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Los Taxis is a new Names You Can Trust-produced project especially dedicated to the many neighborhoods and taxi operators linking the greater-NY area to the vast artists and culture of cumbia sonidera throughout Mexico. Featuring Sonidero Mixteco on vocals.

Sometimes, - despite today's high-octane, fast-track and hyper-hysteric music business - you come across things that seem so pure, perfect and poetic that it almost hurts. "Socialo Blanco" is one of these objects.

It appears understated at a first listen, startling at the second and totally enamouring by the third run. To lay it all out on the table: it sounds like a Music from Memory re-issue, looks like a Growing Bins Records discovery and feels like a flea-market-hippie-uncle-record-collection find.

Based on the language (coincidences and misbehaviour included) and direction of the classic EMS Synthi AKS and recorded by hand and directly to tape (no midi, no sync, no computer), it is at once out of time and out of touch with current sound aesthetics, but that only makes it even more contemporary (vintage) - like a great piece of furniture.

Unsurprising, if you know that Feater is helmed by Daniel Meuzard. Hailing from Vienna and having made a name for himself as a trustworthy and skilled studio equipment dealer and working closely with producer and studio engineer Sam Irl, the man has a knack for turning yesterday into today.

Already is his project's second album, "Socialo Blanco" is the result of all of this and some magical and effortless sessions. The voice of Vilja Larjosto from Finland and Ghana's Eric Owusu (Pat Thomas, Ebo Taylor) on percussion, spontaneously invited to the recording sessions by fellow Viennese Giuseppe Leonardi, are the icing on the cake. All of that and especially the non-conformist pop song "Time Million" symbolizes the heart and soul of an album that deserves to be billed as such. And that is no mean feat.

The sensitive mountain » (la montagne sensible) is the nickname Alain Bashung came up with for Arnaud Rebotini. At the height of his fame, after the success of Fantaisie Militaire in 1998, Bashung readily agreed to create an album with Rebotini. The two men didn’t know each other; their record label had introduced them. Bashung brought in “Mortel Battement” and “Nocturne,” two poems by Jean Tardieu, which he recited in a voice simultaneously warm and flat, and Arnaud produced an impressionist soundscape that ended with an apocalypse of metal. Bashung was so proud of their collaboration that he offered to give several interviews to promote the record. Today, listening back to this moving Léo Ferré influenced "talking singing" exercise, it’s hard not to hear the template for L'Imprudence, the album that Bashung went on to record with Rebotini two years later. In a similar way, the album Organique sparked a productive partnership between Rebotini and filmmaker Robin Campillo, which resulted in their being awarded a César for Best Original Music in 2018. The director, who trusted Rebotini to create the soundtracks for his films Eastern Boys and 120 Beats per Minute, never kept his love for the 2000 record a secret.

Yet it’s an understatement to say that when it was released, Organique was not in the spirit of times. That year was all about the French touch. The funky samples of Modjo’s “Lady” and Superfunk’s “Lucky Star” ruled the sweaty dancefloors. Although Rebotini was familiar with the electronic scene, he had something else in mind when he set about creating Organique. Under his own name or under the pseudonyms Aleph, Avalanche, Black Strobe, Maison Laffitte, and of course Zend Avesta, he had already released several quite bizarre and experimental techno, house, or jungle maxi singles on pioneering labels like P.O.F., Source, and Artefact, run by his friend Jérôme Mestre’s, whom he had met back when both were working as record salesmen at Rough Trade’s ephemeral Parisian store. It was at Artefact, still financed at the time by Barclay and Universal, that he naturally proposed this record project, which was a bit "different." It was his first real album.

Arnaud Rebotini has never hidden his love-hate relationship with the electronic scene. He’s a fan of rave music, Rex, and later Pulp, but he listens mostly to metal and contemporary music, mainly American minimalists such as Terry Riley, Philip Glass, Steve Reich. He wanted to mix this genre with a more French aesthetic inspired by Debussy, whose unconventionality fascinates him. From the first suspended guitar note of Organique, you can pick up another influence, possibly poppier. In the style of Mark Hollis, the erratic leader of Talk Talk, whose only solo album’s silences and dissonances left their mark two years earlier, we hear the fingers touching the keys of the clarinet on “Ondine.” The instruments have presence, character. Nothing is smooth. Everything is organic.

Although it’s sometimes labeled as electronica because of Rebotini’s career, there’s nothing digital about Organique. No "pro tools" editing or samples, only programmed drums and some synth layering. And his guest vocalists. Playing the role of electro producer, he invited Bashung, of course, to join him on the album, but also Roya Arab, who Rebotini first spotted while she was playing in Archive, and her sister Leila, Gus Gus alum Hafdis Huld, Kat Onoma’s Philippe Poirier on the “Samuel Hall” inspired track “Qu’est ce qui m’a pris,” and former KaS Product member Mona Soyoc.

The frustration of a tour where he had "little to do on stage," the desire to sing himself, and the creation of the Black Strobe project, a haunting mix of blues and rock, stopped Zend Avesta from putting out another album. Eighteen years later, the Organique we rediscover today has lost nothing of its strangeness, nor beauty. When it came out, Bashung said, "What is interesting for a musician is to feel that you have a piece of wasteland in front of you, something to clear.” That remains true today.

This outstanding UK film score by Mr Roy Budd has been a treasure amongst music collectors for as long as I've known. Now, for the first time, Dynamite Cuts is making a 2x7' 45 collection of the musical gems form the 'Get Carter' Film using the original first pressing sleeve which was Japan only mega rare. His masterful chords and textures are a joy to listen to alongside killer bass and drum grooves that make for a cinematic musical heaven. Amongst my personal favourite Roy Budd compositions, 'Getting nowhere in a hurry,' is an easy listening gem with killer harpsichord lead lines and 'Hallucinations' (I love the deep groove in this song!) features his trade mark lush vocal production. Both cuts are sure to become favourites of yours too!

The music was play by the same following member of Roy's trusted crew.

GET CARTER Musicians

Roy Budd - Harpsichord, Piano, EMS AKS

Jeff Clyne - Electric Bass & Double bass

Chris Karan - Drums, percussion and Tabla

Brain Daly & Judd Proctor - Guitar

Lesley Cline, Johnny Turnbull & Mickey Gallagher Vocals on

'Hallucinations' & 'Getting nowhere in a hurry'

Lesley Cline - Lead Vocal on 'Love is a four letter word'

Recorded at the Olympic studios

Jack fishman - Producer

Roy Budd - Arranger

Keith Grant - Engineered

Pingipung and Future Nuggets present Cosima, a Bucharest based artist, with two wonderfully poignant songs. Cosima Opa^rtan is widely known as one half of "Raze de Soare" (Future Nuggets). As a solo artist, she files her music under the genre widow pop - melancholically reaching out to the past and the future in one gesture. She sings like someone addressing a beloved but faraway audience, or a trusted, distant relative who can only be seen through someone else's description. Cosima has a background as an architect which she shifted to designing sonic treatments for various spaces such as sound studios. She is also a founding member of the Queer Night, a series of itinerant parties engaging the local LGBTQ+ community and part of Corp., a Bucharest based platform dedicated to supporting and promoting female & female identified musical talent. "Ploaia" has been co-composed and produced by Ion Dumitrescu, known to all Pingipung afficionados for his 7inch as Ion Din Dorobanti (Pingipung 056) who also runs the never failing Future Nuggets label. On the flip side, the two team up with Horatiu Serbanescu, an artist from the Future Nuggets roster releasing music as "Plevna".

The man, the myth, the legend that is Aldo Vanucci is back with a small black disc of wax for the ages. Yes, it's the very same individual who supplies samples to Fatboy Slim, who was voted Plymouths 14th best DJ and who has undertaken marathon 36 hour DJ sets for charity. Exactly. Yes it's that Aldo Vanucci...

With a vast back catalogue of releases already to his name on respected indie labels including Tru Thoughts, Catskills, Good Groove and his own Good Living Records he has established himself as one of the producers you can trust when it comes to quality.

And this release ahead of his forthcoming album on Jalapeno Records is no exception. The soulful strutter - 'Ponderosa' could have been extracted from a Tarantino movie taking a Morricone-esque score sample and flipping it into a modern slice of driving pop. The powerful top line from Dena Deadly adds some colourful imagery to enhancing the already cinematic sounds.

Flipside 'Knew You Were Coming' fuses an 80's disco boogie groove with a memorable top line that really shows off Mr. Vanucci's DJ credentials. It's a club bomb with enough power to detonate any dancefloor.

After a pleasing start to the New Year, 2 same night sell outs on lathe cut 45s and a single afternoon sell out of the recent Gabe Knox LP, Polytechnic Youth continue their relentless release schedule with 2 more awesome full lengths. In their own ways, both totally unique but very much befitting the tried and trusted synth / electronic PY blueprint.

First up is the fabulous 'Where comes the Dark' debut full length from shadowy, underground producer The Slow Engineer. 'An album of sculpted synthsonics and Eldritch electronics originally released on a limited run, blink and you'll miss it cassette which sold out in 24 hrs. Heavy on basslines, with driving rhythms and tweaked synthesisers, it's a record which openly acknowledges it's nod to horror scores and the work of the Radiophonic Workshop whilst pulling off something uniquely and freshly new, with an assembled array of wayward equipment stored at his Analogue Hades base.'

British horror actor Laurence R. Harvey adds suitably menacing narration in places, and across 10 fabulous tracks this is a richly, deliciously diverse electronic record which comes hugely recommended to fans of John Carpenter, not to mention label mates The Heartwood Institute and Dream Division.

A one time pressing of 300, destined to sell out pretty swiftly.....

Yeah, we get it: You cant technically be clinically paranoid if everything youre afraid of is actually happening. Its been a few years since we were scared shitless of letting cell phones anywhere near our crotches and suddenly, the electromagnetic waves mess with our brains big time. Lets not beat around the bush here, its all true. Your thoughts are being supervised, the government even has taken complete control over them, all while your moral compass is spinning at 78rpm like a broken shellac. Its bad, it feels weird and just so wrong. It doesnt even pay well, for fucks sake.
We know, we know: You need a remedy and you need it, like, yesterday at the latest. What we can offer for now is Konrad Wehrmeister from Munich, whose handcrafted alpha waves will interlock with your brain activity and set your will free by taking it over - it hasnt been yours for a while now, after all. Wehrmeisters pummeling techno is the B2B (business to brain) or even B2B2B (business to brain to booty) solution your sorry existence needs in these dire times, and he will professionally lead you to your destination with a little splash of »Radiation« to fire you up. Hes done it for Public Possession, hes done it for Ilian Tape. He can do it for you, if you trust him enough.
So please come and join us in eternal dispersion. RSVP by the complete loss of your sanity.

It's quite an excitement to attend a triple birth: a newborn production team (Mochi Men), a brand new label (Mochi Records) and a first official remix on wax! Far from being newcomers, Mochi Men is a fresh and french duo from Paris, formed by renowned disco & house dj-producer Young Pulse (unavoidable reworker on G.A.M.M. Records) and respected DJ selector ATN (resident at famous New Morning jazz club). Both connoisseurs of disco, boogie, jazz, aor, japanese funk and house music, they're taking their complicity to another level with this remix of "Taking Off" originally performed by UK jazz funk act, Resolution 88. Previously remixed by heavy weights like Kaidi Tatham and Simon Grey, the prodigy band and Incognito Bluey's protégé gave complete trust to the Mochi Men on this. The result is an epic deep house - jazz funk extended cut, melt into a haunting broken disco vibe with a heavy analog flavor!

It's that time again. The skies are calling and its time to board our trusty jet for the 5th outing of Africa Seven's premiere class compilation Africa Airways. For volume 5 its time to brace yourselves for 10 slices of Afro boogie goodness.

We up the boogie time groove with The Black Bells Group (the first band of lead singer Sidney 'Patrick Duteil' who went on to become the godfather of French hip-hop and a well know TV presenter. Here the groove is swinging... the perfect opener. Next up is German-based Cameroonian musician and cousin of Manu Dibango, Charly Kingson with this bass-synth boogie stomper. Big brass and jazzy trumpets add layers of sparkle too.

Next its time for some highlife inspired boogie from Ghanian Gyedu Blay Amboley. Highlife fused with reggae, disco, boogie and jazz just as the lyrics say.

Next we pair up with Africa Seven friend Eko once more under his Dikalo guise. The Cameroonian master musician is on fine form with his heavy brass and deep percussion with a driving afro boogie groove. To round off Side A its off to Cameroon again to groove with Jean 'Mekongo President'. Think Bernard 'Chic' Edwards on the bass with some African style and you can see it's the bottom end groove and afrobeat drums that power this gem along.

We open the second side slowly and purposefully with the highly sought after 'French Girl' from Fotso. Drippy bass synth grooves and a wondrous percussion and drum shuffle pair with piano riffs to make this a unique sounding track. Our friend Tala AM is next with the foot-stomping 'Sugar Lump'. JK Mandengue is next with most definitely the catchiest chorus you will hear today. Nigerian Jide Obe gets synth and clavinet rich with his doe to sensible dating advice 'Too Young'. We close off the album with a track from label good friend Jo Bisso under his Mulamba guise. Sounding like a long lost TV theme from a late night TV show circa 1977. Let's get down and boogie with the brand new dance in town folks... the Dashiki.

Until Volume Six takes flight it is time to unbuckle those seat belts folks.

Names You Can Trust presents the second installment of Rueda de Bullerengue, a collaborative series with NY-based Bullerengue collective, Bulla En El Barrio. Named after the group's ongoing monthly performance and workshop in Brooklyn, Bulla's collaborative spirit and dedication to the tradition of los bailes cantados has made an indelible mark on the bubbling tropical music scene of New York City, and in turn, found their way into the crates and sets of DJs and vinyl aficionados via their first 7-inch release on NYCT in 2017. Since those initial moves, Bulla has continued to grow and add working members while maintaining a philosophy and connection grounded in the traditions of their Colombian origins. They've studied and collaborated with elders and legends like Emilson Pacheco and Darlina Sáenz, and this past year embarked on a recording with Barranquilla-based collective Tonada Baile Cantado — the focus of this edition's recording and release.

Considered one of the premier groups advancing the tradition of Bullerengue within Colombia, this incredibly talented group of young musicians are a rarity for their skill and age. In a region where there are ongoing festivals celebrating the tradition of Bullerengue that still command massive audiences and performers, Tonada is a true representative of what can happen when such an amazing tradition is passed forward to an eager next generation. Produced by Bulla members Camilo Rodriguez and Diana Herrera (aka Carolina Oliveras) in between their time smashing stages across the U.S. for Combo Chimbita, this is a carefully nurtured and powerful bridge to the beloved traditions of Colombia's Caribe region.

Without further ado, here lies Volume 2 of Rueda de Bullerengue, featuring Tonada Baile Cantado, a new generation of traditional Colombian dance music transmitted directly from Barranquilla — Four dance floor crashers in the styles of fandango and chalupa, ready-made for your 45 spins in the inimitable style of Names You Can Trust.

Estimated shipping date: 18.01.2019

In 2012 Important Records released a historic 12 CD box set compiling much of Pauline Oliveros' early and unreleased electronic work. Reverberations 1 is the first release in an ongoing series dedicated to releasing the entire 12 CD box set on vinyl.

Organized chronologically by studio (here: Pauline Oliveros Home Electronic Music Studio, 1961 & San Francisco Tape Music Center, 1964-1966), the complete Reverberations not only documents Pauline's earliest electronic music but it also functions as an early history of electronic music itself.

Pauline Oliveros, composer, performer and humanitarian was an important pioneer in American Music. Acclaimed internationally, for four decades she explored found, forging new ground for herself and others. Through improvisation, electronic music, ritual, teaching and meditation she has created a body of work with such breadth of vision that it profoundly effects those who experience it and it eludes many who try to write about it.

In partnership with the Pauline Oliveros Trust, Imprec will be releasing essential titles from Pauline Oliveros' catalog on vinyl including the complete Reverberations box set, Tara's Room, Sounding/Way (with Guy Klucevsek) and many more.

"On some level, music, sound consciousness and religion are all one, and she would seem to be very close to that level." John Rockwell

"Through Pauline Oliveros and Deep Listening, I now know what harmony is. It's about the pleasure of making music." John Cage

After A Long Night The Sun ¡nally Rises As Our High Leader And
Big Boss Filburt ¡nally Blesses O*rs With His Very ¡rst Full
Artist Ep. The Emotive Three-tracker ‚unnoticed Love' Comes
Along With Two Originals Accompanied By A Remix Of None Other Than Charles Webster. As The Title Track's Relentless Groove Goes On And On Pianos Emerge And The Track Reaches Full Effect When The Vocoder-heavy Vocals Hit, Taking You To A Higher Place Of Emotional Consciousness. Trust Us, You Wanna Go There. ‚it's All About You' With It's Combination Of Harmonic Bleeps, Big Pads, Steel Drums And An Unique Arrangement Sounds Like That Sunrise We Mentioned Earlier. It Is Advised By Authorities To Sit Back, Relax And Take A Long Bath In It. And Then There Is This Charles Webster Remix Which Moves Through A Foggy Territory
Where The Best Kind Deephouse Grows. While There Charles
Plants Some Tribal Seeds Before Going Even Deeper With A
Bassline Richer Than The Sauce Your Granny Made For Christmas Dinner. Limited Edition Of 200, Handstamped+

Sleep-deprived, breakbeat-driven vignettes of unclear authorship, from somewhere west of Lake Lagoda, near the Russia-Finland border.Sekundenschlaf has significant points of correspondence with contemporary European electronic music, as well as the golden age of (early) jungle and ambient techno. But its response to tradition, and to the zeitgeist, is idiosyncratic to say the least - with an atmosphere and psychogeography rooted in the tranquility and majesty of Western Russian nature, and the anxiety and distress of the country's post-Soviet working class. Pastoral calm meets dissonance and unease. The music has a loose, improvised feel, but its arrangements are intricate, its melodies iridescent: cascading arpeggios that stir a sense of optimism and renewal, sighing string-pads that evoke the deepest melancholy. Rhythms simultaneously hyped-up and burned-out, collapsing in on themselves as they race to destinations unknown. All bound together with field recordings of eavesdropped conversations, blurred into abstraction, a droning subliminal menace.Trust me, you'll be fine

Abstand is a duo project by Martin Brugger and Simon Popp, both members of the Munich-based jazz group Fazer. On their debut 12 Opek they provide off-kilter polyrhythmic percussion psychedelia, layering live and unedited drum tracks blended with sparse electronics that add a subtle Middle Eastern tint. On the B side we're treated with a remix by Stefan Schwander aka Harmonious Thelonious. The Salon des Amateurs denizen serves us a pulsating and more club-leaning take showing why he can always be trusted with turning live percussion into bold, hypnotic jams for the perceptive clubgoer. The Munich-Duesseldorf axis has once again been proven fertile and we will likely hear more coming out of that connection.

Boum Boum Boum! 25 years of KOMPAKT. When a record label still thrives after a quarter of a century thanks to a focus of what was expected to be a short lived music phenomenon called TECHNO, then it stands to prove two things; that it techno has taken its place amongst serious, multilayered musical genres like rock'n'roll, pop and folk music. And that KOMPAKT has never been only for techno, but KOMPAKT stands as a broad-minded, genre-defying entity that has set out to cross-pollinate all kinds of musical inventions within the realm of electronic music. Through its course, KOMPAKT has sent 'Around The World', all kinds of sub-genres, concept series and crossover adventures based on the non- negotiable 4/4 beat. And back again.

Without a doubt, the 100% kickdrum-free POP AMBIENT series is the most endearing and enduring concept that I have had the pleasure to curate. From the start, I felt there was a strong need to add a certain pop- elegance - ensouled by discourse as much as hedonism - to a sound that was recognized as 'Chill Out' music that could be heard in seedy techno club back rooms and forgotten festival areas. Over the years, I like to imagine that POP AMBIENT has crystallized into a highly recognizable trademark sound and a multi-facetted musical universe of its own.

So once again, I had the pleasure to put together this year's edition by plowing through an ocean of sonic jewelry that had been submitted from all over the world by new and old friends. The task was clear: for this special edition, I must create a homogenous listening experience that would both appeal to our trusting followers, to continue our tradition while integrating new micro facets , variations and influences from neighboring musical universes as possible. Obligatory while being innovative. Conspirative while being cosmopolitan. Albeit the headline 'Ambient' might sound a little too humble for a compilation that encompasses aspects of neo classic, atonal music and the most beautiful aural kitsch imaginable, it still helps as a necessary means of orientation in the best possible sense. Same goes for another dear tradition: Veronika Unland's abstract-floral cover design that keeps on pleasing our sore eyes year after year.

Although each and every POP AMBIENT edition doesn't shy away from diving into the relevant question of 'What is contemporary discourse music' - in the end it all boils down to that elevated moment where all theory dissolves into ambient air, into a higher state of cosmic bliss. POP AMBIENT is sacral music for non-believers.

Wolfgang Voigt Cologne, October 2018

Bum Bum Bum. 25 Jahre KOMPAKT. Wenn ein Musiklabel, das seine inhaltliche Ausrichtung im Wesentlichen auf den anfangs als schnelllebig und vor allem kurzlebig apostrophierten - hype' Techno setzt, nach 25 Jahren in jeder Beziehung immer noch voll im Saft steht, dann zeigt das zwei Dinge: Das erstens mittlerweile jeder bemerkt haben du¨rfte, dass Techno eben kein kurzftristiger hype ist, sondern vielmehr ein vielschichtiges, ernstzunehmendes Genre, das sich ebenso wie Rock'n'Roll oder Schlager fest in der Musikgeschichte etabliert hat.

Und zweitens, dass KOMPAKT nie nur ein reines Technolabel war und ist, sondern ein nach vielen Seiten aufgeschlossenes Experimentierfeld, das sich von Anfang an der Grenzu¨berschreitung und dem musikalischen Erfindungsreichtum verschrieben hat. U¨ber die Jahre wurden unter dem KOMPAKT-Signet etliche Subgenres, Konzeptreihen und Crossoverwagnisse auf Basis der unverhandelbaren geraden Bassdrum - around the world' und wieder zuru¨ck geschickt.

Eine der wohl scho¨nsten und nachhaltigsten Konzeptreihen du¨rfte wohl die bassdrumfreie POP AMBIENT-Serie sein, die ich als KOMPAKT-- Altvorderer' nach wie vor die ja¨hrliche Freude habe, zu kompilieren. Dabei hat sich u¨ber die Jahre aus dem anfa¨nglichen Bedu¨rfnis der seit den fru¨hen 90er Jahren in den sogenannten - Chilloutrooms ' grossra¨umiger Technoclubs, - Lounges' und - Muzakkneipen' entstandenen - Entspannungsmusik' etwas entgegenzusetzen, eine eher von Pop-Eleganz, Diskurs und Hedonismus beseelte, eigene Spielart ambienter Musik, eine vielschichtige programmatische Musik mit hohem Widererkennungswert entwickelt.

So hatte ich auch im Jubila¨umsjahr einmal mehr die Qual der Wahl, aus den aus aller Welt kommenden, grossartigen Klangpreziosen guter alter sowie neuer Freunde die subjektiv besten zu einem homogenen Ho¨rerlebnis zusammenzufu¨hren. Dabei ist mir immer sehr wichtig, einerseits den Erwartungen der treuen Ho¨rerschaft im Bezug auf Traditionsverpflichtung gerecht zu werden und andererseits auch immer mo¨glichst viele Mikrofacetten, Varianten und Einflu¨sse angrenzender Stile und Universen aufzugreifen. Innovativ und verbindlich. Konspirativ und weltoffen. Auch wenn der U¨berbegriff Ambient, fu¨r eine Kompilation die sowohl Aspekte von Neuer Klassik, Atonalita¨t und Kunstmusik mit den allerscho¨nsten Seelenkitschklangwelten zu vereinen sucht, zu eng gefasst ist, so hilft er doch bei der notwendigen Orientierung im besten Sinne. Ebenso wie die Tradition gewordenen, wunderscho¨n abstrakt-floralen Kunstblumenwelten der von Veronika Unland gestalteten Cover, die ein ums andere Jahr auch die Augen in Verzu¨ckung versetzten.

Auch wenn jede Kompilation sich aufs Neue an den relevanten Fragen zeitgema¨sser Diskursmusik abarbeitet, so ist der erhabene Moment am Ende doch der, in dem sich alles zu Gunsten eines - ho¨heren, kosmischen' Ho¨rerlebnisses, im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes in ambiente Luft auflo¨st.

POP AMBIENT ist die sakrale Musik der Ungla¨ubigen.

Wolfgang Voigt / September 2018

The body never lies. Every dance is a graph of the heart. Nothing is more revealing than movement.

These are the words of Martha Graham, one of the greatest American dancers and choreographers of the 20th century. Massimiliano Pagliara might as well have them tattooed on his chest, close to his heart, being an accomplished dancer, too. He has studied contemporary dance in Milan and Berlin, and went on to dedicate his life to transforming experience into movement, be it musical, physical, or spiritual. Massimilano's message is clear: Don't stand still. Don't keep looking back. Know where you are coming from, but don't remain petrified by the past. Take a chance at Endless Change, instead. Move on! Just like Massimilano did.

Stemming from Lecce province, an area at the south-eastern-most tip of Italy, Massimilano has been based in Berlin for several years where he's been one of the main forces behind recombining the city's hardboiled techno scene with an often overlooked sensibility for the soft and the tender. Call it underground disco passion. Massimilano's last and sophomore album, With One Another, released in 2014, was about celebrating the joy of human encounters and in parts seemed like a big get-together with like-minded artists and friends (among them nd_baumecker, Lee Douglas, and Credit 00). The record quickly hit the number one spot in Groove magazine's album chart - and its creator hit the road.

Besides his busy DJ schedule and far from the usual club circuit routines, Massimilano dedicated himself to intense travelling and exploring the world anew. 'I felt like I have lived more than ever,' he states. 'Getting to discover all these beautiful places around the world and meeting so many lovely interesting people, has inspired me in many different ways. I feel enriched.'

The result of these experiences is Feel Live, Massimiliano's third full-length endeavour. It was recorded in several intimate, sometimes improvised studio settings between Los Angeles, Portland, and Massimiliano's homebase in Berlin as well as at airports and on intercontinental flights high up in the sky. Featuring vocals by Private Agenda, Peaking Lights, Kim Anh and instrumental contributions by Fort Romeau, Tim K, and Jules Etienne, Feel Live is Massimilano's most playful and imaginative work to date. It's as emotional as sensual, as vibrant as the first ray of light after a thunderstorm has cleared the air.

Is it awkward or odd to call this record jazzy Presumptuous to pinpoint its spacial, almost orchestral qualities Unfair on the ruling Cosmic powers to highlight its aspirations of founding a new land of Balearic Harmonia and getting down at a huge fertility rite with electro enthusiasts and house lovers Not one bit. Feel Live is pure grandeur and elegance. It feels like an eternal movement.

Martha Graham has dedicated her whole life to dancing. 'It's permitting life to use you in a very intense way,' she said. 'Sometimes it is not pleasant. Sometimes it is fearful. But nevertheless it is inevitable.' Massimilano couldn't agree more. His advice when facing the inevitable: 'Live what you are feeling, feel what you are experiencing, good or bad, it is an experience.'

The latest release on Arma comes from Dutch legend and devoutly deviant underground operator Ruud Lekx, aka Rude 66. With a legacy that reaches back to the early 90s and the rough and ready Dutch electro sound of Bunker Records and The Hague, he's maintained a distinctly non-conformist approach that touches on acid, Italo, techno and more besides, all finished with the punky attitude that sets him and peers like Unit Moebius and I-F apart.

The tracks gathered together on The Witch Trials EP come from throughout Lekx's career. As the artist himself says, 'tracks from wildly different eras and sessions suddenly can combine to form one coherent EP. It's almost like the A-side tracks were waiting for 20 years to be combined with the B-side tracks.'

The overriding theme that binds together these timeless machine excursions is that of medieval witch trials - a global phenomenon that peaked in the 15-1600's. Considering the suspicion, propaganda and mass moral panic involved in this strange curio of distant history, Lekx points to the parallels with the current age, 'of political polarization and fake news accusations flying all over.' The EP title is also a tribute to two records close to his heart: The Fall's Live At The Witch Trials, and the one-off Witch Trials project by members of the Dead Kennedys, Adrian Borland and Christian Lunch.

'Werewolves & Poisoners' and 'The Crusade Against Idolatry' are both archive tracks from the 1994-5 period when Lekx made his first albums for Bunker Records. The first track's charging arps, rugged kicks, nagging acid lines and discordant paranoia all speak to that trailblazing period, while 'The Crusade...' revels in canny programming of interwoven synth lines feeding into an unhinged, psychedelic rampage that reflects the righteous fervour and spiritual confusion of the EP concept.

'The Absence Of Diabolism' opens up the B-side with a different tone, having been produced in 2016 and demonstrating the deeper acid undulations Lekx has become known for in more recent years. Still delivered via the same trusted tools he was using in the 90s, the sound feels like an extension of the Rude 66 vision rather than a separate entity. 'Envious Are All The People, Witches Watch At Every Gate,' a cut from the late 90s, closes the EP out in a spacious, snarling exploration of broken acid electro laden with cinematic sweeps of synthesizer and a constant sense of unresolved tension.



Across these four tracks, Lekx displays the scope of his craft as Rude 66 while also proving that timeless music can make sense in any context, and that the threads of inspiration in an artist's journey can be followed, explored and even resolved 20 years later, when you least expect it

In just a year of existence, Chloé's Lumière Noire has brought emerging artists and promising newcomers together - and this first compilation of 13 brand new tracks expands the roster, exposing the label's eclectic vision in full daylight. When Chloé talks about her label, she puts forward the fundamental values that informed her own musical journey, her trust in her own musical taste - and, of course, the predominance of human relationships: 'I followed
my bliss and only commissioned tracks from artists that I respect and whose music I love. That to me is Lumière Noire's musical palette.' With this 13- track, unmixed compilation, Chloé makes a case for a label aesthetic that is based in open-mindedness. Familiar, elemental Lumière Noire artists are represented, as are new faces, producing a kind of group photo presaging what's next for the fledgling label. Lyon's Markus Gibb leads the track listing with Kuru with a deep chiaroscuro matching the label's ethos, followed by other mainstays Il Est Vilaine's Farenheit 451, which evokes Ray Bradbury's retro-dystopic angst with the
band's usual electro-pop elegance. Sutja Gutierrez, who released in debut EP, The Legend of Time on Lumière Noire in April, pursues his electro Shamanism with the ceremonial Allodoxaphobia, while Iñigo Vontier (whose EP Aluxes came out on the label in late 2017) brings his C O N T R A project
online with track Taurus, a further development in voodoo house. Elsewhere, Suuns lead singer Ben Shemie, who lent his fascinating art-rock croon to Recall, a single from Chloé's Endless Revisions LP, contributes A Million Kinds, a synthy, psych-pop debut that is as brilliant as it is surprising. On to the freshman class: Dutch producer Drvg Cvltvre (who gets personal kudos
from Chloé with each new 12') brings the uncompromising dark electro of his hypnotic and claustrophobic Last Rites. Jonathan Fitoussi's airy, minimalistic Cercles Polaires brings the respite of his recent Versatile Espaces Timbrés LP (a collaboration with Clemens Hourrières): 'I met him at Xavier Veilhan's
Studio Venezia at the Venice Biennale. He's a great guy, and his universe is unique,' says Chloé. Benedikt Frey's deep techno track Iaon, is on par with his smash 2017 album, Artificial, out on ESP Institute. First-timers are also part of the recruits: Bajram Bili with the ten cerebral minutes of Restart, Théo Muller with the ultra-deep Douce Transe, and Lumi, a Basque band that fuses
electronic sounds with acoustic instruments, brings the ompilation to a close with a track commissioned by Chloé. These audacious choices are anchored down with the likes of Permanent Vacation pioneer Lauer's hooky, 80s-infused Pythor ('Just like him, I was a resident of the Robert Johnson, and he was a guest of mine at one of my Lumière Noire nights at the Rex. He is one of these people whose music I highly appreciate'); Aergeworc & Franck Agrario, half of English duo Swayzak David Brown's project, weaves an ethno* mood into Grace's techno. Bringing together different generations, genres, and styles That may not necessarily be Chloé's MO. She invokes a more arbitrary, personal logic: 'I like to mix of-the-moment tracks and more timeless one, but the rule is above all 'do I love this or not'. That was my ethos when I started Lumière Noire.' In that way, the label is definitely in keeping with its time

Since 2010, Buyepongo has led a steadily growing Los Angeles underground movement that combines the vast influence of traditional tropical sounds with the streetwise edges of the Latin American diaspora. Much like their name implies (translation: to cause a ruckus), their hybrid style is focused on the celebration, an infectious, energetic vibe that is universally and rhythmically connected. It'll get your feet moving, and much like many of the records from the golden age of cumbia, these two offerings demonstrate an updated and adapted reverence for the roots that is truly distinct to their own unique place and time.

For the group's latest single, that place, the sprawling Latinx scene east of Los Angeles, met head on with the east coast hot pot of Brooklyn. Recorded and produced in collaboration with Names You Can Trust during the band's serendipitous 2017 trip to NYC, this new release takes two of Buyepongo's most fan-favored and party-tested original songs, two that had yet to be recorded, and combines them with the NYCT forty-five ethos: a stripped-down, warm analog recording that perfectly captures Buye's live, bring-the-ruckus style in the room as it happened. "Por La Vida" romps over the A-side, a modern-day classic in the making whose lyrics (how beautiful is life, always full of surprises...) compliment a sunny, easy-going house party vibe, while "Miri" on the flip evolves from a loping, almost reggae groove into a transcendent journey through Caribbean feel-good sounds.

By now, the story of how Jlin went from working in a steel factory in Gary, Indiana to being one of the most widely appreciated electronic musicians is well known. 'Black Origami' was one of the most reviewed and lauded albums last year. Seriously prolific and seriously hard-working, she has toured constantly since its May 2017 release and despite being involved in a wide range of projects, still manages to find a balance and 'do some personal healing and growing.'

Here we are over a year later with 'Autobiography,' the score for her collaboration with renowned British choreographer Wayne McGregor arranged by Unsound. This isn't technically her third album (that's due to arrive in 2019 or 2020), but the soundtrack stands up on its own with all the emotional peaks and troughs of a well-sequenced longplayer.

For Jlin, making music for dance is the fulfillment of one of her lifelong dreams - and remarkably, Company Wayne McGregor's performance was the first show she'd ever seen. She describes the process of working with Wayne: 'We first met face to face in October 2016 in a downtown Chicago hotel, talking for about a solid two hours. Immediately, I saw Wayne was very friendly and energetic. He's brilliant, witty, and knows exactly what he wants; an absolute gem to work with. Before I even started composing for Autobiography, Wayne told me so gently that he trusts me completely with my direction of creating the score. That was the best feeling in the world. I would wake up at two in the morning and work until six in the evening until I completed all the pieces. We were both very happy with the outcome. Creating the score for an impeccable piece of work such as Autobiography changed my life as an artist.'

'Autobiography' is a highlight in an evolving and growing career. During the last year, Jlin has also become an in-demand remixer, securing her place among a roster of music heavyweights. Unsurprisingly, given her positive and outgoing nature, she also developed friendships with the artists she has remixed such as Björk, Max Richter and Ben Frost.

Jlin will be touring with Company Wayne McGregor performing 'Autobiography' this year in addition to completing a commission for the Kronos Quartet titled 'Little Black Book.' She still approaches every performance 'with the same attitude of doing my best to execute a good show, no more, no less. Doing my best is what's most important to me.' She also still lives in Gary, Indiana, which keeps her grounded. She notes with her typical humility, 'The local community is a little more knowledgeable of me now. But I don't mind my community taking its time.'

'Me Me Me is two... and in keeping with the name it seemed that I had no choice but to put out what is only my second ever release on my own label since launching with the debut release 'Tachyon' back in 2016.
(It's also the labels 13th release too. Spooooooky)

So here it is, a double A Side...
Side A is 'Valhalla' which attempts to be as majestic as the name suggests.
Side AA has 'Fidelity", which is me channelling big room house as much as I can, while trying to keep ahold of whatever heart strings I can tug on.
I'll let you judge if I've achieved what I'd set to do with either.

Past those brief descriptions, I still find talking about music to be mildly redundant when you can most likely listen while you're reading this, so instead I'd like to use this sales blurb to issue a massive heartfelt thanks to everybody who has supported the label in the last 2 years, as well as every artists who has trusted us with their music.

Big love to, Dj Tennis, Last Waltz, Red Axes, James Hadfield & Danny Linton, Axel Boman, Bird of Paradise, Pale Blue, Pional, Frank Butters / Cult of Glamour, Andrew Weatherall, Ess O Ess, Desert Sound Colony, Elliot Adamson, Rex The Dog, Forriner, Shit Robot, Raj Pannu, Cosmin TRG, Edmondson, Dauwd, ASOK, Vyvyvan, Paul Woolford, Christophe, Ian Blevins, Dharma, Jana, Pink Skull, Medlar, Ben Caldwell, Dos Attack, Force Majeure, Club Tularosa, Juan Maclean and AWOL!'

Man Power - Summer 2018

Tommy Rawson releases are sporadic but always high quality. As a former member of the Souled duo who ran the excellent Fresh Minute label - he's been around the more tropical end of UK house and broken beat for many years and this, his first full release for Bergerac ushers forth a new level in his sound. This whole record is a masterclass in post bruk, forward thinking, shining, bright UK dance music. Unmatched in emotion and vibes. Deep Blue is quite simply the sound of the summer. Sun drenched, euphoric and soaring. Broken but not broken, 4/4 but not quite housey. Jazzy, soulful....yeah.... It was the highlight of Red Rack'ems Olive Grove closing set at Love International last year when it provided the most halcyon of moments. Live trumpet from Vicky Flint and a whole bag of vibes from Tommy Rawson. This is a classic. Trust. Past Tense is a super tropical African tinged house stomper which shows Tommys love of sunshine vibes once more with acres of space, insistent chants, dubby pianos and a tinge of Jungle roller bass.
The final track Into The Future takes us into almost Blade Runner-esque orchestral emotion but with a kind of Balearic feel tucked in there too. Beautiful, lilting, emotional memories. You can feel so much love in this track.Such a special record. Buy it. Love it. Treasure it.

'Garage bands suddenly obtain cult status and become the antithesis of their initial appeal'

Garage Class were a group of reluctant outliers who produced one of the finest contributions to the wave of UK DIY music that emerged during the late 70s and early to mid-80s.

Hailing from Alsager in North West England and comprised of Tim Shutt (vocals) Phil Murphy (lead guitar) Clive Williams (guitar) Lynne Sanders (bass) and Phil Bourne (drums / bass on studio recordings) Garage Class originally went by the name of The Pits before their then manager Steve Hurt imposed an alias which, though unpopular within their ranks, would nevertheless reflect the shambolic art they would eventually capture on their first and only single.

As The Pits the group offered a loutish inflection on glam-punk flamboyance, evoking Johnny Thunder hitting the north and remaining disowned yet undeterred in a dreary old boozer. But as Garage Class the group distilled a roughcast and homespun primitivism that felt quintessentially their own. In this they proved too unruly to be assimilated into any wider scene. Early gigs descended into acrimony and recognition proved elusive. Yet what they managed to make back then now sounds like an extraordinary article of underdog ambition.

Released in 1984, four years after it was originally recorded, the Terminal Tokyo single is an unlikely triumph of exceptional messthetic punk. Though raw and unpolished the songs here are precariously pop-minded and indisputably anthemic. The titular A-side reveals the dry and detached drawl of Shutt aka The Subliminal Kid, a sharp, jaded and poetic voice that has some of the most iconic lines never heard in punk. Accompanied by second-hand guitars, on-the-fly handclaps and a chorus like a terrace chant this is the cult hit that never was, a heroically artless masterpiece that has all the ragged character and misfit euphoria of Swell Maps and The Buzzcocks if they were more impulsive and boisterous, and left to their own devices in the remote margins of a Cheshire town. The original B-side is here substituted for I Got Standards, a track that, until now, has somehow remained unreleased. An ideal twin to Terminal Tokyo there's the same brusque and dog-eared quality to the band's delivery, as well as the same upfront emphasis on strong hooks and insistent momentum. Yet again, Shutt is on impeccable form, perfecting an inflated, adolescent antagonism that has all the sardonic, malcontented charm of similarly 'shirty' buggers like Dan Treacy (Television Personalities), Patrik Fitzgerald and Mark Perry (Alternative TV).

Although never accepted in their own time both tracks represent a brief but inspired moment of fervent imperfection, one that epitomized the best of a diffuse and autonomous underground movement spearheaded by The Desperate Bicycles and built upon by the likes of Amos & Sara, The Homosexuals, The Cleaners From Venus and Family Fodder. Like them Garage Class were situated at a point where punk, art, humour and a sense of stubborn independence all intersected.

In the years since Terminal Tokyo has accumulated a retrospective appeal among certain trusted circles, with Jon Dale celebrating the single in his exhaustive and essential Story of UK DIY for Fact Magazine, and original copies regularly changing hands for a foolish forty quid or so. With this inaugural release on the Outer Reaches label Terminal Tokyo is not only restored for the very first time but given a worthy expansion courtesy of JD Twitch (Optimo).

Continuing his own fascination with the fringe history of UK DIY - documented on his own outstanding compilation Cease & Desist: DIY! (Cult Classics From The Post Punk Era 1978-1982) and in his re-edits of Crass Records classics for an early release on RVNG INTL - Twitch reinterprets I Got Standards as an incisive, dubwise outing that pictures Jaki Liebezeit and Muslimgauze on a bender in England's provinces, tasked with remixing the raw product of local punks. A new slant on Garage Class' crude magnificence, built to play loud on contemporary soundsystems.

Although the latter part of 1980 spelled the end for Garage Class with members moving on to other projects (Bourne fell in with The Colours Out of Time, Murphy went on to front The Regular Guys and Shutt eventually left to form Happy Refugees) this reissue attempts to give their fleeting time together and the unique single statement they made the treatment it deserves. If this means Garage Class have obtained cult status, their initial appeal remains. Just listen for yourself.

Tired of reading the words 'classic', 'masterpiece', 'missing link', 'cult', in every press release Just trust us on this one: We have no choice but to use those words and urge you to(re)discover one of the ultimate Afro-Disco lost classics.
How could such a masterpiece stay in obscurity for so long Well, no one knows where N'Draman is. He's presumed dead, and so is Mr Patrick, the label owner, an ex-football player
who turned his focus into fashion after suffering a career ending injury. Selling jeans from an outlet in Monrovia (Liberia), he only ventured in the music business for a short period of time,
releasing a handful of incredible albums on his Cosmic Sounds imprint. The word on the street was that Nigerian legend William Onyeabor was somehow involved with the production of the album, or maybe playing synths on it. Both were inaccurate, although N'Draman Blintch's previous and first record Cikamele, was indeed recorded at Willfilms, Onyeabor's studio. And some of the musicians playing here were also key members in his pool
of session musicians. Cosmic Sounds is many things: Psychedelic, politically engaged, funky to death, full of synths,
with an artwork to die for, a perfect crossover of African and Western culture: Music for the body and soul, Cosmic disco before the genre even existed. Did DJ Danielle Baldelli hear it
Was it ever played by Larry Levan or Mancuso In a pre-internet era, it's unlikely but not impossible. We are extremely honored in carrying the reissue of this gem and have treated the task with
utmost respect: both artwork and audio were restored by specialists, and liner notes were written by Temitope Kogbe, Afro-Funk expert who runs the Odion Livingston label, founded
with legendary producer Odion Iruoje. 38 years after its original release, the world is finally ready to hear Cosmic Sounds in all its glory.

'A love project' from the heart and mind of UK broken beat stalwart and iconic keyboard maestro Kaidi Tatham, alongside an outstanding group of Danish musicians led by percussionist Peter Stenbæk.

12 Senses debuts with the Movement EP, a record drawing on jazz-funk, broken beat and disco, laced with the distinctive melodic progressions and boogie touches Kaidi Tatham is known for. Recorded over an intensely productive three-day session, which produced 20 plus songs, this EP is a first taste of what's to come from this creative gathering.

With recent records on First Word, Sound Signature and 2000Black, plus a brand new solo album 'It's A World Before You' it appears there is no letup in Kaidi Tatham's prolific output spanning a 2 decade long career, that has seen him work with artists such as Bugz In The Attic, 4Hero, Slum Village, Jazzy Jeff & Will Smith, Amy Winehouse, Leroy Burgess, Moonchild, Soull II Soul, Amp Fiddler, Mr Scruff and Dego, to name but a few.
Touch starts with the heavily syncopated rhythms of drummer Anders Meinhardt, accompanied by a bed of airy Rhodes, synths and guitar on top of a ruthless, disco-tinged bassline. Life evolves on a spiritual and hypnotic tip with a driving lick that just keeps on building, sprinkled with beautiful intertwining organ, piano and synth solos by Kaidi and pianist Poul Reimann. Movement slows the mood to a soul-tinged stepper with soothing choir and deft touches from the trumpet of Rasmus Juel. Kaidi changes up the pace on his remix with a smooth boom bap vibe before hitting the halfway point and switching up to his signature, breakneck latin bruk funk.12 Senses evolved from yearly marathon concerts at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival, arranged by percussionist Peter Stenbæk, who simply e-met Kaidi Tatham and insisted on him coming to Denmark to share the festival stage. Over the course of five years the friendship and musicianship between the two has gone from strength to strength, reinforced by the skilled musicians around them; drummer Anders Meinhardt, guitarist David Rosenkilde, bassist Andreas Hatholt, trumpeter Rasmus Juel and pianist Poul Reimann. The record was brought to life by Morten Trust (aka. Soulmagic), who kindly contributed his heart, studio and mixing skills to Movement.

Over the last several years, the Zappa Family Trust and UMC have lovingly been restoring Frank Zappa's iconic catalog together by reissuing his classic albums on CD and pressing long-out-of-print records back on vinyl. Next up in the ongoing vinyl initiative, coming on the heels of the reissue of his enigmatic Burnt Weeny Sandwich, is Zappa's 1970 stylistically diverse and subversive album, Chunga's Revenge, which will receive a 180-gram audiophile repressing on black vinyl on July 20. Supervised by the ZFT, the record, which has been unavailable on vinyl for more than three decades, will be press pressed at Pallas In Germany and feature reproductions of the original artwork. Chunga's Revenge, although released under Frank Zappa's own name, introduced a new Mothers lineup that included former Turtles members Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman, aka Flo and Eddie, as well as keyboardist George Duke, drummer Aynsley Dunbar and multi-instrumentalist Ian Underwood. The album is one of Zappa's most eclectic efforts, encompassing the improvisational title track, the raucous guitar jam "Transylvania Boogie," the bluesy "Road Ladies" and the jazzy "Twenty Small Cigars," along with more conventional rock numbers like "Tell Me You Love Me," "Would You Go All the Way" and "Sharleena."

For this EP, Jófríður Ákadóttir has re-recorded some of the finest songs from her bands and solo-projects (JFDR, Samaris, Pascal Pinon) with new string arrangements. These versions have a simple, inherent beauty that is juxtaposed with their seething, stark intensity.

To replace the original arrangements with strings was originally planned as a one-off event: When preparing a Pascal Pinon performance in Portugal, Jófríður asked NYC-based composer Ian Davis to help her re-arrange four tracks. After the show Jófríður realized that the material deserved to be captured.

The featured songs were chosen from the repertoire of JFDR (her solo project) and Pascal Pinon (the duo she forms with her sister Ásthildur). There were no objective selection criteria: - I chose the songs that called for strings, songs that I was interested in continuing their story', Jófríður says. - Making this EP was meant to cast new light onto old bodies, to explore what is song and what is arrangement'. Indeed, the arrangements establish a fresh perspective on the selected songs (except for - My Work' - as the track will appear on a forthcoming JFDR album). Being freed from genre, these versions also expose JFDR's voice and its dynamics— the absence of beats gives her vocal performance new possibilities.

The EP was recorded live in a studio in Reykjavík, where Jófríður was joined by producer Albert Finnbogason, her sister Ásthildur (additional vocals and piano) and a string quintet. Ian Davis also made it to the recording sessions and brought two new transcriptions: - I wanted to have moments of clear simplicity juxtaposed with more dense, experimental passages. Sometimes the strings are just holding root notes and simple chords and other times they open up into more contrapuntal and textural moments', Ian explains. As a result, you'll find both moments of modest beauty as well as intensely seething passages. Even if Jófríður's voice clearly is the main attraction here, this EP - as she emphazises herself - is a collective work of those involved: - Trusting your collaborators is the truest gift'.

You'd Think That Following "melodies Of Love" Would Be An Impossible Task. Not So, If You Happen To Be Genius Brit-funk Pioneers John Rocca And Andy Stennett. On Their More Understated - Yet, Pound For Pound, Stronger - Second Record, Pink Rhythm Stretched Out To Create A 4 Track Ep Of Richly Melodic, Exquisite Beauty. In The Process, They Trumped Their Most Well-known Release.

Cruising On A Funk-fuelled Journey From The Swaggering Title Track, Via The Blue-eyed Soul Of "trust Me", To The Stabbing Staccato Synth Heat Of "more And More" And Back Again ("india" Dub) This Ep Has Essential Seared Onto Its Substantial Grooves.

Producer Okzharp and vocalist-artist-dancer Manthe Ribane both hail from South Africa, where Manthe still resides, while Okzharp lives in the London where he is a DJ and producer, initially cutting his teeth in LV, who in 2007 were one of the very first acts signed to Hyperdub. Manthe has been at the forefront of South Africa's cutting edge fashion, art and dance worlds for over a decade. After leaving LV, Okzharp and Manthe started collaborating, going on to release two well-received EPs on Hyperdub, 'Dumella 113' and 'Tell Your Vision', recorded in Joburg and London respectively. The recording of 'Closer Apart' reflects the title. Okzharp says 'Most of the music came out of headphone moments in hotel rooms, planes and airports in the brief periods of time that we spent together.' Describing Manthe as a co -producer, he continues 'She selected instrumental sketches and we developed them together, sometimes just keeping the bare bones or a melody or rhythm, or trying different elements or sounds.' Even though the album was built long distance, the short periods they spent together were the ground zero for creativity. Okzharp recalls 'One particular moment in Milan last year, we had a whole free day before our flight so we visited the Salone di Mobile design show. We were so inspired by an installation there just walking around, listening to the amazing soundtrack. That evening our flight was delayed, so we sat on the floor of the airport terminal putting musical ideas down for 'Time Machine' on the laptop speakers and writing the lyrics. "Tic Toc time, we'll be fine / Airport queues, cerulean blues / Viper trails cross the skies / Lights reflect in your eyes...' ' 'Closer Apart' has a softness and openness that contrasts the tougher sound of the EPs. Manthe explains, 'The new music is a 360 turn, an expression of my 'Lady' side. I grew up listening to Jazz, Classic and Gospel, I am a very soft spoken person, and it resonates with being confident with that. It's been crazy finding balance and finding a smart way to strengthen my weaknesses, I had to trust the process.'

As The Title Suggests, Joakim Recorded This New Album Last Year At Studio Venezia, The Installation/sculptural Ensemble/recording Studio Created By Xavier Veilhan For The Prestigious 2017 Venice Art Biennale. Built Inside The French Pavilion & Inspired By The Grotto-like Merzbau By Kurt Schwitters, Studio Venezia Had Dozens Of Artists Create And Record There Over The 6 Months Of The Biennale (from Chassol To Brian Eno, From Joakim To Sebastien Tellier), Invited By Xavier Veilhan Himself With The Help Of Co-curator Christian Marclay.

With An Impressive Collection Of Rare Instruments From Medieval Horns To Rare Modular Synths (baschet Crystals And Percussions, A Buchla, A Clavinet...), Studio Venezia Was An Amazing Creative Playground For The Adventurous Musician. Those Instruments Were Captured By A Team Of Sound Engineers In The Best Possible Way Thanks To Nigel Godrich's (beck, Radiohead...) Mobile Studio Loaded With State Of The Art Vintage Recording Gear.

Before Going There In May 2017, Joakim Examined The Instrument List And The Specific Context Of A Studio Open To The Public Within An International Contemporary Art Exhibition To Anticipate His Creative Process. Instead Of Drafting Compositions And Demos Ahead Of The Recording Session, He Decided To Have An in-situ' Approach By Creating A System Involving The Visitors Of The Studio In The Composition Phase. Joakim Asked Random Visitors Of The Pavilion To Pick A Word, A Letter (between A And G), Tap A Tempo And Sometimes Choose The Instruments That He Would Play For Each Piece. The Word Was Translated Into A Chord Using A Transcription Table Joakim Invented. Hence The Song Titles Made Of The Given Word Plus The Name And Origin Of The Contributor. The Music Was Then Mostly Improvised, Based On Those Chords, Scales And Tempi. The Recordings Were Then Taken Back To New York Where Joakim Made Some Light Editing And Mixed The Pieces.

In Terms Of Influences, Joakim Tried To Channel The Spirit Of Proto-ambient German Heroes Cluster, 60s And 70s Modal Jazz, Japanese Evocative Minimalism And Drone Composers' Hypnotic Transcendence.

One Can Hear The Studio Through These Recordings, Which Was The Point, To Use The Studio As An Instrument, Like The Kraut Rock Pioneers Did. You May Hear The Floor Cracking, People Talking Or Coughing, And The Peculiar Quality Of Music Recorded In A Large Space With Its Acoustic Properties, A Rare Occurrence When Everyone Is Now Working From Small Home Studios And Major Large Studios Are Closing Down. This Album Also Marks A Return For Joakim To His Musical Education As A Classically Trained Pianist As You Can Hear Him Improvise On The Piano ( arms', air', dream'), Fender Rhodes ( trust') Or Harpsichord ( absense').

Following The Release Of The Studio Venezia Sessions, Joakim Will Create A Live Performance Based On His Experience In Venice. The Premiere Of This New Solo Performance Is Commissioned By The Villa Medicis In Rome For Their Villa Aperta Festival Early June. More Shows Will Follow.

Winter thaw marks the return to Furanum of Uncto, the Silesian dyad Domink Muller and Rafal Furst, with their first full release of collaborative material since 2013's seminal FU009. Like its predecessor, Unctuous offers four cuts of viscerally engineered and rhythmically exacting dystopias, each ably situated within a striking 'synth-etic' narrative. It is this latter aspect of each arrangement that perhaps most noticeably demonstrates the pair's singular and evolving approach to composition, born out in the calculated emphasis on hardware-based expressionism.

The opening title track stands as a testament to the above: while deceptively sparse at the outset, its ponderous advance, both heavyset and indomitable as it gathers pace, is framed in the midst of an unfolding panorama of stark analog wails. Further interspersed with resonant timbres more akin to the vocalizations of some hell-beast luring its prey, the eponymous behemoth ingratiates its listener, beckoning submission to its will with the promise of exhilaratory assimilation. Such a hive-mind state attained, exhilaration does follow, yet so does a concomitant loss of agency, leaving one thoroughly subjugated and enslaved to its cadence. Perhaps as a manifestation of dramatic resistance to such a fate, 'Trust No One' daringly defies the impositions of its predecessor. Instead, it animates and emboldens the beholder through its rhythm, ineluctably driven by a sense of accelerating linear intensity. Thus arriving at a climactic percussive build whose isochronal blows shatter any remnants of doubt, angst transforms into raw conviction as one is propelled into a delirious realm of solipsistic certitude.

Situated amidst the foreboding sound of blade clashing with blade, 'Cold Knife', on the other hand, is driven by an entirely disparate off-beat progression. As its anticipatory rhythmic thrusts cut through an advancing fog of shivering drones with frigid precision, one seemingly undergoes a cyclical plunge into a state not unlike one marked by the visceral dopaminergic rush of contact with extreme cold. Finally, 'Metzgers Tochter' ('Butcher's Daughter') closes the EP with a ruthless exploration of the contrast between the gruesome and the feminine. In a similar way to the opener, the track's meter is staggered and undulating, yet also steadily punctuated with breathing room between its crushing blasts. Such scenery thus serves as a canvas for the expression of the titular character's 'beauty and the beast': a paradoxical synthesis of attraction and aural brutality, held in tension by the unceasing throbbing of the composition's beats.

Mastered & cut by CGB at Berlin's Dubplates & Mastering,

Part 2 Of Out Licenced Infinity 45 Releases, Another Disco Funk Crossover Dancer Thats Pretty Under The Radar, The Track For Me Is The Floaty Disco B Side End Of Nighter, Trust Me This One Works.

Max Loderbauer, who has so far made consistently engaging contributions to the Arjunamusic family, is back to lend his unique interpretive skills to the master recordings for the Brightbird album by João Paulo Esteves da Silva, Mário Franco and Samuel Rohrer. Loderbauer has set himself up for a chal- lenge, since the original album's completely improvised flow of small-ensemble, conversational jazz feels complete enough without outside intervention. However, Loderbauer's role as electronics operator in the similarly attuned Ambiq trio has already shown that, through his mastery of tone color, he has a talent for teasing out the additional hidden details within an apparently 'complete' sonic environment. It's a task he mana- ges to accomplish without ever overriding or contradicting the cohesive message provided by his collaborators.

Adding to the challenge here, Loderbauer chooses to re- mix using only sounds from the original recordings. By doing so, it might seem he is willfully denying himself the chance to use his own signature tools and turn Brightbird's source materi- al into stunningly new electro-acoustic hybrid blooms. Yet Loderbauer succeeds here by becoming something more like a translator than an augmenter - he finds a way to make mea- ningful syntactical changes to the trio's rich and versatile vo- cabulary, and once again unveils a verdant world of hidden details in the process.

The A-side 'Trusting Heart/Cosmos' has an anxious tone introduced by a set of Doppler-effected piano notes that seem to melt in the sun, and is soon complemented by a va- riegated, chattering rhythm line. Here Loderbauer builds up a tactile tension between rhythmic certainty and sharp-angled, de-tuned, and occasionally scrambled instrumentation, framing a disorienting (yet engaging) virtual space where ob- jects' bright hues rapidly change as they contract and expand along multiple dimensions. For the b-side 'Noontide', Lo- derbauer switches to a more focused and streamlined idiom with an uncanny ease, riding along steady waves of sequencer patterning and silvery, resonant shiverings. Reverberating, ho- lographic piano again provides the tonal center here, and the notes ring with a forward-thinking optimism not far removed from classics of the 'Krautrock' era.

Current supporters of all the artists involved will find this to be an invigorating synopsis of their work to date, while newcomers will be treated to a soundworld where skillful fu- sion (the act itself, rather than the music genre with the same name) is constantly on display.

A near-perfect record, White Magic was the lauded CD-only debut album by Sorcerer (Californian native Dan Judd, one half of Windsurf with Hatchback). Just in time for Spring/Summer, we present the first ever vinyl issue, released as a deluxe double LP.

Back in summer 2007, this majestic set gently nestled itself into the Balearic soundtrack-to-summer slot for many, making him a household name for Cosmic Disco heads alongside the likes of Lindstrom, Metro Area, Todd Terje, Mudd, Studio and Quiet Village. In the intervening years, exceptional producers have created vibrant variations on the dreamy, dubby, melodic nu-disco theme. Happily, the emergence of such luminaries as Jex Opolis, Harvey Sutherland, Suzanne Kraft, Tornado Wallace et al has only served to make the master - Sorcerer - sound ever more brilliant and vital.

Utilising his array of guitars, drum machines, synths, and trusty MPC, the loved-up Sorcerer sound inspires halcyon memories of warm days, endless sunsets and pure youthful abandon. Influenced by surf, 80s dance pop, acid-R&B, space jazz, krautrock, disco, dub, and am radio gold, his music maps a tour through a uniquely Californian lifestyle. Yet when music so vividly captures a vibe and a feeling, it can make writing about it appear almost redundant. Instead, to glean the full colour of what your turntable will soon gratefully radiate, we prescribe the generous soundclips presented here.

And, for a unique insight into the process behind the wonderful sounds conjured up, here's Sorcerer himself:

"White Magic is a reflection of personal freedom and discovery. Having been in bands for years, this was a chance to develop music that stood alone and for me to be in full control.

I was living alone and worked on jams whenever I could. I was highly inspired by a new openness to music as a pure inspiration, not being part of any scene. I tapped into the mixes I was hearing coming out the UK where deejays were playing "cosmic" sounds that were so strangely familiar.

I was picking up all kinds of $1 vinyl and throwing bits of it into my sampler almost randomly to see what would come out.

In my mind, I was making music to be played at my friend's Broker/Dealer Pop nights where they fused golden German techno sounds with the new disco emerging at the time. Also, I took vacations and reconnected with the Pacific Ocean where I spent so much time as a kid: it spilled out into the sounds.

Lastly, I forged a partnership with Hatchback (Sam Grawe) who was working on music in the same way. I learned so much about arrangement and the colors of music. We began recording together as Windsurf and released our own stuff. It all seems like a small glorious moment in time, so I am so excited to keep the legacy alive and I continue to work on my music with these spirits inside of me."

Lovingly remastered by the esteemed Simon Francis, cut reassuringly loud on to heavyweight double vinyl and presented in a deluxe gatefold jacket with freshly commissioned artwork throughout from original designer Rich Robinson, this limited edition of 500 copies is sure to fly.

A continuation of his kaleidoscopic sun-dappled cosmic-disco, Neon Leon was the much-loved CD-only sophomore album by Sorcerer. Just in time for Spring/Summer, we present the first ever vinyl issue, released as a deluxe double LP.

A perfectly formed suite of ten tracks featuring soft guitars, subtle synths and lightly grooving percussion, Neon Leon magically evokes that elusive summer feeling throughout. The guitar-driven "Algorhythm" serves as the album opener, blasting bold, sun-drenched jazz chords atop bright synths and groove-based drum programming. "Ride The Serpent" and "Distort Yourself" are guided by a more sultry, slo-mo disco impulse whilst the staggering "Chemise" and strident "Face It" merge 80s West Coast production sheen with Sorcerer's trademark laid back, gentle disco. "Raydio"'s undeniable head-nod groove adds a rare vocal to the proceedings, joyously combining with the bubbling cosmic funk.

Since its initial release in 2009, exceptional producers have created vibrant variations on the dreamy, dubby, melodic nu-disco theme. Happily, the emergence of such luminaries as Jex Opolis, Harvey Sutherland, Suzanne Kraft, Tornado Wallace et al has only served to make the master - Sorcerer - sound ever more brilliant and vital.

Utilising his array of guitars, drum machines, synths, and trusty MPC, the loved-up Sorcerer sound inspires halcyon memories of warm days, endless sunsets and pure youthful abandon. Influenced by surf, 80s dance pop, acid-R&B, space jazz, krautrock, disco, dub, and am radio gold, his music maps a tour through a uniquely Californian lifestyle. Yet when music so vividly captures a vibe and a feeling, it can make writing about it appear almost redundant. Instead, to glean the full colour of what your turntable will soon gratefully radiate, we prescribe the generous soundclips presented here.

And, for a unique insight into the process behind the wonderful sounds conjured up, here's Sorcerer himself:

"Neon Leon's is the name of a bar in a Elmore Leonard book I was reading on a vacation to Belize with my future wife. I was soaking up his brand of noir during the making of the songs on this record, along with another favorite Ross Macdonald. We were living in a small apartment in the Mission District of San Francisco where i had my own room to jam. It was painted Orange and Turquoise and was a very inspiring place to create and focus. I could walk out of my house to any number of hole in the wall bars where people were deejaying, hanging-out, and knew about me and my music.

After White Magic I developed more confidence in my style and process so I stuck with it and I believe it shows in the tunes I selected for the record. The sounds are rich and I dug deeper into sampling from obscure dollar records and getting looser musically. I made a handful of collage videos for the tracks at this time as well, which represent where my mind was at visually. In my mind it's Cosmic Funk that rules the day and I am thankful to have the opportunity to share it with the world again."

Lovingly remastered by the esteemed Simon Francis, cut reassuringly loud on to heavyweight double vinyl and presented in a deluxe gatefold jacket with freshly commissioned artwork throughout from original designer Rich Robinson, this limited edition of 500 copies is sure to fly.

WHEN YOU'VE FINISHED LOOKING AROUND THE WEBSITE, YOU CAN FIND US ON THESE SOCIAL CHANNELS

Deep space techno electro on TRUST celebrating the label's year XX. /DL/MS/ is the viennese duo behind recent Frustrated Funk outing, 'Omakuda', last year's TRUST29, 'Rogue Intent', as well as one of the most-played electro tracks of 2017 - their remix of Second Storey's 'Attack Of The Modlings'. 'Exit Ghosts' takes the /DL/MS/ sound far into haunted new orbits, trading some of its earthy rumble for more ethereal emanations. stark and sombre bass signals return, but find themselves enveloped in delicately threaded string anomalies, copious amounts of melodic ectoplasm, and spirit-like liquid funk dilutions. Vinyl 12" contains three locked grooves and ships in new TRUST XX color sleeves.

With MEL011, it is Melodies International's immense pleasure to direct their focus towards both Soul and House royalty, selecting and reissuing two of Frankie Knuckles' scarcer remixes of an all-time classic: Womack & Womack - MPB (Missin' Persons Bureau). Now known as Zekkariyas and Zeriiya, partners Cecil and Linda Womack, two eminent members in an extensive lineage of music artistry (i.e. Bobby Womack was Zekkariyas' brother, Zeriiya is Sam Cooke's daughter) engaged in one of music history's most successful and exciting singing and song writing partnerships in the early 1980s. Zeriiya says her process with Zekkariyas flowed like water, their shared complicity and talent led them to write and produce strings of chart topping hits and classic albums as Womack & Womack but also for other renowned artists of the time such as Patti Labelle, Teddy Pendergrass and the O'Jays to only name a few. The original version of Missin' Persons Bureau was first released in 1988 on 'Conscience' (Island Records), a classic album with impeccable instrumentation and thoughtful and relatable narratives that reflect on the nature of life, true friendship, love or in the case of MPB, it's subsequent loss. Following the release of the LP, Island records founder Chris Blackwell introduced the idea of getting Missin' Persons Bureau reworked by House legend Frankie Knuckles and whilst the Womacks weren't originally set on the idea of having their songs remixed by other artists, Blackwell, who Zeriiya describes as a 'record label manager seriously involved in making sure the project is what the creators really want it to be", had earned their trust. With these remixes, Frankie managed to turn a radio hit into underground club classics. The Paradise Ballroom mix conserves the essence of the original, reinterpreting the rhythm section whilst drawing it out over 8 minutes, with expert tension building and release clearly aimed at the dance floor.

Since the release of their critically acclaimed debut album in 2013 on Names You Can Trust, La Mecánica Popular has quietly been contemplating the evolution of the group's sound, philosophy, and overall approach to making music. Band leader Efraín Rozas' experimental nature has continually pushed the boundaries of his own definition of not only Latin American music, but its broader relationship with music's global culture and history. The sound of "psychedelic salsa" that LMP helped capture in their debut was destined for further outside-the-box interpretations, and with the formation of a new quintet lineup over the last few years, LMP began to incorporate a more free, improvised and instrumental-focused performance of Rozas' increasingly radical compositions. The band subsequently took this liberated approach directly into the studio, recording Roza Cruz live, in its entirety. It was a cathartic experience, a necessary methodology for the new album's concept that embraced the intimate performance of its players and did away with standard techniques of isolation and overdubs.

The evolution of the band's sound on Roza Cruz brings forth a blend of styles rarely heard together, a touch reminiscent of electric-era Miles Davis or Eddie Palmieri at his most experimental, as the driving force of timbales and congas provide a bed for a wave of lush, analog amplification that mirrors the dueling leads of fuzz guitar and electric piano. But as far out as those instruments take the listener, the raw rhythm — the clave — always keeps it tethered to the earth and the dance, a cerebral yet visceral gift for the mind and feet.