kodaema presents its second ep black cloud, featuring five tracks to be released in spring, after the success of the debut ep end of 2016, highly acclaimed by gilles peterson and bradley zero. a mature and elaborate work, in which the bands influences take shape. from wonder featuring kiala nzatovunga, to the impressing water no get enemy, covering fela kuti, along with black clouds enveloping harmonics, kodaema delivers a unique & personal sound. the record was mixed in los angeles by benjamin tierney (kamasi washington, shaq husayn) and mastering has been done by engineer kelly hibbert (j dilla, madlib, flying lotus)

this summer dusty donuts will fly you out to california with two brand new and stunning reworks. keyboard wizard jim dunloop steps in the arena and gives us the love ride. dunloop get s busy with heavy keyboard manipulations as the isley s smooth as silk vocals take you there! naughty nmx and marc hype deliver their nod to dilla s ode to the diamond girl. top shelf summer breezers no question! usually sell out week one, pre-orders as soon as you can.

you’ll fall in love with slum village all over again with these collectible 45 issues of the j dilla produced cut “fall in love” first issued on the group’s fantastic volume ii.

you’ll fall in love with slum village all over again with these collectible 45 issues of the j dilla produced cut “fall in love” first issued on the group’s fantastic volume ii.

deep house legends craig smith and andrew mcgroarty finally let their long running instrumental hip-hop project out into the world. inspired by their love of soul, atcq jay dilla, and vintage drum machines. the sense of funky detail woven by craig smith/signal sounds imagines the world of patchwork hip hop as made famous by no-id & dilla. incredibly soulful very warm with a bounce in the beat femi fem (young disciples) craig smith is a og. coming back to his roots of chopping samples and adding drums with an ear that has been trained and sensiblilized for the soulful boom bap 30 years in the making. classic golden era break ya neck shit. marcel vogel (lumberjacks in hell) dj support femi fem (young disciples), phil asher, lay-far, afronaut, thatmanmonks, marcel vogel (lumberjacks in hell)

three years since profane’s seminal album v.illan mills was recorded for inperspective and it’s long overdue that he returns to the label. this canadian native’s unique style that somehow fuses the hip hop sensibilities of j.dilla, the jazz/funk ideologies of danny breaks and the experimental truth of squarepusher has been a breath of fresh air in recent years on the underground d&b scene and these two new cuts from him are no exception. the experimentally epic breakbeat off tempo monstrosity of drughmada is a heady, giddy tapestry of beats and breaks with a sleazy sample and panic led overtones. west newton views is a darker more minimal affair. a clunky, dubstep vibe which maintains moody intensity throughout. tense and suspenseful. the other side sees the triumphant return of rome’s lynch kingsley. this young, precocious talent has been a good friend to the label for a number of years and after making waves with his debut eden ep it was only a matter of time before his return. we are pleased to present void , a dark journey through the breakbeat, sci-fi escapism of early 90 s d&b which in time develops into a deep, break laden workout with gorgeous synths and fantasy atmospheres. a joy to behold.

marc biancos first ep on moonrise hill material is going to surprise more than one person. after a quick appearance on the 6th release of the french imprint, marc bianco is now unveiling a totally different side of his project. purely jazzy & j dilla influenced, the tone of this record is given with organic flights on 3 chords basis. it will surely please bedroom listeners as well as club dancers.

a danny krivit and harvey favourite, as sampled by j dilla and glenn underground – a dubby disco cover of the o’jays classic. replica original 7” artwork, official mr bongo reissue, mastered from original dat.

j dilla’s protege guilty simpson first collaborated with madlib’s protege med on the hard hitting ‘jungle love’ track off j dillas ‘the shining’ lp. they continued to reunite on several tracks after and now offer us the loyalty ep. with beats by black milk, mndsgn, exile and preme, the duo have no choice but to come correct with the lyrics and they do. from cali to detroit, med and guilty simpson deliver a 10 track ep to get you ready for the album dropping later this year on bang ya head entertainment.

uk hip hop’s original and best live band are back with brand new album ‘bring out the sound’, released in march 2018 on bbe music. founded in the early 90s by ollie teeba and jake wherry, the herbaliser have earned every single accolade they’ve received during almost 25 years of touring and recording. best known for delivering a series of groundbreaking albums on ninja tune and providing one of the all-time highlights of the ‘fabric live’ mix series, the herbaliser’s most recent lp ‘there were seven’ was issued on their own ‘department h’ imprint back in 2012. having worked with hip hop royalty such as jazzy jeff and pete rock over the years, not to mention releasing j dilla’s first and last solo albums, bbe are delighted to share in the herbaliser’s musical journey.

following up his now sold out redef debut (1996 beat tape, vol 1), veteran producer dj spinna returns with another wave of hard hitting instrumentals. entitled, unpicked treats volume 1, the “jigmasta” spinna has prepared the first of an ongoing series of beats that all have a similar story. making tracks for well over 2 decades, this latest project features a small collection of beats that were created with the intention of backing mc’s and vocalists, but were never officially used. rather than archiving the material, dj spinna realized his fan base would appreciate these compositions in instrumental form. after all, he is the same producer who has garnered respect from the likes of j dilla, pete rock, jazzy jeff and yes, the one & only stevie wonder himself. without giving too much of his process away, spinna challenged himself using the latest cutting edge software in tandem with some of his favorite gear from over the years. the end result is a glimpse into the spontaneous execution of top notch creativity. listeners will have an unobstructed view into the ears and mind of the artist. employing several different approaches, unpicked treats volume 1 maintains a consistent vibe throughout it’s 12 songs. whether, you love beat tapes, instrumental music or are entertained by the art of sampling, this record is a commodity. plans for volume 2 are already in progress, but in the meantime, be sure to get acquainted with unpicked treats volume 1 and the genius of dj spinna.

ep3: mov clsr is the third and final piece in a trilogy of releases, exploring the libraries of spaceks recent hard drives. encompassing house, footwork, techno, garage and broken beat the legendary vocalist and producer has amassed a wealth of tracks created mostly on iphone and ipad. south london to the core yet globally inspired, his off kilter swing and free flowing approach to music has always set him apart from the pack. from his work with j.dilla (eve/dollar) to his collaboration with mark pritchard as one half of africa hitech, steve spaceks creative output has always been a million miles ahead.

second installment of the best of series of tripmastaz label plant 74 featuring supreme grooves from the back catalog of the label as well as a few fresh names. vinyl only versions.

frank is the latest release from dolfin records, a texas indie label with a prominent underground roster that includes rapper lord byron, producer ben hixon, r&b singer jon bap, and former stanley clarke drummer mike mitchell. liv.e is one of the newer artists on the label, having previously collaborated with hixon through a series of dj parties in dallas (“new math mondays”). hixon and bap have significant marks on this project, providing production, mixing, and background vocals. the beats they lend are often heavy on the drums, with short, hazy riffs that resemble dilla-style syncopated loops. frank opens with a short hiss, launching into a jittery pattern of cymbals and drums, stinging bass slaps, and bouncy guitar riffs. you can almost see the tape reels rolling in front of you as the instrumental loops play themselves out with occasional flutters and skips. a chorus of voices enter with harmonies out of the george clinton songbook, blending in behind the slow, finger-snapping beat. it sounds more like a lost, dusty funk recording from the ’70s than an r&b song made in 2017. -nitish pahwa (passion of the weiss)

killer release on robsoul jazz for j dilla fans. don t miss this out!

new double pack vinyl from detroit s own mahogani music featuring spots from wajeed and j dilla.

helder russo is the youngest of eleven, raised in lisbon in a family from the island of santiago, cabo verde. he s a prolific music producer with a couple of heavy releases on groovement recordings and as half of gatupreto on tink!. russo s music is thought out and solid, his reference list is long and diverse, citing rhythm & sound in the same context as miles davis, sade, the late great mj, boo williams, carl craig or jay dilla. the result is a soundtrack composed with care and attention, detailed and rich though still powerful and present.

young adults return to the fold with another gem from the polish underground. having bubbled up in the polo house scene for the last couple years, 2017 finds richu m stepping into the forefront for his debut outing donor goes to hawaii . rhythm-centric, but varied in approach, the 6-tracker traverses swirling techno, heady thumpers, muddy beatscapes and throwback boom bap. simultaneously airy and off-kilter, the release shows a breadth of approach that is not easily pigeonholed, but feels vaguely familiar. opener round soundtracks a laser tag pursuit scene with swayed synths, chattering percussion, and pitch-shift vocal echoes. the title track donor goes to hawaii takes a dilla bounce kit to the beach and gets the vibraphone and organ all sandy. jazzy piano loops and squelchy synths stack wobbly layers high like jenga blocks on aquarian mummies . pistaccio gets subterranean with infectious skittered patterning and a proper bump to boot. picking up the pace, melting dolphins is a funky floor filler. finale landskates blisses out with floating pads and a meditative drumroll.

here it is... a project i unofficially had done since 06Æ. it started when dilla passed february of 06. to cope with the death of my unofficial musical mentor & favorite producer, i started making donuts, uncontrollably. i never planned to release any of the material out of respect for dilla & his craft. iÆve shared some of the music with others, in which they would constantly ask me to hear it, so i decided to put a lil sumthing together and make it official. just for yall. this is a collection of beats i made in 06. some donuts style, some just around that era of 14kt beats. now & laters was always a favorite candy of mine. i used to go to mindells pharmacy in ypsi back in the day and buy all of them. sadly i even stole change from my grandmaÆs (rip) purse for them. ironically, i fell back in love with now and laters around this era. enjoy. 14kt

money $ex return with the latest hot 4 track from newcomer nas1 sample gymnastics in sharp focus once again, as the 8-bit crunch meets dilla-pickles for lunch !

following his self titled lp, illa j sometimes known as “john regal” (born october 13.1986 in detroit, michigan) is a singer, songwriter, rapper, producer, multi instrumentalist. he takes us on a trip to his hometown detroit with his third solo album home. his last lp successfully took illa j out of his brother and hiphop legend j dilla‘s shadow to show he is in his own lane. yet, yancey still felt as though he was in a box labeled rapper. teaming up with producer calvin valentine, who entirely produced the album, home is illa j‘s first album to properly showcase the full extent of his vocal range to put him in the singer-songwriter conversation. the listener can feel the soulfulness of this lp through illa j‘s singing and valentines‘ smooth production.

blackcash & theo get back at it with the latest in this series of funk soul party edits. pleasure bouncy lady is an amazing funk break track, produced by jazz legend wayne henderson of the crusaders. the intro break has been extended, and is one of the all time classic hip hop funk breaks. elements of this track were sampled on brand new funk by dj jazzy jeff & the fresh prince, word to the mother (land) by big daddy kane, and church by de la soul. whatnauts why cant people be colors too is a soul / r&b jam with another heavy break, as sampled by q-tip, pete rock, diamond d, dilla, and oh my god by a tribe called quest featuring busta rhymes.

limited 2017 repress! deep harmonic chicago house classics from 1995 by strong souls. all tracks produced by raymond (ray-dilla) funnye and kamal (jazzy-k) sharif

ne’astra music group now presents a new compilation of rare dilla material: vol. 0. ten tracks featuring the classic slum village lineup of dilla on vocals and production, with baatin & t3 also on the mic, collected by modern sv member young rj from unreleased material and demos recorded between 1994 and 1997. the knowledgable hip-hop head may recognize key tracks from the circulated ephcy sessions, while others have never seen the light of day. a piece of hip-hop history that would have otherwise wallowed in obscurity, until now.

plexus records & meyso present m.a.j.. this is the first full length effort by french producer meyso, after a bunch of projects and collaborations including productions for lomepal, fixpen sill, equipto, sameer ahmad and more! meyso first appeared on plexus records cassette project from 2013, then on the kapla album on the same label with mr hone, maodea and oteest. hes been since producing for several french and belgian rappers and started to be the dj on tour for famous french rapper lomepal. on m.a.j., meyso confirms his skills and delivers a very rich and dense album. influenced at first by producers such as dilla, madlib and dj shadow, he develops now his own modern approach of beatmaking, incorporating elements of trap and electronic music. with guests such as caballero, jeanjass, veerus or ndobo emma, the album balances between deep instrumentals made of rare vinyl samples and some catchy rap and soulful tracks. this lp comes in a limited edition of 500 copies, all hand-numbered and pressed on 180gr, 12x12inch insert included. original art is a painting made by natosito

the sound of detroit by one of its unsung heroes, amp fiddlers new album motor city booty coming straight off the d funk assembly line, a full on dance floor affair from motown to p-funk, techno and neo soul. this 12 track album produced by amp fiddler & yam who? includes the massive soul fly sounding like a mark ronson production had he been hanging out with george clinton s parlet followed by the bonafide p-funk anthem steppin both featuring the stunning vocals by the dames brown girls. amp fiddler is credited for taking both a young j dilla and also q-tip under his wing teaching them his akai mpc techniques, setting the path for some of hip hops finest recordings which have defined the shape of things to come. his musical collaborations & current duties include: moodymann s musical maestro, keyboard wizard for theo parrish s live band, a longstanding funkadelic member, co-writer for sly & robbie, prince, maxwell, jamiroquai & seal to name a few.

after being compared with mayer hawthorne on his first world acclaimed* classic soul album, treat me right, john milk is back with paris show some love a piece of modern and engaged r&b. synthesis between jay dilla and prince, john milk delivers a genuine and solid recording based on real to real tape machines and electronic sounds. previously working as artistic director of his own record label (karecords) and collaborating as a singer with mr president and blundetto (heavenly sweetness, favorite recording) john milk is now on a new vibe, merging all kind of recording processes, live recordings on reel to reel 8 tracks tascam, introduicing beatmaking and hip-hop culture with numerous machines, samplers and keys... a musical patchwork which has been open to all kinds of experi-mentations. songs where composed on top of instrumentals. the creative processs is about delivering the right energy once the music transmits the appropriate atmosphere. all songs are focus on having catchy hooks as much as conscious lyrics. paris show some love is a message album. creating music in the city of love during one of the most violent year for a long time... this contradiction has been the fuel to his creativity.the song «paris show some love» is specialy dedicated to the tragic night of november 13th 2015. john milk offers a person-nal reflexionon our capacity to find our way and moves beyond the lines and create.

in 2014, k’valentine linked up with javotti media, a label owned by hip hop star talib kweli, and began to work on her third mixtape, million dollar baby. million dollar baby finds k’valentine rhyming over tracks that are new as well as her versions of existing hits, giving the listener a well rounded perspective of a young lady that can lyrically spar with the best of them. you can also find k’valentine’s contributions to the world of music on javotti media’s mixtape, the cathedral, which placed k in the company of esteemed artists such as big k.r.i.t. joell ortiz, curren$y, niko is and more. in 2015 k was featured on the joint album from talib kweli and 9th wonder, indie 500 and in 2016 she was featured on the latest javotti media’s mixtape, awful people are great at parties, with production from some of the top names in the game including kaytranada, hi tek and the late great j dilla. k’valentine’s love for music has given her a calling, and she is here to answer that call. the music she makes is not just wonderful for the listener, but has also been her therapy to get through life’s trying times.as beautiful as she is talented, her experience is valuable and her voice is needed. her debut album, here for a reason, is now set to be released. experience k’valentine and enjoy!
the vinyl release includes a download code.

producer dain releases his debut 7” single featuring incredible vocal collaborations with la’s modern funk queen moniquea, and frequent tall black guy collaborators malice & mario sweet. drawing inspiration from great producers like j dilla, dj quik, and kev brown, dain brings a unique swing and style to the table with his signature drums, bass lines, and keys. instantly recognizable with a sound all its own, dain’s frst release with liquid beat is perfect for those who love expertly produced, beat driven r&b and hip-hop. included with the 7” is a free download of dain’s entire “treat yourself” ep that features additional collaborations with black spade, rozzi daime (of sa-ra fame), and up and coming portland songstress blossom.

the best of dj cam on limited pink coloured vinyl.

the mysterious cornhusker unearths two obscure dj-only specials. the a side marries 70s soul (familiar to westwood listeners back in the day) with philly street-corner vocals that keener cinephiles may be able to place. the b side adds a beat to a soulful sunshine-imbued anthem that will ring a bell with fans of j-dilla productions, making it a must for outdoor gatherings. 7 inch large hole with hand stamp sleeve. this is the dj promo on this limited vinyl only release so grab it before its gone forever. upfront support: session victim razor n tape luke solomon nebraska

madlib’s remix of champion sound, plus a previously unreleased track recorded in the original jaylib sessions: “da rawkus.” vocals: j dilla. production: madlib. this is the frst time these remixes have been released on vinyl. it is the frst time “da rawkus” has been released anywhere. the remixes were originally included on the champion sound (deluxe edition) double cd.
the vinyl release includes a download code.

down in scenic auckland, new zealand, tucked in a small basement studio, musician leonard charles & his friends paid tribute to dilla s landmark release by re-recording the entire 31-track album on live instruments. charles gives the tracks a modern funk reinterpretation on live bass, drums, clavinet, rhodes & synths - sans any sampling of the original source or sourced material. featuring vocals by anji toy, adi dick, ruby walsh and georgia anne muldrow on the emotional tribute airworks (forever).

the sound of detroit by one of its unsung heroes, amp fiddlers new album motor city booty comes straight off the d funk assembly line, a full on dance floor affair from motown to p-funk, techno and neo soul. this 11 track album produced by yam who? & includes the massive soul fly sounding like a mark ronson production had he been hanging out with george clinton s parlet followed by the bonafide p-funk anthem steppin both featuring the stunning vocals by the dames brown girls. amp fiddler is credited for taking both a young j dilla and also q-tip under his wing teaching them akai mpc techniques, setting the path for some of hip hops finest recordings which have defined the shape of things to come. his musical collaborations include: moodymans musical maestro keyboard wizard for theo parrishs live band, a longstanding funkadelic member & co-writer for prince, maxwell, seal & jamiroquai to name a few. dj support: gilles peterson, tim sweeney (beats in space) rahaan, quentin harris, eli escobar, ashley beedle, moodymann

lahun is a brand new signing to apollo records. he previously remixed milch from lakker on r&s records. as well as being a skilful musician and producer he is also a handy dj who joins the dots between marvin gaye, innerzone orchestra, theo parrish and jay dilla - all artists you can hear as influences on this debut ep.

das langerwartete neue album der legendären elektronikpioniere the orb mit einem coverdesign der gefeierten graphikschmiede the designers rebublic. eine faszinierende klangreise, permanent zwischen psychedelischen schlüsselreizen und beatgetriebenem fokus changierend. limitierte deluxe vinyl edition als 3xlp+cd, mit zwei exklusiven stücken plus j dilla tribut

with frankie rothstein, his first album on fat beats records which features production from the likes of j rocc, j dilla and dj rhettmatic, l.a. based, detroitbred mc frank nitt brings his distinguished, decadeslong careerfull-circle, packing his inimitable style and years of industry-hardened grit in with a newfound maturity and growth.

after the last lessizmore release found san proper and maayan nidam crossing swords for the simmering, jammed-out tones of it was a night like this, now the label turns to another close ally for a slice of discerning, upfront house music. louis mcguire lives many different lives in music, from drumming with indie pop outfit ballet school to playing bass for lo-fi electronica group the waves & us. now though his own solo productions are being noticed in the house and techno world, with this new ep following on from a well-received debut on supply records. the diversity of mcguire’s musical leanings feeds into his distinctive sound, as his own take on stripped down, sensual house music bristles with unconventional energy to make for an unforgettable experience that steps up to the most creative frontiers of dance music. live drum sounds rattle around the mix free from quantized safety, while the melodic tones come on warm and fuzzy, capturing the hazy romance of a late morning session as much as the early part of the evening. it’s apparent that mcguire’s weapon of choice is the mpc, channeling his love of gritty beats in the grand tradition of point g and j. dilla. you can hear the spirit of the most adventurous micro house pioneers in the quirky funk of light hearted, while Óreitha revels in the transcendental qualities of a sustained groove without even a whisper of monotony. even with these unusual qualities the music is resolutely built for the dancefloor, and that mcguire manages to be so creative and so focused in the same beat is reason enough to keep tabs on this multifarious and unpredictable operator.

office 04 circles in memories: the record is about johannes * iron curtis* palukas time at karl-marx-straße berlin where he used to live next door to label head baaz and graphic designer chris fladung. a1 track * magnet* is an ecstatic piece of house music holding all elements ics production is esteemed and loved for : heavy, unrelenting kicks, rolling bass lines, shimmering pads, topped with searing hot yet gamelan-like synts and an icing of slightly loose, detuned organ stabs predesting grand emotions on any dance floor. * what happened happened* surely marks up as another proof of curtis fearless takes on house music: distorted field recordings and blurred spoken words, a web of gossamer melodies and subtle clicks and cuts, all cohered by the louche bassline and the reshuffled groove in a true dilla-ish vein. adapting elements to their own agenda, clandestine groove explorers berg turn * what happened* into a true midnight roller: razor-sharp hihitas join forces with a steam-maschine like percussion, whipping relentlessly in-between kick drum and kick drum. berg cools off their take with prancing melody motifs and strung out pads of the original track, though never loosing focus of the * reductions* aim: keep the dancer dancing.

freedom school is well known for releasing album by ig culture, kaidi tatham and mark de clive lowes conceptual albums. this label connects the big history of black rooted music and future science of beats and groove. and now they have decided release of 2nd vinyl ep series freedom school presents dj series vol.2 by uks well known black rooted producer eric lau under the name of the commissioner. the commissioner is underground dance music project by uk producer eric lau who well known as album one of many that featured georgia anne muldrow, oddisee. and he delivers a new phase of hip hop & soul after dilla infulenced beats movement. air jupiteris black atmospheric beatodwn sounds that feeling some influenced by dillas *welcome to detroit*. they sings to me is fantastic mello jazzy mood dance track! this must be big stuff for 2014.

here at black acre, we are extremely excited about starting 2015 with a bang - a 12” from new sensation on the circuit, dan shake. he is the first artist outside of detroit to cut his teeth on moodymann’s mahogani music, winning plaudits here and across the atlantic for his catchy groove laden “3am jazz club- ep. now with much anticipation, the tony allen & fela kuti acolyte returns with two crunchy dilla-eque takes on soulful club music. * out of sight is a carefully constructed dance floor number packed with low-end theory and seductive vocal stabs. low-slung fuzzy bass swinging perfectly between ghost-horns and driving drums. traders ii, a collaboration with canadian based rennie foster, see’s dan’s dna marker driving kicks smashing acid atoms against a sharp live horn section bringing the ethereal jazz cat to the dance.

angefangen mit seinen legendären veröffentlichungen der band spacek, seiner solo-arbeit auf dem kult-label sound in color und seinen kooperationen mit dem verstorbenen j.dilla, bis hin zu seinem unter dem radar gehaltenen black pocket projekt mit seinem bruder dbridge und seiner jüngsten arbeit mit mark pritchard als eine hälfte von africa hitech - seine furchtlosen ansätze etwas zu kreieren, waren immer progressiv und stets originell. mit beat spacek nimmt er wieder die zügel als solo-künstler in die hand und hat ein album erschaffen, das zum einen wie ein liebesbrief an die zukunft, zum anderen wie eine ode an die vergangenheit klingt. erstellt wurde das album weitestgehend mit diversen iphone- und ipad-apps, was zeigt, wie befreit und angeregt durch technologien und perspektiven des neuen beat spacek gedanken aus der vergangenheit ausdrückt. es ist eine reise durch die entwicklungen des modernen großbritanniens aus einer futuristischen perspektive.
die doppel-lp erscheint auf 180 gramm vinyl inklusive downloadc1ode.

das zweites soloalbum des zion i produzenten ist zugleich sein erstes für das plug research label (flying lotus, bilal, exile, etc.), welches nun in zusammenarbeit mit snow dog eine limitierte vinyledition veröffentlicht. amp live arbeitete bereits mit dilated peoples, planet asia, lyrics born (quannum), fashawn und remixte offiziell songs von goapele, underworld und linkin park. das album vereint einflüsse der aktuellen los-angeles-beat-szene, amp live ist ein leidenschaftlicher mpc handwerker, mit vocals von westcoast rappern wie mike g (odd future), opio (souls of mischief), grouch & eligh (living legends), planet asia als auch aufstrebenden gesangstalenten wie povi tamu, anya & prof und live instrumentierung von amp live selbst. das ergebniss ist ein lässiges, jazzbasiert groovendes werk, das zwischen electronca, indie, neo soul und hip hop mit den referenzen dilla, aloe blacc und outkast schwingt.

as one third of sa-ra creative partners shafiq husayn helped change the world, producing, writing and collaborating with a diverse cast of artists, from common to kanye, jill scott to j dilla and erykah badu, the aspects of music that sa-ra helped reintroduce to hip hop and rnb can be heard today throughout the current musical climate. citing the influence of the greats like george clinton, prince, herbie hancock and jimi hendrix, shafiqs sky high level of quality and musicality is noted and admired all over the world. featuring anderson paak (formerly know as breezy lovejoy), *it s better for you* is the first song lifted from forthcoming album the l&#8734,,,p, a project that includes collaborations with the likes of hiatus kayote, thundercat, miguel atwood ferguson, fatima and many more. due for release early 2015. this is the first solo work from shafiq since 2009s the critically lauded album en-a-free-ka.

a modern boogie 7 inch on unirhythm!? yep, you heard right! marcellus pittman graces the a-side of the disc on *1044 coplin* - a nice slice of mid west funk sure to appeal to all the boogie heads worldwide. on the flip we have the unirhythm debut from detroits own john cannon. john c is a veteran producer and mc, most recently featured on the j dilla album *rebirth of detroit*. no suprise there - we definitely hear some dilla on *j.c.s groove*. essential!

yawn zen is la-based hip-hop producer ringgo anchetas debut album for stones throw. mndsgns psychedelic beats have already won him fans such as danny brown, who snapped him up to produce a track the lead track for his classic drug referencesrelease and bbc radio 1s benji b. dazed & confused described him as *one of the west coasts finest beat-smiths… each track is a patchwork of lush electronic samples blended together to create warm, sun-drenched little charmers.* on yawn zen, his debut for stones throw, mndsgn has carved himself an unusually calm-sounding place in the los angeles beat scene. the influence of labelmates madlib and j dilla on this on this collection of laid-back beats is never far off, but yawn zen has a psychedelic, jazzy flavour that equally recalls the likes of flying lotus, gonjasufi and samiyam. the vinyl lp includes a download code.

trinity is ein projekt der beiden rapper sadat x (brand nubian) und ag (ditc / showbiz & ag) mit dem fat beats gr?nder dj jab, der hier zum gr¸ssten teil neben keinem geringeren als j dilla die produktionen ?bernimmt. als g§ste konnten sie rapper wie ill bill, immortal technique, grand puba, slug (atmosphere), everlast (house of pain / la coka nostra), roc marciano und viele andere gewinnen.

around7 follows up his two laidback funk/jazz albums for robsoul jazz with his first ever venture into house music. his double crossing ep released through the main robsoul recordings imprint on 4th april 2014. the parisian, who previously delivered the back to basics and soul on wire lps to critical acclaim, continues his production style of sampling complemented by live, organic sounds. producer influences such as j dilla and dj premier continue to be in evidence, alongside the jazz of miles davis, bill evans and the legendary blue note records, all given a 4/4 twist.the result is four stripped back tracks with a low slung, smoky atmosphere, packed pull of acoustic sounds and live instrumentation. those who remember joss moogs early outings on robsoul will also find parallels here around7s music career began as a bassist and trumpet player in a jazz/funk band. after learning to play keyboard and discovering the akai mpc sampler and software such as cubase, he merged all of his skills together to create his own tracks based around live instrumentation and samples.

from the two individually revered artists seuil and le loup, comes the debut lp under their collaborative dj/producing alias hold youth. a collection of dance-orientated tracks, designed to make the body move, de la club explores the origins of hold youth’s fundamental influences to their modern day stance.a lp in two parts, the first vinyl is almost a retrospective of primarily state-side club sounds, but also of the pair’s early musical staples. paying homage to old skool production, the inspiration drawn from the detroit greats like moodymann and andres is clear on the funked-out, jazzy vibes of street my baby or the smooth flowing les enfants du soleil. hold youths love affair with head-bobbing hip hop also makes an appearance on the intro and outro, sampling the one and only j dilla, perfectly combined with their own personal beat-boxing. not forgetting their french 90s roots, kool & the boug oozes that warmth defined so well by pepe bradock and trankilou… a club track which has the power of subtlety to submerge the dancefloor that one level deeper. part two looks to the example of german minimal and micro house and brings us up to date with the sounds fresh from hold youth’s record bag today. be it the weird and murky territory of dodge this, or the eerie, glitchy world of black dog, their modern vision of de la club is darker and sturdier in its stature. but it is the ability to weave seamlessly between the lps two halves, two ideals, which truly characterises the hold youth ethos and their signature djing style.