Search:the keep

"Chasing the funky symphonies that filled my head and my dreams..."

December 25th, 2023 - an Instagram post. Stimulator Jones shared half a dozen FIRE tracks from his beat tape archive. We were immediately drawn to the rough hewn boom bap.

"I'd release that", Rob commented.

Hours of material was shared and the result is this: Cool Green Trees (1999-2005). A collection of beats and loops Stimulator Jones created between the ages of 14-20 at home in his basement, bedroom and computer room in Roanoke, Virginia.

You will not believe the profound soulful genius contained within these naive schoolboy melodies.

December 25th, 1998 - 25 years ago to the day and his much-coveted Yamaha SU10 sampler was finally bestowed upon young Stimmy AKA Sam Lunsford: "I immediately hooked up a CD Walkman to the input jack and looped the beginning two bars of Grover Washington Jr.'s "Mercy Mercy Me". I don't know what exactly was so thrilling about hearing two measures of music repeating over and over but it was so infectious and hypnotizing and enthralling to me. I'll never forget that ecstatic rush of making my first loop - an uncontrollable, gleeful smile plastered all over my face." When you hear the pocket breakbeat symphonies featured here on Cool Green Trees, you'll feel the same sense of frisson.

In the wake of his Stones Throw breakthrough - Exotic Worlds & Master Treasures - Stimulator Jones was pegged by many as a 90s throwback artist. However, he literally IS a 90s artist. He's been recording music most of his life and he's now 40. He created the bulk of Cool Green Trees as a teenager. Everything before 2004 was recorded when Sam was still in school. He was in 8th grade when he made the 1999 tracks - he didn't even have his learner's permit. This album is a snapshot of a young man in a simpler time. Things were still mysterious back then and he was flying blind, relying on his ears and having to figure things out for himself: "I had no road map for becoming a beatmaker. I have been collecting music since I was a kid, I am a lifelong digger and seeker of cool and interesting sounds. I was there in the golden age of Hip Hop, and while I may have been a suburban white kid in Roanoke, Virginia, I was tuned in and I bought so many classic albums when they came out. I was attracted to Hip Hop because of the musical and poetic quality. I was hypnotized by the rhythms, partially because I was a drummer. I didn't brag about collecting my breakbeat records or making beats - it was something I did in isolation. It wasn't something I generally wanted to bring attention to and it didn't really score me any cool points. I certainly wasn't flexing on social media about it."

Hell, he can do that now!

Opener "Pharoah Jones" was inspired by Yesterday's New Quintet and Madlib's ability to capture that classic 70s sound whilst playing all the instruments. Sam created this one stoned afternoon by laying down a 2 bar loop and a shaker loop on his Yamaha SU700 sampler. He hung a microphone from the ceiling and played his Yamaha Stage Custom drum kit over the top before adding ender Rhodes and playing his dad's Selmer tenor sax through an Electro Harmonix Memory Man echo pedal. Yes! Up next, "Ghost Gospel" utilises a dope loop from a gospel record and adds some soul-funk drums overtop, whilst working that filter knob. Says Sam: "The loop reminded me of something Ghostface would rap over. The sample was in 3/4 waltz time but I flipped it for a 4/4 groove, a technique I picked up from RZA. "Ill Feeling" uses sped-up pieces from a dusty old funk record and putting them over a classic NOLA drum loop; gain chopping up a slow, bluesy 3/4 time signature and bending it to a 4/4 groove. Classy shit. "Capital Punishment" features drums tapped in live, inspired by MF Doom's Special Herbs series. "Do Not Adjust" consists loops found on a compilation of 70s French music at Happy's Flea Market, a classic Roanoke digging spot.

The sublime, evocative title track, "Cool Green Trees" was created when Sam was still living at home. He dumped samples off his SU10 into the family desktop and arranged them in a demo version of Pro Tools: "This track was sort of my ode to the DJ Shadow style of sample based production. Super spacey, slow, and moody. The heavily filtered drums were inspired by Alec Empire's 'Low on Ice' album. I later added some scratches and sounds from a Spider Man storybook record." "Chill Scratch" snags the final bit of a bossanova record and pairs it with a drum loop before adding experimental scratching run through an Electro Harmonix Memory Man echo pedal. "Poisonous Fumes" was made using a sampler, mixer and a turntable; a kind of mixtape beat collage with added scratches and sounds from various records. Using dialogue from superhero records was a nod to Madlib. "Welcome Aboard The Starship" is dark, downtempo trip-hop with a spooky bent. Sam paired a slow, hard drum loop with a guitar sample grabbed off a psychedelic rock record. To finish, he added various backwards sounds and weird atmospheric effects and a little scratching. Swoon.

Side B opens with "Keep On Runnin", made on a borrowed Roland SP202 sampler. Having always loved the sound of the Lo-Fi filter on those machines, reminiscent of the Emu SP1200, Sam always imagined Del or another of the Hieroglyphics crew rapping over this beat. You can certainly hear why. "Sounds Impossible" sees Sam experimenting with layering multiple kick samples at different volumes to create patterns similar to those heard by Showbiz and Lord Finesse during their God-level 1995 period. "Painted Faces" was made by chopping up a REDACTED record which he had gotten from Happy's Flea Market and paired it with a REDACTED drum loop. By the time Sam recorded "The Knew Style", he had acquired a shitty old 1960s portable turntable off eBay. It didn't function properly when he bought it but his brother opened it up, cleaned it out and got it working: "I remember he told me that there was a bunch of sand inside of it when he opened it up, as if its previous owner had taken it to the beach. I would take that turntable on my Happy's Flea Market digs so I could preview records...that's how I found this loop."

"Chicken Wing Blues Sauce" loops up a classic blues joint and pairs it with some REDACTED drums. A bit of filtering and arranging et voilà! "Kool Breeze", from 1999, is one of Sam's oldest surviving beats, as is "Sexx Bullets". The Roots sampled the same record, leaving Sam frustrated yet vindicated. "Soul Child" was an early SU10 creation, looping a dusty old Soul Children 45 and pairing it with 70s rock drum loops to great effect. "Take Off Runnin" was another loop found digging with a portable turntable. Paired with some boom bap drums it makes for a hypnotic head-nod groove. "Centurian" was intended to be a little beat interlude a la Pete Rock. The sample is from a sun-dappled soft-psych record and it's paired with a Robin Trower drum loop that just happens to fit perfectly. Sometimes you slap things together kind of haphazardly and magic happens. "Bozack" was the first beat Sam made using Pro Tools, his first foray into using chopped sounds instead of loops, an exciting new world. "Church" is beat interlude using a Phil Upchurch loop with the "Long Red" drums - a favourite break of Dilla et al. Sam was really on a tear in late 2004, probably because he was unemployed and phoneless and able to just make beats all day. He made "Splash One" on a borrowed Yamaha SU700 and again was experimenting with tapping the drums in live with his fingers, instead of using a loop or sequenced pattern. Channeling 9th Wonder, Sam used a water splash sound effect from a Batman record as a percussive element, hence the title (also a 13th Floor Elevators reference). The main loop is a backwards portion of one of his favourite Roy Ayers songs.

"Hank" is another fun little beat interlude thing, created on a borrowed Roland SP202 sampler with the fantastic Lo-Fi effect that resembled the Emu SP1200 at a fraction of the price. "73 goatee", from 99, is another of his oldest surviving beats, created in his bedroom with his Yamaha SU10 and his brother's Vestax MR-300 4-track recorder: "This one will always feel special. I can remember having a feeling all the way back then on the night that I created it that this was a solid beat with a catchy loop. There was something in the Fender Rhodes melody that resonated with me emotionally, and I had never heard a producer sample that portion before. I felt like I had found my own unique sound, my own unique loop. It came from an Ahmad Jamal '73. I actually even recorded myself rapping and scratching over this beat way back then, I still have that version in all its imperfect sloppy glory."

Sam explains just how much these tracks mean to him: "They all have immense historical and sentimental value and I'm proud of them. These beats come from an innocent, simple time when I was just figuring out how to craft these sounds. They're something very personal to me. They are the initial part of a journey that I really was taking *alone*. There was no YouTube. I couldn't Google shit. I didn't even know any other beatmakers, producers or DJs in my town that could teach me anything. It was always just me, alone, in a room with some equipment - chasing the funky symphonies that filled my head and my dreams. What I was doing wasn't cool. Most of my peers thought I was a weirdo and couldn't care less. Creating these sounds was an anti-social endeavour. In a sense, I felt like it was me against the world, and all I had to instruct and assist me were the recordings produced by my heroes - RZA, DJ Premier, Erick Sermon, Beatminerz, Showbiz, Diamond D, Beatnuts, Prince Paul, The Bomb Squad, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, E-Swift, Mista Lawnge, DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, Peanut Butter Wolf, El-P and so many more...I dedicate this collection to them, and to my older brother Joe who has always been a musical and technical guiding light for me.

This was a time before every kid was a self-described producer and beatmaker, before everyone had a DAW, before Kanye and "chipmunk soul", before Red Bull beat battles, before there was any social media beyond chat rooms and AOL Instant Messenger, before Soundcloud, before SP-404 mania, before lo-fi beats to study to, before Splice, before targeted ads for MIDI chord packs, etc. In 99 when I told people that I had a sampler and made beats I was mostly met with bewildered confusion and indifference. Kids and adults alike would wonder why I got this weird machine for Christmas instead of something worthwhile like a Playstation or a mountain bike or even a guitar for that matter because at least that could be used to make "real music". Back then, sampling was still not widely respected as an art form - it was seen as lazy, talentless and unoriginal at best and outright criminal theft at worst. I had gotten respect for playing drums and guitar and things of that nature but this was a step in the wrong direction in the eyes of many."

The cover photo is a picture of Sam standing on his back porch in the latter part of 1998, just before he got his first sampler. He was 13 years old, in 8th grade. His dad took the picture with his 35mm film camera: "I actually wanted to be pointing my dad's .22 pistol at the camera lens but he wouldn't let me. He gave me an old walking cane to use instead. The Tommy Hilfiger puffer jacket came from the lost and found at William Fleming High School where my mom worked as a secretary. I was thrilled when she brought it home because we never spent money on expensive name brand clothing like that - we were for the most part strictly a sale rack, bargain bin, thrift store, yard sale, flea market kind of family when it came to clothes. My watch is some cheap off-brand fake gold department store watch." Mastering for this vinyl edition was overseen by Be With regular Simon Francis and it was cut by the esteemed Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios to be pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry.

This Project is really a two in one offering. Combining the three tracks from Ringer’s 2021 release, the “Meta Music EP” and his darker more aggressive moniker, Black Sued’s offering the “Rogue EP”. The EP is sort of a yin and yang. Monotone is a deep chordal track with uplifting vocals and a pulsing almost distorted bassline. This track is complimented with minimal drums and a simple yet beautiful synth riffs that bring it all together. New Plan is a fast paced cut that insights the listener to move. The drums and chords wrestle in a rhythmic dance while Ringer’s voice projects the essence of this side of the 12”. Positivity and persistence, the energy is alive in this track. YIA, an acronym that stands for Yes I Am, is meditative and filled with affirmations for the listener. Deep solemn chords, and the sounds of a thunder storm take the listener into a inner place of self reflection. The affirmations are for the listener to embody, a solid thought provoking end to this side of the 12”.

Rogue, the title track of this side of the record, is an intelligent, dark and jazz filled groove, that takes the listener on a journey. The groove is easy to catch, and wraps the listener into an almost mysterious landscape of rhythm and melody. Keeping the tone of this side of the 12” is Maze. The chords and rhythm walk in tandem to a beat that almost favors a marching band. A higher energy feel arrives as the 16th high hats meet a long defining chord that take this track to the next level. Deep Dirt reminds me of a drum machine tweaking or malfunctioning. The ominous chords paired with the distorted synth and bass lines that carry the listener through the filth that is this track.

Limited Vinyl Box Set including 6x olive 12” vinyl & download code

Cocoon Recordings presents: Cocoon Compilation V

Back for the summer season, Cocoon Recordings proudly unveils the next chapter in its iconic compilation series. With its 22nd edition, Cocoon Compilation V once again bridges past and future, showcasing the essence of electronic music’s constant evolution. True to the spirit of the label, this handpicked collection delivers a diverse, emotional, and forward-thinking selection that drifts through shimmering currents, pulsating machinery, and moments of pure release.

Delenz & Zeitstill set the tone with “Place To Be”, a smooth and warm opener that invites the listener into a meditative microcosm. What starts as dreamy minimalism steadily unfolds into deep, shimmering depth. A sublime invitation to get lost in sound. Superpitcher takes us further into the mist with “Dream B”, an ethereal and cinematic dreamscape that floats between melancholy and magic. Its stretched textures and hypnotic pacing form a gentle passage into inner space.

The energy intensifies with Patrice Bäumel’s “Nat”, a sophisticated tension-builder with a subtle pulse and haunting atmospheres. Sound waves that breathe, evolve, and subtly command movement. Sawlin switches gears with “Der Jasager”, a deep technoid beast that hits with low-end pressure, modulated percussions, and gritty textures and spooky features. Raw, physical, and unrelenting.

A bright contrast comes from DC Salas and his track “Escapism.” Psychedelic, synth-heavy, and effortlessly groovy, it channels the playful side of electronic storytelling. It channels a trancy 90s flair with its vibrant energy, brilliant use of choir bits, and irresistible vibe that transports you back to a golden era. With Tal Fussman’s “Eyes”, we’re taken into euphoric territory. This stomper is a conversation between piano and strings, rising above crisp grooves, weaving emotion and momentum with finesse.

On the second half of the journey, legendary Ken Ishii teams up with Yuada to deliver “Split Second,” a bold, wild and crazy techno excursion full of mechanical grace and Japanese precision. An ode to organized chaos. Marcel Fengler’s “Aura” follows, powerful and deep, pushing air like an engine through tunnels of tension and light. The blend of rhythm and sentiments is a masterclass in functional elegance and states of mind.

Impérieux brings us “Kala,” a track both twisted and beautiful. Its detuned hypnotic melodies and skewed harmonics are unsettling in the best way while the unconventional rhythms cloak the entire track in a mysterious aura. It creaks and twists toward transcendence, underscored by primordial flute sounds. A fractured lullaby for the club. Joe Metzenmacher injects wildness and attitude into the mix with “Da Freak.” Fuzzy, distorted synths collide with a funky bassline, sharp guitar stabs, and mad bleep effects, bringing the raw groove and dancefloor chaos of a bygone funk era into a futuristic setting.

Joseph Capriati debuts on Cocoon with “Cosmopop” and surprises with an unexpected stylistic shift. Capriati explores a more melodic, emotionally driven sound. Subtle harmonies meet a warm, rolling groove. It’s a bold and personal statement, showing a new side of an artist who continues to evolve beyond expectations. To close, Matthias Schildger offers “Distorter,” a raw and emotional cut that leaves room to breathe while keeping the mind spinning. It begins with beautiful pads, before distorted kicks drop in, yet the track retains a certain tenderness, like the feeling of sitting at a tranquil, untouched nature spot, surrounded by the beauty of the world. A grand finale to a compilation that refuses to settle.

From sunrise moments to peak-time madness, Cocoon Compilation V captures the full spectrum of what dance music can be. Transcendent, visceral and endlessly evolving. This isn’t just a collection of tracks. It’s a curated experience for the body, the mind and the soul.

The splendid selection heard on The Sonics' "High Time” singles box is reason once again, should we need it, to celebrate this band of bands with seven double-whammy garage-rockin’ slabs of rock’n’roll nirvana.

• Reprising the hottest 45 singles sides that the band released in their 1964-1966 heyday, timeless classics such as ‘Psycho’, ‘Cinderella, ‘Boss Hoss’ and of course the Tacoma legends' debut 'The Witch,’ we also throw in some Sonics essentials that never originally appeared on 45, like 'Strychnine’ and ‘Have Love Will Travel.’

• Additionally, for the first time, items from both the group's Etiquette and Jerden eras appear together, the latter represented by the much-loved ‘Head On Backwards’, ‘Like No Other Man’, ‘High Time’ and, making its debut on vinyl, the rare Audio Recording version of 'Maintaining My Cool’.

• Assembled and annotated by Alec Palao, “High Time” is a handsome package that comes with a detailed booklet filled with rare images from the lens of inimitable Northwest photographer Jini Dellaccio. Long live The Sonics!

50 years after the genre turned the music world upside-down, GRADE 2 bring the raw power of old school punk to a new generation. Their second release on Tim Armstrong"s legendary Hellcat Records is a thumping 15 track tour de force melding the uncompromising ethos of punk with the howl of contemporary injustice, personal identity and frustrations of Gen-Z youth, authentically told by three lads with punk coursing through their veins. Formed on their native Isle of Wight when they were just 14 years old, Jack Chatfield (guitar & vocals), Jacob Hull (drums) and Sid Ryan (bass & vocals) honed their craft covering punk pioneers before creating a sound uniquely theirs: ten years on, the eponymous Grade 2 is their magnum opus. The new album was produced by the band along with Tim Timebomb (Armstrong) and T.J. Rivers at Armstrong"s Ship Rec Studio in Los Angeles. "Returning to Ship Rec Studio resparked that magic dynamic" says guitarist Jack Chatfield. "When we"re in there I feel like we reach our full potential. Tim would offer tweaks and tips for some songs, while others he"d compliment as finished first time we played them." "We worked flat-out recording this record," says drummer Jacob Hull, "but we never felt pressured, Tim keeping us in the zone to make the best tunes of our lives.

Atlantic Records is thrilled to announce F1 The Album - the supercharged companion album to Apple Original Films and Warner Bros. Pictures’ high-octane, action-packed film F1, starring Brad Pitt. From the label that brought you the award-winning, blockbuster soundtracks Barbie The Album, Twisters: The Album, The Greatest Showman, Suicide Squad and more, F1 The Album is driven by brand new tracks from an exhilirating lineup of superstar artists.

Atlantic Records is thrilled to announce F1 The Album - the supercharged companion album to Apple Original Films and Warner Bros. Pictures’ high-octane, action-packed film F1, starring Brad Pitt. From the label that brought you the award-winning, blockbuster soundtracks Barbie The Album, Twisters: The Album, The Greatest Showman, Suicide Squad and more, F1 The Album is driven by brand new tracks from an exhilirating lineup of superstar artists.

orchestrierte Neueinspielung einer der besten und rarsten NWOBHM Singles
-enthält auch die beiden Originaltracks von 1981 (restauriert, remastert)
-intensive Liner Notes mit Hintergründen zu diesem Release und dem 81er Original
-als CD und LP, separate Master!

Mit einem ganz besonderen Glanzstück meldet sich die wiedervereinte NWOBHM Band MARQUIS DE SADE zurück. Bereits das Comeback-Album „Chapter II“ (Golden Core/ZYX) wurde flächendeckend abgefeiert, zumal das teils epische Songmaterial nicht nur für Metalheads, sondern auch für Fans von Bands wie Magnum von Interesse ist. Daraus resultierte, neben vielen Gigs in ihrer Heimat England, auch ein Slot beim prestigeträchtigen Keep It True Festival, bei dem sie durchweg überzeugen konnten. „Somewehere Up In The Mountains“, Seite A der raren Single von 1981, hat sich in den letzten Jahren als NWOBHM-Hit entpuppt. Er wurde von Bands wie Roxxcalibur oder Dragon´s Kiss gecovert und wird in sozialen Medien ständig geteilt. Die epische Ausrichtung des 1981 noch sehr basisch, ja primitiv aufgenommenen Song, lieferte die Idee, eine orchestrierte Version davon aufzunehmen, quasi als Update und Alternative zum Original. Das Ergebnis ist erstaunlich und zeigt, wie „groß“ der Song tatsächlich ist. Auch die einstige B-Seite, „Black Angel“, wesentlich härter als „Somewhere…“, funktioniert in diesem Soundgewand. Hier spielen Band und Orchester zusammen und nicht, wie so oft bei solchen Projekten, nebeneinander. Eine neue Version kann und soll kein Original ersetzen. Daher findet man auf der extended EP auch die beiden Originalversionen der hyperraren Single von 1981. Diese wurden von Patrick Engel restauriert und remastert.

1976, ein Jahr nach der Gründung der Band, stand die bahnbrechende Besetzung von Motörhead fest. Die „Drei-Amigos“-Ära von Motörhead – Lemmy (Bass/Gesang), Fast Eddie Clarke (Gitarre) und Phil „Philthy Animal“ Taylor – schlossen sich zusammen und begannen ihre außergewöhnliche Reise an die Spitze der Hardrock-Elite. Im August 1976 traf sich die Band im legendären Manticore Studio von Emerson, Lake & Palmer in Fulham, um zu proben und die neue Besetzung zu präsentieren. Dort nahmen sie zum ersten Mal gemeinsam auf. 49 Jahre später wurde das lange verschollene Band entdeckt, entstaubt und in all seiner Pracht restauriert, um das 50-jährige Bandjubiläum zu feiern. Erhältlich als klassische schwarze 1-LP, CD und als Deluxe-2-LP-Bookpack. Alle Formate enthalten zusätzliche alternative Takes und Instrumentalstücke für einen einzigartigen Einblick in die Entstehung dieser legendären Band. Darüber hinaus enthält das Deluxe-Bookpack eine zusätzliche Bonus-LP – den klassischen Bonus „Live: Blitzkrieg on Birmingham ’77“ sowie eine Bonus-7-Zoll-Platte mit zwei bisher unveröffentlichten LiveTracks von Barbarellas Birmingham 1977. Außerdem gibt es ein 24-seitiges Booklet mit Linernotes von Kris Needs, unserem langjährigen Kollaborateur.

1976, ein Jahr nach der Gründung der Band, stand die bahnbrechende Besetzung von Motörhead fest. Die „Drei-Amigos“-Ära von Motörhead – Lemmy (Bass/Gesang), Fast Eddie Clarke (Gitarre) und Phil „Philthy Animal“ Taylor – schlossen sich zusammen und begannen ihre außergewöhnliche Reise an die Spitze der Hardrock-Elite. Im August 1976 traf sich die Band im legendären Manticore Studio von Emerson, Lake & Palmer in Fulham, um zu proben und die neue Besetzung zu präsentieren. Dort nahmen sie zum ersten Mal gemeinsam auf. 49 Jahre später wurde das lange verschollene Band entdeckt, entstaubt und in all seiner Pracht restauriert, um das 50-jährige Bandjubiläum zu feiern. Erhältlich als klassische schwarze 1-LP, CD und als Deluxe-2-LP-Bookpack. Alle Formate enthalten zusätzliche alternative Takes und Instrumentalstücke für einen einzigartigen Einblick in die Entstehung dieser legendären Band. Darüber hinaus enthält das Deluxe-Bookpack eine zusätzliche Bonus-LP – den klassischen Bonus „Live: Blitzkrieg on Birmingham ’77“ sowie eine Bonus-7-Zoll-Platte mit zwei bisher unveröffentlichten LiveTracks von Barbarellas Birmingham 1977. Außerdem gibt es ein 24-seitiges Booklet mit Linernotes von Kris Needs, unserem langjährigen Kollaborateur.

Sweden’s Tiger Stripes returns to Rekids with the ‘Dance For Peace’ EP, following on from February’s ‘All Night Long’ and 2024’s ‘I Heard It Through The Bassline’ EPs. Across four warm and funk-fuelled cuts, he delivers another essential selection of House grooves primed for peak-time moments and deep, late-night sessions alike, already supported by Oliver Dollar, Riva Starr, Anja Schneider, and more.

The opening track, ‘Time For Peace,’ is a brilliantly loopy roller, featuring bouncy drums, muted synth motifs, and a vocal swirl of soulful cries that ramp up the energy. It’s a stylish tension-builder, paving the way for ‘Rockin’, a chunky jam with funky melodic riffs buried in the beat and wordless ad libs teasing out the soul. ‘The Street’ keeps the vibe flowing with swinging drums, knotted guitar licks, and subtly filtered vocals worked into a steamy, party-starting groove. Closing things out is ‘A Dance’, a deeper cut drenched in lush chords and hazy vocals—perfect for blissed-out dancefloor moments.

Founder of the Strange Idols label, Tiger Stripes has spent over two decades forging his own path with standout releases on Hot Creations, Get Physical, Kwench Records, and Rekids. After stepping back to focus on his indie-rock project Little Lies, he made a full return in 2024 and quickly recaptured the form that’s made him an international favourite.

Wonderwheel is happy to present the very first pressing of Nickodemus' longtime classic "Sun People", pressed on translucent yellow vinyl. Originally released in 2009 by Thievery Corporation's Eighteenth Street Lounge label, "Sun People" was built with songs made for people who love the sun, sunshine and brighter days to come. Appropriate, of course, as Nickodemus has made his mark soundtracking NYC summers with his massively popular Turntables On The Hudson live events as well as with 20 consecutive years touring the World. The songs were inspired by various people Nickodemus met and places he's been, along with his collective feelings of optimism. It's these positive sonic vibes from all over the globe that Nickodemus matches with collaborators hailing from destinations including Guinea, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Romania, India, Turkey, United Kingdom and New York City. These are the Sun People.As songs like "N'dini" "Sun Children" & "The Love Feeling" continue to kept parties dancing until today, "Calle Sol" & "Gira Do Sol" are being discovered by new fans & playlists today. As Jason Bentley, former Music Director at KCRW once said, "Sun People reflects a rich musicality, while infectious rhythms keep the party live. Nickodemus truly knows
no borders on this global dancefloor."Wonderwheel recordings is happy to keep the fire burning with this special limited color vinyl reissue out on June 21st, 2024.

a 01: Sun People (Intro) feat. Ismael Kouyaté
b 02: Sun Children (Original Mix) [feat. The Real Live Show]

Debut single from forthcoming full length out in May 2019. The first time we heard Bobby Oroza, it was his slow moody ballad 'This Love', that perked the world's ears and made a name for the dapper crooner that calls Finland his home. Since it's release, 'This Love' has become somewhat of an underground hit, the soundtrack to car shows and swap meets in the West Coast, numerous movies and TV shows, and it even made it to Earl Sweatshirt's most recent mixtape. This new single from Bobby Oroza picks up the tempo and showcases another side of his range with a record sure to move bodies and nod heads. The A side 'Your Love Is Too Cold' is a stomper that blends the groovy soul drumming of early Motown records with guitar that could have been lifted from a James Bond

soundtrack. Bobby pleads over the track of his decision to call it quits and keep it quits. The B side 'Deja Vu' finds Oroza leaning again into the B side ballad stylings that made him a name to check for. Heavy duty drums lay down the canvas on which Bobby's vocals paint the picture of a relationship that has come to a fork in the road. The Cold Diamond & Mink production and backing band are tight as ever and this is sure to be another classic with the slowie fans.

Mit "Everybody Loves the Sunshine" (1976) vermischt Roy Ayers nahtlos die Genres Soul, Funk & Jazz und erschafft einen zeitlosen Sound, der Musiker und DJs auf der ganzen Welt noch immer beeinflusst, mit dem Vibraphon als zentrales Instrument, ein Ansatz, der Ayers einzigartigen Stil definiert. Im Jahr 1976 veröffentlichte der legendäre Musiker und Komponist Roy Ayers mit ELTS eines der bedeutesten Alben seiner Karriere. Dieses Album festigte nicht nur Ayers' Stellung als Schlüsselfigur in der Welt des Jazz, sondern markierte auch einen Meilenstein in der Soulmusik und im zeitgenössischen Jazz-Funk. Es zeichnet sich durch eine raffinierte Mischung aus unwiderstehlichen Grooves, sanften Melodien und einem einzigartigen Sound aus, der über die Jahre hinweg nicht verblaaste und für mehrere Generationen von Musikern und Hörern zu einer Referenz wurde. Mitte der 70er Jahre hatte sich Ayers bereits mit seiner Band Roy Ayers Ubiquity und seinem unverwechselbaren Einsatz des Vibraphons, das zu seinem persönlichen Markenzeichen wurde, einen Namen gemacht. Und mit ELTS wagte sich Ayers an einen noch zugänglicheren Sound, auch als Reaktion auf den Aufstieg von Disco und das wachsende Interesse an Musik afro-amerikanischer Prägung überhaupt. In den zehn Tracks des Albums schafft Ayers eine Klangatmosphäre, die sowohl die Wärme des Sommers als auch die Raffinesse des Jazz jener Zeit heraufbeschwört, alles vor dem Hintergrund des modernen Soul. Produziert von Ayers selbst zusammen mit seinem Engineer und Freund David R. Williams zeichnet sich ELTS durch den wunderbaren Klang des Fender Rhodes Pianos von Phillip Woo sowie die kraftvolle Energie der restlichen Band aus, wodurch eine unverwechselbare Authentizität und Frische erreicht wird. Zu den bekanntesten Songs gehören der Titeltrack, "The Golden Rod" und "The Third Eye", die schnell zu Klassikern des Jazz-Funk und Soul wurden. Dieses Album ist für Roy Ayers' Karriere von entscheidender Bedeutung, da es seine Fähigkeit unter Beweis stellt, in einer sich ständig verändernden Musikindustrie relevant und kreativ zu bleiben. Im Laufe der Jahre wurde "Everybody Loves the Sunshine" zu einem Kultalbum, das häufig in DJ-Sets von Künstlern wie Gilles Peterson, Theo Parrish und Lefto gespielt Verwendung findet. Der Sommer-Soul-Klassiker jetzt wieder auf klassischem schwarzem 180g-Vinyl!

2025 Repress

Tobias Bernstrup is a contemporary musician and video artist born 1970 in Gothenburg, Sweden. He received an MFA from Royal College University of Fine Arts Stockholm in 1998. Using the visual language of pop culture, video games, sci-fi, classicism and gothic noir, he has created a stage persona with notorious live performances. Dressed in elaborate costumes of skin-tight rubber suits and fetish gear, Tobias' external appearance is androgynous. He raises questions about representation of identity, the body and physical space in both virtual and non-virtual realities. Between 1997 and 1998 he self-released two limited CD-R EPs. In 2002 his debut album 'Re-Animate Me' was released by Tonight Records followed by two limited 12' singles for the song 27' and the Italian version Ventisette'.
.
27' is a 5-song EP collecting 4 different mixes of the title track plus one unreleased song from the 'Re-Animate Me' recording sessions. The material on this EP is closely connected with the world of computer games which Bernstrup also inhabits. Bernstrup's music is influenced by 1980s Italo disco and synth pop, reminiscent of Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode and Ken Lazlo. On the A-side is the original mix at 115 bpm followed by the Lazer Mix set to an faster beat and additional arpeggiations and heavier bass drum beats. Lyrically the song tells the story of a good looking 27-year old boy from a small town searching for love with any man who can spoil him. On the B-side are both the vocal and instrumental of Ventisette', the Italian translation of the song 27.' Both versions of Ventisette' are stripped back compared to the A-side but keep the melodies in tact. Also released for the first time ever is the demo Dirty Money' a Pet Shop Boys influenced song about male prostitutes ready for a night out working the streets.

All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios. For the jacket Eloise Leigh transformed the original portrait of Tobias into a Warhol-like painted polaroid with a striking likeness to Liza Minelli with blue eye shadow and red lipstick. Each copy includes a photo postcard with lyrics and notes. I would rather create alternative routes to experiencing and understanding the world, understanding what it means to be human today,' says Bernstrup. We are more artificial than we want to admit.'

Hackney Electronica come to Dark Entries with the Synaptic Shadows EP, featuring 5 cuts of acidic rave-inflected wave. Quinn Whalley (Paranoid London), Unai Trotti (Cartulis Music), and Margo Broom (Hermitage Working Studios) formed Hackney Electronica during COVID era. Trotti and Whalley were spending countless hours digging through records and making music during lockdown. As their sound took shape - heavy and hypnotic - they invited Broom to join, cementing the motley trio. The five pieces on Synaptic Shadows explore themes of altered states, late-night cityscapes, and the fine line between pleasure and paranoia. Each track pulses like a memory from the backstreets of Hackney, where the night transforms the city into an electrified maze of fleeting highs and inevitable crashes. The anxious grooves on “H.E. Nuestro Circuito” and “Whispers from the Depths” channel 1980s DIY electronics onto the contemporary dancefloor, while “Efecto Perfecto,” “The One”, and “Nueva Ola” offer breakbeat-laced electro that will keep you dancing until dawn. Housed in a sleeve designed by German Bardo, Synaptic Shadows is more than just a debut release, it’s a journey through the flickering alleys of the mind, where tension and transcendence intertwine.

a A1 I Love Your Lovin' Ways; Arranged By [Arr. By] – Horace Ott; Written-By – B. Benjamin*, S. Marcus*
[b] A2 Four Women; Written-By, Arranged By [Arr. By] – Nina Simone
[c] A3 What More Can I Say; Arranged By [Arr. By] – Horace Ott; Written-By – H. Ott*, W. Brown Jr.*
[d] A4 Lilac Wine (From "Dance Me A Song"); Arranged By [Arr. By] – Nina Simone; Written-By – J. Shelton*
[e] A5 That's All I Ask; Arranged By [Arr. By] – Horace Ott; Written-By – H. Ott*
[f] A6 Break Down And Let It All Out; Arranged By [Arr. By] – Horace Ott; Written-By – V. McCoy*
[g] B1 Why Keep On Breakin My Heart; Arranged By [Arr. By] – Horace Ott; Written-By – B. Benjamin*, S. Marcus*
[h] B2 Wild Is The Wind; Arranged By [Arr. By] – Nina Simone; Written-By – D. Tiomkin*, N. Washington*
[i] B3 Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair; Arranged By [Arr. By] – Nina Simone; Written-By – N. Simone*
[j] B4 If I Should Lose You; Arranged By [Arr. By] – Nina Simone; Written-By – Robin*, Rainger*
[k] B5 Either Way I Lose; Arranged By [Arr. By] – Horace Ott; Written-By – V. McCoy*

[a] A1 I Love Your Lovin' Ways; Arranged By [Arr. By] – Horace Ott; Written-By – B. Benjamin*, S. Marcus*
[b] A2 Four Women; Written-By, Arranged By [Arr. By] – Nina Simone
[c] A3 What More Can I Say; Arranged By [Arr. By] – Horace Ott; Written-By – H. Ott*, W. Brown Jr.*
[d] A4 Lilac Wine (From "Dance Me A Song"); Arranged By [Arr. By] – Nina Simone; Written-By – J. Shelton*
[e] A5 That's All I Ask; Arranged By [Arr. By] – Horace Ott; Written-By – H. Ott*
[f] A6 Break Down And Let It All Out; Arranged By [Arr. By] – Horace Ott; Written-By – V. McCoy*
[g] B1 Why Keep On Breakin My Heart; Arranged By [Arr. By] – Horace Ott; Written-By – B. Benjamin*, S. Marcus*
[h] B2 Wild Is The Wind; Arranged By [Arr. By] – Nina Simone; Written-By – D. Tiomkin*, N. Washington*
[i] B3 Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair; Arranged By [Arr. By] – Nina Simone; Written-By – N. Simone*
[j] B4 If I Should Lose You; Arranged By [Arr. By] – Nina Simone; Written-By – Robin*, Rainger*
[k] B5 Either Way I Lose; Arranged By [Arr. By] – Horace Ott; Written-By – V. McCoy*

The Badman presents N.D.X :
To celebrate the 34th anniversary of 2 of the most iconic rave tracks from 1991 we have pushed the boat out.
Old skool dream team K69 and Dream Frequency give both tracks a DJ friendly kick whilst keeping that rolling euphoria that both tracks eminate. Now with intros and outros you can drop them anytime in your sets.
This limited company is edition is a limited 250 press. Keeping with the original colour them of 1991 you have heavyweight yellow vinyl with the original mixes given the remaster treatment from Cleveland City 's very own Mr Jay

Love in the time of collectively assured techno-capitalist-nuclear holocaust! It’s the endless summer the Brits have been harping on about since they think they won the World Cup. The soundtrack is the debut album of the Content Provider; where Octatrack illbient and industrial chanson mesh in a singed postcard addressed to the UK Border Force and co-signed by aliens plucked from the petri dishes of Young Echo, Cold Light and Avon Terror Corps.
It’s a name she tried to keep anonymous, but Drowned By Locals and Bokeh Versions are breaking contract to reveal that the Content Provider is in fact the shock production alias of DALI DE SAINT PAUL. Patron saint of Bristol’s self-destructive improv idols EP/64 as well as post-feminist chamber collective Viridian Ensemble, avant-terror duo Harrga and constant collaborator with the likes of *breathe* Moor Mother, Valentina Magaletti, Mariam Rezaei, Vincent Moon, Maxwell Sterling, Ossia, Ben Vince.
And isn’t it such a strange release? And won’t people be surprised? Endless Summer is grubby and heartfelt, defiant and hopeful, with flecks of warped reggae on E-System nudging the freeform dream balladry of A Feeling and Sunday Morning, Kode9 & Spaceape-worthy dread poetry of Close Ur Eyes next to anthemic electro-crush of Overdrive. Even to those that know her well, and EVERYONE with their belly in the Bristol underground knows her, Endless Summer is a revelation. Perhaps the apex of the known Dali-verse……where her live gigs have boiled with an experimental volcanic vocal force, Endless Summer is twisted, syrupy, sultry, POP.

Makin’ Moves bring this archived studio gem to the fore as it was just too damn good to be left sitting on the drive! Rewind back to 2005 and a chance studio meeting in London between Bugz in the Attic producer Afronaught aka Orin Walters and Justin Chapman aka Kemeticjust who decided to work on some tracks. It was a time in London where there was a huge melting pot of new sounds in the broken beat era / scene and that sound was at the forefront of London’s club scene including night’s like Co-op at Plastic People in Shoreditch. However, these sounds still have stayed the test of time and very prominent still in clubland today.
Justin’s classy vocal tells a political story about our modern times in American and feeling of oppression with in the Black race.
Phil Asher (RIP) at the time loved the track and decided to do his own “Restless Soul Dub” remix version, adding his characteristic drums and stripping the vocal back while also keeping the soulfulness of Kemetic’s original.
Also featured on the package are two other mixes the excellent Blaktones Mix is must have for all the co-op broken beat heads, seeing Afronaught using those classic sounds to full effect to set the party off!

Few lovers stay together for life-and beyond. Just as rare are the artists who manage to keep alive the burning flame of their creative desire. Areski Belkacem is one of those who nurtures in his heart a fire that never dies out, a passion that burns just as intensely for music as it does for his beloved. As long as the message eventually reaches its intended recipient, he cares little for how long the journey takes. His new album, Long courrier, is proof of this: twelve unreleased songs that flow like a love letter set to music. In nearly 60 years of career, Areski Belkacem has released only three solo albums-intimate and deeply personal works that feel like whispered confidences to a loved one. In an era where commercial demands shape much of music production, these records exist solely to fulfill his need for expression. The late music lover and producer Jean-Philippe Allard once said, "Areski goes against the tide-he always seems to enjoy taking forbidden paths!" In Long courrier, Areski tenderly expresses love for his homeland and his beloved. He believes in the power of sensuality, the sacredness of pleasure, and the hidden beauty in every person despite life's hardships. He shows a fraternal gaze toward outsiders and sings of inner journeys, doubt, vows, eternal bonds-with a voice as warm and bright as a loving smile. He honors the mystery of the union between music and the French language. Blending his familiar chaabi rhythms and guitar with piano, accordion, bass, and electric guitar, he plays alongside the same musicians who have accompanied him for over two decades on stage-supporting the woman he shares both stage and life with: the incomparable Brigitte Fontaine.

The debut release on Caricia Records sees longtime collaborators VIL and CRAVO refine the language they've developed through years of joint work, both individually and as members of the Hayes collective. Between them, their output on labels like Monnom Black, Klockworks, Self Reflektion and the aforementioned Hayes Collective has consistently balanced precision with character, and this first chapter under their new imprint is no exception.

Opening with So Right, the record sets a distinct tone, with rolling percussion and a hypnotic vocal line threading through the mix with restraint and control. 420% FODA leans into classic swing and texture, tightly looped and built for movement without ever overreaching. On the B-side, CRAVO offers Future Detroit, a stripped-back piece with room to breathe, subtle in its shifts but firm in its intent. VIL rounds off the EP with Hard to Find, a playful closer that keeps things buoyant and dynamic, pushing forward without losing its shape.

Caricia 001 is about clarity of purpose. No filler, no theatrics, just four tracks that speak for themselves.