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Nervous Records, the iconic label synonymous with the rise of house from the streets of New York City, will mark 30 years in the music industry by releasing the celebratory compilation LP ‘Nervous Records: 30 Years’ on October 1st (Part 1) and October 15th (Part 2).

Featuring original mixes of the label’s biggest tracks, plus remixes by some of its most celebrated acts, ‘Nervous Records: 30 Years’ is both a celebration of the past and of the future. Featuring a who’s who of electronic dance music, the long player sees names including Louie Vega, David Morales Darius Syrossian, Tensnake, Monki, Franky Rizardo, Danny Howard and more take on iconic Nervous cuts: ‘You Make Me Feel Mighty Real’, ‘Treat Me Right’, ‘Future Groove’, ‘Feel Like Singing’, ‘Get Up Everybody’, ‘Break You’, ‘Hot’, ‘End This Hate’, ‘Unspeakable Joy’, ‘Can Ya Tell Me’, ‘Jerk It’, ‘The Anthem’, ‘It Makes A Difference’, ‘Learn 2 Luv’ and ‘Don’t You Ever Give Up’.

The album marks one of the most enduring, extraordinary legacies to grace America’s illustrious music history, not just in electronica but far beyond. Founded in 1991 by Michael and his father Sam Weiss, and recognizable immediately by its distinctive character logo, the label grew rapidly, in no small part due to Michael Weiss’ practically unmatched passion for discovering new music.

“Louie Vega and Kenny Dope woke me at 4am on Tuesday night, Wednesday morning from their studio telling me they had something really different that I needed to hear,” Michael recollects. “I asked if they could play it over the phone. They said if I wanted to hear it I had to come to the studio. So of course I got myself up, got dressed and went there. That “really different track” ended up being ‘The Nervous Track’, a tune that became our signature release and was also highly instrumental in the emergency of London’s ‘Broken Beat’ movement.”

The label’s willingness to take chances on fresh sounds and innovative concepts rising up from the melting pot sidewalks of NYC ensured a body of work that has become a living musical history of the city. House cuts ‘Unspeakable Joy’ and ‘Nitelife’ (Kim English), ‘Get Up (Everybody)’ (Byron Stingily) and ‘Feel Like Singing’ (Sandy B) bump up against hip-hop anthems like ‘Who Got Da Props’ (Black Moon) and “Bucktown” (Smif-n-Wessun) and reggae cut ‘Take It Easy’ (Mad Lion); soulful flows from Mood II Swing (Kim English ‘Learn 2 Luv’, Loni Clark “Rushing”), Armand Van Helden (‘The Anthem’) and Nuyorican Soul (‘Mind Fluid’) sit alongside seminal techno singles like Winx’ ‘Don’t Laugh’. The young artists and producers who joined the Nervous Records’ family have gone on to become some of the most hallowed and celebrated dance acts of all time: Louie Vega, Kenny Dope, David Morales, Tony Humphries, Roger Sanchez, Armand Van Helden, Kerri Chandler, Kim English, Byron Stingily, Josh Wink, to name just a handful.

“We did a release with Josh Wink under his Winx alias entitled ‘Nervous Build-Up’,” Michael said. “It did well and it was obvious how talented Josh was. Subsequent to that release I was pretty persistent in asking him to continue to play me his new demos. During one phone conversation he said, “Mike I’m gonna play you something over the phone but don’t laugh when you hear it.” That demo ended up being ‘Don’t Laugh’, which became one of our biggest international hits and still to this day is one of America’s earliest and most impactful techno hits.”

As much a celebration of the label’s future as it is of their past, Nervous Records: 30 Years is but a marker in the imprints’ history, a clear sign of where they’ve been and also where they’re going. With 30 years behind them, the label’s determination to unearth new raw diamonds in the rough is as unwavering as ever.

“I’ve always been one to look at what others are doing (the industry at large) and think, “ok, are they doing this specific thing for a reason, or doing it because everyone else is doing the same thing” and make my decision based on that,” says Nervous Records’ General Manager Andrew Salsano. “In an age where data metrics and analytics reign supreme, I remain steadfast that they should be complementary to your decision and not the sole indicator to make one. So many songs today are written with 15 second hooks in mind for social media, and while there’s nothing wrong with that business model you will always be chasing the wave instead of carving out your own path and identity.

“My primary focus for the sound of the label has and will continue to revolve around signing good songs and music that has the ability to react at the street level first. The best results come from artists that are firstly given a bit of local love that grows into a global impact. Fresh ideas that express child-like curiosity and artists showing vulnerability in their music are also something I look for, artists and producers that are not making music with certain markets in mind, but rather their own style and signature that is unique but able to straddle the fine line of underground and overground.”

Still as raw, as underground and as finely tuned to the dance floor as they ever have been, perhaps the secret to the success - and the longevity - of Nervous Records has something to do with that hard, dogged, no-holds-barred NYC edge that runs through the veins of the label. With the next generation of producers rising from the clubs of New York, one thing is certain; Nervous Records will be there to find them, nurture them and bring them to the world at large, over the next decade and beyond.

Siedah Garrett's seminal 1985 classic 'Do You Want It Right Now' receives 3 new incredible remixes from Dr Packer, BluePrint and Jolyon Petch.

Dr Packer delivers a truly funk-worthy re-work injecting a barrage of the smoothest soul-laced sonics for an early 90s house meets nu disco cut.

Jolyon Petch ramps up the funk with infectious guitar licks and groove-laden bass for his 'Elektrik Disko Mix’.

Burgeoning British producer and Stress Records artist BluePrint drops a rolling progressive house / melodic techno hedonistic dancefloor cut, re-working the classic with absolute finesse with sleek piano work floating euphorically around the iconic lyrics.

Most famous for her song writing credits on Michael Jackson's 'Man in The Mirror', as well as a duet on Jackson's 'I Just Can't Stop Loving You' and 'Don't Look Any Further' with Dennis Edwards, it's no surprise that Siedah Garrett's long career has cemented her as one the most iconic names from the 80's. 'Do You Want It Right Now' which featured in the 1985 movie 'Fast Forward' has been sampled over the years by the likes of Armand Van Helden and covered by Degrees of Motion and this iconic anthem is still considered as one of the game changers during the pivot into the 'Freestyle' movement during the 80's.

DJ Support across the mixes from Danny Howard, Mark Knight, Breakbot, Rudimental, Claptone, Jamie Jones, Sam Divine, Oliver Heldens, Riva Starr, Alaia & Gallo, Judge Jules, Mousse T, Joachim Garraud, Kevin McKay, Russell / Freemasons, Paco Osuna, Oliver Dollar.

30 years since their creation, the unreleased Frankie Knuckles remixes of Electribe 101’s deep cut ‘Heading for The Night’ are finally unvaulted, available on 12“ vinyl

UK based electronic group Electribe 101 and their one album, Electribal Memories hold a legendary place in the annals of house and dance music. The band met after vocalist and writer Billie Ray Martin had placed an ad in Melody Maker in 1988: “Soul rebel seeks musicians – genius only”. Billie headed to meet the four responding musicians (Brian Nordhoff, Joe Stevens, Les Fleming, and Roberto Cimarosti) at their studio in Birmingham.
“I took three songs with me, one of which was the lyrics and melodies to (Electribe 101’s first single) ‘Talking with Myself’, as well as a copy of Julian Jonah’s ‘Jealousy and Lies’,” says Billie. “I told the guys: “I’ve heard the future, and this is what I want to do.” I had heard Julian’s track at the WAG Club and I still remember the moment I stopped my shimmying and just stood there, staring, then turning on my heels and going straight to the DJ to ask what this record was. The guys had already experimented with some more dance orientated tracks and were instantly sold on the idea.”
Originally self-released on white label and championed by pirate radio, ‘Talking with Myself’ caught the imagination of the UK club scene and saw the band sign to Phonogram Records. With the re-issue and its follow up, ‘Tell Me When the Fever Ended’, becoming bona fide pop chart hits, with daytime radio play, Top Of The Pops appearances, and magazine covers from Melody Maker to MixMag, i-D, the label were keen to galvanise the band’s success and for them to deliver an album quickly.
“Because we weren’t yet used to writing together, we tried different approaches,” explains Billie.” I brought along a few songs I’d already written with others. Other songs we wrote from scratch. ‘Heading for The Night’ is one of those songs. The guys had developed the music and I wrote and sang the melody and lyrics straight onto the track, without making any arrangement changes.”
The band had also found ardent fans in the US, with chart-topping success on the US club charts and mixes from some of the most in-demand remixers of the day, including Chicago House doyennes Frankie Knuckles and Larry Heard.
“Frankie had already done such an incredible job with ‘Talking with Myself’ and he was smitten with ‘Heading for The Night’”, recals Billie. “He enjoyed mixing it so much that he did six mixes, each one brilliant and soulful in its own way. His effortless and perfect vocal production while creating a more danceable version makes this another Knuckles masterpiece.”

While 'Heading for The Night' had been considered for single release, these legendary remixes never saw the light of day. Finally, Frankie’s work on this song finds its rightful place in both his and Electribe 101’s legacy.
This EP of remixes precedes the release of Electribe 101’s fabled second, never before released album Electronic Soul, later this year.

Tour-Maubourg & Christophe Salin are kicking off Salin Deep, Salin Records' sublabel dedicated to raw and dub- influenced house music. Every Record Sleeve is handprinted by Daria Salin (limited edition of 300). Ever since they met at Fête de la Musique in 2018, Tour-Maubourg and Christophe Salin have had a soul-mate kind of relationship.

Their first collaboration took place with the release of Tour-Maubourg’s Duophonie EP on Salin Records (March 2020). Following this, both were keen to take the collaboration to the next level by creating a mutual EP which was initially planned to be made in the Autumn of 2020 at the Villette 45 Studio in Paris. Following a worldwide turn of events, this was no longer possible - as the EP's title 'From A Distance' suggests.

However, both parties found alternative ways to create, write and mix tracks together despite the 1000 km distance between Paris & Lübeck. Salin Deep gave both artists the freedom to discover new musical territories. Their mutual influences and inspirations culminated in an EP intended to take the listener on a deep journey, something we love to do with all our releases. Daria Salin encompassed the sublabel's vibe as well as the concept of 'distance' into her artwork by aggressively zooming into her portraits of Tour-Maubourg & Christophe Salin. This way, the beholder is forced to keep a certain distance if they wish to see the two faces printed on the vinyl sleeve....

Irish producer and DJ Mano Le Tough announces his new record, At The Moment, out August 20th on DJ Koze’s Pampa Records, and presents the first single, “No Road Without A Turn.” After more than a decade of releases and touring, Mano has spent the past year at home in Zurich, rearing his young family and focusing on the positives of 14 months without performing, amid the uncertainty of the pandemic. In the face of horror, Mano channelled inspiration. With At The Moment, the follow-up to 2015’s Trails, those struggles have produced a record which balances the ambivalence of the current moment, with wistful streaks of unguarded optimism.

At The Moment shows Mano’s modes of expression evolving too. The synths and rhythms common to earlier works are now complemented with less familiar sounds and influences. Jangling guitars and sun-bleached chords envelop his own tender, plaintive vocals in a dappled wash of summery pop. Another track grounds overlapping melodies and sci-fi soundtrack pads with hip hop beats, creating a hypnotic slice of slinky retro-futurism. Where there is reflection, there is also a sense of being unafraid.

“I’ve always liked that Mallarmé quote, ‘poetry is the language of crisis,’” says Mano. “It’s hard to make good music about everything being amazing. Everything is going great – who wants to listen to that? Anything I’ve done - anything which I thought had any kind of artistic merit, has been through struggles I’ve had in my life”.

Boys And Girls released in June 1985 is the sixth solo outing from English singer and songwriter Bryan Ferry it would be both a critical and a commercial smash. A No’1 album in the UK certified Platinum selling over 300,000 copies with two top 40 singles “Slave to Love” one of Ferry’s most popular solo hits and “Don’t Stop the Dance” in the US it would go on to sell over half a million copies certified Gold. An album rich with musical aristocracy The guitar solo at the end of “Slave to Love” featured Neil Hubbard and the album featured other famous guitarists such as the Dire Straits guitarist Mark Knopfler, Pink Floyd’s guitarist David Gilmour, Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers and Bryan Adams’ guitarist Keith Scott. Lovingly Re-Mastered from the original tapes by Frank Arkwright at Abbey Road Studios. London. Featuring artwork that has been faithfully restored to reflect its original first press “Boys and Girls” is presented on 180g heavy weight vinyl and is one of those classic albums that would not look out of place in any record collection.

Repress

Just a continuation of things that have been done before and that will be done in the future. The plan is that there is no plan and the story goes on! 18 tracks about distinct moods, patterns and the pure joy of creation itself.

Mastered by the Zenker Brothers & Klaus Arnold.
Artwork photos by Lara Köcke.

Damskooo is the new house label from Amsterdam. An expression of dancefloor music and house culture. The first release is composed by Daniele Temperilli with the dancelfoor in his mind. On the A-side you will find next to the music the fresh illustrated logo by Julie van Straaten. On the B-side you will find a tribute to the scene of the Amsterdam house culture, also made by Julie

Mr. K takes on two different disco moods in the latest in his long-running series of edits on 45.

Danny Krivit’s edit of Tony Orlando’s “Don’t Let Go” was released in Japan in 2012 and immediately became a sought-after, impossible to find rarity. Orlando’s version of “Don’t Let Go” was released at the height of the disco era, but the song itself was already a well-worn pop standard, having been covered by numerous artists before the pop singer tried his hand at it, switching things up with a percolating disco groove. “I never expected to rave about a Tony Orlando record,” wrote Vince Aletti in his Record World column in June of 1978, “but this one’s really terrific… My pick for a summer refresher.” The Jimmy Simpson mix on the original 12-inch follows the vocals with a long instrumental section that teases the various elements provided by the Muscle Shoals band (guitar, vibes, strings, and above all a sinuous synth) back in over the relentless bass and drums. Danny’s edit, which he’s trimmed down for its debut on 7-inch, works with this instrumental break and more than lives up to Aletti’s description as an addictive warm weather jam.

From the moody instrumental sound of “Don’t Let Go” we move to the bright uptempo vocal track "I Fall In Love Everyday." In spite of the relative obscurity of this fabulous but lesser-known cut, it comes with a sparkling pedigree. “I Fall In Love Everyday” was written by Jay Graydon (whose credits also include “Turn Your Love Around” for George Benson and “Breakin’ Away” for Al Jarreau), produced by Motown ace Mickey Stevenson (who wrote “Dancing In the Street”) and arranged by David Foster, who was just making the transition from session keyboardist to the superstar songwriter/arranger he’d become. The backing track was first used for singer/TV personality Jaye P. Morgan’s version of the song a year earlier, but you certainly can’t blame the team for reusing the music when the band included studio heavyweights like Harvey Mason, Lee Ritenour, Ray Parker Jr., and Kenny Loggins. Danny’s creative edit fashions a clean, DJ-friendly instrumental intro where none existed on the original, and gives new life to a track that’s sure to bring some sunshine to dancefloors.

As always, these unique selections from Mr. K’s personal stash are cut on a loud, club-ready 7-inch pressing.

Auch ZYX Italo Disco: Best Of Vol. 2 gibt es wieder als 2LP-Set
in farbigem Vinyl. 16 unvergessene Hits und Raritäten aus den 80er Jahren in bester analoger Soundqualität. Mit dabei sind diesmal: Radiorama, Fake, Den Harrow, Hysterical Fit, Jonathan Gable, Italian Boys, Scotch uvm.

The established favourite Nicolas Laugier AKA. The Reflex has been a crucial name in the fabric of electronic music, and is widely praised for his masterful production style which has gained the seal of approval of heritage artists such as Nile Rodgers, Giorgio Moroder, Nina Simon, Kid Creole, Kathy Sledge, Noel Gallagher, Bono and Paul Weller - morphing some of the world classics into contemporary; certified rave anthems. Loved by tastemakers alike including Rob Da Bank, Gilles Peterson, Craig Charles and Mistajam, The Reflex is responsible for unleashing some of the best remixes to date.

Returning off the back of his latest revision of Norman Doray and Darren Crook's 'Sweet Freedom', which has so far gained nearly 150 worldwide radio spins since it's release on 6th November, The Reflex now puts forward an incredible 2021 revision of two time Grammy award winner Nile Rogers' 'Do What You Wanna Do'. A modern disco anthem, the track has since been remixed by producers like MK, Eats Everything and Rob Da Bank. With an already established repertoire of essential remixes and re-edits, the London based producer combines his unique Disco and Soul blend with his acclaimed musical initiative to create what will be an intricate and exceptional upgrade, and a key selection of an already impressive arsenal of releases.

A percentage of the royalties from this release will be donated to Nile Rodgers' 'We Are Family Foundation' - who collaborate with forward thinking organisation who believe in youth and together, build creative programming and content, empowering young people to take humanity forward.

After their killer first release 'A Homies Journey To The 11th Quadrant', the Future Funktion crew return with another EP absolutely stacked with variation and character.

Back in 2015, when we started Hip Dozer we were overwhelmed by the amount of talents that were still defending that old school way of doing beats and the amazing creativity that was circulating in the scene.

In a period of time where hip hop was evolving so much and getting always further (sometimes for the best but also for the worst), it appeared evident to us that we had to defend this rising scene of young beatmakers that were so tied up to the roots of the 'old-school' beatmaking but still bringing it to another level.

It has been 5 years since we have created Hip Dozer Records with our 1st Anniversary compilation and this is what makes this compilation such a special project every time. Its goal remains the same and will always be, championing the art of beatmaking that we love and help to showcase new artists from the scene.

This year we have the chance to have onboard some of our favorite new talent from the scene with the like of Burrito Brown, Loland, Imagiro, we also have the chance to have standard bearers like Jinsang, Saib, Flofilz, Melodisinfonie, Kazam, Shuko and, cherry on the cake, the french hip hop legend DJ Cam on top of that.

We want to thank so much all the artists who took part in this project and that were as enthusiastic as we are in its realization. It’s been such a thrill since this venture started and this is just the beginning. Much love to all of you guys listening and supporting wherever you are.

PEACE. Hip Dozer Fam.

With „Time Machine EP“ Next Door launches a new motto vinyl record.

Dark, driving, Acid!

On the first track on “Eloi-side” you will find a completely astounded inhabitant of a far future world, who has no answers to the questions of a time-traveler. The second track takes place during a rapid trip - plunging into two worlds.

On the “Morlock-side” machines are working monotonically with the inhabitants in dark caves below the earth’s surface in a far future. Track two is a serious call for a wild dance in a driving ¾ beat.
Have you ever heard anything like it?

The Computer Controlled Minds deliver four remarkable tracks on vinyl. You must experience this!


Mit der Time Machine EP bringt Next Door eine weitere Mottoplatte an den Start.

Dunkel, treibend, Acid !

Auf der Eloi Seite findet Ihr im ersten Track eine völlig verblüffte Bewohnerin einer fernen Zukunft, die auf die Fragen des Zeitreisenden keinerlei Antworten hat. Der zweite Track spielt sich während der rasanten Reise beim Eintauchen zwischen den Welten ab.

Auf der Morlock Seite hingegen arbeiten im ersten Track die Maschinen monoton, in einer fernen Zukunft, unterhalb der Erdoberfläche in dunkeln Höhlen mit ihren Bewohnern. Track zwei dieser Seite ist ein eindringlicher Aufruf zum wilden Tanz im treibenden ¾ Takt!

Habt Ihr so etwas schon mal gehört?

The Computer Controlled Minds bringen hier vier vollkommen krasse Tracks auf Vinyl, das solltet Ihr euch unbedingt geben!

Henriette Motzfeldt und Catharina Stoltenberg, alias Smerz, kombinieren für ihr Debütalbum „Believer“ Einflüsse ihrer Jugend in Norwegen mit den düsteren elektronischen Soundsphären einer Metropole, ihrer Wahlheimat Kopenhagen. Inspiration ziehen sie dabei aus allem: aus ihren Erfahrungen von Chor- und Tanz-Proben als Jugendliche, Winterurlauben in kleinen Hütten in der unberührten Natur der norwegischen Einöde, Musicals, klassischer Musik, aber auch von R&B-, Trance- und Hip Hop-Musik!

Während “Believer” sich wie ein innerer Dialog einer intimen Freundschaft vor dem Panorama der norwegischen Landschaft anfühlt, befassen sich die Songs mit Problemen, die die beiden Musikerinnen umtreiben: der Kontrast zwischen seinem Selbstbild und wie einen andere sehen, die Schwierigkeiten mit jemanden zu kommunizieren, mit dem man zuvor intim war und dem nie endenden Kampf zwischen Selbstbewusstsein und Selbstzweifel.

Superpitcher is Aksel Schaufler who is resident DJ at the legendary Total Confusion club night at Cologne’s Studio 672 alongside Michael Mayer and Tobias Thomas. After his storming contribution for Speicher 1 and a remix for Contriva's club hit 'Monika' which became one of the hottest moments during the last cold winter nights he presents his beautiful debut 'Heroin'. Kompakt is his work place, technopop his mission - watch out - you' ll get addicted!

Superpitcher ist Aksel Schaufler, der neben Michael Mayer und Tobias Thomas Resident DJ bei der legendären Clubnacht Total Confusion im Kölner Studio 672 ist. Nach seinem aufsehenerregenden Beitrag für die Speicher 1 und einem Remix für Contriva’s Clubhit “Monika“, der in den letzten kalten Winternächten für heiße Momente sorgte, präsentiert er nun seine wunderschöne Debüt-Maxi “Heroin“. Kompakt ist sein Arbeitsplatz, Techno Pop seine Mission - Vorsicht - Ihr werdet süchtig danach werden!
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"I am sitting in a garden, I haven't left the property in weeks, someone is dropping off food once a week. I haven't seen a human being in ages, I feel like a reverse Schroedinger cat - do I exist when nobody sees me? I must be somewhere in France but I don't remember. I have lost my consciousness again. When I wake up I hear a broken record looping somewhere in the mansion. A washed-out opera. Behind the trees I see the dilapidated hermaphrodite sculpture in a field of verdant nettles and fern. I hear gunshots far afield, aeroplanes in the sky, sirens on the main road.
When unconscious I dreamt of sitting on the Concorde observing the scarab blue ocean and iridescent clouds from above, an erstwhile receding memory. Sometimes I hear the organ of the nearby Renaissance Cathedral merging with the Russian Church bells.
I am hallucinating again. Someone's humming in the kitchen? Singing? A Radio? I overhear two young women talking about art galleries in the neighbour's garden. Bees attack, again…..again and again. The hairspray finally intoxicates them. An amphoric japanese voice is whispering in my head saying I will die soon. Someone (something?) bangs on the vases. The fountain's water turns dark red.
Fleur calls and says mum died. The funeral will be televised on tuesday. We opt for the synthetic choir for the service. The call is suddenly interrupted. Mold is slowly taking over the house.
I go back inside."

Une Fille Pétrifiée is the debut album of new Black To Comm related entity Mouchoir Ètanche (after one recent 12" on Richter's own Dekorder label). Combining real and fake acoustic instrumentation, sampling, field recordings and excessive yet inaudible post production this is another sublime and ethereal statement. Influences are ranging from (French) Classical & Opera to the anecdotical compositions of Luc Ferrari, Chinese Opera, Chanson, Sacred Music / Church Music, JG Ballard and Surrealism.

Marc Richter records as Black To Comm for Thrill Jockey, Type and Dekorder and as Jemh Circs for his own Cellule 75 imprint. He also produces soundtracks and acousmatic multichannel installations for institutions such as INA GRM Paris, ZKM Karlsruhe and Kunstverein Hamburg.

This year marks 3 years of Needs.

From humble beginnings in 2017, the label has since gone on to release tracks from some of our favourite artists in the scene, curated events with essential charities and initiatives, and in the process raised over L10,000.

To mark this special occasion we're back where it all started, raising money and awareness for mental health. October 10th marks World Mental Health Day and this year's theme set by theAWorld Federation for Mental Health is suicide prevention. To recognise and promote this occasion we've brought along another all-star cast to help us spread the message far and wide.

Needs 008 is a double vinyl compilation which features the talents of Shanti Celeste, OCB, Michelle, Bobby., Peder Mannerfelt, Yu Su, Adam Pits and DJ Sports.

Stay tuned to the Needs channels during our birthday month for regular updates, plus panels and artist features.

We'd also like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to everyone that has supported us this far: especially Juno Records, For The Record PR, all artists that have kindly donated their music, and of course the music lovers, dancers and forward thinkers that have supported us on this wonderful journey <3

Developer Archive returns with its Eleventh chapter and as you'd expect, the EP is made up of four groove based techno bangers tailor-made for floor-filling. The moods differ on each track and its mostly in-your-face beats, growing looped riffs, haunting modular electronics, and occasional mind-altering synth lines. Huge TIP

Twenty vinyl releases is a strong landmark in any labels life most especially in these ever unpredictable days. Tropical Disco Records have reached that number with some verve. Over the last three years they have had a succession of chart-topping, sell-out releases fusing their love of the Jazzier edges of house music with contemporary disco and plenty of sure-fire club hits. So successful has the label been that they have in a short space of time that they have quickly become one of the most established labels releasing across the disco spectrum.

As you would expect Tropical Disco Records have put together a very special collection of tracks to celebrate their twentieth edition. Uniting Italian producer Paul Older with England’s Tung-Sol, Greek disco don C. Da Afro and London’s label head Sartorial the EP marks all points on the European compass. It’s an EP which shows the clear impact that Disco has had across the continent and indeed that we are all united by the power of music.

The opening move goes to Paul Older with his delightful track ‘Nothing’ and it’s the perfect feel-good moment. Wonderfully warm vocals, layers of Saxophone, guitar licks aplenty and some tight drum programming give it an energetic live feel as if Salsoul’s band are playing this in the corner of your club. ‘Nothing’ is a track which transcends pigeon holing and as such is perfect for a variety of situations from sun soaked day parties to peak-time dance-floors.

Tung-Sol’s ‘One for Frida’ is packed with layers of brass giving it a truly enigmatic feel. It’s a track which has discernible African overtones but as seen through the lens of American funk and transcribed by a disco loving auteur. Its effervescent feel is hammered home even further with the addition of Jazzy keys. ‘One For Frida’ is as multicultural a track as you will find in the Disco pantheon and as such will see this picked up by a multitude of genre hopping DJ’s.

‘Shiva’s Chant’ see’s label co-boss Sartorial adding Eastern influences to what is already a globe trotting selection of sounds on Volume 20. Its smooth keys and brass stabs give it an undeniable charm which will see it in heavy demand with sun worshiping DJ’s and for summer playlists alike. Sitars, guitars and trumpets combine here for an intoxicating mix of sounds which help this track stand out from the crowd.

Closing the EP out is perhaps Disco’s most prolific producer C. Da Afro. His sure hands deliver yet another club smash in the shape of 'Street Jam'. Powerful strings immediately establish this as a track which has no intention of letting you do anything other than dance with abandon. It’s a straight to the dance-floor combination of percussion, guitar licks and delightfully effusive vocals. Combining the best moments of 70’s disco he’s crated a sensational club jam.

With their twentieth release Tropical Disco Records continue to redefine the notions of what disco is in 2020. With releases this exciting we can’t wait for the next twenty.

Melbourne based producer, DJ and co-founder of Sumac Records, Jon Watts delivers his Butter Sessions debut, Music for 3 CDJs. With over 10 years experimenting as an artist, Jon has an established history with the Australian underground scene. Music for 3 CDJs, showcases two contrasting sides, revealing his ability to seamlessly navigate manifold sounds.

The A-side presents three distinct tracks, thread together with restless percussion and a propulsive force. The introduction to the EP, Prohaasation, is a medley of techno and electro fabrics which progressively build before abruptly halting -- generating suspense for the track to follow. The feverish William gasps and screeches in tones that peak and fall, accompanied by audio maintained throughout; reminiscent of a malfunctioning fax machine. Now It's Done is a choppy and disjointed piece yet coherent in its structure that makes for a rewarding conclusion to the release's first chapter.

Subtlety and minimalism prevail for side B, as Jon gifts us with loops that swirl and churn. AMB 4 marks the first deviation from the narrative of Side A; sounding like hypnotic swelling from the bottom of a deep well. AMB 5 follows suit, divulging more of the picture. Carved out of a sound bed of field recordings, the nine and a half minute piece enchants with its repetitive arc, a spaciousness mirrored in the EP's farewell. The last track Piano 1, is an intricate study of a singular piano chord, examining the layers of the chord's sustain that are disclosed. A testament to Jon's unadorned restraint and confirmation of the old adage that less is really more.

This ultra stacked remix EP see’s artists, Lauren Flax, Josh Wink, Radio Slave, and the ‘Missing’ remix contest winner Kai Van Dongen. Legend Josh Wink brings his minimalistic approach to the classic ‘Concentrate’. Lauren Flax brings her deep jackin acid flavor to ‘Culture’. Radio Slave does what he does best and keeps his remix of ‘Reflex’ stripped down and tough, Rekids style. Lastly, remix contest winner and new comer Kai Van Dongen, balances out the EP with his deep but driving rendition of ‘Missing’.

In these turbulent times we have managed to release six pieces of wax to date.This is something to be proud of, and of course we are.

For this sixth slice of plastic we have Kalter Ende on board and it’s a real pleasure. From his bunker hidden somewhere in the middle of the peninsula, he runs his label Concerns Music and his mastering studio Reborn.

On the production side he has lately gone into modular, and you can clearly feel the machines in his productions and in his amazing live act.

For this release he has cooked up five cuts of modern and complex techno, carefully crafted, nothing easy or predictable. Mujo, the opening track, is a clear example.

Jōshahissui follows slow paced grooves, crispy analogue percussion, linear hypnotic sequences and a wise and dynamic arrangement. You can feel the circuits singing in this one.

Sengoku introduces distortion and harshness, a diffused kick drum and processed synth lines running together from the beginning until flanged sequences come on top, a weird marriage of overdrive and deepness.

Closing the release, Senran explores the profound side of techno, clear synthetic drums, liquid synths, elastic bleeps, again on a complex and wise arrangement.

As digital bonus we include the track Ran, again a precise electronic workout made of continuous synth lines and sharp rhythms.

Five timeless pieces of danceable electronic music, away from trends, far from the easiness, done by professionals for professionals. Touchable, collectable and physical as every piece of vinyl is.

Repress!

New Single By Legendary Brazilian Singer Di Melo, 40 Years After His Classic Self-titled Samba-soul Lp. Performed And Produced By French Brilliant Combo Cotonete, This Single And Collaboration Will Be Followed By A Full Album Early 2019.

Florian Pelissier Speaks About The Project: on Tour In Brazil With Cotonete, We Had A Few Days Off In Sao Paulo And I Really Hoped To Make A Collaboration With An Important Artist Or Band From The Brazilian Funk Scene. We Had Thought Of Marcos Valle, Meta Meta Or Ed Motta... But Rafaela Prestes Our Brazilian "sound Ingineer/genious" Told Me: "i Worked For The Return Of Di Melo In Rio 2 Years Ago. He Rocks, He's Adorable And He Lives In Sao Paulo, Here's His Number, He Would Be Perfect For Cotonete."
No Sooner Said Than Done. I'm A Huge Fan Of Di Melo And Had Already Tried To Contact Him For Cotonete 6 Years Ago. The Next Day, On A Sunday, He Arrives At Our House With Jo, His Wife, And Gabi, His Daughter. He Takes The Guitar In Front Of Us In The Kitchen, And Gives Us A Private Show Of 3 Hours... We Cried The Tears Of Joy.
He Had 400 Original Songs Never Recorded, A Gold Mine. On The Same Night, We Started Working The Arrangements For 2 Days, Followed By A Rehearsal And Two Small Gigs In Sao Paulo. Immediately After, We Recorded In The Magical Epsilon B Studio. All With The Participation Of Gabi, His 10-year-old Daughter, And Future Star.
This Album Is The Summary Of This Moment, Of These 5 Days Of Madness Spent Together Between the Best Band In The World' And The Legend Roberto Di Melo... Simple, Beautiful, Brazilian-french, Human Music...'

Berlin club and party-starters Sameheads return to black wax on April 10th with “ZEUG!”, a 4-track EP from various celebrated artists, who join forces in new and unheard ways for a stack of outernational and spaced-out dancefloor jams for creative dance floors worldwide and beyond.

Berlin-based CROSSLUCID, AKA Sylwana Zybura and Tomas C. Toth, have delivered another stunning example of their perception-bending otherworldly viewpoint with the artwork for the release. A purely analog production, fusing clever lighting tricks, hand-made props, and a healthy dose of shaving foam and dry ice… This “Cult of the Cosmic Swamp” chimes with the weird tribal rhythms contained on the record.

First up is Mameen 3 (a side-project from Brussels selector DJ Sofa) & Romanian pioneer Rodion G.A with ‘Planet Cluj’, a suitably off-world excursion through a fun-packed disco hall in some far-off colony where layered synths are stacked, elements seeping through one another to form a mesh of groove.

Anatolian Weapons’ cosmic fireside ritual, ‘Chant 3’, heats up the A2 with vibrant and punchy percussion loops woven together with a worldwide chorus of chanters. Building continuously, the tough workout is dosed up with a bassline saturated in attitude for a high-energy finish.

Picking up on the B side are KRENG (a morphic form composed of Don’t DJ and Dane Close), who slow the pace down with a latticed beatwork combining robust dance formulas and blasting syncopation. Letting the rhythm do the legwork for the first half of the track, the pair then pour out a sludged mess of grime-infused bass over the percussive chaos.

Silvia Kastel and Wilted Woman close proceedings as SHAKEY with a dubwise workout that straddles b-side house obscurity and stoned live dub improvisation: steel drums patter at the windows of Paradise Garage as Larry Levan fights off the vampires alongside Scientist.

The release is celebrated at Sameheads on April 10th with an extremely rare live show from Rodion G. A., an appearance from INVERSIONS label owner Milo Smee, and a b2b from Don’t Dj & Dane Close. Limited to 300 pieces, this record will find a home in the stacks of DJ’s willing to step outside genre and convention.

The enduring balance and precision fractures in CA2+'s earlier works for Northern Electronics only hint at the ferocity of his latest release, 'Overtone Window.' Assembling itself into troubling rhythmic rises that break of their own accord, finding more efficient models within its own feedback, each track sharpens itself with every movement. Small run... dont sleep!!

Continuing a run of highly eclectic and quirky but consistently individual releases (most recently GAMING's internationally lauded Scenes From A Deserted City 2x12" LP, out Nov), the Hobbes Music label is very excited to welcome Jacksonville aka Yorkshire-born, Edinburgh-based artist Chris Lyth, to the fold. He has carpet-bombed the last few Hobbes Music events at Edinburgh's Bongo Club with his excellent live sets and the release has been in the pipeline for some time.

The 'FON' EP (caps intentional) combines a love of classic electro and techno with dub reggae, sound system culture, the UK's contemporary bass scene etc. Mastering was done by Optimum in Bristol, who did a really lovely job, with loads of width in the mix.

This release follows Jacksonville's 'Machines Of Loving Grace' EP which dropped in November via Inner Shift. He has a pedigree spanning some 20 years plus via releases for the likes of 2020Vision, Hizou, Doppler, Thug, Plastic City, Leftroom, A.E.R, Shanti and Dan Curtin’s Metamorphic. This record's a bit of a departure for him.

While we're deeply saddened by the knowledge that there's no chance now of us ever hearing Andy Weatherall play it out, we're kinda heartened by the idea that he would have probably dug it.... RIP.

Following the tragic passing of Philippe Zdar last summer, Ed Banger and Glitterbox Recordings have come together to release the final collaborative Cassius production, with the blessing of Hubert Boombass and Philippe’s family. This special vinyl only release features their remix of Fiorious’ powerful call-to-resistance anthem ‘I’m Not Defeated’, a record that captures the energy of historical protest songs, and inspired remixes from Honey Dijon and Catz ‘N Dogz with critical acclaim. The B-side has been specially etched, and the release will be limited to just 2000 pressings, making this a true collector’s item. Described by Fiorious as “an inspiring eight-minute tour de force and the most bittersweet gift to all of us,” all profits from the 12” will be donated to Rainbow Railroad, a Canadian charity working to help the LGBTQ+ community escape persecution and violence.

Speaking of the record, Ed Banger founder Pedro Winter said “Zdar played me the remix while we were heading to the last gig we would ever played together. He knew he and Boombass had delivered a banging remix. The original song was already one of the strongest of the year and adding Cassius’ powerful groove, hypnotic drums and these unifying chords would make this remix an instant classic.”

RX-101 has quietly been making waves in the IDM/electronic music underground for the past few years, through a series of archival releases — material recorded in the late-90s, but previously unreleased until Suction Records began compiling and releasing these records in 2016. What’s truly mind-boggling about RX-101’s output is the sheer quantity of stunning, top-drawer material that Dutch producer Erik Jong recorded over the period of just 3 years, 1997-1999. Many have suggested that the whole thing is a publicity stunt — some insisting that this is all new material masquerading as vintage, while others have proposed that the material may in fact be a secret alias for Aphex Twin to release gems from his own legendary ’90s audio archive. RX-101 has absolutely nailed the sound, and quality, of early-90s AFX/Rephlex, that much is true. “Serenity,” this latest full-length RX-101 release, is no exception.

Just as RX-101’s last album, 2019’s Dopamine, concentrated on one hallmark of Aphex Twin’s sound — the smooth melodic techno of his Selected Ambient Works 1985-1992 LP — so too does Serenity reference another classic early-Aphex era, but this time it’s a completely different beast. Don't let the title fool you - Suction Records' latest dive into RX-101's 1997-1999 tape archives is not all lush, serene melodies. On Serenity, scorched, crunchy jackhammer beats combine with emotional, plaintive pads, delivering a classic set of vintage-Rephlex-style bliss, à la AFX, Caustic Window, and Cylob. It was Cylob who coined the term Industrial Folk Songs for his classic 1995 LP, and that release is clearly a blueprint for RX-101’s latest collection.

Standout cut Hearts Utd., featuring a stunning music video by Aidan Fantinatto and I Dream Of Wires’ director Robert Fantinatto, not only nails the magic of AFX’s trademark, irresistible jackhammer-beats-meets-plaintive-melody device, it arguably rivals the master at his own sound. As a whole, what could be a harsh and monotonous collection is lifted by RX-101’s subtle diversity and skill, particularly in his ability to create eerie, evocative moods, with gorgeous melodies that speak volumes of emotion.

2x12"

A superb first album from AIROD ! From industrial techno, most of the time, with an Aciddominance behind... To Drum & Bass (Acid as well) and electro acid for one track... A splendid album showing all the variety of sounds Airdo is ablo to push... Big !