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Bewitching Avant-Pop album from impromptu supergroup built around acclaimed Japanese duo, Tenniscoats. Featuring members of Notwist, Jam Money and Joasihno.

In these dark and uncertain times, there's an ever-growing collective of peaceful, loving types, bound together by an understanding of one peculiar word: Tenniscoats. Aside from being the name of an influential Tokyo-based duo, it represents fun, artistic freedom, experimentation and - perhaps most important of all - inclusivity.

A Tenniscoats gig is rarely the audience watching the performers. Instead, Saya and Takashi regularly shun the stage in favour of any particular spot that takes their fancy, whether it's an empty seat in the auditorium or the roof of a neighbouring cafe. In the world of Tenniscoats, music can happen anywhere, and everyone is invited to join in.

During the winter of 2016, the music happened in Munich. As a long-time fan, Markus Acher (Notwist) jumped at the chance not only to put Tenniscoats on the bill at the Alien Disko festival he was organising, but also to invite Saya & Takashi to a small apartment studio, together with Mat Fowler (Jam Money) and Cico Beck (Aloa Input, Notwist). This is where Spirit Fest was recorded over the following 14 days.

Tenniscoats are known for their collaborations - some of their finest work was done in conjunction with Tape, The Pastels, Jad Fair and many others - so making good use of the time and friends available was natural to them. For me, timing is important,' Saya said. We met in season, and the song flowers are now blooming!' Mat Fowler recalls the Spirit Fest sessions taking place in an idyllic, festive atmosphere. Every morning we'd all share breakfast, chat and learn about German Christmas customs. We'd catch the bus in the morning and walk home in the evening. The journey ran parallel to the beautiful flowing Isar River that bubbles, ebbs and flows right through the middle of Munich.'

While Tenniscoats sit at the heart of proceedings, it isn't their album alone. Markus, Mat and Cico also brought songs, providing a solid base on top of which the artistry could evolve. Mat explains that, a melody would begin, and slowly, each of us - in our own time - would find our way into the music.

Producer Tadklimp would sensitively set-up around us in this narrow window of time, so as to document that first and intuitive moment of collective discovery.' Nearly everything was recorded live,' agrees Markus, playing and singing together in one room with piano, guitars, percussion and some keyboards.' The collaborators came from Germany, Japan, the UK, Greece and beyond. That sense of inclusivity is palpable.

From the tender beauty of Markus's River River' and Saya's Mikan' to the electro-Merseybeat of Tenniscoat's Nambei' and the half-crazed pianica-reggae of Shuti Man', the resulting album is a testament to the manner of which these musicians are able to channel their songwriting through their spontaneity. It's also a snapshot of a gentle and intuitive moment in time - a beautiful meetup that expands this community, happily, even further.

Jon Willks (Grizzly Folk)

On Arise , Zara McFarlane returns to a buoyant UK jazz scene with a head-turning third album. Exploring the musical possibilities of British-Jamaican identity, it's a cultural exchange that's born of London's current musical climate. Released on Gilles Peterson's Brownswood Recordings, it sees her working with much-feted drummer and producer Moses Boyd. Both rose through London's Tomorrow's Warriors programme, a finishing school for many young vanguards of the live, ascendant jazz scene springing up across the UK capital. Sharing Caribbean family heritages, it's a product of their joint exploration of the meeting points between jazz and the rhythms of Jamaica, reggae, Kumina, calypso and nyabinghi, shaded with hints of the psychedelic.

Zara's breakthrough 2012 track, a jazz cover of Junior Murvin's 'Police and Thieves', provided a jumping off point to further explore the blurred, colourful territory in between jazz and roots-reggae. Covering Nora Dean's 'Peace Begins Within', she breathes a syncopated groove into a soulful, reggae classic. A beautifully poised version of the Congos' Fisherman teases out the poignant lyrical content of the 1977 classic. Meanwhile new, original compositions from Zara, like 'Fussin' and Fightin'' and 'Freedom Chain', combine a deep, reverberating bass with a steady-stepping roots rhythm. Album opener 'Ode To Kumina' touches on the kumina tradition brought to Jamaica by indentured labourers from The Congo in the later part of the 19th Century. Part of Zara's deeper research into her Caribbean heritage, it alludes to a deep-rooted culture encompassing music, dance and religion.

Similarly, 'Silhouette' arose from that same research, in this case, however, it was about how records and documents often get lost in Jamaica. It kind of came out of the idea of black history and blackness and feeling like you're trying to find yourself,' she explains. Trying to be proud of your history and who you are. And never forgetting the things that brought you to where you are.' Alongside drummer Moses Boyd on production, the album features a stellar line up of some of the key players on the London scene Binker Golding on tenor sax, Peter Edwards on piano, Shirley Tetteh on guitar, Nathaniel Cross on Trombone and an unusually restrained turn on Clarinet from Shabaka Hutchings.
Shared between all of them is a tendency to find the common points between different musical ilks: from US hard bop jazz, to dub and London-rooted hybrids and permutations, the band on Arise reflect the musical diversity of their home. Boosted by new platforms, like East London showcase Church of Sound and a newly-refreshed Jazz Café, the record surfs the momentum currently propelling jazz-influenced music in the UK.

For Zara, Jamaica's musical legacy is deeply intertwined with her sense of the place itself. Spending whole summers in the hills of Jamaica, it's the sounds and smells which she most vividly associates with her stays there. In particular the local sound systems which were an everyday feature of the local area, be it in shops or bars, each of the small local shacks would have a sound system where they'd play music through the day and evening.

From where my nan used to live, in Cauldwell there's a sound system almost opposite her house,' she says. So you feel this boom of the bass, and then all the smells of the hills and the greenery of Hanover. When you land in Jamaica and you go to walk off of the plane, the heat and the smells hit you and it feels like home away from home for me. When I hear Jamaican music, these are the senses that come.'

After making waves a few years back via his Potatohead People project (with AstroLogical) and co-producing Illa J's critically acclaimed self titled LP, Vancouver based playboy & producer Nick Wisdom steps out from behind the boards to deliver his first solo release for Bastard Jazz.

The "Intimate Strangers" EP mines deep into Nick's proclivities for disco, hip-hop, and house flavours. "Good Times" kicks things off with a snapping four on the floor, deep Rhodes chords and a rollicking bassline and vocals courtesy of Mr. Wisdom himself. "Feelin' Alright" heads into outerspace disco territory with cosmic synths, walking bass, and sultry vocals courtesy of Reva Devito (HW&W, Kaytranada). On the flipside "Don't Tell" brings in some 80s boogie vibes with downlow vocals from San Francisco's K-Maxx, while "Rock The Cash Bar" is an instrumental party rocking hip-hop jam sounding like a modern day Showbiz & AG.

Too many people sleep on Tougher Than Leather, Run-DMC's fourth album. But hear us out as we plead the case for this amazing LP. By 1988 there was a lot more competition in the rap game - Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, Eric B. & Rakim, Ice-T and many more had given Hollis, Queens' prodigal sons lots of competition. But Joe, Darryl and Jay were still at the top of their game, and hip-hop fans should never let this classic - chiefly produced by their Queens neighbor, DJ and multi-instrumentalist Davy D(MX) - get lost in their crates. For starters, the album's first single, Run's House' b/w Beats To The Rhyme' is arguably the most powerful one-two punch of the trio's career, showing contenders to the rap throne that they could still destroy a beat, tag-teaming with power at any speed. Not to be lost in the shuffle, fans were also reminded on both sides that Jam-Master Jay remained one of the world's best DJs, flexing the pinnacle of what would be called turntablism' a decade later. Both songs show a musical telepathy between all three that has rarely been equaled. The second single, Mary, Mary,' driven by an infectious Monkees sample, took a different approach, shrewdly ensuring that pop fans who jumped on the Raising Hell bandwagon had something to chew on. But, like Walk This Way,' the song wasn't just bubblegum - there was an edge to it, and the lyrical gymnastics were very real. It wasn't selling out, it was allowing fans to buy in. Papa Crazy,' driven in concept and by a sample from the Temptations' Papa Was A Rolling Stone,' followed a similar pop-leaning path. Overall, the lyrical content on the album was a step up from the group's first three LPs. It's easy to infer, looking back, that they were feeling the heat from their younger competitors in the rap game. The genre was changing fast, and they were up to the challenge. On cuts like Radio Station' they bring substance to the grooves, by attacking Black Radio for its continual denigration of rap. Tougher Than Leather' reminds the world that they were still the Kings of Rock, with hard guitars to drive the point home. And They Call Us Run-DMC' and Soul To Rock And Roll' both bring things back to their early days, with sure-fire park jam rhymes and killer cuts. Tougher Than Leather, which went platinum up against a lot of competition, perfectly bookends the '80s output of one of the decade's most important groups. It encompasses the full range of the trio's capabilities, and reminds us that Run-DMC should never be forgotten as both pioneers and party-rockers. And so, we say, long live Joe, Darryl and Jay!

Shara music is proud to present 'Acid Last' third reference in vinyl 12. This time on the part of Owen Ezard, owner of Shara Music ...An ep that comes with 4 very effective cuts of Slow vibes. As appetizer presents 'First reload' a cover letter to open the appetite giving some clues of the tracks that follow .... acid at soft speed to start the walk by enveloping sounds that take us to the second proposal,'Acid Last ' where Owen develops an acidic sequence that evolves until getting into his spiral. And with some more bpms comes the wonderful remix by our beloved favorite Italian, Fabrizio Mammarella. the main course shines with percussions influence of Alien Alien, mysterious synthesizers taken from outer space and cosmic sound that will make lose your head ... Last but not least comes 'Break & Slow' with your hypnotic voices will guide you towards the exit of this labyrinth of Eclectic sounds that surely will not leave you indifferent ...

Veteran producer Gensu Dean comes back with his first compilation since 'Lo Fi Fingahz'. The new project is as rugged as the name implies and features artists like Diamond D, Homeboy Sandman, Roc Marciano and more.

Gensu Dean embodies the essence of true, honest Hip-Hop, while his music personifies the art of beat diggin' with sheer creativity. With this approach, Gensu has produced masterpieces for the likes of David Banner, Old Dirty Bastard, Royal Flush, Planet Asia, and Lord Jamar (Brand Nubian) to name a few.

Confine yourself in a space. We tend to behave and act according to the walls around us. The easy way is to stay within the room, acknowledge its walls and accept being limited to its floor. Instead, start exploring the boundaries. Walk the walls or simply tear them down. Flip the whole room upside down or collapse it all together. Question and explore the concept of a room. It might not take you anywhere new but it could make a big difference on how you enjoy the journey or appreciate the space you are in. Unconfined.

Delakeyz is swiss producer Melodiesinfonie's moniker when taking a journey into more housey realms. On this voyage he explores his musical roots in three percussive-driven belters that still manage to maintain the subtle melodic textures that we all love from Melodiesinfonie's work. Manchester's own Contours (Rhythm Section Int./ Banoffee Pies) picks up the more gentle tone of the original in his remix of 'Walkingfree' while Moony Me's (Uncanny Valley/ Lagaffe Tales) interpretation of 'Our Roots' is a full-fledged club heater. Vital Sales Points: Early support by Marcel Vogel, Harvey Sutherland, S3A, Chaos in the CBD, Nachtbraker

The 2nd release from I Walked by Night comes firing out of the southside of Glasgow. A young man by the name of The Burrell Connection has been flying under the radar for a few years now... A Perth native / Glasgow immigrant has been making music since he was 15, his first release came via West End Communications (003) in 2015. Since then he has released most recently with Craigie Knowes on the amazing 2nd annual War Child fundraiser along with Legowelt, Shanti Celeste, Neville Watson and many more. 'Southside' was made with a Juno 6, Yamaha Dx21, Roland TR8, Korg MiniLogue and twisting samples and recording most tracks in one take with little post editing. This EP oozes raw energy and shows off a delicate deft touch. After debuting at the Warehouse Project in 2016, The Burrell Connection will be producing his first live show in 2017.

INCL. HIVER & CLAY WILSON REMIXES

Drawing on a pedigree of lush synth experimentation and cutting drum arrangements, Alfredo Mazzilli has been pushing his own brand of hypnotic techno over the past several years, charting releases with Lanthan Audio, Weekend Circuit and Edit Select. Now, Blankstairs is proud to announce the first U.S.-based release for the Italian producer with Vanaheimr , a pair of new tracks coupled with remixes from Clay Wilson and Hiver.

Mazzilli's work takes a considered pathway that walks the line between form and function, pulling his thick landscapes of synth wash and melodic punctuations through cutting rhythm tracks that owe as much to classic drum machine workouts as the dub-techno stalwarts that he frequently draws on here. Sculptural precision and rhythmic development work in tandem here, giving each track a shifting framework that seems to never touch down in the same place twice.

It s best seen in B-side Njord , a full-on assault of staccato kicks and flickers of percussion elements fleshed out with a series of short, repetitive pads, and washes of reverb, that create a meditative progression of interlocking textures. A similar approach defines A-side Vanir , where a lighter series of synth arrangements are woven through a driving, hypnotic rhythm that offers a fitting counterpoint to Njord's brutal kick patterns.

These are tracks about patience and concentration, allowing the slow, coursing process of the track to take center stage, turning the track into a negotiation between its functional, rhythmic ground and the high-mind ephemerality his arrangements conjure. A pair of remixes join Mazzilli's compositions, with The Bunker New York/Styles Upon Styles alum Clay Wilson twisting Njord towards a more balanced, rhythmic pacing, while pushing its hissing electronics towards a more caustic frequency range. On the A-Side, Hiver draws rhythmic cues from 90's house to turn Vanir into a trance-inducing sunrise groove.

These two joyful minimal synth-pop pearls were first released on the compilation Walkin' After Midnight' in 1982 and are in the same vein as early 80's singles by Carol (Breakdown) and Rive Gauche (Friends Are Friends). Both tracks on the 7' are a delightful proof of the lively and creative music scene in Brussels during the early eighties, supported by labels such as Factory Benelux and Les Disques Crépuscule and the famous venue Plan K.

Occidental White was founded at same time as Kaa Antilope, the extraordinary new wave band founded by Bernard Vranckx and Frédéric Walheer. Bernadette was the additional member and took care of the vocal part. The idea was to do 'pop' songs inspired by occidental white culture, which was the opposite to Kaa Antilope which was more focused on outside inspiration.

Repress!

Berlin based Arttu has been dropping his dusty fat beats across numerous techno labels including Philpot, Clone and 4Lux for a few years but it was 2016's track 'Hoodies' on Arttu's own imprint Cyblo that caught the attention of Accidental label boss Matthew Herbert (and which remains firmly in Herbert's record bag). Arttu was invited onto the Accidental Jnr roster and has delivered a chunk of techno with so much swing it made Donkey Kong blush.

Arttu takes the most simple of jazz bass hooks and loops across a rigid kick, it's when those hats kick in that the groove goes fucking wild. The presence of US native Roberto Q Ingram on vocals brings a full Detroit gangster flavour to the party. Initially Arttu and Roberto had an idea to record a simple and sweaty track with Roberto on the mic and Arttu at the control of some dusty old machines. The result, 'Bass Trakk' is exactly that: Roberto dropping lyrics over a raw beat and a massive bassline. The EP is rounded off with a deep bit of techno 'Debris' with all the trappings of the darkest hour of a Berlin winter in which it was recorded.

It is summer time in Nang land which means the dials are being set to Balearic. Step forward our all-around good chap, friend and producer buddy Pete Herbert. He has teamed up with Bali based musician and keyboard player Martin Denev to deliver an album of the finest Bali-inspired Balearic House. Hot and balmy evenings here we come.

Recorded on the tropical island of Bali, the album swings from Balearic grooves, to sun-filled terrace house, seaside electronic and swimming-pool funk. We open up with "Batu Karang", summery key stabs, lazy drum machine set the album tone hot, low-slung and swimming in positivity. Things take a more electronic turn with "Time" with its twisting synth-lines and locked on sun-drenched groove.

House music royalty Robert Owens swings by the cabana for a very special guest vocal appearance on "Pass Me By" next. His smooth and powerful soulful vocal compliment the pool terrace house grooves and sneaky thumb piano. As ever, Robert does not disappoint. To close off Side A the title track "Made In The Shade" gives us a slice of Nu Disco summer swing with funky strat and more cowbell of course in for good measure.

The flip side of the album opens up with a hands in the air terrace anthem. House pianos, punchy synth hits and beach disco groove all the way. "Sun Fish" takes things again in an electronic direction. Meandering lead synth lines, walking synth bass giving the perfect back drop to this island hopping anthem. Recent single "Night Boat" is next. Darting firefly arpeggios and lush keyboard layers prevail here. We end on a high with the up-tempo Gamalan inspired "Ruby Star" sending us out on a ocean deep wave..

Welcome to Nang Balearic airlines. Your pilots Pete and Martin hope you enjoy your flight.

Over the years, Phil Mison has become the go-to selector for those looking for Ibiza-themed compilations. None of his previous collections, though, have been quite as personal as Out Of The Blue, a compilation inspired by his first spell behind the decks at the Café Del Mar in 1993 - and the remarkable chain of events leading up to it.

Mison made his first trip to Ibiza in the summer of 1991 and quickly fell in love with the magical music being played by Café Del Mar resident DJ, Jose Padilla. On his return to the UK, Mison began to cultivate his own take on the laidback, open-minded style, recording mix-tapes of Ibiza style chill out' tunes to give to friends.

In November 1992, Mison was hanging out in Tag Records, Soho, when Padilla walked in. He plucked up the courage to speak to the Spaniard because earlier that summer Mison had given one of his friends some tapes to take out to Jose in Ibiza so he wanted to see if he had got them. During the conversation Mison invited him down to his next DJ set at Nicky Holloway's club, the Milk Bar and less than three months later, and clearly impressed by what he'd heard on the tapes, Padilla invited Mison to fill in for him at the Café Del Mar, beginning in April '93.

It's that first trip to DJ in Ibiza - a crazy six-weeks spent dividing his time between spinning records at Café Del Mar, hanging out in Jose Padilla's house in the hills, and meeting some particularly eccentric White Isle residents - that proved the inspiration for Out Of The Blue.

The compilation contains a mixture of records that Mison played in his earliest Ibiza sets, those that remind him of that period, and recent discoveries that boast a similarly warm, loved-up vibe. Mison is at pains to point out that it's not a track-for-track representation of his first sets, but rather a collection inspired by this most momentous of experiences.

As you'd expect from a selector of Phil Mison's standing, Out Of The Blue is an outstanding collection. Some will no doubt hear the influence of his mentor - the man he credits with effectively turning his DJing career around - in the undulating rhythms and new age melodies of Kamasutra's Sugar Step', the meandering synthesizer solos and Spanish language vocals of Congarilla's sublime Sacred Tree', and the lilting flamenco guitars of Gambarra', an unreleased mix from Mison's popular Cantoma project.

Elsewhere, listeners can marvel at the starry ambient bliss of Belgian legend Frank De Wulf's The End', recline to the saucer-eyed fusion jazz of the Christoph Spendel Group, shuffle along to tactile, hard-to-find period deep house from Language, Moodswings and Don Carlos, and marvel at The Cactus Rose Project's ridiculously rare Jelly', a sparkling, disco-era jazz-rock outing partly inspired by the Doobie Brothers' Long Train Running'.

Out Of The Blue may well be a very personal selection of tracks celebrating a moment in time, but it's happily one that we can all enjoy.

To mark the release of their sophomore album, Dark Sky present a pair of remixes of their latest tracks. Brace yourself for a double treat of raw dancefloor virtuosity via Miami and Munich.
Omnidisc labelhead Danny Daze takes on the atmospheric march of - The Walker', creating an eerie and intensely long build-up that eventually gives way to a slamming yet ethereal EBM finish.
Next up are Munich's techno overlords the Zenker Brothers. They infuse - Kilter' with some genuine breakbeat magic and hard-hitting industrial vibes while brilliantly reinventing the original track's melodic themes. Spot-on.

Current Value stands as one of the producers at the very forefront of experimentation - a creator truly reaching the top of his game and one who has walked an unmistakable path across the Drum and Bass landscape.

Consistently delivering a style so unique that it sets him far ahead of the pack, his unique aesthetic is evident in both his unmatched experimentations in synthesis and his trademark finely crafted percussion, combined to deliver a heavy but stripped down modern sound that carries serious weight.

May 5th brings CV's unique sound to Doc Scott's 31 Recordings with the Scalar EP.

Also look out for the CVAV project a 60 minute audio visual showcase of Current Value's work that sets a new bar in electronic music with a mind-shattering sensory experience that changes the context of one of the most unique artists of our time.

In April Booka Shade will return with their new album GALVANY STREET. A new beginning in many ways. "We're very proud to have reached a lot with instrumental music. With MOVEMENTS 10 we closed a chapter last year. 2017 is the perfect time for a new start and to mix things up." (Walter Merziger) GALVANY STREET marks the return to their pop roots in collaboration with former Archive singer Craig Walker and a few additional guests like Urdur (GusGus), Australian Yates and Daniel Spencer from London. I was aware of the band before we started working together and really liked everything I had heard. I was introduced to the guys by Martin Eyerer one of the Riverside owners. Martin was really enthusiastic about us meeting as he felt we would have a lot in common musically and he was right. We met up in Riverside and we discussed music we liked past and present and we had very similar tastes. I listened to their back catalogue and was really impressed with how great everything was produced and I loved howmelodically driven everything they did was. (Craig Walker)
The second single from the album is - Numb The Pain , a disco inspired feel good pop song. For the single format Booka Shade created 2 special versions of the song. A much shorter, more instant Single Version and a longer, club friendly Extended Mix, inspired by classic 80s 12inch releases.
Every single from the album will also feature an unreleased exclusive song, again inspired by the traditional idea of a B-Side. In this case it´s the instrumental tech house tune - Fade Away , a hint at Booka Shade´s past. Booka Shade will embark on a European Tour in April to support the release of the new album. For the first time in their career, Booka Shade will be joined on stage by singer Craig Walker. GALVANY STREET is the album we wanted to write for a long time. The collaboration with Craig Walker brings in the perfect kind of vocals to complete the music." (Arno Kammermeier).

The return to the pop roots in collaboration with former Archive singer Craig Walker and a few additional guests. The new longplayer is the start of a new chapter in the Booka Shade artist history and is produced and mixed by Mark Plati.

Another EP from the label boss of Home Invasion.. Franck is back this time with a new collaboration with Famous New Yorker singer based in berlin Mandel Turner on a new nasty song. The rets of the EP is gifted by some of his new works in the studio...Enjoy

"Babylon" is the first single taken from the forthcoming new full length album "Glavany Ways" featuring Craig Walker (ex-Archive) and Urdur (GusGus). The EP comes along with two special "Babylon" versions including the radio single version and the extended club mix plus the non-album track "Changes"!

Sometimes in life you find yourselves at a point where you need to walk away and leave something behind if you ever want to go back to it. Other paths must be walked, other experiences learnt from to give you a fresh view of where you've come from. In that sense going back to the roots, rediscovering their past with fresh eyes, is the concept behind Richard Dorfmeister & Rupert Huber's new Tosca album, 'Going Going Going'.For over two decades and several albums Tosca has served as a vehicle for Richard and Rupert to express their personal moods and impressions, each release holding up a mirror to their inner lives. Now though after ten albums the journey has come full circle and once again they've returned to the kind of instrumental tracks, full of deep beats and dubbed out textures that made Tosca's name. The result is 'Going Going Going', an album that Tosca fans will immediately recognize and yet one that doesn't just trade on former glories. Hitting the ground running opening track 'Import Export' sounds like a Lee Scratch Perry version of a Ennio Morricone soundtrack, a motif reoccurs throughout the album, most notably on 'Dr Dings', their reinterpretation of America's classic 'Horse With No Name'.

The audio - navigators on this high - breed workout are

'I take my guitar and strum and sing some tings and blow people's mind. But I ain't trying to do anybody's music. I'm doing what I feel' - Shadow

When it came out in 1984 the far-out album Sweet Sweet Dreams by Trinidad & Tobago's Shadow (aka Winston Bailey) was described as 'way ahead of its time'. Undeservedly it was panned by critics and, unable to reach markets, disappeared into the dusty record collections of a few music aficionados. Now, more than three decades later that cosmic dance-floor UFO is about to take off again, change all that and set the record straight. Remastered and cut by Frank Meritt at The Carvery the album is truly a masterpiece.

But who is this Shadow behind Sweet Sweet Dreams Shadow is a man of understated magnitude. A truly enigmatic artist, he first emerged in Trinidad and Tobago during the 1970s, becoming a part of the tapestry of Caribbean music and reinvigorating calypso at the time. Calypso, the indigenous folk music of Trinidad and Tobago, has roots in West African kaiso rhythms, French Creole influences, and the hardships endured by the African slaves brought to Trinbago, whose descendants still use it as a tool for satire, self-expression, and social commentary. Calypso has also given birth to several other music genres, including soca, with its uptempo beats and festival context. Shadow effortlessly moves between both.

Shadow came from a humble but musical family and started writing songs as a youth while tending cattle in the fields. To his family's initial chagrin he chose calypso over church music but his talent and drive were undeniable. In the early days of his career Shadow's style was cramped when working with some of the more conservative music arrangers who felt that calypso and soca should fit a mould. But after a while Shadow teamed up with more innovative arrangers, including Arthur 'Art'de Coteau, who followed their and Shadow's intuitions resulting in a long line of hits.

'The first time we met for me to arrange his music we had a heated argument on the arrangement for one of his songs, I was theoretically correct but Shadow was musically right. Shadow broke all the traditional musical rules and made his own and that made him a musical giant. He changed the face of Calypso music in 1974 with the release of "Bassman" a tune in which Bass and magnificent horn line took central stage changing Soca music for ever. What Shadow did with his music was to put calypso on the International Dance circuit, giving it a totally different groove. You could take his music and swing it in any direction, Disco, Pop, Calypso, you name it. His music was different from anything that existed before'. - Carl "Beaver" Henderson, one of Trinidad's veteran producers.

This inert creativeness culminated in Sweet Sweet Dreams which was arranged by Shadow and deals with burning and ever-relevant themes like love and the ups and downs of relationships. a surprising fact for someone mainly known for his satirical and political lyrics. It prompted his manager to wonder if Shadow had written the lyrics while in a state of 'tabanca' (a word used in Trinidad and Tobago to describe lovesickness).

Sweet Sweet Dreams was recorded at the legendary SHARC studios, located on a hill in Chaguaramas (near Port of Spain) and despite a fantastic sound and monster Soca-boogie tunes like 'Lets get it together', 'Lets Make it Up' and 'Way, Way Out' the album was a commercial flop, probably due to the fact that it didn't sound like anything else coming out of Trinidad & Tobago at the time: It fused a range of different rhythms and new sounds, primarily heavy synth riffs.

Shadow took the album's lack of success in his stride with usual aplomb:
'When I did Sweet Dreams I expect something could happen. But nothing big happen because I have no big market and no distribution and all this thing now. So I just cool myself and move on to another song. I wasn't doing just one song. I used to always have plenty songs at the one time. And be writing music'.

What Shadow didn't realise back then was that the proto-electronic cocktail he had mixed in 1984 would only find the recognition it deserved three decades later. Life has swung full circle: Sweet Sweet Dreams has come true and been elevated to holy grail status becoming one of the most sought-after Caribbean disco records in existence.

For this re-release we carried out extensive interviews with Shadow and the musicians and have included as bonuses exclusive photos from Shadow's personal collection and the dancefloor filler tune 'D'Hardest' was added as a bonus track.

Fall of 2016 sees Midnight Magic ready to enchant us once more with the much-anticipated birth of their 2nd studio album, the wondrously eclectic Free From Your Spell. Going back to their roots in Los Angeles, Morgan Wiley, and Tiffany Roth, alongside the rest of the boogie nonet, have prepared a refined feast of genre-bending songs. The ever so diverse moods of Free From Your Spell make it a seductive journey. With each song mixed seamlessly into the next, the record coalesces into one long disco odyssey, reminiscing Giorgio Moroder and Donna Summer's concept albums "Four Seasons of Love" and "A Love Trilogy". Moods, genres, and styles intertwine like an aural kaleidoscope, the album electrifying with its striking harmony. Whilst exuberantly borrowing from past decades, Free From Your Spell more than holds its own as a self-assured, innovative body of work. Midnight Magic's Free From Your Spell is an offer one can't refuse. An attractive deal in the form of disco escapism, traveling through its various shades, emotions, and incarnations, a comprehensive revival of the genre for modern ears. It's Studio 54, It's Moroder,Amanda Lear, Gino Soccio, and Grace Jones. It's a whole palette of 1980's R'n'B and cosmic funk. Despite all the music references of past eras Free From Your Spell is very much a current album, a mature demonstration of genuine skills in songwriting, a multi-instrumental banquet of sounds, a coherent collection of ambitious dance tracks and a beautiful celebration of eclecticism. Add to this some of Tiffany Roth's most memorable vocals to date and you arrive at one of the year's most exciting releases. There is a strong reason for both "midnight" and "magic" in the name of the band after all.

Virginia-born singer/songwriter Nicole Wray has everything you'd want in a singer: an infectious Jackson-5-family-member flare, a range like Aretha's, and a church upbringing that's brought a pure, healing texture to her voice. But the struggle she's been through has made her more than a singer. Nicole Wray is an artist. When talking about Queen Alone, her first solo album in some time, Nicole explains, It's a reflection of my soul. It's who I am today.' And aptly so. Nicole is writing and singing songs about her life. And yet to even start to know her soul, you have to go back to the beginning. Growing up in Portsmouth was tough at times for Nicole. However, at the age of fifteen, life opened up quickly when Missy Elliot paid a visit to Nicole's family home to audition her on the spot. Missy was there on the rumored strength and quality of her voice. Instantly blowing her away, she signed and left with Missy that night. Two years later, at age 17, she had a hit gold single off a solid debut album (Make It Hot). Suddenly she was part of a team that included late '90s R&B and rap royalty: Missy, Aaliyah, Ginuwine, Playa, Timbaland and Magoo. She made it, and fast. However, as rapidly as she achieved success, Nicole then found herself needing to re-make it. By late 2001, her time with Missy and company had run its course. They amicably parted ways and Nicole, once on top of the R&B world, was unsure of what was next. It was a very low, but important, point in her life. While neck-deep in this struggle, Damon Dash and Roc-A-Fella Records called. They signed an album deal and by 2004, in what was starting to be a pattern, just as things were looking up Roc-A-Fella suddenly (famously) split. Nicole found herself in a familiar situation. In 2013, Nicole paired up with London vocalist Terri Walker and released the album Lady. Once again, Nicole was tested. Terri parted ways with the group to pursue her own projects shortly after the album's release. Fast forward to now-the transformation from singer-for-hire to pure artist is evident in this new full-length solo release, Queen Alone. The record was written and recorded in 10 days at the legendary Diamond Mine Studios, in Queens NY with Leon Michels and Tom Brenneck handling production. Nicole says she is Singing out loud now-singing from the stomach.' Back in 1998 she was coached how to sing, and told to stay in a pocket that never let her show her range, power, and passion. Today, after stutter-stepping in and out of the industry, there is a new soul and substance to her songs-all of it from her life. They Don't Hang Around", tells the story of her post Roc-a-Fella days, Guilty", is about her brother's incarceration, Make Me Over" tells the relatable story of being broke with expensive taste, and 'Let It Go', a perfect way to end the record, is about the simple act of letting go and moving on. Almost echoing her new record, Nicole says, You have to go through something for it to be real.' She has been living with one foot in fame and the other in real life. The result is clear: she's feeling something real in her music again. And it's hard for us as listeners not to follow suit.

When Jerry Lee Lewis walks on-stage, he provokes uproar just by standing still... And from the moment he hits the keyboard, hands raking and floating around the mic stand, hair flying, he leaves no one in any doubt about who gives the greatest live show on earth.



One of the few serious contenders to Elvis Presley's title of the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Lewis made his finest recordings during his early years with Sun Records. Whilst there he recorded prolifically, encompassing the diverse musical styles, including: country, gospel, blues, hillbilly and R&B, genres which he had grown up listening to.



This new LP highlights the cream of Lewis' peerless recordings made for Sun Records, when he was at his creative peak and includes: 'Great Balls Of Fire', 'Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On', and 'Wild One (Real Wild Child)'.



The Sun Rockabilly Legends Series is produced by Sun Entertainment Corporation president John A. Singleton and Charly Records founder Jean-Luc Young.



'The Killer' changed the face of both Rock 'n' Roll and Country Music.' - Clive Anderson

The Benoît Pioulard Listening Matter is the sixth kranky album from Thomas Meluch under the nom de plume Benoît Pioulard. It arrives on the 10th anniversary of his first LP Précis, and offers a rekindled focus on self-examination, as well as a return to vocal-based pop structures following the mostly instrumental Sonnet (2015).

Recording for the Listening Matter began during a period of grief, turmoil and self-medication, and continued throughout two years of growth and healing. Reflections on vice ("Layette", "Anchor as the muse"), virtue ("Narcologue") and death ("A mantle for Charon") feature equally in this concise treatise aimed at the flawed-but-resilient core in us all.

By coincidence this album was completed on the very day Meluch's only brother died; accordingly, it's dedicated to him and anyone seeking paths away from their demons.

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...

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!

Unknown Entity Pack including UE001, UE002, download card and stickers.

02AM is an 4 track EP by the young producer Hekkla from Eindhoven in the Netherlands.
The first track is 'Sunset Strip', a slowly build house track that moves like the last waves of heat at the end of a hot summers day, walking home feeling satisfied, all ready for the night. 'Saturday Morning Sentimentality' is a hard to pinpoint track that sounds like the bastard son of a trio between the melancholic side of Cyndi Lauper, Alphaville and the echoes of a cheesy saturday morning cartoon theme song from the late 80's. On the other side 'Memories of Tau Ceti' feels like tumbling into space with only the memories left of a good time on an alien world, accelerating faster and faster but still enjoying it, even though you know that the vacuum of space will eventually kill you. Finishing with the hardest track 'No Math', because, boys and girls, it's no math...

Hand stamped artwork by Frank Koedood.

been to long' - the well remebered chorus of a successfull parisian duo´s single hit comes easily to mind while thinking of the latest internasjonal release. after a long hiatus - which feels like surely way long - we restart with one half of the formerly well known milanese pair - boogie drama - and it´s very own lele sacchi. deejaying since 1995 sacchi has been and is still one of italy´s and especially milan´s musical icons - at least for electronic and alternative worlds, presents himself in his signature style. high on the heals of the success with rebirth´s smash Lele Sacchi Vs Blonde Redhead - You're Only Kosmiquest' is dark and cryptic, with a mean but very neat and elegant bassline plus an unmatched groove and feel for the floor. this time well balanced with a tad into psycheledic strinig heaven, wich combined with electronic effects is his ultimate kosmische' quest. the whole thing is contered by an airy and superbright no less danceable ' lauer version' and a fantatsic relaxed italo take on kraut which can propably be non done much better than byprins thomas walking on that lunga strada' !

After his manifold debut in 2009, followed by a second album "True Life / In Flames" with focus on the grand piano, Dial Records is pleased to announce Christian Naujoks's third solo album WAVE, a dedication to one of the artist's essential instruments: the electric guitar.
Inspired by The Durutti Collumn, John Fahey, Vincent Gallo, Azalia Snail and David Grubbs, and many others, Christian Naujoks breaks the boundaries between songwriting and minimalism, folk music and contemporary art. The recordings at Electric Avenue Studios were accompanied by engineering master Tobias Levin, known for his works on Kreidler, Faust, Felix Kubin, Pantha Du Prince & The Bell Laboratory, just to name a few. With WAVE Naujoks and Levin created a sound-seductive state of the art production, ten post-minimalist guitar pieces with an appearance of the artist's signature piano style on two of the songs.
Christian Naujoks recently worked on productions with his band Sky Walking (with RVDS and Lawrence) and released a piano tape on Martin Hossbach's imprint. After a series of concerts at Berlin's Berghain and HAU, the Golden Pudel Club in Hamburg, performances and collaborations around the globe including Israel, Mexico, Vietnam and the Philippines, he returned back to his studio in Hamburg in 2015 where the WAVE started.

Michigan's ambient and soundtrack specialist John Beltran introduces a new LP that will be co-released by Delsin and his digital only label Dado Records. Entitled Through the Blinds, it features ten tracks by Blair French (who also appeared on his Music For Machine compilation on Delsin last year) and will be released on January 18th 2016. Blair French aka Dial.81 is an experimental producer and visual artist who won an award for his score of Detropia--a documentary about his home city of Detroit--and now makes his ambient debut. As you would expect of such a project, it boasts suspensory and near spiritual pieces of ambient music with angelic chords and glassy textures. There are also more frosty cuts that sound like a chilly Autumn walk, tracks that feature emotive neo-classical piano pieces and suggestively rhythmic compositions that sooth your mind. The second half of the record touches on church like passages of synth heavy sounds, strikingly sad violins and lo-fi arrangements that sound, one hopes, a little like what you might hear as you pass from this life to the next.

The newest imprint indulging in dub minimal techno.

DUBWAX is proud to present the LP of Star_Dub called "A space in Between". He caught our attention after releasing strong dub techno ep's on his own STARDUB Imprint in the last 4-5 years. In 2015 we signed him for DUBWAX and he delivered the "DUBADU FILES" EP (DUBWAX005). Now it's time to present a overview about his productions in LP format. These days its hard to stand out between all those "basic channelish" Dub copys artists so we are more than happy that there are a few guys like him out in the scene who deliver their own interpretation of modern dub tech music. More infos soon!

15 prime slabs of mid-60s USA garage punk MISERY - garage punk SADness in GATEFOLD SLEEVED luxury with liner notes, band photos, label scans. (NOTE: This is an entirely NEW series and NONE of these tracks were on the old series 'GARAGEPUNKUNKNOWNS'.) The Other Side "DARK SIDE", The Pastels "HOW MANY NIGHTS", The Toads "STAY AWAY", The Henchmen "SHE STILL LOVES YOU", The Night Walkers "STIX AND STONES", The Time Takers "LOVE ME LIKE YOU DID BEFORE", The Night Riders "SHE WON'T MISS YOU", The White Angels "BUT HE NEVER COMES BACK", 24. We The People 'ALWAYSLIES', The Dominions "I NEED HER", The Saxons "THE WAY OF THE DOWN", The Sonics "YOU DON'T HEAR ME", The Mystics "ORPHAN", The Vacant Lot "HEY BABY". The Squires "WHY OH WHY"