alexey volkov first appeared in the techno scene in 2011. his past releases on the semantica and jealous god labels have gained alexey and his music widespread acclaim. since his debut, alexey has been busy crafting and perfecting his sound. his origins in punk and industrial become apparent in his new ep for escapism. he continuously proves that his assertive yet refined style is worth the hype as unconventional rhythms and unsettling sounds dominate the tracks.

after recently inaugurating the label with shedbug s well-received afterglow ep, flux records are back with their second release. following suit, flux002 includes three original tracks from burgeoning french talent laroze, supplied with a sweet remix from detroit s one and only andres. with its fair share of dance floor heaters the loin des yeux ep exudes an effortless 90s revival feel to it, drawing upon classic us house and acid as the basis for its form and style.
3000 copies limited press on 180g, 12 vinyl (no digital), with artwork from laura zhang.
france s dance scene is currently replete with a plethora of fresh and charismatic artists, labels, and promoters, and has all the signs of a movement that s really beginning to take off. hailing from bordeaux, laroze s making his own mark not just as one of the figures behind the country s authority electronic music publication seeksicksound, but also as a dj and producer in his own right.

doublet is the production moniker of friends and musical partners tomoki tamura and tuccillo, previously releasing together on other labels, they have come together to form the new eponymously named doublet imprint as a channel for their own music which is vinyl only. tomoki and his holic trax label have long been serving up solid house music whilst tuccillo has conjured up numerous beatport chart toppers on labels like 2020vision, visionquest and holic trax. here their unique style brings you back from classic house music to future minimalism and is sure to fill you with joy.

keeping true to the yin/yang approach of his 12inches, martianman gives you a glimpse into his ever-expanding universe with the release of vol. 3. the impenetrable pads of ion storm strike the dark and uplifting in equal amounts. disembodied chants and deep bass tremors give way to a thunderous amen break, while hallucinatory synths swirl throughout the madness, just beyond reach. an intergalactic barnstormer in signature style. tracy’s grunt, meanwhile, is built around a simple jazz loop, dripping with melancholy, backed in stark contrast to a loose, clattering funk kit. in ital comfort quickly becomes a beautiful descent into madness, where steady rhythms decay into warped electronics and bad-trip samples. a vividly painted lucid dream.

schlachthofbronx conclude their haul & pull up series with another strong statement of an ep. in their trademark hybrid style, the munich bass boys showcase their versatility from writing hypnotic and sensual electronic melodies all the way to the ruffest club weapons. keeping close to their roots, all of these tunes have been extensively tested on big soundsystems to make sure they make a lasting impression.

the lifesaver 3 compilation, the yet most comprehensive package of the lifesaver history, sounds like electro, sharp-edged like the vault in a hague bunker (lauer), provides data pop with piano crescendo (fort romeau), brings the style characteristics of german schlager music to the breakdance mat (rolande garros), lets the bulky lily-of-the-valley bells clang and sends the reverb tails away with the wind (benedikt frey). there are several new names to discover: felix strahd, benjamin milz, vincent feit, and of course there a many old acquaintances: massimiliano pagliara, orson wells, tcb, chinaski. roman flügel brings us “good news”, however: “from another planet.” and fort romeau feels “lost, again”, but in such somnambulistically beautiful manner that you want to get lost with him instantly and jointly find the great joy.

thomas p. heckmann is back as welt in scherben and delivers 4 bangers in his signature sägezahn style.

paris based label rose et rosée is proud to present the first solo ep from artist bataille. this second release from rer is a self- contained universe that fits into the label’s open-minded, experimental style. veteran of the parisian club scene, bataille has risen through the ranks of several house and minimal labels with his group antislash (circus company) as well as joining forces with trans -genre labels such as silicate to release solo work under the name john merrick.

a work 12 months in the making, adam beyer continues his exciting series of collaborative eps, teaming up with heavy-hitters pig&dan for an multi-faceted four-tracker. chances are up if you spied adam beyer in an airport departure lounge over the past 12 months, he d have his head buried in his laptop, immersed in creating sound sketches. a long-time fan of collaborations, the drumcode chief has been on an inspiring streak of form lately, teaming up with the likes of mark reeve, dense & pika and now pig&dan. the results have been compelling, to say the least. in trademark perfectionist beyer style, the title track capsule - a shimmering slice of techno - involved -around 15 different versions- the track rigorously road tested by the swede and featured in episodes of drumcode radio to test dancefloor reactions, before finally getting the sign off.

italian based trio agents of time launch today their brand new electronic-music record label obscura. the first release day one is showcasing the agents style and personal touch with 4 new original tracks. era is the first track of a new era for agents of time (as the title might suggest): strong analog sound, lead by the classic aot hypnotic sequencing. dungeon is a further step in a dark and obscure world: strong bassline, powerful drums and magnetic synths to mark the uniqueness of this track. rebellion is where the agents have pushed their own limits, for the most aggressive track of this release: a perfect combination between techno and psychedelic atmosphere lower world looks forward: jazzy and acid composition, the perfect closing for the ep.

glenn underground is one of the most respected deep house producers from the windy city. his releases on seminal labels like cajual, prescription and guidance set him apart as the outstanding talent from the chicago underground of his era. gu s 70 s trip is one of the most sought after releases on cajual records (1997), showcasing his ability to fuse disco and four to floor in an inimitable style.

originally released back in 1995 the fingerprintz ep is truly a deep house masterclass. forget all these records coming out today claiming the deep house title, this is what it s all about right here - on one slab of wax. kc is a legend and at this stage in the game he doesn t need an intro, every single track featured here is an absolute winner, all drenched in that classic kerri swing and style. timeless productions. it s hard to pick a favourite as they are all amazing, every possible mood is covered making this whole 4 track ep your new always in the bag staple. from the driving upbeat funk of where is love to the totally stripped back tribal diva sampling i remember kc has you covered. it may sound cliched, but they simply do not make them like this anymore! essential, essential business here from one of the true masters of the game. 100% classic. this is one of a series of official madhouse / kerri chandler reissues for 2017. every title has been remastered by kerri chandler himself, from all original sources and each reissue has been legitimately released in full conjunction with kerri and madhouse records. and, as if that wasn t enough, all the reissues will be coming in the classic madhouse records house bag. snoozing not advised!

when titans collide! moscow and fuse bosses archie hamilton and enzo siragusa clash heads on moscow020 bringing both of their influences to bear.
&#8232,ricochet is an unashamed terrace bomb which has been tried and tested by the boys all winter. nothing complicated here, just big beats and tension-filled break that satisfies the dance-floor with the introduction of a familiar sounding old school hip-hop style lead. dubby chords then switch the track up for a few bars before going back to business. the flip opens with transcend, an understated acid track perfect to keep things lively mid- set. the lead weaves it’s way through the track whilst playing with a barely audible vocal and plenty of groovy percussion.
&#8232,the record closes with dubinnovation - something quite different from either of the producers’ usual styles. as the title suggests, the track takes influence from dub, using the sampled voice of lee scratch perry. rolling beats, rasping bass and mind warping effects make this the ultimate after party weapon

danish born/stockholm based house producer, anders and serves up his debut release - love on 12inch vinyl. this marks the first physical output for brown fat, a fresh new label out of stockholm. a rich patchwork of influences have made up his exotic sound, along with the artists experience in living and studying in london for 7 years, where he developed a raw style that fuses complex jazz, african drumming and blissed out ambient grooves together into something refreshingly original - it’s no wonder why he is considered to be one to watch in 2017.

kht 008 is coming from no less than the man who is called * the prince of techno* by his peers. and that is for a reason: blake was part of the first wave of detroit techno artists and dis and contributed to the techno movement from the mid 80s. tracks like “when a dream becomes u” or “our love” are milestones of electronic music, his style, which he calls “poetry and rhythm” is distinctive. for killekill house trax he delivers the acid life ep which comes along with two strong, acid driven tracks, the a-side darker and more chicago-oriented with its rhythmical focus and the punchy kick, the b-side more detroit-ish with its uplifting chords. timeless!

irenic. aimed at peace and brought to life as a steady output for spiritual groove based music. first installment by novio dub tribe offers 3 tracks that may differ in style but created with the same mindstate. ‘kakiuchi’ is all about serenity and echoed drums, ‘solfa’ brings some aquatic tech to the mix while ‘meguro’ is a classic example of an oldschool dub workout.

300 copies only
we’re glad to introduce you to this new french house label juice & jam with this first release produced by steven wobblejay (ex steppah huntah and half of creative swing alliance duo, with pablo valentino). steven released many records the past few years on labels like quintessentials or city fly rec. he delivers here a 4 raw house tracks ep and pays his tribute to 808 & 909. old school refreshed chicago style in a way. the beat, the bass…

this is the first release of a brand new label lillygood party! (sister label of alex attias visions label) this time his brother stephane joins him on this new adventure for a special project dedicated to re edits or re arranged tracks from albums or singles. the aim of the label is to put out in limited quantities vinyl only, official licenced tracks from the past in various style with a different twist to the track or just a longer version of a tune that they love to play at their parties called also lillygood party! lillygood party! label is very proud to put out the volume 1 with two alex attias versions unreleased before in a 12” format. already played on radio bbc 6 by gilles peterson, by dj zaf lovevinyl and a few others international djs, we are definitely confident that this new imprint is promising with great quality for music lovers and vinyl collectors.on the a side we have a classic cut from leroy hutson “get to this” in a longer version than the original on a kind of soul funk boogie style , an amazing groover on the dancefloor with leroy fantastic vocals and on the b side you will find a soulful deep disco boogie funk jazz stomper from michael gregory jackson “risin’ up ” with an exceptional vocal and deep arrangement, extended for the dancefloor. these two great soulful track will definitely find place in any dj box because it’s really really good!

for its ninth release, italian label spazio disponible looks to countryman marco shuttle for a first full length. systhema comes three years after his last album on his own eerie label and finds him again focussing on an absorbing ambient techno style across eight enthralling cuts. shuttle layers sound in subtle ways and has a meticulous attention to detail that results in a cinematic techno style that is cavernous and hypnotizing. always operating in a region where ambient, techno and heady soundtracks become one, with this album marco shuttle once again confirms he is one of the finest sonic sculptors out there.

receptive visions returns with it’s second release, the trademark sound of milos is apparent on both sides of this 12 inch. a tale of two cities with a distorted 909, acid lines and ravey stabs is pure peak time goodness. while shifting perspective revolves around quirky keys and military style drums.

for record store day 2017 razor-n-tape presents icarus, an original song by lovebirds, with remixes from tall black guy, moods, and jkriv in a striking double 7inch package. giving the shine to their 45 series for this years record store day, rnt welcomes back lovebirds aka sebastian doering with a slice of chilled-out analog soul. although primarily known for his nu-disco and house productions, lovebirds is a seasoned hand at all things deep, and icarus shows the smoky late-nite side of basti s skilled production style. an all-original tune, icarus layers jazzy vintage electric pianos over restrained but head-nodding percussion, with galliano s soulful vocal soaring above it all. the ever consistent tall black guy delivers a 90 s-esque boom-bapper of a mix, with an added verse from 80 s babies for good measure. moods works the track into a slo-mo stomper on his mix, complete with stuttering synth bass and driving percussion. and rounding out the package is rnt s jkriv, with a beachy stripped-down retro-boogie remix perfect for those warm-weather months to come. each mix gets its own side in this double 7inch pack, with stunning full color artwork, making it a truly special package perfect for both collectors and djs alike

* limited edition gatefold 2lp set with printed inner sleeves. * following their surprising debut on cassette tape in past february, magamura put out the vinyl version of supernaturals. comprised of eril fjord and laurine frost, the hungarian duo have carved out their reputation through live performances at renowned festivals and venues like arma in moscow, combining the formar’s indie aestheric and the electronic music prowess the latter has proved on work for the nervmusic imprint. despite their huge influence from the 70-80s experimental music, supernaturals is not so much retrospective as ominously dystopian. it captures and distils their well-known improvisational mutability into a testament to their promising potential, which will stand the test of time. this is kebko music’s first instalment on vinyl. following our tradition of carefully-wrought artwork, the lp comes in a gatefold sleeve designed by damien tran. * kebko music is tokyo-based akiko kiyama’s independent music label focusing on releasing avant-garde music which is not bounded by any specific genres but embraces the whole range of techno, experimental music, field- & live-recordings and classical music. the label owner established her name by richie hawtin featuring her track in his well-known de9 transitions mix in 2005. since then, her music style has gradually changed to explore the edge of electronic music. the core of the label is based on small handcrafted editions of cassette tapes. it aims to give a chance for all of artists and listeners to explore their musical experience and creativity.

the foundation of this dub album was created by some of the finest sessions musicians ever to grace the studios of 1960s & 70s jamaica. their instruments were the cornerstone to countless dub lps that began to surface in the early 70s and continued on into the 80s creating a whole new genre of music. as they did back in the early days of dub, the kingston all stars gathered together in kingston, jamaica at mixing lab studios and laid down a series of riddims that would lay the groundwork for what comes next: the singers. both greenwich farm rasta, prince alla, and falsetto, cedric myton of the the congos, contribute vocals to the album but half of the riddims on this lp are, to date, unreleased, and have yet to be voiced. in essence, this album is a sneak peak into upcoming releases. the style of riddims that were created during these sessions range from the cumbia influenced reyes dub to the ethiopian jazz flavored kebra dub that pays tribute to the african sound system, kebra ethiopia sound and shows the wide variety of influences that fuel these musicians. tracks like dub ova combine ansel collins keyboard work with hux browns infectious grooves to create a funky rhythm that you have not heard the last of.

the foundation of this dub album was created by some of the finest sessions musicians ever to grace the studios of 1960s & 70s jamaica. their instruments were the cornerstone to countless dub lps that began to surface in the early 70’s and continued on into the 80’s creating a whole new genre of music. as they did back in the early days of dub, the kingston all stars gathered together in kingston, jamaica at mixing lab studios and laid down a series of riddims that would lay the groundwork for what comes next: the singers. both greenwich farm rasta, prince alla, and falsetto, cedric myton of the the congos, contribute vocals to the album but half of the riddims on this lp are, to date, unreleased, and have yet to be voiced. in essence, this album is a sneak peak into upcoming releases. the style of riddims that were created during these sessions range from the cumbia influenced reyes dub to the ethiopian jazz flavored kebra dub that pays tribute to the african sound system, kebra ethiopia sound and shows the wide variety of influences that fuel these musicians. tracks like dub ova combine ansel collins keyboard work with hux browns infectious grooves to create a funky rhythm that you have not heard the last of.
limited pressing on yellow & green marbled vinyl.

almost 10 years have passed since onra arrived with the charmingly eccentric chinoiseries lp. 32 hip-hop beats formed the sample-based project dusty chinese vinyl hissing and crackling throughout resulting in an intriguing and spontaneous mix of the producers interest in exploring a newly-discovered style of music with his love for classic hip-hop production. using the style of analogue mpc production combined with the somewhat restrictive record sampling of strictly chinese music records, he has been able to be creative over three volumes, an amount of 100 instrumentals, despite the challenge of finding more obviously standout samples in chinese music. the chinoiseries projects are the type of albums that invites the listener to play it from beginning to end, in order to really enjoy the trip and appreciate the variety of rhythms and textures spread over those 32 short instrumentals. in that way, pt.3 is no different to its predecessors, but the originality of the samples, the curious harmonies and the odd-drum patterns still makes the album sounds as fresh as the first one. onra finishes this epic trilogy with class as a result of extended record digging across the far east and the producer s own development over the preceding 10 years.

mexicos hotmood brings the heat. after sold out releases on tugboat edits the 4th volume drops on sister label star creature. featuring 4 supreme cuts in hotmoods signature beatdown style. 3 uptempo floor fillers and the 4th is a real scorcher: welcome to the barrio.

after almost two decades, dan pius album self education (moto 003) finally gets the vinyl treatment it deserves: the best tracks extracted from dat tapes, pressed on wax and renamed to living in fear for cartulis music s fourth release. even though the original and incredibly exclusive cd was heard and appreciated in the years around its release in 1999 from djs such as jeff mills and carl craig, it was virtually impossible to own (only 30 copies were made, ever). despite its rarity and status, cartulis choses this masterpiece for one principal reason: the music. an exhibition of an innovative era, of heavy duty machinery (roland juno 60, roland juno 106, roland tr-909 and emu vintage keys, just to name a few) and of fine craftsmanship (using his own samples and playing the keys himself), the album opens your mind and ears to interconnecting styles of ambient atmospheres, electronic-instrumental hip hop, and signature dance-floor killers self education and living in fear. not only for fans of dan piu and his subsequent labels (moto music, deepartsounds, no acting vibes) but for any music aficionado that appreciates a deeply cult classic.

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.

producers such as akcept, alphadub, deadroom, baodub, dtr, blind prophet and bukkha have joined their talents, skills and energy on this special venture. in addition the whole release was fabulously illustrated by the inimitable fromthetrunk crew. those 3 covers have been hand painted for the past few months and turned out to be an outstanding piece of art when joined together. limited to 500 pcs, no reprint.

madcap and jaybee team up to create the musical masterpiece called “settle down”. the song starts out rather jazzy, with it’s smooth rhodes keys and heavy cymbal riding drum lines. when the song hits the breakdown, the whole tone of the tune changes. the punchy sub bassline is unleashed and becomes one of the driving forces of the track. echoing reggae style vocals are beautifully weaved into the background of the track, transforming the vibe into a reggae/dub style d&b classic. the amen drums also help to create an intoxicating energy that make this one a sure thing for dance floor mayhem. instant classic!
“hear comes” takes over where “settle down” left off. the song begins with big amen drums, backed with a reggae style skanking guitar chop. during the breakdown, a thoughtful roots reggae vocal sample is introduced that helps lift the track into a true dubwise gem. when the drop hits, the baseline kicks in and begins to wobble and throb behind all the deep atmospherics. the track has a beautiful breakdown, which takes the listener to a more melodic place. after a moment of serenity, the song breaks back into the chaotic old school flavor, which madcap does so well. this one’s a beauty!!

after spending a year on the road, experimenting with new sounds and production methods, abstract division returns to their home imprint with the release of the activated ep. fashioned true to their well known unique balanced style, this three track ep presents its listener with a powerful blend of deep tools and peak-time grooves. a real must-have for every selector, these tracks will cary any dance-floor deep in to the night, and far beyond.

the fourth hotflush release of 2017 comes from minneapolis-based dj and producer, tml. he made his debut in 2014 with one inch of water, an album in cassette form via always human tapes. his style takes cues from the bass and jungle halcyon days of yore, yet in his hands these influences are pestled into anything but nostalgia. no memory looks forward to a place where pigeonholes don’t exist, where past, present and future boil an amalgamated stew, where ‘experimental’ and ‘clubby’ aren’t effective antonyms. it’s an album in miniature - six tracks spanning a broad range. the unmistakable taste of jungle pervades side a, becoming increasingly less abstract as it goes: from the fractured opening of ‘face pads’, through the dub of ‘cold sleep’, to the sunrise head bang that is ‘crying’. side two moves inside. it’s darker there. the tunes - ’strainer’, ‘rhu’ and ‘code library’ - share a paredbackness. their beats look askance as they shuffle big and bold.

frisky and shifty, eski-beat cheeky, breaky and beaty against a backdrop of raw synthesis punctuated by tekken style karate chants. undoubtedly glowing palms’ most dance-floor-centric release yet. an artist previously released only on the legendary ruf kutz label, this producer is set to turn the climate from tribal to tropical. blip discs has teamed up with this manchester born sonic sorcerer for his well overdue first solo record since 2013! his inimitable sound of trancy synths and twinkly treats has earned support across the game yet again with everyone from kornél kovácz to moxie championing these weighty yet joyful floor fillers.

* mikal takes his first bow for dust audio in the form of the spirited ep . the break and bass craftsman reigns down an assault of almighty weight for the imprint which holds no barred. * off the back of his critically acclaimed wilderness album on metalheadz, mikal continues to seek out the dance floor through his precision target and locks on for a serious assault of the senses. * the ep’s title track “spirited” see’s the sinister intro build up and transform into a bass laden drop. the stepping drums and jungle infused shuffles entwine with the ghost vocal, whilst the modulated bass will move even the harshest drum n bass skeptics. unrelenting throughout. * the flip sees mikal spread his considerable studio talent over two further tunes of constant surprise. low note wastes no time in getting to the drop before you’ve had chance to take a breath. a thunderous one note bass underpins the mid ranged reece and stabs whilst the chunky drums compliment the tidy percussion nicely. a haunting vocal then sets off another 16 bars of unclouded rawness. * linear finishes the ep with aplomb. synth chords open up into what you might expect to be a lovely liquid-esque style roller… think again! mikal takes that premise and turns it upside down and inside out before bringing the dirty funk. keeping in line with the 2 tunes before, this isn’t for the faint hearted. definitely one for the drum & bass purest, who may well be dancing, but will also be taking down mental notes!

after only two years since their first release on cyclone, amoss have become one of the most exciting and forward thinking names in drum & bass. a love of music stretching back into both their pasts, the duo have amazed audiences across the globe with the style, panache and variation which has characterised their work. taking a lead from names such as renegade hardware and moving shadow, james and andrew have successfully moulded their influences into a futuristic, genre-defining sound.
now they are ready to step up a notch, delivering a new release for the mighty horizons label. bumbaclart and dilate will go a long way to cementing their reputation for big, bad and heavy d&b, which has seen them being supported by spectrasoul, london elektricity, storm, loxy and more. amoss are known for their involving, evolving blend of beats and bass and their in-depth knowledge of the technical side of production, and the two tracks on show here are markers of their intention, in two markedly different ways.

the first release of 2017 from assemble music is almost ready. 4 classy cuts from lerosa in its trademark style

up next on secret reels is an ep by frenchman leon revol. leon has previously released on monologues records alongside laurence guy, his style is laid back and dreamy, yet still holding a fantastic groove. this ep entitled astral plane is a subtly detailed and beautiful house music record. admin turns in a chunky groover of a remix on the b side, fresh from appearances on boogie café, banofee pies and kolour ltd. the proof is in the listening! dj support: nachtbraker, dj caspa, mike w (kolour ltd), roberto rodriguez, dairmount, goshawk, loz goddard, had & the ladyboy, saine, long island sound, replika, chocky, marcin krupa, martin hayes,

shag edits series hits volume 7 and in great style. we welcome oli furness to the shag party and he delivers two outrageous cuts. u can is a disco bomb hitting you in all the right places, from the hands in the air, to the guilt free sing along moments. kick it rocks a hip house feel, holding real grit and groove throughout. jamie joins oli on the a side with woody dunked, anyone who knows jamie s work will recognise the style, always grooving, hard hitting snares and heavily sampled. bress underground ties up the b side with another disco gem. again its a let your hair down, vocal groover with a carefree attitude.

afrika bambaataa, rapper, producer, dj from the south bronx, new york. afrika bambaataa is one of the originators of breakbeat djing and is respectfully known as the godfather of zulu nation and amen ra of hip hop culture. in 2007 has been nominated for induction into the rock hall of fame and in 2008 he has been honored by the bronx museum of arts. afrika bambaataa’s long career is pointed by many hits and masterpieces such as reckless, unity, just get up and dance and pupunanny. countless collaborations with artists such as ub40, james brown, boy george, leftfield just to name few of them. afrika bambaataa has recorded with many labels from tommy boy to capitol records and profile but it is with the italian label dfc (expanded music) that he has releases most of his recordings. bring it up is the new release on dfc label produced by dj/producer paul carpenter. this release includes three versions in big room/edm style along with a mega-mix and a full acapella collection of all previous recordings released by bambaataa on dfc label. two lyrics videos come to support the release.

subonation of perjury is the latest in the series of heart wreching techno releases from dubiosity for planet rhythm. like always, this release is heavily concentrated on touching synths and growing melodies that might leave the listener in a euphoric gaze. it’s dubiosity’s signature to combine dark and intense techno rhythms with layers of melodic goodness. throughout the whole ep this style is present. elysian fields is the darkest cut of them all but also here a vivid choir comes through to mellow things down. pjotr g and dubiosity join forces for a remix of remy kruyer’s ho chi minh on the b2.

musically and emotionally, superpitcher’s third full-length studio album, the golden ravedays is a one sound autobiography that exhibits the skill, feeling and style that the artist has honed over a period of twenty years, musically, and forty-plus-years, emotionally.

milan based italian producer mari mattham makes his debut for sleaze will a killer package! this strong original track black brother brings a dark, bleepy warehouse vibe. a style which has already seen him release recently on the likes of illegal alien & unknown territory. his first effort for sleaze records also features three top quality remixes by mark broom, mattias fridell & echologist.

m_steps roots go back to the heyday of viennas cheap records, and the echoes of that labels seminal style can still be heard on his trust debut: stone-cold electro funk meets the kind of low-slung basslines and laid-back jazz chords that the viennese producer, dj, and (double) bassist contributed to classic releases of 550 rondy, pulsinger & tunakan, sluts n strings & 909, and even kruder & dorfmeister remixing madonna. fourth release in the covert systems series

one of the very first artists to begin recording in jamaica, derrick morgan is beloved as a ska icon and a pioneer of the ‘skinhead reggae’ style. blessed with a rich, deep tenor, which with he belts out his clever and often humorous lyrics, morgan became known on the kingston music scene through vere johns’ regular talent contests, and enjoyed a lengthy run of hits during the 1960s for producers such as simeon smith, duke reid and clement ‘sir coxsone’ dodd (among others), cultivating a popular vinyl feud with prince buster after being brought into leslie kong’s camp by the young jimmy cliff. morgan moved to england during the late 1960s to capitalise on the skinhead reggae craze, but was back in jamaica from the early 1970s, and since bunny lee was his brother-in-law, the two have always maintained a close working relationship. people decision, voiced at king tubby’s studio for lee and released by third world in 1977, sees morgan in politicised roots reggae mode on songs like ‘let’s build a better jamaica,’ the symbolic racetrack drama ‘racing at ballistic park,’ and the title track, which all boosted the socialist policies of the ruling people’s national party, ‘natty dread forward out of babylon’ updates the ‘tougher than tough’ saga, and there’s a slew of rude tunes when you flip the disc, including ‘my dickie,’ ‘rough grinder’ and ‘ride manny fanny.’

tenor singer johnny clarke had many false starts in his youthful days. hanging around studio one as a schoolboy with jacob miller, clarke was supposed to record material written for him by bob andy, but somehow never made the grade. his 1973 debut recording for lesser-known producer glen stair was not released, and early work for clancy eccles failed to hit, though ‘everyday wondering’ for rupie edwards made an underground impact in britain and new york. subsequent singles for keith hudson and glen brown also did not get very far, but the breakthrough finally came when bunny lee asked him to sing ‘none shall escape the judgement,’ which was written by the singer earl zero, it became a massive hit that launched the ‘flying cymbal’ craze (based on an open-and-closed high-hat cymbal pattern, adapted from the soul train theme), and clarke became one of lee’s most reliable hit-makers, partly because lee stoked a rivalry between him and cornell campbell, whom lee had previously asked to voice ‘none shall escape.’ clarke’s satisfaction lp was recorded at harry j for lee, voiced at king tubby’s studio, and issued by third world in 1979. it is a set largely comprised of cover tunes, such as the strong opening update of the paragons’ ‘riding for a fall,’ the title track adapting their rock steady hit ‘my satisfaction’ in a post-rockers style. better still is the hard-hitting ‘reality’ tune, ‘play fool, get wise,’ which uses a proverb to relate a means of avoiding trouble on the dog-eat-dog mean streets of kingston.

chances are if you have a body, a pair of ears and access to some kind of listening device, you’ve at least tapped a foot to ‘shine’ from soul clap and nona hendryx. pure authenticity and vocal integrity is provided in bucket loads by nona (ex-labelle member and purveyor of funk for more than 40 years), while the production maintains soul clap’s sublime freshness. increasing your marimba intake by 200% with two additional versions, hot toddy gives exotic plushness with a diversified rhythm section and melodic bottom lines that lightly entwine, shimmering in the light of nonas voice. scott grooves brings the funk, with an upfront bassline and extra jb-style horns on his horns dub, while the deepah dub takes a housier approach while still keeping the horn stabs. scott finishes off with an echopella of nonas vocals recorded from the international space station. this remix package is everything you would want, and then some.

with additional successes under such labels as taub, latence releases once again on play label records for his fresh superheated ep. collaborating ideas from his teen years in belgium through the 90’s, with more progressive inspirations, latence has materialized a unique style, which is a celebration of timeless dance music and it’s continued influences on forward-thinking artists. kicking things off with his title-track, pablo flaunts a subtle build of off beat chords injected around playful and erratic acid house influences. a busy and varied concoction of sounds topped with provocative whispers. deeper amplitude is the second of this four track ep, and as the name suggests, we are provided with ample bass, accompanied by snippets of melodic discord and a boisterous snare, fearless and rhythmic. metastable lays a minimalist percussive foundation, sporting a retro 70s synth that steals focus with its quirky pitch shifts, a classic example of latence’s immense talent for blending influences across eras. latence closes with acido basic, an eccentric finale to this eclectic ep. using exotic vocal sampling centered around chemical compounds, he simplifies his percussive layers to a clean texture, which form the bedrock for his experimentations.

mucho stylez following up on his raspy tongs ep. strong remix package this time with robert babicz who gives the track his own remarkable babicz style. the tomcraft remix is kicking off and andy sidewalkers interpretation is exellent deep tech house . schiebt !

andy meecham returns once more under his emperor machine guise with a freshly delivered 4 track vinyl ep of experimental peak time & back room jams on his brand new label vertical tones. side a1, we play perfect & a2 dry down the middle sees a return to the vintage analog sonics & dusty warped house sound of emperor machine made with love on the mpc. side b1, back to the electronics and modulars with got to warm ride a mid 80s style re-edit of the original unreleased 15 min track b2 leggwork an electronic disco funk cut thats sees andy with his multi-instrumentalist head on locked in a solo jam session full of original llama farm flavour