Suche:sam u l

Smooth Swede Sune’s follow-up to the beloved Butter Love EP is equal parts bright and bittersweet. Elevator Connoisseur boasts the producer’s knack for sampling and crafty layering in unison with his trademark dusty drums.

Two giants of Brazilian music back-to-back!

Jorge Ben can do it all - vocalist,songwriter, musician, producer and to many their ‘all-round’ favourite Brazilian artist. Jorge has had an amazing career, involved in music from the early 60's through to the current day, writing countless classic songs for him and other artists.

This awesome samba-disco-funk joint 'Waimea 55.000’’ is a lesser-known production, taken off a 7” B-side released on Som Livre in 1978. This is a gem which needed to be dusted off and given the
wider audience it deserves.

Baby Consuelo with her distinctive voice is one of Mr Bongo’s favourite Brazilian singers. The only female founding member of the mythical group Os Novos Baianos, Baby is a real innovator andpioneer, changing her persona and musical styles over the years, but still staying unique.
Here we have Baby at the start in raw psychedelic hippy mode,
giving a powerful vocal delivery where she manages to sound simultaneously badass and lovable. This early song was released in 1970 on RGE records on a compacto 7” credited to Baby Consuelo and additionally featured on OsNovos Bahianos’s debut album 'É Ferro Na Boneca!’ in the same year (re-issued on Mr Bongo in 2019).

Skalpel, internationally recognised ambassadors of Polish music, reissue their classic and best-selling album Highlight on limited purple vinyl.

For over two decades, Marcin Cichy and Igor Pudło have fused traditional Polish jazz with forward-thinking electronica. Their distinctive sound caught the attention of Ninja Tune, resulting in two critically acclaimed albums - Skalpel and Konfusion – followed by a Gilles Peterson Worldwide Award nomination, extensive international touring, and praise from NME, The Wire, DJ Mag and beyond.

While Transit marked a shift from sample-based production to virtual instrumentation, Highlight sees Skalpel at their most expansive and refined. Drawing on Miles Davis’ electric era, minimalism, and the legacy of Warp and Ninja Tune, the album balances deep jazz heritage with contemporary electronic textures.

A defining title in the band’s catalogue, Highlight remains both timeless and forward-looking - now available in a special purple vinyl edition.

Ferrum is a large-scale exploration of inharmonic timbres, oscillating between brutal grinding textures and intricate percussive singularities, created by digitally transforming recordings of various metallic objects.

Susanne Kirchmayr's new album takes a close personal look at the spectral richness of iron and other metals, in various shapes and sizes, recorded, processed and arranged to a carefully curated selection of musical miniatures. Some of the results are an obvious nod to her Electric Indigo DJ alias, music that could be played on the dance floor of an alien cargo ship, both highly familiar and foreign at the same time. Others offer almost steady-state like meditative qualities, vibrations from deep within, on a sub atomic level, full of light and motion on the tiniest possible scale. The limitation in material opens up a seemingly unlimited world of colours and rhythms, oscillating, resonating and highly immersive.

After his last release on Dirt Crew in 2017 we are more than delighted to bring back the talented Harry Wolfman.
With impressive records on labels like Phonica, Omena, Outplay and Toy Tonics in the last years he has drawn up a fine new selection of music that spans across many genres and moods. This is also the first release for us in the new year after a lil break and it continues to explore the more eclectic approach we are following for a while now since the outings of artists like Dampé, S3A and Dan Only.

Harry presents an exciting opener for his new EP, together with vocalist Christian Crow he has made the blissful and breaks laden “poppy” good feel tune “A Way You Come Home to Me” that shines a bright light in these darker months. Followed by the deeper club tune “Step by Step”, building around yet another vocal recording. This time it’s Harry sampling his own voice and looping it into a repetitive piece of good feel House music.

We are getting deeper on the B side with “Speaking Raman”, one of these signature Harry tunes, a playful dusty lo-fi piece of music build around a piano theme and embedded in deep bass and driving beats, his sound trademark on all of these more floor orientated tracks on the EP. To close out the record we added two of his cinematic, ambient electronica works that we personally love so much. The haunting “Always 3” is a deep sphere that sucks you in a meditational and soothing womb of sounds. Ending with the electroid cut “Green Trees”, it’s broken and fragile and gives this indie-tronica track a warm and gentle touch.

We hope you enjoy these tunes and that they may be your soundtrack to the upcoming warmer months.

**Double LP - 180 GRAM** Already Platinum. Impeccable design. Although this is one of the more talked about records of his career, there's no doubt that this is a testament to JAY Z's diligence, entrepreneurship, and artistic vision. Picking up where Watch The Throne left off, Magna Carta Holy Grail is JAY Z's twelfth studio album, and a portrait of an emcee embracing fatherhood, marriage, and striking a balance between a past spent coming up and a future shuffling around the top. The LP also includes a limited edition flexi-disc postcard of exclusive non-album track ''Open Letter'' hidden under the artwork on the back cover. Production is helmed largely by J-Roc, Timbaland, Pharrell Williams, Hit-Boy and others, while featuring performances by Beyoncé, Rick Ross, Justin Timberlake, Frank Ocean, Nas, and more. With MCHG, JAY Z understands that hip hop is starting to enjoy the same clout as fine art and, even better, hip hop is alive, a part of the world, evolving, and not cordoned off in a museum. Play it forward and grab a copy now.

This is an essential part of the legacy of the White Stripes!

Mike 'Agent X' Clark is a true hero of the Detroit scene, but he rarely gets the props he deserves, making any outing of his a cause for celebration. El Provost's No Speakers label knows what's up, and they've drafted in Clark for his killer jam "The Heat." The name is no foil, this track will set any party ablaze with its distinctive speech sample and saucy rhythm section. Alongside the original, there is a strong cast of remixers on hand to serve up deadly variations, from the label boss' skipping, psyched-out groover to Ben Sims' appropriately thumping techno workout. Peter Rocket especially impresses with a crafty breaks version that should slot in nicely with the resurgent electro scene.

3 tracks from the "Let it go " album from Michel de Hey. Soulful techno and house tracks influenced by Michel his 90"s musical Rotterdam roots.

Yokohama-based producer Foodman - aka 食品まつり or Shokuhin Matsuri - continues his expansive sonic voyage with his new EP Dokutsu, out on 6th March 2020. It follows his 2019 release ODOODO, which was issued on Diplo’s Mad Decent label. Dokutsu is the first release on Highball, a brand new label exporting forward-thinking music from Japan.

Foodman emerged from Japan’s nascent footwork scene, using the genre as a springboard for an escapist exploration into a dazzling array of sounds. He’s since earned the respect of influential fans including Diplo, Benny Blanco, Cashmere Cat and HOMESHAKE, while Pitchfork, Noisey, FACT and Tiny Mix Tapes have included his releases in various ‘best of the year’ lists since 2016.

Opening track Kazunoko sets the tone for what will follow. Its woozy rhythm is evocative of the off-kilter playfulness that’s become a hallmark of Foodman’s uncategorizable artistry. It’s also a sign of his inventiveness that he constantly adds fresh layers to the track without losing sight of its light-hearted, spacious feel.

Another of Foodman’s unorthodox traits is his ability to meld the frenetic with the soothing. Hirake Tobira is a case in point. Its production is hypnotic, while its central motif - endless twists and variations on a vocal sample - is sufficiently insistent to demand attention. Kachikachi reverses the trick with a thrilling rush, stuttering otherwise unobtrusive sounds.

Elsewhere the EP plays on sonics which have echoes of the familiar while remaining alien: the boss fight soundtrack of Oshiro, the clattering percussion that dominates Imo Hori, and the ambient psychedelia of Konomi.

Based in Yokohama, an hour south of Tokyo, Foodman’s multifaceted skills also encompass DJing and painting. His press image, shown above, is a self-portrait. From the stripped-back sketches of his 2012 set Shokuhin (released on Giant Claw’s Orange Milk label) to the richer textures of ODOODO, Foodman has subverted everything from Okinawan folk to J-Pop to D&B/classical fusion into his own otherworldly inventions.

“Prostitute” (1988) is Toyah's most experimental and bold album, highlighting her oppression once married and outdated expectations long before today's woke narrative. Sonically it is also a radical departure comprising drums, vocal and guitar meshed with a scrapbook of samples and side two closing on a locked groove. The album was written and played entirely by Toyah and Steve Sidelynk who went on to record and play live with Madonna (Ray Of Light, Music), Seal and Richard Ashcroft, amongst many others.

Issued on vinyl for the first time since 1988, with a new inner sleeve, the album is pressed on 180 gram translucent yellow vinyl.

One of the most banger from this sery... For this one no acid. Just pure dancefloor techno ! AUK recordinsg gonna love that !!!

Tartelet Records kicks off 2020 with the re-issue of a rare Discogs gem from the early 80s by the legendary Danish composer and music educator Lotte Kærså and her band of young musicians, "Græsrodderne."

The re-issued LP entitled Jubiiilæum (Anniversary) consists of songs taken from Lotte Kærså two first albums "Jeg Har Set Det Selv" (I've Seen It Myself) from 1979 and "Hjemme I Vores Gade" (On Our Street) from 1981 - both of which have long been sought after items among
diggers and vinyl collectors.

In the nascent stages of her musical journey, Lotte Kærså's music was already imbued with a new kind of sound. Weaving genres from near and far, elements of exotic sounds such as samba, jazz funk, and dub-reggae come together with a distinctly Danish cheerfulness in the songs' lyrics.

Amsterdam based Kid Sublime returns in 2020 with his new record: “The Umami EP” on his own Ballroom Radio Records .

Independent release pressed on 180 gram vinyl

A1 The Tool
The opener track of the EP “The Tool” has The MPC running steady with chopped up disco breaks and lush Detroit keys + Soulful vocal samples added on top to hype up the dancefloor.

A2 The London Bug
Inspired by his trip to London last year and a visit to the Bugz In The Attic studio, Kid steps up his game with a Broken Beat banger. A chopped up Jazz Funk breakbeat with a heavy Moog bassline lick and some keyboard action. This Bruk tune will definitely get the dancefloor moving.

B1 Left-Right-Dub
Soulful House action! Originaly released on his LP The Padded Room as “Heroes“ with vocals from Atlanta’s The Dangerfeel Newbies, Kid remixes this tune in a
stripped down Dub version. Smooth and Deep dancefloor vibes.

B2 The Force
A stripped down minimal Future Funk groove with a Seinfield-esque slap bassline and a spaced out sample. The MPC runs steady here for the deejays and the dancers!

Pink Vinyl

User D opens the dance with an acid grower in the Mr Gasmask state of mind, 152 BPM. Tom Tommers dig the second cut on the A side with a large fat kick at same speed... A swing core acid track ! Bangbass and User D did the thirst track of this gentle EP. Swingcore as well, about 152 PMB as well... Vikkei complete the global figure with all the talent we know from him, with a Hardcore frontier swinger... A label with a style is born !!

Christophe Chassol is reshuffling the deck. After making his name worldwide with three magnificent ultrascore compositions (Nola Che?rie in 2011, Indiamore in 2013 and Big Sun in 2015), working with Solange and Frank Ocean, and playing the most prestigious halls, he's taking his quest to arrange reality even further with Ludi, his new project that includes an album, film and show. It's play - an all-important word in music - that underscores this impressive, masterful construction freely inspired by Hermann Hesse's The Glass Bead Game. Everything is part of the melody: a playground or basketball players in the suburbs, an arcade in Tokyo, a roller coaster, singer Crystal Kay and rapper Kohh. Solo musicians were filmed in rehearsal, like flautist Jocelyn Mienniel and the composer's partner, drummer Mathieu Edward, who managed to reprise on stage

Chassol drew from the great German author's utopic book, where music, mathematics, aesthetics and spirituality intermingle, to create a passionate work produced by Bertrand Burgalat's label Tricatel that once again justifies his special place in the musical landscape.

With Ludi, Chassol directs his own round of Hermann Hesse's game, taking on the title of Magister Ludi, master of The Glass Bead Game. With this double album, Chassol realises his ambition: to compose unprecedented music that fills us with joy and prompts reflection.

"STAUB" is a project that came to life in Berlin around 2013. It aimed to detach itself from the hype and business from techno. The idea was simply to not announce a lineup and treat everyone the same without separating headliners from the rest. This strictly equalitarian but also very familial and friendly concept allowed to give chances to newcomers on a regular basis and to build a tight-knit community. As time passed it also became an outlet to release music staying true to these ethos. Everyone is paid the same, doesn't matter who you are, it's all about music and respect.

Come Away With "ESG". 35-year anniversary release of the classic genre-busting debut album by the Bronx sisters ESG. The sample-friendly opus that's the inspiration for hip-hop, house and post punk. Music that falls outside of the no wave, new wave and post punk library, it's for the dance floor but it's not funk, there's no horns, no driving organ; it's the opposite of Sly And The Family Stone but no less cool and no less groovy. 'A lasting document of their unique brand of minimal funk that would influence subsequent post-punk, hip-hop, and dance music acts. Stripped down to the most basic of drumbeats and rudimentary bass lines, 'Come Away' confirms the notion that the real rhythm is what happens between the beats. - AllMusic // 'This is dub disco with a punk edge.' Paste // 'Uncut punk-funk straight off the streets of the South Bronx.' Record Collector // 'ESG are that rare thing' Guardian // 'Come Away with ESG sounds so shockingly current.' Paste // 'A musical snapshot of New York City at the beginning of the '80s.' - Allmusic.

Primarily rooted in a live performance approach, the Melbourne quartet Big Yawn embrace sonic curios from far-flung corners of
the globe and display them with pride.

Affectations for vintage krautrock, esoteric percussion and experiments in steady dance grooves merge with heavy low end frequencies to 'explore and exploit' those in-between spaces.

Clearly championing a hybrid vision of inter-genre harmony, their music manages to capture the sweaty spirit of DIY basement shows as much as it works on record.

Disorientating dub FX, off-kilter synth squelches and live re-sampling. Stoned meanderings mix with grinding propulsion. Prior to great unveiling of Big Yawn, the members were involved in the majority of the projects associated with the Fallopian Tunes imprint.

Iron & Wine performed and recorded an absolutely captivating live set of songs in the Blue Room venue at Third Man Records in Nashville. Armed with spartan set-up of a guitar, microphone and his minimal backing band in front of a soldout audience, Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam ambled through his discography, on touchstones like Naked As We Came from classic album Our Endless Numbered Days, The Trapeze Swinger from Around the Well and Winter Prayers from Ghost on Ghost. It was a heartfelt experience without sacrificing any charm, personality or gestalt crowd connection.

Third time is a charm they say. But if the first 2 times were already so memorable, what more can you ask for?
Nebraska comes in with a bang for his third release on Heist after ‘Soften the Wireless’ EP in 2016 and ‘Metaphor to the floor’ in 2017. It’s hard to believe it has been 3 years since his last appearance on Heist, but with ‘Y’miss me baby?’, Nebraska takes back center stage with another releasefull of disco flavored electronics. Italian disco man-of-the-moment Giovanni Damico comes along for the ride and delivers a stunning 80’s flavoredremix.
It’s not to say that Nebraska (Alistair Gibbs) has been sitting still since 2017. He’s launched his own label ‘Friends & Relations’ where he explores his cut-and-paste style even more with some seriously cool disco dubs and other sonic adventures. Furthermore, he made a guest appearance on Aaron Dae and JKriv’s Razor ‘n tape Reserve. Apart from his regular musical explorations, he has also published a book (Surprise party every week) where we get a glimpse of how Gibbs sees the world.
His view is one of humor and positivity and one of creating new meaning through rearranging context. This is certainly true for his music and this new EP on Heist. The title track ‘Y’miss me baby?’ oozes funk with a clever combination of samples from different contexts put together to create something altogether new, yet familiar. The track has a real 80’s disco vibe to it and the vocoder adds even more to the ‘Zapp & Roger’ flavor of things. It’s a laidback track that feels like it was recorded on a gloomy Sunday evening with no pressure on anything and just room for fun.
The vibe takes a complete left-hand turn with ‘Dip and Flip’, a high energy house track that rattles, loops and bleeps into a full-on disco frenzy.
The b-side kicks off with Italian disco wizard Giovanni Damico remixing the title track. He’s had a great run recently with releases on Lumberjacks in Hell and more recently on Star Creature, where he’s found a home to explore his own view on modern day boogie. His ‘jam’ remix flips the track into a freeform arrangement where guitars, disco claps, delays and retro synth licks all work together for a great taste of Italian boogie.
The EP finishes off in true Nebraska style, with yet another curveball. ‘Xia long bao’ sounds like a lost Nick Holder track from the 90’s with its loopy island style Rhodes and lazy chanting. The choice of samples along with the catchy groove makes this a signature Nebraska track and a quality closer for this single.
We are super happy to have Nebraska back on Heist and with this amazing EP, you are certainly going to create smiles on your dancefloor of choice.
Yours Sincerely,
Lars & Maarten

Another win for the Glowing Pin as Müller & Wandt drop a fresh new age groover on a killer club dub tip. Elsewhere Phazer Boys, Suzanne Kraft, Philipp Otterbach and River Yarra remix the pscht out of their favourite tracks from ‘Instrumentalmusik..’. Expect Goan hits, cosmic trips, loved up rave and chilled out wave on this flawless five tracker.

Growing Bin becomes Glowing Pin for the most anticipated rematch of the century. Back at the beginning of 2018, Wolf Müller and Niklas Wandt went head to head for a box office smash, throwing a high school percussion tray, wall of hardware and voodoo skull into the ring for the tribal trip of ‘Instrumentalmusik Von Der Mitte Der World’. Now the multi-instrumental duo face off once again, but this time it’s a royal rumble with Phazer Boys, Suzanne Kraft, Phillip Otterbach and River Yarra all bringing the noise to the Glowing Pin.

Müller and Wandt dominate the action on the A1, playing loose with sampler vox, serene pads and future primitive rhythms on the unreleased ‘Fun Dub’ of the also unreleased ‘Dub Dub’. Imagine Ferris Bueller’s trampoline tumble trading Chicago to the Weissenhof and you’ll sense the mood of this New Age groove. Germany’s number one party dudes, those freaky Phazer Boys take a break from dropping killer Candomblé cuts to reach for the lasers on the A2, taking ‘Ahu’ to another dimension. Dripping in neon body paint and armed with fire poi, the Düsseldorf duo power up progressive house sequences, didgeridoo bass and thumping tribal house percussion for a wall-shaking, speaker-breaking remix.

The B1 belongs to synth whiz Suzanne Kraft who revels in glistening, gliding glory on an expansive remix of ‘Auflösung’. Sleek, serene and futuristic, the track shimmers like Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, free from inequality and rendered with the 5D(ub?) majesty of a DMT breakthrough.
B2 hears Salon associate and serious talent Philipp Otterbach take over on a stripped back and psychedelic post punk dub of ‘Expedition’. Angular bass by Süne Große and a stuttering rhythm underpin astral flourishes and the hazy vocals of Lucas Croon before the African elements begin to move to the forefront.
Last man standing is Australian outlier River Yarra, who leads us into the Krautback with a chugging dub of ‘Weltraumsandalen’. Lent a lysergic sparkle by a percolating one-note bassline, this slow motion stunner masters perpetual motion amid the eerie echoes of the bush, organic percussion and electronic animal cries fading into the night. Let the pins glow again.

Patrick Ryder

It's always unwise to judge a label that's still taking its' first steps, but Banoffee Pies has barely put a foot wrong since launching a couple of years back. Here, the Bristol-based imprint continues with its' successful split release formula, gathering together a quartet of tracks from up-and-coming producers. Beaner kicks things off with the bumpin', low-slung deep house grooves and delay-laden guitar samples of "It Takes Two", before Philou Louzolo raises the temperature with the looped horn samples and thumping beats of "Alter Ego". Flip for the dreamy Balearic house goodness of Ron Wilson's "Albino Turtle", and the bongo-laden, after-party deep house shuffle of Mome's "Assatta".

180g - Vinyl Only

After messing about with vinyl, Ableton and music in general for more than 10 years, Dyzz from The Illuminated decided it's time to take 'matters' into his own hands:

Introducing Degenerate Music - a label focused on bass heavy, chest rattlin', floor shaking & dub influenced soundsystem music - starting off 2020 with his inaugural and sharply curated 040 - 010 EP.

On "That Side" we can find 2 sought after VIP's from the duo Dyzz & Rebus, better known as The Illuminated. Both originals Scavenger & Eindhoviah have been released on New Moon Recordings, the deeper / techy sister label from the Moonshine camp and Underslung Audio (digi only). Scavenger got picked up early by the likes of Skream & Benga (BBC1 Extra radio premiere), Joe Nice (cut on dub), N-type & Walsh (Rinse.fm) and more. Eindhoviah became a warehouse dub for the gentlemen and close friends. The VIP's go way beyond the originals, fulfilling the gunfinger reload requests from the last few years.

On "This Side" we find another Scavenger version, this one fully locked on the triplets and loaded with some vocal samples from a galaxy far far away. Last but not least, Eindhoviah gets the young gun Hebbe treatment, this one's for the heads.

Now all the VIPS, versions & remix get the treatment they deserve, freshly cut on a 180 grams 12" heavyweight plate

Keita Sano continues to release from prestigious record labels such as "Spring Theory" and "Mister Saturday Night" and his delicate but bold music is garnering attention around the world. After moving to Berlin and further evolving as an artist, he is now releasing four-track NEW EP from his label 'MAD LOVE Records'.

This EP is consists of 4-tracks full of love and explosive power!
A1: Layers elegant deep house grooves over a raw beat in
impeccable balance.
A2: A party tune influenced by the original Chicago house scene.
B1: Disco and afrobeats mixed with obscure sampling.
B2: A striking floor killer tune.

A completely new frontier that combines the pleasure of disco music and the functionality of a techno/house dance track! The jacket photo is by a young Japanese photographer So Mitsuya. The design by ifax!

The Game is a typical futuristic dramatic italo/synthpop-song from 1983 that became a Belgian underground classic. Most famous is its instrumental mix, an impressive, ahead of the game pre-acid house anthem, later sampled by Moodymann on "Dem Young Sconies". Still relevant almost 40 years later.

Bringing glitch aesthetic into the new decade, Aaron Spectre (aka Drumcorps) gives us Computorr, a look into digital dystopia through eyes of jungle, punk, noise, & rapid-fire sampling. This energetic EP features Aaron's signature cut-up yet concise beats, and unites several subcultures at their roots.

Artwork for this record was also made by Aaron, using analog video synthesizers & old CRT televisions, for the medium is the message. Vinyl is top quality and hits hard, its clear highs and powerful bass mastered and cut by Keith Tenniswood, and comes in several different color varieties.

Germany's JAHMONI are on release and distribution duties via Rubadub UK, hot on the tails of their diverse multi-genre releases by DJ Marcelle, BELP, and Summer of Delete.

Rejoicer is a Tel Aviv-based musician making cosmic jazz-tinged electronica. 'Rejoicer' has collaborated with Mndsgn, Georgia Anne Muldrow and Dudley Perkins, as well as being a member of the band Buttering Trio and running the Raw Tapes label.

Several tracks on ‘Spiritual Sleaze’ include vocals, with featured guests including iogi, KerenDun, Nitai Hershkovits, Jenny Penkin and Sam Wilkes. Key tracks from the album have had videos made by visual collaborator Jengo, who will also tour with Rejoicer to perform their live A/V show in 2020.

Rejoicer cites Sun Ra, Aphex Twin, Steve Reich, Dabrye, Eric Satie, Wu Tang Clan and Scientist among his musical inspirations. For fans of Kiefer, Mndsgn, Teebs, Flying Lotus, BADBADNOTGOOD, Thundercat, Shigeto.

Press - Reviews & features in 405, RA, Faze, Clash, Mojo, Electronic Sound, Stamp The Wax, Mixmag, Faze, Musikexpress, Jazz News, Tsugi. / Online - 6 Music, Worldwide FM, NTS, Radio Nova, ByteFM, EGO FM, Triple J, Double J.

Belonging is the second full length album by Berlin based producer Takeleave.

The multi-instrumentalist dedicates this release to an allegory of arrival and homesickness, after his first album Inner Sea focused on the journey itself. While the latest album was mostly written in different places, Belonging has been produced solely in the same place in Berlin, where most of the songs have evolved from intuitive jams on the instrument.

„This album turned out to sound as intimate and intuitive as it was for me when writing these songs. I feel like i got a little step closer to my own sound over the last year.“

Royal Torrence aka ‘Little Royal’, was the half brother of the legendary James Brown as they reportedly shared the same father and were close bothers throughout their adult lives. Both singers shared a vocal talent that drew music lovers to them. Little Royal grew a following in soul music from the 60's and 70's and made waves with the hit ‘Jealous’ in 1972 reaching #15 in R&B chart. ‘Razor Blade’ is also another highlight that created a mini dance craze and has since been sampled by Ice-T and J Dilla.

The first Be With foray into the archives of revered German library institution Selected Sound is one of our favourites on the label - the super in-demand Japan from Victor Cavini, originally released in 1983.

Rare and sought-after for many years now, this is one of those cult library LPs that never turn up. With Daibutsu the giant Buddha of Kamakura’s presence gracing the hefty front cover, this is a record bursting with dope samples for adventurous producers: it’s koto-funk madness!

Victor Cavini was the library music pseudonym of prolific German composer and musician Gerhard Trede. He was known for exploring instruments and styles from around the world (he played over 50 different instruments himself) and Japan is
his collection of 14 musical sketches painted with traditional Japanese wind and string instruments. These are the sounds of traditional Japanese folk music re-interpreted through Western ears, with the occassional contemporary twist. Contemporary for 1983, of course.

These “Pictures of Japan” are hypnotic, sometimes frantic, but always beautiful. The first twelve tracks offer airy explorations of koto and flute, with other strings and percussion being added and then given their own space. Indeed “Pictures of Japan XII” is just drums.

And then “Pictures of Japan XIII” seems to come out of nowhere. But the subtle sleaze of its full band sound still doesn’t quite prepare you for the towering climax of “Pictures of Japan XIV”.

This is Japan’s undoubted standout piece, completely and wonderfully at odds with the rest of the album. It’s the reason this has become such a must-have record. It keeps the traditional Japanese instruments but combines them with shuffling funk breaks, electric bass high in the mix and a Godzilla-sized psychedelic fuzz guitar sound that might actually be a traditional reed flute pushed to its limits. Whatever it is, it sounds awesome.

Recalling both Rino de Filippi’s Oriente Oggi and Giancarlo Barigozzi’s Oriente, the track’s a real head-nod groove for b-boys and b-girls alike that sounds straight out of a late 70s Yakuza film. Indeed, if you were told The RZA or Onra had cooked this up in the lab this century, you’d be convinced. It’s crazy that this dates from 1983.

The audio for Japan has been sensitively remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis to keep all the character of the original recordings. Richard Robinson has handled the careful restoration of the original Selected Sound sleeve. Essential.

The 11-track album titled “Needledrop” provides a suite of both uplifting and easy-listening moments, refined and understated individually yet cohesively crafted with the honest musicianship and inarguable credentials that we know of production duo Session Victim.

The German pair of Hauke Freer and Matthias Reiling are no strangers to releasing quality long-format albums and while rising through a discerning community of DJ’s have previously released three consecutive albums on tastemaker label Delusions of Grandeur culminating in 2017’s “Listen To Your Heart”.

Their latest and fourth studio album via the label Night Time Stories (the London based sister label to the coveted LateNightTales) marks a notable move towards the home listening dynamics of their career counterparts such as Nightmares on Wax and Portishead that have played such a strong influence in Session Victims variety of output over the last decade.

As accomplished producers, Session Victim have been intent on delivering a characteristic body of work for uninterrupted easy listening and with Needledrop have landed with significant inspiration from the engaging jazz and soul compositions that found their way into early 2000’s trip hop.

Fusing downtempo beats, smooth tones and hedonistic grooves via their intuitive sampling sessions, Session Victim’s fourth album succeeds in actively engaging the listeners mood and intellect in equal measure.

The albums clear stand out is "Made Me Fly” which presents a soothing yet expressive live vocal performance by singer songwriter Beth Hirsch, best known for her collaboration with French duo Air on their 1998 album Moon Safari.

As self-confessed semi-reclusive studio geeks, Session Victim have turned their 2020 album focus towards a large arsenal of dusty influences which has inspired them to rediscover the intuitive and playful side of their production personalities while also demonstrating their cherished music knowledge.

Widely and rightly regarded as one of the best ever soul and funk bands, the now legendary Average White Band tore-up the rule book and conquered the US, UK & International charts with a series of soul and disco hits between 1974 and 1980. AWB’s repertoire has been a source of inspiration and influence for many R&B acts and they are one of the most sampled bands in history, remaining relevant today, continuing to reach new generations of younger audiences. Snoop Dogg, Fatboy Slim, Ice Cube, Puff Daddy, TLC, Rick Ross, will.i.am and Mark Ronson amongst countless others, have all borrowed sections of their grooves. ‘Soul Searching’ is the 4th album by AWB, originally released in 1976. The album reached #9 in the USA. ‘Soul Searching’ also includes the much-sampled classics ‘A Love Of Your Own’ and ‘Queen Of My Soul’, with the latter reaching #40 in the USA.
It was produced by Atlantic’s legendary producer, Arif Mardin.

For its second release, NUBIPHONE is proud to present you SUNSHINE, a privately pressed Afro-Jazz-Folk UFO album recorded in 1980 by the Cameroonian Singer, Musician, Actress, Seamstress & Poetess LIZA NGWA. Individually-numbered Official Deluxe Edition, limited to 500 copies! Comes with a beautiful exclusive poster, a handwritten insert from Liza Ngwa herself with the lyrics of the album and a download card.

Presenting for the first time on vinyl - three tracks taken from one of the most obscure and fascinating scores by Stelvio Cipriani, recorded in 1980 for Joe D'Amato's exotic-erotic classic, ORGASMO NERO.

"Seq. 1" is an incredible afro- cosmic cinematic track, driven by superb conga work and other percussive instruments. Side B features the funkier "Seq. 3" (mid-tempo) and "Seq. 5" (downtempo) - both sexy and mysterious at the same time. Deep, obsessive atmospheres, blending together tropical colors, tribal vibes, and evocative moods.

Widely and rightly regarded as one of the best ever soul and funk bands, the now legendary Average White Band tore-up the rule book and conquered the US, UK & International charts with a series of soul and disco hits between 1974 and 1980. AWB’s repertoire has been a source of inspiration and influence for many R&B acts and they are one of the most sampled bands in history, remaining relevant today, continuing to reach new generations of younger audiences. Snoop Dogg, Fatboy Slim, Ice Cube, Puff Daddy, TLC, Rick Ross, will.i.am and Mark Ronson amongst countless others, have all borrowed sections of their grooves. ‘Put It Where You Want It’ is a re-packaged ‘spoiler’ version of their debut album ‘Show Your Hand’ released by MCA Records in 1974, on the back of the Band’s US #1 breakthrough album ‘AWB’. The album was re-designed and replaced the original opening track ‘The Jugglers’ with ‘How Can You Go Home?’. It was produced by AWB with Robin Turner.

Widely and rightly regarded as one of the best ever soul and funk bands, the now legendary Average White Band tore-up the rule book and conquered the US, UK & International charts with a series of soul and disco hits between 1974 and 1980. AWB’s repertoire has been a source of inspiration and influence for many R&B acts and they are one of the most sampled bands in history, remaining relevant today, continuing to reach new generations of younger audiences. Snoop Dogg, Fatboy Slim, Ice Cube, Puff Daddy, TLC, Rick Ross, will.i.am and Mark Ronson amongst countless others, have all borrowed sections of their grooves. ‘Person To Person’ is the 5th album by AWB, originally released at the end of 1976. The Double album was recorded live during their Sold-Out US Tour at Tower Theater and The Spectrum, Philadelphia and at The Syria Mosque, Pittsburgh; The Coliseum, Cleveland. It was produced by Atlantic’s legendary producer, Arif Mardin and reached #28 in the USA. ‘Person To Person’ includes an 18-minute funk/jam of ‘Pick Up The Pieces’ and a 9-minute extravaganza in ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’.

On »Tekkno Polo«, which was originally released on cassette and as a download by Oficyna Biedota in 2013, Jemek Jemowit addresses his Po-lish roots unsing the means of disco polo power. Disco polo is the Polish version of Italo Disco. It completely ignores everything that made Italo Disco great. It is known for its slightly bad arrange-ments, 3-tone melodies and forced rhyming, using pre-set sounds from the 1990s. On the EP Jemowit deals with total anti-patriotism (»An-typatriota«), grotesque hyper-patriotism (»Bigos») and Americanized over-patriotism (»Born in the PRL«). The EP ends with an anti-love-song (»O milosci«), using lyrics from Polish crooner Marek Grechutas’s »Będziesz moją panią« from 1970. The EP has been remas-tered by Jeans Team’s Franz Schütte in 2020 to stunning effect.

”Are you ready to take your turn now?” asks a mischievous voice at the beginning of DJ Marcelle’s new album. But by this point you don’t have a choice: you better buckle up for a joyride through the wild, unpredictable imagination of a true electronic music auteur. ‘Saturate The Market, Now!’ is stuffed with the kind of raw, rhythmic workouts and playful humour we’ve come to know and love from the long-serving Dutch artist. Let’s start with the music: Marcelle pinballs between pumping outsider house, brilliantly weird acid and musique concrète experiments where anything could happen at any given time. Then there are her famous track titles, which take another aim at nightclub patriarchy (‘Technicians And Their Light Effects’, the successor to last year's 'Technicians And Their Smoke Machines') at the same time as displaying a keen sense of satire (‘I Fell In My Own Cesspit!’) and revealing a difficult relationship with the sour, massive rock that for her is ‘German Bread’. With artwork featuring a collage of puppets found in her Amsterdam house and Marcelle’s own on-the-road photography, this is yet another album that sets her a mile apart from the paint-by-numbers dance music producers - or “accountants” as she’s witheringly described them.

Marcelle arrived via punk, post-punk, avant garde and dub and lives by the independent, forward-thinking spirit inherent in those scenes. A sense of freedom is imbued in her work, unsurprising given that this album was written in two weeks and was made entirely on her own collection of machines (save a few choice vocal samples). It’s Marcelle’s eighth vinyl-only release for Jahmoni Music from Munich and follows on from last year’s ‘One Place For The First Time’ which swiftly sold-out and is now onto a repress. The vinyl is released alongside a 10” featuring extended and dub versions of triumphant album-cut ‘Everything Not Yet’.

So are you sitting comfortably? Well Marcelle would prefer if you weren’t. Because this is music for misfits to move to. The very opposite of business techno. A missive from a cult DJ with an enviable record collection and a fearless artist who couldn’t give a flying fuck about dance music norms. Saturate the market with pure energy – let’s do this!Seb Wheeler, Mixmag

Canadian born, Berlin based producer Aquarian makes his full length album debutThe Snake That Eats Itselfon Bedouin Records.
This record follows his collaborative EPs with Deapmash as 'AQXDM" and is his first solo release since his 2016 experimental mixtape for Quiet Time. Nearly five years in the making, 'The Snake That Eats Itself' is Aquarian's most complex, diverse and emotive work to date, plunging his trademark UK sound-system/techno hybrids into a self-contained, cinematic universe streaked with heavy influences from industrial, IDM, drone and dark pop music.

It's written in Brooklyn, New York, in a deeply transitional, yet seemingly endless period preceding his relocation to Berlin, the title of the album refers to the Ouroboros, a mythological serpent symbolizing the cycle of birth and death and infinity itself.
'The Snake That Eats Itself' pits Aquarian's most abrasive and brutal moments next to his most wistful and introspective.

Viscerally thick layers of tape saturation envelop the album as sludgy synths ooze against brittle atmospheres; breakbeats fragment, explode and disintegrate into swarms of delay and noise; scorched, metallic percussion - sampled from a year-long demolition and construction project next to his apartment - forge the rhythmic backbone of the album. These elements, however, seamlessly make way to startlingly crystalline and shimmering ambient passages, offering a sense of reprieve and balance.