Search:solid groove

Gimpmask wriggled out of the London sewer system to present his take on the current state of the social inadequacies in Britain today. From the poorly conceived Brexit vote to the injustice of homelessness and the countries drug epidemic. His gritty music conveys a certain sadness with its heart wrenching melodies enhanced by vague and distant vocals backed by simple yet solid grooves that serve to deliver a pure urban cinematic experience. Imagine if Banksy made music!

Rounding up five years of Heist also means we're releasing our fifth version of the Round Up. Last year's edition was full of highlights with Fouk remixing Nachtbraker's anthem 'Hamdi' and Alma Negra going all tribal on Nebraska's 'Big plate chicken'. This year, we've seen a lot of new faces on the label, which has brought us a fresh set of combinations and a couple of really nice revisions of the tracks that made our year.

First up is Detroit Swindle's take on Heist's latest signing Hugo Mari. They chose to remix 'Change ur ways', beefing up the dreamy original. They focus on a simple but effective grainy groove and added a twist on the bass to give a more 'warehouse' feel to it and play around with the lovely detuned keys and vocal chops of the original to great effect.

Alma Negra show you just how loose their limbs are with a Rhodes filled version of Kassian's Acid surprise 'Bad Habit', while the full B side is dedicated to Pitto's personal take on Adryiano's classic house track 'Me and you and her'. His version takes the track into a new territory that lies somewhere between balearic and dreamhouse. Whatever it is, it's got a lovely vibe where the vocal is complemented by airy pads and a touch of acid.

Kassian on their turn, have done a great job on taking Pitto's 'Treat me like a fool' into 4x4 house territory. They've opted for a sub heavy club track where reverbed hits and the vocal take turns over a solid house groove. Next up on the C-side is Adryiano. He's picked Detroit Swindle's moody-but-heavy album track 'Cut u loose' and does what he does best: a steady and nicely distorted filtered house groove that packs quite a punch. The final track of this compilation really is a great pair of artists: Hugo Mari and Alma Negra. Hugo takes the tropical warmth of 'This is the place' and adds a subtle punch with a smart percussion loop and some added pressure on the low end.

So there you go. Another year, another Roundup. We hope you'll enjoy listening to these re-interpretations as much as we do. Yours

Sincerely,
Maarten & Lars.

For the 27th release of la Vie En Rose Records, coming from the most romantic town in Russia called Saint Petersbourg, we have the honor to receive the talented Vadim Shatalov.

He delivered 3 tracks between cosmic textures, melodic bassline & classic house beats.

On the A-side we have "Maybe Tomorrow" a solid housey beat, built with some classics chords, surrounded by a special atmosphere almost chaotic, the strong bassline is keeping the track really groovy and catchy. There is no doubt that "Maybe tomorrow" define the world of Vadim original, funny & futuristic.

On the B-side we have "Get Together" a bit of poetry coming from Saint Petersburg, Classic housy rhythm, fat 909 snare with a heavy subbbass, helped by some intense fm harmonics sounds, the result is an inimitable swing groove. The melodic pads are reducing the intensity of the track into something really romantic & sexy Vadim is a russian lover!

To close the EP we have "Bring it Back" same process, sexy and warm pads with a classic house 909 beat with different style of hats & textures, some warm and intelligent motives making the melody of the track, nice ambiance to close this wonderful EP.

"Maybe tomorrow" is an essential release for fans of La Vie En Rose Records illustrating what will be the the next chapter, keeping the roots and the Adn of the label.

Textures records was set up in 1996 as a sister label to Aubreys Solid Groove label and had nine releases including Aubreys second LP. Don Gardon originally releasesd in 1997 on Textures and this is the first Textures release since 2001

One thing The Vryll Society aren't short of is admirers, Lauded at just about every turn by press and public alike, the release of their debut LP for Deltasonic Records is hotly anticipated thanks to the promise this band have shown through their live sets and recent single releases.

Discovered and nurtured by the late and much missed Deltasonic founder Alan Wills, they fitted the type for him perfectly. He instantly saw in them similar attributes he'd previously found in the early days of The Coral and The Zutons. The confident swagger, the solid union formed by their band-of-brothers gang mentality, their willingness to stand outside the conventional and often stifling jangly Liverpool scene, and the work ethic. Always the work ethic.

Wills instilled in The Vryll Society something which has become over the ensuing years a key element of what they are, what they've become, and of the music they produce. He gave them belief. A belief that hard work and determination will bring them to the place they wanted to reach.

'Alan taught us that all you need to conquer the world is a rehearsal room, your instruments, a good work ethic and a positive attitude and you'll get there. He kind of taught us the rules and the attributes that you need to have to be successful so we've just continued on that path' says frontman Mike Ellis.

Ellis has stated that it was that attitude and that work ethic which got them through the subsequent tragic loss of their friend and manager in 2014, driving them forward through those times, propelling them to harder work, and bonding them even closer together as a unit.

That unit have spent the intervening time creating and honing their own brand new-psych sound, and building up a fanbase with their superlative live shows. Drawing from an eclectic palette of influence from deep funk to Krautrock, electronica and prog, they've created a heady, intoxicating, pin sharp, and tightly wound mellifluous groove, washed over with cyclical motifs, acres of effects laden guitar hooks, and shimmering, textural technicolour soundscapes. It is at once blissful, dizzying and madly infectious. It's that eclecticism, that kaleidoscopic swirl of influences which brings together hip hop flavours, with the prog stylings of names such as Aphrodite's Child and The Verve - pre Urban Hymns - when the drugs were still working. The dynamic leaps and folds through all these influences is where you find The Vryll Society's own brand perfect pop. Its all there in the loops, in the hooks, the drive and the vibe of this unique band. But this isn't frippery, these aren't throwaway cheap thrills for our disposable times. No, this is heavier. This is music too feed your head.

Live too, The Vryll Society are a formidable force. That gang mentality binds them together over the ideas formed by spending long hours together in the rehearsal every day. Hotwiring these ideas into the heads of the crowd through extended psych jams and deep solid grooves gives a different show every time, and with each and every set, the offer gets better. Recent travels have seen them take SXSW 2017 by storm as guests of BBC Introducing as well as major festivals such as Glastonbury and Leeds/Reading.

The songs that fill the delicious grooves of Course Of The Satellite weren't so much written as devised or developed, brought together organically over months in the band's underground lair, or over weeks in Liverpool's Parr Street Studios. Working closely with producers, Wills' right hand man and Deltasonic brother-in-arms Joe Fearon and Tom Longworth, the album took shape organically, biding its time and finding its way. The result is a work of impressive confidence and stature. It's a record that believes in itself, and for all the right reasons. This is an effortlessly cool album, the sort of record that makes friends easily. The world is ready, willing and more than able to take The Vryll Society even deeper to their heart. The path Alan Wills showed them awaits. It's a path that leads to greatness.

a1 | Course Of The Satellite
a2 | A Perfect Rhythm
a3 | Andrei Rublev
a4 | Glows And Spheres
a5 | Tears We Cry
a6 | When The Air Is Hot
b1 | The Light At The Edge Of The World
b2 | Shadow Of A Wave
b3 | Soft Glue
b4 | Inner Life
b5 | Give In To Me

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

A trio of guitar, bass and drums, Elektro Guzzi overcome the boundary between analogue versus digital, performing techno live with the drive of a machine and the sonic detail of an instrument - without any computers or loopers. For their upcoming album Polybrass, Elektro Guzzi have drastically expanded their sonic repertoire: both in the studio and on stage, they are joined by an ensemble of three trombonists, opening up a whole new realm of possibilities. With Hilary Jeffrey, Daniel Riegler and Martin Ptak, the band are joined by three brass heavyweights, each of them well renowned for both their solo ventures as well as projects such as The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble, Sand and Zeitkratzer. By treating the three trombones not simply as a set of extra instruments but rather as one coherent body of sound on its own, Elektro Guzzi dissociate the brass instruments from their conventional use and repurpose them into something completely different: a modular synthesizer, with each trombone representing one oscillator. In doing so, Elektro Guzzi add new layers of depth to their music, emphasizing a more cinematic side of their music: like the soundtrack for a movie, Polybrass is bigger, darker, more dramatic, more intimate. Warm and fuzzy textures float weightlessly above fragile soundscapes and complex sonic fragments. At the same time, the band's signature sound runs distinctly through the entire album: solid percussive grooves, stripped down to the absolute minimum it takes to make your body move. Hypnotic repetition, building tension and suspense up to a point where the energy of the music gets so intense you feel like you can physically touch it with your hands, interlaced with organic patterns of sound, constantly changing and evolving, pulsating and oscillating. Vinyl: heavy sleeves + heavy printed inner sleeves, 180g vinyl with download code.

Foul & Sunk is proud to present 'Morello', a cathartic EP from upcoming producer star D.Y.A. As an university educated jazz drummer the concept of improvisation and aspiration for that one special musical moment is surely no secret to D.Y.A. So both tracks 'Morello' and 'Cosy' are melodic groovers with the extra portion of soul. Beside this there are Johannes Albert and Shan on remixing duties. Albert is taking it to a deeper level, while Shan delivers a 9 min. monster remix with his emotional melodies and deep grooves.

About D.Y.A
City: Berlin (DE)
Labels: SOLIDE / Foul & Sunk
Growing up in a family where D.Y.A was surrounded by all kinds of different music led
to the mindset of appreciating each genre as equally important and eventually got him
to draw inspiration from all kinds of music. As an university educated jazz drummer the
concept of improvisation and aspiration for that one special musical moment is surely no
secret to D.Y.A.

While being Berlin based and a founding member of - SOLIDE', a label and collective he
runs along with fellow producers Kalyma and MYNY, translating these rather complex
concepts from jazz into house music, wether we are talking about production or DJ Sets,
has been one of D.Y.A´s main goals. Looking back to a relatively young discography, this
summers forthcoming EP´s on Solide and Foul & Sunk, with remix guests like Johannes
Albert, Panthera Krause or Shan, will fall in nicely to showcase D.Y.A's influences and his
quest for a special musical moment.

Russia's underground party and podcast series ABCD (Any Body Can Dance) have decided to launch their own label and geo-referencing has become a major aspect in the choice of artists for the first release. Xan and Honeälome are from one provincial town of Votkinsk, which character left a solid imprint on the work of both musicians. Experimental yet atmospheric house grooves with electronica influences and leftfield breaks for your listening pleasure

Warehouse Find!

Helsinki-based producer Saine makes his Delusions debut following amazing output on such revered labels as Voyage Recordings, Odd Socks, Omena and Fina. A producer who can flit from hazy instrumental hip hop through to raw, dusty house at the flick of a switch, Saine has built a solid following amongst lovers of left field leanings we've come to expect from the likes of Max Graef, Glenn Astro, Henry Wu and Leon Vynhall.

On lead track Act Natural we find Saine in perhaps his heaviest mood to date, delivering a crunchy uptempo house jam which retains his unique sound despite being aimed firmly at the dancefloor. A speaker wobbling eighth note bassline locks down the groove whilst familiar, much-loved frag- ments from the rave days punctuate the crackling beats. Add to this some simple syncopated chords and you have a winning formula for a timeless track which looks to the future whilst respectfully doffing it's cap to the past.

Jus Right continues in a deeper, more musical fashion with Saine getting busy on his synths, building up layers of warm pads and soloing Moog lines. A prominent vocal brings a soulful touch whilst the minimal, almost hihat-less groove adds an original and fresh feel to this blissful track.
Flipping over we have Low Key, a shuffling deep house number loaded with sliced Rhodes samples, echoing vocal hits, clipped percussion and sublime bass. As the atmosphere thickens, everything falls away to silence before rebuilding, creating some nice tension in the arrangement.

Finally we have Pontchartrain offering up an excellent remix of Jus Right. The Detroit native responsible for some mighty fine releases for the likes of Rocksteady Disco, Lovedancing, Soul Clap, Kolour LTD and Whiskey Disco takes things in a more straight-up house direction with heavier beats, 909 hats pushed to the fore and a distinctively old school feel to the mix.

(Vinyl Only)

After 5 years from their last album released on Bosconi Records, The Clover's trio comes back on their own label with a three track EP dedicated to the dance floor.

Quantized tribalism melts with Jupiter's sounds in 'Pulsing Particles'. While in 'Emanation', past and present feelings alternate through chants and synthesizers sitting on a solid funky groove.

'Separated at Birth' is the theme of the B-side, the minimalism of the original track is stretched by Horror Inc. (aka Akufen; Perlon) in a rare 9 minutes melodic drone with broken beat and thriller-ish like strings. A gem you can't miss!

The Clover are back on the market, ready to play with a brand new liveset!

As Hans Peeman's side project next to his Junktion moniker, New Franklin Theory returns to Outplay with a very personal project. Five carefully produced songs in the form of a mini-album of sorts, which showcases his journey into more melodic synth heavy work. Starting off, 'Andromeda Beach' eases you into the spacey atmosphere of the record with dreamy rhodes supported by his distinctive percussion and bass work.

Following, 'Homeward' introduces melancholic synth lines grounded by an infectious bass line for a Balearic inspired feel. 'Afterburner' ups the tempo with warm arpeggiated Juno sounds and saxy disco samples, which will remind you of his previous work. Space-funk-synth-boogie, that's what comes to mind when listening to 'In Orbit'. Instant groove with a solid beat interspersed with brief vocal samples and dreamy rhodes chords. As the closer, 'The Holtzman Effect' (award for 2018's most nerdy song title, look it up) sets you off floating away on warm chords and bass together with characteristic space bleeps.

New Yorker Electronic Producer Dj Spider Is Back On Itay's Out-er With A Muggy, Abstract Techno Release 'human Erosion Field Ep', Similarly To Its Debut 'v Ep', Released In September 2017 And Produced In Featuring With His Longtime Friend Phil Moffa.

Italian Label Out-er Presents Its Twenty-sixth Release Continuing To Explore The Diverse Musical Path Between House, Techno And Experimental Electronic - Which Appears In Most Cases On Out-er's Sub-label Pregnant Void. 'human Erosion Field Ep' Otherworldly Showcases Both A Radiant Take On Electronic As Well As Gloomy And Wild-eyed Pieces, An Aesthetic Approach For Which Dj Spider Has Been Most Known In The Scene. Overlooking To The Style Of The Tracks, The Release Does Contain A Sinister Mood And A Dense, Solid Sense Of Groove Overall, A Typical Recurring Feature Of The Producer's Previous Outputs.

Andrea Fiorito returns with a 4 tracks of solid old school Chicago Flavoured house. Of course Andrea always keeping on track with his signature off kilter arrangements leading his listeners down a different path of groove discovery with every play.

Seth Troxler & The Martinez Brothers' Tuskegee Music welcomes Chicago legend K- Alexi Shelby for a new EP that features some essential solo cuts as well as two great collaborations with Tony Lovlesss.K-Alexi is a genuine Chicago great. He's been at the core of the scene since the eighties and releasing his raw grooves on DJ International, Trax and Transmat, as well as his own K Klassik label. He has recently remixed for Seth Troxler's other label, Say It Play It, but is now back serving up the sort of engaging originals that have made him such an enduring star.
Excellent opener 'Cherry K Moon' is a raw slice of deep and soulful tech. The driving bassline melts your mind as afro percussion and driving drums make for a solid groove below. It's one for the late-night hours that will twist and turn any crowd inside out. The superb 'Dark Smile' is less tense and more house oriented in nature, with preacher style vocals up top and busy kicks down low. Live, chattery hand claps bring an organic feel and synth stabs inject looseness that will get hands in the air.
The pressure then builds through the manic Tony Lovlesss collab 'Anal Probe', a powerful techno track with hi tech drums and taught synths freaking you out as they ride up and down the scale. Their second track together 'Fly Shit' is more playful with radiant synths opening it up to the skies and lively, funky drum programming bringing a real sense of a sun kissed terrace party. Last of all, the standout 'Run With Jackals' feat. A.D.M is another heavily percussive track with rattling toms, vocal chants and hammering hits all adding up to a compelling afro-house rhythm. These are all innovate tracks that explore various different moods and grooves with a real sense of quality.

Dusty archives, the backrooms of record stores, private reel to reel stashes, master tapes - these are the environs of the Dynamic Range experience.Dynamic Range is a new label focused on unearthing deep Soul, Funk and Disco jams that continue to resonate with todays dancers and DJ's. Time spent scouring the bowels of the majors and independents has unsurprisingly resulted in numerous gems being added to the DR wants list. High quality, fully licensed reissues are the order of the day, always taken from the correct master source and re-presented to hungry record heads the world over. To repeat, this is a fully legit operation - Avoid the sharks at all costs!
The debut release on the label is a real doozy - New Birth, the mighty Detroit Funk outfit who operated from 1970 onwards are first up to bat. Their late 70's rarity 'Deeper' is a real monster lifted from their killer 'Behold The Mighty Army' LP. Produced by legendary Motown stalwart Frank Wilson this is some straight-up Disco-fied Funk for sure! One of those solid, mid-tempo groovers that just ignites a dance-floor at any time, any place. Side-A is the glorious full-side Disco mix and we're treated to the full instrumental version on the flip. No lazy edits here, just the full Funk and nothing but the Funk, just as the group intended! This is one of many soulful treats that Dynamic Range will be presenting in the coming months, stay tuned for more - 'Ain't It Something'. All music selected by the Dynamic Range team / Licensed and reissued by Above Board distribution in conjunction with Warner Music.
Remastered with love by Optimum Mastering, Bristol UK. Artwork and design by Atelier Superplus. 2018.

The third release on null+void Recordings comes from Manchester based artist Dead Sound. who on his This is Human EP has fully expressed his expert knack for laying down engrossing tracks on a solid bed of grooves. On This is Human he works between slinky electro and quirky techno in a tough edged four track EP set for digital and vinyl release this April.

null+void Recordings label head Kirsti has been a fan of Dead Sound since his first release in 2010 - No Faith - on net label Acroplane and following him avidely since. For anyone unfamiliar with the Dead Sound he's historically found his releases land on Perc Trax and Rebekah's Decoy two of the UK's most uncompromising techno artists labels respectively.

The very first release of 2018 from Eureka!, is the well known Parisian sampling master S3A (Sampling As An Art) with his perfect definition between underground quality emotional house music and dancefloor efficiency.
He released from Lazare House Records, Hold Youth, Concrete Music, Local Talk, Phonogramme and Faces and with his background culture based on a solid knowledge of house music, soul, funk made him one of the most promising house artist of the French scene.

Mountain Charr contains 3 tracks in completely different styles. 'Doop Doop' is definitely a sound of S3A, with characteristic vocal cut up by adding powerful horn section and melodic piano loop.
'Emotional M1' is classic yet warm and cosy low deep groove track that is playable regardless of a time or place, from lounge to dancefloor.
To complete the package we have 'Denials', a more down tempo offering, but its melody is fascinating and yes, sexy.

This EP definitely brings you his predominant sense of sampling.

Artwork by Kouhei Asakura

T. Rex - Gold brings together the Greatest Hits of Marc Bolan & T. Rex on 2LPs.
2x 180G Heavyweight LPs with Original Artwork housing the Very Best of Marc Bolan & T. Rex.
24 Classic Tracks including Get It On, Metal Guru, Hot Love, Children Of The Revolution,
Ride A White Swan, Telegram Sam, 20th Century Boy, & Cosmic Dancer.

This very high quality double-sided 45 features Billy Byrd's throaty vocals on two classic songs. Top drawer modern soul with an irresistible heavy beat, courtesy of producer Calvin Arnold, the Georgia native, known for his pretty diverse and very well crafted soul and funk output. The music was arranged by Tommy Stuart & Frankie Wynn. Most likely it was Arnolds influence that gave this record such a solid, intense rhythm. Yes, it's the beat that really counts. Few records of this nature have such an incessant, thumping groove that has so much appeal to the dancefloor. Upon its release in 1973 this record went nowhere and has remained extremely scarce ever since. At times, pristine original copies on the Scream Records label sold for up to $2000... Now this modern soul rarity is officially reissued, fully licensed and restored from the original master tapes and available for everyone to hear.

Marquis Hawkes is an alter ego adopted by long time electronic music producer Mark Hawkins, founded for his house music focussed activities. Hawkins decided it was time for a reboot after being head-hunted by old friends Dan Monox and Kenny Wasp, who had just founded Dixon Avenue Basement Jams in 2012, particularly as the material differed from what he'd previously released.

Hawkins solidified his sound during this period, taking influence from house music's Chicago, Detroit and New York home bases alongside the UK's deep house sound. Fusing these styles with contemporary production values, he developed a style synonymous with his Marquis Hawkes alias.

Whilst branching out to release on other labels like Clone and Cremé Organisation, he caught the attention of London club fabric's artist-led label, Houndstooth. They signed him on a long term deal, giving visibility to his DJ profile that meant he could play music full-time.

In 2016 his debut album 'Social Housing' was released to critical acclaim, and the following year, a stellar string of releases on Will Saul's AUS Music label culminated in the ubiquitous club and festival hit, 'The Basement Is Burning'. A track inspired by Hawkins' own shocking experience of a fire in his apartment block, it was played heavily on radio across the summer of 2018.
Looking forward, this new 12' EP for Houndstooth under the Hawkes alias is scheduled for release on June 29th, and features a vocal collaboration withUrsula Rucker, Hawkins is also pursuing other music projects and identities, some known, like his Juxta Position project, which he uses for more industrial but groove based techno material, but others which are more incognito, and may well remain as such.

From the church to the library, it's now time for 'A Sweet Excursion', courtesy of our favourite French funkateers, DJ Soulist & Fulgeance aka Souleance, offering up three tasty edits to feed the dancefloor.

'Fantasie' opens the set with an idyllically relentless rhodes-riff riding a slice of sugary boogie, with a super squelchy bassline and a healthy layer of disco percussion spread on top, for those with a sweet tooth.

The righteous horns of 'Lord' blaze into play next accompanied by a 4/4 disco kick, before the sugar rush kicks in and the band let loose an almighty groove. Even a soulful set of angels begin to sing, guaranteeing this one will bring out a lil' bit of that holy ghost within.

We end out with 'Funkin' which does exactly what it says on the tin. A solid five minutes-plus of delectable heads-down funk containing all the right ingredients, and the French duo's own special sauce mixed into the pot for good measure.

With a decades worth of collaboration behind them, and persistent party rocking at festivals and clubs, Souleance continue to create tried & tested moments of sweetness on dancefloors across the globe. This three-tracker is no exception, and makes this another essential one for the record bags.

'A Sweet Excursion' is released on Excursions on Friday 29th June 2018 on limited three-track vinyl 12" only.

Tachyon Audio is a vinyl label that's focused on sounds in the techno realm targeting sweaty, dark dance floors, with large, high-quality sound systems.

Inhabitants come back strong in Mutations Volume II, Tachyon Audio's second offering. These two primates are often found inhabiting dark spaces, forging ahead on complex math equations. Their distinct, driving, mathematical, and drumming techno is a result. Expect more solid work and performances from these two mysterious beings on Tachyon Audio as the label continues its progression.

Tachyon Audio's second release follows a similar format to the first, in that, TAC002 is a diverse EP that touches on techno sounds that are helping to lead the march forward into the future of sound production and style. The second Tachyon Audio release also comes from the mysterious dark studio of Inhabitants, who build off their first, and display their precise, technical forms of production.

The A-side track, Mut11 (A1) is a sci-fi exploration that pleases the ear with thick sub and low basses, along with a pitch-twisted melodic element, and the Inhabitants distinct sound effects and automation. The track has a strong impact immediately, as you can feel the intensity of elements being added, manipulated, and combined, and a sturdy, grimy feel pervades the piece with an interesting driving rhythmic percussion.


Side A ends with two separate open-source NASA samples. The first, Sounds of Enceladus - Radar Echoes from Titan's Surface (A2), is a locked groove and according to NASA, 'was produced by converting into audible sounds some of the radar echoes received by Huygens during the last few kilometers of its descent onto Saturn's moon, Titan. As the probe approaches the ground, both the pitch and intensity increase. Scientists will use intensity of the echoes to speculate about the nature of the surface.'


The second sample, Cassini - Saturn Radio Emissions #2 (A3), is another locked groove. The sound as described by NASA, 'Saturn is a source of intense radio emissions, which were monitored by our Cassini spacecraft. The radio waves are closely related to the auroras near the poles of the planet. These auroras are similar to Earth's northern and southern lights. This is an audio file of radio emissions from Saturn.' These samples are poised for reuse in production and make for good intro and looping material during performances.


The second side of the EP starts with Mut1 (B1), a track that is well-rounded percussively, with a strong kick drum driving the track forward. A simple looping and effected tom drum also helps keep a good movement to the track. An ominously melodic pad that evolves subtly throughout the track helps to keep the Inhabitants err present throughout the track.


Mut8 (B2), is another acidic venture with solid percussion. The looping and other melodic elements provide a solid stricture, with the more adventurous sounds being placed and effected incrementally with distinct Inhabitants flare throughout the track.

After their Butterfunk EP from last year, Fouk are back again with their new offering 'Mating Call EP'.
As the name suggests, this three track EP is made for the hot & heavy moments while dancing away, during those infinite summer days. The title track 'Mating Call' is a funky beast, driven by a very infectious bassline and live instrumentation, edging the line between disco and house, as has we have come to expect from the duo. The next track on the flip furthers the fact that this release is all about the groove. Housey vibes with a classic hint, Rhodes floating on a solid rolling funk bass. 'Just Feel Good' Yup! Finally we come to 'Down Below'.
You might wonder "what's down below". Well, there you can find a dreamy thumper, driven by the compact kick, repeating drone and deep bassline, while the synth pads in the middle tie it all together.

Norm De Plume has been quietly making a name for himself the last eight years with remixes for Tornado Wallace and Ben La Desh and EP's for Kolour LTD and his own vinyl only imprint Plumage winning him a solid fol- lowing along the way. His passion for all things disco and deep, dubby, un- derground house inspired by his musical hero Ron Hardy feeds through into his production style as well as his recently formed Peaches & Prunes party which boasts an audiophile sound system and vinyl-only sets from the DJ's. So when the opportunity arose to do a full EP with Norm we jumped at it. Here we present you with the Castlecrag EP, a nod to the Londoner's new adoptive home of Sydney, Australia, and whilst his sound may be more akin to the recent musical movements of Melbourne, the laid-back sun-kissed melting pot of The Harbour City certainly shine through in the two originals and Folamour remix on offer here.
Title track Castlecrag leads the charge with a deep mood-setter driven by a cowbell riff and filtering pads. The spacious mix and less is more arrange- ment ensures that the drums and rolling bassline punch through making for a track that sounds both unique yet accessible and demonstrates Norm's sense of musicality as well as DJ instinct for setting the right mood on the dancefloor. Next up we have Whole In One which treads a similar path whilst dropping the BPM's a touch and building up layers of synth strings to create a subtle yet engaging track to immerse yourself in. Finally, man of the moment Folamour gets busy on the remix of Whole In One working his magic by upping the tempo and going heavy on the jazz- inspired drums. By laying down a driving groove and pushing the string stabs to the fore, the Lyonnais producer behind the wonderful Moonrise Hill Material label has delivered a fresh-sounding take that will work like magic on discerning dance floors out there.

Oktave Records returns for the third installment from the label, once again featuring owner and proprietor Jeff Derringer at the helm. The 'Factions' EP shows Jeff at his most direct and robust, with three tracks of meticulously constructed techno.

'Factions' starts the EP and goes straight for the heart of the dance floor, with a tunneling groove that lures the listener into hypnosis before a devastating break takes the track to a whole new level of intensity. This one is for the ravers, no doubt.

The flip side starts with 'Penalty Phase', another floor-focused stunner that features Jeff's signature kick drum and drive, coupled with evolving synth arpeggios and melancholy vibes for those early club mornings as the sun comes up. Finally, 'The Second Plane' slows the tempo down a bit and ends the record with a thoughtful broken beat arrangement reminiscent of early Warp.

'Factions' was written during the winter of 2018 and mastered by Tim Xavier at Manmade Mastering.

Pressed on solid orange vinyl.

Blocaus series is proud to present 'Alpha Wave', their second various artists compilation includes 4 tracks of different varieties of great raw pounding techno that stretches from melodic / hypnotic trips to industrial bangers along with great grooves and soundscapes featuring the well respected Kangding Ray as well as some of the most talented producers from the new French generation ABSL, Raar and Rubarb. A strong team that brings the solid vibe together in the 5th record of the label.

We're very happy to welcome the mighty Historical Repeater, for their first full ep. Historical Repeater is the collaborative project of Ctrls and Solid Blake, and here they unload four tracks of supreme sonic quality. Channeling the spirit of classic techno with high-level sound design, alongside tricky, raw electro that doesn't compromise, Historical Repeater arrive with a carefully distilled sound that stands out from the crowd. From the trance-inducing title track 'Scientific Calculator' to the insistent, pulsing groove of closing cut 'Say Nothing', this record is especially characterized by its weird vox hooks and deft rhythms - underpinned by a swirling sea of dynamic, digital synthesis. In short, it's a belter! Early support from Ben UFO, Perc, Happa, Randomer, Anastasia Kristensen, Rebekah and more.

As we enter the Summer months, Excursions welcomes back The Showfa, with A Gospel Excursion Volume Two. Four more dishes of hot spiritual gumbo for your mind, body & soul.

Once again The Showfa has expertly cut together a concoction of gospel, soul, disco, latin, jazz, funk, and spiritual rhythm & blues. The glorious disco rework of a track called 'Amazing' sets the tone with an infectious piano riff and powerfully uplifting vocal. 'Surely Surely' follows, with a more vigorous strut, a short, sweet slice of disco funk, no messing about. 'Praising' keeps the groove and tempo solidly in a delicious eighties boogie formation, slap bass and sax in tow. The set closes out with beautiful latin-jazz tinged vibrations sauntering through 'I'll Show You The Way', before switching to the sweetest sweet soul you ever did hear. Soul food of the highest calibre.

The previous volume was shown love last year by an assortment of selectors and tastemakers, including Tony Humphries, Horse Meat Disco, Gilles Peterson, Craig Charles, BBC 6Music, Mi-Soul, Rinse FM and Mixmag, and also saw The Showfa spinning on the airwaves on NTS with Charlie Bones, and for Wax Poetics.

Another joyously ethereal platter, and another one that will never leave the box.

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

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

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

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

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

Making his debut on the label, Spanish producer Kuo Climax is welcomed to the Hot Creations fold. A solid two track release that has already been heating up dancefloors across the globe, the talented artist showcases his distinct style and proves why he is hotly tipped for 2018.

The EP opens up with Whyte, a pulsating track with a warped bassline and oozing synths. Two and a half minutes deep it disperses into a breakbeat-esque breakdown that dives back into the familiar 4/4 beat. Title track Nacrem is a smooth roller with an underpinning bass and intergalactic vocal stabs. The EP highlights the Spanish producer's ability to bring balance to his output, providing music perfectly attuned for the floor.

Born in Malaga and now residing in Barcelona, Kuo Climax has released on respected labels such as Knee Deep In Sound, Solid Grooves and VIVa MUSiC. 2018 will see the producer launch his own vinyl-only imprint, LFOFL, that aims to recognise the progress in technology without losing the essence of true dance music.

ESHU, the production collective and record label from Nijmegen are back with their next offering. Their 12th release is a various artists release that features BLM, Jburg and Steven Siwalette alongside label members Ivano Tetelepta and Jocelyn Abell. It comes on the heels of Tetelepta's absorbing dub techno album, Senang, and is another high class offering. Nijmegen based Siwalette is first, previously contributed to the label as part of SYS. His Stragglers is a sparse but atmospheric track with industrial drones and slowly turning drums taking you through a desolate factory late at night. His second offering is Alien Encounter which is just as it sounds - a spooky, unsettling bit of cinematic sound design with menacing bass and icy pads all growing in loudness until they eventually consume your mind. Lastly on the A-side, UK producer and Fear of Flying label boss BLM lays down a skeletal groove that's embellished with beautiful, yawning synths. Scattered little details and fx making this a cavernous piece that encourages your mind to wander and get lost. On the flip, Jocelyn Abell and Ivano Tetelepta cook up a heavyweight, mid tempo bit of dub techno with sharp hits and rolling kicks lulling you into a trance. Last of all, the emerging Jburg picks up the pace with a perfectly chiselled bit of rock solid dub with looping drums and icy hi hats sinking you deep into its midst. This is an excellent EP that packs in a range of fascinating sounds for both the home and the club.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Scottish producer & DJ Graeme Clark AKA The Revenge releases his second album 'When The Thrill Comes' on his own Roar Groove imprint on 11th May 2018.

'When The Thrill Comes' is a demonstration of a producer achieving a point of maturity in their work, able to exercise a sense of restraint, to allow for their sound to have space. It is also the opportunity for The Revenge to explore his own electronic music roots with a deeper pared-back sound more in touch with his earliest production experiences in house and techno.

Clark is no novice to the art of production and the sweaty alchemy of animating bodies on dance floors. He has been producing and playing electronic music since 1995, in many forms, though is well known for 'some of finest modern disco dubs and re-edits on the block' (DJ Mag). This passion for dusty disco and deep cuts is reflected in his long-standing collaboration with Craig Smith as 6th Borough Project which has yielded 3 albums and provided the foundation for the influential but now defunct Instruments Of Rapture label.

2015 was a momentous year for Clark with the release of his debut album 'Love That Will Not Die' on his own Roar Groove imprint. The LP picked up 'Best British Album' from DJ Mag, was shortlisted for Scottish Album Of The Year and drew support from leading DJs including Jackmaster, John Talabot, Solomun, Craig Richards, Axel Boman amongst others. Recent production work has both cemented and extended his reputation; with his future-facing remix for Auntie Flo being re-touched by Dixon for the Philomena label and his two EP's for Berlin's Dirt Crew Recordings reinforcing his love for solid club jams

Since the early 1990s, keyboard player Jessica Lauren has been a familiar part of London's alternative music scene. Jessica's keyboard skills have augmented the live performances and studio recordings of world renowned artists such as Jean Carne, Tom Browne, Dexter Wansel and James Mason, Japan's United Future Organisation, and UK soul diva Juliet Roberts.

Her previous Freestyle album 'Jessica Lauren Four' (2012) highlighted Jessica's minimalist approach, something rare and refreshing in the jazz world: she instills her compositions and playing with a refined sense of space which makes her music as much about what she doesn't play as what she does.

The albums' opener - Kofi Nomad is a deeply percussive afrocentric epic, featuring the beautiful baritone saxaphone of Tamar 'Collocutor' Osborn, one of the most in demand woodwind players working today, underpinned by a powerful foundation of percussion courtesy of Richard látúndé Baker, Phillip Harper and drummer Cosimo Keita Cadore.

Jessicas' amazing skill for writing simple, understated yet superbly memorable and catchy hooks remains undiminished. Highlights in this new collection are almost too numerous to mention, but Amalfi is a breezy bossa, which conjures up images of easy living days and sun dappled Mediterranean coastlines, whilst the angular and brooding Simba Jike has something of an Eddie Harris style deep, dark groove over which Jessica riffs and solos beautifully on grand piano - and Tamar once again blows freely, whilst 'level' Neville Malcolms' upright bass figure roots the entire thing in a solid, almost primeval sound.

The albums closing statement Argentina is a masterpiece of pathos and perfectly demonstrates Jessicas' approach which is almost akin to a minimalist architecture style of composing and playing, such is the strength of its atmosphere and subtlety.

The second of Alma Negra's 12 Rhythms Series is dedicated to the Maloya sound from La Réunion, a tiny island where a
melting pot of cultures is reflected strongly in its music. Maloya's roots go back to the time of slavery, its quick tempo and raw
energy making it not only a popular dance music but also a powerful protest through movement.
On their Maloya EP, the Basel collective pay tribute to the hypnotic rhythms that were feared both by the Catholic Church and the French government for the musical form's subversive part in the rebellion against colonialism.
The release revolves around two contrasting Alma Negra re-workings of Lindigo's Tany Be. The first takes a classic call &
response structure in 12/8 and 6/8 rhythms, adding a driving bass line and guitar licks. A solid 909-kick locks things in step,
along with a sax flourish and FM synths. Their re-imagining of African and Tamil influences for modern dancers is a triumphant
manifestation of the music's origins.
With the main reworking focusing on a rolling dance floor groove, the Dub Mix concentrates on trance-inducing aspect of
Maloya. Using a modular set up to pick apart layers of percussion, it is a dense and heady trip into the spirit world.
The B side focuses on Christine Salem, one of today's stars of the Maloya scene. Without wanting to squeeze the soul from her
deep tones, Kabaré is slowed down a notch, with drums added sparingly. This sensitive treatment gives the track just enough
weight and tension to punch in on todays dance floors without losing the intent of the original.
The source material for this EP has been road tested from the very beginning of Alma Negra's journey. The collective have gone
to great lengths to ensure the original creators are on board with their treatment of their music and are honoured to be given the
chance to distil their own ethos into a record that is bubbling with today's dance floor drive. Their reverent treatment aims to
preserve the power and beauty of the source material, to bring uncovered gems to a new audience.

Aroop Roy has been making waves with his unique sounds for the past few years, with a wealth of successful releases and a busy gig schedule at the helm of some of the best clubs around the world. By fusing elements of Jazz, Afro, Latin, Funk and Soul with the deeper end of House and Disco, Aroop has forged his own style with EPs on revered labels including G.A.M.M, Basic Fingers, Freestyle and Lazy Days. For his Delusions Of Grandeur debut he pulled out all the stops, delivering three original tracks which further show his diversity as an artist and ability to produce left of centre, quality underground music without losing sight of the dancefloor.

Things kick off with Save Our Love, a track that's absolutely brimming with energy thanks to punchy Wurlitzer chops, tension-building Philly strings, and a rock-solid disco groove.

Next up we have What I love which sees Aroop take an altogether more freaky approach flipping an uptempo rolling break, distorted synth line, cross-rhythm stabs and rasping vocal cuts into an edgy dance floor workout.

Closing this brilliant EP is the low-slung bump of Walk That Walk featuring original vocals from Oakland, CA based Blacktroniks who delivers his flow on top of a bass-heavy slice of deep electro boogie.

Milos arrives with his fifth release on his Receptive Visions label. Two Techno cuts with plenty of energy and emotion, aimed directly for the dance floor. Contact High with it's swirling sounds, moving in and out of this rather tasty techno groove. Priming on the other side has solid drums with rave style stabs, that adds a different feel to this vinyl only release.

Ben Gibson & Mary Velo step up with two tracks each that are sure to find it into many record bags.

On the A side Ben Gibson steps up with Now Here. Massive strings and hats with a solid groove that is sure to inspire dj sets and have guaranteed crowd reaction, it's a stomper. Ben Gibson follows on with Trsuru River, modulated synths whirl, it has an infectious groove. A sure fire record for the bag.

On The B side, Mary Velo steps up with Code Of behaviour, a deep cut that grooves and has infectious synths, one for the early hours or beginning of the night. Following on Rack steps up, its a big room stomper. Massive kick and big hats whirl and enhance its' presence. A peak time affair that is sure to find its' way into many a record bag.

We got to know Dan Only, an exciting emerging artist from the Toronto underground, when he collaborated with Jesse Futerman on our recent 'Deep Love 2017 compilation. His debut record, released on Adam Marshall's 'New Kanada' imprint, introduced his deep instinct for electronic music and unique, boundless approach to deep house. An avid collector of old school gear you can hear the analogue warmth throughout this intricately detailed yet heavy hitting four-tracker. 'It's Clear' opens. A solid House jam, its thumping drums and resonating melodies follow a steady bass groove ready to heat up the dance floor. 'Be Major...Believe' leads in more gently before warbling key lines and synth details layer over gritty percussion pushing the mood closer and closer to bursting. This one conjures images of summer nights and distant coast lines. On the B, simmering vocals and tropical rhythms dance amongst straight forward house energies on 'Don't You Understand". Rich with subtleties, it's somehow smooth while seriously impactful. Finally we have 'Truffles". A very modern twist on Disco vs House it's an original Italo infused gem with an edit feel, that maintains the vibe of an 80s era hedonistic night throughout. Perfect as a peak time mood elevator or blissful, hands-in-the-air closing record. We're convinced Dan Only's future is bright and are overwhelmed by the quality and musicality of this, his first solo EP on Dirt Crew Recordings.