croatian nu-disco/funk/boogie overlord ilija rudman has swung by around here. once more he is spinning his audio gems on the legendary bearfunk label. this time is the ever so funky new release soul embrace . ilija gets his niles rogers hat on and peppers this sparkler with chingy-funk guitar. add in some big rolling, dx-style, chugger bass and lashes of darting percussion and there you have it...floor-filler dynamite. the original mix and the spectacularly 80 s styled extended mix make an appearance. our man also goes straight for the beat jugular with his drum, beat and percussion heavy bonus beats mix. to round things off, label head bear, stevie kotey, takes on the remix duties. he brings some real bass along to the party and new layers of slick keys. turning down the floor quotient just a notch, this one is pure slow-burn disco done well, very well.

its been a year or two since we featured a 12- single release from a new project. so hear at bearfunk we are really pleased to be releasing a cracker of a track. -gong bong-. it is from the caribbean house who are a new(ish) italian collective based around the core members of billy bogus & ferderico bologna. the original is one part slo-mo disco, one part psychedelic moondance and one part sci-fi horror movie. the track begins with swirling bass guitar and grinding synth before layering on a waft of sound effects and spooky keys. if the first two thirds of the track is a caterpillar then the last third is a butterfly as uplifting riffs and swirls of layered keys bring things to a crescendo. fellow italians the mushrooms project are up on remix duty first of all. they strip back the layers and concentrate on the growling bass and locked on pulsating synth. its back to the uk for the second remix where label honcho stevie kotey gets his percussion out for a drum, timpani and swing remix. stay tuned for more from the collective on bearfunk shortly.

in 2013, we released the debut album from the beat broker. it went down a storm with both the disco buying public and critics alike. fast forward to 2017 and we are just as pleased to welcome the second album from the san francisco resident. he is here to share his sunshine once more.

here at bearfunk we have been pretty busy as of late it was a casual visit to geneva just like any other. we had just finished a buzzing set and soon after we found ourselves talking to a five bearded academic types. it turns out they were a bunch of theoretical physicists out on a cosmologists night out. they work them hard at cern and that day the large hadron collector had been a real beast rebooting five times before lunch. they were pissed off and needed a new challenge. we offered them a job on the spot and they promptly moved to our london hq working on a wage of tea, vinyl and nandos. we set them a challenge. build us a time machine! they started soaking up all those bearfunk-groove-boson particles and. you know what? they did it! a time machine of our own. our first task, jump back in time to 1985 and retrieve us something really cool. set controls to the manhattan office to celluloid records. fresh from their hit with herbie hancocks rockit, spearheading rap with fab five freddys change the beat and afrika bambata stompers the legendary label is preparing to release the debut album from nyc-paris emigre lord funk.

won ton sunset heißt das neue album des in tokyo beheimateten djs & produzenten max essa. das album besticht durch seine subtile kreative raffinesse und beinhaltet eine reihe von handverlesenen remixen und überarbeiteten tracks.

bearfunk and clap rules have commissioned a blinding collection of remixes of their exemplary 2011 album, >golden hands<. perfect for the spring time, it features edits from in flagranti, mock and toof, daniel maloso and the mighty emperor machine all wrapped up on a heavyweight 12 inch.

japanese based, multi-instrumentalist, max essa, has parked his yacht in the bearfunk harbour once more

here at bearfunk hq we firmly believe in perseverance. we keep asking questions until we get the right answer and with 6ft bear by our side the answer is usually yes. we kept asking ilija rudman to get in the studio and write us a killer lp but being the busy bee that he is it was hard for him to take the time out. we kept asking until he eventually caved in and went underground to record his first lp, >the reveal<. ilija is a devoted and passionate man when it comes to music. one of his prerequisites for recording an lp was that the recordings had to be made with the same techniques and equipment that inspired him to make music in the first place. so ilija hooked up with one of his studio mentors and got his dream line-up of synthesizers, roland jupiter 4 & 8, minimoog, roland sh2, juno 60 and his dream drum machines linn and oberheim dmx. these analogue machines fire up to create a warm and authentic vibe across the whole lp. we are reminded here that machines do have soul if used properly. we start proceedings with the wigged out boogie of >inspectors drive< which might be a little nod in the direction of wally badarous classic chief in< have all the ingredients of dj friendly hits. the lp reveals all the influences that ilija has experienced and it shows the talent that runs inside him as he is able to make such an amazingly retro lp sound like something from the future. we are sure in years to come this lp could become as important as the influences that inspired mr. rudman to make it.

so what is the sound of progressive disco? well it captures the insane rhythm and the unforgiving driving beat that is instantly found in the funk of the early seventies but real disco music also had a formula that would guarantee the hottest djs success if played at the right time. that formula was a blend of up-tempo rhythm sections laden with south american percussion mixed with soulful vocals and orchestral strings - a symphony of sex, lust and love. we change the formula and focus on the rock, electronic and dub elements - slower, sleazy and fun.

japan based, multi-instrumentalist, max essa, has done it again for us here in the bearfunk forest. his splendid second album >white shoes, blue dreams< has pleased the public and reviewers alike. the >midnight and dub direction ep< takes some of the albums finer moments and gives them a more dance-floor friendly, dubby makeover.

so what is the sound of progressive disco? well it captures the insane rhythm and the unforgiving driving beat that is instantly found in the funk of the early seventies but real disco music also had a formula that would guarantee the hottest djs success if played at the right time. that formula was a blend of up-tempo rhythm sections laden with south american percussion mixed with soulful vocals and orchestral strings - a symphony of sex, lust and love. we change the formula and focus on the rock, electronic and dub elements - slower, sleazy and fun.

finally the chief bear gets his some music together for his >full length< musical experience. kotey extra band isnt really a fully fledged band, so they had no rehearsals, no missing bass players, and no fights over who plays the lead guitar and certainly no groupies. bearfunk has existed for over 10 years and in that time stevie has worked with many great musicians & artists, so the aim of the extra band was to highlight some of these collaborations and have some fun. whilst writing the soiree lp with max essa stevie decided to leave the tapes rolling and record some extra tracks. tiff mcginnis aka crazy girl gets the ball rolling with >hustlin< a song that will strike a chord with other hustlers that have to deal with the city life

im jahr 2003 schlossen sich visti & meyland zusammen und fanden sofort heraus, dass sie eine gemeinsame leidenschaft für die produktion von musik teilen. ihre liebe zur musik hat mehrere 12inches auf labels wie warner, music for dreams und eskimo hervorgebracht. das gleichnamige debuetalbum ist ein ergebnis ihrer 7-jaehrigen musikalischen reise, und es verschmelzt verschiedene stile mit minimalistischen electro-disco grooves.

bear newcomer roberto auser has his debut album inbound on bearfunk. whilst we prepare for that gem to drop roberto has teamed up with fellow dutchman alden tyrell for their disco house hybrid blondes and brunettes. alden has had a series of fine releases on the clone and moustache labels, here he fuses his accomplished style with the electronic wizardry of roberto. each of them contributes a spanking remix. alden is tasked with dancefloor operations and he duly delivers with his 4/4 drums, rolling analog basslines and main room swing. roberto goes for the bar mix which tones down the swank but adds in slick percussion and analog stabs for a early set highlight. label chief bear stevie kotey contributes his own version. this time around the real drums and bass guitars have been sidelined in favour of linntastic drum programming and sequenced synth lines. the roberto auser album secret carnaval is out on bearfunk in spring 2010

inspired by the riz ortolani soundtrack for the girl in the yellow pyjamas hot ring bounces around like pamela andersons front end whilst running up and down malibu beach. sharp stabs and spooky synths lines put this straight in modern electronic disco box. things go even dirtier and deeper with bottins stripped down espresso dub version which feels precisely like a double caffeine punch that will kickstart any stagnating dancefloor. 2020 soundsystem and redux main man fernando then comes up with lovely remix where he adds his signature dubbed out punky sound to the ep.

slick disco grooves with high production values.

we present stevie koteys and max essas new album project, the cunningly titled >soiree<. the pair of them not only cover a lot of physical territory (max recently moved to japan, leaving stevie in london) but also cover a lot of musical territory on the album through disco, jazz, house, leftfield and balearic flavours.

hot mixes by in flagranti and faze action!!

bottin, aka william bottin makes music only an italian can make... probably. take a youth spent against a background of old italian giallo soundtracks, some john carpenter film music, add in late 70s italo disco influences, add a touch of free, some easy west coast vibe and a smattering of kitsch. that just about half describes bottin.

very funky bearfunk sampler with ronda, altz, free disco and billy bogus & sal (enzo ponzio remix)

when the two colossi of the bearfunk label get together you can be sure that creative sparks will fire and the disco grooves will ooze. and so we present stevie koteys and max essas new project, the cunningly titled soiree. as a taster for the upcoming treats we are pleased to release a four track ep covering the musical bases that the london and tokyo based pair intend to cover. the theme from soiree announces arrival in a big way. disco grooves meets herbie hancock with lee ritenour tints. real drums from dave barbarossa, jazzer keys and some nifty fretwork from max. overgroomed slows things down to slo-mo speed and mixes japan/mick karn-esque fretless bass and layers of percussions and beats

portuguese based social disco club (aka humberto matias) delivers some laid back mediterranean spiced disco groove. >the way you move< sleeks along with sultry keys, latin groove, lazy percussion and all the flavour of an early-evening island vista. maia adds his tastefully high catchy vocals to round off the vibe. up on the edit is our pal greg wilson who re-jigs like only he can, creating a more floor based mix. the original is all about the great vocals whilst new norwegian disco-don diskjokke gives us his late 80s balearic sounding re-rub.. its ibiza 88 all over again.. drop the deal friends

melbourne based junji masayama swerves his debut bearfunk release flying in from leftfield in the guise of his green circle ep. its a fine four tracker for which the adjective eclectic was surely made. smatterings of disco sensibilities, bleepy house, deep groove & squelching synths. green circle leads the pack with all its underground rhythms and chunky synths. monotone radio is a drum led wonk soundscape whilst sponge feet is one for the more uptempo alternative disco floors. oyster rounds things off with more eclectic beats and disco firefly darting keys. one for the varied tapestry that is bearfunk.

uk born, japanese based max essa delivers us a tasty morsel and appetizer for his upcoming album on bearfunk. drive time is a slice of trademark slick, slo mo disco. with live drums, rolling bass synths and sundrenched chord changes, the track conjures up visions of sunsets, surfboards, highway 101 and long lazy days. irish based john daly delivers his re rub on the flip, adding in chunky stabs and rolling synth lines... but still managing to retain the slo mo feel.

your know you are doing something right when greg wilson comes knocking at your door for some disco edit action. such is the life now for croation nu disco gem ilija rudmen. after a series of releases on labels rong, infant and deep freeze, bearfunk were quick to grab dance disorder and wasted no time in asking their studio neighbours faze action to step up. their synth bass, low slung and sleazy remix, with a dose of their trademark strings hits the spot. this sits snuggly with ilijas original which mixes in real bass and guitar with his analog heavy funk laden grooves.

sometime chicken lips collaborator and full time disco don stevie kotey keeps the momentum going on his longstanding and ever consistent imprint by going slightly off piste with the latest bearfunk 12inch. for my friends is the work of lusty zanzibar aka alex cordiner, cabaret voltaire fan and former holistic artist, and we re struggling to describe it effectively to be honest. its a simple concoction of fluttery synth riffs and fat bottom end, but has the sort of quirky melody that you just dont expect to hear in a noo disco record, or a house record for that matter. it is, however totally infectious, and destined to be one of bearfunks biggest of the year we reckon. solid mixes come from kotey and lusty himself, and all are dominated by the riff, as will your brain be after listening to this package a few times. beginning of the night, end of the night, all night, all aboard the wonky disco train to zanzibar

excellent deep space disco

like many of us over here at bear towers, giorgio sancristoforo aka tobor disco experience has an unhealthy interest in the 1970s - the instruments of bob moog, vocoders, alan parsons - the cult sci fi series space 1999 - and here hes used the decade as a sonic palette to create the kind of ep that gets the whole office (ie: both of us, on pcs at home, occasionally) sitting up and listening. opener disco moog has already been used on our rools for rules compilation earlier this year and had many beards twitching at the prospect of forthcoming vinyl. shooting star is a more uptempo affair with blissful chords, slap bass, disco handclaps and gios trademark vocoder. i feel loved is a personal favourite of stevie kotey with anthem written all over it. this awesome clavinet workout has such a good vibe about it you cant help feeling nothing but loved. it could easy be mistaken for alan hawkshaw super rare bruton library track.

just brilliant , balearic groovy and deepa space disco ... or call it pure cosmic

excellent spaced out disco to deep disco stuff by the diaphanoids aka andrea bellentani and simon maccari

excellent deep and groovin serious disco house !!

originally hailing from halifax, nova scotia, canada, jon dacey a.k.a. dubious began playing in scuzzy lo-fi noise punk bands at age seventeen. an obsession with 4-track cassette recording spawning his initial productions. now residing in toronto, ontario, canada, dubious interests in crazed dance music fuel his dj sets and productions alike. playing everything from drums, guitar, bass and keys, his take on left field disco house production is distinctly his own. dubiouss musical appetites bounce from wild cosmic rock to blazing acid house, he has few boundaries, yet he remains focused on the funk first and foremost.in addition to his debut on bear funk gold he has also produced for deep freeze, truffle, loop: recordings and on prize (the label he founded). theres nothing dubious about this fellas music

according to a friend from new york, nick chacona is into hugging, the smurfs, biting people and feeling really guilty about it the next day, chewing his moustache, shaving his head, cleaning up cat piss, noodling disco, crying and sharing. well, he forgot to mention that he’s also been recording some of the finest house music to come out of nyc since 2001. his angel dust swan dive on bear funk back in 2005 established him on the international scene but hes also recorded for labels as respected as compost, mood music, greyhound and 20:20 vision. this release sees him delve deep into the guitar dub house that sits so sweetly on bear funk gold, the regenerated id for a regenerated bear funk. a cambria heights affair is sure to please

rising star fabrizio mammarella s new slammin tracks for the regenerated bear funk gold are a fine return for the man from pescara, italy. his last work for stevie kotey s bear funk was his amazing remix of piston fiston which appeared alongside the optimus remix. he also made it onto ivan smagghe s fabric compilation with the 2005 bear funk release >tear up<. things are really looking up for this quietly spoken studio don. releases on bear funk, hairy claw, tiny sticks and brontosaurus recs have all turned heads in dj booths and on dancefloors and this release is no exception. low-slung echoed guitars, tight live drums and psyched effects are the order of the day. funk with a smiling face. check the flipside for a piece of another guitar-led number. much slower and blessed out but no less funked-out!

stevie kotey working with chaz jankel and dave barbe of (bow wow wow) covering a giorgio moroder classic thats remixed by chicken lips. bearfunk gold has made it happen. to kick off our new series bearfunk gold, label boss has pulled out all tricks known to man to produce a complete classic of a record. on top of this all stevie ropes in his brothers to provide a chicken lips remix so dubbed out that studio 1 would be proud.

brennan green/stevie kotey & emepror machine all on one ep. what a treat!! green is considered family at bear towers any one that has had the pleasure of meeting him will now what a top top guy he is, so it s great to get the >pluto s retreat< (bfk021 a) remix ready for you all. we chose well with this remix as optimus none other than pete herbert and mat anthony deliver a scorching club version that has been played on many a saturday night by the idjuts and label big-bear mr kotey - it s pure e-music. on the flipside mr kotey presents piston fiston (bfk021 b)...

well this little gem has been floating about since late last summer and thankfully will be getting a proper 12 release very soon. balearic disco heaven much along the lines of reverso 68, it comes across like indeep and chris rea in the blender together with it’s driving guitar licks, the unhurried walkin bassline and the soft kalimba touches. bound for big things this late summer and hopefully golden autumn too. theres the added bonus of a mudd remix of the b side track slow burning. i promise you folks its been worth the wait

walls come a tumblin down when the selecta drops this ill piece of slo mo disco dub cum hints of blues by the mighty idjut boys with top ranking viking mc ing by rune lindbaek of those norwegians fame

3 of the best tracks of recent >yell< album by japans one man disco orchestra. a mad colourful brew of crazy, quirky otaku disco, kraut-rock references, jungle grooves, full-cinemascope soundtracks, exotic melodies & sounds and pothead humor..take a sip of the magic potion..

more space disco from the bearfunk imprint somewhere between lindstrom and harway (sb)

hailing from japan these guys dont muck around, the even make up there language and sing what ever comes to there heads whilst recording and underpinn it with beeping, quirky melodies sounding as if played on kids instruments - a loose percussive disco rhythm tries to keep everything togeter a bit but stumbles from time to time - cute, oddball and over the top at the same time like a takashi miike comedy. the idjut boys stretch the cut to a maximum disco workout and even generously treat us with a sizzling, stripped down and abstract bonus version

amazing dark and deeper hypermodern fresh electro disco dub with dfa & chicken lips influences!! already played by ivan smagghe (black strobe, volga select)

this is a semi live project from the boss bear steve kotey. 'so cheeky' feel likes an authentic 80's electro boogie workout but plays like a main room smasher the drumtracks machine is the key ! on the flip 'i get deeper' was a live jam that recorded in one take the effect laden monster also has a vocal message for afrobutt

welcome to the world of altz - a new signing with full length lp already completed. the bearfamily will be giving you a taster via this 12inch . its fucking dope and on the flip we have the idjuts doing a version that only they could - super raw and haunting as ever

amazing 80s styled deeper electro disco...a little bit like chicken lips / metro area

his vision of house music deeply rooted in disco, afro, funk and its other predecessors. so it is a special stamp of approval for ' in the bush ' by japanese producer dj kent that theo parrish fell in love with the after hearing it in a shop in japan and now remixed this heavy funkbomb for steve kotey's bearfunk

rough and stripped down oldschool house with a mysterious vibe and urging, erotic vocals. flip over for a more instrumental version with heavy acid twist. reminds us of the early u-star records that lit up little heads many moons ago, truly amazing!!

fresh electro pop / disco

disco disco disco

hibernation volume 1 is the first of a new series of compilations. these unmixed cds will feature greatest hits of the previous months, future smashes and some exclusives unavailable elsewhere. a fine bear-tinted slice of whats at the cutting edge of todays disco spectrum