the 1995 debut album from d’angelo back on 180 gram double vinyl

sprouting arms and legs to emerge from his wetlands lair, mysterious scaled amphibian bufobufo leaps onto land to launch new vinyl label ritual poison.
the a side is taken up by the house sounds of “what’s that noise?”, a stripped back acid bit ready built for blowing up the floor. on the flip, there’s “parasol” - agaric electro served raw and deadly and “spider fortress”, eight-legged techno spun smooth like silk and tough as steel.

love cryme is back with another club-ready pressing of their signature sacramento based boogie funk sound. this is the much anticipated follow up to their sought after 2013 debut on rysque records, and is eddie pendergrass presents first 12inch offering. electric lady is a smooth, soulful scorcher while under the n fluence has a new jack swing influenced party vibe. second release from love cryme following their 2013 debut. tim tucker of love cryme recently released a sought after 7inch with brian ellis under the name birdbone unlimited, and has upcoming solo projects as well as a collaboration with boogie legend alfonzo. club-friendly 45rpm cut with vocal & instrumental of both tracks

from brussels comes cleveland, born in luxembourg from an italian family, andrea mancini, a 28 years old music producer has been behind releases on john talabot’s hivern discs, oskar offermann’s white, munich’s permanent vacation (and others). cleveland is able to enthral and captivate his audience, putting influences from various genres into one smooth hypnotic, adventurous and personal journey. built around warm tones of analog synths, esoteric atmospheres and percussive drums, cleveland s productions have an overall dreamy feel without losing its dance floor focus. he arranges every sound and movement to work in fluid harmony, gently lifting dance floors off the ground before they realise they re floating. he will release two new eps in summer 2017.

thelma houstons unreleased soulful aor tracks from 1980
after thelma ended her contract with motown, she went to work with terry woodford to record a set of tracks for her next album. unfortunately it didn t happened and the tracks was shelved for 36 years. until now. smooth breezy soulful aor with the wishbone inc signature sound, (byrne and barnes, robert byrnem mac mcanally and others) remastered and released on vinyl for the first time.
coverart by yoko honda
limited to 500 worldwide

the first reissue in the world building catalog! an under-the-radar white label gets a second chance at life! one mans quest released smiling faces 95 on their own vandal records label in (you guessed it) 1995. it would end up being the only release on the label & never properly distributed. produced by bon vega & douglas johnson, one man’s quest give the motown classic a unique 90s spin w/ both house and r&b versions. kinda rough, kinda smooth & very essential! hitting you hard and deep!!! excerpt from dance trax column in billboard magazine (jun 10, 1995): -the single kicks a thick and spare house groove, coated with a simple organ line and a worldly lyrical reading that hangs onto the brain long beyond its moments on the dancefloor. - larry flick (dance trax) one mans quest is a brothers vibe production. in memory of bon vega!

the owl returns for 003 after two sell-out opening releases. there is a bit more sample trickery on this release with beefed up drums and smooth chords added to the original material. the opening track being a clever disco-house take . the drums are chunkier and the groove is tight! donny hathaway s little ghetto boy gets more or the straight up edit treatment with all the good parts looped for a dj friendly mix. hustle is a very clever rework with plenty of new parts added to give the original a much needed dance floor boost. rounding the release off with a simple yet effective re-do of fred wesley s classic house party .

myers returns, fresh off the back of a debut show at field day and with a two track 12- nodding to the past and the future. taps is a relentless drum machine driven, synth directed monster, that comes at you like it s about to punch you in the face, but actually picks you up and chucks you on its shoulders. rabona is a restrained, smooth but rugged roller, with subtle shifts that previews another layer to the myers palette. having taken steps out into the real world, expect a lot more to come over the next year

the second remix ep from maps of hyperspace’s “superspace” cd sees the ambient dynamics of “a sense of unity” emphasised in the versions rendered by off land and arjen schat. elwood throws in his reinterpretation with a superb minimal deep techno take. adriano wraps the excursion with a smooth dancefloor remodel of mikael’s unreleased “sky”.

incl julius steinhoff version (smallville) ...telfort returns with a third 12inch on his own imprint, following the aptly titled debut in a good place and stellar follow-up lickety split. his best yet, the edinburgh-based producer drops the evocative and soul-stirring soon i will embark on a journey, with its immense, alluring melody and downright addictive grooves. on the flip, the hazy and hypnotic æuntil nowÆ takes us further on the journey with its shimmering textures and mesmeric flow, radiating warmth through mind-soothing chords and gritty percussion. further on, we hear a reinterpretation from julius steinhoff, co-founder of smallville records and half of smallpeople. serene and smooth but equally stomping and floor-ready, the melancholic strings and trickling percussion slowly develop and captivate in a sublime and entirely fitting rework.

modem:39 is booted and connected. main task: linking components like friendship, art and communication. this sustainable mixture results in label artist tommes first release on solid 180g black gold. the a.r.l.t. ep represents a thoughtfully crafted selection of analog sounds, inspired by classic house music. tommes, being a part of eastern germany s underground scene since 20 years, demonstrates his unique style with four timeless tracks. his passion for dubby sounds and chords echoes through the whole ep – solid deepness incoming!

mcdrive is a bass line driven tune, full of versatile, warm synthie-melodies and catchy percussions. its length offers great mixing possibilites.

let s get smooth and dreamy on the „stendalsunsetboulevard“. a beautiful piece for any occasion.

side b features two more linear and straightforward tracks. -deeples“ hypnotic dub-groove creates a very profound depths. club approved!

cheerful house roller „deemin goes- glares with atmospheric pads and a punchy bassline - perfectly rounding off an honest solo-ep.

the ep is limited to 300 editions with a handcrafted cover artwork - 50 of them comes in a special black and white edition, 250 copies in decent black artwork.

folding citys debut on through these eyes is charged with exerting drum rhythms and high-energy movement throughout. the a-side enthralls with psychedelic string plucks and silky smooth, even trance-inducing arrangement. livid percussive movements, powdered with delays and tribal grooves, are creatively used - as well as haunting, emotive pads. ‘museling’ is a different beast to witness, starting off with hypnotic arpeggios and taunting, grimy vocals, anticipating the impact. swift hi-hats race along an intensely stomping bass-line, pervaded with gritty but fluid motion - resulting in extraordinarily energetic music. the two-sided single elegantly shares the same signature sound, each track complementing the other.

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.

nice price deal !!! smooth hip hop joint feat krayzie bone

the people in fog are back on sov! as smooth sky blue colour cat can represent, this ep has a smoother beat than the artists usual style. if you remember their previous ep with a darker colour, now the punching kick and identical house bass are gone and this ep is true showing off the producer s ability as a musician who can adapt to any kind of diversity. the first track last song has deep bass and atmospheric sounds, like a typical romanian loop, but after the long trippy beat when the piano sounds kick in, the atmosphere changes and brings back the emotion. the second track get funky is also truly hybrid version of house, while the combination of funky vocals and the endless hi-hat and shaker keep the groove tight and the deep down pad sounds mixed smoothly with the forest of beat make for a truly a unique character. the last track alright is a very joyful one, even though it uses a typical funky house vocal sample. its unique way of playing percussion and vocal keep the groove totally all-right

brian ellis known for his collaborations with legends egyptian lover, howard johnson also the modern funk contemporaries like zackey force funk and xl middleton, “mirror/mirror” showcases brian’s handling of all instruments, vocals, mixing and production. drawing from classic 70s west coast aor to obscure french library music and early 80s funk presenting a timeless contemporary sound. combining analog synths (oberheim ob8, minimoog model d, yamaha dx7, and more), live guitar, intricate drumming, smooth vocals with excellent songwriting have come together like never before. sure to be a classic record in the years to come.

!! vinyl only !! four originals from the italian artist. turins rills has been steadily gaining a strong following over the decade with his tracks being played the likes of ar:pi:ars raresh, daniel bell, dyed soundorom and cassy, and finding a home on imprints such as 8bit, in haus wax and esperanza. here we see rills join the roster of visionquests vinyl only offshoot label, special editions, following material from jorge savoretti, konrad black and quilla. zorlak opens the package and sets the tone of raw and dubby via murky atmospherics, swirling chord sequences and a swinging rhythmic drive, yoda follows and retains a similarly swung drum groove whilst introducing spaced out, unfolding pads across the composition. stranger freaks kicks off the b-side of the release, stripping things back to bumpy drums, heady resonant synth swells and hypnotic tension buildings drones before paper beatz rounds out the package with smooth deep pads, modulating synth stabs and shuffling hats.

alexx a-game makes his return to swing ting after last year’s ‘a-game everyday’ & ‘gangsters’ with the soulfully poignant ‘braver’. the 7” is the 1st physical drop on fact magazine’s label of 2016, following well-received equiknoxx & madd again! releases in 2017. in 2015 swing ting’s samrai & platt received a tune from alexx’s manager, ‘braver’ asking if they’d be able to contribute to the production on the track. listening to the stems, it became apparent how amazing alexx’s vocal delivery sounded stripped to just the rhodes & bassline played by frequent a-game collaborator & fellow jamaican vern hill. after adding effects and flourishes the crew began playing the ‘smooth edit’ on swing ting radio shows and at dj sets around the globe.

as part of madhouse records milestone twenty five years in the business the label will be offering up a selection of projects over the next year, ranging from vinyl reissues, events, new releases on madhouse and its madtech sub-label, merchandise and more. here we see the imprint revisit some of its biggest hitters since its inception, delivering a selection of recent output from the like of t williams and james jacob, opolopo and roog and dennis quinn while revisiting one of label-founder kerri chandlers most loved records on the label. up first is roog & dennis quinn feat. berget lewis igohart which saw support from the likes of sante & sidney charles, shadow child and maya jane coles with its raw swing, gritty stab sequences and soaring vocals. the dub mix of opolopos lowlife follows and add a playful bounce to things via wandering organ hooks, spiralling vocals and an infectious musicality with its warm string and bright piano chords. t.williams and james jacob then head back to more direct dance floor vibes with the piano-laden together fuelled by weighty 909’s, string samples and smooth chords before kerris kaoz 6:23 mix of lafayettes better late than never gets a 2017 remaster, bringing even more shine to the soul infused new jersey house classic.

mr. k gets jazzy on this new 12-inch from most excellent unlimited. the breakdown of the smooth r&b staple -street life- stands out with a steady four-on-the-floor pulse that contrasts with the funk backbeat of the verses. working exclusively with this portion, krivit teases out six-and-a-half slinky minutes of sophisticated groove, weaving percussion and vocalist randy crawford s ad-libs in and out of the mix in tantalizing fashion. as a dj, danny krivit is renowned for his willingness to throw a funky curveball into the mix, and for the b-side of this single he gives us a peek at one of his secret weapons. a year after yusef lateef released his hit version of -nubian lady- in 1972, pianist roy meriwether was at a small club in dayton, ohio with his trio and laid down a sprawling live take that covered the entire side of a album, including a bridge that pushed the languid tempo of the original to a sassy upbeat workout. mr. k s edit focuses on this section, leaving us with nine minutes of gritty, get-down funky jazz complete with thunderous drum break. whether working as a surefire party starter or a clever changeup, -nubian lady- is a dancer.

following two monumental releases on crosstown rebels, serge devant is back onboard the label to deliver one of his best to date. the immensely sensual thinking of you sees him team up once again with damiano and camille safiya with invigorating remixes from heavy-weights reboot and art department.

serge devant has been turning heads since the seminal fearing love feat. camille safiya dropped in 2015 on emerald city, picking up the best music video award at the 2016 hollywood independent reel film festival. serge reveals it was so nice to have the same company back in the studio to work on more magic! thinking of you breathes the air of summer with its blissfully smooth chords and deep hypnotic tones it s another winner from serge.

welcomed back onto crosstown rebels, no.19 boss jonny white aka art department delivers a raw, techno cut in his modular perspective remix. jonny has seen almost unparalleled success in the world of dance music and continues to be at the forefront of the industry with a huge focus on his record labels and his in-demand label showcases that take the name of his vinyl only label, social experiment.

frankfurt s reboot brings his flavour to the release with intricate percussion and deep underlying pads. growing up in sven vath s omen club, the talented musician now spearheads the new sound of frankfurt and has released on a wealth of labels like circus, moon harbour, cadenza and get physical.

owen jay and melchior sultana are frequently found working in tandem on their particular brand of contemporary deep house, and this is the second time they ve been snapped up by contrast wax following the aftermath ep back in 2014. the mood is smooth and sultry on the title track for this new 12inch, with a sensual sax lead taking centre stage over the kind of gentle bump that would sit comfortably on guidance recordings. bubbles floating in the sky, as the title would suggest, is an equally mellow mover, while b-side lounger saturn heads into even calmer waters with its hushed pad tones and technoid synth pulses.

nice price deal !!! follow up to dubsons release earlier this year comes a split ep from bocaje and serdal. bocaje is a talented young producer and dj out of france who has released on labels such as utique and recordeep. he brings a smooth yet distinctly intelligent flare to the a side with hypnotic dancefloor orientated rhythms and fat basslines. the b side features serdal, one of the co-owners of vayvay and masterminds behind the homemade party series, making him a well known figure in the nürnberg house scene. he offers the listener a breakbeat tool for the heads, aimed strongly towards after hour euphorics.

when life gives you lemons, have a lemonade. else the other side might be, your cup of tea. 2 labels, 1 mindset: lemonade and cup of tea are two belgian labels based on an ancient pinky-swear promise between arno lemons and fungku. it finally becomes reality with these 2 other-styled fusion labels working together as brothers! lemonade presents a sampler of studio 58 a project by sue avenue with the crazy funk band big whoop and the latin jazz band compro oro, london wonderboy cody currie and a smooth ending track by the brussels based duo lockwood. cup of tea is a mixtape made by fungku with an infused trip of tracks from a peculiar gang from brussels who live by the rules of ratlife. enjoy the flavour of all artists presented on this combo mini lp straight from the belgian underground! independently, but together.

long beach serial chiller ahwlee is a beat vet who delivers smooth buttery samples with a nostalgic vibe. 1991 is a cult classic cassette now issued for the first time on vinyl. these tracks are dusty, mellow and easy-going. don’t mistake mellow for boring, however, because ahwlee’s production is nuanced and intricate underneath the minimalist overtones. there’s jazzed-up rhodes all over the place, and the percussion work masterfully includes a ton of negative space in between perfectly chopped breaks. they’ll get your head nodding.

for its 6th release, bjarki and johnny chrome silver’s bbbbbb records welcome new signing eod (aka stian gjevik) to their unholy alliance with his swurlk ep . the norwegian born, strictly analog producer takes the label off-roading with four outstanding productions channeling ambient, electro and hard bloody techno. having released on imprints including rephlex and weme records, it was actually on soundcloud that bjarki discovered eod’s music. after getting in touch, the scale of his work emerged as gigabytes of unheard music dating back to 2002 were exchanged, all of which was made without the use of a pc an approach which speaks for itself through his instinctive, playful melodies. swurlk ep boasts an impeccable sense of arrangement, more like that of a composer, and even more impressive considering the absence of any computer. the title track opens with a velvety smooth synth melody building with bass textures.‘evenhark uses a broken beat framework to carry floating harmonies. swarm uses layer upon layer of stuttered percussion to build into a relentless techno cut. elcaset_testgroove pairs catchy, interacting melodies with pensive harmonies. swurlk ep is a must listen for fans of melodic electro and an exciting move from a label that continues to challenge all our fucking expectations

after 3 years, jesus gonsev is back again with a full orginal ep on swiss imprint deepartsounds. he collaborated again with the lovely & smooth voice of sarignia bonfà on the song unlimited sky. the track also features a brilliant synth solo by chicago legend glenn underground. the label also hired detroits patrice scott for a jazzy and soulful remix. all this is rounded off by two more stunning tracks that jesus delivers for the ep.

if god had a disco, the dj would be playing california gospel-soul group the supreme jubilees. “we won’t have to cry no more,” the tuxedo-clad group would sing, in high, angelic vocals over smooth grooves. “it’ll all be over.” prepare to dance and contemplate death all at the same time.

after the release of his beautifully put together album ‘shining the money ball’ via vancouver’s 1080p earlier last year (which will see a limited vinyl release on lo recordings later this year), as well as having music released through 100% silk, body-san joins the lo family with ‘pacific reasons ep’. having been a part of the new wave of house music to emerge over the past few years from the west coast of america and canada, body-san delivers music with a rich sense of depth, emotive precision and concise instrumentation throughout. brandon knocke (in his own apt description) offers three ‘coastal burners’ through ‘pacific reasons’, with the addition of the majestic interlude ‘liquid entrance’. ‘topaz chalice’ sets us off with the sunset, created through comforting yet strangely ominous chords and vocal melody lines. the track slowly evolves with small percussive flurries, beautiful chord and melody progressions and a smooth, sliding bass line. as pleasant and calming as ‘topaz chalice’ is, we still feel the full force of knocke’s thumping kick, making it as viable for the dance as it is for the cans...

this june will see bondage music release part two of it’s ‘home (remixes)’ package, welcoming an array of artists to remix mihai popoviciu’s recent long player on the label. following on from part 1 of the package which has already garnered support from the likes of huxley, neverdogs, emanuel satie and mat.joe to name but a few, bondage music returns with the second offering in this four part series. tuccillo takes the lead with his interpretation of ‘focus’, and as always from the ibiza-based unblock music founder we’re treated to intricately programmed, smooth and hypnotic material laid out over seven and a half minutes with a deftly unfolding dynamic feel. el mundo’s take on ‘triumph’ follows, dropping the tempo and instilling a latin edge to things via organic percussion, emotive strings and mystical vocals. frankfurt’s sascha dive then offers up his ‘atmospheric dub’ of ‘music 999’ to open the flip side, as the name would suggest shining light on billowing dub stabs, ethereal atmospheres and robust rhythms before kevin yost closes the package with his percussive driven ‘hynposia’ remix. the mihai popoviciu ‘home (remixes) part 2’ is out on bondage-music 9th june 2017

public release’s lucky thirteen and second release of 2017 is by another kindred spirit newcomer to the label, earth boys, a brooklyn-based duo that’s all dreamy keys, soft pads, peace frogs, throwback vibes, and deftly futuristic house rhythms, though not necessarily in that order. with trail mix, mike sherburn and julian duron have built four gloriously friendly, oddball house cuts— cheeky, choppy vocal samples juxtaposed against schmaltzy piano licks and punchy tribal rhythms rubbing against smooth bass figurations. their ironic sense of humor intersects with precisely crafted productions in a way that underscores both, making the ep a brilliant concoction of bouncy, energetic dance music that teases the genre as much as it revels in it. if that messes with your head, just shut down your left brain, drop the needle, take a big ol’ rip, and see where a microdose of earth boys will take you.

following his 2015 release s/t, ant orange is back with another groove-laden 12inch on karaoke kalk. arkupe is a prime slice of laid-back beats and bass-heavy jazz breaks. each track oozes soulfulness, from the smooth-as-silk fender rhodes on the opening title track to the downbeat afro rhythms of fog walk, and the nonchalant guitar riffs and synth lines on little wing. side 1 closes with feld, a sun-drenched slo-mo house jam. side 2 presents another handful of diverse ant orange cuts, starting with the more uptempo toe-tapper big lils. lb offers more tasty jazz-n-bass drumming, while the closing track my man has a breezy still-awake-on-sunday swagger. with his latest 12inch on karaoke kalk, ant orange shows the wide range of styles he has to offer. arkupe is loaded with some of the mellowest vibes youre likely to hear all year.

played by raresh !!
politics of dancing records celebrate their 3rd anniversary with two vinyl only releases and a digital compilation of unreleased tracks from a pretty impressive line up of confirmed and up and coming producers. this is the second vinyl only part to be released, with another 4 tracks of serious cutting edge underground house music. io (mulen) , chris carrier, john jastszebski and tommy vicari jnr are on the line up and it s been highly supported by raresh, d julz, apollonia and djebali among others. io (mulen) opens up with a classy 8 minutes floor killer with a fat rolling bass and funky stabs, chris carrier goes deep space for good with jazzy drums and killer effects. on the b side, john jastszebski gives us a masterful deep dub techno lesson, and the prolific and versatile tommy vicari jnr closes with style, on a smooth and elegant deep house cut. another top notch 4 tracker from politics of dancing records.

nice price deal !!! a key milestone in the labels discography. the ep begins with a cool drifting taste of modulated pads, rhythmic guitar and simple drum work. highlighting a bit more of a funky disco groove, atlantis is a liquid soul jam for the ages. the beat picks up with count down to zero, as an uber progressive hypnotic loop track gets lost in the smooth key stabs. the tribal vibe picks up with dont look down, adding some more percussion, slow attack synth chords and crazy rhodes melodies. gabriel slows things down to a lazy dubbed-out house cut full of succulent strings, charismatic claps and middle-eastern harmonies. great for the late-night club slot or an introspective headphone listen, this solid ep is a sure fire success!

cynosure presents the fifth installment in the focal point compilation series. this time with a focus on various studio collaborations with mike shannon, featuring recorded sessions from mathew jonson to ricardo villalobos. a diverse selection of works ranging from a smooth 100 bpm house with the mole & hreno to a rolling deep techno at 127bpm with matt & mark thibideau. mike pulls a few gems out of the recording vault to share on a stunning triple vinyl gatefold package.

mytron & ofofo debut on bordello with an intoxicating blend of sleaze and synth, disco and depravity. airforce one smoulders. dripping in funk, samples and smooth keys are bolstered by burbling bass for a track that glides and slides in glazed steps

coming out of the audio plants fraternity, ukranian drum & bass artist pageant brings a bright and breezy musicality to the scene on this expansive debut album. the beats come through clear and punchy while the instrumentation takes its lead from ltj bukem s smoother moments to results in a very palatable kind of liquid drum & bass. this is as feel good as the genre can get, and with its wide scope for natural and synthetic sound sources it never tires on the ears. whether it s the soaring vocal of elena aki on space song or the expressive guitar trills on taxi driver, there s always something catchy to draw your ear in to pageant s smooth as silk soundworld.

after a smooth debut on kyoku records, copenhagen-based dorsi plantar joins team better listen for a four track ep of bright, heady grooves. the a-side leans more on the afro-latin and jazzy side of things, while the flip dives deep into disco. fans of blr s previous outings and the likes of other imprints such as sleazy beats black ops will not be disappointed. dj support: fouk thatmanmonkz mike w (kolour ltd) sleazy beats soundsystem tilman kian t lee dearn (secret reels) osmose ponty mython kyoku records replika closed paradise

artefact - a smooth groover that has all the markings of a great producer. it’s a smooth groove machine, percussive and acidic in equal measure.
drag you inside a hole - is percussive again, with his hall mark signature groove, it’s infectious as it is long, a great booming techno number.
no merci - a peak time affair, booming and dark, think aliens, it’s the title for a reason, it stomps and delivers.
shelter - a breaks outing, subtle and melodic. a perfect finishing or opening track to a set, and one of our favourites on this release. it’s as magic as it is prophetic, simplistic beauty at it’s best.

2017 repress. another true classic tracks by aquaphresca. vinyl only!

this is a parallel double grooved single-sided 12 inch, which plays from the center to the outer edge ...
another fresh collaboration between omar-s and l.a.s nite jewel on confess to u. the vocal mix is a melodic house track with playful vocals courtesy of nite jewel. on the flip is the the three stooges of hamtramck mix, which strips down the vocals and focuses on the hand percussions and lightly added sax - real smooth for summer!

another fresh collaboration between omar-s and l.a.s nite jewel on confess to u. the vocal mix is a melodic house track with playful vocals courtesy of nite jewel. on the flip is the the three stooges of hamtramck mix, which strips down the vocals and focuses on the hand percussions and lightly added sax - real smooth for summer!

o2 returns to argot just behind the release of her 3rd album. pointed at dancefloors while simultaneously speaking to her songwriting capabilities, w/the a being smooth & spacey, & the b at first pensive, before flowering into a floor filler.

the equally strong -taste and see- on the flipside provides the only lyrical reference to hawai (-mangos and papayas got flavors of their own-) while remaining in line with mehl s smooth west coast vibe - he hired two of chuck mangione s colleagues for the recording, guitarist steve o conner and horn player john rekevics.

collated by legendary acid house don k alexi bringing together 5 of his chi town cohorts for a 6 track jack fest of the highest order.

k alexi shelby & robert owens present downtown , a track that s been getting the inner circle of the house music community quite excited over the past few years some projects simply can t be rushed, and this labor of love is one of those very releases. often imitated but never replicated, roberts instantly recognizable vocals have been tearing up dance floors since the late 80 s, and here with his long time friend k alexi shelby the pair have once again unleashed something special just in time for record store day. flying the chicago flag high, remixes take shape from the ever impressive anthony nicholson & mike dunn, whilst greek supremo anthony k adds in a totally different musical trip, each one ticks all the boxes required and impressively opens up the release for a wide pool of dj s to enjoy. it s k klassik baby! dj support: ron trent, kenny dope, roy davis jnr, joe smooth, maurice joshua, mike dunn, k alexi shelby, anthony nicholson, anthony k & soulfuledge.

for the seventh in most excellent unlimiteds series of collaborations with danny krivit, the exalted editor reshapes two classics that regularly lit up the loft and the paradise garage. wars epic 1972 instrumental city country city drops its placid pastoral vibes in favor of a solely urban approach, trimmed from the lp version s ten minutes to a fighting weight of six. searing solos cresting over war s trademark latin funk make it plain why this has long been a foundation cut for deeper dancefloors. the flip sees mr. k showing off his skills at the edit block with a meticulous tightening of jakkis sun,sun, sun - the original record, a feel-good, warm weather mood- lifter, was notorious for awkward tape edits (now known to be the work of walter gibbons) that for years left djs frustrated as they attempted to achieve smooth blends in the face of shifting tempos and downbeats. krivit pulls the pieces of this larry levan favorite apart and reassembles them as only a veteran audio mechanic could do, giving the tune the logical musical arc it never had. while each of these tracks previously existed as singles, this is the first

madcap and jaybee team up to create the musical masterpiece called “settle down”. the song starts out rather jazzy, with it’s smooth rhodes keys and heavy cymbal riding drum lines. when the song hits the breakdown, the whole tone of the tune changes. the punchy sub bassline is unleashed and becomes one of the driving forces of the track. echoing reggae style vocals are beautifully weaved into the background of the track, transforming the vibe into a reggae/dub style d&b classic. the amen drums also help to create an intoxicating energy that make this one a sure thing for dance floor mayhem. instant classic!
“hear comes” takes over where “settle down” left off. the song begins with big amen drums, backed with a reggae style skanking guitar chop. during the breakdown, a thoughtful roots reggae vocal sample is introduced that helps lift the track into a true dubwise gem. when the drop hits, the baseline kicks in and begins to wobble and throb behind all the deep atmospherics. the track has a beautiful breakdown, which takes the listener to a more melodic place. after a moment of serenity, the song breaks back into the chaotic old school flavor, which madcap does so well. this one’s a beauty!!