rhythm is life and life is rhythm. not only is it our mantra here at neighbour recordings, it s also inspired the title of our debut release from brand-new production partnership and label owners base pilot aka quantec and birke tm. featuring four original tracks, the life is rhythm ep is a full thirty minutes of dope, low-slung house that perfectly unites the duo s many years of shared passion for deep electronic music. identify is the ideal introduction, swirling synths and deceptively hypnotic, it s a proper crafty cut, whilst ghosts leans towards a more emotive and subtle groove. title track life is rhythm is a warm and inviting ten-minute epic of chunky beats, quirky distortion and vocoded vocal snatches, whereas closing number on the early is seriously heads-down and deep. repeat after us, rhythm is life and life is rhythm.

rhythm of paradise returns on mothership cosmic rhythm after two years with a brilliant and lushy italo house masterpiece. to not be missed!

remixes from alexi delano+fredy grogan! on the latest release from make mistakes, roy england and friends take us on a ride into the beautiful, soulful depths. from uplifting love jams, to the chunkiest house funk, as always, the gang has you covered. roy england’s original mix soars through the night skies. pitter-patters, emotive pads, and a driving groove bring us the softer side of our little boogie baron. perfect for the euphoric abandon of a sweat soaked dance floor. alexi delano, a man who needs no introduction, kicks things up a notch, taking the original and giving it a restructured, pumping groove. a dubby line runs through, with echoing pads, a pulsing bass, and fluttering keys and synths. a beautiful dance floor meditation, with plenty of junk in the trunk. fredy grogan takes a hard left, and steps confidently into a psychedelic, tribal funk. teasing new vibes out of the original material, grogan transforms beauty in rhythm into a classic house groove, before settling us in to a hypnotic groove. make mistakes keeps on keepin on. thats all we know.

i like to move it, go on move and can you feel it had already established erick morillo and the mad stuntman as one of the biggest new acts in 1994 - and then came raise your hands . originally starting life as asuca by r.a.w. (another morillo alias on the legendary strictly rhythm label), the addition of the mad stuntman s unmistakable vocals helped give them their 4th top 15 hit of the year. the update comes courtesy of uk producer shadow child, no stranger to chart success himself. -i couldn t wait to get my hands on this one,- added shadow child, who also debuts his acidub edit as part of the record s release. -that infectious riff has been going round in my head since i originally heard it and it is such a honour to get to make 2 versions!-

fresh release from oussama k, a new talented artist made in lyon for his very 1st ep! dope house and electro tracks with a mpc touch.

monsieur-du-jour, chevals, graces us with his presence for an ep of exquisitely produced edits. la bouteille opens things up with a rhythmic workout combined with filtered melodies that erupt into a summery piano driven jam. under your command then comes in with the classic golden era disco feel, tied together with a shuffling beat. flip it over and fairy tales takes you into 80s boogie territory with those squelchy synths & irresistible vocals. closing out the ep chevals brings out the peak time, slap bass, disco stomper in croisades, complete with sultry sax licks, sure to do damage to any dancefloor its set before.

acid fans may well be aware of dj arg (also known as faceless junkies deluxe) and know that the man is a machine, literally churning out hundreds of the nastiest and most purist 303 based techno and house tracks and uploading them with alarming regularity to his soundcloud pages. super rhythm trax is proud to present to you his first vinyl release, it was really hard to decide on just four tracks, but these ones were jumping out for a release. sick and twisted 303 abuse for lovers of the silver box.

2018 repress , with the debut release selling out in a matter of days and a repress already flying off the shelves, rhythm section international present their second offering in the form of a remix ep, with reworks of al dobson jr. by polish rising stars ptaki and manchester mainstay ruf dug. eschewing the typical notions of a remix package, rhythm section international offers up 2 new tracks that didn’t appear on rye lane volume one, accompanied by 2 strikingly imaginative remixes. on the a side the polish duo of jaromir kami&#324,ski & bartosz kruczynski take al dobson jr’s tribal tom-tom rhythm and extend it into a sprawling disco epic, adding catchy keys and sensuous vocals that aim to tease the most reluctant of movers onto the dance-floor. ruf dug’s rework, named “ ruffy’s 3am canavan’s special” takes inspiration from one of many hazy late night sessions at the infamous peckham pool hall that is home to rhythm section. ruf dug, a rhythm section favourite and huge admirer of dobson’s beats, takes the gentle guitar strokes of the original and morphs them into metallic stabs, layered over an aggressive squelchy bass sound and sharp phasing hi-hats. this mantra is built upon in an effortless style typical of the mancunian producer and is as catchy as it is hypnotic.

you’d think that following “melodies of love” would be an impossible task. not so, if you happen to be genius brit-funk pioneers john rocca and andy stennett. on their more understated - yet, pound for pound, stronger - second record, pink rhythm stretched out to create a 4 track ep of richly melodic, exquisite beauty. in the process, they trumped their most well-known release.
cruising on a funk-fuelled journey from the swaggering title track, via the blue-eyed soul of “trust me”, to the stabbing staccato synth heat of “more and more” and back again (“india” dub) this ep has essential seared onto its substantial grooves.

a collaboration between label boss mark seven and dance music legend boyd jarvis (r.i.p.) on keys here. deep house cuts with that chunky disco-dub sound, breathing echoes of ma foom bey and man friday amongst others. dope!

david mayer’s career and background is marked by a desire to keep moving and experiencing new perspectives. having finally settled in berlin, the german dj and producer has built up an enviously diverse back catalogue on labels such as connected frontline, objektivity, gruuv, audiomatique and keinemusik. with his first release on acid pauli and nico stojan’s ouie label, mayer brings his trademark groove to the fore once more. ‘the call’ is a mid tempo chugger built around a kick, clap and 808 blip, before a more organic groove develops. the slowed down chants and wigged out synth line take the vibe into afro cosmic territory, without losing the original energy. ‘sooner’ is a little more urgent - a crisp, forward leaning rhythm and a deep, subby bass lead the way, before another frazzled synthesiser takes us on a melodic walkabout. ‘black queen’ is another example of mayer’s slick drum programming, keeping things zesty on the dance floor but with acres of space to lose yourself in.

while ant plate has been insanely busy with a plethora of aliases on a multitude of labels recently, he s still found time to turn out some surefire heaters in the studio with long time sparring partner matt hunt. this release marks the first appearance of rhythm plate on vinyl only, but it s worth the wait. there s an epic scope to apathetic empathy, which features bashy 80s drum hits and squelchy bass front and centre, but soaring vocal licks and piano stabs that widen the track out beautifully. observed privacy is a more emotive cut laden with illustrious keys, abuser experience is a bright and bashy deep house belter and prototype night takes things down a slinky, acid-speckled route. rhythm plate still serving up the house music realness after nearly 20 years.

dmitry meshcheryakov hails from moscow but lives in canada, where he s been busy pumping out classically informed garage house for over five years. now plastik people s new sublabel rhythm people carries his first vinyl release, and hes stepped up with some surefire party starters. body werk is a bad ass swinger with a crafty bassline and all the right stabs and samples, while hands together gets into a more rolling peak time house flow. mike millrain drops a heavy remix of body werk that keeps the original ingredients intact and simply builds on them with subtle flourishes. smokey bubblin b gets busy with hands together, crafting a classic shuffling masterclass from the component parts.

one of our humble imprint s closest allies and a longstanding pillar of philadelphia s electronic music community, billy werner has been a constant presence in the booth at parties throughout the northeast corridor since 1998. we debuted his m//r alias in 2014 with the gathering response data 12- . since he s been busy bringing the grit to points beyond the city of brotherly love, putting in work for the likes of detailssound, l.i.e.s. and jackdept. most recently, he turned out a remix of karen gwyer s -why does your father look so nervous- for the rembo remixes on don t be afraid, as well as another for chaperone s -grit neglect- on the aforementioned snapbackbalaclava ep. written, recorded, and mixed over a period of 15 months, among the methods is in no small part a reflection of the affinities and sensibilities billy holds as both selector and producer. referencing a variety of influences from jazz to dub to electro, the album s allure stems from his deft ability to recontextualize those genres disparate aspects into a familiar–yet fiercely idiosyncratic–musical context. the end result is at once wildly fractured and precision-focused as among the methods finds its own seductive rhythm within a matrix of dub echoes and modulated low-end. it s heady ground,to be sure,as well as the most declarative aesthetic statement fromm//r to date. presented without further comment. the music is the message

after a debut outing on international black last year with his best friend mallard, lt graduates onto rhythm section intl with a stunning debut solo effort: forest floor.

bacao rhythm & steel band return with another instantly classic 45 guaranteed to be all over djs set lists. with their sophomore full length coming in september, they treat us to another bomb of a two sider.
side a is a cover of the dr dre hit “xxplosive” done up in proper brsb fashion, smashing drums and steel pans playing the lead and bass lines. they take this one into new territory by adding synth parts and dubbed out horn lines playing nate dogg’s infamous vocal hook melodies.
side b takes on one of nycity’s grimiest hip hop club anthems, mobb deep’s “burn”. we decided to do this tune and demoed it out long before the unfortunate passing of prodigy. unfortunately, he will never get to hear this cover, and that has been one of the nicest things in covering some of these more current hip hop tunes. rest in peace p.
brsb manages to do it again ... a version equally as raw and punchy as the original. pans bang out the iconic riff from the original, theremin ushers in the changes, and the low rubble of the synth bass is sure to crush the subwoofers.

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.

stone classic bullwackies, sensationally featuring two unreleased dubs (w/ download code)
stone classic bullwackies (as excursioned by rhythm & sound for burial mix), sensationally featuring two unreleased dubs, newly extracted from the master reels. both are equally unmissable but quite different, with contrasting effects: the second dub adds ninety seconds, including whip-dem spring reverb. drawn from the selective showcase lp, the vocal mix is more open and dubwise than the sing & shout lp offering, with less keyboards. asked whether it should be mash or march, after some pondering bullwackies replied: -that’s a good question

the strictly rhythm imprint is legendary and is instantly recognisable by connoisseurs worldwide. it s a label that has contributed time and time again to dance music culture across it s almost 30 year lifespan. countless classics passed through the nyc offices of mark finkelstein and gladys pizarro and this brand new strictly classics series looks to celebrate this cornerstone dance label and it s immense catalogue by going back to the archives and presenting some double-header action for diehard fans and newcomers alike. that s right, the proper mixes, reissued from source and remastered to the highest spec, each track spread across one side of a 12- for optimal sonic playback. what better to kick off this series of essentials than dj pierre s 1991 wild pitch mix of the mighty photon inc s anthemic generate power , a record that still smashes dance-floors across the globe to this very day, a true house classic that is the perfect opener for this new series. backed by george morel s equally influential and funky 1993 proto-uk garage groover let s groove you can see the quality control is set to high. back to back, strictly classics, nothing more, nothing less! remastered with love by optimal mastering, bristol from original master sources. made in conjunction with strictly rhythm 2018.

the strictly rhythm imprint is legendary and is instantly recognisable by connoisseurs worldwide. it s a label that has contributed time and time again to dance music culture across it s almost 30 year lifespan. countless classics passed through the nyc offices of mark finkelstein and gladys pizarro and this brand new strictly classics series looks to celebrate this cornerstone dance label and it s immense catalogue by going back to the archives and presenting some double-header action for diehard fans and newcomers alike. that s right, the proper mixes, reissued from source and remastered to the highest spec, each track spread across one side of a 12- for optimal sonic playback. the second instalment of this essential repress series sees the amazing bass tone from sole fusion (aka louie vega) take up side a. it s a truly deep slice of that nyc grit that works on every level, the rough with the smooth, trademark vega-isms and those drums! a sure-shot. on the flip is yet another gem - hardrive s just believe which is certainly a knowing nod back to the disco days delivered with gusto by louie vega and the maestro tony humphries. do not sleep on this, over 10 mins of that funk!

mighty dnaondna (heteroerotic asphyxiation, oiwa) manufactures strictly strictly s magical 3rd release and offers nothing than power, power, power: erratic opener the//grind pushes you into the flow with restless uk-ish breaks before haifa slaps you hard with its violent rhythm and epic bassline. don t move on the b-side chases you with its 145bpm acid breaks to finally eject you struggling for breath. a dangerous adventure!

the debut release of new artist in san francisco on endless flight.
after we received his debut 7inch release on lips&rhythm records, we contacted him immediately….
summer feeling barealic tropical tunes.

double 12 inch vinyl in full colour sleeve.

amaranth ep is the latest various artists effort through the planet rhythm label. this compilation features sounds by dubiosity, alfredo mazzilli, space above and exilles. also this package contains a mesmerizing remix by glaswegian artist edit select which we are proud to add to the label roster. soundwise, amaranth ep is covering a lot ground within modern day techno. surely a package that will appear to lovers of multiple modes within the genre.

from conrad schnitzler in the 1960s to the pioneers of detroit techno in the 1980s, experimental sonic artists were often inspired by the metallic noises of industrial factories. schnitzler wanted to recreate the sounds he heard in his apprenticeship as a locksmith with musical instruments, and the sons and daughters of the midwestern automobile-industry generation programmed the motown soul into japanese electronic music equipment. with his new piece the metal beat ep, credit 00 wants to get in line with this tradition of transforming factory sounds into music. each of the three tracks reflects on the role of the human being in an industrial environment. the never-ending movement of the machine becomes the rhythm, while the melody embodies our forlorn voices in the vastness of the factory site. the blues played by machines--modern work songs for a post-industrial society!

the boy wonder from down under, slamb, delivers his first solo ep, packing three booty poppin’ summer jams. skillfully blending boogie and r&b samples on top of his slamming house beats to bring about that infinite pleasure just in time for a hot summer.

planet rhythm releases prruk090, prrukblk004 & prrukblk016 all bundled up for one special price!

next out on the ownlife imprint, a remix ep of what so far has been one of the most acclaimed releases from the label, the collaboration between leiras and svreca titled “the bridges i burn”. four well-known names to the electronic music scene has been invited to infuse their own characteristic sound onto the original tracks of own009. first out covering the a side is spanish reeko who skilfully plays with the rhythm tones, the main bleep synth sounds and his unique and particular way of texturizing the layers. a2, signed by british volte-face, gives the perfect balance between sounds and silence in a mysterious spaced out interpretation of “tilling ceramics”. flipping the record you will find new york veteran producer shawn o’sullivan under his 400ppm moniker, developing the structure of the track in a smooth way, melting the modular synthesis with the atmospheres found in the original version. last to contribute with his unlimited talent is swedish acronym, ho delivers an intense, tribalistic, spiral-maker remix, wrapping up this four tracker in the best possible way.

only one month after the release of their first ep on mt on may 2018, vactrol park continue surprising, this time with a full lp in the shape of “music from the luminous void”.the album sees vp delve much deeper into more atmospheric realms. using modular synths and unexpected drum machine sequencing they leave the 4x4 beats behind in favor of off-world rhythms and ever growing bass. &#8232,,,,, starting with drops’s high frequency tension, laying on top of those heavy kick drums it keeps on growing and growing. from there it moves to the “end of the party” groove that is novikov’s notation, and its trippy monotonic rhythm. the a-side ends with the heavy sampled ambient track macbeth, bringing forward that mesmerizing flute solo by italian artist luca spagnoletti yet succeeding in avoiding the kitsch, and with a touch of class. &#8232,,,,,&#8232,,,,,the b-side delves even deeper into ambience and atmospheric muzak. starting with bells, that features again spagnoletti on flute. then we get into the real gems of the album - anstruther and glove. the first is a pure trip into modular psychedelia and repetitive jazzy-like drum rhythms, creating tension right from the start and plays with it throughout the track before decaying slowly into glove, which is in sense both the catharsis and the decompression session of the album. like a 2018 version of vangelis, this track’s soundscape will keep you dreaming with your eyes closed long after the album ends. &#8232,,,,,

an electronic record label, discovering cities and producers through a various lp.

vinyl 12- + 2 side a4 paper insert (what is cozmico? - an open letter by noema) did you ever wonder: what is this slow psychedelic dance music, mixing ethnic elements, krautrock, house and techno...? it s cozmico! and noema delivers three stunning new remixes for your next magic carpet ride! the ep kicks off with the spiced up cosmic classic jourouadou , where a driving middle eastern rhythm, arabic lyrics and a rolling bass lay the foundation for an ecstatic dance party, until a hypnotic synth leads you the way up to the tunisian night sky. 
flip the record and it s zeluf that hits you with a psychedelic-rock groove on b1, unfolding arabesque chanting, oud lines and a marimba like synth during the journey. on b2 you will find the underwater fireplace dub of gaye su akyol s dunya kaleska , upheaved from the depths of the bosphorus. this remix of the turkish singer-songwriter is a masterfully crafted journey with unforeseen twists and turns, mingling her band with sounds of trains and bonfire.

there’s a certain quality to the music dubiosity and pjotr g put out. their palette is wide and open and incorporates acidic basslines, orchestrated pads and emotive melodies. the trailer park prophet ep is a worthy addition to their ever growing discography. this 4-track vinyl release combines different sides of the dutch duo whilst maintaining a certain degree of dancefloor quality.

vinyl 2 of bas mooy’s album “propaganda”, originally released in 2009.

south africa. cult favorite among collectors. follows the successful reissue of “bafana bafana” last year. professor rhythm’s 1991 recording professor 3 is a vivid reflection of urban south africa as apartheid was ending

chicago s finest dj rahaan has teamed up with the now legendary liverpool disco festival for an ultra-dope double 12inch offering of legit, fully licensed and fully flipped remixes and re-edits from the west end vaults. sounds like disco heaven, right? in order to be let loose in the vaults you really need to know your stuff and we all agree that rahaan ra knows his stuff! this dream collabo sees him (respectfully) touching some of the jams that made west end the dance music powerhouse that is today. that s right, we re talking rarities, foundation tracks, the cornerstones of modern club music. these are wonderfully executed and brand spanking new versions of classics, who says you can t have your cake and eat it too ? well, brenda taylor actually, and that is only one of the joints on this special release alongside mahogany s boogie anthem ride on the rhythm , chuck davis spirit of sunshine and billy nichols give your body up to the music . spread across 2 hefty slabs of beautifully mastered wax we get to enjoy rahaan s reworks in all their uninterrupted glory, just as the disco gods intended. truly a match made in heaven, you will not want to miss out on this essential, extra-fresh west end / rahaan / liverpool disco festival release!

303 202 ep - follow up from the huge 101 ep, a collection of acidic techno cuts made with the legendary tb303 and the sh101 machines. coming of the back of the two previous releases, the 303 series continues with the same energy as the last ones. produced in kreuzberg by falling apart.

henry wu presents the debut album from kamaal williams. pressing on 180 gram vinyl with download code included.

2018 repress ... well. where do we start with deep inside ? originally released in the golden nyc house era of 1993, this 5 tracker literally smashed everything in sight. and still does now! the epitome of an evergreen, all-time classic release. masters at work louie vega and kenny dope were on a major roll in this era, producing, remixing, dj-ing and everything in-between, these guys put in ridiculous work. they are joined on this ep by a roll-call of names and collaborators, erick morillo engineering the title track? check. maurice joshua on co-production duties? you got it. vocals by ms. barbara tucker? they re there. killer, rock hard drums? stacks of soul? masterfully chopped up disco samples? all present. serious stuff. sometimes a record just manages to capture and distill the true essence of what this is all about and deep inside is one such record, it bears all the hallmarks of golden era maw, all the signposts of what was happening in nyc s clubs in the early to mid 90 s were there within it s grooves. you know a record is good when it s still being, quite literally, hammered nearly 25 years later! now, remastered, and reissued with the full involvement of strictly rhythm this seminal piece of nyc house history is made available again with all original, full sleeve artwork intact as per the 1993 original. this one s a straight up essential for any self-respecting dance aficionado. you know what to do!

its a ghetto house special edition. up steps chicago legend and original ghetto house don, waxmaster maurice for an uptempo curveball nobody could have predicted ! 6 banging ghetto tracks are on offer here with waxmaster displaying the humour and flair for which he is loved. the producer of much sought after releases on chicagos dance mania back in the 90s and a stint on dj godfathers databass label out of detroit, waxmaster is from the old skool and puts the work into his sample digging giving him his identity apart from the rabble. file with dj funk, dj deeon, dj slugo, jammin gerald, drewsky & co.

pressing on maroon coloured 7 inch vinyl.

for their 5th release the london label born of the clubnight of the same name make a b-line straight for the dancefloor. the title track of desert sound colony s latest ep is equal parts anthemic vocals, stabbing guitar lines and a motorik backbone which combining for a hefty slice of post-punk inspired dancefloor churn. two b-sides take the themes found in lose my rhythm and head down the rabbit hole to drown you with a flurry of breaks led rhythms on suffocation and put you to rest with the pitch black basslines of the blacksmith. on the remix front local hero scott fraser delivers an acid drenched expansion of the title track.

vinyl 1 of bas mooy’s album “propaganda”, originally released in 2009.

word of advice to funk lovers, there is not a minute to lose. get on board of the big hustle’s spaceship. before we take off, let s do a little history. the band was founded in 2014 by bass player and composer sébastien levanneur and its aim is to bring together 70 s old school funk with the hippest actual sound laced with influences spanning from steely dan and headhunters, to snarky puppy and soulive. with mighty horn players, a rock and funky rhythm section, the big hustle s music has a very large variety of soundscapes. the first destination takes us to the washington, d.c. area with “turn up”. the groove is clearly go-go music flavored with the trademark sound of cowbells and of course it reminds us of zapp by the use of the talk box on lead vocals, performed here by saad el garrab. and don t miss out shaun martin (snarky puppy, erykah badu, kirk franklin amongst others) as a very special guest performing the talk box solo! second stop is “a curse, a blessing”. it’s an instrumental very much in the freddie hubbard vein during his cti years. the last leg of the a side ends with an instrumental interlude titled “flying donut”. double tribute to jay dee and flying lotus, the music is a simple hip hop loop based on samples. the b side takes us back into the past with two brilliant covers, involving rod temperton the late great british songwriter who scored some of michael jackson s biggest hits. now the idea for this b side is to do the opposite approach from the a side. taking 70 s and 80 s original music and make them travel into time to 2018. we first land with a heatwave song named “the star of a story” from their 1976 central heating album. track 2 is a herbie hancock song named “gettin to the good part” from his 1982 lite me up lp. this time traveler ep journey ends with an interlude. called “gimme dat”, the song deals with the need of new music, new sound. again, this blend of deep rooted funk laced with a contemporary edge is to be consumed without moderation. and do not forget that e.p. also stands for extended pleasure.

following her 1959 appearance in the anti-apartheid film come back, africa south african native miriam makeba vaulted into the international spotlight, fell under the tutelage of harry belafonte, and moved to new york city in 1960 where she immediately became a massive recording sensation. this lp collects some of that brilliant early material that launched her career and made her one of the most beloved voices of the 20th century. all tracks recorded 1957 - 1962.

the chisa years: 1965–1975 (rare and unreleased) is a compilation album by south african jazz trumpeter hugh masekela. the album consists of 14 rare or forgotten tracks recorded by stewart levine and hugh masekela from 1965 to 1975 when they ran their own chisa records label. thom jurek of allmusic wrote “in sum, there isn’t a weak moment on this entire collection. it’s appeal is wide and deep and one can only hope this is the first of many volumes of this material to appear. bbe records has done a stellar job in making this slab available.” dan nishimoto of the prefix magazine stated “the compilation focuses on masekela’s original idea of “african american music.” from the early experiments of the zulus (a group featuring m’bulu) in mixing doo-wop, rhythm & blues and south african gospel and the mbaqanga/”grazing in the grass”-style work of the generically named johannesburg street band to the clearly fela-influenced ojah (masekela’s band in the mid-’70s, consisting of players from ghana and nigeria) and the readyfor-primetime belting of m’bulu, each track reveals a multi-pronged effort to find and challenge the notion(s) of how african and american cultural forms could interact.”

it s been a little while since we last heard from donnell knox, but he s back in action finally on his regular haunt sonic mind with some of that evergreen us techno tackle that he s forged a long and winding career out of. -no time- is steeped in the smoky pads of the motor city, with a rugged rhythm section and errant bleeps thrown in to seal the deal. -rat race- takes things in a more housey direction, but there s still a certain mysticism that reaches beyond the average club banger. -sick mind- continues the theme, but ties more knots in the programming to make for another essential slice of techno, and then -repetition- finishes the job with a razor sharp slice of sky-scraping hardware science.

after releasing strong tracks on sonntag morgen, rapid eye movement and digitally on planet rhythm, phara now delivers us 4 stunning tracks on vinyl. his versatile production approach results in a mesmerizing, pulsating and at times raw sounding ep. this mind inside ep is definitely a release that’s going to make some waves for this young artist.