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Harlem's legendary Disco label Queen Constance has long been a cult favourite among fans of underground dance music for decades.

One of many labels operating under the equally legendary P&P family of imprints Queen Constance was operated by one Peter Brown, a truly colossal figure in NYC's music scene, it's catalogue still fascinates music lovers to this day. Covering a wide range of styles including Gospel, early Rap and Disco the label's output continually finds it way into the playlists of respected DJ's and selectors across the globe. The mighty 'Roller Rink Funk' by Shift is the next reissue from the archives and never has a jam been more aptly named!

Another class act from the plethora of uptown groups that were associated with Queen Constance and her orbiting planets, Shift was possibly yet another 'studio' group put together for this one time release. The co-production nous and involvement of long-time associate Bernard Thomas lends these cuts some serious B-boy credentials. Thomas was involved in a lot of the P&P era early Rap material, as well as working with BDP and lending his skills to releases on the cult Rap label Zakia too. Needless to say, this particular release is that magic funky frisson between Disco, Funk and the earliest stirrings of Hip-Hop, an especially rich vein of music. As the title suggests this one is meant to be heard at the roller rink, the syncopated rhythms mimicking the skaters movements and repetitions. As with any good roller-skating Funk record (there are many!) it doesn't take long for you to want to hit the dance-floor, whether it's to skate or to simply get down. An often tricky record to find in it's OG state, commanding 'collectors' prices, 'Roller Rink Funk' is back on the block for all the Disco freaks for 2018. Perfect.

This is a 100% legit reissue, made in conjunction with Above Board distribution and the Demon Music group, lovingly remastered with love by Optimum Mastering, Bristol UK.

Same track on both sides

“Originally released on the lauded Green Energy label from experimental maverick Henry Kawahara, Forest Jams is thrilled to present the official re-issue of Nami Hotatsu’s sophomore album – revised and re-christened “Ultra Hyper Cosmic Voice” by the artist herself. Equal parts beguiling and inviting, Nami’s mixture of vocals and driving propulsive beats still sound as fresh and as captivating as when they were originally released in 1994.

Now, thirty years later, we invite you to discover Nami’s “perfect world of being” in its totality – awakening yourself to the unknown world inside through what lauded producer Haruomi Hosono hailed as a “shamanistic” vision!” – Hsu Jui-Ting

Natural Selections are proud to present Paul Mahoux’s EP, “Lysergie Villageoise” - the fourth release on Nummer’s oddballs imprint.

Taking a step further into Fourth world music territories, “Lysergie Villageoise” is a meticulously crafted collection of four tracks imagined by Okinawa-based guitarist Paul Mahoux. These compositions sum up 30+ years of experience and experiments by the french-born producer, blending traditional music and modern techniques in a very singular way.

All four tracks feature Paul Mahoux’s unique concoction of flavours, a signature soundscape which brings Jazz, Folk, Ambient and House together. Constantly blurring the lines between proto and advanced sounding, Paul Mahoux’s music recalls deep forgotten feelings and invites us to a psychedelic voyage through rural impressions and ancient times beyond the frontiers of folklore.

“The Castle II” is a collection of works composed and recorded by the Japanese artist Tomo Akikawabaya between 1986 and 1989. An album filled with obscure atmospheres, hypnotic rhythms, electronic melodies, experimental interludes and the unique and mesmerizing voice of Akikawabaya.

Since the release of the album “The Castle I” in 1984, Tomo Akikawabaya became disappointed with the music scene in Japan and thought that the only way to continue as a musician was to release his music abroad. After finish to record some new songs, he embarked on an adventurous trip to London in order to look for an opportunity for a new release. Unfortunately, after three months and despite meeting many artists and important people in the music industry, luck was not on Akikawabaya’s side and with time running out he had to return to Japan without a concrete proposal. In the following years, although he continued to work with his long-time partner Takaaki Han-ya with a project called Beata Beatrix, he never published anything and later focused to other activities. It was until 2015 that the New York label Minimal Wave released “The Invitation of The Dead” compiling songs from “The Castle” (1984) and “Anju” (1985), both originally released on his own label Castle Records. Tomo Akikawabaya is currently working under the moniker of Th, together with his wife Rinko, on a project called The Future Eve. They released an album in 2019 with the collaboration of the legendary Robert Wyatt.

There’s something to be said for getting noticed, for standing out from the crowd. West London’s T.Williams is one of those people, having accomplished a full sweep of merited recognition over the years. Emerging onto the house scene in 2010, T.Williams instantly marked himself as a breakthrough artist with a difference; his unique take on house music turning heads.

Far from a newcomer, his path as a musical artist started in the grime scene as Dread.D. Signed at the tender age of 17 with grime anthem Invasion on Jon E Cash’s Black Ops label, Williams went on to have mass success in the grime and bass world selling thousands of singles worldwide. After a five-year reign, Williams found himself veering towards the world of house music. With a new found love for the sound and its sub-genres, T.Williams forged a signature sound influenced by his grime days, jungle, and garage. With a style that undoubtedly impacts, T.Williams’ crossover has been the catalyst for his success. Not only rife with groove and feeling but meticulously produced and engineered with deep rumbling basslines, the unapologetic bounce of grime and smooth vocals that bleed through African infused percussion work.

While in 2010 the industry took note when hit record ‘Heartbeat’ featuring vocalist Terri Walker made an impression, it was throughout 2011 that T.Williams defined himself - releasing solo works on his imprint Local Action and Pattern with remixes for Maya Jane Coles, Ben Westbeech and Skream. Not stopping at pricking the ears of fellow artists and those on the dancefloor, the end of 2011 saw Williams nominated for ‘Best Breakthrough DJ’ by DJ Mag, ‘DJ Stars of 2012’ by Time Out and featured in The Guardian.

Two relationships came to the forefront in 2012 that propelled Williams to greater heights. The first was his weekly show on legendary London station, Rinse FM and the second, Williams’ relationship with label PMR through his remix of Javeon McCarthy’s ‘Lost Time’. The remix was named Record of the Week by BBC Radio 1 and supported by tastemakers Annie Mac and Fearne Cotton. From here T. signed to the label exclusively releasing his debut EP for the label in September 2012, and in the process receiving further support from BBC Radio 1. Further remixes of Mikky Ekko, Wretch 32 and Lianne La Havas followed suit, as well as his biggest to date - Disclosure’s ‘Latch’. Powering dancefloors across the globe, T. went on to play three US tours, numerous festival stages, and deliver a second EP on PMR titled ‘Feelings Within’. The EP once again spanned a number of bases, from club bangers to heartfelt vocal driven tracks alike. Gaining his own monthly residency show with BBC Radio 1, 2013 ended with T. having played over 100 shows across four continents.

2017 marked the launch and release of the first collaborative EP with UK producer Julio Bashmore, via their joint independent Conch Records, a label aiming to push out more underground cross-genre music with heavy rotation from the likes of Moxie and Shy One. With an ever-expanding global tour schedule and further solo releases on the legendary NYC house label Strictly Rhythm turning heads, T.’s upward trajectory has never showed signs of slowing down. Selected to soundtrack the social media campaign for boxer Anthony Joshua in 2019 and now using his technical prowess as a musician to educate the next generation of rising stars at London’s respected Point Blank Music School has cemented his status as one of the UK music scene’s key players.

“Pulses and Resonances” is Rene Lorenzo’s debut album on Subtempo. This album represents a culmination of more than 20 years of electronic music exposure as a DJ and a clear point of view. We can hear influences of broken beat, techno, drum & bass, all through the unique lens that Rene brings to the table, deeply steeped in ambient, deep techno and downtempo. Even though this isn’t a dance record, it’s filled with energy and drive. It is an out-of-the-ordinary album, with intricate shifts and turns with well-crafted kick drums, round bass lines and enveloping subs. A record filled with warm sounds, head-nodding rhythms, and rich textured spaces. It’s all woven into an easy-listening experience, without demanding the listener’s full attention, but creating a landscape that is unique and varied throughout. We can hear references to artists like Boards of Canada, Jan Jenilek, Synkro and the like.

“In this record, every track has a different pulse or rhythm, and I use different resonators in the sound design process to achieve these tones. I started by leaving the space open with the ambient pads and hardly any rhythm, and I’d let myself be carried away by my sense of rhythm slowly building the compositions. I am obsessive with audio processing and I almost never leave a sound in its initial form. I like to add some subtle effect that sounds like something different and give new sounds to the elements I use.”

“Pulses and Resonances” is out via Subtempo on vinyl and digital on February 2nd.

Fool’s Paradise is the exciting new label from Toolroom Records’ Mark Knight - that comes straight from the heart, it’s a natural progression from his hugely acclaimed 2021 album release, ‘Untold Business’, which saw Mark go back to his roots, paying homage to the more funky, soulful, and vocal House from the 1990s from where he came.

With a focus on real instrumentation and production, coupled with great song writing, this new Toolroom sub label will be a platform for high quality House music that’s designed to stand the test of time. Launching the new label with a mighty bang and delivering the first in our exciting new vinyl sampler series is head honcho, Mark Knight who joins forces with Australian Toolroom label mate, Sgt Slick and British Soul sensation, Beverley Knight on a dynamite cover of Prince’s 1979 classic, ‘I Wanna Be Your Lover’.

Respectfully transporting the song onto today’s dance floors, Mark & Sgt Slick deliver a classy uplifting soulful house production, loaded with funky guitars, warm pads and sublime key performances. Adding the icing on the cake and putting her own stamp on things, Beverley belts out one of her signature spine-tingling vocals, garnished with lush harmonies and BV’s that would indeed make The Purple One proud!

Completing the vinyl package is Dance music stalwart, Opolopo, and British Soul icon, Jaki Graham, who together bring the dance floor heat with their new single, ‘Fire’. Powered by a potent soulful house groove from Opolopo, loaded with warm piano hooks, emotive synth melodies and a sublime popping bass hook, ‘Fire’ see’s Jaki flaunt her electrifying vocal talents with a show-stopping performance on this irresistibly catchy song.

- I Wanna Be Your Lover reached Traxsource #1 where it stayed for 6 weeks consecutively - Radio support on BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio Cornwall, Hedkandi, Kiss FM, Mi-Soul, Gaydio, Radio 105 / Montecarlo (Italy), Mambo Radio, Rinse fm, Select Radio, Totally Wired Radio, Point Blank, RTE, Power fm (Ireland), Metro FM (SA), Cool Fm, Radio Reverb, Radio FG (France), Release Radio and many more.

DJ support from Husky, Hector Romero, Javi Bora, Grace Bones, Judge Jules, Sebb Junior, Jay Vegas, Odyssey Inc, ATFC, Claptone, Black Legend, Cevin Fisher, Michael Gray, Kisch, Hoxton Whores, Full Intention, Booker T, Jamie Jones, Knights Of The Turntable, Sam Divine, DJ Rae, CASSIMM, Alex Preston

STIMULANZ001 is the first 12" vinyl from the, until now, purely digital label STIMULANZ. With Israel Toledo's "Counterattack" we ring in the new year 2024. Hardly anyone can escape the pulsating energy of Toledo's driving beats and that is, of course, the main task of our label.
Only 150 copies in transparent-orange-black-marbled 140gr vinyl will be offered. Each one is unique, of course, thanks to the individual addition of black vinyl particles by hand. Softly marbled records are more durable and have a better sound than splatter vinyls, because quality, value and timelessness are our goals.

Toolroom provide the hotly anticipated return of renowned Glaswegian artist KC Lights, as he delivers yet another classic record in the making – 'Better Times', featuring the stunning voice of Merseyside-hailing Låpsley. A debut collaboration for the pair, as they drop a sweet cut of Disco infused House that will undoubtedly soundtrack the year. A label favourite in every sense of the word, KC Lights is most-known for his 2020 smash-hit 'Girl', a record you couldn't switch off from throughout that summer, followed up by his classy cut 'Cold Light' the following year with reputable vocalist and songwriter Leo Stannard, who also appeared on his summertime anthem 'Daydreamer'. If there's one thing KC Lights can do time and time again, it's writing infectiously catchy, timeless records that you'll hear almost anywhere you go, from underground clubs to radio stations and beyond. Featuring on the record is critically acclaimed vocalist and songwriter Låpsley, who rose to fame back in 2016 with her debut LP 'The Long Way Home' on the legendary XL Recordings. Of course, you can't forget DJ Koze's massive disco edit of 'Operator', which shot Låpsley through the stratosphere. With a string of huge hits and a voice to match, KC Lights and Låpsley come together on 'Better Times', offering three different mixes for this exclusive vinyl package.

Countless radio plays on Radio 1 from Danny Howard, Sarah Story, Pete Tong Other notable radio plays – Kiss FM, Toolroom Radio, Sirius XM, Data Transmission Radio, Radio 1 Dance Anthems, Radio 1 Party Anthems, Rinse FM, Select Radio, Tomorrowland Radio

DJ Support from Danny Howard, Annie Mac, Mistajam, Pete Tong, Charlie Hedges, Kraak & Smaak, Maxinne, Todd Terry, Alex Preston, Full Intention, GW Harrison, DJ Rae, Rudimental, Alaia & Gallo, Illyus & Barrientos, Johan S, David Penn, Sam Divine, Riva Starr, Claptone, Nice7, Dario D’Attis, Mousse T, S-Man, Huxley, KC Lights, Friend Within, Dombresky, Gorgon City, Chris

***
when the phone rings
I too would like to hear words
that might ease
some of this.
***

Hilit Kolet debuts on Rekids with ‘Hot Mess’, including remixes from the legendary Mike Dunn.

Following her remix of Terry Farley & Wade Teo’s ‘Why We Dance’, Hilit steps up to the Rekids plate with her debut EP for Radio Slave’s label with her single ‘Hot Mess’. A relentlessly driving drum machine werqout, ‘Hot Mess’ sees her masterfully mixing compulsive, marching rhythms with a fiercely impassioned spoken word vocal.

With added raw jackin’ energy in the ‘Even Hotter Mix’, this has the kind of late night runway energy that demands the
Sound Factory be rebuilt. On the B-side, Chicago house legend Mike Dunn’s remix of ‘Hot Mess’ is a deep groove that adds a wriggling earworm bassline, while still embracing the enchanting vocal of the original.

Hilit Kolet has been an integral part of London’s house scene ever since she started slinging vinyl at Soho’s legendary Black Market Records. Her distinctive, energetic DJ style then established her behind the decks everywhere, from high fashion shows to some of the most celebrated underground clubs in London. 2023 saw Hilit going global with shows from Ibiza to Shanghai via Printworks, Warehouse Project and Ministry of Sound.

Her summer single on the Faith imprint ‘POV Siren’ has been embraced by DJs as diverse as Robert Hood and Paul Woolford, and her edit of Laurent Garnier’s ‘Crispy Bacon’ was rinsed by many from Carl Cox to Patrick Topping, before seeing an official release by Garnier himself. ‘Hot Mess’ sets Hilit Kolet up as a serious name to watch out for in 2024.

St. Virus is a Covid-themed album born in Covid times. It processes the pandemic phenomenon from the aspect of the individual and sometimes of the pandemic itself on a philosophical level.

The opening track, "Isolation", takes the listener on a journey plagued by the sense of loneliness created by isolation. The ever-present melancholy slowly deepens into an overflowing anxiety without release. The eponymous "St. Virus" is a piece that considers the relationship between man and nature and the viruses that appear in it. They work in their own expected and, upon consideration, very honest way. Are we humans honest like this? Are human beings on some level similar to a virus? “Inherently Destructive” presents the idea of the unsustainability of the current situation. The events around us are fundamentally destructive for the individual person, for society and for the culture it carries. St. Virus is a personal soundtrack through Covid times. Record featuring artists are Tapani Rinne, Wimme Saari and Ville Kuukka.

Jackie Mittoo is one of the most important artists in the history of Jamaican music. As founding member of the legendary Skatalites, as in-house arranger/producer at Studio One and as a solo artist in his own right leading groups such as The Soul Brothers, Sound Dimension and Soul Vendors.

These classic and rare recordings were made in the mid 1960's at Studio One. The Soul Brothers bridged the gap between Ska and the arrival of Rocksteady mixing it all up with Funk, Jazz and Latin styles. The Soul Brothers recorded at Studio One between 1965-1967. This was the transitionary period between Ska and Rocksteady where the music was a mixture of Funk, Latin and Jazz sometimes with a reminder of Ska and the hint of Rocksteady.

The previous era of Ska had been dominated by the Skatalites, the first in-house band at Studio One who created classic hits such as "Guns of Navaronne", "Man in the Street", "El Pussy Cat" and many more. Unfortunately the strong personalities in the group meant that The Skatalites stayed together for less than two years. It was also around this time that the mentally unwell Don Drummond was arrested for the murder of his girlfriend, the dancer Margerita.

In August 1965, barely a week after the demise of the original Skatalites, The Soul Brothers (featuring ex-Skatalites members Jackie Mittoo, Roland Alphonso, Johnny Moore and Lloyd Brevitt) were up and running as the new house band at Studio One.

The Soul Brothers were essentially a collective, releasing material under their own name or under a nominal leader (usually Jackie Mittoo or Rolando Alphonso). The group line-up changed over time with Bobby Ellis (trumpet), Bryan Atkinson (bass), Dennis Campbell (Sax), Harry Haughton (guitarist) and Joe Isaacs (drummer) replacing various members alongside the ever present Jackie Mittoo.

REVIEWS

"Jackie Mittoo was a true star of Jamaican music; a founder member of The Skatalites, a prolific composer and the keyboard powerhouse behind many a classic tune. His simple, often hypnotic approach, to ska, rocksteady and reggae made him one of the most distinctive sounding musicians of the era." BBC.

"Jackie Mittoo was one of the great names in Jamaican music, manning the keyboards for the Skatalites, the Soul Vendors, and Sound Dimension-- three of the greatest house bands of the 60's
(and I mean anywhere, not just in Jamaica)." PITCHFORK.

Are you ready for an intergalactic journey through the sounds of Planet ‘E’?
Once again, we find that each side of the record has its unique flavor, guiding our curiosity through an out-of-this-world experience. The ‘Sweet’ side begins with Magic Ambience. First made in 2003, here, the ethereal pads, melancholic melodies, and the broken beats evolve into a bass-driven house groove drenched in sucrose. A tasty start to the narrative that leaves you wanting more.

The A2, Weather Morphing, a track initiated in 2004 takes you straight into and beyond the atmosphere of Planet ‘E’ on a trip through the glowing and strobing planet rings. This track captures the volatile weather of our fantasies, with syrupy yet psychedelic electro-breaks complemented by cosmic arpeggios and epic chords. On the ‘Sour’ side, Kick It Then Drop It, originally recorded in 1999 is both a hymn of Planet ‘E’ and a full-power kicker that will leave you in the right place to party. Hardcore, old-school breakbeat meets funky acid lines for a high rave energy combo that promises some screwface on any dancefloor. Empire State Beat (Phat Beat Mix) is the final destination of this EP. Made in 2004, chock-full of energy, this nostalgic composition takes off as a night-time, bassline driver that will keep the floor going at full power. Don’t miss your chance to embark on another cosmic journey with us.

The 1973 album “El Violento” was the fifth full-length salsa LP led by Julio Ernesto Estrada Rincón, aka Fruko, and the second credited to Fruko Y Sus Tesos. Though it did not contain hits like ‘A la memoria del muerto’ or ‘El Preso’, it’s a collector’s item today in places like the US, Europe and Japan, perhaps precisely because it is obscure yet full to the brim with unrelentingly hard and heavy salsa bangers that never let up from start to finish (hence the title, which translates as “The Violent One”). A mix of originals and interesting covers, the LP is “all killer and no filler”, purposely designed to set the dance floor ablaze. It features Fruko’s two main vocalists that took over from the first pair of Humberto “Huango” Muriel and “Píper Pimienta” Díaz, namely the beloved duo of Álvaro “Joe” Arroyo and Wilson “Saoko” Manyoma. Los Tesos were a talented “wild bunch” who listened to their fearless leader, with Fruko holding down the bottom end on electric bass, Hernán Gutiérrez in the piano chair, the Villegas brothers on hand percussion (Jesús tickling the bongos and Fernando slapping the congas), augmented by Rafael Benítez on timbales and an ace horn section of Freddy Ferrer and Gonzálo Gómez (trombones) and Jorge Gaviria and Salvador Pasos (trumpets). The super aggressive sound comes directly from the South Bronx playbook of Willie Colón. The snarling trombones and soaring trumpet are somewhat sweetened by a nice little Puerto Rican cuatro guitar solo. Sonically lightening the mood somewhat, ‘Nadando’ (‘Swimming’) is a bouncy tune in the ‘Mercy’ genre (basically a hybrid of pop, funky soul, cumbia and salsa, in the style of Nelson y Sus Estrellas), gleefully sung by Joe Arroyo. The beats are complex and ever changing, with a little bit of mozambique, conga, bomba, jala jala and of course salsa thrown in for good measure. The side closes out with a brilliant, uptempo salsa reworking of the venerable ranchera chestnut, ‘Tú, sólo tú’. Side two explodes with the frenetic descarga jam session ‘Salsa na’ ma’—which is exactly that: nothing more than the hottest “sauce” to make the dancers go crazy. Fruko’s tune is dedicated to the Latin community in New York that listens to salsa from everywhere and dances to it so fervently on the weekend. The relentless percussion propels the listener along at breakneck speed as if hurtling down the Bronx Expressway, demonstrating that Fruko y Sus Tesos have mastered the ‘violent’ form of urban salsa that was having its transnational moment in the early 1970s. While “El Violento” may not be as well known as some Fruko records, it certainly deserves a new look and should be assessed on its own merits as a very powerful, confident entry in the historical evolution of Colombian salsa dura.Sleeve

“Maledetta Quella Notte” is the first EP by Il Mago del Gelato, a new band from Milan (IT) with a strong Mediterranean imprint.

This first release runs through funk, afrobeat and jazz, where all the different souls that make up the project converge and blend in a perfect balance.

The EP ranges between more energetic moments, strongly characterized by Afro-beat and Funk influences to introspective atmospheres, where the reminiscence of a warm, sensual jazz rings out loud.

All held together by a full sound, the unique and recognizable mark of the Il Mago del Gelato: vocoder, percussion, 80's synthesizers, roots guitars and a rhythmic section of drum and bass which drags you in a wild and sweaty dance.

Before being a record product, Maledetta Quella Notte is a project human, in which the concept of union, exchange, positive vibes is summarized in six tracks with taste of your favorite ice cream.

Departing from rap and dance, Cherry’s third album ‘Man’, released in 1996, instead can be described as a collection of alternative rock anthems. The Swedish singer released the duet ‘7 Seconds’ with Youssou N’Dour, which topped the charts internationally. This release comes as a limited edition 140-gram Yellow vinyl.

The latest offering from Astral Black comes in the form of the 'Metropolis N' LP, courtesy of Queens, New York's number premier importer/exporter of Jungle & D&B, NIGELTHREETIMES. Having initially garnered a name for themselves as one of New York City's most versatile club DJ's, with the release of their 'Call Of The Void; project in 2020 Nigel also began to build a reputation as a producer in their own right. Resulting in residencies on Rinse FM & The Lot Radio, radio support from the likes of Tom Ravenscroft & Uniiqu3 and press support from Resident Advisor, OkayPLAYER & Mixmag – amplifying their talents throughout New York City and beyond.

With 'Metropolis N' NIGELTHREETIMES distills their eclectic influences through the lens of rolling 160bpm breaks – taking in Jazz, 8-bit game soundtrakcs, science fiction & jump up D&B. Starting off the LP with the rhodes tinged double header of 'TSQ MELTDOWN' & 'EARLY MORNING FROM 103RD STREET', the latter featuring some of the best double bass work heard on a jungle track since 'Brown Paper Bag'. Elsewhere, on 'ROAD2RAILS' and 'PHANTOM SHORES', the producer ditches the instrumentation in favour of oscillated square waves, dubbed out vocal FX & 8-bit melodies, without ever losing site of the projects underlying sense of optimism. On the album closer 'INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION', 3X manages to bring together the influences heard throughout the project, tying together a muted rhodes chords, squarewave basslines, flutters of alien melodies and finely tuned, slices breakbeats into a 5 minute symphony.

The consistency and exacting production skills heard throughout the offering elevate this project from another drop in the digital ocean to a landmark opus, from a producer carrying the torch for this timeless sound and making the project worthy of a spot alongside some of the classics this genre has produced.

'Metropolis N' is available Oct 13th on digital and limited edition vinyl via Astral Black.

Acen returns once again with a box set to celebrate Close Your Eyes and Window In The Sky. 2 years in the making, but so worth the wait. All the original versions of the tracks are beautifully remastered from the original DAT’s but it also meant that Acen could sprinkle his magic dust once again on these classics for a new auditory explosion of authentic early 90’s Acen.

To round out the box set, we had some remixes done by some of the hottest names in the old skool resurgence, Jonny L, New Decade, Nookie, Ray Keith, Austin Reynolds, along with Kniteforce’s very own Ant To Be and The BradderCase but Alex from Hyper-On Experience pulled a rabbit right out of the bag and had the beautiful vocal talent that is Ella Sopp resing the iconic Window In The Sky vocal, and that is the icing on the cake for sure!

Crucial Toronto rapper / producer / DJ myst milano. returns with thrilling new album Beyond the Uncanny Valley, an exhilarating ride through hedonistic experimental hip-hop and house music that reinterprets the breadth of Black electronic music with addictive singular energy.

“I offer Beyond the Uncanny Valley as a working anthology of Black electronic music across generational, geographical and genre lines,” myst milano. writes. “I thought a lot about staples of Black art across the world that can be traced back to Africa, and that link the diaspora regardless of where our people end up and throughout all eras.”

A mighty example of this omnivorous and multifaceted awareness of Black creativity, Beyond the Uncanny Valley is a tidal wave, swallowing up Canadian House, Detroit Electro, Chicago Footwork, UK Jungle and Dubstep, Jersey / Baltimore / Philly Club, Southern Hip-Hop and West Coast Funk into the trail of euphoric destruction left by myst milano.’s trademark grimy, sweaty, lusty neo-R&B take on contemporary hip-hop.

Opening with “Thirteen”, the album hits with punch and immediacy. The track’s thumping kick and swirling, haunted synthesis represent myst milano.’s keen ability to nurture perfect symbiosis between production, arrangement and lyrical theme. It is equal parts dreamy, provocative, sexy and powerful, and, together, entirely unique to myst’s creative voice. As with Beyond the Uncanny Valley as a whole, it is evocatively storytelling, mixing vivid imagery with slick wordplay. We are introduced to myst’s groupie (formerly “a hater”), as their crew “causes damage you can’t afford”, while witty threats and erudite posturing flow out over a steadily expanding instrumentation that mimics myst’s breathless, sweatbox DJ sets.

“Ring Ring” is another key track. Glitching nuclear alarms give way to a bulldozing kick drum and in-the-red distortion on myst’s voice. The vocals hit at breakneck speed while the production retains a dirty, dirging stomp. It is formidable, intense, fun, and intimidating in all the right ways.

Underpinning the album is a mechanised female voice that has possessed the record like a replicant ghost. “When we go beyond the uncanny valley, we reach a state of perfect harmony where the robot has mimicked the human to the point of being indistinguishable,” myst says. “Who are we when we become perfect imitations of what the world wants instead of who we really are, which is imperfect and flawed and a little uncanny, anyway?” While the music of Beyond the Uncanny Valley is human, with real emotion and expression, it occasionally flirts with the beyond, reaching into a near future where reality and technology bleed into one.

Beyond the Uncanny Valley is myst milano.’s second full length, following 2021’s rapturously received debut Shapeshyfter, and a monstrously successful accompanying house remix on the UK’s legendary Defected Records.

Introspective presents their very first vinyl release featuring Grafin, SDB & B2, Specific Objects, Versus and Nano Rinnegato.

Instinctive Senses is a compilation focusing on the intricate side of techno, yet remaining faithful to the groove.

Six notable producers, five exquisite tracks and two banging faces all on one single plate.

Don't miss out and make sure you get your copy.

Releasing on the 18th of August 2023.

This July the esteemed scribe, proper DJ, and discreetly deft twiddler Bill Brewster, drops the latest instalment in his ‘After Dark’ series, for Late Night Tales.

A throbbing, louche and leisurely affair, groove is very much at the heart of this freestyle selection, a vibe which Bill de- scribes as “a basement, a red light and a sound system. Or, as the Beastie’s once rapped, slow and low, that is the tempo”.

There’s Hawaiian drum machine bossa balearica from Island Band, percussive afro post punk from Czech jazz singer Jana Koubkova, and breathy-bubbling-dubwise-slap-bass-soul from Debbe& The Code.

There’s also sultry deep house mood music from Lanowa, infectious bouncy jazz funk breaks from Canada High, and Nail’s life affirming re-edit of singer songwriter Gilbert O Sullivan’s electro pop gem ‘So What’.

Bill’s own studio skills are present and correct too, featuring an undulating bassy version of country troubadour Jeb Loy Nichols, reworked along Alex Tepper under their Hotel Motel moniker, and a chugged-up squelchy disco take on Khruang- bin, this time paired with Raj Gupta, as Mang Dynasty.

Chock full of exclusives, tracks are either completely brand new, or available digitally for the first time, whilst others are wallet-rinsing rarities if purchased elsewhere. Whichever way you slice it though, every tune is a highlight, working equally well as standalone nuggets, or within Bill’s fluidly cohesive mix.

Whether he’s taking the roof off a club with his unique selec- tion of deep and tough house music, enchanting a backroom with a genre-bending set of disco, Balearic, rock and hip hop or playing chillout music in a bay in Croatia, Bill Brewster is the man for all occasions.

In a former life, Bill was a punk rocker, a chef and also the co-editor of football magazine When Saturday Comes but has been a record nerd all of his life. He began DJing in the 1980s, but came into his own in the early 1990s, particularly during a two-year stint in New York running DMC’s office, where nights at the Sound Factory and hanging out with Danny Tenaglia gave him the musical grounding you can still hear in his music today.

Bill was also one of the founding residents at Fabric in London, a position he held for five years. There are few still playing regularly today that have his dedication, eclecticism and encyclopedic knowledge of music.

His parallel life is as a writer, and with his long-term part- ner-in-crime Frank Broughton, they have written four books together, including the acclaimed ‘Last Night A DJ Saved My Life’ (latest edition published last July), ‘How To DJ (Prop- erly)’ and ‘The Record Players’.

He has been working in the industry’s fringes for over 40 years including the running of various labels from Twisted UK and Forensic in the ’90s to Disco Sucks and Anorak in the noughties.

He is one of NTS radio’s new residents for 2023 and his ‘Low Life Loves You’ show is available on the first Tuesday of every month.

Incoming, a massive EP from Anderson.

After his recent easter eggs EP, this four tracker is a blend of trance, breaks, drum & bass and experimental electronica.

Starting off the A side with the ‘Jelly Bean (Virus Outbreak Mix)’, this monster of tune will rattle your subs (and brain) with his crunchy kicks and trancey sequencing. This track will blast you off into oblivion eventually bringing you right into A2, ‘Level Quest’, a trancey chugging progressive tune building energy from the moment the first kick ignites.

After a much needed break, the B1 puts you in an immediate trancestate lasting just a few minutes and before you know it you will be blasted into drum and bass land with ‘Tasteful Nudes’ closing out the EP.

See you on the other side..

Pink Marbled

Limited 50 copy press

Repress!

One of the gems on the smash hit album 'Soulmatic', Purple Disco Machine & Boris D'Lugosch's, 'Love For Days' gets the remix treatment three ways.

First up the master Kenny Dope - crisping up that shuffling rhythm with some added percussion and synthesiser arps to turn what was already a peak time soulful anthem, into a close to 8 minute extended journey drawing you in more and more with each build up and breakdown. Next up the PDM offers up an extended mix of the original, a welcome sight for those DJs on the club scene who have been rinsing this since the album dropped last year.

Finally, Motez takes you into raunchy, r&b tinged, garage territory, really honing in on Karen Harding's incredible vocals whilst incorporating brooding pads and sweeping fx's to create a special twist on the original.


DJ Support:

Aeroplane (Aeropop / Eskimo Recordings), Klingande / Kungs / Michael Calfan c/o (Unity Group Promo Sorter), Autograf (Counter Records), Treasure Fingers (Psycho Disco! / Fool's Gold), Malente (Southern Fried Records), Satin Jackets c/o (Eskimo Recordings / N.E.W.S.), Eric Sharp (9G Records), Gregor Salto c/o (Spinnin' Records), DJ Blake Jarrell (Armada Music), Jerome Price (Throne Room Records), DJ Licious (Spinnin' Records), Travis Emmons (Weapons Music), Electronic Youth (KMS), Solidisco (Fool's Gold / Ultra) :: Mark Knight c/o (Toolroom Knights), Mike Mago (Boemklatsch), Muzzaik (Spinnin' / Toolroom), The Disco Boys (We Play Music), Trevor Mac (Jalapeno Sound System), Ferdinand Weber (Spinnin' Deep), LCAW (Ultra), Plastic Plates (Sweat it Out), Mark Lower (Nurvous), Don Diablo c/o (Axtone / Spinnin' Records), Eton Messy, Après (Love & Other Records), Spada (Ego Music / Hysterical), Eelke Kleijn (Spinnin' / Suara), Horsemeat Disco (Strut Records / K7! Records), Horsemeat Disco (Strut Records / K7! Records), Adriana Lucia (Get Physical), Broc Roc (Dj B-Roc of The Knocks), Chordashian (Mullet Records), Hector Romero (Saw Recordings), Just Kiddin (Nervous Records)

Idris Elba c/o (Connaisseur Records / 7Wallace), Klingande / Kungs / Michael Calfan c/o (Unity Group Promo Sorter), Shiba San c/o (Suara / CUFF), Malente (Southern Fried Records), Rudimental (Asylum / Big Beat), Sirus Hood (Under No Illusion / Dirtybird), Marc Spence (This Ain't Bristol / Skint), Martin Solveig c/o (Spinnin' Records), Horsemeat Disco (Strut Records / K7! Records), Riva Starr c/o (Hot Creations), Mike Mago (Boemklatsch), Kokiri (Love & Other), Fred Falke (Work It Baby Records), Claptone c/o (Exploited), Roger Sanchez (Stealth Records / Astrx), Don Diablo c/o (Axtone / Spinnin' Records), Icarus (FFRR / SubSoul), Pezzner (Dirtybird), Jourdan Bordes (Phonetic Recordings), Mahalo (Toolroom / Bunny Tiger), AC Slater (Night Bass), Chordashian / Felix Feygin (Mullet Records), Fei-Fei Wang, Kristina Sky (Ultra / Armada), Thee Cool Cats (Toolroom / Bunny Tiger), Solidisco (Fool's Gold / Ultra), Infected Mushroom c/o (HOMmega Productions), DJ Blake Jarrell (Armada Music),Travis Emmons (Weapons Music), Human Life (LIFEX / Exploited), Treasure Fingers (Psycho Disco! / Fool's Gold), Hector Romero (Saw Recordings), and Danny Howard (BBC Radio 1 / Nothing Else Matters)

After four years, De Lichting is back with a new double album: Drie Nul Drie!

This fresh addition to the infamous compilation series revolves around a central theme: The 303 Acid Bassline.

The double LP format has always been the weapon of choice for the crew when it comes to implementing diversity in their musical story.

Despite the 303 being a rather limited concept, everyone within the collective finds a unique way to approach this classic element that has been rinsed for decades.

From the typical techno bomb of “MJM002” to the sneaky after hours tech gem “5421”, or the Detroit influenced chill-out cut “Tool”, the album bursts with playfulness and creativity, while coming together logically sound wise.

Ashee’s epic Oxytocin which has been ringing across big rooms across the globe, is finally getting a vinyl only release.

Oxytocin encapsulates everything that keeps the dancefloor going straight on till morning - the rolling bassline and haunting vocals keep you intrigued as the track progresses and builds become increasingly intense, relieved by a punchy and face-melting climax. This track has been getting bodies moving all over with its infectiousness - it truly is a dancefloor weapon and has been road tested by everyone from DJ Tennis, Carlita, Kiimi and many more. On the flip side is Ashee’s pumping rendition of Motomami, another dancefloor weapon exclusive to this vinyl package.

Ashee has already graced labels such as Aus, Life & Death and Circoloco and played live at everywhere from Gotwood to Sonar. Here he delivers an exclusive vinyl only double Aside with floor-filling effect.
More

For the second opus of the "Folklores & Legends Series", Dynasty Of Dreams was inspired by Breton, Celtic and Scandinavian fables and beliefs.

He undertakes this dragonized journey with tribal tones, progressive basses, ghosted leads and luth melodies.

Bells and swords will ring out throughout the adventure and will remind you medieval sounds.

Go on a crusade and let the timpani send you straight back into the abyss of the middle age… !

Damian Lazarus celebrates 20 Years of his world-renowned Crosstown Rebels imprint with a special album project of unreleased cuts and fresh remixes, featuring material from Black Coffee, Maceo Plex, Art Department, Dennis Cruz and many more.

Undeniably one of the most influential record labels within underground dance music, releasing material from Laurent Garnier, Krust and Mathew Jonson to Rósìn Murphy, Deniz Kurtel, Francesca Lombardo and Jennifer Cardini while playing a pivotal part in the careers of artists like Maceo Plex, Jamie Jones, Art Department and Seth Troxler, Crosstown Rebels stands today as a hub and platform for flourishing projects across the electronic spectrum, including via sub-label Rebellion and across a long list of showcases across the globe. More than just your everyday label, the Crosstown Rebels legacy has grown alongside its founder in equal measure, with head honcho Damian Lazarus continually showcasing, championing and spotlighting artists from across the globe who share his radiant, experimental vision for house music and beyond. Ringing in a major milestone in style, 2023 will see the biggest twelve months to date as Lazarus and Crosstown mark the 20th Anniversary of the label with a series of projects set to be unveiled in the lead-up to summer, with ‘CR20 The Album’ set for release on 12th May 2023.

“20 years ago, I dreamed a dream of creating a family of like-minded, crazy individuals from all corners of the planet - releasing music to the world and making people dance. That dream was Crosstown Rebels, and this year we are 20. Over these years, I have forged beautiful friendships, discovered very talented artists and tried my best to help, advise and support some of the most colourful characters in dance music. Crosstown Rebels is more than a record label, it is family.
So 2023 will mark the label’s 20th Anniversary. This is an opportunity for the Crosstown Rebels family, a global community of artists, DJs and creatives, and the label’s myriad of followers to celebrate this momentous milestone. There will be parties and events around the world. A killer compilation of exclusives and special remixes, a beautiful coffee table book, a short film, and a special launch event are planned to bring together the sights and sounds of the label’s unique and influential history. There’s lots to share, announce and reminisce. 20 years young.” - Damian Lazarus.

Comprised of six stellar, high-profile remixes of releases from the label’s catalogue, alongside two previously unreleased original gems, the eight-track package is a rich and exemplary showcase of the far-reaching corners of the Crosstown Rebels sound and also its globally connected family of artists and close friends.

Opening the package, Lazarus’ own 2020 collaboration ‘Into The Sun’ with regular Crosstown vocalist Jem Cooke is given a cosmic rework by Johannesburg’s Major League DJz, while Jamie Jones’ slick ‘Paradise 2011’ is stripped back and given a new lease of life by the hypnotic and heady sounds of Art Department. Opening the B-Side, Dennis Cruz brings his percussive Latin-infused signature sound palette to Chilean musician and producer Pier Bucci’s ‘Hay Consuelo’, before Audiojack’s ‘Feel Good’, another standout collaboration alongside Cooke, is taken into synth-led territories as Michael Mayer reaches for an evolving bed of captivating tones.

The second half of the project brings more excellently remixed material, both new and old, with GRAMMY-winning DJ/producer Black Coffee turning his hand to the label’s first release of 2023 in Made By Pete and Zoe Kypri’s emotive ‘Horizon Red’, unveiling reworked melodies and sparkling keys as he delivers an interpretation of a track which has featured as a staple in his sets. Next, the project welcomes Adam Ten & Yamagucci’s playful yet off-kilter and wonky ‘The K Dance’ which unveils itself as a production perfect for those late night hours and early afters, before Ellum boss Maceo Plex’s ‘Together (2011 Mix)’ brings another lost production to the mix with a driving and zipping ride through sugary synths and soaring leads. To close, Tibi Dabo turns his attention to Guti & Dubshape’s absorbing ‘Every Cow Has A Bird’, delivering a nimble minimal-led trip through lush pads and crisp percussion to round things out in style.

Alongside the album, the 20 Year celebrations will also welcome a 192-page hardback book, ’20 Years Of Magic, Madness and Music’, with words from renowned journalist and key underground music player Joe Muggs, and a feature-length documentary directed by acclaimed director David Terranova.

Crosstown has become known globally for throwing some of the world’s best parties, from the wondrous cultural journey of Day Zero Tulum to longstanding Music Week marathon Get Lost Miami. This ethos of creating magical dancefloor moments spills into the label’s 20 year celebration with its worldwide Get Lost tour, launched with Get Lost Miami, and followed by Bali, Tokyo, Ibiza, Dubai, Istanbul, Rome, Paris, London, Berlin and more, plus a special to-be-announced London showcase.

10 years, 20 releases. This is the last of them. Label head Inter Gritty at the controls, delivering four tracks of techno with a twist. Over & out from Random Island HQ - it's been real!

Recut & Repressed

With ´Future Romance´ a new chapter of storytelling house & techno music is opened. After running the mighty Parquet Recordings label for 15 years, german DJ and producer ´Solee´ is starting an additional vinyl & digital imprint with focus on quality deep & expressive sounds.

Future Romance starts off with „Reboot“ a new single by the labelboss himself showcasing once again his ability to build up a track like no other and combine extensive melodies with big basslines & clever invented synth-work. As remixers for this promising debut release we could win no less than one of the greatest icons of melodic techno worldwide ´Recondite´ (wellknown for his releases on labels like Afterlife or Innervisions) and italian master of organic deep and emotional house sound ´Lehar´, member of the Diynamic family and owner of the ´Multinotes´record label together with Musumeci and Olderic.

Early DJ support by DJ Hell, Innellea, Kevin De Vries, Fur Coat, Pig & Dan, Timo Maas, Quivver, Musumeci, Oliver Huntemann, Dave Seaman, Mira, Rinzen, Markus Kavka, Nick Warren, Eelke Kleijn, Nhar, Martin Roth and more.

Samuel L Session and Van Czar drop a four-track techno EP on Unrilis that showcases a deeper and more hypnotic sound with dystopian atmosphere and driving percussion. Rino Cerrone launched the Unrilis record label over 15 years ago, and part of the label's back catalogue is its iconic Rilis series. 2022 sees the relaunch of the Rilis series that has a focus on underground DJ tools with raw analogue sounds. The Rilis series was originally launched in 1999, and was restricted to a concept on only 10 releases, each pressing a limited run of vinyl. It was hugely popular with each one often selling out in only a week and picking up DJ support by people ranging from Jeff Mills to Richie Hawtin. Those first 10 releases were focused on Rino Cerrone's own music, but since his retirement from the industry, the revitalised Rilis series will welcome other artists whose sound matches the label's underground concept.
This latest release in the Rilis series features collaborative tracks by Samuel L Session and Van Czar who have previously teamed up for releases on other imprints ranging from Marco Bailey's MB Elektronics to Ben Sims' Hardgrooves. Both are also successful solo artists, Sweden's Samuel L Session being well-known for his headline DJ sets at clubs around the world, along with the music he has released via iconic imprints such as Slam's Soma, Shlomi Aber's Be As One, Len Faki's Figure and Emmanuel's ARTS plus his own imprints SLS, Cycle, New Soil, and Klap Klap Belgium's Van Czar is also an accomplished DJ who is well-established across Europe and he has also released music on respected record labels ranging from Kevin Saunderson's KMS Records as well as the classic imprint, Yin Yang.
'Air Raid' opens the release with its eerie pads, spine-tingling melody loop and machine-driven percussion. It's got a raw aesthetic with dramatic claps and snare fills that add to the building suspense.
'18-022' is a dark and stripped back track with modulating synth textures layered with fast-flowing high-end percussion. Its pounding kick drum and clap rhythms add rigid structure to its expansive atmosphere and dance floor focused groove.
'Route 200' has thrashing cymbals punishing claps and rippling pads that create a stripped back groove submerged in deep atmosphere. Rich with analogue textures and gritty sound design, its relentless energy is tailor made for club sound systems.
'Objectivism' closes out the release with it's funky bassline and bleeping melody. Whirling textures and fluttering percussion maintain an unrelenting tension that's driven forward by the pounding kick drum.

The third release from Edinburgh-based rave Headset, showcasing unsung Scottish artists making alternative house, techno, garage & breaks in dubby styles.

Debut release for DJ Posture, straight outta Livingston, providing 4 tracks of spacey, deeper House & Beats.

Pressed on heavyweight 180g vinyl

Mastered & cut by Optimum Mastering in Bristol (Livity Sound, Tectonic, Pressure Dome)

Pressed by Mobineko (Taiwan)

DJ approved by Hodge, Daisy Moon, Gulia Tess (Rinse), Chris Farrell (Idle Hands) & many more

The Lagaffe boys have a special one for you. Lagaffe 10 marks the 10th EP in our vinyl series and serves as a perfect way to end our 10th year in existence. To mark this occasion we are releasing a 4 tracker with our founders and label regulars.

The EP opens up with Cohen Social Club by Flexi Leifs aka Felix Leifur. Our man Felix lost his drum machines last spring but luckily he found a guitar and some drums. The track starts off with suspicious sounding guitar notes that somehow end up as pure beauty, giving hope in the darkest of places. Frodo with the ring stuff, if you know what I mean. Playful reverbs and echos give the tune the classic Felix Leifur feel to it!

Moff & Tarkin has the next track "Pure Fury", some breakbeats and cheesy disco vocals, why change a winning recipe?

Next up is "We are not alone " by label boss Jonbjörn. I think this is what Elton John meant when he said "thank god for those electro bangers!" Solid 909 drum work featuring dramatic chords and some original vocal work. If you can spot the sample write us on Soundcloud and you might win a year's worth of LaCafe Tales!

With "Að handan" Viktor Birgiss comes back to the label in style. Our mastering engineer described it as having the loudest kick drum in history, imagine that! Lo fi dub sounding drums interlaced with atmospheric chords, made for those late night intimate moments on the dancefloor, again Frodo with the ring stuff, if you know what I mean.

Berlin-based Brizman is launching his label, Silvi. He is keeping the theme personal as a tribute to his dear mother, who sadly passed away recently. Roy has contributed two original cuts to this EP called The First Year.

On the A-side, the title track "The First Year" is featured a 12-minute implacable groove followed by a grand piano line that will ring in your head for days.

In contrast, the B side "Feels Like Home" is a classic morning glory moment track with a euphoric yet melancholic melody that will undoubtedly warm your club nights indoors or outside.

The EP comes to a satisfying conclusion with a well-crafted remix by Vid.