of lived experience. Over the years, IZCO has become a key figure in London’s cross-genre underground scene, collaborating with artists like Reek0, Greentea Peng, Sam Wise, Liam Bailey, and Novelist, and performing at iconic venues and festivals across the UK and Europe.

His previous releases, including tracks like soulboy - IZCO Remix, Beauty Inside, and OBiNRin - IZCO Remix, showcase his knack for crafting warm, sample-rich productions that balance classic influences with a distinctly modern edge. Whether behind the decks or in the studio, IZCO continues to push boundaries, creating music that feels timeless, authentic, and deeply rooted in community.

“Guiding Star” is no different. It pairs warm, vintage soul textures with the sharp percussion and bass-driven pulse that have defined IZCO’s sound across his discography. Featuring long-time collaborator Reek0, the single bridges eras and styles; a homage to the past while firmly rooted in the energy of today’s London.

Speaking on this release, IZCO says:
“Guiding Star. That classic shit, Combining the soulful sample with the London grit, real London track. Inspired by a mixture of 70s soul, US hip hop and UK grime.

Made this track without thinking much, the sample spoke for itself.
Reek0’s vocal was from one of the first sessions we ever did years ago, and it had never been released but it sounded perfect on this track. A taste of nostalgia, this track reminds me of good memories and friendships. Simple but meaningful. And an honour to use such a beautiful sample”

Later this year, fans will be able to own an exclusive 7-inch vinyl edition of Guiding Star, featuring both the original and instrumental versions - a collector’s piece for crate diggers and fans alike. Out on the 5th December.

With “Guiding Star (feat. Reek0)”, IZCO continues to carve out his place as one of the most versatile and soulful producers in UK production, grounding every beat in authenticity, emotion, and connection

After nearly three years, *Can You Feel It Vol. 5* marks the release of a brand-new installment in Tramp Records' Disco/Boogie series. Like all four previous volumes, Vol. 5 offers a colorful mix of songs from the late 1970s and early 1980s. From extremely rare tracks to easily accessible ones and even unreleased material-this release has everything to make a collector's heart race. Once again, these songs will get you on your feet, inspire you to dance, and transport you back to the glittering world of the late 1970s. CAN YOU FEEL IT?

Let's take a closer look at a few of the songs on this album. Kicking things off are Bill Deal & The Rhondels, a band that needs no introduction. The same cannot be said for Tom Balistreri and Ryjel. The latter presents "Heart's On Fire," a seven-minute journey into previously unreleased deep disco. "Old Mother Winter" may not be a typical disco song, but it's undoubtedly a fantastic composition. The Stone Mill Band is relatively unknown even among hardcore collectors. The most recent track on this album is by singer Tory Wynter who already contributed a song for Can You Feel It Vol.4. "Oh Let The Rain Fall Down" was released in 1988.

The second record opens with "Been Thinkin' About You" by Avatar-an amazing song and probably the rarest gem on this album, in stark contrast to Piz-Zazz - a record you can find easily for a few dollars. Saxophonist King Perkoff was born in Santa Monica, California, but now resides in Berlin, and with "When You Live In Marin" he delivers a real disco-funk banger! Glenn "Shake & Bake" Doughty played professional football as a wide receiver for the Baltimore Colts from 1972 to 1979. Together with some of his teammates, he founded the Shake & Bake Band in 1975. We probably aren't telling Tramp fans anything new here. Anyway, a little over two years ago, we reissued the first of their two extremely hard to find 45-RPM singles ("Shake & Bake Pt. 1 & 2"). We also included a DJ-friendly edit of the song on "Movements Vol. 12." It is a must for us here at Tramp that we also reissue their second single, "Starflight Disco Pt. 1 & 2," soon!

So there you have it, 13 obscure but brilliant MODERN SOUL, DISCO and BOOGIE tunes of which all have not been compiled anywhere else. We sincerely hope you enjoy our guided tour back into the late 1970s and 80s Disco era.

The breakout underground star of the past year, the deservedly hyped Thought Leadership returns with another X ideas: the deck this time chooses the suit of Cups. This new collection is closer to the Post-Punk tonality of Pentacles, than the breezy Balearic Jazz of Swords. Gone are the brushed drum samples and airy synths and in their place are BIG guitars, 808 thumps and a decidedly more prominent use of bass as a melodic device.

As the suit of Cups reflects the emotional heart of the Tarot, presented within are a further X pieces, this time displaying the full range and fervour of Thought Leadership.

You know the drill by now. Originally out on cassette only, we present the first ever vinyl issue. It's a hideously limited pressing of 300 for the world, so don't sleep on this.

Side A explores the emotional levels of consciousness; angst, joy, love, sorrow, relief, regret – they are all represented across the first seven tracks, and often within the same piece. XXI kicks us off with a huge tumbling D minor passage, layers and layers of guitar front and centre, whilst the drums pound away in the distance. Release is provided with a gorgeous G Dorian section, where we hear the bass take flight with a high melodic line.

We’re still in familiar Durutti Column meets Dif Juz territory here, but things switch up with XXII. This piece showcases a darker, more angular palette of guitars; think Alan Rankine (The Associates), or Deb Demure (Drab Majesty) in the unexpected harmonic shifts, knotty arpeggiated patterns and heavy, goth-adjacent modulation. A real love letter to 45+ years of darkly inclined guitar heritage.

XXIII enters the fray with tight, thumping 808s and Marr-esque guitar figures; and again, the bass providing heavy melodic counterpoint to the guitars. Enter chiming, lyrical lead phrasing, reminiscent of the eternal opening to "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". Another accidental perfect pop moment from the Thought Leader. Whilst on the topic of Tears For Fears, XXIV comes swinging out of the gate with some serious Sophisti-chug; we’re reminded of "Shout" in the A section, before being beautifully juxtaposed in the B section with more Vini-eqsue patterns, reminiscent of his timeless classic, Another Setting.

XXV gives us welcome pause to take stock midway through the A side. No drums this time, but instead a heartbreaking conversation between two guitars; think Kevin McCormick and David Horridge’s masterful Light Patterns, or perhaps even the early solo-Bill Connors mid-70s cuts for ECM. The moment of quiet reflection passes, and is quickly shattered by the thudding march of XXVI – this piece comes across like The Associates playing "Wicked Game"; heavy, moody, and utterly compelling. XXVII ends our journey across Side A with more Marr-inspired playing; one for the heads and already featured on mixes, this one is real testament to the vision of Thought Leadership.

Side B again takes us on a trip through three long-form semi-improvised pieces. XXVIII is like those classic Jonny Nash, early Melody As Truth releases, slowly unfurling, additional details introduced deliberately piece by piece, this idea builds across 7+ minutes culminating in some utterly joyous ebow fireworks at the end – well Balearic.

XXIX again, like XXV before it, dispatches the drums with a focus purely on melody and mood. The piece feels like a lost Save Room Theme from the Resident Evil series, pure golden age Capcom Sound Team vibes. Unadulterated aural nostalgia for hours spent with a PS1 in haze of hash.

XXX completes this majestic voyage with another Modal exercise; this time the Thought Leader has opted for the Lydian Mode. Beautifully dreamy, undeniably Soundtrack-y, and arguably the most concise distillation so far of everything this project stands for; drum machines, guitars, pedals, one-take improvised solos – XXX has the lot, and is surely destined for greatness.

So, another X epic statements for guitar, homespun with the humblest of means, for all the dreamers out there. The first ever vinyl release of IV Of Cups has been carefully remastered by Be With's engineer Simon Francis to ensure it sounds better than ever after its initial tape release. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut at Abbey Road Studios whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at Record Industry, in Holland. The original tape cover artwork, so crucial to Thought Leadership's striking visual aesthetic, has been rejigged for vinyl issue here at Be With.

The last 2 LPs flew. You have been warned.

DJ support: Soul Clap, Walla P (Voyage Funktastique), Moniquea

The first lady of MoFunk Records is also considered by many to be one of the queens of modern funk music. Her latest, “Womp In My Spirit,” fuses a wide range of styles within its ten tracks and shows the true versatility of funk music. On one end, the deep g-funk bounce of songs like “Womp In My Spirit” & “However You Are” show you Moniquea's west coast roots clearly, while uptempo boogie bangers like “Get It Together” sit in the lane that MoFunk is best known for. Tracks like “Red Light” go in a more dancey direction, welcoming the sleekness of house music to mingle with g-funk whistles and rubbery synth bass, a track that recently caught the ear of Soul Clap and was remixed by them on their recent “Soul Clap vs. MoFunk” EP. The majority of production on the album was handled by MoFunk head honcho XL Middleton.

Back on Celestial Echo Records with CER010, a record that’s been a fixture in the right record bags for a long time.

Africano – “Open Your Hearts” is a serious modern soul tune for the Chicago DJs. Super funky, big on feeling, and powered by explosive instrumentation that just keeps driving. — strong, emotional, and made for proper dancefloors.

It’s been spun for years by DJs like Mark Grusane, Theo Parrish, and others in that Chicago scene — and it works every time. Part 1 on the A-side is the one you know, while Part 2 on the flip stretches things out and lets the groove roll on.

As always, Celestial Echo is about soul records that have earned their place. Remastered with care and pressed properly, Africano is one we’re proud to finally put back out there.

One of the UK’s rising talents in recent times, J6 continues his upward trajectory with an enormous four-tracker on underground fan favourites, Locked In Dam. The party starting crew go hand in hand with the refined J6 ethos, as he delivers a dynamite selection of tracks for your record bag. His familiar low end driven sound, combined with tinges of acid and futuristic textures moving between house and modern electro, shapes the ‘Devil Baby’ EP into a cohesive and powerful statement.

The title track is built upon powerful drums and squelchy, spaced-out tones, combined with trippy vocal stabs from Martina, who features on the record. This is prime J6 territory and not to be underestimated. Next up, ‘Biohazard’ introduces mysterious synths that create a transcending atmosphere, shifting the dance floor into the next gear with further twisted acid movements. On the flip side, the Manchester based beatmaker teams up with Ben Gough for ‘Time Capsule’, delivering pacey energy that never lets up, driven by nostalgic tech house drums and icy hi-hats. Rounding off the EP, ‘Emergence’ simmers with an emotive dark energy throughout; if we weren’t dancing with the devil before, we certainly are now.

A certain tip for the tastemakers amongst us, these are four dynamic dance floor cuts to be shared deep within the dark realms of the night.

Oinimod Records proudly presents its first-ever vinyl release, Gravity EP, a statement of intent rooted in deep grooves, timeless house aesthetics, and club-driven energy.

Written and produced by Duccio Lopresto, Gravity EP delivers two original cuts that explore different shades of House music, complemented by a powerful remix from Gearmaster, one of Estonia's most respected House talents.

“Gravity” opens the EP with a deep and groovy House journey inspired by the classic Detroit House legacy. A strong rhythmic foundation drives hypnotic acid lines and rich, expressive synths, creating a track that is both raw and elegant, built for the dancefloor yet deeply musical.

“Mirage” reveals a more dreamy and introspective atmosphere. This Deep House track flows with a timeless rhythm, warm grooves, and relaxing yet melodic elements, offering a soulful and immersive listening experience that transcends trends.

Closing the EP, Gearmaster delivers a pure Club House banger remix of Gravity, reinterpreting the original material with precision and power. Tight rhythms, infectious groove, and a modern club sensibility turn the remix into a peak-time weapon, showcasing Gearmaster’s unmistakable touch and deep understanding of the dancefloor.

Gravity EP marks the beginning of Oinimod Records’ vinyl journey — a release that bridges classic influences and contemporary House music, crafted for DJs, collectors, and true House music lovers.

The Reflex returns in unstoppable form with 'Whatson Ur Mind', the long-awaited vinyl drop after racking up over a million YouTube views. The A-side delivers pure feel-good heat by updating a disco-yacht rock gem into a modern dancefloor weapon with a carefree feel and loved-up sense of romance washing over the nodding bass. Meanwhile, the B-side flips into a soulful, synth-driven slow burner that channels deep funk and libidinousness. Already championed by Gilles Peterson and Ross Allen, this one's built for selectors who know their groove and dancers who like to move.

DJ support by Soul Clap, Walla P (Voyage Funktastique), XL Middleton & Moniquea

XL Middleton's “Tap Water” is considered by some to be a cult classic in the modern funk genre. Ten years after its release, MoFunk Records takes two fan favorites from the album (“Do Me Like That” featuring Moniquea & “High On Your Love”) and puts them onto one limited edition 45 – only 300 copies pressed!

Amsterdam-based producer and one half of Cybersex, Stef de Haan, releases his first EP on wax with Ataraxi. Ataraxia is a concept from ancient Greek philosophy describing a state of inner calm, a freedom from anxiety and sorrow, guided by a life of reason.

With this release, Stef de Haan reflects on this idea and ventures into territories beyond his usual sound, moving from a garage stepper to minimal techno, alongside two remixes - all approached with a fresh, modern take on music production.

SEVEN7009LTD is on coloured vinyl and includes a 90cm x 60cm pull out poster of an original Stef de Haan painting. Strictly Limited to 200 copies.

Amsterdam-based producer and one half of Cybersex, Stef de Haan, releases his first EP on wax with Ataraxi. Ataraxia is a concept from ancient Greek philosophy describing a state of inner calm, a freedom from anxiety and sorrow, guided by a life of reason.

With this release, Stef de Haan reflects on this idea and ventures into territories beyond his usual sound, moving from a garage stepper to minimal techno, alongside two remixes - all approached with a fresh, modern take on music production.

SEVEN7009LTD is on coloured vinyl and includes a 90cm x 60cm pull out poster of an original Stef de Haan painting. Strictly Limited to 200 copies.