quête:uni son

Planet Mu are very excited to announce Jlin's long awaited second album Black Origami'. A percussion-led tour de force, it's a creation that seals her reputation as a unique producer with an exceptional ability to make riveting rhythmic music. Black Origami' is driven by a deep creative thirst which she describes as this driving feeling that I wanted to do something different, something that challenged me to my core. Black Origami for me, comes from letting go creatively, creating with no boundaries. The simple definition of origami is the art of folding and constructing paper into a beautiful, yet complex design. Composing music for me is like origami, only I'm replacing paper with sound. I chose to title the album "Black Origami" because like "Dark Energy" I still create from the beauty of darkness and blackness. The willingness to go into the hardest places within myself to create for me means that I can touch the Infinity.' Spirituality and movement are both at the core of Black Origami', inspired largely by her ongoing collaborations with Indian dancer/movement artist Avril Stormy Unger whom she met and collaborated with at her debut performance for the Unsound festival - 'There is a fine line between me entertaining a person and my spirituality. Avril, who collaborates with me by means of dance, feels the exact same way. Movement played a great role in Black Origami. The track "Carbon 7" is very inspired by the way Avril moves and dances. Our rhythms are so in sync at times it kind of scares us. When there is something I can't quite figure out when it comes to my production, it's like she senses it. Her response to me is always "You'll figure it out". Once I figure it out it's like time and space no longer exist.' Similar time shifting/folding/disrupting effects can be heard throughout the record - especially on Holy Child' an unlikely collaboration with minimalist legend William Basinski. She also collaborates again with Holly Herndon on 1%', while Halcyon Veil producer Fawkes' voice is on Calcination and Cape Town rapper Dope Saint Jude provides vocals for Never Created, Never Destroyed . Jlin will be touring extensively this year and is currently lining up appearances including Sonar festival. Later this year she will be collaborating in London with acclaimed UK choreographer Wayne McGregor who played her music recently on Radio 4's Desert Island Discs and described her music as quite rare and so exciting".

One of the core members of the Apollonia family is the mastermind behind the label's latest release. Shonky steps up with his first solo EP since 'Plombiére' which dropped in July 2016. Full of funky flavours and that distinct 'Shonky style', the new EP consists of four brand new tracks produced exclusively for Apollonia. Each track emanates its own unique vibe, while reppin' Shonk's irresistible groove. On side A we have 'Tyrolien', a jaunty number with bright tones and a tight, rolling groove. Shonky injects it with a series of unusual FX and what sounds like an wizened old creature, speaking about 'the foulest stench in the air'. It's a superb combination and sets the EP off to a great start.Next up is 'Beat Street' which has a heavier set of beats, which stomp down as a marauding b-line gets to work. Tiny fizzes and cheeps in the background add depth, sounding like robotic birds at play in the wild. The track is minimal in its make up, but deep and engrossing, classic Shonky material.Flip the vinyl over and we have 'Torro Rosso', a bold, stomping workout with fresh percussion and a jovial analogue riff. As the bubbly low end percolates way down below, the beats pump the track along and an extra layer of analogue funk enters the fray midway through. The final track is titled 'Serpent a` Sonnette' and swithes the vibe. It's loose, meandering and twisted, with a hypnotic bassline and super sharp percussion. This one is going to get the dance floor locked into a groove, as it progresses a sweet, chirpy melody brightens the mood. Feel the glow!Once again Shonky demonstrates his ability to produce groovy dance floor cuts that have their own unique fingerprint; danceable, unusual and utterly captivating. Grab the new EP now!

Until he was about 20, Texas-born Melvin Sparks was a rhythm & blues guitarist, backing Jackie Wilson, Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye as a member of The Upsetters. But Sparks gave up his seat on The Upsetters' bus in New York City, where a chance introduction to George Benson led him to a place in soul jazz history. Melvin played and recorded with Lou Donaldson, Leon Spencer, Bernard Purdie, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Idris Muhammad, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Charles Earland, Grover Washington Jr., Reuben Wilson and so many more. Even during the quietest years of soul-jazz Melvin stayed relevant through hip-hop and r&b, a quick search at WhoSampled turns up more than 150 samples of his funky chicken scratch. And Melvin's legacy is heard in contemporary soul/funk bands like The New Mastersounds, Soulive and The Greyboy Allstars, all of whom he also guested with several times before his early departure from this realm in 2011.

This release documents Melvin's final band just months before his death. Organist Beau Sasser and drummer Bill Carbone had been working with Sparks for several years, and, despite the power dynamic - they were in their early 30s, Melvin an elder-statesmen of the genre - the unit was sharp, relaxed and performed Melvin's music with a jovial spirit. The trio played the Burlington, VT club Nectar's regularly, but this night featured two "onlys." Per the recommendation of Nectar's agent they used the "Grippo Horns," the only time Sparks used a horn section in the last several years of his life, and they allowed a multitrack recording of the show. Both were strong decisions.

The tracks on this album, lovingly mixed by guitarist, producer and Melvin Sparks fan Eddie Roberts, demonstrate that Melvin played as well in the final months of his life as at any time. Sparks counts "Whip! Whop!" off at what he said The Upsetters called a "showtime tempo," and peppers it, as well as most of the album, with quotes from jazz standards, pop songs and cartoon themes, all woven effortlessly into the bebop-funk dialect he helped create. He unfolds amiable melodies, patiently and methodically, through his several-minute lead on "Breezin'." And Sparks is audibly uplifted by the Grippo Horns helping him perform his 1973 arrangement of "Ain't No Woman" for the first time in decades.

Tiago's INTERZONA 13 label returns with a sample free excursion into deep space STASERA is a solo project from Gala Drop's drummer, a naturally percussive quest into throbbing bass led, synth punctuated groovers and immersive trance-dancers, reminiscent of the recent output on Early Sounds etc
Easily matching the unique sonic palette of this cult imprint perfectly, as a versatile, forward-thinking duo of cosmic jams !

2LP in gatefold with liner notes. 180gr vinyl. Download code included. A new, twenty-track compilation focussing on a twenty-year period (1950-1970) of modern jazz in the little kingdom, featuring the leading players from that era.

Due to the absence of its main players during the heydays of modern jazz, Belgium will not be remembered for a unique jazz sound or an extensive discography. However, the little country produced a number of highly talented musicians who played lead roles on the international jazz scene.
'Let's Get Swinging: Modern Jazz in Belgium 1950-1970' retraces their steps and presents some of their finest works, including guitarist Philip Catherine, saxophonist Jack Sels, multi-instrumentalist Jacques Pelzer and vibraphone player, percussionist and vocalist 'Fats' Sadi Lallemand.^

RELEASE

'The Practice of Pseudoscience', a three track EP by M Parent, is the second vinyl release from the US based label Chem Club Records. Having been inspired by peripheral thoughts about pseudosciences, this EP is washed in steady emotional build ups using airy reverb, scattering percussion, throbbing stabs and solid kicks. The title track (A1) uses these elements to move towards a piercing synth peak while 'Cycle of Intellect' (A2) spaces out these features as it creeps to a dubby impactful end. The B side 'Temazcal Rites' was directly motivated by a scorching summer day when the intensity of the sun sparked an idea for a sizzling percussive experiment. What we're left with is a funky but emotive soundscape that tops off the EP in a unique fashion.


ARTIST

M Parent, the artist behind Chem Club's second vinyl release entitled 'The Practice of Pseudoscience', is a Brooklyn based animator who uses his background in this story-driven medium to further express himself musically. His storyline approach to producing makes for an attentive listening experience full of arcs and plot twists that still maintains it's focus on the dancefloor. Using hardware exclusively, M Parent's aim is to produce emotive tracks that exist somewhere between a continuously evolving song and a fully functional track. M Parent DJs regularly at Bossa Nova Civic Club in Brooklyn and has a monthly residency at Jupiter Disco called Modal Form with fellow Blankstairs artist, Nathaniel Young.

Superfreq kicks off the New Year with Stand Up, the first single of three from Mr.C's forthcoming album Incidents. How Mr.C has found time to present an acid masterclass while touring the world, throwing events & running a label is testament to his passion. Stand Up is a politically motivated rebellious song that takes issue with the way nightclubs the world over have been closed down due to the financial greed of property developers at the expense of our beloved dance music community. This track is a call for the dance music community to stand up & unite against the continued aggressive affront on electronic dance music culture.
From Mr.C's electro, ska & acid inspired radio mix, to his Club Dub, to Jay Haze's slow acid house, to Tripwire's modern take on acid, to Omid 16B's retro acid house, the single really does show why acid house is back with a vengeance with Superfreq leading the field.

Although this wasn't directed by but Sergio Leone, but by the less known Giulio Petroni, "Tepepa" is one of the best films in the spaghetti western genre, thanks to a perfect synopsis - even if as set in the 'abused' Mexican Revolution of the early '900 - to a trio of exceptional actors and, finally, to Ennio Morricone's soundtrack. The protagonists are in fact the immovable doctor John Steiner, the histrionic revolutionary Tomas Milian and the massive Colonel Orson Welles, a unique and practically unrepeatable combination, however directed in a 'leone-ish' way by Petroni, who often focuses on large panoramas and close-ups on the character's faces. As always, Morricone means quality: for "Tepepa" the Maestro creates a memorable soundtrack, dominated by strings and, curiously, by the acoustic guitar! Reissued several times on CD, this album has awaited for a vinyl reprint for 35 long years! When the film was premiered in the theatres (1969) just a the single 45rpm "Viva la Revolucion / In Mexico I would like" had been released, both songs are of course included here, the second of which is sung by Christy (stage name of Mary Cristina Brancucci) in a very felt and compelling way.

Breakbeat Paradise Recordings has teamed up with The Chosen Few Records to proudly presents the latest escapade of TURNTILL & MERLIN: "BREAK A DAY". This tune is dedicated to all the b-boys and other funkateers worldwide that love the drumsound and the funk. The MCs on the song are DOPPIA ERRE from Apulia, Italy and SKY 189 from Capetown, South Africa.

Both are true Hip Hop heads that love the art of breaking! In the hook you hear the sweet, catchy voices of Stella Baraldo and Dominique Bouvier. A real powerful b-boy anthem and club joint alike, which is interpreted in five additional versions on a six track 12" vinyl release.

Guests on the A-Side are DJ KID STRETCH (Greece), FUNKY BOOGIE BROTHERS (Belarus) who is giving the tune a new flow in the oldskool b-boy direction. On the flip side we have invited some of the very best from the Ghetto-Funk scene to give the tunes an injection of electro vibes and big basslines. For this job we called upon the dream team DUBRA X ARTEO (Latvia) and ghetto funk superstar B-SIDE (United Kingdom) who are always armed to the teeth with big beats and electro basslines. Last but not least we sent for a true veteran and pioneer in the Nu Funk scene QUINCY JOINTZ (Germany) to do his thing on the electro side of this vinyl release.

The funky beats and breaks has once again brought people together from all over the world to collaborate on this big release that not only tips the hat to the b-boy community but also pushes the limit to the new eras of funk music. Something we share the vision for and feel strongly about on both Breakbeat Paradise Recordings and at The Chosen Few Records.

Out for a moment Supra comes back in full swing!
For its return the parisian imprint presents a collab between super talented French producer Onelight and one of the label's dearest and biggest influence, the legendary Egyptian lover.
After TUGGSPEEDMAN, a first release supported by Busy P, Gilb'r and Machinedrum, Onelight continues here his musical path with this SILVER EP.
SILVER is a sophisticated blend of Electro Funk, Break beat and Techno. The song is inspired by his obsession for silver rings and more precisely for their sound, spiritual and magnetic energy. Who else than the Californian legend Egyptian Lover can provide here some hypnotic vocals Indeed the 808's king takes his inspiration from all the symbolic of rings and gems and brings to the song his very unique and charismatic touch.
MAXILLAIRE is going slower but is definitely powerful. It sounds like a 97 BPM Techno music made for a space travel soundtrack with a codeine cup.
Label Boss Luc Supra and Orestt (EVRLST / MB Labworks) team up as SUPRA ALLSTARS and deliver the SILVER DEEP RE RUB that appears to be the perfect bridge between Detroit and L.A. Definitely one for the clubs !

Bartellow has long been associated with the ESP Institute though Tambien, a trio formed alongside Bavarian cohorts Marvin and Valentino, who have released seminal dancefloor material over recent years. With his debut album Panokorama, we are invited into a completely different world of Bartellow's creation—a place where influences become a melting pot of mood, nuance and texture, and where instrumentation is abstracted from a variety of cultures, including those that exist solely within his imagination. Bartellow has found a way to merge Primitivism with Retrofuturism, identifying their point of intersection and reveling in their union across ten songs. While his academic background as a Jazz musician certainly informs both his progressive approach to composition and non-linear production, it is his obsession with electronics and synthesis that shape his current musical climate. The title Panokorama stems from Bartellow's visualization of the album, a surreal landscape with a foreign presence centrally embedded, a 'panorama' punctuated by a 'ko'—although a hybrid word that reads as nonsense, it somehow feels and sounds just right.

Orbis X is a sublabel of Orbis Records and will be mainly focusing on softer yet often usable as DJ material for the broader mass interested in Electronic music. This sublabel is an extension of Orbis Records softer, more melodical and experimental side. Music will be ranging from house, dub, chicago over melodic acid and even breaks. Not any track makes it to this sublabel if it can't stand on its own and stand the test of time!

Aleksander Zekovski might not ring a bell but it should ring a bell within a few months.
We warmly welcome Moda on OrbisX with his very special and pure analog feel to sound.
Unique, funky, very good arrangements and multi-talented. Nothing more, nothing less.
Someone who deserves to be discovered or at least get a bigger audience.

We re taking the leap of faith with Moda, serving him a full EP to experiment.
The Roots EP was born.
The full EP is a mixture of funky beats with some housy touches with, in some phases, gentle and experimental dirty glitches.
Something to add to your collection. This EP can be played in quirky eclectic DJ sets, lounge bars or just at home with a nice glass of red wine.
Background music while having dinner with friends and you want to serve something special This is one of those special EP s!


Something To Talk About is funky, dreamy and sparks that twitchy leg movement when you doubt if you should be dancing or be slightly head banging to that tune.
That kinda track. Serves well with candles, wine and late night talks.

Under Her Skin might take off on a weird bit quirky dirty start, but when that lead kicks in, ... we were sold.
Extremely funky. Be aware: you can t hold yourself from clapping to this song.

On the B-side, "Winter Tale" counts as the second A track on the EP. Deep! Gentle and yet so snappy in it's own dirty way.
We fell in love from the first note, or should we say that filthy deep baseline, those dirty well mixed-in toms and snappy rude claps!

"Running Man". Well... if you like dreamy catchy house. This is for you.
A nice extra track, making this EP a brilliant pressing.

We can't emphasize the talent Alexander has.
We hope he gets more attention with this EP.
Full support for you Alex.

- mau

Shelter is one Alan Briand, a young Parisian producer with a strong melodic centre producing a sound that pulls on the Zouk, the Afro, the Balearic and the Ambient palette. Zon Zon Zon is only his fifth release and his first mini album, following the series on International Feel that has brought us material from Len Leise, Wolf Muller and CFCF.

International Feel first met Shelter on a trip to Paris a few years back. It sounds like a story from a Nick Hornby novel, but there's a record shop in Paris called L'International Records, run by a guy called Dave who has a group of young French DJs, producers and promoters that visit the store, hang out and buy and listen to music - a story no doubt currently being repeated throughout the world as new generations immerse themselves in the culture. Shelter is a producer who has sucked up all that he has been hearing around him for a number of years and is now producing a quality sound, pulling on the exotic.

The seven tracks on this mini-album are taken from an extensive pool of Shelter's melodic magic. Some people lead on the beats, some on the production, but Alan focuses on the melody, with the beat closely tied in as support. Señor Zalla starts the album with an afro vibe, closely followed by the Zouk-style of Zon Zon Zon and Port-au-Cœur's mellow Balearic tones, as Shelter twists nature's sounds into his own sonic world. Bucolica, an upbeat wonder of a track, turns to the ambient mantra of Courant Rouge and it's distant cousin Courant Bleu, a classic rhythmic balearic piece with syncopated melody and delayed drums. La Volière (the French can make even bird cage sound beautiful) brings the album to a close with a smile in the mind's eye.


Zon Zon Zon is universal. It could easily have been created in Ibiza or Canada, Australia or Africa. It was in fact recorded at Paris 11, where Shelter forged beauty through the sounds of nature and uncovers a wisdom in its simplicity. We can expect good things from Alan. Here's the first chapter.

'This is a journey into sound...,' These familiar words, accompanied by the rumble of a distant train, signal the opening of 'Let's Take A Trip', the sophomore album from Terrel Wallace aka Tall Black Guy. Since 2013's '8 Miles To Moenart' TBG has cemented his position as a standard bearer for the current hip-hop / beats scene. Born in Detroit and now residing in the UK, Wallace's signature style of incredibly clever sample flips and deft production chops has won fans across the globe including Gilles Peterson, Lefto, Jazzy Jeff and House Shoes.

Since his debut release in 2011 (a daring and addictive flip of Fela Kuti), TBG has become revered for his unique take on soulful hip-hop production. The swing of the drums, the textures of the instrumentation as well as a fearlessness in taking on the classics (his Soundcloud page includes flips and chops of tracks from James Brown, De La Soul and Michael Jackson) have marked him out from the crowd. One of the best-kept secrets in the scene, his singular talent is now beginning to get the recognition it deserves. In the last 12 months he has remixed Little Dragon and been invited to take part in Jazzy Jeff's Playlist Retreat alongside the likes of Eric Lau, James Poyser, Ali Shaheed Muhammed, Questlove and countless others.

For this album Wallace had a simple inspiration: 'This album is all about taking a journey. As simple as that. Be it physical, emotional or spiritual. It's asking and answering personal questions from myself within some of the tracks and also touching on social issues i.e. racism, inequality and privilege...that have been at the forefront of my mind over last three years.' Sonically there is also a shift: 'Jazz has definitely been more of an influence in this project, as I have been really inspired by so many up and coming musicians who I've been blessed to connect with'. Some of these musicians, including Kenny Keys, Miles Bonny, Diggs Duke and Dee Jackson feature on the project as well as regular collaborators Ozay Moore and Mario Sweet and fellow Playlist alumni Daniel Crawford and Masego. But this is one man's vision, and for Tall Black Guy this trip is just the beginning...,.

The album was produced by John Congleton (Blondie, Sigur Ros), Greg Saunier of Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu's own Angela Seo.

It features guest appearances by fabled minimalist composer Charlemagne Palestine, L.A. Banjee Ball superstar commentator Enyce Smith, Swans guitar virtuoso Kristof Hahn and legendary drag artist and personal hero of Xiu Xiu, Vaginal Davis.

FORGET was recorded during a period of epic productivity for Xiu Xiu. While writing FORGET, they released the lauded Plays the Music of Twin Peaks, collaborated with Mitski on a song for an upcoming John Cameron Mitchell film, composed music for art installations by Danh Vo, recorded an album with Merzbow and scored an experimental reworking of the Mozart opera, The Magic Flute. All of this frantic, external activity lead to a softly damaged dreaminess and broadened intent that has not been heard before in other Xiu Xiu works.

Standout track, Wondering' is one of the catchiest boogie pop gems in the Xiu Xiu catalog, but like much of FORGET, it still bears an underlying tension that manifests differently in each piece. From the haunted guitar duet of "Petite", the hilariously fraught lyrics of "Get Up," the advanced industrial boxing match of "Jenny GoGo," or the experimental goth explosion of "Faith, Torn Apart", all the songs, in their own ways, build to a roiling boil of a fate in vanishing.

The calligraphy on the cover translates literally to "we forget." It bows to the universality of everything and everyone's inevitable decline and foggy disappearance. Regarding the album title, Xiu Xiu singer Jamie Stewart said, To forget uncontrollably embraces the duality of human frailty. It is a rebirth in blanked out renewal but it also drowns and mutilates our attempt to hold on to what is dear.' FORGET is both the palliative fade out of a traumatic's past but also the trampling pain of a beautiful one's decay.

Xiu Xiu is Shayna Dunkelman, Angela Seo and Jamie "Butch Jenny" Stewart.

Mesh-Key is thrilled to present this mind-bending solo album of electronics and vocals from legendary Japanese musician Phew. Phew's career began in the late 1970s as lead singer of Osaka punk group Aunt Sally (whose only full-length was released by Vanity Records in 1979). Ryuichi Sakamoto produced her debut solo release in 1980, a two-song single, and in 1981 Pass Records released her debut album, a bonafide masterpiece recorded with original Can members Holger Czukay and Jaki Liebezeit at Conny Plank's studio in Germany. She has forged a singular path over the past thirty-plus years, collaborating with folks like Anton Fier, Bill Laswell, and Seichi Yamamoto (Boredoms). It's borderline sacrilegious to compare an artist as unique as Phew with anyone else, but for those unfamiliar with her work, 'Light Sleep' might be described as a more animated Nico singing (in Japanese) for early Suicide. Prepare to be floored.

Muyei Power or Orchestre Muyei (muyei means 'our country') was one of the top dance bands of the1970s in Sierra Leone. Soundway Records' first collection of music from this West African country ('Muyei Power: Sierra Leone in 1970s USA') is an album of rock-infused, 'afro' music from a group that traveled the world throughout the mid 1970s. Fusing elements of electric Congolese and Nigerian music with fast, syncopated, uptempo modernised arrangements of traditional music, Muyei Power produced a series of unique single-only releases that have been unavailable for 35 years. The rare recordings featured here are a glimpse of a dynamic and powerful band at the very height of its powers.

Even though lyrically Orchestre Muyei focused on traditional themes and songs, the arrangements and formulation of the instrumental side of things still very much reflected the mixed nature of urban Sierra Leone music, exemplified by a small collection of bands that also included Afro National, Sabanoh 75 and Super Combo.



For the early part of 1970s the band toured extensively throughout Sierra Leone, Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire before making a handful of 45s in local TV and radio studios. The recordings featured here however come from a period of touring the college circuit in California during late 1975 and early 1976. Later that year, as they played the colleges of the east coast, they gave the tracks to the owner of the African Record Centre in Brooklyn, New York. He initially released two of them on his in-house Makossa Records label as 7-inch 45rpm singles in 1976. The tracks from 1975/6 were then not heard of again until 1979/80 when the African Record Centre released many of them on a series of Makossa Records 12's that sounded far superior than the records that had been released a few years earlier.


Orchestre Muyei Power finally split up in 1979 leaving no proper album releases and only a handful of recordings for us to enjoy all these years later.

2023 repress

For their first multi-artist compilation, Music From Memory take us on a trip to the heart of the Amazon rainforest. Outro Tempo: Electronic and Contemporary Music From Brazil, 1978-1992 is a double LP that explores the outer reaches of Brazilian music, where indigenous rhythms mix with synthesizers and where MPB mingles with drum computers.

As Brazil faced the last years of its military dictatorship and transition to democracy, a generation of forward-thinking musicians developed an alternative vision of Brazilian music and culture. They embraced traditionally shunned electronic production methods and infused their music with elements of ambient, jazz-fusion, and minimalism. At the same time they referenced the musical forms and spirituality of indigenous tribes from the Amazon. The music they produced was a complex and mesmerising tapestry that vividly evoked Brazilian landscapes and simultaneously reached out to the world beyond its borders.

The product of extensive research, this compilation is a unique introduction to this visionary music and features many fresh discoveries in a country well trodden by record diggers. It gathers tracks from obscure albums that have for too long been neglected by even the most avid collectors of Brazilian music. It includes now highly sought after music by Andréa Daltro, Maria Rita, and Fernando Falcão, as well as unknown gems like those of Cinema, Carlinhos Santos, and Anno Luz. This is an essential release that reveals a broader spectrum of Brazilian music, striking a unique sonic signature that is full of innovation, experimentation, and beauty.

Compiled by John Gómez and featuring extensive liner notes, Outro Tempo showcases this overlooked corner in Brazil's rich music history for the first time.

Yellow Vinyl

Elektro Guzzi combine club music and live performance to a unique, energetic mixture. They overcome the rigid boundary of analog versus digital, unifying the human being with his machines in an unprecedented way and surprising the listener with their innovative productions. Sónar, Roskilde, Melt!, C/O Pop or Mutek are just a few stations among others, where Elektro Guzzi fascinated with their dynamic live show, without the use of computers or loops.

With their new EP - Parade , the first release on German label Denovali, Elektro Guzzi broaden their trinity of drums, bass and e-guitar. With implementing trombones as extra oscillators, dissociating them from their conventional use, the trombones become part of the human-machine-universe and are used as an additional sound source in order to modulate and explore its variety live on the stage.

The four tracks emerged from commissioned work for the Artacts Festival for Jazz and Improvised Music. They move along familiar paths, but also show some new, unusual dimensions of Elektro Guzzi. Opener - Element starts gently, bringing the trombones slowly into appearance, culminating in that driving groove, which whips the melancholic sound of the track. Title track - Parade reveals the new source of inspiration of the Vienna-based trio. From Haitian Rara music, through New Orleans brass bands to Basic Channel dub, Elektro Guzzi create rhythms beyond four-to-floor, with that special, warm vibe, which remains in the ear of the listener.

Recording, mixing and sound design results from a collaboration with sound enthusiast Nik Hummer. The - Parade -EP hypnotizes the listener with its diversity of sounds, with floating and dubby rhythms, situated in a stunning sound aesthetic, in which the feeling of its live performance is conserved.

2x12"

Ruin possessed a fierce insistence on being present in the moment. They were intent not on simply beating themselves against the membranes that contain them but on breaking the fuck through.

Originally active from 1982 to 1986, this five-piece unit was sometimes mistakenly described to the unaware as a 'Buddhist hardcore band.'

Along with a few singles and compilations, they released two albums: the definitive blast of 1984's He-Ho and the somewhat more polished Fiat Lux in 1986.

This archival collection contains these 2 full-length, remastered albums plus several bonus tracks*, an 8 page 12'x12' booklet, which contains extensive liner notes, lyrics and previously unpublished photos. May you be Ruined...

He-Ho Tracklist:
 A1 Alter 3:23 A2 Dionysian 1:55 A3 Freedom Has No Bounds 3:01A4 Baby Doll 3:12 A5 He-Ho / Laudium 4:07 A6 Alarm 0:45 A8 Phenomenal Expression 0:50 A7 Love Dog 1:30
B1Master Song 2:20 B2Where Fortune 1:34 B3 Play With Fire 3:44 B4 Twilight 2:47
B5 Proof 1:54 B6 Rule Worshipper 1:15 B7 Mouse 4:48

Fiat Lux Tracklist
A1 You 1.04 A2 Make Believe 1.50 A3 Hero 2.34 A4 Famous Blue Raincoat 3.41 A5 Life After Life 3.47 A6 Proof 3.12 A7 By the By 2:45 B1 China 2.50 B2 Taster 2.38 B3 White Rabbit 4.44 B4 Ruin 1.10 B5 Great Divide 4.14 B8 Real Good Time 2.38

Still riding high off the recent release of Culoe De Song's Watergate Mix we keep it coming with four exclusive tracks from Culoe himself on our first EP of exclusives from the compilation. 'Deadman's Walk' kicks things off with lush percussive grooves and luminous shades of euphoria resulting in a serene foray into enchanted destinations while the self titled 'Aftermath' follows with a much more deliberate intent utilizing rich, rising harmonies and bold, rugged drums culminating in a massive sonic event. Flipping to the B-side we see Culoe dive into an energetic and unique space with 'Bang Royales' creating undeniably engaging rhythms with vocal chants and off kilter rhythms. Rounding out the EP is 'Juice' and with it's heavenly sounds of angelic vocals and soaring progressions is the perfect display of De Song's signature sound and approach. We're happy to present to you Culoe De Song's 'Aftermath' EP and think you will enjoy the trip into the mind of a truly unique artist.

Recorded in 1969, the fourth album from Sly And The Family Stone, "Stand!" was the crowning musical statement by this unisex, multi-racial rock and soul combo from the Bay Area of San Francisco, featuring four chart hits, including the number one smash "Everyday People", "Stand!" virtually invented the 'progressive' funk of the 1970s and 80s, jettisoning the trappings of 60s soul and paving the way for a new sound that would influence other artists to this day.

Barcelona based YAKAZI imprint proudly reaches its fifth installment in the form of a synergic collaborative release signed by chilean artists Alexi Delano and Marcelo Rosselot, counting also with canadian Buchla wizard Marc Houle in the role of never-failing remixer. Presented as a two sided release, and splitted in two original tracks plus Marc Houle's remix, YAKAZI maintains its unwavering commitment to their core values, to move people through good music, prevailing fads and trends and strengthening the label's very own sonic identity. On this occasion, Alexi Delano, a close relative to the label that was also featured on label's previous compilation, joins forces with his studio fellow Marcelo Rosselot building up "Take Me / It's On me", two finely-crafted excursions of heavy bass minimalism and dark vivacious techno based on subtle vocal samples, trippy synth-chords, and layered drum patterns constantly evolving throughout both progressions sounding uniformly fantastic, without falling into the obviousness of a long steady beat narrative and keeping in mind how to charm the dancefloor in style.

Clear Vinyl

Khemia Records the new imprint from Kaos London announces the fourth and final edition in their current series. A limited edition, transparent vinyl (333 copies): The 'Winter Solstice Edition' featuring Codex Empire and MARMO.
* On the Solar side British born, Vienna based, industrial techno pioneer Codex Empire delivers 'Sevde' an experiment in long-form techno written specially for the label. A massive, propulsive beast, punctured with hammered rhythms and sub-aquatic bleeps, a maelstrom of whiplash cracks, disembodied voices and electrostatic, reverberating across an insistent techno groove.
* On The Lunar side MARMO present 'Alchimia' a track written specially for this release. MARMO is a conceptual, straight-forward, complex music sculpture. 'Alchimia' unfolds an epic sonic journey across vast swathes of desert.
* Intuition is really a sudden immersion of the soul into the universal current of life.- Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
* Credits: 'Sevde' written and performed by Codex Empire 'Alchimia' written and performed by MARMO Mastered by Andrea Merlini, Utrecht Produced by Khemia Records, London Distributed by SRD Artwork commissioned from REIN VOLLENGA X LVM Khemia Records London
* Credits: 'Sevde' written and performed by Codex Empire 'Alchimia' written and performed by MARMO Mastered by Andrea Merlini, Utrecht Produced by Khemia Records, London - Distributed by SRD Artwork commissioned from REIN VOLLENGA X LVM Khemia Records London



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Limited edition remastered LP of an unknown group from Venezuela : Grupo Almendra, they released only one Album in 1978 today very hard to find containing a powerful mix of jazz latin funk and cosmic disco. Each song is unique!

Blood Debts' is the compulsive debut album from Years Of Denial, the alter-face of London-based French musician/producer and DJ, Jerome Tcherneyan.

Though his formulative Marseille youth was spent exploring the darkest corners of post-punk, New Wave, not to mention Public Enemy and the inspirational Mille Plateaux and Basic Channel labels, Tcherneyan, already an extremely capable drummer, quickly extended his sonic palate toward and beyond the bass-heavy electronic isolationism, insistent beats and drone experimentation that's still very much prevalent in his work today.
One should not either pass over his integral contribution to the much-lauded, though stolidly underground "ghost-rock" unit, Piano Magic, which engineered sublime collaborations with Brendan Perry (Dead Can Dance), Simon Raymonde (Cocteau Twins/This Mortal Coil) and Alan Sparhawk (Low). Tcherneyan, always prolific, can also lay claim to impressive collusions with Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah (African Head Charge), Damo Suzuki (Can), 70's psych folk legend, Mark Fry to name but a few.
In 2005, Jerome founded and promoted the infamous 'Flesh' parties; guests including Andy Stott /Claro Intelecto/Edit-Select/James Ruskin/Kirk Degiorgio/Mark Broom/Oliver Ho/Sigha/Steve Bicknell and many more. These nights served as an invaluable education in Techno and Dubmixology; marathon sets played deep into the sunrise.
Skip forward a decade and the DJ bug is even deeper embedded, with Tcherneyan sharing the booth with, amongst many others, Orphx/Phase Fatale/Joefarr and London Modular Alliance.

Tcherneyan's muse and foil on 'Blood Debts,' his first for Oliver Ho's splendid and already essential new Death & Leisure imprint, is Maya Petrovna, an entrancing London-based vocalist, film composer and performance/physical theatre artist, whose voice perfectly evokes Billie Holliday, Diamanda Galas and all stations between.
There's a black neon heart at the centre of 'Blood Debts,' a fetishtic ritual of contorted flesh and altered states; a feverish, infectious paradox of primitivism and modernity. Years of Denial is the ghost in the machine.

The DJ/production duo from Munich back with four tracks full of bass-heavy excursions into hybrid forms of club music close to Grime, Dancehall, Dub, Techno and the yet unnamed territory in between - their natural habitat. Lead single and first track of the EP is Copper And Lead, which features "London city warlord" Riko Dan of Roll Deep fame, spitting dangerous lyrics on a Bashment/Grimeriddim.Following this is Blurred Vision, low end monster named after their gigantic soundsystem event series, exploring the middle ground between Dub and the technoleaning 4x4 universe. Up next is Killer, a song with Warrior Queen from Jamaica, who prepares for a Dancehall dub war on a 808-heavy beat straight from Miami...err, Munich.Topping the EP off is Siren Riddim, an instrumental uptempo bomb for the apocalypse club gang and all the gunfinger crew. It's the first EP in a series of three, leading up to an Haul & Pull Up album in early 2017. With this, Schlachthofbronx will follow up their three previous original albums (2009s Schlachthofbronx, 2012s Dirty Dancing and 2014s Rave And Romance), completed by EPs for Labels like Mixpak, Monkeytown, Mad Decent, Disko B and Man Recordings as well as production work for artists like M.I.A., Snoop Dogg, Major Lazer or Bonde Do Role.

Following releases on labels such as Greco-Roman, TTT and Templar Sound, Dro Carey (Eugene Ward) returns to the scene with his new offering, the industrious yet delicate track 'Queensberry Rules' featuring the vocals of KUCKA, taken from his Dark Zoo EP, out now via Australian label Soothsayer.
Where his previous releases have been firmly focused on the smoke-riddled clubs, Queensberry Rules sees Dro Carey traverse new territory. Working with KUCKA and Collarbones' Marcus Whale on the track, 'Queensberry Rules' sees the Sydney producer creating a unique pop sound, however maintain the gritty DNA that he is so distinctively known for.
As Dro states ''Queensberry Rules' are the set of rules that outline the general code for boxing matches. It's a document about fairness and sportsmanship in a pretty violent activity. That immediately struck me as a great title for a demo. Working with KUCKA and Marcus Whale (of Collarbones) as a co-writer, I think their lyrics perfectly hit upon the sense of irony that I wanted the song to have.'
The track was the first official taste from his Dark Zoo EP which sees Ward push the limits even further within his musical explorations. Whether it's the pop moments of 'Queensberry Rules' and 'Dark Zoo' where he employs the vocals of both KUCKA and FKL respectively to elevate the sonic sensory overload to new levels, to the brooding club explorations that are 'Grow Lithe' and 'Hidden Halls'; the EP is his musical coup d'état from the outset - simultaneously sinister, restrained and intoxicating.
We are absolutely thrilled to present this little gem on Vinyl. This special vinyl release also includes not only the single, but two remixes from heavy weights Mall Grab and Cassius, and a very special new track titled 'Under' which is and will always only be available on the vinyl release of this. Dive in!

Dark Entries returns to the New Jersey basement studio of Smersh to unearth a 4-track selection from the 'Deep House Anthems' cassette. Smersh was the duo of Mike Mangino and Chris Shepard, who began making music together in 1978. They were uninterested in traditional notions of songwriting or live performance. Recording in a domestic setting necessitated the abandonment of live drums for rhythm machines, and the Smersh sound would gradually change with each new bit of gear they acquired. The Electro-Harmonic Rhythm 12 gave way to TR606, TB303, and SH-09. Most Monday nights, they would write a new song from scratch. A couple hours later, the song was recorded, never to be performed again. By 1988, they had already put out at least 16 different tapes on their own Atlas King imprint. They would be followed by as many more. Some of those (subsequent) tapes there were less than 10 copies that got made because nobody wanted them. They couldn't get reviewed,' says Mike Mangino. As these tapes traded their way across continents, Smersh developed a devoted following in places far beyond Piscataway, leading to releases on dozens of other labels from around the globe. Smersh's sound is a lush hybrid of techno, industrial, dance, and experimental. Most songs revolve around driving EBM style beats, intricate industrial noise manipulation and synth melodies. For 'Selected Deep House Anthems' we selected 4 tracks of pulsating acid techno, which were recorded live, direct to DAT. All songs were originally recorded and released in 1991, and this the first time all but one of these songs are appearing on vinyl.

Amongst the first bunch of this new label releases, we couldn't miss a tribute to one of the greatest masters of libraries recordings, Alessandro Alessandroni, born in 1925. In his long career Alessandroni has published lots of soundtracks - and we mean lots of - and for this he's considered a real star of Italian music. As a friend, and close collaborator of Ennio Morricone, he's remembered as "the whistle man" for his fundamental contribution to the immortal scores of Sergio Leone's movies. His class allowed him to range between genres and atmospheres, from beat to avant-garde, from funky to abstract compositions, always reaching and keeping the highest quality. This is immediately clear in "Il Tempo Dello Spirito", originally published in 1971 for the meritorious Flirt label. It's an album full of sacred music, gospel and spiritual, yet capable of personal flashes that make it interesting, particular and unique. Simple church songs In some cases it may seems so - titles as Ave Maria, Gloria In Excelsis Deo, Pellegrinaggio or Messa Solenne do not leave much room for doubt and interpretations - but Alessandroni is able to astonish even in extreme cases like this.

**LP + Download - Bonus track 'Three Tears' on download***Natalie Mering, the being behind Weyes Blood, embeds her sublime song in a harmonic gauze of arpeggiated piano, acoustic guitar, druggy horns, & outer space electronics. Propulsive, spare drums carry us across the album's course. There is a faded California beauty to Front Row. A gentle honesty that recalls the finest folk music made on the West Coast of the '70s. The hue hangs in the sweet-spooky harmonies, the pulsing sway of the vibrato & the ecstatic chord resolves. But this beauty is scratched with shadow, with dark foreboding, alienation, & acceptance of change. Love & loss balance together in suspended alchemy, as the earthiness of the singer-songwriter tradition wears digital sounds like feathers in its hair. Mering, together with co-producer Chris Cohen contrasts live band intimacy with the post-modern electric sheen of A.M. radio atmospherics. The experimental flourishes sparkle amid the succinct, thoughtful arrangements.The closeness of this record - how personal, alone, & frank it feels - conceals its aspirations to the outside, to the "Earth" of its title. Weyes Blood harbors devastating weight while also universalizing the strange ways of identity & relationships. These are not typical love songs or protest songs -- they are painful, poignant riddles that celebrate the ambiguity of love & affirm the conflict of harmonious life within a disharmonic world.

RAWAX proudly welcomes Mr. Lamont Norwood aka Dj Di'jital to the family! A true pioneer from Detroit!

Truly an old school Techno Bass jewel, DJ Di'jital has been a key player in the development of what some call the "Second Generation" of Detroit Techno. Having released on classic Detroit labels like Metroplex, Direct Beat, and Twilight 76, there is plenty of good reason why his name and his work have become so legendary over the years.

Influenced by early groups like Kraftwerk and Parliament, it was no surprise that the 80's fusion of Electronic Music, Funk and Hip Hop that brought about the Electro Funk sounds, would have such an impact on him. As a kid, Lamont Norwood aka DJ Di'jital became acquainted with the idea of mixing two songs together using tape decks, which while being limited, still gave him the drive and passion to pursue a career as a professional DJ. Over the years he played many different house parties and underground clubs, even spending some time as a Cabaret DJ.

Throughout this time, Di'jital became an incredibly skilled turntablist, quickly gaining the reputation of being a formidable force behind the wheels of steel. The year 1996 would prove to be quite a momentous one for Norwood, not only signing to the already well established label Direct Beat, but also becoming the official DJ for one of the label's finest and most important artists, Aux 88. Having already released his first EP, "Prototype", on Direct Beat, this would become a great opportunity that would help seal him as an icon of what was now known as the Detroit Techno Bass scene. Over the next few years,

Di'jital continued recording for Direct Beat, releasing some of the greatest and most unique Techno Bass classics to date, even doing a few remixes for some of Aux 88's most well known releases like "Electro/Techno", "I Need To Freak", and "Break It Down". Hit EPs like "From The Mind Of The Master", and "360 Degrees" became instant classics, still very sought after to this day. He also had some of his songs appear on some of the various Direct Beat compilations that were released between the years 1996 and 1999 like "Xperience De Bass II", which released "Radar2Bass", one of his most notable works, as well as the all time collector's album, "Techno Bass: The Mission".
Perhaps what may have been one of the biggest signs that his career was becoming exactly what he had hoped for, was the opportunity presented to him to remix Aaron Carl's classic "Down", which was released on the iconic Metroplex Records in 1998; Something that to any Detroit native would have been an honor and a milestone, given the reputation and level of success and influence that Juan Atkin's imprint had on the Detroit Electronic Music scene, as well as the global Electro/Techno movement.

Between the years 2000 and 2002, there was a small hiatus in complete EPs or albums being released by DJ Di'jital, although there were 2 different tracks released on the labels Bipolar and Studio iK7. In 2002, he went on to sign to another of Detroit's legendary imprints, Twilight 76, where he released 2 EPs, "Bass Programmers", and Di'jital's Revenge". In 2005, already a veteran and having amassed the necessary skill and knowledge needed to be a true beat warrior, Di'jital was now ready to join the resistance...Underground Resistance that is! Featured on the Interstellar Fugitives Vol. 2 compilation ( also later released as a 2xCD/DVD set ), Di'jital also released on the Electrocuter EP, which featured the previously released "Bang", as well as "Track 19".

In 2006, already well into the digital age ( no pun intended ), Norwood would release his first set of downloadable works, starting with an album called "The Prototype", on Twilight 76, which was completely unrelated to his first EP which was also called "Prototype". Recently, Twilight 76 has also released what is so far a 2 volume set of battle cuts dubbed "Electro Battle Tools".

The only known material that is known to be in the future for DJ Di'jital at the moment is a remix of Morphogenetic's "Techno Bass Is Back!", which was originally released as a free download to members of Technobass, but will soon be released on a 12"/Digital release that will launch the site's own label "Techno Bass Music". There will also be a follow EP by Di'jital, so stay tuned! Over the years, DJ Di'jital has proven to be an unstoppable force in the Techno Bass scene, tirelessly working to push the boundaries of Electro forward with his futuristic and visionary beats that have unleashed mayhem across the globe, not just in his published works, but also in his incredible DJ acts, where one can truly witness one of the few actual turntablists in this style of music. Expect more in the future as Di'jital's revenge continues to spread across the globe with his out of the ordinary approach towards Techno Bass music.

Diseño Corbusier is the avant-garde electronics duo of Javier G. Marín and Ani Zinc, formed in Granada, Spain 1981. Like Sheffield's relation to London during the punk explosion in the UK, Granada developed an experimental music scene 400 kilometers south of Madrid. As a child, there were no records in Ani's house, so she grew up listening to the radio and was hypnotized after hearing 'Remember Love', by Yoko Ono. While attending university in Granada she responded to an ad in a music magazine by Javier, If you're into bands like Cabaret Voltaire or Flying Lizards, call me'.

The duo recorded their debut album Stadia' in 1982 and self-released as a limited edition cassette on their label Auxilio de Cientos. They drew influences from contemporaries like SPK, Throbbing Gristle, Esplendor Geométrico and DAF. They employed the 'cut-up' technique William Burroughs used to write his books to splicing their magnetic tape loops. Instruments used included a Korg Lambda, Boss DR-55 drum machine, Roland SH 101, and MFB 501 drum machine. The lack of money to buy more expensive instruments forced the duo to be more creative. Everything was recorded directly to a cassette player that was plugged into a Revox B77 reel to reel tape machine to add echo. Ani manipulated and treated her naive, menacing vocals to match Javier's processed rhythms. These early sketches contain atonal, arhythmic, thick shifting curtains of synth, loops and radio samples. For this reissue we've added 7 bonus tracks taken from various cassette compilations, as well as three previously unreleased songs. Elements of industrial music, primitivistic techno and vocal manipulation are fused with a Dadaist approach utilizing modern technology.

All songs were remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The front cover is an exact replica of the band's original design, restored by Eloise Leigh. Each copy includes a 4 page xeroxed booklet with photos, press clippings and liner notes from Javier. Powerful and evocative, soundtrack music for a rising storm or revolt.' Sound of Pig magazine 1985

Mr Tophat, an enigmatic Swedish house head who's awkward grooves and unconventional arrangements has heads nodding across the universe. From Another Dimension EP was inspired by his addiction to the club tracks that Music For Freaks originally released, with Rob Mello's No Ears Dub version of Discorobot in his top 10 tracks of all time. Here, Mr Tophat generously serves up 3 of his textbook trips down the rabbit hole. This is entertainment for the freakiest of people. Aliens From Another Dimension is a squeeky adventure in sound, navigating the inner workings of Mr Tophats imagination and penchant for Sci-Fi. Prophet Funk is a chugging, progressive slice of hip house surrealism. Its quirky call and response melodies and gawky vocals are straight out of an episode of the Twilight Zone. New Release Information Message To The Stars is a love song to the multiverse and the stars that reside within her. A funky breakbeat is underpinned by discordant melodies and lead lines that resonate with the head and the hear

Collapsing Horizons is the third full length album from Netherlands based deep ambient duo Tangent.

Limited clear with white splatter and blue with white vinyl. NON-RETURNABLE

This album much like the two preceding it—2013s "1mk2" (Mindtrick) and 2014s "Transience" (Tympanik)— is a sonic journey with arching atmospheres and themes. An aural representation of the formation of matter and it's disintegration in unison. The music, much as the album's namesake, could very well be the soundtrack to new universes being created on the ashes of collapsing ones.

Ralph van Reijendam and Robbert Kok who are the two behind Tangent moonlight in a long list of paradoxical musical projects. Fire Walk with Us, Rob Klerkx and the Secret, Disavowed, and Synesis Absorption are all quite different from Tangent's sprawling yet steady ambience.

This such daily musical juxtaposition allows Tangent the immersive focus on the ideas that make Tangent what it is. It would be a misnomer to think that with all the extra curricular time spent in more extreme forms of music that Tangent is a frenetic force. They are exactly the opposite. Dense pads, rolling beats and brilliant shimmers of resonance punctuate their electronic based instrumentals in just the correct manner to stargaze, day-dream, bliss-out, or even brood about starting over...

&apos's music veers between abstract, experimental compositions and more beat driven tracks, all held together by a defined aesthetic of sonic impurities and random patterns thrown up by algorithmic computations. In &apos's music compositional decisions are not merely reliant on himself but also on a range of processes from constrained randomness to full fledged neural networks. That is to say, the 'instruments' he creates have -to a certain extent- a mind of their own. There will always be a dynamic between the musician and something else that triggers, proposes or decides what will happen to the music.It is exactly from this human-machine interaction that &apos extrapolates his musical ideas that are both intricate and detailed while never losing an overall sense of emotional value.
His first solo project 'Lichtdrank' is a selection of four tracks made during his time studying Sonology at The Hague's Royal Conservatory and the time following. It is the third and final installment of bepotel's startupLabel trilogy. Previously, he has released music together with Walrus and Sagat under several musical projects like smaakwaterval and bepotel. The artwork of the Lichtdrank EP is based on screenshots from an interactive multiplayer video game where the musical universe of &apos can be explored.

In 1997, a quiet, unassuming man of 59 years old named Victor Tavares - better know as Bitori - walks into a studio for the very first time to record a masterpiece which many Cabo Verdean consider to be the best Funaná album ever made. Bitori´s musical adventure had begun long before this point. It was 1954 when he embarked on a journey across the seas to the island of Sao Tomé & Principe. The young man´s hope was to return to Cabo Verde with an accordion.

Following two years of hard labour Bitori had succeeded in saving enough money to acquire what was to become his most valued possession, his cherished instrument. The two month journey back to Santiago, his island of birth, proved time enough to master it. Self taught, Bitori developed his own style, an infectious blaze, that quickly caught the attention of the older generation. Before long Bitori was being asked to share his musical talents, igniting the local festivities around Praia with his music.

But not everybody welcomed the rural accordion-based sound. Perceived as a symbol of the struggle for Cape Verdean independence and frowned upon as music of uneducated peasants, Funaná was prohibited by the Portuguese colonial rulers. Performing it in public or in urban centres had serious consequences - often jail time and torture awaited musicians that were caught in the act'. In light of such persecution the genre of Funaná began to slowly disappear.

In 1975 Cabo Verde achieved independence from Portuguese colonial rule. Along with Cabo Verde's independence came a lifting of the ban placed on Funaná. The musical repercussions in Cabo Verde were plenty - many upcoming artists embraced Funaná, translating and adapting its musical form in new ways. It was not to be until the mid-1990's, however, that Funaná in its traditional form was actually recorded. It was a young singer from Tarafal, Chando Graciosa, who was to play a key role in this event. Upon hearing Bitori, Graciosa immediately felt drawn to Bitori's unique playing style - a raw and passionate sound accompanied by honest lyrics that reflected the harsh reality of the Cabo Verdean working class. He eagerly approached Bitori suggesting they join forces and travel overseas with the objective of taking Funaná beyond its rural roots. The two of them, with others in tow, achieved their goal and travelled to Europe, introducing a receptive European audience to the vibrant energy of Funaná.

Eventually Bitori returned to his beloved Cabo Verde. Graciosa opted to settle in Rotterdam in order to pursue his career - he vowed, however, to bring Bitori across to Holland at a later date to record an album.

In 1997 the time was ripe to immortalise the sound Bitori had shaped over a time span of four decades. Built around a formidable rhythm section, formed of drummer Grace Evora and bass player Danilo Tavares, "Bitori Nha Bibinha" was recorded. The recording catapulted Chando Graciosa to stardom, making him Cabo Verde´s No.1 interpreter of Funaná.

The success in Cabo Verde was phenomenal and Funaná rapidly gained the recognition it deserved, especially in urban dance clubs. Bitori´s songs quickly became standards - classics known and loved throughout the country. The musical success, however, was solely limited to the Cabo Verdean islands - until now!
Analog Africa is proud to contribute to the worldwide promotion of Funaná - the once forbidden sound of the Cabo Verde archipelago - by releasing a worldwide re-issue of Bitori and Chando Graciosa´s legendary recording.

The release will herald Bitori´s first European tour taking place during the summer of 2016. Watch this space! And listen!

Finally, Justus Köhncke is unveiling new tracks! His first release since »Justus Köhncke & The Wonderful Frequency Band« (KOMPAKT, 2013) is both daring and serious. Five songs in German, interpretations of material by Howard Carpendale, Juliane Werding and Nik P. plus English-into-German translations of two pop classics (»Twist In My Sobriety« by Tanita Tikaram, »Captain Of Her Heart« by DOUBLE). This is not an ironic joke about seemingly ›stupid music‹ or ›Schlager‹: Köhncke embraces these five compositions and turns them into his own. They transmutate into his very own vision of ›nu-german comps-soul‹ while retaining Justus' unique sound. The EP will be released digitally and as a limited vinyl 12" on the Berlin-based label »Martin Hossbach. We cry, we sing. Alone.

ears ago he started putting together some selections for a friend of his: Luca. The intention was to pick songs to be played during car rides, and like any other kind of ritual, this too would come with strict rules. You'd have to go throw the whole selection of 100 tracks without skipping, because every single one was important. Be it the sounds, the arrangement or its creativity, each track was there for a very specific reasons. It quickly became a monthly event which for several years evolved in a deep musical research without genre boundaries: Disco and psychedelic, soundtracks, library music, exotica, electronic and dance music, italo, new wave, pop or prog. Tracks of each and any historical period and provenance had been featured in this special compilations. But it wasn't always that easy to come up with the right piece and eventually Francesco started producing a few on his own to fill in the gaps. After six tracks, it was quite clear that there was a project developing, one in which he could finally experiment freely, leaving behind the rules that often come with dance tracks. Of course, no name could have been better than the one of his friend that had inspired everything And so L.u.c.a was born. Now, while preserving the same mind set, L.u.c.a is back with an album that embraces a new-hippie vibe, strongly pervaded by a mystical naturalism. This is a whole new universe in the making, where rumbling magmatic atmospheres evolve gradually in a journey through an idealist new world, celestial interludes revealing a full take over of nature, with a pervasive library feel that dates back to the great Italian masters, carrying on Edizioni Mondo's legacy.

Strut team up for the first time with respected French label Heavenly Sweetness for the brand new album by the inspired poet, novelist and musician, Anthony Joseph.The Caribbean is an influence that runs through Joseph's discography, obliquely or headon, suggested or on full display. It resonates on each of his albums, from the furious trance of 'Bird Head Son' to the more polished 'Time'. On 'Caribbean Roots', he has now decided to turn a guiding thread and a reference point into a communications cable - a powerful bond that makes light of distance and braves the seas to link his island to that of his friends in the Caribbean arc, dancing to the strains of tumbélé and mendé only a few miles
from Port of Spain where people live it up to rapso and soca beats. Caribbean Roots' represents a return to his roots for Anthony Joseph, who has always remained true to a powerful, deep-seated sense of his Caribbean identity. Having started
out as a joint project with the outstanding percussionist Roger Raspail (Cesaria Evora, Papa Wemba, Kassav), 'Caribbean Roots' swiftly grew into a creative force incorporating
the rhythms, sounds and vibes that rock the Caribbean from San Fernando, Scarborough, Kingston and Les Abymes to Port-au-Prince and Havana. Backed by a band made up
of a blend of local musicians, the album attempts to unite the different islands into a single entity whilst ensuring that the identity of each is in no way diluted by the mix instead creating a richer and stronger alloy. The saxophones of Shabaka Hutchings (The
Heliocentrics) and Jason Yarde, the trumpet of Yvon Guillard (Magma), the bass of Mike Clinton (Salif Keita) and the trombone of Pierre Chabrèle (Creole Jazz Orchestra) all combine to form a group of Caribbean All Stars to which Andy Narrell, the master of the steel pans, brings ringing drum beats. The album features bursts of catchy rhythms and slow percussive riff progressions, as on a film soundtrack, incandescent voodoo funk and rhythmic high-speed frenzies shot through with free-jazz sax. This reunion of the Caribbean diaspora was never meant to come up with a formula divisible into eleven separate tracks - its goal was to explore and discover new sounds. And all of this under Anthony Joseph's guidance, as he spins his lyrical blend of afro-futurism and surrealism, commemorating the Caribbean people's sometimes violent resistance to colonialism. Anthony Joseph, one moment a chronicler reciting his text against a background of simple percussion, the next a storyteller possessed by the power of a hypnotic bassline, then an adventurer chanting among mangroves where the rhythm section and the brass have created an impenetrable thicket. At turns, an MC too, strutting to a fat, throbbing groove in vocal tandem with Sly Johnson or David Rudder to pay tribute to Mighty Sparrow, the undisputed and indisputable king of calypso