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King Coya ist das digitale Alter Ego des argentinischen Musikers, Produzenten und Komponisten Gaby Kerpel. In den Neunzigern entwickelte Kerpel die furiose Theater-Performance "De la Guarda" mit, später setzte er seine Kreativität für das preisgekrönte Showprojekt "Fuerza Bruta" ein. Abgesehen davon ist er bekannt für die innovative Verbindung lateinamerikanischer Folklore mit moderner elektronischer Musik. Seit seinem 2009 veröffentlichten Solodebüt "Cumbias de Villa Donde" fertigte der König Remixe für Acts wie Amadou & Mariam, Brazilian Girls, Julieta Venegas, Luzmila Carpio, Chancha Via Circuito, Tom Tom Club, Petrona Martinez und Magin Díaz an. Weiterhin beteiligte er sich als Mitglied der Band Terraplén an den Aufnahmen zu "Tira Torito" (2010). Mit "Tierra de King Coya" setzt Kerpel den eingeschlagenen Pfad weiter fort. Zur Geltung kommen neben kolumbianischer Cumbia und argentinischem Folk insbesondere traditionell in den Anden gebräuchliche Instrumente wie das Zupfinstrument Ronroco oder die Schnabelflöte Tarka. Natürlich werden alle Sounds vom King so lange am Computer aufbereitet, verfremdet und geschichtet, bis sich explosiv-tanzbare Songs ergeben. Neun Stück sind es auf "Tierra de King Coya" geworden. Bei diesen wird er von La Yegros, Iara Nardi, Isabel Pinedo Rengifo, La Walichera, Balvina Ramos und Queen Colas am Mikrofon begleitet.

1976 rare dub album consists of robust Techniques rhythms dismantled and reconstructed by King Tubby to its perfection. Long-expected reissue of one of the most sought after dub albums.

Elektroliza is a series of club events formed by a group of dedicated electronic music enthusiasts in 2006. It is hosted by Ljubljana's Channel Zero, a legendary club that is part of the autonomous social centre Metelkova which used to be the Slovenian headquarters of the Yugoslav National Army.Filling a void in Slovenia's electronic dance scene, the night was a hit from the start and quickly grew into a diverse and successful series focusing on new and exciting electro, acid and dark techno.Elektroliza hosted many memorable DJ and live acts by performers/producers/pioneers coming out of international music incubators in Gothenburg, The Hague, Berlin and as far as Detroit. Even more importantly, it brought together producers and crews from the former Yugoslav republics of Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Macedonia. Inside the former Yugoslavian military barracks DJs and producers from Skopje to Ljubljana began bonding again through music, forming new friendships, starting new collaborations and dancing the night away... in 'Electro City Ljubljana'.This first double vinyl compilation of the Balkan Elektroliza family is a collection of our shared memories and visions of the future to come.

Favorite Recordings proudly presents Combattant, first EP by Pat Kalla produced by Bruno Patchworks' Hovart (aka VOILAAA).

PAT KALLA is a musician, singer and storyteller. Patrice of his birth name, in tribute to the great Lumumba! Lover of words, French language, and music of course. Born in Lyon, from a Cameroonian father, musician and political activist, and a French and literary mother, he explores from his childhood the Soul, the Slam, the Funk ... and the art of telling stories, life being a great one...

After years of touring alongside many bands (Conte & Soul, Legend of Eboa King, Mento Cloub, Voilaaa Sound System), and several acclaimed titles on the two albums by Voilaaa, he comes back with this project to put a bit of primordial lightness in a rainy world: A tribute to the African culture in honor of a father with "Sawa" origins, the tribe from the people of Makossa.

Jojo Ngallé, Moni Bilé, Pain, Manu Dibango, Franco, Rochereau, Kabaselé, Fela, François Nkotti & The Black Style, all these legends' vinyls have turned on the family turntable and the collection has whetted the child's appetite. Through this new trip, he revisits styles that are sometimes little known to Western audiences, such as High-Life, Makossa, Angolan Music, Afrobeat, Afro-Disco and others. We could talk about Franc CFA', we could talk about Jacques Foccart, but we will rather dance, because "the dancer seems naive, but his feet must be connected with earth to understand history..."

Backed by the "Super Mojo Disco", a hyperactive band from Lyon with deep groove and positive energy, Pat Kalla offers us an anti-crisis project, where swaying and feel-good humor is mandatory! An album soon in the crates, beware « c'est médicament » (it's medicine)!!

Fresh on Francis Harris' Kingdoms imprint comes Rasmus Juncker's 'Ophold' - six tracks of sublime atmospheres and textures. The Danish musician, sound composer and DJ fits perfectly with the label's aesthetic, joining the dots between ambient, leftfield electronica and modern classical.

Juncker has a background in studying jazz drumming and has been playing improvised music within the jazz domain for many years. He also started to DJ at the age of 14 and was introduced to the world of electronic music production at the same time.

When Rasmus started to think about his debut album he spent several months trying to find his own way to combine his favourite musical influences, improvisation, electronics and classical music. 'Almost a year later', Juncker says, "I went to a sensory deprivation floating tank in Copenhagen while researching for another performance and while I was lying there, floating in the water, deprived from most of my senses, I got the idea to do something drastic in my musical process. Philosophers like Immanuel Kant describe this deprived state as a mental 'Cesura', which became some sort of guideline for the album."

So Juncker decided to start working on the album by leaving the process as well as the final result completely open. 'I wanted to create sounds and music that I had no idea what they would sound like, but would feel like a mental 'Cesura', an 'Ophold' (in Danish)' he states.

He invited musicians, one after the other, to his studio. "I had an electronic musician to improvise patterns and new interesting sounds based on my experience in the deprivation tank. I chose some of the takes and some weeks later I invited a jazz guitarist to listen and improvise on top of what he heard. Then a classical string quartet and a double bass player came to my studio months later, and finally I recorded myself on percussion and drums.

Throughout the recording process I've been experimenting with special microphones in various setups, used noises from the recordings and the room became absolutely essential for the pieces." Juncker states.

"The material I used was all first take improvision which I arranged, layered and edited into compositions. The final pieces were mixed by Andreas Pallisgaard with the same improvised and experimental approach of the recording and the production. None of the musician met each other, but their sounds developed into something completely fantastic I think. The presence of the acoustic instruments and the depth and complexity of the synthesized layers gave some kind of an indescribable sounding music from another galaxy.

Track by track:

'Norddrum' starts proceedings - ethereal, grainy sounds merge and disassociate, as a distant rhythm gradually finds its way to the fore.

The second track, 'Sora' , clocking in at under 2 minutes, is an interlude full of strings, pads, and percussive hits, rich in feeling. This strong sense of sound design and seemingly disparate sounds woven together into a whole carries through into 'Eksotisk Tirsdag' - the strings, plucked instruments and electronics harking back to 4th world adventurers like Jon Hassel and Brian Eno.

'Cyklus' dives into drone textures, pulsing and modulating to create an unearthly soundtrack.

'Havekunst' is another 2 minutes interlude, this time bringing a fully charged rhythmic barrage to the front.

'Cesura', the final track is in essence the EP's centerpiece - a sprawling 8 minute journey that traverses tense, fibrous sections and on into pulsing modular passages, before opening up into glorious moments of wonder and brightness. It's a hugely bold yet fragile endeavour, in line with the whole release.

GROUND-BREAKING, CLASSIC BOOGIE & DISCO LP FROM 1979 NIGERIA, FEATURING 'AGBOJU LOGUN'
First official reissue of the extremely rare full-length album by Lagos-based bandleader Shina Williams. Clean copies of the original currently sell for up to £500.
The record was born in 1979 when Shina put Biddy Wright, Fred Fisher, Saliu Alabi, Prince Bola, Tutu Shoronmu, Tunde willimas and several other decorated Nigerian musicians - who played with the likes of Fela Kuti, SJOB Movement, Sonny Okoson, King Bucknor amongst others - together to record. The result is 'African Dances', a timeless fusion of afrobeat, electronics, boogie and disco.
Includes his most well-known song, 'Agboju Logun' that Williams knew was ground breaking - I want to show the whole wide world that Africa is alive with modern musicians to reckon with anywhere,'. This album version is a different mix to the two-track 12' that came out under on Earthworks, Rough Trade in 1984.
Official Mr Bongo reissue. Replica original artwork. Licensed direct from Shina Williams.

For the last decade, Argentina has become the epicenter of a musical explosion that characteristically blends folk music from the surrounding Andes and electronic beats. The artist arguably responsible for its emergence on a global platform is one named Chancha Via Circuito- a Buenos Aires native named Pedro Canale whose first album Rodante (2008) opened the floodgates by pushing the borders of Cumbia listeners weren't even aware existed. He's gone on to release other highly acclaimed albums such as Rio Arriba (2010), which Resident Advisor described as 'aural magical realism', and Amansara (2014), which catapulted him onto acclaimed international stages and received praises from Pitchfork to the New York Times.

Four years later, in the midst of some very notable global turbulence, Chancha Via Circuito brings us his highly anticipated new album Bienaventuranza- a word that essentially means bliss. Replete with his signature touches of Andean instruments (think lots of flute and charango), the folkloric elements on this album blend fluidly with danceable and digestible electronic beats. He's been cooking this record slowly, with unprecedented amounts of care and in a much more collaborative manner than his past albums.

Appearing on the album are heavy hitters in the digital cumbia scene, including Mateo Kingman, Kaleema, and Lido Pimienta, all of whom contribute their highly distinguishable sounds to the natural flow of the album. Most of these collaborations came about almost effortlessly. La Victoria is a track that blends cumbia, dancehall, and a bit of mysticism- carried by Lido Pimienta's luminous voice, Colombian Dancehall wizard Manu Ranks happened to be in town and slipped into the song naturally. Kawa Kawa came from an improv jam during rehearsal one day with Kaleema (Heidi Lewandowski) and Federico Estevez (percussionist in Chancha Via Circuito). Niño Hermoso, which is lyrically a fable, sounds the way it does because Pedro saw a video of Gianluz (Gianluca Zonzini), who he knows from dance classes, singing a Pocahontas song on Youtube.

As dancefloor-friendly as it is mystical, Bienaventuranza is as Chancha as it gets- with elements from Cumbia to Dancehall to Andean Folk to Global house, crystal clear production, and collaborations that are evidently natural and genuine, the record holds true to the sound that Canale has played such a huge part in creating. Since the release of his last album, the digital folk scene has also grown exponentially. From a new generation of producers to more listeners in unassuming parts of the globe, Pedro has been humbled to see the sound develop- and proves with this album that he's grown swiftly alongside it.

African Scream Contest 2

A great compilation can open the gate to another world. Who knew that some of the most exciting Afro-funk records of all time were actually made in the small West African country of Benin Once Analog Africa released the first African Scream Contest in 2008, the proof was there for all to hear, gut-busting yelps, lethally well- drilled horn sections and irresistibly insistent rhythms added up to a record that took you into its own space with the same electrifying sureness as any favourite blues or soul or funk or punk sampler you might care to mention.

Ten years on, intrepid crate-digger Samy Ben Redjeb unveils a new treasure- trove of Vodoun-inspired Afrobeat heavy funk crossover greatness. Right from the laceratingly raw guitar fanfare which kicks o Les Sympathics' pile-driving opener, it's clear that African Scream Contest II is going to be every bit as joyous a voyage of discovery as its predecessor. And just as you're trying to get o the canvas after this one-punch knock out, an irresistible Afro-ska romp with a more than subliminal echo of the Batman theme puts you right back there. Ignace De Souza and the Melody Aces' Asaw Fofor" would've been a killer instrumental but once you've factored in the improbably-rich-to-the-point-of-being-Nat-King-Cole-influenced lead vocal, it's a total revelation.

The screaming does not stop there, in fact it's only just beginning. But the

strange thing about African Scream Contest II's celebration of unfettered Beninese creativity is that it would not have been possible without the assistance of a musician who had been trained by the Russian secret services to "search and destroy" enemies of the country's (then) Marxist-Leninist president Mathieu Kerekou.

Already familiar to fans of the first African Scream Contest as a mainstay of ruthlessly disciplined military band Les Volcans de la Capitale, Lokonon André vanished in a cloud of dust at Ben Redjeb's behest with a list of names and some petrol money, only to return a few days later having miraculously tracked down every single name he'd been given. The source of this Afrobeat bounty-hunter's impressive people-finding skills - his training with the KGB - highlights the tension between encroaching authoritarian politics and fearless expressions of personal creative freedom which is the back-story of so much great African music of the 60s and 70s. Happily, in this instance, Lokonon was tracking the artists down to oer them licensing deals, rather than to arrest them.

Where some purveyors of vintage African sounds seem to be strip-mining the

continent's musical heritage with no less rapacious intent than the mining companies and colonial authorities who previously extracted its mineral wealth, Samy Ben Redjeb's determination to track this amazing music to its human sources pays huge karmic dividends.

Like every other Analog Africa release, African Scream Contest II is illuminated by meticulously researched text and eortlessly fashion-forward photography supplied by the artists themselves. Looming large - alongside Lokonon André - in the cast of biopic-worthy characters to emerge from this seductive tropical miasma is visionary space-nerd Bernard Dohounso, who laid the foundations for Benin's vinyl predominance by importing and assembling the turntables that would play the products of his Bond villain-acronymed pressing plant SATEL, a factory that would revolutionise the music industry in the whole region.

The scene documented here couldn't have been born anywhere else but in the Benin Republic , and the prime reason for that is Vodoun. It's one of the world's most complex religions, involving the worship of some 250 divinities, where each divinity has its own specific set of rhythms, and the bands introduced on the African Scream Contest series and other compilations from that country were no less diverse than that army of dierent Gods. At once restless pioneers and masters of the art of modernising their own folklore, the mystic sound of Vodoun was their prime source of inspiration.

One especially irascible Vodoun-adept was Antoine Dougbe, who styled himself The devil's prime minister' while turning ancestral rhythms into satanically alluring modern beats. As Orchestre Poly-Rythmo songwriter Pynasco has observed sagely, Evil is not elsewhere, evil extends into the house'. And African Scream Contest II is a gloriously cinematic road-trip through an undiscovered realm of music lore whose familiarity is every bit as thrilling as its otherness.

Written by Ben Thomson, March 2018

Record Kicks Celebrates 15 Years In The Business With A Collection Full Of Exclusive New Singles. Available In Ltd Edition Double Clear Vinyl Lp, Cd And Digital Download. Side By Side With Similar Outfits Like Daptone, Truth And Soul, Freestyle Or Timmion, Under Its Motto "the Explosive Sound From Today's Scene" Milan-based Independent Label Record Kicks Has Been Pitching The Contemporary Funk & Soul Scene Since Day One.

With Over 200 Releases Under The Belt, Rk Has Released Bands From All Over The Globe And Earnedthe Support Of Vip Fans Such As Kenny Dope, Jamie Cullum, Craig Charles And Not Least Jay-z, Thanks To Which The Label Has Recently Received A Grammy Nomination For Hov's Use Of Hannah Williams' "late Nights And Heartbreak" As Backdrop For His "4:44". The New Instalment "record Kicks 15th" Coming Out Next May 18th On Double Clear Lp, Cd And Digital Download, Celebrates 15 Years In The Business With A Collection Full Of Exclusive New Tracks And The Very Best Of It's Roster.

The Album Kicks Off With Rk's Latest And Youngest Signing:
From Chicago, Heavily Inspired By The Impressions And Leroy Hutson, We Are Proud To Present You "the Devonns" With Their Super Soulful Debut Single "come Back", An Appetizer Of Their Debut Full Length Expected To Land On Rk Next Autumn. Another New Signing To The Label Is Men Of North Country's (acid Jazz Records) Side Project "the Faithful Brothers", Here With Their New Single "one More Time".

Other Exclusive Tracks Of The Comp Are "this Strange Effect", A Coverup Of The Hooverphonic's Single From 1998 Brought To You By Dutch Northern Soul Disciples The Tibbs, "love You Back" From Detroit Deep Funk Outfit Third Coast Kings, "the Sort" By The Buenos Aires Mod Reggae Kings The Crabs Corporation, "top Dog" By British Funk Combo The Hook & Slingers And Straight From Down Under "you Don't Know Me" By The Always Great Dojo Cuts.

Along With These New Exclusive Cuts, Dig On Some Label's News Singles And Heavyweight Classics Such As Dj Shadow's "this Time" Taken From Baby Charles Debut Lp, "don't Throw Your Love In The Garbage Can" By James Brown's Original Funk Diva Martha High Feat Japanese Funk Ambassadors Osaka Monaurail, "psycheground" The Brand New Afro-funk Single By Calibro 35 And Then Portuguese Tnt Dynamite Marta Ren & The Groovelvets, Toronto Soul Queen Tanika Charles, Uk Funk Ambassadors The New Mastersounds, The Diplomats Of Solid Sound And The Already Mentioned "late Nights & Heartbreak" By Hannah Williams & The Affirmations.

From his Saint Denis apartment, and with the help of his machines, Labelle has laid the foundations of an electronic maloya, modern and deeply rooted in its home territory: La Réunion. On 'univers-île' his latest album released in September 2017, the sound of the Creole Reunionese language played a key role. On 'Post-Maloya", Labelle release a fascinating EP of introspective trance music. Post-Maloya EP is characterized by vivid dream-like journey through which traces a path of exploration. Here you will find the maloya stamp, which is Reunionese traditional music, both in the rhythms and the instruments used, like the valiha. This traditional tubular harp from Madagascar is played by Vola on the track 'Jaojoby'. Vola was taught by Rajery himself, who is widely considered as master of this instrument. This track is an homage to Jaojoby, king of Salegy, a popular musician in Madagascar. The hypnotic sounds evoke distant dimensions and resonate like shamanic incantations whose aim is to gently lead us towards the trance. As the title suggests - 'Post-maloya' is the exploration of new musical processes mixed with the use of traditional maloya instrumentation. This is an appropriate name for this new opus, which is more electronic and percussive; carving an experimental path between electronic and traditional music. In parallel with the creation this EP, the Regional Conservatory of Réunion Island has given free reign to Labelle to create a series of live performances which he played all around the island last month, including an original creation linked to his expression of 'Post-maloya' supported by an ensemble of eleven musicians from Réunion Island's regional orchestra.

Tony Clarke is from Waterhouse, St. Andrew Jamaica. At the tender age of 10 he started following sound systems like Sir Mike The Musical Dragon with the great toaster Prince Ruff at the controls, and King Tubby's with the legendary U-Roy. Tony Clarke did his first recording in New York in 1971 at Hugh Hendricks recording studio called "Righteous Man" of which he played both bass and lead guitar. The band was later managed by the legendary band leader/trombonist Carlos Malcolm.

Tony Clarke decided to write the song 'Going Home' to reference the roots of his music. In those days and even now good reggae music that was being recorded in the United States was not receiving the approbation from home because, in Jamaica they felt that the best reggae music could only come from and be created in Jamaica to substantiate the true feeling of the genre. So he decided to go back to Jamaica and record 'Going Home' at Harry J Studio with Sylvan Morris as engineer. The rhythm track was played by Lloyd Parks (Bass), Devon Richardson (Drum), Andy Bassford (Lead Guitar), Winston "Bo-Pee" Bowen (Rhythm Guitar), Franklyn "Bubbler" Waul (Keyboard), David Madden & Junior "Chico" Chin (Horns). He also recorded the cover version to 'Hey Little Girl' originally done by Dee Clark. For this 12'' vinyl edition, the artwork was done with a vintage photo of Tony Clarke in front of his house at Waterhouse and extended liner notes on the back cover.

The anonymous underground figure of Phoboz is associated with one colour - black. Not only is his online presence a mystery, with alternative stage names such as Doghead, Phaseliner, and Parseq. He is also connected to the well-respected Motorlab label, whose releases from the outset have been devoid of portraiture, biographic information, or textual support. Black covers, a few silver symbols of factory hardware, and nothing more.

Nonetheless, one Russian venue online has referred to Phoboz's earlier work as 'digital music for sentient people.' There's a vague connection between darkness, industry, and Russian feelings of late. Actuality is black.

These same emphases define the newest release by Phoboz on Resonance Records, entitled 'Flow' and overseen by Moscow's techno kingpin Nikita Zabelin. Forty minutes of resonant, insistent beats, straight from the gut of some abandoned factory. A heavy, even thunderous tradition fades to black, leaving the echo of prior decades to repeat itself, over and over. Even the titles of this release speak of something lost in the dark: 'Forgotten Planet' or 'Shifted Bias.' One tradition has evanesced; a future equivalent remains vague.

Phoboz gives voice to that shift from erstwhile desire to present-day drive, from industrial progress to post-industrial flow. The sounds of a forgotten culture.

Everyone loves "Why Can't We Live Together" by Timmy Thomas: how could one resist such a strong music vibe coming with a message more relevant today than ever! It has been covered by the most creative artists more than a few times...

Recorded in Paris and Kingston, the Soul Sugar crew & Leonardo Carmichael make it their own with a sultry reggae groove. Jahno on drums and syndrums, Thomas Naim on guitar, and Guillaume "Gee" Metenier on keyboards and production duties, are delivering the classic hit in all its majesty, in the superior categories of both extended Discomix, and Dub version under the spell of Dubmaster extraordinaire Dennis Bovell!

What to say about the breathtaking interpretation of Leonardo Carmichael Growing up in Jamaica, Leonardo learnt many a song from his father Glendon Joseph McFarlane, who would sing to his mother Geraldine, who sang in a choir. Leonardo grew up as a drummer and a singer in churches. Through a mutual friend, he met Nastassja Hammond, daughter of Beres Hammond, with whom he started writing and releasing music for various artists including Courtney John and Kreesha Turner. Leonardo has a wide appreciation for diverse genres but keep an International Reggae and Dancehall feel at the core of his music. It can be said Leonardo has faith & soul to the bone...

Anklepants Introduces His Brand New Album For Detroit Undergroud, A Collection Of Ten Cuts, Made With His Very Own Arsenal Of Digital And Hardware Toys, Most Of Them Self Made And Customised For His Purposes. This Multi Faceted Artist Creates A Blend Of Twisted Ryhthms, Synthetic Melodies And Weird Textures And Noises, Yet Danceable Stuff But With Heavy Focus In Experimentation And Risk.

Pollen Opens The Release With A Weird Arabic Style Riff And Arpeggiated Clean Synths Over A Simple Beat, Until More Melodic Layers Complete The Equation.

Chowsey In Upstyled Onesy Minor Follows With Sampled And Morphed Traditional Instruments, Laying Over Destructed Beats And Rythms.

The Perfect Adult Man Relies On Atmospheric Stabs, Four Four Kick And Analogue Bubble Bassline, Dark, Grey And Melancholic.

'lé Cavé_isnt It Funny To Think Once Apon A Time People Thought The World Was Blue White Flat And Squaré' Is Made Of Twisted Samples, Asymetrical Grooves, Organic Instruments Decimated And Multiple Sound Layers.

808 Frapé Is An Homage To The Classic Drum Machine, Electro Shaped Drum Patterns, Floating Sounds And Crispy Metalic Glitches Dance With Random Sequences And Bleeps In A Robotic Exercise.

Reecard Farche The Torture Of Credo Mutwa And The Theft Of The Necklace Of Mysteries_noel Goes Again To Weird Random Bleepy Fields, Alien Grooves, Heavy Sound Processing And Glitched Details.

Industrial Kingpins Und Drachoen Is Dark, Obscure Number, Clear Rythms, Strings And Resonant Bassline Collide, The Groove Transforms To Broken Beats After The Break Bringing New Life To The Overall Feel.

Sharkblood, Sure The Sharks, Repeats This Phrase In Different Pitches Over A Solid Kick Pattern While More Vocal Layers Are Added Progressively In A Voice Madness.

Golife_refracto Relationé Again Plays With Samples In A Mad Style, Altering Every Parameter, Creating Granular Efects, Destroying The Audio Files Creating An Asymetric Tune.

Attila's Own Photos From The Shoot It's The Epilogue, In A Relaxed Mood, Sound Textures, Various String Samples Melting In Different Pitches And Crunchy Atmospheres.

Mount Kimbie liefern ein grandioses Remix-Paket mit 4 verschiedenen Dancefloor-Lösungen für den treibenden Post-Punk-Sound ihres aktuellen Albums "Love What Survives". Als erstes mutiert Nina Kraviz den Albumfavoriten "Blue Train Lines" in einen ausgedehnten Techno-Trip mit Vocalfetzen von King Krule, und schiebt gleich noch zwei DJ-Tool-Versionen hinterher. EP 2 serviert zwei brettharte Techno-Monster von Marcel Dettmann und Ellen Allien, während Gerd Janson die Bassline des Originaltracks bis zum euphorisierenden Hands-in-the-Air-Acid-Höhepunkt zwickt.

Strut presents the brand new album from cosmic jazz travellers The Pyramids, led by saxophonist Idris Ackamoor, 'An Angel Fell'. I wanted to use folklore, fantasy and drama as a warning bell,' explains Ackamoor. The songs explore global themes that are important to me and to us all: the rise of catastrophic climate change and our lack of concern for our planet, loss of innocence and separation... but positive themes too, the healing power of music, collective action and the simple beauty of nature.' Produced by Malcolm Catto of The Heliocentrics, the album was recorded during an intense week at Quatermass studios in London and is one of the deepest, richest works yet from a band reaching their highest creative peak since the early '70s. Some of the many highlights include the poignant title track depicting a fallen angel in purgatory, outrage and grief on the powerful, hard hitting 'Soliloquy For Michael Brown' and the lilting, beautiful album closer, 'Sunset'.

The Pyramids originally came together in 1972 at Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio where teachers included renowned pianist, Cecil Taylor. After forming in Paris and embarking on a cultural odyssey' across Africa, the group recorded three independent albums, 'Lalibela' (1973), 'King Of Kings' (1974) and 'Birth / Speed / Merging' (1976) and became renowned for their striking live shows, mixing percussive, spiritual and space-age jazz with performance theatre and dance. After migrating to San Francisco, they disbanded in 1977. 35 years later, the band reunited in 2012 following growing demand for their music from vinyl collectors. German label Disko B released the freeform album 'Otherwordly' and in 2016, they released their first album for Strut, the acclaimed 'We Be All Africans'.

'An Angel Fell' is released on Strut on 11th May 2018 and features full hand-painted artwork by Lewis Heriz.

New concept album by leading cosmic jazz collective exploring global apocalypse, climate change and the healing power of music
Produced by Malcolm Catto of The Heliocentrics - Superb cover painting by Lewis Heriz
Full priority worldwide PR campaign and marketing
Release supported by major European tour dates in May and key Summer festivals

Black To Comm's Marc Richter returns under his Jemh Circs guise for a 2nd album of sonic abstractions. In contrast to Black To Comm's analogue tape and vinyl based sound, in Jemh Circs he works with digital sources by primarily sampling modern Pop Music (and various other oddities) on YouTube (et al.) and sending chunks of it through a variety of arcane transformations and mutations.Using similar esoteric methods as on his 2016 debut album but with very different results the record deconstructs the hypermodern sound of Pop Music with a Post Punk attitude, energy and primitivism. Richter's combining disparate elements that shouldn't really work together but somehow all the chaos is making strange sense creating a collection of oddly diverging sonic vignettes with a surreal and anarchic spirit. This is music deeply rooted in the present but still difficult to pinpoint to a certain year or style."(untitled) Kingdom" converts a seemingly one-dimensional concept into a complex puzzle of ideas, sounds and narratives, completely assimilating the original sources and transforming them into novel entities with an unexpected melodic and rhythmic quality.Some press clips for previous releases:The overall effect is quite remarkable. Each track is like a hologram of pop music itself, a tiny part that reflects the whole. You almost feel that you could open them out and re-create entire popular music cultures. We'll be grateful for that when the next solar storm fries all of our hard drives. (Ian Sherred / The Sound Projector) In that way Jemh Circs is a record about process - not just how Richter loops and distorts and mutates his samples, but how the sounds of pop music create a particular sonic signature, one that gets more interesting the farther they're pulled from their original context. (Marc Masters / The Out Door) Recycling random audio off YouTube, Jemh Circs' process couldn't be less sentimental, but the results turn out to be sneakily emotive. (Philip Sherburne / Pitchfork)

2x12"

An artist as versatile as Alex Krüger is a rare find these days, not only did he release numerous EP's and albums as Tigerskin or Korsakow since the mid 90s, he's also been on the forefront of the 'Dub Techno' movement since 1999 with outings on classic labels such as 'Raum...Musik", 'Force Tracks' and '3B/ United States of Mars". Now ten years after his last album on 'Opossum Recordings' Alex is back with this well crafted genre bending full length 'Caves & Cages". From deep techno cuts through rippling ambient excursions to funky reggae infused live jams with Haushausen this work is yet another milestone in the creative bubble Alex lives in (i.e. his studio). A predominantly analogue producer, Alex recorded most sounds for 'Caves & Cages' on his modular synths and vintage gear at Organic Domain during 2017 and early 2018. Throughout the album tension ebbs and flows effortlessly via syncopated subs, analogue improvisation, subtle chord stabs and sustained swells interspersed with textured field and home recordings. The ambient opener 'Intra' sets the tone for the album. Rich with alien atmospheres, distant soundscapes, out of reach voices and licks of live instruments dug up from numerous recordings dating back as far as 30 years, even before Alex started his electronic journey. The sojourn ventures deeper from there. Subaquatic dub techno is the mood on 'King's Cave", 'Helix' and 'In Air' only surfacing ever so slightly for moments of clarity where shimmering tops and glistening synth lines shed some light on the steady grooves. The tracks 'Future History' and 'Transition State CIV' border on deep house territory.

Following the release of Baba Commandant's debut album "Juguya" in 2014 on the mighty Sublime Frequencies label, Mawimbi is proud to present Wasso, one of the best cut from the
album in brand new mixing shape alongsides killer electronic remixes from the likes of Mawimbi signee Loya and Mr. Boom.
A rather eccentric and mysterious character from the Ouagadougou underground scene, Baba Commandant started out as a traditional Bobo dancer, before engaging in a rich musical career and joining Burkinabé star Victor Démé as one of his touring musicians. Influenced by the likes of Fela Kuti, King Sunny Adé and Moussa Doumbia, Baba Commandant plays dozo n'goni, an instrument associated with traditional Donso hunters, bridging the gaps between different generations and strata of Burkinabé society. Recorded at the notorious Ouaga Jungle Studios, "Wasso" is a prime example of the band's unpolished and raw sounds, merging Mandinka blues, dub and Nigerian afrobeat with a punk feel. The A-side also features a remix by Mawimbi signee Loya, whose leftfield reinterpretation moves at
a much higher pace with epic modular synth motifs and subtle organic layers of sounds. The B-side of the record is made of two DJ-friendly remixes with impressive mixing work from Toulouse-based producer Mr. Boom. Stripping the original track down to its most lively elements, both mixes are perfect club-ready weapons for tropical-minded and house DJs alike.

Stix Records is a sub-division of Favorite Recordings specialized in the exercise of producing covers with a Reggae twist. Acclaimed in 2013 with a first official single by Taggy Matcher Birdy & Nixon (STIX033), quickly followed by the first volume of Disco Reggae (STIX035) compilation, Stix is back in 2014 with a scorching Disco Reggae Vol.2.

Following the success of its first volume, the Disco Reggae series also expands with this 9 tracks compilation, composed with 8 new and exclusive versions by artists such as Taggy Matcher, 7 Samuraï, Mato, or John Milk, and the classic cover of Tainted Love' by Grandmagneto. But this time, if they still explore famous hits like Watermelon Man' by Herbie Hancock or Happy' by Pharrell Williams, they also dug within the home labels' catalog,
taking over some of the finest titles by Mr Day, Lee McDonald, Lucas Arruda or The Joubert Singers.

Again this time, their swaying renditions seem straight out of the smoky studios from Kingston or Montego Bay, while also remembering the 80s Pop-Reggae sound of artists like Grace Jones or the less famous Earons.
Everything is mastered and cut at Carvery Records (UK), known for their expertise in Caribbean and Disco music. The vinyl LP comes in a deluxe version, housed in an old-school tip-on jacket.

Family Affair Records inaugural release steps out of the shadows bearing a quadruplet of vibrant edits by the faceless Yondo.
Re-imaginings of 80's club staples by Mary Jane Girls & Evelyn Champagne King and 90s R&B-sides by SWV & Lucy Pearl breathe new life into some familiar jams while keeping their essence - all updated and re-birthed for 2018. This record is a bow and your ass is the arrow, aimed directly at the dancefloor.
Hand screen-printed and hand-stamped with vibrant fluoro solvent ink. Get it while you can cuz it ain't ever coming back.
Family Affair Records is a record label started by Raj Chaudhuri (Livin' Proof / NTS / Boiler Room). Artwork by Mason London.

2x12"

Hello, I am Qnete and these are my Play-Doh Stories. Some of them are already three years old and it feels like I've become somewhat of a different person since then. Still, I like to listen to them from time to time, thinking of how I was back then, reminding me of what helped shape me, what helped me become who I am now. Sometimes, I also get the feeling that it is not me who wrote the stories. They seem to seem unknown to me, just like they seem to you, because you are not me. Then I listen, and I know again.

Fresh on Francis Harris' Kingdoms imprint comes Adamo Golán's seven track LP, 'Exile And The New'. Golán is the alter ego of British-German artist Laurens A. Schmidt, who has been pursuing a more club-focused techno project, while developing an ever deeper fascination with experimental music, ambient and film scores. Drawing influence from his adopted homes Berlin and currently London, the 26-year-old has been uncompromisingly trying to develop his own musical voice.

'Exile And The New' expresses this ongoing pursuit and, being the first full-length and first ever release by Adamo Golán, marks the start of his most personal project to-date. Stretching over seven tracks, it touches upon a diverse set of sceneries, moods, and emotions whilst a distinctive sound design gives the work a subtle framework and guiding thread.

'Fis' starts the proceedings, introducing drones and field recordings and enveloping the listener in Golán's distinct sound world. 'Just Friends' merges distant snapshots of disembodied vocals with granular sound design and a sense of both space and creeping claustrophobia simultaneously. It's an approach the young producer has mastered - 'Replica' maintains an ambience of the deeply personal and a wider, hazy focus, realised via exquisite melodic fragments against a backdrop of pads and chiming electronics. Title track 'Exile And The New' unfolds around another cinematic world scored via a single stringed instrument, static interference and oceans of space. 'Lie to Me' brings a piano refrain to the fore, wrapped in luscious ambience and more fragments of a conversation heard through the rain. 'Then Rely On Me' slowly develops out of a haunting atmosphere and finds an uneasy but strangely beautiful flow, before 'The Hungry Years' closes out the album as it started - floating in space.

The 26-year-old artist sees the album as a journey that should captivate but never impose itself on the listener. It´s a gracious and neighborly invitation to dive in, get lost and explore its facets and peculiarities

Three years since Profane's seminal album 'V.illan Mills' was recorded for Inperspective and it's long overdue that he returns to the label. This canadian native's unique style that somehow fuses the hip hop sensibilities of J.Dilla, the jazz/funk ideologies of Danny Breaks and the experimental truth of Squarepusher has been a breath of fresh air in recent years on the Underground D&B scene and these two new cuts from him are no exception. The experimentally epic breakbeat off tempo monstrosity of 'Drughmada' is a heady, giddy tapestry of beats and breaks with a sleazy sample and panic led overtones. 'West Newton Views' is a darker more minimal affair. A clunky, dubstep vibe which maintains moody intensity throughout. Tense and suspenseful.
The other side sees the triumphant return of Rome's Lynch Kingsley. This young, precocious talent has been a good friend to the label for a number of years and after making waves with his debut 'Eden EP' it was only a matter of time before his return. We are pleased to present 'Void', a dark journey through the breakbeat, sci-fi escapism of early 90's D&B which in time develops into a deep, break laden workout with gorgeous synths and fantasy atmospheres. A joy to behold.

*`King and Queen is the 6th release from Alpha and Omega on Partial Records, following on from `Pure and Clean', `Rastafari', `Show Me a Purpose', `Jah Protection' and `Almighty Jah' which all sold fast.
* This is a prime example of the heavyweight 1990s UK dub style, with this track dating from 1991, originally appearing on the LP of the same name (`King and Queen'),
* On 7' for the first time, backed with a previously unreleased dub version.
* A bonefide Jah Shaka Sound System classic from those times.

Kingswood Drive and Accidental Return were an early teaser of this new set, due in April. Displaying their signature analogue sounds and arpeggios, alongside broken beats and soul, you wouldn't be alone in hearing the influences of Dam Funk, Herbie Hancock or Bugz In The Attic coming through on these two.
Elsewhere more jittery, playful rhythms underpin Croydon Rooftop Café Culture. As well as in the calming and ethereal Prints On The Heath, a subtle tribute to mutual hero Prince, who passed away on the unusually prolific day this and two other, currently unreleased, tracks were written and recorded.Throughout the EP the duo nod at their London home from the "Heath" to Kingswood Drive and more obviously Croydon itself. The sound of South London is threaded throughout this record with pride.
Even down to the mechanical sunset sound of EP finale Thorns, capturing some of the essence of the studio view over London from their high point on the hill in Thornton Heath.
The first EP from Albert's Favourites co-founders and synth-production duo Modified Man focused on throwing out heavy editing, recording music with as few processes as possible and grabbing performances as single takes. Blending warped cassette recordings that touched upon early jazz-funk/brit-funk influences with the energy of broken beat and experimental electronica, won them support from Patrick Forge, Osunlade, Thris Tian, Yam Who and Titeknots to name a few.
Since that release they premiered new track Thorns live on Boiler Room, going on to deliver a full, three-hour live performance and DJ set for the infamous global community.They also provided remixes for Dele Sosimi, Amp Fiddler, Makadem & Behr and Hector Plimmer, meanwhile, busily preparing a series of four, six-track vinyl EPs which will be released over the next 18 months.

Repress with new cover art & self adhesive vinyl sticker
Fredfades: SP-1200 / Eikrem: Trumpet
Remastered 300 copies
Ft. Ivan Ave, Azon Blaze, Skyblew, Lindsey Whittington
Cover by Even Suseg
For fans of J Dilla, Madlib, Mndgsn, Ivan Ave
Fredfades on the SP:1200 & Eikrem on the trumpet = "Jazz Cats". New cover art and remastered.

Fredfades is making his name in hip-hop circles worldwide as one of the most jazzy producers around. He's joined up with the gifted jazz trumpeter Kristoffer Eikrem for a full "Jazz Cats" LP. Needless to say, the project lives up to its title. The two enlist several other jazz musicians on this innovative LP, as well as rappers like Ivan Ave.

King Tubby's Hometown Hi-Fi was one of the great Sound System in Jamaica.
It also proved a fantastic outlet for the Dub Plate Specials cut at Tubby's studio, providing exclusive cuts to be played out and to entice the dance's audience.
The tracks at the time were mainly cut over producer Bunny'Striker'Lee rhythms, that Bunny stored at Tubby's studio, 18 Drumilly Avenue, Kingston, Jamaica.
The versions were given eclusive plays at Tubby's sound before some finding their way on to vinyl, ass the b-side version cut to it's a-side vocal.
It proved so popular that the records were often brought fir its version side over its vocal counterpart.
We have compiled a selection of cuts that were all tried and tested on Tubby's Home Town Hi-Fi Sounf System and that worked a great set of Bunny Lee's rhythms in fine style.
Some of these cuts found a release as version b-sides but many on this set were exclusive Dub Plates unreleased until now.
As Cornell Campbell says on track one of the set 'King Tubby and Bunny Lee will never go away'
Hope you enjoy the set......

After a short break in the African wilderness, Black Rox return for part 4 of this acclaimed series. 'Date With The Rain' sees Soft Rocks turn in an 11 minute 'One For The Lion King' manipulation of a joyous and uplifting jam that fuses traditional rhythms (think a humm-ba-ba) and vocals that are underpinned with a strong 4/4 kick.On the flip side,Roots Unit perform some major surgery with a 'Pump Up The Jam' reconstruction on 'Le Beat Is Technotronic'. Crazy percussive jungle rhythms and wonky vocal hooks rule the roost until it merges into a future 'techno-techno' Amazonian world.

IT'S TIME TO PAAAARTY! Why The Universe knows that Tramp is celebrating their 40th trip around the sun in 2018. And what about planet Earth Well... it is as blind as it is in so many other situations. Therefore, it is time to shine the light on Tramp for all of its unremitting efforts. As musical diversity is vanishing, especially in the field of African American music from the 1960s/70s, it is our duty to stop the extinction of threatened species of music in the same way an animal welfare activist would do anything to save a gorilla's life. Tramp Records keeps this beautiful heritage alive, every single day, again and again and again. So we are here wondering why Earth people and especially to those from our beloved home country, why why are you just sitting there, going about your life unaware of this historic event What a pity!

The announcement is especially striking when it comes to the prestigious "Movements" series. Like all its predecessors, this ninth volume contains Rare Groove nuggets recorded between the early 1960s and the late 1970s. The fact that only one of the songs appear anywhere else is a jaw-dropping phenomenon! The chronological track listing starts with two amazing cover versions: "Fever" by Gee Gee Shinn & the Boogie Kings and "I'm A Woman" by Connie Kaye Trio. Bus Brown, Earl Demus and Chuck Finney remain in the same direction although their contributions are slightly jazzier. Chick Willis' gut-wrenching "Sometime Soon" easily rivals James Brown's "It's A Man's World" and the recordings by Australia, J.R. and Joe Akens are beautiful examples of privately produced soul from the 1970s. The latin-soul of "Cho Cho San" by Hummingbird 4 heads the sound in another direction for the next three tunes, highlighted by one more stunning cover version, Oscar Brown Jr.'s "Brother, Where Are You". The album closes with some pre-disco tracks from The Counts, Reunion and Hot Cakes' dance floor bomb cover of "Harlem Shuffle".

Over a hundred great unknown songs have been re-released on the first eight volumes in the "Movements" series, the majority of which can not be found elsewhere, and Vol. 9 is no exception. The work of Germany's tiniest but grooviest record label is still incomprehensibly underestimated. We know you diggers, collectors, mavens, aficionados, fanatics, completists, enthusiasts, and just plain record geeks know what's up and we heartily salute you! Without your support there would be no Tramp Records. But now it's time for a broader cultural shift for good music and a sweeping move to uphold the legacy of the unsung heroes of funk and soul. Therefore, we humbly petition you: in 2018, Don't keep all this glory to yourself! Turn your friends and neighbors on! Thank you!


- the double vinyl LP comes with a full album download code

- deluxe double-gatefold LP with detailed liner notes, label scans & unseen photographs

- all but one song appear on vinyl-LP for the very first-time

This unique set brings together a treasure trove of R&B rarities enshrined by the $3,000 Lookin' For My Baby', recorded by The Nightriders in 1959 for Juggy Murray's Sue imprint.
Murray had co-founded Sue Records two years earlier with fellow New Yorker Bobby Robinson whose Fire label provides us with the equally compelling Keep A'Calling' by Paul Perryman (side 1, track 1), a snip at only $300!
The set bursts into life with Vernon Harrell's hot dance ticket Slick Chick', currently commanding a cool $400 on its original Lescay label. Northern Soul fans will be interested to know that Harrell co-wrote Seven Days Too Long' with J R Bailey (aka Chuck Wood) and Sweet Sweet Lovin'' for The Platters. 
Mike Robinson ( Lula') also has a tenuous Northern Soul connection, he was originally in Bobby Thomas' Vibranaires before joining the Orioles alongside the legendary Sonny Til. 
BOTH Earl King's make the playlist: Earl Connelly' with his hard Every Whicha Kinda Way' and the New Orleans native Earl King with Darling Honey Angel Child', an early prototype of the standard Come On'.
Look out too for rare soul sweetheart Baby Washington, Medicine Man'.
A Collection to Treasure...

The 12' you're about to read a few lines about is a laconic introduction to the music of an elusive new musician on Antinote. Biographical details about him would probably not help comprehend his music and might even seem slightly contradictory with the music itself, as Reigi / Haipa has been produced in Reims - at least, it would have been much more accommodating if the capital of Champagne was located somewhere in-between Sheffield and London...
.
Indeed, at first listen, Slowglide's music seems deeply rooted in a very British history of dance music. Reigi, on the A-side, unfolds a cavernous syncopated kick on which relies a compressed, flangered, smart but somehow handcrafted sound with an extra Kraftwerkian treatment (the obsessive robotic arigato gozaimasu' and the pocket calculator' bleeping melodic line), enlightened by discreet synth waves appearing in the middle of the track.

Haipa, the atmospheric B-side, is an even stronger throwback to a time when Intelligent Dance Music was ruling over electronic music, the likes of Aphex Twin and his fellow Warp-affiliates were about to be crowned kings and Ghost In The Shell was establishing itself as one of the most culturally significant pictures of the late past century.

Slowglide's music is not backward-looking, though. There's something that relevantly resonates with today's diffracted musical landscape, as the French producer gathers and updates bits and pieces from a thirty-andsomething yearlong history of electronic dance music. The result is probably Bass Music', something that one might have been tempted to describe as the future of Dance Music' a few decades ago - to quote these prophetic words written many times. It's probably not, but these two songs are certainly fresh and futuristic.

- guest appearance by US hip hop legend Masta Ace
- limited to 300 copies
- both cuts taken from the forthcoming album "Golden Hits", to be released July 6th, 2018

Masta Ace goes Munich underground! The legendary US rapper teams up with the heads of Primatune to deliver a monster King Kong rap epic, fresh and full of energy - Hip Hop at it's best. This is what happens when Munich musicians celebrating the golden age of the 90s collaborate with one of their heroes!

On the B-side, Blockboy, another outstanding Munich underground producer, pulls out of his hat a funk groove instrumental, which is truly a dancefloor killer!

Both tracks are a foretaste of the upcoming compilation "Golden Hits - ten years of Munich underground Hip Hop from 2005 to 2015", which will be released on Tramp records July 6th, 2018. If you like these two tracks - be warned! Two LPs loaded with the most entertaining, fresh, real, and deep Hip Hop you haven't heard for a long time are waiting for your turntable. Hard to believe this music was flying totally under the radar, until pearl diver Tobias Kirmayer, Tramp head honcho, brought these treasures to light, out of the shallows of today's polluted musical ocean. Stay tuned!

Originally from the United Kingdom, funky soul-jazz veterans The New Mastersounds have been touring USA, Europe and Japan for over a decade and return here with their twelfth studio album, recorded in New Orleans and Denver and featuring a slew of musical guests.

"Renewable Energy" expands on the NMS template while still providing plenty of the band's trademark sounds. Guitarist Eddie Roberts, drummer Simon Allen, bassist Pete Shand and keyboardist Joe Tatton are joined on this 11-track effort by a number of guests: Sam Bell, one of the founding members of NMS precursor The Mastersounds who also guested on two previous NMS albums, plays percussion on most of the tracks. Mike Olmos and Joe Cohen of the West Coast Horns once again provide added horn action as they did on "Made For Pleasure" from 2015, while Adryon de León from LA band Orgone contributes vocals on "Gonna Be Just Me". Uptempo numbers "Tantalus" and "Yokacoka" see the band flexing their playing chops over a tightly-wound rhythm, while "Green Was Beautiful" and "Groovin On The Groomers" are toe-tapping slabs of soul jazz. The band's cover of James Gang's "Funk 49" takes the album in a fuzzed-out psych-rock direction with Eddie singing the lead, while the moody Hancock-esque inflections of "Stash" and the sweet mellow vibes of "Swimming With My Fishies" add the final brushstrokes of colour to the canvas.

Nach "Stecks, Schmiers & Suff" kommt Shacke One mit "Bossen & Bumsen" um die Ecke, komplett produziert von Achim Funk. Fünfzehn dicke Dinger mit Features von MC Bomber, Morlockk Dilemma und Tiger104er. Die Doppel-CD enthält neben dem regulären Album auch alle Instrumentals. Stößchen!

Gqom Oh! records presents "The Originators", a five track EP respresenting the past, the present and the future of Gqom - the thunderous club sound from Durban, South Africa. The Gqom Oh! label was set up by Rome-based DJ and musician Nan Kolè to highlight the music and artists of Durban, the often overlooked cradle of the new South African sound. The label's 2016 compilation - 'Gqom Oh! The Sound of Durban Vol.1' - broke the sound out of South Africa, Pitchfork calling it The largest and most thoughtful survey of the genre available to western audiences to date'. Recently joining Kolè is Sboniso Brandon Luthuli aka Citizen Boy on the ground as local A&R. The EP's A-Side is dedicated to two of the genre's most prominent producers. DJ Lag is a frontrunner in pushing Gqom worldwide. Making music from a young age and building up a solid reputation in South Africa, he's known as the "King of Gqom". Griffit Vigo, a real innovator in the Gqom genre, grew up in the same area as DJ Lag and has attained a legendary status amongst his peers. "When I was in Durban the first time I noticed that Griffit Vigo was a kind of legendary figure, he'd been inspiring all the Gqom Durban artists for a long time. Nobody knew where he was but everybody was playing him and sometimes using his beats to make new songs. The main track 'Ree's Vibe' was the peak moment of DJ Lag's sets all over the world. If Lag is the Gqom King then Griffit Vigo is the Gqom Legend."- Nan Kolè. Sbucardo is one of the most respected DJs around the streets and the townships of Durban. Featuring Abnormal on 'Iphoyisa', whose lyrics in Zulu translate to We at the club, Mr police man don't disturb us", the track represents the South African scene and Gqom culture in Durban very well. Naked Boyz (officially the first in Durban to explore new territories in broken beat in 2011) 'Story Teller' is characteristic of the Sgubhu style, a blend of Gqom with more conventional house sounds, the new genre taking over Durban and finding its way onto mainstream radio. Scene kingpins Rude Boyz round off the release's line up of Gqom originators with 'Umshunto'.

Darren Cunningham's eagerly~awaited new album is an adventurous, ultramodern, thoroughly British affair, rummaging about in the inner lives of house and techno, and brilliantly elaborating the accomplishments of his debut, Hazyville.
Determinedly off~the~map and resistant to pigeonholing, Cunningham is an enigmatic and playful figure, citing Francis Bacon and Monet as inspirations longside Theo Parrish, Anthony 'Shake' Shakir, Daft Punk, 'binary codes and numeral systems', and The Avengers. He's a hard man to pin down - somehow a key player in the post~dubstep diaspora and yet not there at all - but everything comes across in his shape~shifting, richly textured music.
The South Londoner's acclaimed debut lived up to its name: a series of dreamlike sketches and ideas. For Splazsh the fog has lifted, the sounds are less submerged than before, but still sticky and close - a signature combination of exuberance and introversion, luminescence and puzzlement. Unconstrained by the formal cliches of the dance music he loves, Actress' melodies and arrangements are enthralled by their own genies. Worlds of disturbance and melancholy revolve giddyingly inside the insidious funk of tracks like Get Ohn and Lost. A range of musical influences is redrawn, from speed garage (Always Human) to grime (Wrong Potion), with none crowned king. There is a reflectiveness - the ambient drift of Futureproofing, the radiophonic judder of
Supreme Cunnilingus - in amongst the industrial, synth~wave flavours of Casanova, and the stirring, stately Maze.
Actress has quickly and justly become one of the most respected names in the UK's new dance music underground. His own label, Werk Discs, has proven itself one of the most formidable and taste~making UK independents of recent times, bringing the world extraordinary albums from Zomby, Lukid, Lone and Actress himself. In love with the mysteries of groove and repetition, Splazsh is both a culmination and a new beginning for Actress, a substantial and eccentric work from a brave and coolly individual artist.
With international press interest gathering - photo features in Dazed And Confused, and Fader in the US, and a session with Wolfgang Tillmans for the cover of the German magazine Groove - the stage is set for Actress.