nebraska fires up his own friends & relations label once again to take a trip into the strain of lilting, summery deep house that has previously fitted in so well on rush hour, mister saturday night and more. this time around nebraska is getting the remix treatment from an all star cast, leading in with the woozy, soul-soaked shuffle of session victim s treatment of -pintxos.- mr beatnick keeps things suitably deep when tackling -rat boogie,- all laid back disco patter and filtered funk, before marcel vogel goes one step further on -keep what ya got- and rolls out slow and juicy funk of the raunchiest kind.

new version of the track with jamaican legend ken boothe + dub version. ken everything i own boothe played a significant part in covering sir coxsones studio one walls with gold and goodness knows that label fostered its share of legends. collaborating with the master, blundetto could have laid it on thick with heavy production instead alongside his discreet partner blackjoy, he created a gorgeous production using the purest of jamaican music, proving yet again that time has nothing on the suave tones of mr. rocksteady.

obscure dutch private pressing from 1977. laid-back instrumental psychedelic / progressive sounds with jazz-funk-groove and abstract / experimental / latin-indigenous touches. stoned homemade atmosphere with treated / distorted electric & acoustic guitars, flute, electric piano, primitive drum machines / homemade electronics. much in the vein of the experimental-underground scene of france & germany during the early 70s but actually recorded and released in holland.

babe roots are a relatively young duo from turin, italy, making a unique brand of atmospheric, techno-infused dubwise. on our radar since their splendid debut 7 inch on rohs! records in early 2016, we are very pleased to invite them into the zamzam fold with two mesmerizing and contrasting tunes. * be still* is a deeply meditative yet driving dub techno trek in classic fashion, featuring rastaman kojo neatness intoning on righteous living, working the land, guarding the tongue, and avoiding babylonian schemes and traps laid by the wicked. maternal bass and shimmering reverbs envelop a heartbeat rhythm of kick, shaker and distant snares for a timeless vibe that shows mastery of the idiom while updating it for contemporary sound systems. * rawness* is an extraordinarily deep 140 journey that opens with rich pads and swirling atmospherics, creating a psychoactive ambience that builds into a steady kick. the full riddim hits and plunges us even deeper with restrained, syncopated drums and percussion. churning bass powers us through the dense, hallucinatory fog as tendrils of electricity probe and zap, and serrated snares cut through the tape haze and studio clouds in the last third. carving out a gorgeous edge between deep dubstep and dub techno, * rawness* hits all the marks and will find a home in a huge range of sets.

another alias returns with the second installment of white of my eyes. wome002 continues along the path laid out by 001, but takes it a step further into varied moods from the sledgehammer-esque -heave- to the melancholy -creep on the couch. while keeping with his off-kilter rhythms and erratic synth work.

the dncn remix of san eco’s debut single finds him taking the track’s understated beauty and sending it drifting into cataclysmic chaos. the rolling bassline is swapped out for insectile swirling, the infrequent laid-back percussion for an upfront, energetic backline. it’s the ideal counterfoil to the original, minimising it’s heartfelt swooning melodies and morphing them into a crackling high-energy stomp. comes on a limited edition 7&#8243,,, vinyl with the original tune. don’t wait on it!

on the a side bftt and lack follow on from their debut release on the fifth cong burn tape. bftt crafts a peak time sub heavy techno weapon which beautifully collapses in on itself before its final ascent. lack layers polyrhthmic splashes of shackleton-esque percussion over dubbed out bass growls. flip it over and you ve got chekov following up his ace debut on shanti celeste s peach discs with electro 808 patterns and swells of low end weight. howes lowers the tempo with a low key bubbler that further explores the textures laid out on cong burn s first 12inch.

zoe mc phersons exploration of this world on string figures is a deeply rhythmic, immersive and forward-thinking piece of elec-tronic-leaning music that remains just as danceable as it does experimental. the album is fundamentally one of duality, exploring the traditional and the contem-porary, organic and electronic, audio and visual, history and the future. rooted in this duality is also a core theme around string being one of the most ancient and playful art forms and the seemingly infinite possibilities it offers in terms of shapes, structures and figures lines up with this as a trans-global art project. one that over time will involve video art, choreography, 3d motion design, macro film, instrumental and electronic sound. although for now is being presented through an av performance, films and a record with mc pherson collaborating with director alessandra leone over the seven tracks (which are laid out as chapters) the record explores glitchy elec-tronics, dub-tinged grooves, polyrhythms, and a huge array of instruments that takes in quiet blasts of atonal sax alongside wonky synths.

those wizards of digging psychemagik doing the business once again. hot on the heels of last year s monstrous gotta hold on me / wildman they re letting folks know that they were still out there searching in the darkest recesses of the last 40+ years of popular and unpopular music, and boy oh boy are they good at it! the trip lives up to it s name. the track kicks off with some ultra beefed up psychedelic shenanigans, swirling, cacophonous sounds whirl and sweep and gradually drag us into the holographic tunnel, gradually giving way to some heavyweight drums and percussions and unfurling into a muscular psych-discoid beast. this one will send the kids crazy and will undoubtedly cause some damage in the club, both sonically and mentally. but what is the original? we hear you say... answers on a postcard please. sisters of the moon on the flip-side is a very different animal - all laid back, laconic steel-guitars and thundering slo-mo drums and percussion. the dark side of a rural witchcraft dream exposed here, almost menacing... and then? those vocals spring out of the mix amidst the throbbing sexually charged atmosphere and drag us back into the realm of near reality with sultry moans and groans. this one s woozy alright, but in the best possible way. so wrong, it s right and possibly the natural soundtrack to too many of those strange shots that that guy in the weird hat gave us earlier when we entered that country pub. what guy? i hear you ask.... ultimate freak-disco and deepest druid funk for the discerning and psychedelically inclined record consumer.

official limited edition reissue of asso s italo masterpiece from 1983. featuring -do it again-, a killer balearic disco-style cover of the steely dan classic. on the flip side you get the wonderful boogie jazz-funker -don t stop-, a track which is pure blissed-out dancefloor heaven and deservedly became a loft and garage classic as well as receiving heavy rotation on both the cosmic and balearic scenes. with the coolest of laid-back jazzy piano grooves underpinned with driving funky squelching bass and superb syncopated drums.

after a first ep of the year from stl, the solar phenomena label now welcomes romania’s romansoff. the raw tools label boss hails from bucharest and has also released his gritty, stripped back house and techno on creme organization and sportiv. here he offers four new tracks, with one remix from timedance man ploy completing the package.
halo epitomises romansoff’s style with its slow, heavy drums and sparse, scattered perc sounds. a lo-fi melody adds colour, while coach jacket ups the ante with busier claps and crashing hits laid over a turbulent, unsettled bassline. increasing the pressure further, graded grows manic with punchy drums, layers of fuzzy synths and bass and distant cries that are dark and unsettling. ploy flips this one into a prickly and atmospheric drum track that keeps you on edge.

formerly of france, now based in brazil, d3 elements returns with their second instalment of the beatz series, this time with jazz artist, bruno e, also hailing from brazil. bruno, who has been producing and performing since the late 90s, has worked with and remixed the likes of silhouette brown and gilles peterson, as well as releasing albums in his own right. this limited colour 10inch release features three versions of the track ventos do outono, (loosely translated to autumn winds). first up is drummer, composer and producer, pat van dyke, taking a break from composing the soundtrack to jerry seinfeld s comedians in cars getting coffee, with a breezy, laid back version of the original. featuring lush horns and flutes, along with vintage keyboards, the track urges us to get down, while straddling the boundaries of jazz and golden era hip-hop. still on the a side, it s bruno s turn, delivering a wonderful broken beat track. full of beautiful keys, strings and intricate rhythms, this track is reminiscent of the sound championed by kaidi tatham and nu era. flip over to the b side, and techno legend, kirk de giorgio takes us on a deep, futuristic ride. the track starts off with banging drums and a pulsating bass line, priming us for the cosmic pads and keys to come as the uk producer takes us on a journey to outer space and back. another quality release from bryan hervieus label, with three diverse versions of the same track, sure to appeal to a wide variety of tastes

the second series of jacks tracks va vol 2 presents 4 distinctively different tracks from both established and upcoming talent. first up on the a side is alex arnout from dogmatik records with hypersomnia, which is a tough rolling number with haunting subtle keys laid over the top. then a2, the talented tuccillo from unblock with his track another day brings a deep skippy house vibe with some cool vocal snippets over the top driven by its baseline. on the b side are more tech house flavours and fabric resident legend terry francis presents jua which is a timeless house number previously unreleased , now signed and ready for an official vinyl release. last but not least, young new talent kilian vega with ardour, a groovy infectious rolling underground house vibe. in short, an ep with 4 strong individual tracks from sincere and dedicated music makers.

laid back, jazz-funk infused, uk boogie house from sugarhouse records bossman roy rozell. synth melodies and shuffling grooves. this is the shit! relax and unwind. top pick!

lost in time has laid down some killer 12-s to date from the likes of ralph lawson and tuccillo, and now they welcome london-based scene staple alex arnout to the label with an on-point ep of explorative house music variations. -no borders- features long time us house veteran jovonn, and the pair whip up a tracky tech house roller with serious percussive pressure and a subtle lick of dub in the mix. -downtown 500- is a rough and tough, bashy house jam with a fresh drum palette, and by contrast -riddim- brings a straight up deep house vibe with classic organ licks aplenty, that almost sound like they should be the handiwork of jovonn as well. -jam the dance- finishes the ep off with a twitchy house cut peppered with vocal slices.

i cant love you anymore is the first single by hard working soul performer carlton jumel smith recorded with cold diamond & mink, and the man has revealed his middle name just for the occasion. otherwise known simply as carlton j. smith, theres no doubt he has swallowed a large pill of soul since seeing james brown live at the apollo theatre as an 8-year old. smiths timmion debut single sinks him into drum heavy southern flavored deep soul, a style that comes out of him naturally as water from a mountain spring. backing him up on the falsetto parts is pratt, who recently turned some heads with his pratt & moody release lost lost lost on stylart records, and together the two basically nail it. when looking for artists, who just seem to move through time effortlessly with a steady air of confidence, passion and precision, one might pick up the phone and give cjs a call. even though his discography of couple of late 2000s albums and some guest spots in early 90s soulful house 12inches is a bit mysterious, there seems to be not one bit of difficulty to his craft or personality. as a recording artist, i cant love you anymore is a new opening into raw soul territory, and it is just what the world needs today. he laid down an album worth of tracks on his last helsinki visit, and this might be something to look forward to.

the seventh 7-inch in most excellent unlimiteds series of mr. k edits combines a pair of lush midtempo modern soul gems, with both sides textbook candidates for a perfect set-opener. “live in me,” from rufus and chaka khan’s 1979 masterjam lp, was never released as a single, but that didn’t stop it from becoming a fan favorite and warm-up classic for soulful djs. composed and produced by the legendary rod temperton and quincy jones, who were fresh off the completion mj’s off the wall when this was recorded, “live in me” is judiciously extended here by danny krivit without losing any of the graceful magic of the original. philly jazz-funkers pieces of a dream get another respectful krivit extension on the flip side, with their gorgeous “warm weather.” written by maestro dexter wansel and featuring barbara walker on lead vocals, the laid-back pulse of this smooth ‘81rare groove mainstay has never fallen out of favor with djs who understand the power of gentle persuasion.

this release comes with some island vibes from ibiza duo 2vilas. release starts strong with rais, a powerhouse intended for peak time hours - guaranteed to blow up any dance floor. the remix from funk e comes in with some laid back romanian grooves and a dreamy pad that sets up the vibe nicely. on the flip side we have some more balearic grooves, mnml provides a nice mood for those late mornings. to round off the ep, we have a special tool, sure to get things going in any kind of situation.

faze action records, (far), next release unearths the disco wonder of unreleased music by andromeda orchestra. the lead track has been expertly remixed by legendary dj nick the record, extending the percussion, bass, keyboard sections and then teasing in the vocals towards the end to turn the track into a peak time disco burner which sits comfortably alongside disco old and new. on a2 we have high steppin which see s andromeda orchestra heading for a more stripped down instrumental track, tight percussion and keys drive home another floor filler. b1 we have the original mix of get up & dance, staying true to a classic disco arrangement. with b2 ,andromeda orchestra exit with a more laid back funk/disco groove perfect for the warm up.

portuguese artist ka§par gives parisian label escapade its third release. the four tracks span across a wide range of electronic sounds, telling a story that calls on many emotions. ‘wail of a loon opens the record with an experimental atmosphere. after this laid back introduction, ka§par goes into a much stronger style: ‘riggeds energy and catchy, twirling melody make it a total banger. on the b side, the mood gets much warmer and groovy. ‘vital is the perfect tune to warm up a dancefloor, thanks to a swinging rhythm, mesmerizing vocal samples and funky synth lines. ‘alma douro rounds up the record with strong jazzy vibes. beautiful chords and piano solos never dissapoint!

man power his raw electronic sound, organic flourishes and diverse selection make him a perfect match for dgtl, both on stage as well as on the imprint. next to releasing a steady flow of records on established labels like esp institute, optimo trax, correspondant and hivern discs, man power is running his own shop as well: me me me. this gives him an outlet to release music by both friends and himself. for his release on dgtl records he created a three-track ep called apologue ep, that showcases just two of different sides of his multi-faceted musical scope. the a-side features two firm, acid influenced tracks. the first of these two, the duelist, is an emotive house record, with a soundscape of piano melodies, synths and syncopated percussion laid on top of an acid bassline. el mago del tiempo features heavy hitting kicks combined with a sharp synth pattern. it has a long build up that keeps evolving throughout the entire composition. halfway through, the track breaks in to a raw and fierce rhythm accompanied by yearning, drawn-out synth pads. on the flipside, put your hands on the car (and get ready to die) brings back memories of a long gone past with nods to balearic pop, ebm, and the soundtrack work of stewart copeland, james horner, and jan hammer. this multi layered production has a warm and analogue sounding feel to it that rounds off a 3 dimensional release.

apollo presents a sublime mini album from melbourne duo albrecht labrooy aka sean la brooy and alex albrecht which will appeal to fans of suzanne kraft, tornado wallace and dawn of midi. the release is inspired by a visit to the beautiful wilson s promontory, a remote national park on the south east coast of australia. the tracklisting runs from morning through to nightime and tries to capture the feeling of each snapshot in time. their music is a delicate fusion of ambient electronic textures, live instrumentation and field recordings gauzy guitar melodies, dreamy synth arpeggios and throbbing rthymic pulses that feels equally at home in outdoor amphitheatres as well as dark nightclubs alternating between their cosmic/balearic deep house and more laid back introspections, tidal rivers gorgeously lush sounds are remarkably consistent rich, warm and organic with an emphasis on atmosphere and the transportation of the listener. each track was the fruit of albrecht labrooys long improvised jamming process heavily involved in their local scene, the duo co-run the analogue attic imprint, championing this gentler side of electronic music in australia which has proven a fertile incubator for their own development, across a series of ambitious and ear catching eps, alongside local cohorts such as sleep d, rings around saturn and udmo. this involvement also extends to including local players on their recording sessions as well as their cosmic live shows. the tidal river album includes a quartet of jazz musicians including label-mate matthew hayes on bass guitar, guitarist oliver paterson, spanish cajon courtesy of joseph batrouney and night time saxophone debut by josh kelly.

time for a little recognition… pets welcome a true polish techno founding father to the fold: jacek sienkiewicz. dj since the early 90s, producer since the late 90s and one of the earliest artists to stamp their country down on the techno map, jacek was one of the first polish producers to be signed by the likes of trapez, cocoon and klang and laid down the foundations for the likes of pets founders catz n dogz several years later when they emerged as 3 channels. og status confirmed, hes remained just as consistent as he is influential. this single is proof: ‘su17 is a bubbling sine cauldron that starts with a simmer but builds to a boil with its ever-morphing, lava-like flow. expert drum momentum and sudden layers of instrumental help to create a fluid three-track-in-one experience that spellbinds you crowd for the entire eight minutes without realising. ‘mustang is a cascading synth odyssey that gently rises and falls like an escher looped staircase. gradually building in momentum with more of jaceks signature hypnosis flare, its not until the drums double up with an almost live-style visceral feel that you realise just how high jaceks taken you. it comes complete with a star-lit switch from berlins serial innovator tobias, where the synths are deftly refocused and a whole layer of orchestral delight are layered within.

solar shield kicked off the austin boogie crew records discography with a bang in 2014 with his -reesis- 45 -- so much so that the labelhad to press it 3 times to meet demand. now , austin boogie crew present his much anticipated selftitled lp with 9 tracks of laid back modern funk! . austin, tx, musician chris mcdowell is a wonder on the keys. under his solar shield moniker texas producer chris mcdowell creates exuberant compositions that elegantly walk a tightrope between modern funk and electronic beat music. this quality nine track release features songs created between 2011 and 2013, settling into the modern funk cannon of 2018 with ease.

after their phenomenal debut ep on lany recordings in 2015, sue avenue finally returns with a carefully selected ep that contains two magnificent original tracks, perfectly reflecting what the artist and label stand for. in their authentic style, sue avenue is back from home with laid-back jazzy vibes, which is transcending with a new collab with marta del grandi. while brett johnson delivers a high-class remix of the collab track, label boss maxim lany chose newest member of the lr family wanvel to remix the title track.

three years after the release of js reduction 2? (phorma008), phorma is now releasing its first remix ep. phorma008r features 3 stunning remixes by volte-face, blazej malinowski, and js himself, offering 3 distinct takes on the original suitable for peak-time as well as the after hours. the record will be released as vinyl only with a sleeve by hamburgs maison blessing, inverting the original artwork. first appearance of volte-face on phorma artwork by maison blessing (dial, laid) supported by etapp kyle, svreca, eric cloutier, peter van hoesen, ness, jonas kopp and others

the third outing for modern manners emerges on the back of two very strong 12inches that introduced this anonymous outfit to the world. timeless vibe continues where the last release left off, building up a wonderfully cosmic bed of processed melody under which casual hand played percussion and warm bass notes can linger. azzahar too keeps things pleasantly soporific with its gentle pace and lilting guitar refrains, and then middle east manners rounds this excellent trio of eps out with a beautifully realised swirl of sounds that find focus once a kick drum starts pulsing and the percussion starts building. quite who modern manners are is a mystery at this stage, but across these three 12inches they ve certainly made their presence felt in the softest, most laid back of ways.

just in time to warm up your winter, hell yeah revisit the peerless recent tsuki album from ambient and balearic masters tempelhof & gigi masin. two tracks from the album are included on this new package, as well as a remix from jex opolis. trancendental and dreamy drums characterise the new age corner song, which is the sound of laying back on a boat and bobbing up and down on gentle seas at sunrise. its organic and soothing to the max. the other original is flying man, a suspensory film that feels like floating amongst the clouds on a humid afternoon. wordless vocals add a heavenly feel to the lush and all encompassing chords and pads and nothing sounds sweeter than being lost in this one. it is corner song that gets remixed by good timin and running back man jex opolis. famous for his disco infused synth pop sound he is a master of his own musical world. his version is eight minutes of laid-back tropicalia. slowly churning drums and knotted funk-bass prop it up as an eco-system of pops, clicks and hits add to the steamy and sensuous groove. it s grown up disco for cocktails on the terrace and will have you hugging anyone in earshot. support by calm, lexx, leo mas, apiento, zambon, max essa, kito jempere, buena onda djs, balearic gabba sound system.

the man behind church records and half the force propelling coastal haze, seb wildblood, jumps over to let s play house for a laid back, suave four tracker that ll smooth out that transition we re all going through as summer fades and the embers of autumn begin to burn brighter. necessary happiness, the first track, a improvisatory, noodly deep house ambler, sets the pace and tone. from there, the british producer ups the tempo a bit and explores the darker contours of red light-lit basement caves and after- hours haunts with the ep s title track. the flip is briefer: necessary happiness (mad sax mix) is an embellished and brighter reprise of the a1, and“pass the pen is a loose instrumental that has the bones of a break beat interlude built atop a jazzy hip-hop beat. is that a dewy sea mist on the horizon at dawn or a heavy cloud of smoke machine fog veiling a strobe in the middle of the night?

this october will see canada’s mathew jonson join forces with visionquest co-founder ryan crosson for a two track ep in the shape of ‘robots of dawn’.
canada’s mathew jonson has quite the impressive career under his belt having co-founded the revered wagon repair label and heading up itiswhatitis recordings as well as performing under his own name and various guises such as cobblestone jazz, the modern deep left quarted, and his new project units & measurements alongside hreno and the mole. here we see the synth aficionado joining forces with visionquest’s very own ryan crosson, who’s carved out an equally impressive career to date and will soon drop his second long player alongside cesar merveille focused on intricately musicality and an intriguing approach to electronic music via the visionquest imprint.
as you’d expect from such a pairing this collaboration packs a bunch, opening with ‘tempelhof’ named after the now defunct airport in berlin and laid out over thirteen minutes of gradually unfolding and retracting acid swells, resonant synth whirrs, mind bending arpeggios and dynamic, baroquely evolving rhythms.
title track ‘robots of dawn’, featuring added help from cesar merveille and new upstart artist isis, captures an old school electro feel via an 808 drum workout, vocoded vocal murmurs and funk-infused wandering bass lines whilst modulating synths spiral through the depths of the composition.

kalita are busy adding more weight to their on-point reissue catalogue with this excellent single from caribbean funksters iwabo. reggae down does indeed feature a skank of sorts and all manner of sunkissed vibes, but there s a greater emphasis on laid back funk than you would find in typical jamaican output. smile on your face is a more light hearted track that equally draws on a variety of reference points to impart its infectious positive message. iwabo may have been a secret weapon of serious diggers for years, but now it s time for the wider record buying public to get in on the groove.

for ws021 we head to italy where we find a duo by the name of concret aka italo-mexican musician diego angelico escobar and producer q-pha. together, they submit a couple of ethereal, stripped-back and driving techno tracks that compliment each other so well they appear to be brother and sister from the same session. on remix duty we ve got another italian, rodion, who ads his signature sound to ritorno and flips it into a laid-back dark groover. last but not least is uk s heretic, aka timothy clerkin, who remixes andata into a classy acid burner fit for a massive warehouse party or dark, sweaty basement.

closing out the year with a 4 track ep from producer colm k. inspired by a variety of styles and musical sources with one common thread throughout: samples. 2 tracks for the dancefloor and 2 dusty reprises, most of the music found here is a collage of sounds that zig zags from the soulful thump of seeing to the laid back strain of summary

kanja records is sincerely honored to present its sixth vinyl release, based on a concept called sunday mornings. with this series of releases we will focus on that warm up, early morning, after party gems and slowly fading away from peak time music. our philosophy behind this concept is that the focus goes to the tracks being timeless, and music that you can listen to in every time of day and night. music that offers a vast variety, but in the end coming together in that sweet and warm morning glory. bidon by university of nowhere was definitely our first pick for the first track on this release. nice warm pads and steady broken beats are becoming a trademark for their production. astral control by maurice giovannini perfectly sits beside our opening track with its laid back mood and again nice moody pads. insen gathway by widovski, an opening track on our b side, with nice minimalistic grooves, warm pads and freaky background ticks, surely deserves a spot on this release. defenders of prisma by gabriele carasco and enzo pietropaolo is the final track on this vinyl release. a really special track, which has a very mysterious and sentimental vibe and nicely rounds up our sixth release.

nice price deal !!! a catchy vocoder retro-styled summer anthem, destined to rock the dance floors from sweaty mega night clubs to laid-back beach bars. proxy turns the track into a noisy and bouncy future funk track!

to know whats up right now, we must understand what went down in history rave history: easily one of catz n dogz most evocative, classically-informed and ferociously euphoric pieces of work to date, this is a celebration of every black wax brick laid in the foundations of dance music culture. every hand that was ever raised in sweaty exultation. every stranger whoever got hugged on the dancefloor for no reason but pure love for the moment. every whistle. every horn. every damn time. from its quintessential break to its iconic vocal via its sizzling bass-heavy groove, ‘rave history is the ultimate finale piece, a show-stopping opener or a wild mid-set excursion. it resonates with everything thats relevant now and everything thats ever been relevant. loaded with pure positivity, this will complement any style of dj set, any crowd, any age, any country. this is our dna. for added euphoric stimuli, the szczecin boys have also thrown in a kickless hype tool in the form of the feel-heavy life mix. choral pads, cascading fx, dramatic one-strike piano notes, splashing cymbals and that almighty vocal sample that comes with one essential message every single one of us can raise our sweaty hands and hug strangers to: no matter how weird things feel in the world right now, when were together with like-minded dancing neighbours, everything is going to be all right.

unreleased archival tracks from the on-u vaults! serving the same purpose as the recent return of the crocodile set did for african head charge, this lp illuminates the early development of one of the flagship acts on the label, allowing some truly magnificent versions to be heard for the first time. mostly stripped-back raw takes, they highlight the rock solid rhythm foundation laid down by such incredible players as style scott and charlie eskimo fox, as well as three vital soul-in-the-echo-chamber interjections from the late, great bim sherman. essential early-80s dub damage.

following on from his massive feel it in my bones release (which gained support from the likes of moodymann, the black madonna, gilles peterson, sassy j, seven davis jr) and a killer remix for afrobeat legend dele sosimi north london producer books returns to xvi records with two storming edits, kicking off their new high praise series in fine style. in the groove hits the ground running, immediately throwing the listener into the middle of peak-hour, loft party hysteria, its soulful vocals swirling overhead whilst the driving, unrelenting rhythms create a sweaty, electrically charged delirium. on the flip, ‘passage of time takes a slightly more introspective approach, its shuffled hats and hazy keys giving way to majestic, uplifting horns guiding the way down a psychedelic black hole, its laid back groove providing a perfect soundtrack to the voyage, as planets spin by in the darkness.

after a lengthy hiatus, tuskegee music is back with a heavyweight release indeed: it features tracks written by detroit heavyweights seth troxler—under his young seth alias— and cult fxhe boss omar s. amazingly they were written 11 years ago and have been long forgotten until recently being unearthed. the first track here was inspired by a trip seth made to berlin’s club der visionaere in 2005. “it basically was me returning to detroit and telling omar about this crazy music i heard ricardo play during the day.” the result, ‘deep’(cdv 2006 mix), is a spine tingling atmospheric deep house track. the drums are lo-fi and loose, the bassline is a meandering thing that really sucks you in and soft, gentle toms tumble around the groove and encourage you to cut loose. then comes the experimental slow motion drum shuffle of ‘detroit after midnight’ which the pair made after “finding loads of weird records in his basement sampling them and making a classic mpc detroit cut.” it has the sounds of people talking as if coming from the room next door laid over a lazy and undulating bassline, and is brilliantly weird and sketchy. last of all, young seth goes solo on ‘luiza’s inferno’ five minutes of him jamming on omar’s ms20 with a warbling synth line coated in warm tape hiss and layers of dust. it’s a beatless piece that shows how inventive and ahead of his time troxler was even as a young man. this is a brilliantly unusual ep and another winner for seth troxler and the martinez brothers’ tuskegee label.

marquis hawkes marks his fifth release for aus with another classy 2 tracker titled, æthe phoenixÆ (part 1 and part 2). the phoenix follows up summer hit æthe basement is burningÆ which saw midland, the black madonna and gerd janson all supporting at festivals worldwide. the phoenix is two takes on one concept. part one takes the disco and house amalgam which marquis has developed in recent times to itÆs logical conclusion, perfectly walking the tightrope between joyous abandon and classy depth, and giving djs the perfect weapon for all floors, from sweaty basements right the way through to much bigger dancefloors. part two then flips the program with the same raw materials and sets up the perfect shot, directed at a big room house/techno crossover, building on the foundations laid by the detroit techno originators by infusing contemporary production values and a more modern twist. the phoenix is something of a landmark ep for marquis hawkes, once again redefining his sound. we canÆt wait to hear what he does next.

secondo is back with a brand new two-track 12- aimed squarely at the more discerning dance floors out there. ‘shakin’ on the a-side is a disco inflected bomb full of funky edits, sampled guitar licks and an irrepressible hook that gives the whole track a distinctly italo boogie feel. meanwhile, on the b-side ‘nine toms’ is a more laid back affair, a mid-tempo burner with soulful groans, off-kilter percussion and a wicked throbby bassline guaranteed to get you grooving. look out for future what about never releases in the coming months – a welcome return for am/pm and a debut ep from valerie from the galerie, both scheduled before the end of the year

native response returns with another 12-inch record with nr002: shaman among the machines by deltitnu. deltitnu is a homegrown native response project, debuting with three tracks that all share a certain feeling of mystery, accompanied by a steady grooving remix by roger gerressen.

music with soul is back with another boundary-pushing smasher. the unexpected debut from eládio & robinho, a mysterious afro-fuzzed-hair duo from the fourth world that has emerged to explore and expand the inexplicably hesitant relation between the classic rhythms of jamaica and the southern hemisphere of the american continent. “queimando quente” showcases a swinging brazilian-infused heavy-hitting reggae, masterfully painted by the hypnotic sound of a tenor-sax melody and a laid-back cuíca, all recorded in our very own barracao sound studio, under the baton of the unmistakable alex figueira of fumaça preta and conjunto papa upa.

on “rest in space”, his first full length outing for music for dreams, the lp keeps a steady pace of around 90-95 bpm, but never gets repetitive with islandman taking us on a rich and ever surprising journey, full of quirky turns and mysterious instrumentations. the opener “rest in space” treats us to a funky percussion-thick rhythm that lounges into a pool of playful & jazzy horn & flute arrangements. this is followed by the epic “night wind” which sweeps across cinematic desert landscapes of synth layers and falls into a dark night time groove reminiscent of nicolas jaar & dave harrington’s darkside project. “seikleos” centers around a motorik electronic rhythm pattern (not unlike the classic electro-pop classic “popcorn”) that develops into a chugging balearic house jam while stand out track “future days” brings in a female guest vocalist to complete the album with a breezy full on groover that echoes of both sheila chandra and tom tom club. also included is the previously released digital single “agit” as well as a remix by berlin-based m.rux, toning down the heavy guitar of the original in favor of a more bouncier interpretation. the stunning “ikaru” wades in through chunks of jungle ambiance and watery percussion to lounge along on a rubbery funk bassline, coupled with a heavy laid back beat and wobbly derelict synth figures. “tawhid” is an odd mix of new wave brilliance and prog momentum that breaks into a cascade of pouring rain and surprising percussion breaks. lastly comes gorgeous eastern guitar opus “the true word of the wind” and the warm vibey dreamscape “following”. as a whole, islandman delivers a delicate buffet of influences - spanning the spectrum from hazy balearic pop to tropical new age flirts to deep spiritual psychedelic jamming.

coming to life on a hazy cloud of natural instrumentation and meditative composition, modern manners tap into the appetite for delicate new age musings beautifully on this debut release. amor y odio is laced with spanish guitar musings that spiral out over a simple but effective drum break that harks back to classic downtempo, while running with me edges towards a more sprightly lounge headspace while retaining the rich musicality felt on the first track. instant illusion is propelled by a bassline that wouldn t sound out of place on a house track, but here its punching out in a subtle, laid back environment that aims to get you horizontal in the most sophisticated way possible.

late august will see b.soul music limited release the various artists package thanks 4 nothin , a four-track vinyl only release from the tuscan imprint. marcos baiano s b.soul imprint was launched in 2013 and across its back catalogue has welcomed an array of classic and contemporary talents onto its roster from house legend jovonn through to music for freaks co-founder justin harris and parisian producer terence :terry. here we see the label push on with its second vinyl release set to be released via its ltd offshoot and offered up as a various artist four track package. bosconi soundsystem artist rufus takes the lead on the release with realize dis with classic house tropes, employing a bumpy swinging rhythm as the foundation whilst murky pad swells and spoken word vocals ebb and flow throughout the composition. label-head marcos baiano follows with nullll , stripping things back to shuffled hats and wandering rave stabs before the latter stages introduce a warm ethereal pad. opening up the flip side is retro activity aka ivan iacobucci s rocket edging things into techno territory with weighty drums, mind bending synth flutters and an ever-unfolding, billowing atmosphere. drmc s do not disturb then closes the package on a minimal tip with modulating percussion, minute organic drum shots and airy pad lines laid out over its seven and a half minutes.

runemark records comes back with the seventh release and this time it s a perfection from dumming dum and rush midnight and their co-creation three pills into a fist including remixes from atapy, black mami and the first ever remix from ten walls. the original version from dumming dum sets a deep and groovy tone with acidic bass line and the wonderful rush midnight s creamy vocals on top. ten walls has made an official remix that grabs attention from the very start. it s ten-wall-ish bass line, orchestral and emotional breakdown construct dark and epic vibes. a beautiful trip through deepness and back to the dance floor is laid out in black mami s interpretation. and the last but not least remix in the release is a banger from atapy. dance-able as hell and the most energetic composition in the pack. dumming dum - three pills into a fist (feat. rush midnight) is available in vinyl and digital formats. enjoy the music!

after numerous releases on staple labels like moods & grooves, deep explorer, contrast wax, minuendo & soul print, the duo from malta are back to their homegrown label batti batti. the 3 tracks on this ep are somewhat different to their usual style, putting aside their laid-back deepness and focusing more on the dance floor by delivering an ep of raw drums, acid lines, warm chords and filtered pads. a truly interesting release to say the least.

having helped launch the sugarhouse label with his paradise forum brethren, jamie paul gets a chance to show off his talents on his debut 12inch, adding to the labels already impressive catalogue with another swathe of classy house jams with a modern twist. double g definitely sports the chops for the peak of the night, but it s also shot through with a welcome weirdness and a fuzzy warmth that should find favour with a wide range of djs. even so is a more laid back, bumping affair that matches the smooth finish of the a-side, but says something different altogether. label mate maurice jnr meanwhile serves up a remix of even so that nudges the delicate tones in a techier direction