tiga and zombie nation have joined forces to create the most potent dance record of the year. apocalyptic tension. panic-fueled fundowns. 2012 is approaching. the heat is now - partys over earth! having both rocked remarkably long and prolific careers, the members of zzt possess uncanny staying power in an industry where hype ends faster than it begins. zombie nations production credentials are impeccable, and his reputation as a live performer has made him a permanent fixture on europes main stages.

anders trentemoller has become one of the most respected names in cutting edge electronic music in the last few years. his rise to notoriety was sparked by his early, techy releases for poker flat and audiomatique and has since gone on to stellar highs with his own personal take on the genre, spanning, pop, rock, indie and classical. his debut album >the last resort< was released in 2006 to much international acclaim, and the producer also began to become an in-demand remixer in the house and techno world. as the decade wore on his sound continued to progress, opening up his studio to more live instrumentation, and a looser, rock-meets electronic vibe with his stunning >into the great wide yonder< lp. now this special double cd and double vinyl release celebrates some of the producer s favourite remixes he completed for other artists, and also some of his personal picks where other musicians have reworked his music.

its a love story: stil vor talent have long been mad about niconŽ and sascha braemer so that the recent past has seen some very memorable releases by the two producers. now its about time they join forces to release a whole album together. while sascha braemer only recently caused waves with his Ÿber-track people, nicone is a long-established pillar of top-class electronic music.

byetone s new record symeta opens with a combined track - a transit - since topas and telegramm could be seen as one single piece. both tracks convey the atmosphere of a live session rather than the character of a studio production. the tracks are quite long and deal with repetition, layers of sounds, density and energy, more than melodic and engineering finesse. the whole album follows this approach, as it was fashioned within the context of live performances during the last two years. neuschnee Ð the third track Ð has an obviously reduced tempo, creating a wide landscape of sound with an intimate aura, which works as a counter draft to the other tracks of the record. with opal, the tempo speeds up again, a polyrhythmic phrase whirls around a straight beat, filters are turned, all that evokes the impression of early-90s minimal techno. byetone is basically interested in remembering, in a way to preserve, in citing rock/pop styles, without getting stuck in the past, whereas non of the tracks really fit into a specific genre. seen from this perspective, helix opens the final, more rocky block of the album. here, the tracks are offensive and rude and sound like a band in a rehearsal room. this part peaks with black peace in a high speed heavy metal session. finally, golden elegy closes symeta and a band-like situation occurs. the track ends with a wired lament, presented by jan kummer in the tenor of chemnitz, hometown of both artists. in former gdr-times, they started their musical activity with the brilliant-dilettantish ag geige, together with frank bretschneider (komet). symeta , the title of the album, appears mysterious. this synthetic word arouses associations with symmetry, synthesis or (meta-)structures. it doesn t stand for a definite object, there isn t any solution, and that is the reason why the title has been chosen. byetone s music tries to create such associations without really fulfilling these expectations. in this sense, symeta consequently follows death of a typographer (r-n92), the well received predecessor.

after a handful of smashing remixes, compilation features and solo ep on nang records, lusty zanzibar returns to the fold with a cracking full-length titled >find a way<.

the sound of the late great fitzcarraldos is like sand between your toes. bittersweet love songs paying homage to otis redding, brian eno, john cale and luther vandross. this is sophisticated melodic luxury music for a generation that has the history of music up their sleeve, but really just want to meditate.

australian pressing of this 2011 collection of rarities and non-album tracks from the queen of modern soul. sharon jones & the dap-kings have developed an international reputation as the #1 group on todays soul scene. soul time is an exploration of the full range of their dynamic sound through 12 songs handpicked by the daptone records gang, each one a precious exclusive. the needle drops on genuine pts. 1 & 2, a supercharged funk arrangement that evokes the late godfather not only with the spirited syncopation of the dap-kings rhythms, but also with the raw power of jones voice. it is performances such as these that have earned her the moniker the female james brown. though it has long been one of their best-selling singles, it makes its album debut here. longer and stronger, written for her 50th birthday, is a deep mid-tempo soul celebration of the strength and determination with which sharon jones has earned her long overdue success. whether youre a lifetime fan, or just getting turned on, sharon jones & the dap-kings have yet again made a record that will blow your mind.

katalyst is sydney-based producer ashley anderson, one of australias most prolific producers. over the past two decades katalyst has risen to the top of the australian hip hop and electronica scenes, receiving multiple aria and j award nominations along the way. his reputation as one of australias best producers has seen him collaborate with the likes of geoff barrow of portishead, aloe blacc, dead prez, guilty simpson, phat kat, j-live, finale, frank n dank, diverse, ugly duckling and steve spacek (who together form space invadas). the latest product of his audiophiliac obsession, deep impressions? deconstructs and distils soul, hip hop, funk, jazz, reggae and electro influences into what is perhaps most accurately described as -the katalyst sound-. it is a reflection of the large variety tunes that influence katalysts own musical direction. the album also includes collaborations with the likes of los angeles hip-hop artist bootie brown (of the pharcyde), sydneys own kweeng (killaqueenz), underground legend mr clean, upcoming north carolina mc coin locker kid, stephanie mckay (usa), steve spacek (uk), hau (koolism), and jane doe (formally jade macrae).

great versatile album cd. tini rocks as we like it! decks tipp

paul rose, aka scuba, the mastermind behind the incredibly well curated hotflush label, has been enlisted to create his own dj-kicks mix. featuring a healthy helping of exclusives from his camp including new music from addison groove & boddika, the mix treads the line between the uk bass music scene in which scuba came up, and the techno sounds dominant in his current home of berlin, creating a new sound in the process.

unmixed cd album !!! over the past six years, parker has worked with labels like ovum, tsuba and crosstown rebels, but his debut lp will see release on nic fanciulis saved records. a gun for hire features 11 new productions from the english producer, including a collaboration with dan beaumont. parker spent a year in the studio working on the album just after his move across the channel to berlin, whilst also maintaining his relationship with rekids, namely through the labels residency at panorama bar. the result is a conflation of different strands of house music, with hints of london and berlin as well as chicago, detroit and new york.

raise the curtain once more on a very special orchestral performance. how could highgrade records better celebrate its 100th release than with twelve tracks from the highgrade disharmonic orchestra? the creative combo featuring both label bosses tom clark and todd bodine, alongside philip bader, daniel dreier and dale, began over a year ago with the intention of celebrating the tenth birthday of the berlin label. and the resulting gift: a musical experiment. the five artists have bundled their creativity together into a symphony unparalleled in the techno scene. every performance is like a jam session: all five laptops are interconnected, so each of the artists has the opportunity to react to the others and modify each track as desired. thus, new arrangements are created and constantly re-interpreted. drum machines and synthesizers are also in play, to further stretch the improvisational possibilities. no wonder then, that the 100th release follows in this creative vein. the highgrade disharmonic orchestra, with multilayer, kiddnaps us away into vastly different musical worlds: from deep influences and custom recorded vocals to an array of technoid sounds and effects. then back to groovy, swinging beats reminiscent of a balmy summer evening on the beach. therefore the record is something of a rollercoaster ride, where we never know what might be waiting behind the next curve. typically highgrade

boom bip was one of the canniest underground beat producers around before he hooked up with gruff rhys of super furry animals to create the fascinating neon neon project, which took as its focus automaker john delorean and what his car (and charisma) meant to the 80s. bbs return to the solo realm finally came on 2011s zig zaj, which has more in common with neon neon than with his early solo joints. (features for cate le bon and franz ferdinands alex kapranos, among others, certainly fit in.) as always, its impeccably produced - hollon has only gained in proficiency and maturity as a producer. but compared to seed to sun or blue eyed in the red room, whose fascination with sound was positively contagious, zig zaj sounds like an overly safe record, the type that most producers would avoid if they wanted to keep innovating. heavily influenced by rock and 80s new wave, similar to neon neons stainless style, its impressions are largely textural, and as talented a producer as boom bip has become, zig zaj sounds more like a rehash than the entirely new recipe that music fans are undoubtedly looking for.

ex-harry pussy guitarist bill orcutt s 2009 side a new way to pay old debts was an instant classic for those attuned to his brand of stomach-scrapingly raw, hoary blues improvisation. few could have expected the album to be subsequently issued on cd by editions mego, but the more you thought about it the more it made sense - though all-acoustic, orcutt s music is every bit as extreme, violent and threshold-testing as that of, say, florian hecker, russell haswell or mika vainio. as if to prove it wasn t a token gesture towards eclecticism, mego boss peter rehberg has signed a brand new album from orcutt, and what an album it is. for the most part it s in that visceral, coruscating style that he s best known for, all finger-bleeding fretboard assaults that manage to sound at once virtuoso and completely out-of-control, reaching a psychotic climax on the visible bosom: but there are some more reflective passages too, hell, the title track might even be the most chilled thing he s ever recorded. the album was cut at d+m in berlin, which really teases every last drop of blood, sweat and tears out of the recording, which took place at orcutt s home studio in san francisco in spring of 2011. brutal, bludgeoning but incurably romantic, how the thing sings demands your steadfast attention. mind-blowing.

sander van doorns new artist album 2011. if theres one thing we can say about the evolution of the worldwide dance scene this year, is that its genres are being mashed up like never before. on his new artist album eleve11, sander van doorn once again does what he does best, mixing up styles, genres and artist-cooperations. along side his smash hits koko and love is darkness, eleve11 is packed with artist-cooperations such as believe with singer/songwriter tom helsen, eagles with adrian lux and sanders latest purle haze installment timezone. an emotional dancefloor-killer that brings shivers down your spine each time you hear us singer fredericks voice. more uplifting is sanders collab with fellow-dutchman laidback luke. whos wearing the cap is an idea born when their resemblance on a photo was so anstonishing that the songtitle was placed underneath it, making fans wonder if they might be brothers. those who have heard nadia ali on iios classic rapture have probably wondered when her voice was due for a svd treatment. well, that time has finally come and the result is called: rolling the dice together with sidney samson all in all, eleve11, with its neatly corresponding 11 tracks all recorded in 2011, shows the world exactly what sander van doorn has evolved into.. a worldwide dancemusic phenomena.

2011 collection featuring cuts from shuggie otis, sly & the family stone and aretha franklin.. the old grey whistle test has now been synonymous with quality music for 40 years. although possibly best know as a show for rock music, the show maintained an amazing variety when it came to choosing its artists, it really only had two criteria, 1, that the artists had released an album and 2 that they produced great music. this collection mostly features artists that appeared on the show but also include artists who for whatever reason didnt or couldnt appear on the show.

in watch me dancetoddla t has created a dubwise, street-soul masterpiece, and to ensure it was everything toddla envisaged it could be he s carefully selected an impressive line up of friends, peers and musical icons to guest vocal, co-produce, remix, co-write with him on the album. names including previous collaborator roots manuva, fellow dj, producer and remixer skream, ms dynamite, ross orton, wayne marshall, timberlee, roisin murphy and shola ama.

multi-platinum, grammy award-winning rock band red hot chili peppers will release their upcoming tenth studio album, im with you, on warner bros. records on august 30th, 2011. recorded at east west in los angeles and shangri-la in malibu, ca, im with you was produced by rick rubin, who has produced the bands previous five albums, 2006s stadium arcadium, 2002s by the way, 1999s californication, 1995s one hot minute, and 1991s blood sugar sex magik. the album was mixed by andrew scheps and greg fidelman. im with you is the bands first new album since the two-set stadium arcadium.

soundway records are proud to present the afro-jazz soundtrack to ola baloguns legendary movie from 1978. the film was written and directed by balogun (recognised as one of nigerias most renowned directors) but shot and cast in brazil. the soundtrack was composed by one of nigerias most successful and original musicians remi kabaka (who has played with steve winwood and ginger baker amongst others). the record was originally issued in both nigeria and brazil, but recorded in lagos, using four of the nigerian music scenes most innovative players: remi kabaka himself, alongside biddy wright, saxophonist dele okonkwo and mono mono frontman joni haastrup. the result is a truly unique and experimental afro-jazz recording that has been out of print for many years, until now.

500 limited edition cd that comes with 32 page comic novel. and illustrated by ulrich troyer. songs for william is the first in a trilogy of experimental dub projects from ulrich troyer and deep medi musik. ulrich troyer was born in innsbruck and raised in tyrol austria, he studied architechure and music at university and now resides in vienna where he lives and works as a freelance artist and musician. ulrich has been producing music and experimenting with electronics for over 10 years on various projects that include soundtracks for movies, dance productions, exhibitions and sound installations. since 2005 ulrich has also been performing live as a member of the vegetable orchestra. songs for william sees ulrich explore his love for dub music and the experimentations of pioneers such as king tubby, sound dimension and rhythm and sound alongside the influences of mulatu, tony allen and the psychedelic sounds of selda. to accompany this release is the first part chapter of a comic novel featuring the main character william (a guitar effect pedal!) and his journey! all analogue synthesizers, effects, stompboxes, samplers, guitars, percussion and melodica played, programmed, recorded and dubbed by ulrich troyer at the 4bit studio vienna.

on his 2011 album field songs, iowa troubadour william elliott whitmore documents a vanishing american landscape with all the heartfelt soul and quiet fury one could hope for. -heartland firebrand blows fuse, fights for truth- heralded spin magazine when describing whitmore, who utilizes a powerful singing voice beyond his years and a stark dramatic sound rooted in bluegrass, blues and folk protest music. these songs vividly evoke a life of struggle, humble resilience and family bond inspired by life on his familys farm along the mississippi river. whitmore has made a name for himself both within the punk movement, where his populism and sincerity resonate with alienated urban kids, and the roots community, where writers like andy downing in the chicago tribune have placed him within the -new pastoralism- of bon iver and the fleet foxes.

it might sound like an empty phrase, but when oliver koletzki founded stil vor talent in 2005, he certainly didnt anticipate where his label would be today. now - six years and over sixty releases later - stil vor talent can look back at many magnificent moments in the labels history. originally started to give other musicians the chance to showcase their music, stil vor talent has preserved this very down-to-earth attitude until today and has helped foster the careers of producers such as channel x, niko schwind, juli holz or david august to name just a few. while there have never been any musical or stylistic limitations, an open philosophy dominated by quality and individualism prevails at olivers label, from delicately designed record sleeves to their own fashion line and to music that varies from house to pop to jacking dancefloor cuts. now it is time to congratulate everyone involved and the fans of stil vor talent with a special birthday present: a six-year anniversary compilation that celebrates past, present and future of the label on two cds

tunisia has never been a referent place in the electronic music world. it was better known for its beaches and sunny weather, hardly for its political regime but the events of 2011 brought quite some changes about that. these changes have been nurturing in the underground of the country until exploding to the face of the world, with fantastic momentums of rebellion, courage and union. shinigami sans album is a signal that emanates from the underground of tunisia: a hybrid of dubstep, techno and noise, very dark, but most importantly, very true. this is neither the sound of london or berlin, and if a couple of ingredients from here and there are recognizable in -toys-, it is most definitely the electronic sound of tunisia we bring to you here. from the dusty, 8-bit dubstep of -lofi- and -toys- to the dark techno rollers -post trauma- and -migra-, you will go by tribal beats, eerie atmospheres and heavily distorted sound textures. shinigami san draws a panorama that shows both impressive skills and style. -toys- is not only about excellent and true music, but also about original product design and diy manufacturing. this 450 digipack limited edition was hand-printed and crafted using silk screen printing, rulers and cutters. the graphic design is based on drawings from sabrina ben hadj ali, and each cd comes with 3 original prints on the theme of the album. today, we are up to put tunisia under the radar of electronic beat diggers, today, we bring you the first album of tunisian-born shinigami san: nothing cheesy here, just a raw, brutally honest vibe.

whilst barlande may be difficlut to classify in genre it has been described as having its roots in flamenco and some ramifications of contemporary classical music. but any attempt to pigeon-hole this album should be ignored beyond deciding what shelf or floor to place it on in a record store. barlande is about creativity and discovery and its story is both fasciniating and inspiring a father, pedro soler, and his son, gaspar claus have created something entirely unique. the opening track insomnio mineral is a gentle begining with sparsely plucked cello before being joined by a gently sweeping flamenco guitar. what takes place from there on in is difficult to describe in words. the language between the cello and guitar become unlike anything i have heard before. the cello comes alive, a voice at times, leaping and striding in near freeform before coming back to join in mutual step and melodic interplay with guitar.

the international rudeboy is back! since leaving home at the age of 15 to become a sound engineer, wayne -lotek- bennett has been on a quest to hone his interpretation of the sounds that he grew up with ? a journey that has taken him to all corners of the globe. from festivals in czech republic to clubs in japan and all points in between lotek has forged his own path as a ska revivalist, culminating in his debut album on first word, international rudeboy.

for over a decade mark grusane & mike cole have been a vast music resource for djs, producers, collectors, rare music compilers, and specialty stores around the world. they started individually, each with their love of music. they traded and sold music with those -in the know- for years. in 2004 mark & mike focused their energies into founding mr. peabody records. the business plan and mission was to become a world class resource for all genres of obscure music. until now, their focus has been growing the shop. but the soul of mr. peabody records does not reside in the bricks and mortar the store, or even in the bins of records themselves. the real genius lies in mark & mikes unique ear for music.

wretch 32, real name jermaine scott, is one of the uks most loved mcs - from the underground up. from his early years in londons flourishing grime scene back in the early 00s, the tottenham-raised lyricist has always stood out from the crowd. his conscious and reflective bars, along with an extremely relaxed flow, made him a firm favourite on the uk hip hop circuit. much like tinie tempah, wretch 32 has proved that british mcs can reach the mainstream without selling their soul to pop. the first fruits of this crossover success were tasted in january 2011, when his single traktor broke into the domestic top five following an appearance on the bbc sound ofÉ list. and his second official single, unorthodox, fared even better, peaking at number two in april. so its clear that much has changed since his debut lp of 2008, wretchrospective - but has public recognition come at the expense of what marked wretch 32 out as such a talent in the first place? not at all - on the opening title-track, the rapper lets the listener know that its the same old wretch at work. over a drum-heavy hip hop beat he sets up the rest of the album well, advising everyone to fasten their seatbelts as he prepares to take them on a ride that they wont forget in a hurry. never be me finds wretch delving into his past, opening up about making certain decisions in life that got him to where he is today. featuring rnb newcomer angel on the hook, the track has an inspirational feel to it - all over another impressive, but this time more grime-influenced, beat. a true standout is anniversary, with alex mills on singing duties - its a love song, minus any cheese. then the album lurches into the electro-infused sanes the new mad - a glimpse into wretchs party lifestyle, with ladies and alcohol at the forefront of his attentions. and closer dont go just might be one of the tracks of the year.

after two re-releases of conrad schnitzler classics, (zug & ballet statique) now m=minimal releases a completely new work from the pioneer of electronic music. conrad schnitzler is a sound explorer. for many years, he has been on expeditions, journeys through his collection of electronic synthesizers almost every day. sounds he liked has been conserved on tape and stored in his sound library. the result is a huge library of audio files, he calls them >solen<. >borngrŠber & struever< have got the chance to examine that library and started to con-struct new pieces out of the hidden gems. these are not remixes but new compositions. none of the sound combinations were thought or heard before. the 8 tracks form an album independent of any trend and therefore it becomes a real acoustic environment for everyone. the album was produced at studio.wannsee. to give the album more authenticity, the complete audio processing was done using analog equipment. they not only used many classics among the finest synthesizers and outboard equipment, but also custom built tube gear. the icing on the cake are the tubes used from the 60s, which bought christian borngrŠber on a trip through the atacama desert in a small radio repair business in the city of calama. thanks to the desert climate even the packaging of the tubes looked as new

the excitement that percolates inside us when days start to get longer, the weather gets warmer, knowing summers just around the corner, has always had an instant gratification effect. hailing from the beautiful island of mallorca is dj / producer kiko navarro, a mainstay in the dance world on the party island of ibiza, had a residency at the world-famous club pacha, has done numerous productions for nite grooves / king street. he now comes back on board remixing, re-working, and re-editing some of the best well known, brand new tunes in the catalog, giving this comp a beautiful balaeric flow.

sunrise is the largest outdoor festival in poland and this year the cds are mixed by the two variables in trance / progressive namely by judge jules and marcel woods. judge jules has been a pioneer in the global dance scene and still hosts one of the most listened to dance programs on bbc radio1. expect beautiful melodies interspersed with great progressive tracks and you have a real jules mix cd 2 is attributable to the netherlands pride, marcel woods, who also made this years anthem, called ??sunrise. be ready for mix of house, trance, tech house and progressive as marcel woods serves it you all. this sunrise 2011 compilation is a perfect and complete overview of what to expect at the this festival and in fact at all contemporary festivals. get into the mood for festivals and join the sunrise trip 2011.

dj diamond is 24 year old karlis griffin from the west side of chicago. he has been producing music since the age of 13 and djing since 20, heading the -flight muzik- clique of footwork producers. you might recall his two tracks from our -bangs & works vol.1- footwork compilation of last year. in addition hes also released several mix cds in chicago, but this, his first international album showcases his unique style of footwork music. dj diamond is a unique producer with his own distinct style and an unusual ear for unexpected sonic and rhythmic combinations within the footwork template. often he thoroughly edits samples into tiny trance-inducing, techno-like stabs. combining this with a penchant for neon synths and loose, broken drums (that are often more effect-laden and freeform than those of of his peers) and you have a sound which has an intriguing, deeper, dreamlike feel. the breadth and quality of his production is clear when you listen to this album. take opener -rep yo clique-s woozy drawling synths and tribal tom patterns next to -speakerz n tonguez- with it-s snapping snares, minimal, repetitive voice samples and martial, detailed drum work. then a track like -torture rack- which is like grime in outer space: a minimal bassline and some samples from a computer game, while a bass kick stumbles at half time, swarms of percussive detail giving it drama. its a brilliant exercise in wonky tension. the extraordinary -decoded- comes across like a kind of amalgam of trance and prog rock bombast at 160bpm while -wreckageÕs- high pitch saw noise is like a strange metallic bird-call, over light cymbals, gabba-like kicks and metallic claps. -digimons- harmonic microedits could even be an snd track transported to chicago. finally the albums closer -i choose you- rolls out over a heavily edited and processed soul sample, its drums rolling off at odd angles to almost seasick effect.

larry chubby reynolds as he was originally called cut some 45 s for the tri-spin label when first starting out in detroit during the 60s. he recorded with groups the relations and chocolate syrup before ultimately, in 1973, replacing william howard as lead singer of the dramatics. here he recorded and performed before his solo album deal with capitol records in 1981 which gave us the l.j. reynolds (which included key to the world ) then travelin in 1982. ahead of this fantasy album came lovin man for mercury in 1984, then ultimately tell me you will which features a special guest appearance by the o jays. rare on cd, this album has been much sought after by soul fans in recent years.

the thing return with guitars (gasp!) from none other than otomo yoshihide. recorded by jim o rourke live at pit inn in tokyo, shinkjuku crawl documents the different aspects of the thing and how they are shaping and melting together with the wonderful guitar magic of yoshihide. otomo yoshihide first came to international prominence in the 1990s as the leader of the noise rock group ground zero, and has since worked in a variety of contexts, ranging from free improvisation to noise, jazz, avant-garde and contemporary classical.

yuri mendez jr. has an amazing gift for composing good songs. he arranges them and records them brilliantly, and then groups them together on an album in an unpredictable yet cohesive way (his last album had 22 tracks. this one only has 8). uri mŽndez jr. is a true artisan in the best sense of the word. this is pajaro sunrises third album, and although the essentials havenÕt changed (good songs, great songs), the rest has certainly evolved. yuris voice sounds more and more emphatic, and with an extensive register full of nuances, he sings a story in every song. in doing this, he covers a stunning vocal range that dazzles from the first listen. yuri has been playing together with the same fantastic band for some time now. with them, he has rehearsed the tracks (many of which they were already playing in concerts), and then gone into the studio where almost everything was recorded with everyone playing live. the benefits of having a group that has already travelled together, as well as shared stages and life experiences are evident. and, if this disc breathes anything, its travel, highways, and familiar stories stolen from faraway places that also feel nearby. its a grandiose yet intimate album that thrills and grows with each listen.

derrick morgans recording career spans over five decades, starting with smiths in the late 1950s with mainly r&b style output. in the ska era of the early 1960s he moved on to work with producers: duke reid, prince buster, leslie kong, c.s. dodd (studio one) and later in the 1960s and into the 1970s, with the ubiquitous bunny lee. during this time, many of his own productions were also released, this compilation features ska productions from the 1960-1966 period. the lp has been re-compiled, re-mastered and has new art-work. it features the best tracks from now deleted 12 inch lp rrtlp 06 and concentrates on obscure and hard to find sides.

a stunning return to form for one of the pre-eminent modern soul singers - with background vocal guests including jody watley, faith evans, lalah hathaway, shanice and the andrea crouch singers. a remarkably strong fifth solo album from a soul singer who defines the word classy. highlights are his trademark gorgeous ballads ( miss you and goodbye ), hypnotic mid-tempo grooves ( 6 am and stay with me ), and irresistibly funky dancefloor tracks (the instant club hit ghost featuring jody watley). the insistent, gospel-flavoured mountain top is unlike anything you ve ever heard, and features the legendary andrea crouch singers. the album is rooted in the classic principles of melody and poetic lyrics while embracing eighties r&b/pop as purveyed by prince and michael jackson. since his outstanding 1997 debut album for mca, rahsaan has evolved as a vocalist and songwriter, along the way writing songs for tevin campbell, brandy, ledisi, lalah hathaway and van hunt. now in 2011, with the assistance of his regular production cohorts keith crouch and jamey jazz, he delivers some of his finest work.

sing (if you want it) is the sixth release from the british soul icon, omar. this eagerly awaited re-issue definitely puts omar back in the spotlight and will become an essential album for any music collection. omar is often referred to as the founding father of nu-classic soul and has been acclaimed by artists such as erykah badu and mobo award winner kele le roc. omar can also count stevie wonder as a fan, who most famously said, -when i grow up, i wanna be omar-. on this album, omar collaborates with stevie wonder and a host of great artists including estelle, common, zed bias, and many more. the album also comes with two brand new bonus tracks, including the single -dancing- and -its so-.

daddy kevs label is proud to announce the release of ctrl alt delete, the debut album from free the robots. a staggering work of mind-warping electronics, fuzzed-out psych and devastating hip-hop beats, the impending release of ctrl alt delete will catapult free the robots to the forefront of the world renowned l.a. beat scene. initially started as a side project by chris alfaro in 2003, free the robots has quickly garnered a worldwide audience. combining dusty swap-meet samples, futuristic synthesizers and live instrumentation, free the robots has created a unique harmony of past sounds and future ruminations. much like his l.a. contemporaries flying lotus and nosaj thing, free the robots knows no genre boundaries. ctrl alt delete, which also features ikey owens of the mars volta, has been a long time coming. originally signed to alpha pup over two years ago, free the robots has put his heart and soul into this album. meticulously constructed, the album is a culmination of countless late nights at low end theory club, combined with a spirit of fearless experimentation. the result rattles with grit and swagger - a firm proclamation of free the robots sonic arrival.

you can forgive a band who set out to create something even just a little bit different and get it horrendously wrong, but its tough to have sympathy for a band who shy away from the challenge altogether. such was the case with autokratz on their first album, animal, which, apart from a passable opening track, consisted of a series of bland electronic pastiches Ð dance music that conversely made the listener want to sit and wait it out. that didnt stop the hype building around the duo, though, thanks in no small part to the fact that the album was released through in-vogue french label kitsunŽ music. the confusing positivity surrounding the lp suggesting, perhaps, that style overcomes substance once a record company has received the hipster seal of approval.this time around, however, kitsune has stepped aside, with autokratz releasing the follow-up on their own label, bad life. but has the sense of responsibility that surely comes with this step made them re-evaluate their direction? has it inspired them to inject a much-needed shot of creativity into their work? not a hope. if anything, autokratz descend even further into mediocrity on self help for beginners. once again, their best tunes are loaded towards the front of the album, starting with the lead single, -opposite of love. its far from outstanding, helped in no small part by the terribly contrived lyrics, but does possess a catchy synth melody Ð enough to earn it a place on club playlists, at least. its a similar story with -becoming the wraith, which has peter hook on hand to deliver an overtly new order-esque bassline. beyond that, however, the quality dips dramatically. tracks like -the seventh seal and -r.i.s.e. are typical of the selection on offer, underwhelmingly vapid, derivative tunes which show up a disappointing, but not totally unexpected, scarcity of guile on the part of their creators.where autokratz do excel is as producers Ð a quality evident not only in their own work, but also in their remixes for other artists. unfortunately, this only serves to exacerbate their deficiencies on the other side of the control room desk. ultimately it may mean that, having failed to address the shortcomings of their debut, autokratz will be fated to be filed under -also rans in the annals of music history. thats assuming, of course, that someone out there will actually remember them at all.

its been a wild ride since back in march 2009 when the demo of sare havliceks white russian hit landed in our inbox. since then sare has gone onto be one of the scenes musical and dj bright spots. his debut >toscana nights< album in 2010 was warmly received by press and public alike and a series of remixes has firmly cemented him as one of the best nu disco producers around

nathan davis has been an internationally significant figure in jazz throughout the latter half of the 20th century, but to many his musical legacy remains little known. this album presents the music of nathan davis as it developed through the 60s and 70s, from bop through modal to world sounds and funk. having turned his back on the us he spent the 60s living in europe, playing and recording with jazz luminaries such as kenny clarke, art blakey and eric dolphy, before returning at the end of the decade to take up a career in teaching in pittsburgh.

the ever on point citrus recordings is stepping up for its 5th artist lp. after having released the debut albums of mindscape & jade wich all went on for critical acclaim its time for citrus to get ready for its 3rd artist album. this time its time for the debut album of fourward! hailing straight from lower austria the four men collective fourward started out producing music in early 2007. the boys knew each other for quite a while and shared the love and passion for drumandbass music. for them it was always a main issue not to stick to any particular tiny subgenre only, but to develop a sound of their own. all members have different musical backgrounds which fit together perfectly and provide a great studio vibe. days went by and the boys finished a couple of tunes properly and it wasnt long until austrian drumandbass producer duo body&soul showed interest in their works. also international artists like bbcs very own crissy criss began to support their music giving them airplay on his radio show. as a result of their effort fourward has released quality tunes on labels like subsonik sound, planet funk and fokuz. the year 2010 they experienced the so called breakthrough with releases on nasca recordings and fokuz followed by an epic 12inch for the legendary label virus recordings! the guys definitely didnt stop there and being on the road now broadened their horizon even further. resulting in a series of tunes perfectly fitting together in this cd. diversity and musicallity are keywords for this album. listen from low blow to you and me, quality drum n bass!!

dave.i.d likes to think for himself. always has done. its the reason why his debut album didnt go quite according to his initial plan. he was going to make, to use his own words, >something pretty simple and straightforward<. but then he noticed lots of his friends were discovering new beliefs. some even tried to convert him. >im very open-minded to different beliefs, but i question and see things slightly differently,< he says. without necessarily wanting to, he found himself reflecting on existential questions. >the album is a record of the time that it was made, and thats what was going on in my life at the time. i didnt necessarily want to make the debut album like that. i felt i had to make it<. the cerebral inspiration catapulted him into musics outer rim. he beamed back a dark, dense sometimes confrontational sound, but ultimately compelling sound. but, in the end, it turned out to be a happy accident because the resulting record, called >response< appropriately enough, is mind-bendingly inventive, brilliantly off-kilter and constantly surprising. crucially, the tough sonics are paired with killer melodies: this is deep, heavy music you can hum. the records he was listening to while making >response< help make sense of his singular sound

daydreaming is the debut album release from paris based artist von d on boka records. a fusion chef of bassweight, von d has deftly sliced into unpredictable genres, concocting strange and beautiful new forms.the album sees von d collaborating with the internationally renowned foreign beggars, phephe, david boomah (vocalist for shy fx murderation), riya & mr lager, while his previous work has also been remixed by a host of respected dubstep djs including skream and tes la rok. born into the cultural melting pot of the paris suburbs, von d found his souls conduit in a beaten up old drum kit. whilst the riddims of king tubby alongside the foetal jungle of photek and serge gainsborg were initial inspirations, after forging a successful path as a sound engineer von d honed his sound sculpting skills to a razor sharp edge. von ds productions have been picked up by skream, arguably one of dubsteps most successful artists, who snapped up a release for his label disfigured dubs. dj chef released von ds >show me< on his sub freq imprint, which quickly became one of the most talked about releases of 2009 Ð so much so that three time dmc world champion dj craze has been supporting the track in recent mixes. not one to be complacent, von dÕs kept up the pressure with releases on black acre, tempa, soul jazz and argon Ð enough to attract the attention of bbc radio 1s gilles peterson who has included a track for his hotly anticipated brownswood bubblers compilation album. von d has created a global buzz with his numerous explosive live performances featuring unreleased and exciting material from himself as well as other established producers. having had a host of successful tours in the united states, europe and china, von d has now set his sights on touring new zealand and australia

dub police are proud to announce the release of their first artist album courtesy of birmingham-based producer emalkay, who is set to release his hotly anticipated debut lp eclipse this spring. first making a name for himself with early releases on his own morphic sounds imprint, emalkay has continued to push the boundaries of underground bass music ever since, delivering a slew of huge releases on the way. having been an integral part of the dub police stable ever since his >explicit / heroics< 12 inch for the label in 2009, emalkay has gone from strength to strength with a series of heavyweight tracks that includes the phenomenal >when i look at you< and recent smash >crusader<. comprised of 11 tracks, >eclipse< is a bold and powerful album encapsulating perfectly everything that makes emalkay such a prodigious talent, effortlessly showcasing the depth and diversity of his sound while always remaining true to his inimitable style. as addictive as it is hard-hitting, the album doesnt just provide a collection of dancefloor tracks, but a confident and coherent artistic statement.

sine music released the second album by merge of equals entitled submerge. the album will be available on cd and at all well known download stores. as the title suggests: listeners of submerge dive deep down into the sound-world of flavio maspoli. this versatile, multifaceted artist and producer from zuerich caused a sensation in the european music scene with his debut creation intoxication and now, with his new album, puts the listener, already with the first track, into a kind of rapture of the deep. the world is one could well be the credo of this new album submerge. with titles like tvija lijubov, biya, opium or atesh mystic and exotic tones taken from a wide variety of cultures fuse with modern beats and futuristic electronic sounds to enter a new symbiosis. the captivating vocals in varying languages of the guest vocalists gina estrada, sitta foehr, jelena schweizer, katt tait and kotomi bisang-mori guarantee a very special multi-cultural deep-sea dive while discretely enhancing the established chillout and lounge paths. even the classic bar chillout lover will be rewarded with tracks such as kleine wolke or heart & mind. the artist describes this new slot he has created as >magic chill•< offering a balance separate from prevalent trends.

the cocoon compilation k, being the longplay flagship in the cocoon catalogue, adequately starts the second decade of the label with a musical imperative. but dont worry: even if the letter k has sometimes been misused as an indicator for the degree of hardness of some sonic noise in the past of the tech-house scene, >k< is definitely the deepest survey of contemporary electronic dance music that has ever seen the light of day on cocoon recordings

since his first two personal album releases on kilk records, serafim tsotsonis has been developing into a talented musician. with the release of his brand new album. beautiful people, the greek artist takes a step further, presenting even more facets of his diverse talent with a work of exceptional polyphonic delights.in the albums opening track red, green, blue, a unique postmodern lullaby, the serene atmosphere of a childs room, is pierced with the sounds of an urban environment. an imposing performance by zach soars together with a chorus comprised by mikael delta, kid moxie, kiki, antoneta kotsi, fay depasta and serafim himself. at the same time, dimitri vassilakis, one of the foremost recognized greek wind musicians, adds further brushstrokes of sensitivity with his saxophone. with relaxed beats, unequivocal references to 80s melancholic electronica and the vocals of kiki and kid moxie, my own sea invites the listener to dive into the waters of his own dream world. in a way, it constitutes a continuation of serafims past creations, as heard in his earlier works, a fact that is sure to satisfy the most loyal of the artists fans. the dubstep references in the intro of so good, are intertwined with the modern electronic sound of berlin and the saxophone of dimitri vassilakis comes in at the end, marking a shift that leads to an exploration of new sound structures, in which european metronomy meets neo-jazz. the most radio-friendly track of the album comes with far away, a mutated balearic rhythm interpreted unpredictably by the rock-tinged voice of norwegian sverre olav r¿dseth. catch the cloud is where the album really takes off. a deep tech anthem for clubbers around the world, one can imagine it featured on the soundtracks of films such as berlin calling, had it been released sooner

a stunning surprise is awaiting: label director florian schirmacher developed something completely out of the box together with the living techno legend mijk van dijk: the chaenge after the preliminary release of the single >love devotion< on david carrettas french label space factory now follows the debut album by the chaenge! funk is back? Ð its never been gone. this is what florian schirmacher and mijk van dijk are presenting. mijk >the legendary< van dijk has set the bar in the techno scene since the early 90s. he was one of the first european artist in japan and still follows and promotes his philosophy of thinking and acting without borders. probably only a few people know that he was a bass player in a funk band before he started his career in techno. the funk strikes back! florian >the voice< schirmacher is producer and singer of wareika, federleicht, hatikvah, here today , and of course the chaenge