it s no secret that idle hands is a label built on a foundation of dub. from the earliest releases by pev, kowton and szare through to more recent output from o$vmv$m and christian jay, the influence of bristol s soundsystem heritage looms large in the myriad electronic music threads the label encompasses. sometimes this influence is explicit, other times implied, but the principles of sub heavy, spacious music for both body and mind guide the stylistic arc of the label as a direct result of the label s long time immersion in roots and dub culture.
the visionary musician and record producer augustus pablo made some of the most unique and individual recordings in the history of reggae. as with his friend and mentor, jackie mittoo, the man born horace swaby was of mixed indian and african heritage, and although his middleclass background might have pointed him in a very different direction, the lure of jamaica’s sound system culture captured him at a young age, particularly after debilitating health problems saw him drop out of school. he began recording as a session keyboardist as the 60s gave way to the 70s, but everything changed when a schoolfriend introduced him to the melodica, a small plastic keyboard operated by a mouthpiece, which he used on seminal recordings for producer herman chin-loy, credited to augustus pablo on release. during the early 1970s, pablo crafted melodica instrumentals for all of the leading reggae producers, scoring ‘best instrumental’ for ‘java’ in 1973, and launching the rockers label to showcase self-produced work at the same time. this multifaceted compilation, first issued on bunny lee’s attack label in 2005, compiles memorable melodica interpretations of some of lee’s greatest productions, recorded over dub cuts of immortal numbers such as cornell campbell’s ‘queen of the minstrel’ and john holt’s ‘my desire.’ reissued on lp and cd with bonus tracks!
eleven tracks courtesy the rockers production team, recorded & mixed by sylvan morris and arranged & produced by the mastermind augustus pablo aka horace swaby (born: june 21, 1954 in st. andrew, jamaica / died: may 18, 1999 in kingston, jamaica). the 1984 compilation album -king david’s melody- was longtime not available and it contains music created between 1975 and 1982 for the rockers and message labels, most were released as singles only previously. here’s the re-issue for the 21st century state-of-the-art remastered with the original catalogue number grel170 featuring melodica masterpieces and deep dubs, all built on augustus pablo’s signature rock solid drum and bass foundations.
london’s finest deep and soulful house label, makin’ moves now into their forth year, celebrate their 50th release with a unique one off 12” vinyl press! the team who have already worked with amazing artists and producers including peven everett, kenny bobien, glenn underground to name but a few present the dj spinna and zo! remixes of the foreign exchange’s club hit ‘body’.
what is footwork house jam (fw)? first of all it is a long-running club night in moscow, russia, dedicated to real house music and house dance culture. started in 2010 as a small project, influenced by sound and visual esthetics of 90 s house parties in new york and chicago, fw soon has become the biggest creative community of dancers in russia, gaining strong local following and international reputation. it is the birthplace and home for leading moscow dance crews. various artists ep -footwork house jam #1- is a homage to the global house culture and the eponymous moscow-based club night in particular. the idea behind this compilation is to provide the fuel for house dance culture and house movement to expand further on, blurring the boarders and eliminating the prejudices of the present times.
THE WILD LIFE - BEST OF VERSIONS & REMIXES (2X12 LP)
2x12 Inch LP 20.02.17
as a sister companion release to -the wild life- career spanning greatest hits collection from visage we are pleased to also feature -the wild life (the best of extended versions and remixes - 1978 to 2015). it features tracks from the birth of visage in 1978 to the final tracks from steve strange and visage before his untimely death in 2015. long versions, extended intros, expanded middle sections, intricate breakdowns and alternative takes and remixes... something for all 80s music fans who prefer their music a little larger.
the legwork camp brings you a new offshoot: the footage series. first up is legwork with an in-house production, lord bath. it’s a trip inside the soul of the machine - 808’s and heartbreaks in a new era, for a smarter and more aware operator. tx connect comes in on the remix duties, with two versions that keep the imagination of the original, but slant towards a darker and less obtuse outcome. finally, finishing out the b-side is the science: a look at the method and how to deviate within it.
following our tenth release we welcome two unique and established artists into the leftback family. david gtronic and randall m join us for their first outing on the label off the back of their busy international touring schedule and contribute an epic deep and twisted track across one whole of side a. accompanied on the b side by a heavy duty dub mix stripping back the original track and knotching up the bpm. label regular matt star provides his dubby techno stamp for the remix completing the package on b2.
special limited edition, featuring the album inner calling plus the dub cuts, dub calling. double vinyl in gatefold sleeve with download code included.
freerange welcomes italian via berlin producer/dj/label boss enzo elia for his debut on the label entitled the lost guitar tapes. enzo is someone who has been releasing consistently great music for many years, although often hidden behind a myriad of pseudonyms and underground imprints.
deus records tv baby remix package drops six varying yet cohesive reworking of the new york duo. to shed new light on three of the bands tracks, the label has craftily pieced together an international cast of electronic artists capable of reinterpreting the psychedelic and free jazz influences of the project for the dance floor.
a wicked showcase style collection from roots singer easton clarke featuring 1976-77 rare 7inch tunes >tug o war<, >jah say<, >dig a hole< and >must wear my crown< all with their killer dubs.
this release - a collaboration between ali x (alphonse from azari & iii) and mexicos theus mago - turns the heat up all the way to on and just leaves it there. the lyrical content of the title track would lead many to use descriptors like sexy, sleazy, and steamy like you wouldnt even believe, and while the music also bears that out its important to remember not to stigmatize something that almost everyone does at least a couple of times a week. vision, meanwhile, offers the perfect b-side accompaniment, a sci-fi techno workout where you dont even have to think about sex if you dont want to. the ep features dub versions of both tracks for more stripped-down club sets aimed at people who understandably have problems with the sound of the human voice. it also includes a remix by curses, whom we recently bumped into (he says cornered) in berlin and asked if hed provide one of his trademark eerie downtempo excursions. long story short: he said yes.
after 10 years of pushing the envelope of bass music, leeds based j.sparrow launches his own record label navy cut. navy cut promises to explore new territory in sound system music by focusing on quality releases by some of the worlds talented producers. nc001 introduces a new project between leo james (ruckspin, author, submotion orchestra) and ed gooden (quark). speak back the a side is very reminiscent of early rhythm and sound featuring shanee pink on vocals. the b side ventures into a more sound system style steppas affair featuring moody guitar by ed gooden. to finish off this debut release egoless one of croatia s finest exports completely flips the a side with a lively remix. future releases by navy cut will feature music by j.sparrow, author, rwild and guests.
of paradise return with their second release the smelling salts ep, from uk based producer stratton. four pieces of music that paint an ever changing electronic landscape and showcase a true distillation of tough, jackin’ and underground house music.
andy compton, under his kick squad and the rurals aliases, delivers an ep of late 90s and early 2000s house jams for temporary state. modern sounding deep house vibes with deep undercurrents of dub and timeless house all merge together to form an essential slab of wax.
our second offering for 2017 is by another longtime friend whom we now can also call a part of the humble lph records team, huerta, né steve huerta. four brisk, boisterous house cuts here, all built around buttery bass lines and cocooned in warm, airy, groovy synth melodies. perfect for early morning serenades, foggy backrooms, basements with red lights. music that keeps your feet firmly planted while sending your head into the heavens.
z lovecraft brings dubbed out bliss, rivieria percussion and 80’s curb stomping beats to the table with his the creator ep. as well as being part of the team that runs rhythm section, z lovecraft works at yam records, has a cat called mrs. sohi and a dog called frank.
japans sauce81 follows up on his modern boogie/funk gem natural thing, with the equally infectious dance tonight. it may sound like its been hiding in a dusty crate of unheard records all these years, but it was actually recorded last year in tokyo, all vocals, instruments and production handled by the man himself. forthcoming on 7inch in feb 2017. includes dub version on the b-side. put some weight on it!
informed by years spent building electronics and collecting records in chicago and honing crowd control skills in the foggy clubs of london, c powers output approaches multiple rhythmic configurations via the intent of generating human response expressed in dance. c powers is currently residing back in his home state of georgia and is holding resident dj posts at atlanta s hunger club night and his own cape fear in savannah ga. c is also the resident dj for savannah s own house of gunt performance group who through cross sensory stimulation experiences involving gender blasting action and choreography. chris s recent output includes 12 s on proper trax, cgi, niche-n-bump, as well as producing tracks for 18+ (houndstooth/fabric). all right is a sample-based late night banger with remixes from house music heavyweights parris mitchell (dance mania), kai alce (ndatl), and john barerra & will martin (dolly, argot). get on up! super limited us imports
baricentro is an italian funk-rock band founded in 1976 by two brothers francesco and vanni boccuzzi, after the release of two albums in mid seventies (sconcerto and trusciant) for the major record company emi they recorded in 1983 the single tittle tattle representing a clear innovation in sound from their past, without believing that would receive a positive response in the new york city underground music scene and soon becoming a paradise garage and loft classic. best record italy today came out with this special reissue-project as a limited edition ep, remastered from the original master tapes and containing for the first time all the versions from 1983 and 84 including the unreleased dub that was previously available as an acetate cut only for deejay play.
in revisiting the epic journey of josé manuel s debut album -excursion africanism-, the copenhagen based music for dreams have procured remixes from like-minded producers to lend an additional layer to the afro-inspired dance music of manuel.
globe trotting crate digger daniel t, exploded on to the scene with a string of releases after his amazing debut tetrachromat on young adults a couple of years back. daniel has been growing some serious gems in his laboratory. two gems that have come to maturity and have been plucked for the fahrenheit/celsius ep on cosmic pint glass records. daniel has crafted something special in these two cuts. beautiful, bouncy and positive tracks that work as well on the dance floor as in the soundtrack to a road trip. after hearing them, cpg called in their top men lauer and jack pattern for remix duties.
the untold stories are back with the fourth release in their protagonist series. starting their 2016 release schedule with some positive vibes from something records boss stephan stl laubner, the ep entitled renbual nahpets, the story: two beautiful dub house originals on the aside, and a tripped out extended remix by cleymoore filling the bside. a welcome return for the label who lit up the beginning of 2015 with an impressive run of eps and va collections, looks like more to come this year!
starting 2017 off with a bang!! a steamy new chapter in the dc/bc love affair. very psyched to welcome vancouver s flørist to the world building familia. beautiful 12- naturally combining peaceful italo house elements, sexy uk garage vibes & dubby techno visions... true deepness! very stylish biz! hitting you hard and deep!!!
ele records is dedicated to sourcing and sharing dusty, sample based music inspired by the rich soundscape of early hip hop and house productions. cottam s trademark sample based house is back on ele records. delving into his box of records to produce a sample heavy cut slowed down to a sexy shuffling tempo, cottam delivers two dusty tracks for your listening pleasure. combining afro, latin and disco grooves to devastating effect, cottam takes the listener on a journey through the time and space.
nach releases auf petit records, psyth und im eigenvertrieb mit props von maya jane coles, groove armada und soul clap, präsentiert der britische produzent rob shields auf seinem debütalbum auf dem needwant-schwesterlabel yen eine warmherzige mixtur aus deep house, balearic und dubbigen sounds.
bruno “patchworks” hovart started playing as a bassist and guitarist for various bands, he started producing in the mid-nineties and has kept on mixing today’s technologies with the raw spirits of house, electronic, disco, funk, soul, reggae & jazz music’s golden years since then.
going even further into the tape archives of robbie m we find ourselves with “friend”. this time it’s going to be a late night affair, as robbie smothers you with those smooth vocals as only he can. rock island s ram music direct to you from the midwest. robbie is currently working on his autobiography film project, but had the time to bless us with a new music video for “thanks for the love” featured on this lp.
the dub album any discerning house music lovers will enjoy! a playful mixture of modern beats with deep roots reggae influences, all heavily processed in an old-fashioned manner with a political and social messages expressed through.
akbal music has now been turning out essential dance music for a whole ten years and to celebrate this milestone the label puts out a vinyl only release from a fine selection of contemporary artists. vinyl only treat starts from long time german talent sascha dive, the deep vibes boss’s ‘lab#4’ is a quick and prickly number that sucks you into a shady groove underpinned with real bass menace. next up is superlounge with uluwatu dub. the track starts swiftly with clever percussions and a lush pad quickly to progress with several drums rhythms into the bass that will keep the listeners tuned into its groove. romanian mano andrei appears with a sleek and stripped back tune that is full of electronic soul and infectiously bumpy drums and hypnotic vibes. finally minimal master eastenderz and catchrecordings associate doubtingthomas is next with his vinyl only offering, going for a much more intricate, synthetic, richly designed deep house tune that is soft, succulent and truly sublime. this is a fulsome package that packs plenty of punch and showcases exactly the sort of quality dance music that akbal music has been, and will always be, about.
-you can go on man with spliffs and booze, because a milf got no time to lose!- imagine a world lead by a cult of vengeful milfs. where business, market, money just ate themselves and sex is the only law left. would you survive or give up? surrenders bill
safer at night returns late january 2017 with the vinyl only release of the deep end , featuring two original curses cuts and remixes from ian blevins and holy ghost! safer at night founder curses launched the label back in 2014 and it has since gone to play host to material from eli esobar, walker & royce, jagerverb and of course the label founder himself. here we see curses re-release his composition the deep end marking the ten-year anniversary of its former releases on institutes in 2007, while enlisting ian blevins and holy ghost! on remix duties and stirring in a new original of his own as well. the original mix of the deep end takes the lead and offers a chance to revisit the decade old curses cut fuelled by wandering bass and lead guitar licks, dropped-tempo crunchy rhythms and murky piano chords all instilled with a gritty new york electro feel. holy ghost! then rework the original with the funk-laden feel via bright chord sequences, elongated delay swells and an amalgamation of 80 s synth leads, hooky bass lines and sporadic vocal lines. on the flip ian blevins offers up his interpretation of in shadows employing stuttering vocal hits, choppy arpeggios and droning bass leads to create an emotive and hypnotic number before curses original mix of in shadows closes on a cinematic vibe with an 80 s sci-fi soundtrack feel to perfectly conclude this vinyl only 10 year celebration.
more pft hotness on 12inch for your delight and delectation. alongside stalwarts such as goshawk, rhythm plate and yse we are delighted to welcome switzerlands finest deep house producer shaka to the pft roster. his track dream thing should really be called dance thing as it s proper groovy, tracky and jazzy in equal measures. love it. i ve used up half the word count already so to sum up each artist/track in one word i would say goshawk mozambique = chunky rhythm plate string thing = stringy yse reflections = syncopated. listen to it, you might like it.
dubbed out disco edits made with love! dj play: tensnake, horse meat disco, pete herbert, crazy p, faze action, kza, justin strauss, fingerman, sleazy mcqueen, dj rocca, sancho panza, pontchartrain, get down edits, ooft, 80 s child, jkriv, michael the lion, dave allison, javi frias,
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