nyc s legendary west end record label has contributed a fair few classics to the disco cannon and continues to influence dance music today with it s forward looking releases. when you touch me is no exception, recorded and released in the golden year of 1979 and featuring the breathy, sensual vocals of a young tanaa gardner who had previously worked as a backing vocalist for numerous other projects until the label released her (other) stone cold solo classic work that body the same year on 12-. both cuts featured on her self titled debut lp and boasted the combined production and studio talents of kenton nix, bob blank and of course - larry levan. now, that s a serious line-up to have behind the boards (& in the clubs!) and of course when you touch me was a classic with it s slow, elongated intro that calls to mind a sleazier version of donna summer s love hangover before launching into a full-on disco assault that you won t forget in a hurry! yes, the record surprises you, tanaa leads us into a false sense of a slow jam and then - boom - we re off! backed with the incredible instrumental version the 12- is repressed here in it s original 1979 glory, an essential classic that has stood the test of time for the last 30+ years & is now available again, remastered & repressed for 2017 in conjunction with west end records, nyc.

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

2017 rsd exclusive. celebrating the founding 25 years ago of the legendary drum & bass / jungle label - suburban base records. we have chosen 1 key title for the first 5 years of the label to reissuea vinyl release for record store day 2017 press on clear vinyl . this peaked @ no 36 in the uk top 40 in jan 1992 but is a rave classic. not been available on vinyl since the 90s! b side is higher

celebrating the founding 25 years ago of the legendary drum & bass / jungle label - suburban base records. we have chosen 1 key title for the first 5 years of the label to reissuea vinyl release for record store day 2017 on clear vinyl . from 1993 - contains the classic & sort after origin unknown remix of dark stranger & johnny jungle remixes of real hardcore & dark stranger

much may have changed over a two-decade period, but drumcode s commitment to releasing the scene s most cutting-edge and refined techno remains resolute. 2016 saw releases from heavy hitters such as adam beyer, alan fitzpatrick, dense & pika, sam paganini, joseph capriati and waff, as well as a much coveted moby remix package. the label pushes forwards again in 2017, bringing fail-safe, club-ready music to the techno community. after appearing on a-sides volume 4 at the start of 2016, ilario alicante now makes his full debut on the label. he has quickly established himself as a key player amongst a new crop of techno artists and truly is one of the brightest stars in the game. his skills behind the decks have seen him tour the globe with cocoon, as well as appear at the likes of elrow, lovefest and we are fstvl. opening with times , the ep gets off to a flying start as the track rages straight into top gear, rolling through 6 minutes of pure power. this is a peak time tool that is set to be heard across dance floors worldwide this year. ‘awakened you may have heard from adam beyer s sets of late, a firm favourite which gets his much sought after seal of approval. rampant syths and mesmerizing vocal hooks all make it one hell of a journey. sense is a more industrial affair, chunky basslines take your hand through the track as it charges on. it s that classic deep ilario alicante sound we all know and love. the ep finishes off on apogeo , with its hypnotic siren tones and acute percussion. one thing is for sure, ilario alicante is in a league of his own.

deluxe, will sessions’ debut lp of original material, contains tracks previously available as limited press 7- records, freshly remastered for a full length album. the album contains guest appearances from detroit legends allan barnes (blackbyrds) and amp fiddler (parliament/funkadelic), as well as florida’s own king of funk rickey calloway, and relative new-comer coko (funk night records). the album is a collection of singles reminiscent of classic funk and soul with deep breaks, tight rhythm section, blazing horns, and raw vocal performances.

limited edition of 1000 copies for rsd 2017.
soul brother records are delighted to release for record store day 2017 one of the most elusive soul lp’s of all time, a truly holy grail album. susan phillips ‘soft sexy soul’ was recorded for sylvia robinson’s all platinum label 1971, pressed in small quantities. few copies have ever surfaced, it is so rare that many collectors doubt if it was ever released, it is not listed on discogs and it has never been recorded as selling on ebay. if an original copy were found today, it would surely sell for a substantial amount of money. the album has that classic early 70’s new jersey orchestrated soul sound. the album contains the in demand 2-step single ‘he knows my key (is always in the mailbox)’, the northern soul floater ‘answer to my prayer’, detroit sounding ‘please don’t keep me lonely’ the multi paced ‘where do i go from here’ and many great ballads like ‘he’s gone’ and ‘this i’ll guarantee’. demand from soul collectors is expected to be high and this album is likely to sell out quickly in the same way that last years ‘this is eleanore mills’ (also from all platinum) and all the previous soul brother records rsd releases have.

unique soul jazz records’ record store day seven-inch box set comprising five separate singles featuring ten killer rare collectors tracks from studio one records, featuring ska, roots, rocksteady, dub.
seminal, rare and classic tunes! these singles have only ever ever been available exclusively direct from soul jazz records’ soho shop in london and are available worldwide only for this collectors box set rsd special release.
this unique box-set edition is only available as a one-off pressing especially for record store day 2017.

part one of a new salsoul re-edits series launches with four reworks from disco aficionado dimitri from paris. available on vinyl for the very first time, dimitri adds his deft remix touch to salsoul favourites from loleatta holloway, inner life, love comitte and skyy.

part two of a new salsoul re-edits series launches with four classic edits for rsd from seminal edit king danny krivit. with over 45 years behind the turntables, if anyone knows what little extra touch a record needs to work on the dancefloor…its danny! taking his editing skills to four classics from the salsoul vaults , danny delivers once again. available on vinyl for the very first time.

welcome to black riot records - the tougher brother of midnight riot records - a larger than life house label with an array of artists & producers from around the globe. the a side features hacienda resident buckley who delivers two deadly covers of the ralph rosario classic renditon that is already is receiving love from jamie jones. the b side features hot mix 5 s mickey oliver with just a tease featuring russoul that can only be classed as real deep house. the hypnotic lovers re-rub gets all dam swindle on us with big dusty beats, warm instrumentation & heaps of soul. dj support: soulclap, luke soloman, jamie jones, nachbraker & danny krivit

soma track series volumes 3 & 4 drop with the huge slam remix of the classic jack master (aka richie hawtin) “bang the box” with slam’s ghetto-tastic “clap your hands” on the flip.

oxias classic domino gets reworked for its ten year anniversary - in 2 vinyl parts. a decade after initially seeing the light, oxias now classic domino gets reworked to celebrate its anniversary. the new release features a new cut by oxia himself as well as several remixes by none other than frankey & sandrino, robag wruhme and matador. the ep will be released through agoria’s newly found record label sapiens on february 24th. ten years ago the track made waves in the international dance music circuit, striking up chords with techno, trance and house djs alike to quickly become an all-time classic. having never expected the track to reach the status that it his, its a very dear project to oxia and he needed quite some persuading to give in and let agoria and his team create something that was worthy of the original. the set of tracks are the first officially commissioned remixes by oxia ever. finding remixers took some time, the amazing frankey & sandrino whos track acamar is my absolute favourite of 2015, matador that just launched his rukus label as well is the multi-talented ex label mate at kompakt robag wruhme. they are all incredibly gifted and fortunately patient enough to wait for this ep

the casino edits series continues with two more disco-inspired dj tools, ready to compromise the structural integrity of any neighbourhood discotheque. casino times tackle the a side, taking a cover of an early blues classic and cutting it up into an unconventional flamenco-italo hybrid. whilst on the flip, we welcome longtime friend and banoffee pies affiliate malcolm to the series, with his driving interpretation of a dial tone infused, late 70s ny disco jam..

it really feels like we (aka mad mats & tooli) have been around way longer than 5 1/2 years with local talk, but it s really true what they say, time flies when you re having fun! from what started as a somewhat simple and almost primitive urge to create a small house imprint has now grown into a much bigger affair. we really tried hard to keep the label from getting stuck in any genre (remember 90s house?) and to always keep the local talk relevant, curious, diverse and with a healthy dose of underground mentality. from our very first release with bassfort s excellent moon shadow in the summer of 2011, we had a crystal clear vision of what local talk should represent...house music in any way, shape or form! over the years we released soulful, disco, jack, afro, vocal, deep, jazz, tech, latin, old school, acid, uk, berlin, new jersey, detroit and of course chicago inspired house music. if it made us bump...we put it out! this brings us up to today and about +80 releases later. we thought about how we best could sum up these first 5 1/2 years and immediately the image of blaze s classic album 25 years later popped up. besides the fact that it s an amazing album cover it also a good representation when different musical genres fuse together. it s not strictly a house album but just as well a r&b, reggae and soul album. this fusion and variation of house sounds is something that we ve tried to capture on our 5 1/2 years later compilation, split into two parts. on part 2 you ll find a high energy disco rub from parisian s3a, a truly deep and soulful vocal jam from boddhi satva & sly johnson, a deep uk garage production from smbd (aka simbad), a dark and electronic affair from toto chiavetta (yoruba) and finally a musical acid number with that magical bristol touch from newcomer marcel lune. all in all we think we got most angles covered and hopefully this album will make you spread that chalk on the dance floor and get down...local talk style

erste lp-remaster-veröffentlichung des jazz-funk-albumklassikers -turn this mutha out- (1977) des drummers und percussionisten idris muhammad, der beispielsweise mit fats domino, curtis mayfield, jerry butler und sam cooke arbeitete. produziert von david matthews, kommt das album in dessen unverwechselbarem disco-jazz-funk-sound und enthält den classic -could heaven ever be like this-, den u.a. jamiroquai und drake sampleten.

new years deal - delsins next trick is a debut double 12 from sentomea, an amsterdam native, real name sander schuurman, you might not have heard of but a real synth freak. exclusively producing his music in hardware-based live takes, and that gives rise to perfectly imperfect stuff that feels visceral and alive. often making music with a visual connection, this ep is full of versatile 909 beats and fizzing electronic textures. relative solace is up first and is a frosty house trip with bell textures and melancholic strings sounding all celestial and heavenly. wander is all about a sludgy 909 groove being lit up with bright strings and icy hi hat ringlets as dissonant pads stretch and skew all about the arrangement then fortitude boogie has classic detroit pads, a lovely broken rhythm and a funkateer bassline that makes the whole cut dance and emotional dance. fluid is more stripped back and clean, with rubbery 909 drums plodding below w atery, gurgling synth sounds up top and this most expressive and textural ep closes with the experimental fm synthesis that is matter with its raw, off beat grooves and glassy surfaces, and finally reminiscent, a horizontal, star gazing cut that encourages you to lay back and day dream in the grass.

re-issue of a 1972 funk/soul classic.

classic feat war, david williams and rhythm makers!!

just a classic, back from 1978 with serious phunin disco madness

a miles davis classic from 1960, pressed on limited yellow 180 gram vinyl.

four thirty two, the new record label directed and curated by richy ahmed, reveals its second release this spring with a fantastic new single from luca cazal. out on vinyl, be alone is backed with collaboration with italian producer, andrea fiorito. cazal has previously released music on crosstown rebels, classic music company and his own see double label, and once again displays his house music credentials on this four thirty two release.

another certified 90s hip hop anthem on 45 for the first time courtesy of 5 borough breaks. original flavour s -can i get open- was an underground smash at the time and is also notable for one of the very first times global rap star jay-z appeared on wax - classic material no doubt. as always, the b-side reveals one of the sample sources for the track, this time young holt limited s -wah wah man- providing the neck snapping drums.

nice price deal !!! classic hip hop trax

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.

after his acclaimed heatwave and shadows mixtapes, leonce releases insurgency on fade to mind, the first official ep from the young atlanta-based producer. insurgency was born from demos and sketches first recorded in 2014-2015, inspired by leonce’s favorite elements of house music and his desire to recraft these influences into his own club microverse. in leonce’s words: “if house is a feeling, then insurgency is me subverting that feeling across different tempo ranges and going into weirder and darker territory, like the classic raw house tracks that inspired me.”

r.a.p. is an argentine duo of producers based in buenos aires conformed by maxi raffone and juan manuel pinal. hypnotic and classic, are the characteristics of his music reason why national and international djs choose to play their songs. savor music, unlock recordings, rationalism, onward recordings, hermine records, are some labels that relied on their sound.

the 3rd release from detroit influenced japanese techno label select kashiwa. derrick may s already played a1.twilight and shadow. a2.life sounds like mixture of japanese game and animation music plus detroit techno. and anacatesthesia track b1.walking on the cloud. all three tracks consist of japanese sensitivity and detroit style funkiness + soulful sound. this is more classic detroit than recent tracks from detroit.

monster deep house classic , originally released on prescription !! ltd re-issue

with a wall-to-wall 21st century freshness, light years past any concept of vogue, or any linear genre lines, norwegian quartet rohey deliver music that bristles with energy and honesty, that grooves with the best funk, that has deep soul roots while keeping an eye on the broad expanse of a golden future. lead vocalist rohey taalah brings all the emotional complexity you would expect of a classic jazz or soul singer (and can withstand comparison with any with ease). ivan blomqvist s keys play a dual role of laying down old school sonics, while bringing a retrofuturistic hyper-urban tone (akin to british idm), while kristian b. jacobsen (bass) and henrik lødøen (drums) create a jazz-soul-funk hybrid rhythm section that ducks and weaves with supreme artfulness.
rohey have toured extensively throughout scandinavia, taking in just about every major jazz festival along the way. with the release of “a million things” on jazzland recordings in early 2017, their path can be expected to take them ever further: music this good can t be kept secret for long. “a million things” performs a balancing act that most pop artists have forgotten in these days of studio micro-editing: how to write and play a song with full and sincere conviction, while enjoying an artful expressiveness without making things unnecessarily difficult for the audience. this has been borne out by their nomination for best single at the scandinavian soul awards in 2015.

detroit s burden bros have long been looked upon with immense respect within contemporary dance music. having been in operation since 1990 with their 430 west imprint they have long encapsulated the forward thinking vibe of detroit techno with their output over the last 20+ years, gaining praise from their motor city peers as well as fans worldwide. having had success in the mainstream and an enduring underground presence they are well versed in the art of music. conquered nation , released on 430 west in 1995, contains some of the brothers trademark driving, technoid grooves. one for the dj s who buy 2 x copies, endless blends. as always the button labelled forward is fully pressed, their tracks contain a raw type of energy that emanates from within, sounding amazing super loud and in the mix. this is that classic detroit techno sound, tracky, futuristic, weaponised burners that won t leave your bag. essential purchase for the techno lovers. re-mastered, re-pressed and re-released in conjunction with the burden brothers / 430 west records, detroit usa

coyus remix for natural blues was just the prelude for our big hommage to one of the biggest pop and electronic music artists of the 90s, moby. we are proud to have this great bunch of remixes of some of the classic mobys anthems, with different options from deep house to techno, for a wide range of djs and music lovers. four awesome artists, victor ruiz, julian jeweil, reinier zonneveld and oxia deliver seven remixes of tracks like natural blues, go, porcelain and why does my heart feel so bad . enjoy the package!

deep purple’s 19th studio album sees the light of day. it is being released by the german based label earmusic. the band’s last studio effort dates back to 2005’s ‘rapture of the deep’ so this is a long time coming.
this will make album number four to feature steve morse on guitar and the third with keyboardist don airey. as previously reported, concrete information on the album title is, shall we say, up in the air. “there’s a big question mark over the name at the moment. and possibly an exclamation mark as well.” vocalist ian gillan told classic rock magazine.

balance recording introduces another underground imprint * balance traxx* inspired by time spent in italy , this new series called (word of mouth) also * parola di bocca*. this 4 tracker feature something old and something new. a new imprint project with chez damier and ben vedren new joint venture h2h called * road trip* a house grove with a limited mix by hugo lx. the project also features chicago producer garrett david (courtesy of balance ) with this underground track that s been played at the panorama bar over the last year, we also bring you the classic by chuggles * thank you* produced by ralph lawson and chez damier with remix by uks classic underground producers xpress2, the last track is a remix of french connection * speechless* with remix by italian producer nicholas. the project was created as a dj tool project.

originally released on the v.a. quintessentials 50 and making rather big waves, grooff machine from ponty mython gets the remix treatment for some more dope grooffs! chicago hotshot chrissy (the nite owl diner, classic, razor n tape) puts enough disco and acid in it and offers a great clubby alltime classic. ponty himself fuses lost of house, disco, funk and 808 busines so that you can grooff to the max. and our mexican buddy soul of hex (vicario ltd, freerange) keeps it dark and loopy before adding some splendid riffs. time for the grooff machine!

swedish producer hans berg returns to pooledmusics techno-focused sister imprint montage with another collection of uniquely esoteric techno. known for previous work on kant and collaborations with johanna knutsson, berg debuted on the label in 2015 with the field ep. his second outing once again provides another showcase for his intriguing rhythmic sensibilities and pleasingly askew take on the classic techno sound palette. the ep is completed by another heads-down burner of a remix from silvershower, aka label boss ian pooley.

brian abelson aka see other is one of the brightest talents in this field to emerge from new york in some time. he’s been honing and refining his style of brooding, purring, oscillating house rollers for some time. the final brew is humble mixture of low-slung smallville-esque house warmth, fred p level deepness and playful, tinkering wooden melodies that recall some of the finest work from the drumpoet community collective.
across this debut ep is a masterful grasp of the deep house template, with an array of hook-based elements that turn respectable raw bangers into transcendental experiences both at home and in the dance.
waitin is the modern classic, fallin is the party hammer, pushin is the soul & the feeling & the vibe, peter’s lament is the loving tender cuddle in a west coast hammock, change is the moody, sleep-deprived closer.

repress with special package
garage shelter is an undeniable classic by living new york house legend and recent objectivity roster addition jovonn, it was featured on the 1994 double ep set called stump it ep on nite stuff and is highly in demand ever since. it has been picked up during the years by high-profile djs like theo parrish, ricardo villalobos or efdemin and became kind of a very effective secret weapon for them. mojuba is very happy to make this rare killer release available again for you, completely restored and remastered and packed with an addition remix by recent ostgut ton / unterton artists tuff city kids.

kevin arnemann and daan kemps taped artifact record label is prepping its first release of 2017. following the labels recently released various artists compilation, the amsterdam based imprint welcomes two pioneers within the icelandic techno scene: ohm & octal industries. ohm earned his stripes through his collaborations with exos in the early 00s, whilst octal industries is a much-respected artist within the idm scene under his ruxpin alias. with the highly dub-influenced maoss ep, the icelandic duo follows up their recent appearance on thors renowned thule records. the four-tracker features highly textured, rhythmical and classic rooted dub techno, showcasing the iconic icelandic aesthetic.

a year after his extremely versatile debut ep for figure, viers comes out with another batch of tunes that again set him apart from his peers both in production value and creativeness. touching on the tropes of classic detroit techno, saxton presents a beautifully delicate opening track, rife with life from within the machines while still steadily thumping ahead. it’s the mix of this vital momentum together with a certain restraint, allowing each element to breath. so much that even the slightest adjuments cause maximum effectmetro, as felt on suitably titled stomper nothing changed where everything hits in exactly the right place. same goes for the incessant dialogue of tones on zehn, which sigha expands into a pensive piece, layering soothing washes of synths. not only an exceptional ep in its own right, figure 85 further cements viers as a skilled craftsman with seemingly endless imagination.

back to the vinyl rules, spectral rebel is proud to present its collaboration with the dutch duo abstract division, featuring two originals and two remixes by mike storm and re:axis. the good architecture of -convergent- opens the ep with a slow but strong climax, hypnotic rhythms and ambient sounds create an elegant atmosphere, surrounded by a resonant voice. -divergent- shows a deeper concept of techno: the emotional melody keeps the track into a new landscape, merging with a heavy basslines. mike storm is a familiar name to the label. his remix reshapes the original track -convergent- and takes us into an interstellar trip through the cosmos. the atmosphere is intense. re:axis version of -divergent- is a high-energy piece and it s definitely the powerful techno punch of this ep. classic drum sounds combine with vibrating kicks and some loopy cuts. spr007 is an ecstasy for ears and a proper bang for dancefloors.

special double pack for all you friendly fire lovers out there - contains 2 classic releases:
- frf010: robert natus vs. brainshaker - schizophrenia ep
- arcussinus002: fl-x - aligozinosa

special 3x12 inch pack for all you quantized music lovers out there - contains 3 classic releases:
- qntm002: midnight pulse - luna park
- qntm004: thodoris triantafillou - morningrama ep (dj w!ld remix)
- qntm005: kreon - neosh ep (mihai popoviciu remix)

channeling a love affair with classic 90 s hip hop, an affinity for otherworldly themes and an ear for raw funk, barclay crenshaw uses his given birth name to bare his soul and deliver a slowed-down, emotive collectiob of collaborations and instrumentals. this self-titled debut album is a left-field deperature from his better known allias, claude von stroke, but the quality is undeniably the same. the themes of alien abductions and exploring of time and space are discovered and brough to life over ten tracks that sound like a mixture of gold rope chains and new age enlightenment. modern organic beats mixed with gorgeous melodic movements and underlying grittiness create an experience that is eclectic, expressive, and expansive. coded art furthers the sense of mystery and the unkown. harking back to the past while gazing into the future.

r&s welcomes back space dimension controllers jack hamill for a ep of his trademark future-funk, his first for the label since 2013. the exostack ep marks a welcome return from hamill to the kind of astro-boogie that made him a unifying favourite in any discerning dj’s record box. the title track is a masterclass of wide-eyed astral disco - cycling euphoric arpeggios underpinned by dubbed out bass riffs and swooning pads. unfurling over a sizeable 8 minutes, hamill justifies every second with a beguiling arrangement that takes the listener on a groove excursion of epic proportions. on the flip, red hot swede kornél kovács delivers a tuff rerub that jacks up the drums, and cools out the chords, twisting the original into a classic house roller. sdc original biopan finds hamill in more contemplative mood - pulsing drums, a subdued bass figure and woozy synth melodies combine to haunting effect.

the legendary west end records kick off 2017 with the a brand new re-edits series inviting like-minded producers with an underground thirst and a deep understanding of house & disco culture to collaborate on a very special project. first up, wolf music man medlar, applying his dancefloor know-how to west end’s rich archive of classic disco and boogie. hand picking four personal favourites, medlar reworks them perfectly for current club sets. picking out dub sections and skilfully reworking & extending them proving exactly why medlar has been such a draw to labels like delusions of grandeur and for discos only. “i put these edits together for myself and a few friends to play in our dj sets. west end was one of the key stepping stones to what would later become house music and for many is the definitive sound of early 80s new york. i d argue that it s aged better than any other label of that era and if you re relatively new to the label or know it inside out, the catalogue can likely still provide something new.” these four sublime new edits from medlar showcase his passion for digging deep, knowledge of house history and skills as a producer.

the underground anthems just keep on coming from seth troxler’s play it say itlabel. next up is assured party starter and snatch! label boss, riva starr. this italian hit maker has long been delivering off-kilter and playful underground house tunes. he does so on his own label as well as cajual and hot creations, always injecting them with plenty of colour and charm, which help them stand out in any set. these latest two offerings are no different, and are sure to blow up dance floors all over the world. first up is the arresting title track, ‘another dimension’, a skewed and sideways house cut with booming bass, bumpy drums and quirky trumpets going off in all directions. it’s a grinding groove that will drill to the heart of any ‘floor and really set it alight. then comes ‘another race’, a much deeper and more direct tune for heads down dancing. it has surging kicks and synths, slinky percussion and an irresistible sense of forward motion that will sweep up all those who hear it. clever filters bring real tension, teasing out plenty of pressure and ensure this one is another modern classic in the making. these are two powerful tracks from riva starr that are sure to make a real impact this spring and mark another standout release from seth troxler’s ever impressive play it say it.

the new york-based (u)nity is made up of michael valeanu, axel tosca laugart, chris smith, max cudworth and amaury acosta. they formed the band in 2006 as a project to explore afro-cuban jazz, funk, soul and contemporary electronica. they say they ve been influenced by everyone from chucho valdes to art blakey to led zeppelin to kendrick lamar, and you can definitely hear all of that in this jawdropping work. guarapachanga is special in that it was the first song written by the band back in their days as music students at the new school. it s derived from the style known as guarapachangeo the most advanced form of cuban rumba, heavily improvisational and based on very complex rhythms and melodies. on this recording, (u)nity is graced with a guest performance by grammy award winner pedrito martinez, a master rumbero, one of the greatest conga players ever, an innovator who has left a permanent mark on cuban music. martinez is also a priest in the yoruba religion and a historian of cuban culture. over its eight and a half minutes, guarapachanga twists and turns and journeys through a mind bending array of different tempos and modes, from latin jazz to hip hop, ultimately ending with a trippy ambient soundscape. the whole thing is overlaid with free spirited melody, soul and the afro-cuban essence that is the bands lifeblood. the white-hot live playing gives it the feel of the best early-morning jam session, yet it packs a sonic punch that will make it sound incredible on a good sound system in the hands of adventurous djs in the world-beat or spiritual-house vein. if you didnt know guarapachanga was a contemporary work you might mistake it for a loft classic, yet it s also as fresh and exciting as anything you ll hear this year.

after 20 years of inactivity, the iconic dub techno duo from denmark is back in the game. their distinctive and timeless style is clearly perceivable in these versatile dubby tracks characterized by superb melancholy and deepness. 180g vinyl, this release represents a future classic for any dub techno lover!