Search:system 80

This is it. Poly dance theatre 006 arrives. Fresh arrival. For the 6th POLY DANCE THEATRE release, androo has decided to release exclusive dubplates from NS Kroo sound system (androo & baba). Yes. 2 tracks from the smoky, always intense and sometimes very special sessions of the NS Kroo sound system over the last 10 years. Exxxperienceee. Wave Dub style is a blend of synth wave, dub stepper and club elements. A side: Fast Dub, tribute to Kitachi, (Iration steppas). Indeed, NS Kroo didn't wait for the recent re-issues to play Kitachi tracks, and has been inspired by this vibe from the outset. Club meets Dub! Fast Dub is trance, it's raw, it's sporty, it's for the legs, it's good support (aducteurs), it's for nimble feet, it's a book whose last sentence ends on the first, it's repetition, it's different style, it's dance, it's wild, it's club rhythm, it's baba operator, it's androo selector, it's sound system vibes, it's NS Kroo in 2019, it's a discreet, slightly punkish non-chalance, it's distortion, it's "we don't give a fuck about codes", it's that and lots of other things... B side: Wave Dub Style Is Back. It's all in the title. This track is probably from 2014? Wave dub... A mix of new wave/synth pop and dub, with a club mix feel. Again, trance music, the kind you play when the night never ends to end, an epic end-of-session odyssey. Soft and strange synth with strong 808 rhythm. 2 mixes. 1st mix: pop synth experience. 2nd mix: raw trance club mix. Wave Dub Style Is Back was remastered by androo in 2023 with the support of poly dance theatre compagnie.

2024 Repress

Kalte Liebe stirs up a storm, breathing new life into the rebellious spirit that once defined old punk bands and "against the system" attitude of iconic groups like DAF from the 80s. In a world where emotional depth in music is becoming increasingly rare without crossing into cheesy territory or losing the rave appeal, Kalte Liebe is a breath of fresh air. Their masterful fusion of New Wave, EBM, Electronic, and Techno is imbued with a melancholic touch that resonates on a deeply emotional level. The Schall & Schweiß EP showcases the versatility of their sound, perfect for listening experiences, at home, or in the club - it never disappoints and always strikes a chord.

Rare as hen's teeth digital dancehall from out of late 80s/early 90s NYC, via Cooly aka Koolindian aka Super Cat's cousin Andrew Maragh, originally released on his own Mad Indian Records - reissued here for Death Is Not The End sub-label 333.

Maragh sang in church choirs and on soundsystems in Jamaica before moving to New York in the 1980s where he quickly became involved on the underground music circuit, taking inspiration from his cousin the legendary Super Cat. "Freedom" was penned while he was incarcerated, and details the unfairness of the judicial system at that time, alongside the heartfelt need to "hustle everyday to make ends meet, whether that's picking up scrap metal or cutting lawns or voicing dubplates, whatever you do to make a dollar", says Maragh.

Having bought an Ampex tape in Manhattan, Maragh headed over to the legendary Philip Smart's HC&F studio on Long Island with the intention of laying down his lyrics on the version to Dennis Brown's "Children of Israel". After hearing the song however, Smart went ahead and built this one-away "Freedom" rhythm on the spot. The track was then carried to Count Shelly's Super Power Records where it was then pressed & distributed as the first and only release on the Mad Indian label around the turn of 1989/1990.

V.I.V.E.K returns to SYSTEM MUSIC with a 3 track EP exploring new grooves within the 140 scope. Following on from his SHAPES EP he continues to try something different within the boundaries of tempo.

U Dub harks back to old school jungle territory, ambient synths with heavy distorted 808 bassline.

Voices explores an Amapiano style at 140 with heavy log drum bass and whispering synths .

While 108 works to bashment style bounce but is heavy on the bass .

333 reissues a massive sought-after and obscure Jazzbo-produced 45 from Stanford Shirley. The System was recorded at Harry J's studio and released in 1987 on the late Linval Carter's Ujama label. Though one of the lesser known cuts from Jazzbo's late 80s production stable, it is surely up there with one of the best. Killer archetypal digi business.

After two years and a half, Pietro Santangelo (formerly Nu Genea sax player) and his PS5 ensemble are back to Hyperjazz Records with a brand new album: Echologia.

'Echologia' draws inspiration from the idea of natural biodiversity as an expression of contamination, coexistence and balance. In the same way as the biological agents contribute to the life of a certain ecosystem, seemingly distant musical languages act as elements of balance in a fertile and blooming musical system. Multiculturalism becomes coexistence.
As in the previous 'Unconscious Collective' (Hyperjazz, 2021), suggestive saxophones textures interwine on a solid rhythmic equilibrium and move naturally along an imaginary line highlighting the ancestral connection between Africa and Mediterranean Sea. On the background, the tribute to the earlier Jamaican dub masters with a strong use of vintage echoes in the mixing phase.
Album cover by Sabrina Cirillo is inspired by the myth of the nymph Echo, the Oread condemned by Juno to be able to express herself by repeating only the last words of theinterlocutor, who died of pain due to the impossibility of communicating her love to Narcissus.

stylistic dancehall toaster from the Kilimanjaro sound system

After more than 15 years producing singles and dubplates, DAYS OF DUB is Simon Nyabinghi's first full lenght album.
It offers 12 original dub tracks produced and mixed at All Nations studio, and includes Featurings with innovative artists:Youthie, Kulture D, Iman Onedub.

The album particularly explores the sounds of synthesizers and drum machines typical of the 80s while remaining in the pure tradition of dub, mixed with lots of echo and reverbs.
Built on the same format as the greatest dub albums, it takes us progressively an alternative rhythmic and atmospheric journey such as experienced in a sound system session.
From the initial percussion-based phases through the powerful meditative stages until the biggest "stepper" hits.

Faithful to the codes of the genre and reinforced by true originality of composition, it is destined both to purists and to younger fans.

Brazil's Zopelar continues to make stellar underground dance music and as a result, Techno House Connoisseurs has another hit record on their hands. He launches with FalaSerio into the acid jazz breakbeat stratosphere and doesn't look back as the track weaves, skips, jumps and floats...all with crisp hi's and acid distorting throughout. 808 Dream is exactly as it sounds, mezmerizing, quirky and jacking. Pads warp and drift but not too far, all while the acid worms into your head for that early am mind f*ck. Acid 1 is the peak hour monster that is set to demolish even the most discerning dancefloor. Relentless and unwavering, it's an all out onslaught of acid squelching, percussionistic chaos. This track is not to be denied and will have the walls sweating. Lastly, Zopelar and fellow Brazilain artist RHR collide to deliver an epic acid techno driver in Acid Republic. What a thrill it is hearing this on a proper system, nearly 7 minutes of pure 303 techno hypnosis. Limited 300 copies.

With 2 solo albums («Digital Pixel » in 2016 and « Bass Attack » in 2018 ), a dozen of EPs and more than 800 shows performed all over the globe, the most international French beatmaker in the world of Reggae is back on November 2023 with his brand new album « Step Up », in which he pushes further the fusion between Reggae and Bass Music. With « Step Up » Manudigital made his music evolves toward more electronic and hybrid productions. He navigates between musical genres like no one does, inviting guests from all over the world. Armed with his bass, MPC and synthesiser, Manudigital surrounded himself with no less than 17 hand-picked artists to make his productions their own. « (…) I was already working on my upcoming album and I thought I would keep this small Reggae loop to take it to another style, fully electronic which has given my new album’s DNA » - Manudigital about the track « Step Up » The album opens with the eponymous explosive track « Step Up » featuring veteran Jamaican deejay Joseph Cotton and British Drum & Bass MC Bellyman, author of the successful YouTube video series « Carz Barz ». Among the artists of the British underground musical scene, Reggae/Soul genius Liam Bailey has been invited on the Pop-infused Digital Reggae track « Enough » which will delight the lovers of soulful Reggae. Manudigital also reminds us Reggae has always be his first love and, after having produced Alborosie and Protoje’s hit « Strolling » a few years ago, he proposed the Sicilian MC to collaborate with Jamaican artist Yami Bolo on the track « Reggae Music and Love ». A big tune built upon a classic digital riddim in the Jamaican way, a catchy chorus carried by the high voice of Yami Bolo and the legendary flow of Alborosie of the verses. Cult band Asian Dub Foundation’s singer Ghetto Priest takes also part of the project with « Rasta Corner », MC Caporal Negus joins Manudigital on « Dub and Bass » and on tour, and Jolly Joseph sings on « The world is Hell » for the Reggae Dub tracks of the album. In terms of surprises, Manudigital takes pleasure in inviting benchmark artists in each musical genres, walking through Lo Fi Hip-Hop’s path with the Dancehall President aka Skarra Mucci on « Fi Di Youths », Baile Funk with Punjabi-American rapper Alo Wala and their song « Love on Tap » or even Afrobeat with Dynamq for the last song « Piki Piki ». Finally, whereas Manudigital will soon celebrate his career 10th anniversary and as his name resonates in sound systems from all over the world, we appreciate each risk taken and each nod to Reggae Culture, wondering what his next shape will be. First parts of response on November 17, 2023 with the release of

“A piece of music never truly comes to An end. Revisiting a theme illustrates this idea that life goes on.” These are the words of Wayne Shorter, uttered in 2018 upon the release of Emanon, his final opus. On this record, the octogenarian uses dusky hues to shade in the passions of his youth - drawing and science-fiction, as well as the causes he has defended all his life - the fight against ecological upheaval and structural racism. This sentiment did not fail to resonate with Julien Lourau, who has reached a stage in life where he has begun to look back over certain pages written by the man he has always considered one of the masters of his trade. Five years later, this Parisian native has also chosen to revisit his glory days, offering reworked versions of specific tracks composed by his titular elder throughout the 80s. “When I play this music, I find myself back in my teenage bedroom. These are my standards, and they remind me of autumn in Rambouillet.” At that time, after practising his scales, Julien would also play Dungeons & dragons, and immerse himself in SF as well as heroic fantasy - epic influences which are not without a certain connection to the dreamworlds Shorter conjured up, as another fan of landscapes beyond the grasp of reality.

This album features four themes taken from Atlantis, which came out in 1985, and two from Joy Ryder, released three years later. To these, he has added a composition penned at around the same time for Sportin’ Life, the penultimate LP by Weather Report. This is rounded off by a tune taken

from Native Dancer, the record which, ten years earlier, in 1975, brought together this saxophonist who learnt his trade alongside Art Blakey, before joining Miles’ second quintet, and Brazilian Milton Nascimento.

“Between Native Dancer and Atlantis, Shorter did not release anything under his own name, but he took the time and care to really perfect his writing. Upon his return, he injected a very Brazilian form of subtlety into his compositions, especially rhythmically. And from a harmonic point of view, these themes are extremely sophisticated, and reveal truly singular colours. In fact, he decided to display the score as if it constituted the liner notes of Atlantis.”

Julien Lourau is a fan of every Wayne Shorter era, from his Blue Note days, where Mr Gone defined the bases of a truly unique repertoire, all the way to his final quartet - a reference like no other. He decided to focus on this “highly electric” period, which is not necessarily Shorter’s best known, nor his most widely appreciated - despite being a unanimous reference, Shorter has nonetheless never had a direct descendent. In Lourau’s line of sight there lies a desire to focus on typically South American tonic accents which characterise this repertoire, twinned with the ambition to switch up their actual sound “by attempting to open up onto a production highly influenced by eighties fusion". However, he admits that modifying the structures of these most unique of worlds constituted a fresh challenge. “There’s this labyrinthine harmonic system where you’ve no idea how it holds together, but where it’s actually impossible to touch the slightest element without the whole edifice wavering. It is in fact a very difficult thing to achieve!”

In order to successfully transcribe all this creativity free of obstacles, Julien Lourau once again called upon the help of Mathieu Debordes. From January 2023 onwards, Mathieu endeavoured to break down all the musical elements, on paper, before creating any actual music. The record was therefore constructed on the faith of these scores, without necessarily transiting through a creative residency - just two live gigs, to make sure the setup worked. Besides Mathieu Debordes and his synthesisers, Julien Lourau has assembled an ad hoc team by his side. On the bass, according to the track, we can hear erstwhile companion Sylvain Daniel or a new acolyte on the fretless bass, Joan Eche Puig.

Stéphane Edouard, on percussion, even dives headfirst into an unlikely proto-rap of sorts, on Pearl On The Half Shell (where, on the original version, Bobby McFerrin adjusted his interventions in a rather madcap style). Aesthete and drummer Jim Hart as well as pianist Leo Jassef also figure on this release - both were present on previous project devoted to label

CTI. “At sixteen, I wanted to sound like Michael Brecker rather than Ben Webster - that was equated with modernity in those days”, adds Julien with a smile, as for him, all this rings out a little like a logical next step, a joyful immersion into the fountain of youth. And if, for this record, he plays the soprano more than ever, the saxophone Shorter set in his sights on, he never tries to replicate an unattainable ideal note by note. What would be the point?

“Wayne Shorter is not just a saxophonist’s saxophonist. In fact, I don’t know a single person who has risen to challenge of his solos. I have not done it myself either, but on the other hand, I have retained a lot of his phraseology. His way of approaching the instrument reveals a more evanescent language, a work on colour and shape. Keeping this in mind has allowed me to gravitate towards certain elements, that in hindsight, I find echoes of in my work, even in Groove Gang.” Shorter etches out these phrases, creating a groove within which Lourau had traced subtle punctuation, managing, from a highly written base, to create fresh apertures, promises of a great escape. Emblematic of this standpoint, his regal version of Ponte de Areia, originally a wonderful dialogue between Milton Nascimento and Wayne Shorter. Here, the Frenchman takes liberties with the original melodies, without ever growing distant from the original spirit, extending one section with delicacy, offering a rubato development and then a groove “like a little suite”. Julien Lourau also renews with an accomplice from last century, Magic Malik, who lends his high-pitched vocals to the track. Though they had not recorded together for more than twenty years, the two of them got on as if they had only ceased collaborating yesterday, everything flowed naturally. The track was wrapped up in just one take, much like other themes, such as opener Who Goes There where the flautist deploys smooth, enchanted and smoky wisps.

Fundamentally, reflecting of the sleeve which features a child playing with a ball, image that could symbolise the sun just as much as the moon, Julien Lourau manages to translate the ambiguous candour which characterizes Shorter’s work - solar and crepuscular at the same time, that of a visionary and poet definitively situated outside of all chronology, but with whom Julien shares surprising and ‘timely’ coincidences. Shorter was born August 25, 1933, the same day as Julien’s father, “if we take time zones into account”, and who died on Lourau’s birthday, March 2, 2023. Should we take this as a random fact? Or could we not see here the sign of a destiny connecting the agnostic Frenchman to the man who, as a fervent Buddhist, believed in the transmission of his spiritual flow ?

Repress!

Debut single by 'TURBO Q 3000', a project by Turbo Sonidero (Grupo Jejeje / Kumbia Net) & Principe Q (Kumbia All Stars / Royal Highness)

Turbo Sonidero is a music producer and record collector from San Jose, CA who blends Cumbia Sonidera (sound system) with Rap. He is a co-founder of Grupo Jejeje and also the-founder of Kumbia Net/Kumbia Obscura, a collective that promotes new and up-and-coming cumbia producers from Mexico and beyond. Turbo Sonidero is a pioneer who continues to lead the reemergence of cumbia globally. He has been featured in Vogue MX, The New Yorker, Fader, Vice MX, Afropop Worldwide, KQED, and XLR8R, among others.

Music producer/DJ Svani Quintanilla (aka Principe Q) is noted as the creator of "Screwmbia", pioneered by his duo Royal Highness (with DJ King Louie). "Screwmbia" is his modern take on cumbia, blending trap drums with slowed down cumbia rhythms. Bringing cumbia in to the modern times is an homage to his aunt, Selena Quintanilla-Perez, who also did so in the 80's and 90's. He is the oldest son of Kumbia All Star founder A.B. Quintanilla III and has recently joined the band as a percussionist.

Limited to 500 7" copies
Exclusive artwork by Jaime Ruelas

There was one irrepressible Chicago club act that refused to be replaced by any DJ's sound system. Maxx Traxx (and Third Rail before them) were a scene unto themselves in the early 80s, happening live on-stage five-plus nights a week somewhere in the 312. Their two LPs, both recorded in 1982, are a sheer energy ride almost too explosive to be captured by studio tape. And yet these two stone classics would remain unanswered by a city as it moved determinedly toward the motorik sound of house. Hop the turnstile and move with this complete document of Chicago's last great club band told in detailed text, newly revealed photos, and complete studio recordings painstakingly remastered. AVAILABLE IN LIMITED EDITION LAKE MICHIGAN TEAL VINYL!

Una epopeya electro-techno-cyberpunk es la nueva aventura que nos propone la referencia 18 de HC Records, donde alta tecnologia, radiaciones gamma e incursiones en la matriz se entremezclan con los futuristas ritmos rotos del artista andaluz C-System bajo su
encarnación Spectrums Data Forces.

Hackeamos los códigos de acceso del sistema del ritmo que nos permiten escuchar los primeros sonidos del track que da nombre al Ep, X-Tremely Deeply, una secuencia tan épica, como obsesiva e hipnótica, aderezada y reforzada por un inteligente uso de arpegios
ácidos y etéreos pads. A modo de reflejo en el hielo, el segundo corte de la cara A excita nuestra glándula pineal guiándonos en el lisérgico remix firmado por el artista inglés Featherstone. Herrumbre, óxido, procesos mecanizados y propulsiones de pura energía se
alternan en formato rítmico en Sector 90, primer track de la cara B, que combina en industrial armonía electro y techno fusionando primitivos y contundentes ritmos rotos con oscuras y abisales secuencias melódicas cargadas del primigenio espíritu trance.


El track B2 titulado Viny, nombre del gato del productor, sigue la senda de melodías densas y reconfortantes, como el ronroneo de un felino, sin perder un ápice de dinámica y emoción. El último tramo del surco de vinilo corresponde al remix elaborado por el músico Ampler
Clap a Viny, que redirige la composición hacia parajes sonoros misteriosos y casi terroríficos dignos de un Slasher de los 80´s o un futurista Giallo.

Como es habitual los bonus track en formato digital cierran la experiencia sonora en esta decimoctava referencia, por un lado 36th que aborda una oscura espiral electro saturada por siniestras secuencias sobre un huracán de metálicos y demoledores ritmos rotos. Y por otro Raw Rat, composición que parte de un minimalista ritmo inicial que crece y evoluciona en cada uno de sus ciclos como en el nacimiento y expansión de un cuásar. De nuevo dentro del apartado gráfico encontramos un encomiable cuidado y mimo por el
detalle, dirigido por Daniel Requeni y a su vez los videos elaborados por Frank-F dotan de una quinta dimensión al concepto artístico global. El master como es habitual corresponde a Steve Voidloss en Black Monolith Studios en Londres (UK).

Techno House Connoisseurs are back with another storming EP of various artists for dance floors worldwide. This V/A features some big hitters in Phoreski and Felix Dickinson as well as San Diego's Terry Jasinto, Seattle's Lock and Hammer and LA's Praus. Lots of ground covered here with unusual and unique stylings in the realm of acid and cosmic.

Phoreski's Kyoto Dawn leads the way with it's deep and euphoric vibe floating along leaning deep and etherial in all the right places.

Felix Dickinson follows up with his remix of Phoreski's track bringing the 303/acid into the forefront building it into a monster chugger complete with droning synths and 808 accents. Look for a sweaty frenzy at the climax of the track!

San Diego's Terry Jasinto makes his THC label debut with a tech house gem that pumps and weaves with it's dynamic drums and synth stabs. With several nice subtle layers of acid throughout, it is perfect for a high energy dancefloor.

LA's Praus continues to produce deep and complex tracks for THC records showing he has an ear for unique programming. His release, "Heedful" quickly gets your attention delivering haunting synths and beautiful acid lines in the cosmic fashion only Praus can deliver.

Seattle's own Lock and Hammer rounds out the EP with an unusual and quirky burner that intrigues and delights in a wealth of analog glory. Built for a warehouse, the artist has let loose a track that will glimmer on any loud system doing a number on your head/psyche in the early hours.

We are thrilled to kick off our label endeavors with one of the rarest and simultaneously best-recorded independently released German new wave singles in history: "Jede Nacht derselbe Traum" ("The Same Dream Every Night") by Total.

Back in late 1983, Total found themselves in a pivotal rendezvous with CBS Records in a Frankfurt hotel lobby. The entire band was present, along with the esteemed NDW manager Jim Rakete, who had played a role in launching Nena to national and international stardom. Also in attendance were the A&R representatives from CBS. It was on this day that Total was presented with the opportunity to ink an album deal with CBS. However, since they had only recorded the titular song thus far, negotiations hit a snag. CBS insisted on a full album rather than a standalone single.
Ultimately, the band decided to independently issue a limited 7" run of "Jede Nacht derselbe Traum" under Günther Mannschreck's Schreckschuss label in January 1984. These vinyl copies became the band's currency for pursuing record deals and promotional prospects. However, despite the potential to achieve commercial success and garner radio airplay, the song and the "Total" project gradually waned from the music landscape. Regrettably, only a few vinyl copies have managed to endure over time. This NDW "holy grail" may have prompted a fair share of dreams for serious vinyl collectors, as to this day, not a single physical copy has been put up for sale on platforms like eBay or Discogs. Interestingly, Maisenbacher has even fielded an offer of over 400 Euros for an original copy, although he regretfully couldn't fulfill the request due to possessing just a single copy himself.

The song itself is a fusion of diverse musical styles. Crafted using the Oberheim OB8 system, complete with the DMX drum machine and a bassline woven from a Jupiter 8 keyboard, it carried a groove reminiscent of New York's electro hip-hop sound in "The Message," setting it apart from typical German new wave productions. Additionally, a Korg Polysix was integrated, and guitar effects were layered to finalize the infectious synth-pop instrumental. Newcomer to the band, Andrea Ströbel, laid down a flawless vocal layer that steered the song towards a straightforward NDW direction, giving it a resonance that surely resonated with mainstream and radio audiences. To complete a B-side for the original vinyl single, the legendary state-of-the-art L480 Lexicon reverb was used. In the more experimental "Maxi Mix," now known as the "Dub Mix," Mannschreck expertly manipulated the machine. The outcome stands as a historical example of incredible studio craftsmanship and the cutting-edge techniques of the 80s.
For the new 12" release, Mannschreck unearthed an alternative mix of the song on the original tapes, featuring a distinct introduction, break, and exciting edits. In addition, DJ Friction, who contributed to the transfer and mastering for the release, treated us to a superb edit that cleverly melds all versions of the song while incorporating a few extra bassline groove elements.

The captivating reissue cover spotlights vocalist Andrea Ströbel, who gazes with determination. A hand reaches out to grab her shirt, attempting to pull her down. Symbolizing the song's theme, it embodies the unsettling dream conveyed by the lyrics-yet she steadfastly resists.

In summary, we are elated to present a significant gem for vinyl enthusiasts: a splendid mid-tempo tune that dances on the boundary of synth-pop, new wave and electro. The new 12" single underwent meticulous mastering, and the outcome is nothing short of astounding, surpassing the sonic quality of the original pressing.

We are thrilled to kick off our label endeavors with one of the rarest and simultaneously best-recorded independently released German new wave singles in history: "Jede Nacht derselbe Traum" ("The Same Dream Every Night") by Total.

Back in late 1983, Total found themselves in a pivotal rendezvous with CBS Records in a Frankfurt hotel lobby. The entire band was present, along with the esteemed NDW manager Jim Rakete, who had played a role in launching Nena to national and international stardom. Also in attendance were the A&R representatives from CBS. It was on this day that Total was presented with the opportunity to ink an album deal with CBS. However, since they had only recorded the titular song thus far, negotiations hit a snag. CBS insisted on a full album rather than a standalone single.
Ultimately, the band decided to independently issue a limited 7" run of "Jede Nacht derselbe Traum" under Günther Mannschreck's Schreckschuss label in January 1984. These vinyl copies became the band's currency for pursuing record deals and promotional prospects. However, despite the potential to achieve commercial success and garner radio airplay, the song and the "Total" project gradually waned from the music landscape. Regrettably, only a few vinyl copies have managed to endure over time. This NDW "holy grail" may have prompted a fair share of dreams for serious vinyl collectors, as to this day, not a single physical copy has been put up for sale on platforms like eBay or Discogs. Interestingly, Maisenbacher has even fielded an offer of over 400 Euros for an original copy, although he regretfully couldn't fulfill the request due to possessing just a single copy himself.

The song itself is a fusion of diverse musical styles. Crafted using the Oberheim OB8 system, complete with the DMX drum machine and a bassline woven from a Jupiter 8 keyboard, it carried a groove reminiscent of New York's electro hip-hop sound in "The Message," setting it apart from typical German new wave productions. Additionally, a Korg Polysix was integrated, and guitar effects were layered to finalize the infectious synth-pop instrumental. Newcomer to the band, Andrea Ströbel, laid down a flawless vocal layer that steered the song towards a straightforward NDW direction, giving it a resonance that surely resonated with mainstream and radio audiences. To complete a B-side for the original vinyl single, the legendary state-of-the-art L480 Lexicon reverb was used. In the more experimental "Maxi Mix," now known as the "Dub Mix," Mannschreck expertly manipulated the machine. The outcome stands as a historical example of incredible studio craftsmanship and the cutting-edge techniques of the 80s.
For the new 12" release, Mannschreck unearthed an alternative mix of the song on the original tapes, featuring a distinct introduction, break, and exciting edits. In addition, DJ Friction, who contributed to the transfer and mastering for the release, treated us to a superb edit that cleverly melds all versions of the song while incorporating a few extra bassline groove elements.

The captivating reissue cover spotlights vocalist Andrea Ströbel, who gazes with determination. A hand reaches out to grab her shirt, attempting to pull her down. Symbolizing the song's theme, it embodies the unsettling dream conveyed by the lyrics-yet she steadfastly resists.

In summary, we are elated to present a significant gem for vinyl enthusiasts: a splendid mid-tempo tune that dances on the boundary of synth-pop, new wave and electro. The new 12" single underwent meticulous mastering, and the outcome is nothing short of astounding, surpassing the sonic quality of the original pressing.

Directly from Brazil, Data Assault steps up to deliver a fast paced 5 track EP, featuring a remix from the outstanding Martinelli. The artist has a solid career of sonic experimentations that are fueled by a radical stance, with productions that inevitably find their way into clubs and sound systems all around the globe. Besides producing his own parties that have been making waves in the local scene in Brasilia.

"Dor e Miseria" is inspired by the Brazilian socio-political disaster which occured from 2018 to 2022, bringing beats treated with lots of compression and distortion, accompanied with aggressive vocal chops and melancholic pads. His fierce production style is joined by Martinelli, who's remix completes the picture and makes an interpretation that delivers everything with a simple approach, combining 808 drums, funky basslines and an impeccable percussive movement.

"Movida Pelo Odio" e "Euforia Sinistra" discharge influences from the dirtiest beats of Grime and 8-Bar Techno, with aggressive synths interspersed by acidic elements that dominate the sonic image of the EP. The last track "Furia Funk" closes with heavily compressed and saturated 909 drums, and 303 acid lines screaming loudly.

Repress!

1981 SYNTH CLASSIC BY JAPANESE KEYBOARD WIZARD AND YMO PROGRAMMER HIDEKI MATSUTAKE REISSUED OUTSIDE OF JAPAN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS. REMASTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL TAPES WITH STRIKING ORIGINAL ARTWORK BY LEGENDARY ILLUSTRATOR PATER SATO INCLUDING ITS STUNNING FULLY ILLUSTRATED
8-PAGE BOOKLET

His name may not be instantly familiar, but Hideki Matsutake has had a huge influence over Electronic music. Starting his career as the assistant of Japanese Electronic Music master Isao Tomita in the early 70s, he went on to work with Ryuichi Sakamoto and then Yellow Magic Orchestra as their keyboard programmer and unofficial fourth member. In 1981 he started his own Logic System project recording "Venus" that year in Los Angeles with Don Grusin, Nathan East and Michael Boddicker, brilliantly mixing Synth Funk, Ambient and Boogie with a touch of Fusion Jazz predating Vaporwave by a mere 30 years. Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue this visionary album, which
comes remastered from the original tapes and features Pater Sato stunning artwork including the rare beautiful 8-page insert with an exclusive interview of Hideki Matsutake by Hashim Kotaro Bharoocha.
The early 80s were prolific for Hideki Matsutake. As the go-to keyboard programmer for the tokyo music scene, he worked on Akiko Yano's "Gohan Ga Dekitayo", YMO's "BGM", Ryuichi Sakamoto's "B-2 Unit", Mkwaju Ensemble's "Mkwaju" and found time to record two Logic System albums in 1981. While the first album, "Logic" had a harder techno feel, the second one "Venus" was different affair. Recorded in Los Angeles at the new state of the art Yamaha Studio, it was loosely themed on the Greek goddess Venus and had a funkier more organic sound. For the album Matsutake had asked a handful of American musicians to provide songs he would then add his synth magic touch to. Michael Boddicker, Don Grusin, Nathan East and Roger Powell duly complied and also played on the album.

The updated sound was achieved by switching from the Moog III to the E-mu modular System (which Matsutake brought over to LA) and other synths like the Prophet 5, the Roland MC-8 and TR 808 and the Yamaha GS-1, a forerunner of the DX7.

The result is an amazing futuristic mix of electronic music and early 80s funk, announcing many genres to come, from techno and house to French electro and Vaporwave. From the breezy ambient synth of "I Love You" to the city pop edge of "Be Yourself" (originally written by Nathan East for Debra Laws) and the vocoder-led Daft Punk-ish "Take A Chance", Venus is a fascinating album that both pushes the boundaries of electronic music and is yet strangely accessible and beautiful.

The other key elements of Venus is the artwork designed by Japanese legendary illustrator Pater Sato. Sato had started in Japan in the early 70s doing many album covers for Japanese artists including Tatsuro Yamashita's cult Spacy LP before moving to New York in 1979 to pursue a career in fashion and advertising. His airbrush style became hugely influential over the years and in 2018, Stella McCartney dedicated a whole Men’s collection based on his Venus. Star make up artist Pat McGrath also regularly posts his artwork to her 3 million fans on her instagram.

The original album came with a beautiful 8-panel insert illustrated by Sato which Wewantsounds has reproduced on this deluxe reissue also featuring remastered sound, OBI strip and a second insert featuring credits and line up plus liner notes by Hashim Bharoocha. The notes will feature an exclusive interview with Hideki Matsutake reminiscing about the making of this visionary album which Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue.

Oráculo Records long time partner in crime Carlos Grabstein rules Berlin based MISERIA records. Started as a DIY cassette and digital label back in 2021, the imprint is clearly focused and specialized in ultra-rare synth based darkwave compilations. Now in 2023 MISERIA joins forces with Oráculo Records to present a selection of his best releases to date in vinyl format for the very first time, presented in DOUBLE GATEFOLD format in a ONE-OFF truly limited edition of 300 copies lacquered pressed on 180 gr. high quality solid BLACK vinyl. All tracks have been specially mastered for vinyl by Daniel Hallhuber at Young and Cold Studios (Germany).

A new EP by The Untouchables is always a treat to be savoured, but the opening track of their latest for DNO is so deliciously tense, so foaming at the mouth with anticipation, that it’s hard not to gulp down the whole release in one go. A minute and a half of sinister notes trying to jab their way through a thick filter and there’s no doubting ‘Emu’ is gonna be one hell of a ride — and it doesn’t disappoint, revealing the stabs in all their gritty darkcore glory, and unleashing a torrent of system-shaking subs.

As per, the Belgian duo present a masterclass in merging dub’s unparalleled spaciousness with techno’s unrelenting drive, and delivering it all at a drum & bass tempo.
On ‘Punjab Chant’, a South Asian vocal call and various wind and percussive instrumentation from the region are pulled apart, lashed with delay, and layered over rubbery subs, resulting in an intense intercontinental dubwise belter.

‘Ragga Ting’ goes full digi dancehall, maintaining pace while employing sultry dembow-style syncopation and a hefty droning bassline that seems to loop ad infinitum. It’s an innovative move and one that’s sure to get hips swinging in the dance.

And the final track on wax, ‘86 Dread’, is pure bass weight, its boxy drums almost swallowed up by the sullen low-end, with only crisp shakers and the odd sonic squiggle poking above the gloom.

Digital bonus track ‘Planetarium Space’ brings the tempo down, but fills the mix with the hurried tick of hi-hats and pattering congas, dollops of reverse bass that add slippery off-kilter movement, and a rogues’ gallery of ghostly organ and other haunted samples and synths that wouldn’t feel out of place in an ‘80s horror flick.

Always taking a leftfield route to rattle your ribcage, The Untouchables and DNO once again prove they’re a perfect pairing. Yum, yum.

Rhythms of postmodern realism at the very bottom of the DNO.

The life-affirming energy at the heart of Sven Väth‘s recent album Catharsis is revisited, reanimated, and remixed by some of the most exciting names around, closing the circle on a superlative burst of
recent work that has not only given us the epic original LP, but also the extraordinary compilation What I Used To Play.

Roman Flügel, Benjamin Damage, Robert Hood, Planetary Assault Systems, Mano Le Tough… do we need to go on? This hand-picked list of luminaries have answered the call and certainly don’t disappoint, each fusing their signature sound with Sven‘s DNA to create a wild, uncompromising companion piece to the original album.

True to form, the running order is very much rooted on the dance floor, Silvi‘s Dream, revisited by Damiano von Erckert, explodes like a Balearic sunrise. Dreamy strings with a touch of Detroit create a lovely atmosphere while the beautiful piano sound goes right into your heart and appears as if you could feel the warm sun on your skin. Roman Flügel’s acidic rework of What I Used To Play is a homage to the 80s and the early sound of electronic music which creates nostalgic feelings and offers a greatly produced retro soundscape à la Kraftwerk. Staying close to the original, but with the perfect amount of spin, it’s a symbiotic interplay of synthetic bass pads, and a tiny bell melody. Robag Wruhme’s cranking minimal funk takes us down The Worm-hole. A concise interference sound builds
up sustained tension, tangled but structured, deep and yet driving. Robag took over the deep and dirty rhythms of the original perfectly and delivers a versatile piece. This opening salvo oozes quality and
sets things up perfectly for the electrified celebration of hi-octane technology come.

Jonathan Kaspar‘s growling interpretation of We Are provides a melancholic atmosphere with fascinating percussion parts. Zaps shoot through the air like small laser pistols while we let ourselves
be carried away by the bass, the frisky vocal stutter effect is the icing on the cake. Speeding things up, the euphoric trance that engulfs Krystal Klear’s epic version of Feiern. Expansive strings increase up
to ecstasy and guide us to a love-filled unity. This remix is sure to be an excellent peak-time smasher for the open-air season. On to a wild ride of pure techno with Benjamin Damage, who delivers a dry and uncompromising Berlin Techno version of Mystic Voices. Harder pace but the string synthesizer harmony brings light to an otherwise gloomy environment. Next up is Luke Slater’s PAS Deep Heet Mix to add a retro nineties vibe to proceedings on Nyx. Entering a rough space with gigantic clap impacts, we are blessed with straightforward Techno. Shimmering and spooling, this groove hits the
mark. Then, as if it was ever in doubt, Sven‘s lofty place in the techno firmament is underlined by a peak-time contribution by non-less than Detroit legend Robert Hood. Unmistakable, you must recognize the signature Robert Hood drive on Butoh. Chord stabs fulfill the Detroit feeling with offtaking string elements and high-energy vocal transformations. It’s a warm embrace that triggers emotions. Planetary Assault Systems then blasts things ever deeper into the cosmos on a second outing of Nyx. Reduced and to the point but of course, true to form, with powerful tribal percussion parts and intensive cutting hi-hats.

From there on in, the collection gradually re-enters the atmosphere, burning with a phosphorescent, melancholy glow. Harald Björk extrapolates Being In Love into a hypnotic groove for the early hours. A playful and atmospheric electronica interpretation to soothe our souls due to disharmonious synth pads and a dreamy deformation of the original melody. Mano Le Tough harnesses the ethno-rhythms
and brooding energy of Catharsis into a low-slung, tribal stomper. Anomalous organ parts ring out and link up with a trance-like sequence, summer feelings arouse as you feel like you can almost smell Ibizan air. The collection comes full circle with a second equally seductive interpretation of Silvi‘s Dream by Florian Hollerith. Stripped-down and hypnotic, the homage to Sven's girlfriend Silvi is extended as a reverence to Sven himself. Sven's profound vocal clearly infuse time and space and leave a forever-lasting memory of love.

By accident or design, it somehow leaves us with the reassuring sense that, although this specific part of the journey may be drawing to a close, the mission of the man behind it all most definitely isn't.

written & produced by: Sven Väth & Gregor Tresher

Originally released in 1981, this is the 4th EP from legendary British hardcore group Discharge and it's perhaps their most famous and widely regarded recording. A blistering 10 tracks clocking in at around 15 minutes total, Why reached #1 on the UK indie charts which, when listening today, seems like a miraculous feat for such a brutal and revolutionary sound. Discharge paved the way for '80s crust and thrash punk and literally have a genre of punk named after their unique rhythmic approach and the dozens of imitators it spawned, "D-beat"; this EP, along with the classic debut album, Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing (RRS90), are the most essential items in their catalog. True punks must get this!

A wild and funky collection of Afro grooves that was ahead of its time in 1977 and has become a collector’s item in recent years, especially due to the growing international interest in Colombian picó sound system culture. Fruko and his studio bands Wganda Kenya and Kammpala Grupo treat us to a diverse set of African and Caribbean styles, laced with crazy synths, psychedelic guitar and infectious pan-African polyrhythms. By the time Discos Fuentes released the album “Wganda Kenya Kammpala Grupo” in 1977, Wganda Kenya’s discography was expanding with many 45 singles and appearances in various artists collections. The group’s 1975 debut record “África 5.000” was a full length LP in the U.S. and a various artists compilation in Colombia, which was followed by the self-titled long player the following year. However, Kammpala Grupo, which shared the album’s title and was credited to three songs on the record, had never appeared before, yet was basically the same studio group as Wganda Kenya. Most likely the creation of this short-lived studio band was just a ploy by the label to make it seem like there were more groups playing the type of exotic afro tracks favored by the picotero DJs of Colombia’s Caribbean coast (especially in Barranquilla and Cartagena). 1974 Discos Fuentes’ management had sent musician, band leader and producer Julio Ernesto “Fruko” Estrada to the coast on an A&R mission to discover what people were dancing to in the verbenas (communal open air neighborhood parties) run by the owners of picó sound systems (decorated mobile DJ rigs). Always game for an adventure, Fruko was tasked with bringing some popular examples of these esoteric, hard-to-find African, French and Dutch Antillean records back to Medellín to serve as inspiration (or to outright copy) so that the label could enter into the growing regional market and spread its popularity to the interior of Colombia and other Latin American countries via its own studio creation, Wganda Kenya. Fuentes was always returning to exploit the rich African-rooted culture of the coast as it had with the cumbia and other regional genres before, so in a way it was not surprising that they were attuned to this particular niche phenomenon from a marginalized sector of the population. The most popular genres with the champeta dancers in the 70’s and 80’s were styles like Congolese rumba, highlife, afrobeat, juju, mbaqanga and soukous as well as the music of Haiti, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Curaçao and Dominica, all of which were fiercely guarded by the DJs who had managed to acquire them often through extreme means of travel, barter and intense digging. The record kicks off with the joyful ‘El Gallo Africano’ which features exquisite interplay between Sepúlveda’s highlife style guitar and an authentic-sounding African style saxophone, perhaps played by Carlos Piña. In reality it was ‘Go Call Police Chief’ by prolific Nigerian highlife guitarist Chief Oliver Sunday Akanite, aka Oliver De Coque. Next up is Kammpala Grupo’s ‘La Yuca Rayá’ (‘Grated Yuca’), written by Isaac Villanueva in a style he termed son haitiano which sounds much more like Zimbabwe Shona mbira music. Wganda Kenya’s ‘Caimito’ (star apple, a type of tropical fruit), on the other hand, is actually a cover of a relatively well-known Haitian merengue song. Kammpala Grupo then takes us from the French Antilles to the multi-cultural discotheques of Paris, where a cover version of Black Soul’s Afro-boogie anthem ‘Black Soul Music’ is retooled and renamed ‘King Kong’, perhaps in a nod to the 1976 remake of the monster flick of the same name. Side two introduces us to the infectious merengue rebita of Angola via ‘La riphyta’ with “Paparí”, aka Mariano Sepúlveda, doing the vocals and faithfully replicating the Angolan guitar style. ‘La Trompeta Loca’ (‘The Crazy Trumpet’), probably the nuttiest track on the album, is an ingenious cover of ‘Ye Gbawa Oo Baba (Tribute To Nigeria)’ by Joe Mensah of Ghana. As with all their covers of African tunes, this rendition tightens up the original with some pop sheen, more consistent drumming and higher production values, remaking it into a powerful slow-burning dance floor filler. This is followed by one of the most powerfully original songs to come out of the entire Wganda Kenya project, Mike Char’s reggae anthem ‘El Nativo’ with Joe Arroyo on vocals. The record ends on a more authentically Caribbean sounding note with the instrumental ‘El testamento’, a cheerful islands banger with bright brass, syncopated calypso beats and chunky cuatro guitar (or ukulele). The original was in the mento genre and titled ‘Sweet meat’, written and recorded by Jamaican trumpeter Bobby Ellis. First time reissue. 180g vinyl.

Deejay Jah Thomas was one of the creative figures making a dramatic impact on the Kingston sound system scene of the late 1970s and early 80s, the rhythms he laid at Channel One studio with the Roots Radics helping to steer reggae towards the emerging dancehall style. Voicing and mixing his work at King Tubby’s studio, typically with the young upstart engineer known as Scientist, Thomas was another champion in the realm of dub, his re-makes of vintage Studio One and Treasure Isle rhythms part of the process. In A Dub Explosion is a thrilling comp of tough dubs, mixed by Scientist & the King. A great listening experience!

Tangerine Dream haben die elektronische Musik grundlegend beeinflusst, seit Edgar Froese die Band 1967 in West-Berlin gründete. Sie legten den Grundstein für mehrere elektronische Musikgenres wie Ambient und Electronica, inspirierten Musiker und andere Kunstformen und wurden für sieben Grammys nominiert. In den letzten Jahren wurde ihre Musik in beliebten Fernsehserien wie "Stranger Things" und Videospielen wie "Grand Theft Auto" verwendet.

Nach dem Tod von Froese im Jahr 2015 halfen die verbleibenden Bandmitglieder Thorsten Quaeschning, Ulrich Schnauss und Hoshiko Yamane bei der Umsetzung von Edgars Vision eines Konzeptalbums, das versucht, Quantenphysik und -philosophie in Musik zu übersetzen: "Quantum Gate" wurde 2017 unter großem Beifall der Kritiker veröffentlicht.

In neuer Besetzung haben sich Thorsten & Hoshiko mit dem in Berlin lebenden Keyboard-Virtuosen Paul Frick verstärkt. Das Trio hat das Jahr 2021 in seinem Berliner Studio mit der Arbeit an "Probe 6 - 8" verbracht, einem ersten Vorgeschmack auf das kommende komplette Tangerine Dream-Studioalbum, das Anfang 2022 erscheinen soll.

Probe 6 - 8" sieht die klassischen Studioproduktionen und nächtlichen Echtzeit-Kompositionen der Gruppe als Blaupause für sich langsam entwickelnde Ambient-Strukturen, wobei der Sequenzer-getriebene Sound der Band an die frühen 1970er Jahre erinnert und sich mit einer üppigen, kristallinen Glückseligkeit der 1980er Jahre verbindet. Das Trio komponierte und produzierte 'Probe 6 - 8' mit vollem Zugriff auf Edgar Froeses Cubase Arrangements und Otari Tape Archive mit Aufnahmen aus den Jahren 1977 - 2013.

Der erste Track 'Raum' ist eine Anspielung auf die frühen Live-Studio-Performances 'Zeit' und 'Phaedra' der Band, wobei ein markanter schwerer Moog-Bass den Anfang und das Ende dieses 15-minütigen Einführungsstücks markiert. Diese neuen Aufnahmen enthalten auch zwei Remixe - die in Berlin lebende Komponistin und Produzentin Grand River (Aimée Portioli) hat "Raum" ihren unverwechselbaren Sound verliehen und "Continuum" wurde von Berghain Resident und Leisure System Mitbegründer Sam Barker neu abgemischt.

It’s always a joy to release music from friends, and ZamZam 91 is our first collab with a dear one, Jim Coles AKA Om Unit. It’s impossible to frame the breadth and depth of such a storied career in bass music in just a couple lines- so suffice to say that releases over decades on a who’s-who of seminal labels including Exit, Fabric, Planet Mu and of course his own Cosmic Bridge have cemented his rep as an absolute force in production and DJing across any number of genres and sub genres.

Coles’ roots in Bristol and deep love of dub and reggae - made beautifully explicit on his recent Acid Dub Studies LPs - come through strong on both sides. “The Canopy (Armageddon Style)” opens with ravey, arpeggiated synths worthy of Vangelis, punctuated by a brooding piano chord, building steadily into a dark and utterly apocalyptic steppers guaranteed to storm & batter down Babylon walls inside and out.

“Mystic 808” is a deep meditation, a slow stepper that ices down the furious energy of the A side and drops the tempo to suit. Recalling the heady days of original late 90s/early 2000s UK Dub - as well as early dub techno - stabs and melody caress, restrained percussion swims and multiplies in reverb and echo, orbits locked to the gravitational force of the massive and truly timeless bassline. Proper sound system material that will satisfy the heart and soul long after the dance is done.

Neon is eviscerated across the wet light of pavement dreams, splashed back and absorbed by the darker shapes coalescing in the shadows. Through the broken concatenation of the night, neuron inputs are fed relentlessly by hardwire bodies. Mainlined subtle as a fetishist’s whisper, they in turn feed a punishing progression of rhythms dragged like a dream through your body. Against this digital dystopia, Sequence 87’s I Am Sequence propels the ear through a high-intensity array of blackened beats at once familiar and fresh. The grimey pulse of underground techno bridges the DNA of early industrialized electronics, a chimeric construct which heaves with the chrome breath of EBM’s heavy assembly. Shawn Rudiman, the Pittsburgh pioneer behind alias, has been crafting techgnosis solo and as part of the experimental dance duo T.H.D., and these veteran bona fides show in how deftly he parses the language of that era’s heavy synthesis into a work that easily translates into the modern languages of club movement. I Am Sequence retains that chunky ‘80s analog bounce, while injecting a wriggling sheen of HD intensity through its veins. Vocals emerge from the glistening shards, bursting against a wash of sine waves before remerging in a fusion of funked-out bass. Headlights crashing as horns blare, an autobahn nightmare funneling you down some future highway where machines crash ceaselessly across a horizon of endless red night. Lifting the psyche upon high, corroded harmonies herald the last chants to dance before the inevitable systemic collapse. An album for a foreseen Apocalypse, experienced through the language of dance floor speakers. All songs written and recorded by Shawn Rudiman Artwork by Shawn Rudiman Mastering at Dadub Studio Distributed by ReadyMade Distribution Braid Records 2023

Neon is eviscerated across the wet light of pavement dreams, splashed back and absorbed by the darker shapes coalescing in the shadows. Through the broken concatenation of the night, neuron inputs are fed relentlessly by hardwire bodies. Mainlined subtle as a fetishist’s whisper, they in turn feed a punishing progression of rhythms dragged like a dream through your body. Against this digital dystopia, Sequence 87’s I Am Sequence propels the ear through a high-intensity array of blackened beats at once familiar and fresh. The grimey pulse of underground techno bridges the DNA of early industrialized electronics, a chimeric construct which heaves with the chrome breath of EBM’s heavy assembly. Shawn Rudiman, the Pittsburgh pioneer behind alias, has been crafting techgnosis solo and as part of the experimental dance duo T.H.D., and these veteran bona fides show in how deftly he parses the language of that era’s heavy synthesis into a work that easily translates into the modern languages of club movement. I Am Sequence retains that chunky ‘80s analog bounce, while injecting a wriggling sheen of HD intensity through its veins. Vocals emerge from the glistening shards, bursting against a wash of sine waves before remerging in a fusion of funked-out bass. Headlights crashing as horns blare, an autobahn nightmare funneling you down some future highway where machines crash ceaselessly across a horizon of endless red night. Lifting the psyche upon high, corroded harmonies herald the last chants to dance before the inevitable systemic collapse. An album for a foreseen Apocalypse, experienced through the language of dance floor speakers. All songs written and recorded by Shawn Rudiman Artwork by Shawn Rudiman Mastering at Dadub Studio Distributed by ReadyMade Distribution Braid Records 2023

Repress

One of Moonshine Recordings' flagship artists, Radikal Guru is going from strength to strength for more than a decade and 2020 is a further proof of it. With the fourth full-length LP release on the horizon, the outstanding
Polish talent ascertains his status as one of he most relevant figures in the international Dub and Dubstep scene once more.

The new project including vocal talents like Junior Dread, Marina P, Troy Berkley or India's up and coming vocalist Lady Skavya encapsulate the musical versatility and collaborative spirit of the sound system veteran alongside spirited instrumentals in various levels of intensity - ranging from meditative bass lines to apocalyptic turbosteppers.

Radikal Guru's digital dub sound signature presents itself in a variety of musical forms in his latest project 'Beyond The Borders' - a testament to his years of experience in lighting up dancefloors around the world. Music with a message nested on monumental heavyweight foundations, his fourth LP deals uplifting and conscious anthems to a set of speakers near you with a high-grade set of vibrations.

Ten meticulous productions designed to make you move as well as to reflect, a journey for body, mind and soul - features a multinational list of guest artists from India, Germany, Italy, Russia, Brazil and France.

Electronic sounds come to life, infused with gratuitous amounts of soul warmed by live instruments and murderous arrays of echo chambers and 808's. Perfectly placed drum fills and vocal fragments to top it all off in style, a masterclass in modern dub production seeking its equal. Bridging both physical and mental borders, Radikal Guru's latest LP release is sure to be heard, felt and enjoyed for time to come

The Bass Junkie sound spans the old school beats and vibes of the Electro genre’s origins, to the borderline industrial. Phil is a battle hardened Bass Bot from the future armed with his trusty MPC.

The obsession with all things sci-fi continues with this 'Cruising The Bass Nebula' EP. Out this February on my Asking for Trouble label, this is testament to his non-stop love of the genre and keeps on evolving with this funky 10".

Phil Klein aka Bass Junkie has been part of the Bass furniture for decades. I first came across him at my local roller disco somewhere in the 80s where he would flex his early DJ skills. Phil was cutting and scratching on the decks way before anyone I knew.

His history is quite something. In the early 90s he contacted Dave Noller from Dynamix II in Florida and after sending demos (pre-Internet of course). He ended up going there to make some tunes under the name of Cybernet Systems.

Phil has had many monikers and worked with lots of people over the years. Model Citizens with Matt Whitehead, IBM, Gods of Technology and Kronos Device with Si Brown (Dexorcist) and myself both as The Brink and part of The Resonance Committee to name a few. 2021 saw the release of the album Sub Sonic Survivor on Bass Agenda. He's had releases on lots of labels over the years including Control Tower, Firewire, SMB, Ed DMX's Breakin records, Andrea Parker's Touchin Bass label, Billy Nasty's Electrix and his own Battle Trax label.

Throbullating throughout the galaxy since 1986!

Emotional Rescue is delighted to debut a first. Rather than a straight reissue of an (obscure) classic or a collection of music by an artist or label, here presented is a compilation of various artists centered around a sound and movement reggae-tinged music and how it influenced and spread from the Caribbean and diaspora.

Drawn from the off kilter digging of archivist, DJ and collector Bruno (perfectliv.es), Nowhere Like Here is not a follow up, but a sideways accompaniment, to his recent and already cult like 'Perfect Motion' collection of left field pop and new wave, recently self-released with Flo Dill (NTS).

This is a special release to celebrate the label's 10th year and beyond, offering a treasure trove of lo-fi and often pop inspired reggae cuts, mixing heartfelt Lovers Rocks style paeans and quirky private press oddities, all guaranteed to 'make-a-move and tap', these are, in the main ridiculously rare or impossible to find alternative bombs, that are just as sound system rocking and massive bass line quaking showcases of the enduring legacy of this Jamaican music phenomenon.
As with much of the early 80s period, the music community was in the throes of a Do-It-Yourself cultural renaissance as small labels, where crazy limited, one off White Labels Onlys came and went. Songs like Avalanche 's 'Your Love is Such a Good Thing 'or Warp Speed's 'Take It To The Night' were part of the claiming the means of production in to their own hands, pressing up the records and self-distributing. This raw, naive exuberance can be heard in the songs themselves. This is not reggae or Lovers as known, but something more expressive. Musical, simply produced, but with intelligible and uplifting optimism that is just superlatively catchy.

While Paul Thompson's 'Can I Take You Home' and Ras Ibuna's 'Black Beauty' are more straight-ahead Lover's style cuts, there is the parallel dance pop private pressing vibrations of the two Keith Robinson songs and Majority's 'Caroline' included all part of a thread; a joining the dots that Nowhere Like Here is at its most basic, a warmth the whole album exudes.

This is not a Lovers Rock Hits of some, but a left-of-center versioning, spread across Double Pack and cut loud for DJ play, fitting the ethos of Emotional Rescue by presenting something most will not have heard before and all the better for it.

Over the last half decade, the music collective Constant Smiles has produced a prolific output of acclaimed music, culminating in their forthcoming record Kenneth Anger, masterfully brought to life by engineer Jonathan Schenke (Parquet Courts, Liars, Dougie Pool). The group is known most recently for their much-praised debut album for Sacred Bones records, Paragons, an emotionally resonant offering of indie folk masterpieces that all confront the internal ways we process our struggles with intimacies, addiction and humanity produced by Ben Greenberg. Constant Smiles' primary singer/songwriter Ben Jones uses the creative process as a tool for working through deeply transformative periods in his life. The band's indie folk music lays bare this internal process, but on Kenneth Anger, the music shifts to synth pop and looks externally, examining creativity, community, ritual, and their place in the healing process. Ritual takes a primary role in the eponymous Kenneth Anger. Not only is auteur Kenneth Anger himself known for his sensorial depictions of ritual, Jones often used the films as a silent visual back drop during his song writing sessions, a ritual that grounded the creation of the album. And while the director's use of saturated color inspired the warm `80s synth style production, the director's trailblazing spirit of authenticity also pushed Jones through his most vulnerable expression to date. While the narrative undertones of the songs deal with fear and isolation and anxiety, the songs themselves were created through the healing process of ritual, and enriched with collaboration, community and trust. The resulting music produces a balm that can genuinely recalibrate the nervous system. The listener journeys through the depths of every track while being lifted and guided by the music's transformative, hypnotic power and this illustrates one of the foundational accomplishments of the album. Just as a Kenneth Anger film explores the underbelly of the unconscious through often soothing visuals, Kenneth Anger the album conjures the underworld into a series of synth pop classics.

If you find the time, please come and stay a while in abracadabra’s beautiful neighbourhood; a magically wonky wonderland where strangers leave as friends to a block party soundtrack as eclectic as it is infectious. The California duo’s album shapes & colors is a dazzling collage of psych-fuelled synthscapes and contemporary Baroque-pop of anti-capitalist movements and escapism, precisely pieced around their own working lives in a blue-collar town.
In the heart of Oakland’s industrial Jingletown above a former auto-repair shop in what was once a mechanics’ break room where poker rounds ensued, Hannah Skelton (Vocals, Synthesizers) and Chris Niles, (Bass, Synthesizers) constructed the angular 80s-tinged anthems (think John Hughes montages to Talking Heads) of their new album, to positively offset the pandemic’s amplification of dysfunctional society. “It reflects our current reality: a huge mess that is systematically broken but isn’t entirely lost,” Hannah tells. “We’re inviting listeners to conjure up every drop of hope and willpower left inside them, pour that into the giant vat of anger and frustration bubbling inside us all, and with this potion collectively enact the necessary change to bring love and light into this dark space.”
When Covid forced Hannah from her salon in San Francisco to become a backyard mobile hairdresser, what she saw inspired them both and the lyrical foundations for their new record. “I’d drive to mansions and people would complain about how hard the pandemic had been next to their swimming pool and tennis courts.” First meeting after the album’s co-producer Jason Kick (Mild High Club, Sonny and the Sunsets) recruited the pair for a Halloween band covering Eurythmics’ art-rock debut ‘In The Garden,’ the pair hit it off and shapes & colors is a product of the years that followed. It combines Chris’ own rhythmic demos following years on the road touring and opening for Amon Tobin, Matthew Dear and Generationals in Maus Haus with Hannah’s lyrical musings honed from project Cassiopeia, so even when topics are as heavy as the beats, they’re met with luminously positive arrangements of hope and warmth.
The by-product of a psychedelic New Year’s Eve escaping a monotonous 2020 reality, the title track itself captures fireworks over East Oakland as viewed from the pair’s couch whilst listening to Mort Garson’s Plantasia for 6 hours straight. The daydream collage of ‘inyo county’ is “a little souvenir taking me back into the bottled-up essence of a slow lazy morning, waking up in bed far from home,” Hannah tells recalling those enforced stay-at-home days. “It fell out of me because I was craving that blissful flavour.” Meanwhile ‘dawn of the age of aquarius’s new parallel reality evolved from a happy accident when their demos had reset to a drone which Jason reworked into a Laurie Anderson-esque breathy vocoder effect. Even bloops and beeps from a forgotten recording session at the Vintage Synthesizer Museum in Emeryville can be heard, where the pair used Mini Moog, Fairlight EMI and ARP 2600 to arrange their sound into shapes whilst distortion and dirt from mixing on 1979 Neve 5313 Console added to the recordings’ color.
Casting a brighter rainbow still, in all its pastel-hued glory, Hannah, also illustrated a self-portrait of the band for the album artwork. “It reflects our makeshift recording studio to encapsulate all aspects of that time and space,” she shares of their abode where, over an intense two-week period and fuelled by the aroma of fermenting vino from the winery below, their single chord, bass and drum-heavy, groove-first momentum took them on an unexpected journey whilst the next-door couple would fire pizzas in their yard and a grandfather across the road would sweep the street clean. “We’d drink coffee and start the day, consistently working, without interruption,” Chris tells of finding their flow. “The loft is a cool space with skylights, tall ceilings and no shared walls so we could be as loud as we wanted to be.”
Just as well. Diving into decades of electronica and crunchy sound effects, field recordings and animal sounds, blended with an infectious Latin influence, shapes & colors is bolstered by live percussionists Greg Poneris (drums), K. Dylan Edrich (Vocals, Percussion: congas, bongos, chimes, cow bells and wood blocks, tone drum and tri-tone whistle) and Tom Smith (Guitar, Synthesizers, Vocals).
NIMBY crews grab those earplugs now. abracadabra is your new noisy neighbour, and there’s no turning this party down.

MORE EPHEMEROL is one of the most fresh and surprising minimal synth project we have heard in months at Oráculo Records. Recorded with a fully analog systems, the simplicity and quality of the arrangements and the overwhelming vocals reminds to the best era of the genre back in the 80’s but with a new approach that makes it sound so fresh and new. The L.A.’s duo, with an amazing album coming up soon after this presentation EP, will be for sure an important player on the international synth scene. Comes presented in one-off truly limited edition of 300 copies lacquered pressed on 180gr. high quality solid black vinyl. All tracks have been specially remastered for long cut vinyl by Daniel Hallhuber at Young and Cold Studios.

Canada's foremost robot returns to his higher bpm electro-form with "Thaw EP". Four analog heavy tracks of melancholic system-100 and 808 workouts combined with icy strings and the catchy synth work he's known for. Includes a previously unreleased version of the much-lauded "8_Op" (original released on Satamile Records NYC, 2006) to ensure things heat and melt accordingly. A whirlwind of emotion, right on the cusp of bliss and melancholia. Artwork comes from Geometric Love / UK. Fire.

For this uniquely personal retrospective spread over twelve vinyl discs, Sven Väth takes us back to the early days of his DJ career. On What I Used To Play we meet great pioneers of electronic music, gifted percussionists, obscure wave bands, and innovative producers of a bygone 'new electronic' era. Rough beats and irresistible grooves from the identification stage of house, techno, and acid remind us not just how far electronic music has evolved over the past four decades, but how great it was to dance to EBM, techno, and house for the very first time.

If there is one protagonist of the electronic music scene who has remained curious, innovative and at the very cutting edge of music for over four decades, it's Sven Väth. His multi-layered artist albums and Sound of the Season mix compilations have been defining the genre for over two decades, and even today, he is constantly on the lookout for the next top tune to add to the highlights of his next set. At least, that's the case when he's not producing them himself as an artist or remixer. "Actually, it's always been part of my DNA to think ahead," and nothing had been further from his mind than looking back at his past, but when in spring of 2020 the international DJ circuit had to be scaled down to virtually zero, the 'restless traveler' suddenly had time. Time to stop and reflect on "how it actually was back then, at the very beginning of my career..."

"It was a great trip and with every track, beautiful memories came flooding back".
In the London apartment, he had just moved into, Sven has set up a "little music room", where he cocooned himself for several days, "to look way back for the first time and review my musical journey through the eighties, so to speak."

The interim result was six thematically oriented playlists with a grand total of 120 tracks from 'early 80s' to 'Balearic late 80s', together with excursions into afrobeat, European new wave, and EBM sounds and a few epochal techno/house tracks from the USA in between. From these 'Best of Sven Väth's favorites', the project What I Used To Play crystallized. Sven remembers how the Cocoon team reacted to his proposal: "They found the idea of making a compilation out of it MEGA from the beginning and everyone said 'Sven, go for it', but then, of course, the work really started, namely, to clear the rights and to get clean sounding masters of the up to 40-year-old tracks. There was also disappointment, of course. We couldn't clear certain titles because the rights holders in the USA had fallen out with each other or simply disappeared from the scene. In short, it wasn't easy, but now I can safely say we got the most important tracks."

Finally, after two years of research, curation, design, and administrative fine-tuning, the "little retrospective" from 1981 to 1990 is available. The exquisitely packaged, and three-kilo heavy box set is not only physically impressive, WIUTP is also the definitive record of Sven Väth's musical development. On each of the twenty-four sides of vinyl, you can trace track by track, what influenced him during which phase, and how he took off as a DJ from his parents' Queen's Pub straight into the spotlight at Dorian Gray. There and at Vogue (later OMEN), Sven became the style-defining player in the DJ booth that he still is today.




1981 - 1990: Future Sounds of Now

In the early eighties, the crowd in clubs like Vogue and Dorian Gray danced to what nowadays we call 'dance classics' - mainly disco, funk, soul, and chart pop. It was up to a new generation of DJs, including Sven Väth, the youngest protagonist in the Rhine-Main area at the time, to create their own club-ready music mix. Good new tracks and potential floor-fillers were rarities that had to be sought out and found, in order to prove oneself worthy.
Without MP3s, internet streaming, or other digital download possibilities, music didn't just gravitate to the DJ, instead, it had to be tracked down. In well-stocked record stores in Frankfurt and Wiesbaden or even in Amsterdam, London, or New York, Sven and friends sourced the material for countless magical nights. On WIUTP we can follow Sven's very personal journey through this wild, innovative era in which synth-pop, funk, hip-hop, and disco were successively replaced as 'club music' by house, techno, acid, and breakbeat. By the end of the decade, it was clear to see that these once exotic 'fringe' phenomena would soon become 'mass' phenomena.



Early 80s

Dirty Talk by the Italian-American duo Klein & M.B.O. represents the most innovative phase of the Italo-disco genre in the early eighties like no other track. Mario Boncaldo (I) and Tony Carrasco relied entirely on the original synthetic drum and percussion sounds of the Roland TR-808, coupled with the raunchy vocals of Rossana Casale and guitar accents of Davide Piatto. Of course, other tracks from this period were also influential in style, most notably Unit by Logic System, which worked as the perfect soundtrack to the laser lighting system at the legendary Dorian Gray club. With stomping beats and robotic rap interludes, Bostich by Yello also belongs on Sven's eternal playlist - after all, it caught the attention of Afrikaa Bambaataa, who invited the Swiss duo to perform at the Roxy in New York in 1983.



EBM Wave - Mid 80s

From today's point of view, the almost ten-minute-long, downtempo track Giant by Matt Johnson's band project The The, would probably not be considered an obvious club classic. However, a closer (re)listen reveals the rhythmic intricacies of the percussion overdubs by JG Thirlwell (aka Foetus) on Johnson's composition, and it becomes clear why this exceptional piece of music is one of Sven's absolute favorites. Other classics from this phase include Kaw-Liga by the mysterious The Residents, the hypnotic-synthetic Our Darkness by Anne Clark (and David Harrow), and last but not least, the somber, monotonous anthem Where Are You? by 16Bit, one of Sven Väth's projects together with Michael Münzing, Luca Anzilotti from 1986.



US House - Late 80s

You certainly can't talk about Chicago house without mentioning Frankie Knuckles. The resident DJ at the Warehouse not only gave the name to an entire genre, but also produced epochal floor fillers on the Trax label like the timeless Your Love, sung (and moaned) by Jamie Principle. Acid house protagonists Phuture also hail from Chicago, and on We Are Phuture (also released on Trax) we hear the chirping acid sounds of the legendary Roland TB-303 in full effect. Another featured classic is No UFO's by Detroit's Model 500 aka Juan Atkins, who is rightly considered the 'Godfather of Techno' even if the genre-defining track from 1985 still breathes with the spirit of hip-hop and electro from the first breakdance era.





Afrobeat

Le Serpent, by Algerian-born Abdelmadjid Guemguem, is a track that sounds completely different from everything else on WIUTP. Made in 1978, it's a monumental, rousing groove created without bass or synths, just with five congas! Even though Guem sadly passed away in 2021, his immortal, acoustic beats are understood all over the world and will continue to enrich many thousands of DJ sets for years to come. Another classic that not only Sven appreciates beyond measure is Hugh Masekela's Don't Go Lose it, Baby. In addition to being one of the most important jazz pioneers, the trumpeter and freedom fighter from Johannesburg was very experimental, integrating electronic sounds into his music in later years, in a similar vein to Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock. Dutch jazz pianist Jasper van't Hof's afrobeat project Pili Pili has also aged well. The trance-like, almost sixteen-minute-long track of the same name, manages to fill a whole side on the seventh of twelve vinyl discs in the WIUTP box.



UK-US-Euro - Late 80s

Time for a change of scene, in the truest sense of the word, and from a musical perspective, this section is like landing on another planet. First up is Andrew Weatherall's classic remix of Primal Scream's Loaded, featuring the iconic Peter Fonda sample (lifted from the 1966 biker film Wild Angels) that came to personify the mood triggered by the British Second Summer of Love in the late eighties: "We wanna be free to do what we wanna do, and we wanna get loaded...". This period also saw the emergence of M/A/R/R/S whose only single, 1987's Pump Up The Volume, became a club classic with support from DJ legend CJ Mackintosh. In this most eclectic of sections, we also encounter New York house and reggae producer Bobby Konders and his seminal Nervous Acid.



Balearic - Late 80s

Those who know him, know that Sven had already lost his heart to the 'magic island' of Ibiza as a teenager, so with that in mind, the WIUTP project couldn't end without a Balearic chapter. Inspired by Manuel Göttsching's E2-E4, the immortal, eponymously titled Sueño Latino belongs in there without question. Equally popular on the island was, and still is Break 4 Love by Raze, which thinking about it, would also fit perfectly into the house chapter. Last, but not least, there's an overdue reunion with Sven Väth himself, in his role as frontman of the successful Frankfurt trio OFF. Together with Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti (later of Snap!) this 'Organization For Fun' created the off-the-wall club hit Electric Salsa in 1986 which incidentally turned into an international chart smash, putting Sven in the enviable position of having to decide between pop stardom and a DJ career. Well, we all know how that decision turned out and the rest, as they say, is history. A not insignificant part of his story is What I Used To Play. Enjoy!