killer, cosmic leaning german funk-rock moves here on the repress tip courtesy of epsilon, a 4 piece from marburg, just north of frankfurt. that kind of grooved out, downtempo dusted glam type of gear that one might hear dj harvey play at wrong o clock in the morning, or something that loda might flip into mid-set that would have everyone scratching their head in disbelief. one of a handful of cool jams the epsilon guys cranked out, remastered and repressed on a lovely, handy 45. sounds heavy. essential listening for those of a more left-field disposition. dig it.

it’s always exciting to introduce new names to the spring theory roster and pedro vian, its latest addition, makes no exception to the rule. it’s also the 10th release on spring theory, so more reasons to rejoice! the barcelona-based producer came to (my) attention with his releases dancing hindus and titled beautiful things you left us for memories on his own label modern obscure music. this ep picks up some of the themes from those records and further explores of his style of elegiac synth lines and primitive drum machines. the sound of dancing alone with your eyes closed, late at night. haunting house for the heartbroken.

by your side is the second solo release of the year from will saul, it follows his spring 12inch bugs which gathered support from gilles peterson on his bbc 6 music show as well as leon vynehall, midland & deetron. never content to sit still in one style or genre bys sees will exploring his love for electro, acid and tripped out left of center house. with more eps on the horizon for the autumn we find an artist full of inspiration, elated to be back in the studio and enjoying his most fruitful production spell in recent history.

nz import. 12inch with printed deluxe sleeve, plus lovely 2 sided full size photo inserfor its second release, strangelove resurrects two cuts from the australian cult synth pop duo, arvos, much-mythologised 1984 album luna. having spent time in europe and with heads & hearts full of the continents synth-pop movements, deborah gray and roy nicolson each returned down-under to discover a doggedly rock orientated landscape. finding solace in roys studio and inspired by their musical o.e.s, the arvo concept was formed and an album took shape. a glamorous visual/electronic opus, major label misjudgment and local bewilderment left luna to unjustly slip under the radar. rescued here, bikini channels an ipanema electronic vibe, nostalgically recalling antipodean beach culture while the synthetic undercurrents of so deep reflect on the nature of our dreams. also presented is a reimagined so deep instrumental from australias synth pop scholar-in-chief hysteric, while french m.o.t.m. shelter tailors bikini into an excursion version.

farväl falkenberg is an album by erik enocksson and a soundtrack to the movie of the same name. it is 10 years old this year and in celebration of that posh isolation is rereleasing it in a remastered version with new artwork, giving it its first widespread lp release to date.

“the spiral” is frederikke hoffmeiers third solo lp for posh isolation under her puce mary moniker, and follows where last year’s critically acclaimed “persona” left off. working more precisely than ever, “the spiral” binds the listener in a tight web of sharp synthesizers, hammering percussion, obscured vocals, field recordings, and blistering noise. puce mary manages to at once honour the history of industrial music and noise, as well as transform it.

just in time for summer, rnt drops a 3-tracker of tropical heat from brazilian outfit balako. although relative newcomers, their production prowess has been known to their rio de janeiro musical community and beyond for some time, and is on full display here. the a-side showcases their knack for modernizing the canonical brazilian mpb sound, from the deceptively demonic build of batuque, to the acidic-leaning lilt of deixa acontecer. the flip side takes a hard turn left of field with honey honey honey, a 9 minute opus of afro-brazilian disco insanity, primed for those balmy summertime roof parties.

much needed reissue of brazil, a collaborative work by three spearheads of scandinavian electronic music today. the original edition was presented in a limited run of four cassettes, boxed and with an accompanying book. this timely reissue comes as a remastered double lp set, inviting a new set of listeners to the work.

the whiskey pickle crew turn their attention to a new partnership from steve cobby and laurie welton, the former being known for decades of djing, label management and producing alongside the likes of stephen mallinder for throne of blood. here the emphasis, as expected with whiskey pickle, is on disco with a slight leaning to the left. -absolute- is a bubbling jam laden with illustrious threads of melody, cosmic in nature but still rooted thanks to a rock solid rhythm section. -limoncello- is a more introspective affair that works with minor chords and a more intricate set of drums, but don t be fooled the groove is very much still intact. new york duo whatever/whatever bring a tougher dynamic to -absolute,- dialing in some beefy beats and amping up the synth touches for a surefire house heater. played by

originally released in 2015 on cassette by g.e.d. soul records. now for the first time on 1lp vinyl on kingunderground, remastered and limited to 500 copies. the album is a collection of delightfully smoked out, library inspired instrumentals. following in the footsteps of their highly enjoyable 2011 debut. “return of” combines many shades of many moods into a tight record that finds a nice balance between strange hype arrangements and super chill ‘couch-lock’ inducing slow jams. it embarks on a cinematic soul journey from the opening note, through the interlude, straight to the closing credits.

opening track in the b kicks off proceedings in no uncertain fashion. it s 100% wall shaker material, the type of techno music best paired with strobe lights and towering speaker stacks. it mesmerises with its low-slung undulating bassline and detroit rhythms before giving way to some riotous old school essex stabs and sharp claps. no messing, this is a certified 3 am red light burner! track 2 chocolate biscuit accelerates proceedings! beginning with unfussy drums and a robotic, bleep-heavy melody driving it off into a wonderfully off-kilter direction. its arpreggio d rhythms may be brutish and wrestle a growling sense of menace out of the track, but the overall feel, however, suggests considerable care and attention has been paid to make it sound this way. there s clearly an uncommon musicality at play here to make something this complex feel so simple. the bpm drops next on jenny s hall but from the offset, there s enough funk and thrust in the motorised synth line to get bodies gently grooving without the beauty getting lost in the slower loop. this is blissed out, psychotropic techno - the kind of track where it feels like you re floating and falling at the same time, but all the while making sure you still remain fit for purpose on the dancefloor. ian blevins takes on remix duties this time and the berlin-based dj/producer offers up a sleek peak-time banger that fizzes, bubbles and percolates. he gives the rhythm on jenny s hall less space to swing and ties it to a tight motorik beat turning it into a slice of shiny, modern techno but with extra shoulder-checking force. its vibe drawing from a sense of outsider-party fun with a wry smile, and a knowing wink running throughout before bringing the package to a suitably left of field crescendo.

r&s welcome back highly-revered techno artist benjamin damage with his new double headed single ‘malfunction / binary . ‘montreal’ from his debut r&s ep proved to be one of the label s biggest techno releases of the last few years - the pummelling drums, intense atmosphere and beatuiful melodies are synonymous with the music that has made the label timeless. road tested in benjamin’s heavy artillery live shows across the globe, malfunction / binary pick up where the last ep left off - pistoning rhythms, breakneck beats and monolithic bass, but this time the mood is more reflective and optimistic - skying cloud-like pads offer a dreamy counterpoint. made between london and berlin, following recent live shows at berghain and oval space, benjamin’s wanderlust and restless studio dynamic sees him continually breaking down his gear to travel, “being on tour with all my gear i find it quite easy to work in new places,” he explains. “i like the energy of different cities and it s good to keep moving.” this new ep is announced ahead of a huge, all hardware live show at sonar by night in barcelona. with ‘malfunction/binary’ sure to do the business and an album in progress for r&s scheduled for 2019 it’s going to be an exciting year ahead!

following up lou karsh’s excellent “ataraxia” ep we’re hitting up australia once again, such is the level of burgeoning talent down under. this time it’s the turn of sydney native e davd.

desets inaugural release sees the boys perk up with two stunning originals and are back by remixes from none other than two chi-town legends, boo williams and ricardo miranda.

kdj style house belters that have been getting major support from motor city drum ensemble, bradley zero and glenn astro to name a few.
organic in both sound and nature, ‘konkahs’ is a product of the producer’s extensive musical exploration up to this point and a creation of fineness. with just snippets of garvey’s delicious voice lacing the track, focus remaing on the slick instrumental layers of a dreamy bassline, ambient, jazzy keyboard melodies and vivid percussion. each one as divine as the next and all carried by a chilled 111 bpm tempo. cb describes the ‘be-side’ as the ‘bubble and squeak’ of the ep, using up any ‘left overs’ from the single. with 12 minutes of gorgeous simplicity and woozygrooves, it seems the ‘be-side’ is as integral to the identity of the ep as the a-side

you got the stuff is not lovely day - that much is true. this ones a wigged out, extended, trip into deep space from 1978 that is truly baffling. of course, it features bill singing for the first half of the track but then all of a sudden we re launched into a cosmic wormhole as everything just falls back and the track is stripped of any earthly qualities. people find themselves asking this, this is bill withers? as lazer guided synths and rock solid drums pull us into the sonic vortex. truly amazing. obviously a nugget like this has not gone unnoticed and has been edited and chopped and sampled deftly by the more sarcastic, left-field oriented crate diggers out there but it has never been reissued legitimately - until now! a hugely sought after and collectible gem right here, backed with the wistful slow jam look to each other for love as per the original 1978 columbia promo 12inch version. this left-field, cosmic classic has been legally reissued by above board distribution in conjunction with the legal rights holders sony music entertainment. this high quality repress features original columbia pink label disco 12inch artwork and has been remastered from sonys original sources by optimum mastering, bristol uk.

2lp comes in gatefold! follow up to a blink of an eye (rblp06/cd06) + i ve got my eye on you (dfa). written and produced by maurice fulton!

beneath the still waters of lonely sound there lays the ruins of howland abbey, its 3000lb bell still hanging in the belfry, only swayed by the currents of the regular tides across the estuary, over 100 years since it was rang by the order of carthusian monks who lived in the nearby priory. at the turn of the last century during a heavy storm the abbey was plundered by an unknown gang of marauders, as they left on horseback carrying with them all the gold from the abbey the sea defences around lonely sound were breached, flooding the abbey, priory and the surrounding land, the monks ran for dry land as they watched their beloved bell tower disappear beneath the rising waters, unable to chase the thieves, cut off as the water rose around them. some locals say these ransackers were in league with the elements, some say they had just intentionally damaged the sea defences before making their raid. local folk-law claims that the morning bells of the abbey can be heard ring out from beneath the murky waters of the sound every year on the anniversary of the great storm, ringing the peel that was never rung.

r-time records releases two tracks from iceland’s sanasol, aka thor and yagya, entitled long lost thoughts - originally appearing on deep thoughts lp via hey babe! in 97. out of all of thors aliases, which includes oz artists, flow machine and thor54, sanasol, his duo project alongside yagya, is arguably the most prolific. on top of appearances on thors own renowned imprint thule records, as sanasol the pair have released on fear of flying, connaisseur superieur and alex azary and pascal f.e.o.s.s hey babe! of which the latter homed the‘deep thoughts album. matt edwards r-time now releases two of the long players finest tracks, following recent revivals of timeless music by sir lord commix and fbk. long lost thoughts begins by utilising filtered chord stabs alongside a thumping bass and sustained strings before the track progresses with ethereal pads combined with resonant bells playing a top line melody. on the flip, in the sky of normality presents shuffled drums with crisp hi-hats and a strong low-end whilst delayed synths pan left and right throughout keeping things atmospheric and mesmerising.

enter the winking ship and go on a journey through the half-human-half-hyper-reality of david goldberg. emo serialism is a sparkling macrocosm of breakbeat wizardry, technoid trance, robo emotion and versicolour ornamentation. the eponymous first track with its safe ground baseline is the cotton wool of the ep, the galaxy’s aether and the joyful opening ceremony of this planetary feast. baseelmnt64 rings out! the stars align and the tournament begins. lightyears later, hobbling yet graceful konradichtion 101 is the daring darling of the public, thus emerges victoriously. and the moral of this story is made for / left for blank.

front left records founder elad magdasi is next to appear on sinfols anagram label with four stirring cuts entitled liquid dreams this june. originally hailing from tel aviv, magdasi moved to berlin in 2013 where he has immersed himself in the scene whilst honing his craft in the studio. primarily a platform for his own productions, he launched front left records in 2015 and later debuted on anagrams phasing faces va in 2017 alongside anetha, d?vide and sinfol. he now returns to the label with a four track release of his own. liquid dreams opens the release with a mesmerizing spoken word sample, twinkling melodies and layered atmospherics whilst sporadic hats rattle throughout. thudding kicks, escalating synths and quivering bass then combine together in water damage before moving into the mesmerizing silver lights, which conjures up an otherworldly aesthetic courtesy of arpeggiated notes and crashing cymbals. lastly, never let go exhibits a cacophony of elements such as crystalline chords and a meandering bassline that generate a heightening suspense from start to finish.

charlois welcomes back label inaugurator dollkraut, this time in company with de ambassade. the label grants permission for them to share this 10 and create their own world, so they can coexist and share stories about lost love, condolence and isolation. on the a side they come together in a dark room anthem about sex, lust and worship. it oozes with cold, heart-stabbing melancholia, yet carries the artists idiosyncratic warm and crunchy sound. the flip side scratches open the wounds left by the first song and sees dollkraut drop his soft touch. what follows is a hypnotic voodoo track, summoning dark spirits with unsettling synths, shamanic vocals and tribal jewish harp.

following some now cult releases on mutli culti, turbo recordings (with the much-acclaimed “mz”) and his recent lp “lotos land” on japanese imprint endless flight, our favourite east-berlin born child sascha funke is finally coming up with an ep on hippie dance’s sister label your and your hippie friends. “i guess more than one of you have noticed my obsession with sascha funke’s music over the past years since it is an essential part in my dj sets. after the pause he gave his solo work to put his attention into his amazing band project saschienne together with julienne dessagne (aka fantastic twins, also his partner in life), he came back with a really cool ep on kompakt records which i played over and over and left me wanting for more. being close friends gave me the luxury of having access to his material before other people and when i would visit the coolest couple in berlin, sascha would always play me his new tunes in the car while rolling through the city. every time i would ask for those tracks to play them and in the club, people that i would play with would often ask who was behind them, as it happened with tiga one night in cologne, and eventually led to sascha’s music being released on turbo recordings and multi culti the following months. now i finally got the chance and honour to release a sascha funke ep on our own humble label... acatenango. like every time, it all started with me visiting berlin, sascha playing his new material while cruising around on board of his german car, me getting in trance while listening to it, asking for it and playing it right away in my next sets. three super cool tracks, all very different from each other but somehow connected with the inimitable funke touch. powerful yet elegant, hypnotic yet fun, brutal yet sophisticated. sascha funke... he’s a hippie and he’s a friend.” rebolledo

limited edition hand stamped 12” vinyl incl holographic sticker and hand screen-printed insert all housed inside a poly-bag.

brame & hamo are back with the third release on their eponymous imprint. trants and club orange effortlessly upheld the berlin based duos reputation for dancefloor ready hits, with the latter selling out in one day. picking up where the others left off, limewire ep is a nod to their early influences channelling house, techno, trance and breakbeat. over three tracks, brame & hamo brandish the party starting spirit they are rapidly becoming known for. broken beats feature heavily alongside subtle acid licks, uplifting harmonies and sweltering synth lines. parade rain is a peak time house roller with pulsing bass, meditative pads and airy pipes that polish it off to make a fine rendition to early 90’s house. sports complex the darkest of the ep, builds an intense energy with a heavy hitting 808, shuttering reflections, a driving 303 line topped off with a trance-inducing melody that makes this into a big room bomb. the title track is a breakbeat workout honing a classy piano riff complimented with emotional synths, strings and more acid lines, a fruit for clarity. finally tuff city kids aka gerd janson & lauer round it up with a club ready interpretation of their title track, adding more drum layers, a jittering bassline and a simple but effective melody to finish it off. limewire ep finds the duo exploring a range of influences, expertly referencing various styles whilst still weighing in the sound that is now unmistakably theirs.

special edition clear pressing – limited hand numbered 500.
los angeles producer sweatson klank builds his productions as if they were films, developing a story from start to finish. stylistically, fine lines his debut full length for friends of friends, picks up where his 2017 then i was me’ ep left off, melding forward thinking hip hop and electronics as a back drop for a soulful and sultry journey through a tumultuous love affair, loss of self, and the dark empty spaces in our minds. the songs on fine lines sit in a space occupied by hip hop, future r&b and house, yet the record cleverly transcends any single genre. while much of the production is hard hitting, the album manages to walk a tightrope between heartache and swagger. a meticulous fine line that weaves itself like a thread throughout. sweatson klank enlists a number of features on the album including newcomers ana calvo, sarah saldivia, and annie bass as well as past collaborator, montreal producer ango.

belgrade’s infamous club night launching the label with a split 12” by these hidden jewels of the city’s underground. slow, dark and to the left.

all that was fire and only ashes were left.
no matter how many times we burn, as the scum, we’ll grow again.
“proudly introducing the last maxi-single i’ll be releasing this year. (no don’t worry, oaks is fully scheduled so you will hear from us). for the first time, i’m releasing a 4-tracker with highly emotive p(f)unktional music, for the warehouse or the club. these songs are written in a certain mood and i suppose that they accomplish their purpose. the willing to get lost, avoid reality and at least for some time forget this mad world that surrounds us. please do not stop the rave.”

northern soul anthems features 26 classic northern soul tracks pressed on 2x 180g heavyweight black vinyl. housed in gatefold sleeve with original photography from filmmaker elaine constantine. defining northern soul anthems from judy street, al green, sue lynne, chairmen of the board, the vibrations, little richard, the charmaines, willie kendrick, gloria edwards + more.

the next modern hypnosis sees the first official vinyl release from another channel. the young german producer jonas schachners (another channel) has been at the fore front of the new wave of ‘dub techno’ that has been lurking in the underground over the last few years. his dubbed out analog sound has left some accrediting his productions as ‘picking up where rhythm & sound left off’. his debut 12” gives us two very unique tracks. the a side ‘lord 35’ is an energetic synth driven tune which sitting at 135bpm, in a two-step style is made for the dance. the b side ‘corruption’ sees an international connection with the original composition created in germany by another channel, then the overdubbing of vocals supplied by ethiopian vocalist enushu taye (the black jesus experience) in her native amharic, recorded and mixed by mystik in his melbourne studio. the warm analog stabs and punchy bassline accompanied with enushu taye’s haunting vocals makes for a beautiful piece of music.

vantanes >they called him little prince< is the first release of a newly established label from brixton called top brick records. the title track kicks off proceedings with a hypnotising piano sample soon accompanied by a preaching vocal and screeching synths. chez toi follows similar suit this time in the form of grey strings. add dusty highs, throbbing bass stabs and kooky synths you are left with a complete sense of mystery throughout the whole track. looking away ties up the mini ep nicely with trancey synths and twinkly atmospheres throughout creating a highly emotive sign out. dj support: laurent garnier, dj barely legal, danny tenaglia, krywald & farrer, pablo bolivar, phonogenic, dan drastic, john digweed, meat (freebase), j.phlip, martin landsky, kev obrien, ian o donovan, brett johnson, ossie, rob da bank dusky, iron curtis

2018 repress in plain white sleeve.
critical come extremely correct once more with what is bound to be an early summer smash as a certain dub phizix picks up where the almighty marka left off. teaming up with fellow manchester scene stalwart fox proves an inspired choice here which critical just couldnt ignore, so invited him back to drop these two more astonishingly fresh tracks for this, his second outing on the label. simply put, >never been< is baaaaaad man business. a lean, stripped back percussive intro leads us to a breakdown where fox greets us with the sickest of vocal hooks that you will be trying to decipher until the end. when the tribal half-time break drops its time to bounce as the undulating b-line rolls heavy throughout with dub phizix teasing with awesome drumedits and amen shakedowns. riddim! cinematic soundscapes and a solid beats combine on >codec<, a more bass-led slab of equally dance floor drum & bass that retains the dub phizix air of originality with an experimental break the kicks like a mule. another winner without doubt from a very exciting splinter cell coming out of the north of the uk right now.

special limited edition on white 10 inch vinyl.

it was vladimir ivkovic who introduced me to the world of rex ilusivii. a world where the spirit of a genius holds sway. i remember spending an entire night at vladimir s house in germany, listening to all those recovered pieces, and feeling like i had entered another space-time. mitar tragically left us, one november night in 1999 in brazil, leaving behind an extensive body of work consisting of more than 500 pieces, for the most part never released. being submerged in such a unique universe, so singular, brought me happiness. it also filled me with hope, because i tell myself that today there must be many other outstanding musicians who produce in the shadow of the traditional circuit, just for the pleasure of making music. listening to the music of mitar suboti&#263,, makes you part of his world. he did not stop producing from 1983 to 1999, in different styles, but with an instantly recognizable touch.his music also marries the evolution of recording techniques with new instruments that have appeared over this time, from the tr808 to the digital samplers. it took me more than two years to select the music for this record, as each time i listened to the material it revealed other details and other possibilities. i am extremely happy and honored to present this record to you, in which i try to do justice to the different, versatile- facets of suba.

osynlig fetma is the production duo arvid wretman (aka your planet is next, sexazoid) and dennis vera. the two stockholmers have created a diverse ep of analogue lopsided dance music. freaky vocals take place over freewheeling jazzy jamming synths and drum machines. house music for dancers with two left feet. comes complete with a mix mup remix. download code included.

london based artist, shamos, takes sze on a trip through mutations of rugged and tripped out analog house, techno and left field cuts.

50 is a nice number of releases to be celebrated in style, that’s why we have cooked up a very special menu for this milestone. as the spirit of the pole group team we have combined everyone’s character on this record. all tracks have been made in common, each of the label foundational members have worked on their own sound parts that in a second process have been assigned randomly to others to work on them, in a creation loop that somehow represented the true essence of the label. you’ll never now who is making what, it’s just oscar mulero, exium and reeko in essence and mixed up. you’ll find no ambient interludes, no anthems, no big breakdowns, every piece in this creation has been designed for the finest dancefloors, rough textures mixed with solid beats and continuous synth lines, techno in its essence made by those who never left the boat in ruff times, pioneers making the soundtrack of the future.

following the u.s. army’s liberation of munich in may 1945, the world’s first amerikahaus was inaugurated there with a library, a magazine reading room, a children’s library, a record and lm department, and lecture and seminar rooms, together with a concert hall and exhibition space. up to 80.000 people a month utilized the offerings of amerikahaus during its early years. beginning in 1953, the united states information agency (usia), an institution founded as an instrument of the cold war, began to finance amerikahaus. in addition to representing the u.s., its principal task in west germany was to democratize and denazify the postwar population. after the beginning of the cold war, many of these re-educative measures also served as propaganda in a programmatic linking of democratic and economic principles meant to strengthen transatlantic relations against the communist bloc. in 1997, the u.s. government concluded its work at amerikahaus in munich and shipped almost all its items back to the states. however, 1.630 long-playing vinyl records from the library were left behind in cardboard boxes in the basement. when michaela melián looked through this forgotten collection, one of the first things she came across was don gillis’ 1940 tone poem »portrait of a frontier town«, whose second movement is entitled »where the west begins«. don gillis, a composer and radio producer, used the musical styles and genres of that decade to create an explicitly american program music. michaela melián’s »music from a frontier town« is fueled by the diverse sonic material of this extensive record collection once considered as an instrument of cultural education. this record has been produced in addition to melián’s twenty-four hour performative music installation »music from a frontier town« in the garage of what is now the bavarian center for transatlantic relations at karolinenplatz, munich (4-5 may 2018).

bruno patchworks hovart is one of the top producers of todays groove music scene. after playing as a bassist and guitarist for various bands, he started producing in the mid-nineties and has kept on mixing todays technologies with the raw spirits of house, electronic, disco, funk, soul, reggae & jazz musics golden years since then. following the trail of success left by his various projects as patchworks, and under many aliases, hes proved his musical ubiquity and unexpectedly stroke in various genres. today, hes back under the edr records umbrella, following up to his various ep for the label, and meanwhile pursuing a comeback to his early love for house music. many house music diggers would indeed remember that before favorite recordings was launched in 2006, patchworks and pascal rioux produced many deep-house tracks on the rotax disques imprint. besides since the late 90s, patchworks has also collaborated with labels such as q-tape, or still music, delivering many clubbing hits such as million toes, sugar, or minautor. on this 5 tracks ep, he delivers 4 killer tunes again, inspired by the michael jackson’s classic hit, rock with you.

bruno “patchworks” hovart is definitely one of the top producers of today’s groove music scene. after 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. following the trail of success left by his various projects as patchworks, and under many aliases, he’s proved his musical ubiquity and unexpectedly stroke in various genres. for this new ep, he’s back under the edr records’ umbrella, following up to his acclaimed eps called give my love (edr019) and dedications (edr021), and meanwhile pursuing a comeback to his early love for house music. many house music diggers would indeed remember that before favorite recordings was launched in 2006, patchworks and pascal rioux produced many deep-house titles on the rotax disques imprint. besides since the late 90s, patchworks has also collaborated with labels such as q-tape, or still music, delivering many clubbing hits such as “million toes”, “sugar”, or “minautor” to name just a few. on this 4 tracks ep, he again delivers 4 dancefloor killers, ready to convince any listener from old-school “footstomping” aficionados, to detroit house heads. for the occasion he also invited his long time mate eric duperray aka mr day, who brings his soulful vibes to the mix.

born in cameroon, vicky began banging the drums at the age of 9. by 13 he had moved onto bass and within a couple of years he was playing every night from 10pm to 5am in the castel douala cabaret. at the age of 19 vicky moved to paris to study banking and commerce and cram in even more music. he took classes at Épinay-sur-seine conservatoire music school and it was here that he met bandmates of his dikalo project. word spreads and he soon becomes one of the most sought after bass players in the afro arena. his session work features on many scenes stars, manu dibango, eko tala am, kemayo, sammy massamba, toto guillaume and many more. a chance meeting with the gibson brothers also see him play on two of their hit albums. in the 80s vicky moved to the us for spell and excels as a session bassist and touring musician. we pick up the story in 1981. with his stature as a musician and bass player riding high he takes a detour to nigeria to record with the afrodisia label in lagos. the thank u mamma album is the result. it is repressed for the first time, here in 2018 on the revitalised afrodisia label. musical proceedings open up with the heartfelt ode to his mother thank u mamma, smooth pop meets afrobeat boogie. marina driv slows things down with its smoldering jazz. side two opens with its not serious a catchy vocal number underpinned with funky guitars and striding basslines. stormy rain is lazy guitar jazz swansong. we close off the album with the ever so funky you. slick funk grooves powered along with a dose of slap bass. as a side note vicky actually plays left handed but with a upside down right handed bass. this upside-down precursor making his effortless slap playing even more impressive. vicky went on to record a two other albums and still tours and plays as an ever-in-demand session musician.

the unstoppable most excellent unlimited charges ahead with the ninth in the heralded mr. k 45s edits series, with this latest edition the most intriguing to date. deep in danny krivit s voluminous collection is a 7-inch acetate rescued from the records left behind by master mixer and dj walter gibbons when he passed away in 1994. the mysterious plate, simply labeled -1, 2, 3,- was custom cut by gibbons for his personal use in the early 70s when he and a partner operated a service called melting pot sounds that provided one-off copies of otherwise unobtainable imports for nyc disc jocks. most of the 20-odd known releases on melting pot sounds have been identified, but the true provenance of -1, 2, 3- has remained elusive. the tune is a screaming, instrumental disco delight, with aggressive clavinet riffing broken up periodically by raunchy sax. for this most excellent unlimited issue, mr. k meticulously transferred his unique gibbons acetate and further intensified the already propulsive track with a few choice edits of his own. not to be outdone, the flip side focuses on a ferocious percussion break that has previously only been available on a very poor quality 12-inch single. -sweet summer suite- by love unlimited orchestra has long been noted for its intro, a concoction of conga, cowbell, cuica and cabasa that drives dancers wild with its relentless, intense groove underpinned by a booming bass slide. making its 7-inch debut here, the groove has been extended and teased as only a master could do, complimenting the a-side and creating a powerful dj weapon. as always, this most excellent unlimited single has been mastered and pressed to the highest standards with loud dj usage in mind, and will be available in extremely limited quantities

vienna-based producer sam irl popped up on our radar a couple of years ago following stellar releases on jazz & milk, but honestly we should have been paying far closer attention as this guy has been making the best crunchy, mpc-driven jazz-infused house music dating right back to 2006. ep’s for s3a’s sampling as an art and collaborative projects with patrick pulsinger and dusty have won him fans including gilles peterson (leading to a release on brownswood), mr scruff and session victim amongst many others. his live sets have also seen him perform at the hallowed grounds of panorama bar and sonar festival. for his debut ep here on freerange sam has delivered four tracks which perfectly showcase his production skills and knowledge of what makes a dance floor tick, kicking off with title track rain technique. quirky keys and a playful groove help build a warm and charming vibe, light and bouncy yet deep and driving enough to get your dance on to. trust follows with loping, lopsided percussion forming the basis of the groove, sparse rhodes pads punctuating the beat and adding just the right musical element to the mix without cluttering the beats or compromising the sense of space. flipping over we have all thats left which sees sam utilising his trusted tr606 for some lovely snappy snares and sizzling hihats. chiming arpeggios join the repeating chord riff creating another simple yet uplifting and playful mood which cant fail to get under your skin. closing the ep we have a wonky, shuffling house track which once again shows sam proving less is more, sampling his key elements into the mpc and jamming out the arrangement in a live and improvised way which brings a fresh, somewhat naive appeal to the production.

limited edition black vinyl 300 copies...
ryuji takeuchi provides instruments of discipline with an ep of noisy, hypnotic tracks, ranging from giddy, stomping, left-field techno to melancholic ambience, the ep’s title ‘one’s sentiment’ provides a thoughtful angle to this at times cacophonous collection, for while they are bristling with noise there is something contemplative about the pieces, expressed in a way that suggests more than one thought trying to take life at the same moment, ryuji finds space for conflicting voices both spatially and in terms of mood, the first three tracks, ‘ambivalence’, ‘sadness’ & ‘sorrow’ crawl with competing elements, synth lines drool over and meld with throbbing kick patterns, anxiety & excitement are tightly wound in focus as tracks build and develop, leaving the listener to navigate these abstract planes, intoxicated, while the final track ‘regret’ is a compelling piece of noisy, ambient minimalism that allows for an austere pause after the eruption of the initial works. it becomes evident that ryuji’s journey as a producer, through periods of hard-techno, deep-minimalism and the more abrasive ventures on huehelix, has created a powerful and nuanced voice that is fully on display in ‘one’s sentiment’.

with the celebrated return of dr. octagon (dan the automator, kool keith and dj qbert) in 2017 including their first-ever live performances fans are sure to keep gobbling up the space weirdness that first surfaced more than 20 years ago. get on down presents a unique picture disc, featuring the original octagon album artwork by the legendary artist pushead. the infamous doctor’s head and lower torso reach above and below the actual 45 rpm playing surface, as if trying to escape their two-dimensional status. on the a-side is a brand-new dr. octagon song, “octagon octagon,” which picks up where the original energy left off. it’s a dark and grooving glimpse into keith’s rubberband mind, jumping abstractly from line to line, chock full of equal partscharisma and dementia. on the flip is the song for which the group is most well-known, “blue flowers.” the version presented here is the amazing “prince paul’s so beautiful” remix, which first appeared on a mo wax 12” in the uk in late 1996. it was the first meeting of the two great production minds from different eras – dan the automator and prince paul would go on to collaborate many more times over the next decade, most notably as the group handsome boy modeling school. this is another great trophy for any self-respecting kool keith and dan the automator fan, combining the old and the new in triumphant fashion.

unterton kicks off 2018 sideways with three tracks of high-octane electronics by mark. 0-160 bpm in 15 minutes. previous eps for a colourful storm had a conceptual focus: the destructive effects of tech start-ups on berlin’s cultural landscape. sound-wise, they paired frenetic, experimental d‘n’b with musique concrète. on his unterton debut, mark continues further down a path of dark and psychedelic beat science. at times tranquil and hypnotic, other times charging forward between cracked whips and whiplash left-turns. “comedy is the dog that walks out of the room when you call its name.”

the next yoshitoshi classic is here and it s a heavy one - dino lenny s -i feel stereo.- anyone on the scene in 2001, when this monster tune was originally released, remembers its pulsing rhythms and ear-catching vocal hook. seventeen years later, -i feel stereo- is back with three remixes from some of the finest artists around. steve lawler (working here as lawler) has crafted a badass, bassline-driven house track that pummels with all the energy of the original. steve continues his reign as as key innovator in dance music, modernizing this classic with unquestionable finesse. the red axes boys deliver their silky smooth brand of minimal house with a variety of distorted arpeggio riffs, futuristic chimes, and other left-field sounds that make their remix truly unique. it s another ace production from the israeli duo. last but certainly not least, up-and-comer frankyeffe, who delivered the goods on his collaborative splitting minds ep with loco & jam last fall, serves up some impeccably produced techno for big, loud rooms. the italian phenom s mix is absolute savagery. of course, it wouldn t be a yoshi classic pack without a remastered original mix.

the 2nd release on steady work by dear friends features conti with his exceptional consignment to all lovers of left field approaches to house and bass loaded music. contis ma lumps ep allows you to get a feeling for the crocking of the toxic but cheering industrial spheres of the city of mannheim. this ep is an emulsion out of distorted beats, field recordings, sampled baselines and vocal snippets, processed through a mpc, tracks in a rough tape compression mix style. funky-but-not-funky-kraut-hop-house at it s best. slope down from your faith by those lumps.

deep, soulful and techy treats by maestro eric ericksson. eric has been releasing his music since the early nineties on labels like fragile and planet e. in resent times eric’s music can also be found on papa records, local talk and freerange, to name a few. an elegant four tracker that starts out with the uncompromising and crude track ”greed”, followed by ”acquiescence” with its sharp and classy shuffles, lush strings and big sounding pads. the flip side starts of with ”totality”. complete, raw sounding with morphing dubby stabs, combined with rough grooves and punching beats. the ep ends off with the pulsating, dreamy and sensitive track ”closure”. nothing is left by chance when eric shows his vision and approach for modern electronic music.