remixed with love volume 3 is the latest edition of what has become the industry-leading disco remix series. no one knows this era of music better than dave lee, who under his joey negro alias once again turns his impeccable hand to some of the best-loved records ever committed to wax.

deluxe 2 cd digipack! silver hotfoil outer and embossed print! to this day, sven vŠth represents the electronic music scene like no other dj. in the nineties he was mentor and shaman, operating from frankfurt/ germany introducing us to the world of electronic music. after this crazy, extroverted years vŠth created the cocoon family as a global platform for his and his colleagues activities. vŠth has always been for the scene baba, which means dad in hessian dialect. today he is the baba for a new generation of djs: music is not about strategizing new release information your niche potential. it does not matter if a tune is approved by the opinion makers. itÕs about what you feel personally and what you can create with the music in your work as a dj. to this day, vŠth manages to play tracks that you wouldnt expect and puts them in a context you would not expect either. like no one else he succeeds in arranging the entire electronic music cosmos

anders trentem¿llers career is a travel-heavy one, with his touring schedule taking him pretty much all over the world. but its his home port thats inspired his latest project, the sprawling, stunning compilation mix Ôharbour boat trips vol. 02: copenhagen. clocking in at just over an hour long, the compilation sees trentem¿ller curate and craft sixteen songs into a heavy, hazy mix that ranges from shoegaze to electronica, featuring both familiar and celebrated artists like a place to bury strangers (with a new trentem¿ller remix) and slowdive to more obscure finds, as well as trentem¿llers own tracks and remixes, most notably a brand new trentem¿ller cover of neil youngs classic Ôtransformer man. the mix sees him pick up a thread he left off earlier in his career. in 2009 he put together Ôharbour boat trips - 01: copenhagen, a compilation mix comprised of his favourite music, both danish and international, from across four decades, loosely inspired by the motion and movement of copenhagens busy harbour. closing in on a decade later, were getting the second edition, with Ôharbour boat trips - 02 arriving this november.

almost 2 years after the success of the album the tony allen experiments and a few months after the release of the 7inch amore, nu guinea return to the scene with a new lp published by their newborn label ng records. after touring the world looking for sounds suitable for their vibrations, nu guinea decided to go back to square one, napoli, where massimo di lena and lucio aquilina were born and raised. they watched their city from a distance reconstructing its energy from their studio in berlin, calibrating the synths on the meridian of vesuvius, the volcano that has always protected and threatened napoli. nuova napoli is the result of a long musical research that has become a historical investigation on the sound that shaped napoli during the 70s and 80s, starting from the contamination of genres (disco, jazz-funk, african rhythms) which ended up in nu guineas dna. in this album the synthesizers fill the spaces between the past and the future, tightening in a single body acoustic instruments, electronics and voices in neapolitan dialect

polegroup presents the 6th opus of his cd mix series unknown landscapes vol 6. a compilation of unreleased tracks, mixed and compiled by a member of the polegroup platform. to make up the 6th volume, lewis fautzi, has selected 22 previously unreleased tracks. besides tracks by reeko, exium and oscar mulero, the tracklist includes works from pris, svreca, shifted, adriana lopez, bas mooy, alien rain, eric fetcher, norbak and lewis himself. with this sixt volume, polegroup invites you to discover a powerful selection of unreleased tracks from high-quality techno producers, all mixed by lewis fautzi in a 76 minutes long compilation. the cd is limited to 250 copies.

the prodig s seventh studio album, no tourists will be released on their take me to the hospital label via bmg. in a career approaching 30 unpredictable, uncompromising years, the prodigy have become that rare artist whose influence can be felt across all walks of life. continually defining (and re-defining) electronic music, the band have clocked up a staggering 6 number 1 albums, played to many millions around the world, and remain as relevant and respected as ever. though much has changed in the musical and social landscape, what remains a constant is the prodigy s resolute focus on following their own path, their own way. this, perhaps, is the true meaning of no tourists , and in 2018 the anger, urgency, and irrepressible spirit of the prodigy has no doubt never been more needed

music mania and indica dubs is proud to present the next release in their mania dub series. following multiple classic re-issues, we now bring you a long awaited freshly produced dubplate album on a 12inch by uk dub innovators, alpha & omega: dubplate selection vol. 3.

beraadgeslagen, or drummer lander gyselinck (stuff., labtrio, etc) and keyboardist / singer fulco ottervanger (stadt, de beren gieren, etc) together on the tandem. a musical think tank with drums, keys, texts and bells. for ten years they have been playing together in the most invisible places, but every now and then they show themselves to the world with disco classics that never reached the market. soulful and unpredictable

due for an autumn release on far out recordings, rasif sees amaro freitas take a deserved step onto the world stage. from the afro-brazilian maracatu born on the sugar plantations of slavery, to the high intensity carnival rhythms of frevo and bai‹o, amaro s heavily percussive approach to jazz is as indebted to these pernambuco traditions as it is to coltrane, parker and monk.

die neue soul togetherness 2018 enthŠlt 15 modern-soul-highlights des jahres, die teils erstmals auf tontrŠger erscheinen. darunter sind grandiose songs von cornell c.c. carter, kenny thomas, jaki graham, john reid und james day (in teils exklusiven extended versions), die rŸckkehr von change und the richie family, die beiden kŸnstler brian courtney wilson und lexi von motowns neuem gospel-label, dance-grooves der newcomer the apx und imaa, vintage-soul von ernest ernie & the sincerities, soul-garage-hymnen von dj spen und prefix one, sowie der fabelhafte mousse t feat. peven everett

2018 feiert das britische electronic-duo future sound of london sein 30-jŠhriges bestehen. mit from the archives vol.9 erblicken weitere unveršffentlichte tracks aus ihren umfangreichen archiven erstmals das licht der welt, die den zeitraum der frŸhen 1990er bis heute umspannen. progressiv-elektronische experimente aus den tiefen des fsol-katalogs.

kink - live improvised outro as we reach the 19th year of cocoons residence on ibiza, the location may have changed from amnesia to pacha, but the enthusiasm for perhaps the most enduring party on the mediterranean island is guaranteed to continue. actually, only the sun, sea and wind are more reliable! the celebrated live sets of bulgarias life wire strahil velchev aka kink have been a vital ingredient for the ecstatic nights over the years. with unprecedented regularity, the man from sofia has been voted best live act by readers of groove magazine for the last three years, and in 2017 he was also crowned best electronic music producer. as kink, together with sven vŠth, celebrate one of the most popular evenings of this years season as well, what could be more logical than to repurpose the famed cocoon ibiza mix cd series into another live document of the event? no sooner said than done, and so here the bulgarian offers a 70-minute cross-section of his skills. well-known tracks, especially from last years playground lp (running back) meet exclusive, unreleased material in a spontaneous tour de force through the history of electronic dance music. there are distinctive nods to chicago and detroit, jazzy organs spiralling into string-drenched skies

luaka bop present the eccentric and rare music of preacherman, the full collection of his rare catalog titled, preacherman plays t.j. hustlerÕs greatest hits.

the air texture series asks two producers/ performers to select a double cd worth of unreleased music. the only guidance is the music should not be main floor bangers, other than that we get out of the way, allowing them autonomy over their selection. this time steffi and martyn were asked to step up. exciting, since as residents at berghain/panorama bar - two of the most important dancefloors in the worldÉ how would two such respected artists approach our experimental ethos. bringing together contributions from veteran producers such as total science, as one (kirk degiorgio) and stingray, as well as contemporaries actress, vivek and shed, the artists explain in a press release that the selected tracks are all unique interpretations of a leftfield, non linear aesthetic. 26 total tracks including the above mentioned, answer code request, shed, dbridge, appleblim, faltydl, mosca, kink, and steffi and martyn as well.

handmade limited edition packaging - 300 only.
8 tracks originally recorded between 2002-2010 these works consist of music taken from the same sessions that became his highly ambitious vinyl factory music and installation project ÔformatÕ in 2015. edited and complied from a series of lengthy nocturnal synthesiser, drum machine & 8 bit sampler improvisations they range from melodic idm, driving electro, motor city techno & tripped out house excursions.

bbe music is proud to present the next instalment in the j jazz masterclass series: Ôeast plantsÕ by takeo moriyama, one of japanÕs finest jazz drummers.

we return with the sixth installment of the beloved stil vor talent berlin compilation series, which brings forth a group of old and new faces, who exclusively contributed unreleased tracks, gathered under the umbrella of berlins best repurposed space. since flughafen tempelhof ceased operating in 2008, it has given hours upon hours of joy and peace to the cityÕs public in the form of tempelhoferfeld, a gigantic park crisscrossed by the airports former runways. the perfect retreat to unwind in, right on the border of kreuzberg and neukšlln. as always, music is the common denominator and oliver koletzki delivers the perfect soundtrack with this new release, while chrisse kunst renders the visuals.

duke ellington once said that there are 2 kinds of music: the good one and the bad one. with the compilation series shaolin soul we are always certain to be on the right side of the line since its 1st episode released in 1998 and which compiled two dozens of tracks sampled by rza and the wu-tang clan. following a second episode in 2001 and a third one in 2014, the famous curator uncle o is back to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the shaolin soul series with a fourth episode compiling 22 tracks among the rarest and finest treats of soul music, because everybodys talking about the good ol days!

chris liebing veršffentlicht sein neues album Òburn slowÓ via mute!
Òburn slowÓ ist ein 10 stŸcke umfassendes album, das mit miles cooper seaton (akron / family), mute-labelmate polly scattergood (ondeadwaves), cold cave, aleen und natŸrlich gary numan eine ganze reihe an gastsŠnger*innen bietet. das album ist ein minimalistisches elektronisches epos und zugleich der beginn eines neuen kapitels fŸr liebing, der als dj eine langjŠhrige autoritŠt vor allem in den bereichen schneller, harter techno ist. weltbekannt fŸr seine einzigartigen dj-sets, gehšrt chris liebing zur speerspitze des deutschen techno in performance, produktion, distribution und auffŸhrung. seine sets wurden an anderer stelle als sonische reisen zwischen dunkelheit und licht beschrieben, immer bleiben sie weit abseits des musikalischen mainstreams.

unplugged vol. 1 is the first in a cd series by ssaliva. the first one contains 11 synthetic vignettes, a very stripped back affair, much more then we are used of this ever so elegant master of layering and kingpin of the lighter kind of electronic lasagna, digesting the latest flavors long before they get stale. not on this one though. these are more skeletons of pop songs, bare and glassy, played on a fake nylon-stringed koto for an imaginary court of internet angels. digipack in silver pantone with black 500 pcs

standard cd im softpack mit artwork von lee marshall. having recently made his inaugural outing on brainfeeder with aphelion ep, british producer ross from friends aka felix clary weatherall returns with his debut album on flying lotus label. family portrait is characterised by a perpetual desire to experiment and felixs obsessive attention to detail, somehow marrying an intricately layered production style with warm, heavily saturated sonics that elevate, rather than stifle, his melodious funk. with a handful of revered 12inches under his belt via breaker breaker, lobster theremin, distant hawaii, magicwire and a 10inch on molten jets. family portrait showcases his ability to shift and evolve, moving from the world of lo-fi to the world of flylo

the first studio barnhus compilation, studio barnhus volym 1, is coming out at the end of august.
the 19-track release will feature music from the stockholm label s three foundersÑaxel boman, kornŽl kov‡cs, petter nordkvistÑplus various associates, ranging from local newcomers to superstar friends of the label like dj koze, john talabot and superpitcher.

poolside began as a recording project in a converted los angeles backyard pool house in early 2011, producing sunny tracks of subaquatic indie dance music in this makeshift recording studio. surfacing first in the form of a youtube video for the catchy track Òdo you believe?Ó poolside were soon gaining local and national attention, with djs like james murphy of lcd soundsystem, techno legend derrick may, and disco don todd terje spinning these tracks at events and a growing online following. throughout 2011 poolside continued making waves with a sound called Òdaytime discoÓ through tracks like their cover of neil youngÕs Òharvest moonÓ and original tunes. in 2012 poolside worked on a remix for longtime disco punks the rapture and held fans over with a new single and video for a song called Òslow downÓ as they prepared to release their debut album. that album, pacific standard time, was self-released in july of 2012. after the albumÕs release, remixes for artists like matthew dear, little dragon and foolÕs gold soon followed, as well as rehearsing and touring with a live band and doing dj sets around the world. as thoughts turned to a second album, poolside went on ice for a year to regroup, beginning to work in earnest on another album in the fall of 2016. while still revolving around the sunny, laid-back disco sound of pst, these sessions yielded the additions of up-tempo dance songs and more guitars, and generally more fleshed-out arrangements. poolside surprise released their second album heat in 2017. poolside have over 1.5 million monthly listeners on spotify and have fans all over the world. they are currently on tour as a live band.

on limited edition compact disc. no. welcomes canadian france jobin to the label. the montreal based artist will release her 9th album on no.. with her release entitled Ôintrication, she grapples with some truly cosmic concepts involving quantum entanglement (go on, google it..) amongst other truly magical ideas which physics tend to invent these days. musically the release can be described as Ômicrosound ambient but we think its much larger than that. it is at once comprised of microscopic sonic particles yet combines that with the warmth we know and love from the Ôambient cosmos. whilst the sub atomic particles of noise bounce around your mind, the total work weaves a warm blanket of audio enjoyment on both the micro and macroscopic levels revealing a world at once both too tiny to comprehend and too large to grasp. presented here as no. 916 for your scientific scrutiny

ideas call for realisation, realisations turn into habits, habits then quickly turn into traditions, and traditions become an intrinsic part of culture. born at the turn of the new millennium as a symbol of a new era for electronic music, kompakt s longstanding total series returns with its 18th iteration, spreading over two cds the essential of the label s last few months of intense activity and extended breadth of resources, blowing out its 25th birthday candle with the breath of a young, throbbing heart.

currently the rediscovery of long forgotten japanese electronic, jazz and new age music is at a peak like never before. but although many re-issues already flood the record stores around the world: the large, diverse musical culture of japan still got some gems in store that are really missing.

the official sonne mond sterne festival compilation! 2cds , 2 mixes by charlotte de witte und markus kavka. inclusive unreleased tracks

after establishing himself with rough but emotive house as rimbaudian and jungle as birds of sweden, he unveiled his dj seinfeld alias to the world, first with underground hit single u, then with his time spent away from u album on lobster fury in november 2017. it was a post break-up love letter to the dance floor with heart-on-sleeve emotions colouring the dusty and analogue house grooves. acclaim came in from far and wide, with everyone from rolling stone to pitchfork fawning over its heart swelling nostalgia and melancholic immediacy. jakobsson approached his dj-kicks with the intention of representing all the things that made him fall in love with dance music more than a decade ago, as well as showing some of the progression that has occurred in that time and reflecting the simultaneous fear of leaving something safe behind as well as the excitement of venturing into unknown territories, musically and emotionally.

over the years, berlin has been cited as oliver koletzkis main point of reference and, more importantly, his endless source of inspiration. his albums gro§stadtmŠrchen and gro§stadtmŠrchen 2 are wholehearted tributes of the german capital, as its importance is continuously hinted and charted. friedrichshain, one of berlins vibrant districts, has always held a special place in olivers heart. this is where he started out when he first moved to the city, and this is where he lives now. kreuzbergs wall paintings adorn stil vor talents cover sleeves and host their headquarters. there are little to no corners in the city that havent brought a spark of inspiration into the mix. the schneeweiss compilation series, now at its eigth installment, is built as a form of tribute to all these particles, tied in together into a series of carefully curated tracks. each compilation stands at the intersection of the musical and cultural surroundings most prominent of their respective times

to commemorate our 10 year anniversary celebration, this new release comes in the form of our beloved deepchord presents echospace project. the set was recorded live at ghost in the sound on 05/26/2013 a few miles away from hart plaza. an official movement after party curated by the detroit paranormal society in association with echospace, and now re-mastered by rod modell. from the second the bass dropped, it stole the breath from the room! this duo started off as barely more than a rumor supported mostly by the continous scarcity of their records. the duo comprised of detroits rod modell and steven hitchell have spent nearly two decades producing low-key electronic music both bordering on the verge of myth. theyre considered by many the most noted producers operating in the dub-infused aftermath of the basic channel axis and all its myriad offshoots. once their critically-acclaimed the coldest season emerged on one the uk based modern love imprint, the curtain was unveiled and the sound of echospace was born. they ve often been coined the true heirs to the basic channel legacy but their work finds a home somewhere on the outskirts of the galaxy, where detroit soul ties to jamaican roots played through a tunnel in deep space. this evocative, immersive sound that is echospace was born out of a love and passion for analog circuitry, sound design, field recordings and non-conventional methods of recording. but its also work thats quintessentially building upon the detroit electronic scene where it was born, and that divine marriage of roots and vision make the work at once so highly considered, so pertinent and so timeless. this is the first new album from the echospace duo since the critically-acclaimed silent world (ost) 3lp/cd set dropped 5 years ago, it features live renditions of some of their classics as well as unreleased material. expect gorgeous plumes of sound deeper than the ocean floor, a rich analog tapestry made and performed in the heart of detroit, techno city!

undisputed rulers of the new pop empire, kadebostany announce the release of their genre-defining new album monumental, coming march 2018. the quest to design this ultimate pop album has taken kadebostany through hills and plains the world over in search of unconventional contributors and outlandish ideas. all manner of peculiar artists were assembled to weave the intricate tapestry that is monumental, the banner for a pop empire which everyone can stand under. monumental features both newcomer and confirmed singers: delhia de france, rhita nattah, anna kova, sissi rada, kate wallace, and kadebostanys front live singer kristina.

z records continues its commitment to unearthing the obscure and long forgotten tracks from the last 40 years through the ever-popular under the influence series. following on from red greg, paul phillips, james glass, nick the record and sean p itÕs now the turn of one of the scenes most respected live disco acts and renowned djÕs, faze action.

welcome to the sound of love international 001 complied by gatto fritto. love international is a festival held in tisno, croatia now moving into its third season. held to a soundtrack of the very best of underground dance music and running 24 hours a day - from noon to night and back through again - full circle. this series, masterminded with londons balearic culture website, test pressing, is curated by some of our favourite artists and djs. a place for them to choose 12 records close to their heart, and with ties to the festival, that they love and what to share with the world.

martyn releases new album voids, his first for ostgut ton over the past year, dutch-born, washington d.c.-based producer martyn has undergone a metamorphosis Ð one that began with a medical emergency and has dovetailed into personal musical transformation. having narrowly avoided death after suffering a heart attack, martyn reentered his studio and began a process of reassessing the elements that drive him to make music: sampling, unpredictability, melancholy, sci-fi, polyrhythms, texture, ecstatic moments, detroit, interlocking percussion and bass. however, the initial spark to start producing again came through his experience listening to max roachÕs 1979 ensemble percussion album mÕboom.

as the crowds descend on the party capital for the start of this year s ibiza season, toolroom deliver your guide to this summer s future anthems and killer cuts. over 50 new and exclusive tracks spread across three discs that provide the very best in house, tech house and techno! featuring guaranteed main-room essentials from the world s leading a-list dj s and producers including fatboy slim, camelphat, bicep, maya jane coles, four tet, peggy gou, kšlsch, claptone, mk, special request, mark knight, paul woolford, huxley, solardo, claude vonstroke and ben pearce to name a few, alongside brand new, never before heard exclusives from eyes everywhere, sante sansone, mash, space jump salute and more. capture the magic of ibiza, from relaxing by the poolside, heading to the club or onto the after party. discover this years future anthems with toolrooms seal of approved ibiza weapons.

following 2017Õs Ôpath of ruinÕ, dj richard returns to dial with his much-anticipated sophomore lp, Ôdies ir¾ xeroxÕ. undoubtedly one of the most distinctive and fully-formed electronic producers in recent memory, dj richard imprinted the sound of a bubbling us underground with his label, white material, founded in 2012 alongside young male.

its time again to add another sonic journey to the watergate mix series catalogue and for this endeavour we have enlisted one of the scenes brightest shining stars and club mainstay jimi jules.

the french in the 80s were not faint-hearted: as some threw themselves heart and soul into music or business, others wouldnÕt mind going bottomless to get themselves noticedÉ while bernard tapie soon realized his own fortune was rather to be found in business, many music-loving dreamers already imagined themselves in the sun, in an enchanting world made of funky rhythms and synthesizers. cd + 16 pages booklet

in the world of electronic dance music, åme stand apart. since 2003, the duo of frank wiedemann and kristian beyer have cut a singular path through techno, house, minimal, ambient and more with their anthemic singles and mixes. but 2018 reveals their finest achievement yet, their debut full-length album dream house. it both sounds unmistakably like åme and unlike anything youve ever heard from the duo, an evocative home listening journey enacted after 15 years spent crafting dancefloor weapons.

its a funny old world, and yet again, the black dog have provided the soundtrack. our fast-approaching dystopia has been envisioned and documented by the band for decades. now, the black dogs two new albums, post -truth and black daisy wheel, translate their growing horror into some of their most accessible and impactful music, translating our manufactured reality into high energy dancefloor constructions on post -truth, and reflective ambient excursions on black daisy wheel.

extraordinary pieces of music have long stood in direct correlation to the physical surroundings that inspire them. when oliver koletzki and niko schwind packed up their berlin studios last april to spend a month locked away in a cottage nestled in the stunning nature of cape towns noordhoek area before heading to afrikaburn, little did they know that its long beaches, dramatic mountain views and the heritage of its indigenous people would have such a profound effect on the club-ready sound they had championed with a string of eps and live-performances since 2015. the result of four weeks of geo-cultural stimuli and creative experimentation culminated in the album noordhoek, released in may 2018 on stil vor talent. while the productions on noordhoek display the same on-point sound design of previous oliver koletzki and niko schwind releases, the impressive emotional depth and electronic floor-focus of its twelve tracks effortlessly merge with complex rhythmic textures to form a contemporary narrative on ancient dance rituals. after a roller coaster ride through twelve versatile yet coherent productions, one thing is certain as the ultimate crack of thunder crashes down on noordhoek: south africa fuelled the creative energy of two remarkable musicians, who where able to translate the abundance of their impressions into a truly original world of sound.

itÕs a funny old world, and yet again, the black dog have provided the soundtrack. our fast-approaching dystopia has been envisioned and documented by the band for decades. now, the black dogÕs two new albums, post - truth and black daisy wheel, translate their growing horror into some of their most accessible and impactful music, translating our manufactured reality into high energy dancefloor constructions on post -truth, and reflective ambient excursions on black daisy wheel.

detroit love are proud to present the inaugural release on their newly founded eponymous imprint Ð a collaborative venture from planet e and !k7 which aims to capture the essence of carl craigÕs superb event series of the same name. detroit love mixed by stacey pullen is a sixteen track journey that exemplifies the diversity of the city, as well as the essence of the parties, championing

!k7 are pleased to announce forest swords as the next curator of the ever essential dj-kicks series. following acclaimed albums on ninja tune and tri angle, soundtrack and installation work, and remixes of the likes of bjork, matthew barnes aka forest swords has curated a 25-track compilation that draws a line between past inspirations and his current peers. like much of his own output, his dj-kicks skirts around pristine electronics and embraces more organic textures: 80s post punk (anna domino, dead can dance), classic 90s british electronica (orbital, mira calix), and smokey digi-dub (rhythm & sound), all rub up alongside some of the most forward-facing producers working today (demdike stare, laurel halo, fis). the compilation sifts through rhythms, shifting speeds and emotions: from pop icon neneh cherrys primal thudding to the zombified throb of exclusive forest swords track crow via deena abdelwaheedÕs clattering deconstructions to the euphoric two-step of djrum. its a collection of tracks that feels as restlessly curious and weighty as barnes own work.

they say that good things come in threesÉ it must be true and favorite recordings also proudly presents the third edition of its acclaimed french disco boogie sounds compilation series. like on prior volumes, the complete tracklist is selected by charles maurice, whoÕs unearthed 13 more forgotten and hidden tracks, all produced whether in france, in french, or by french artists between 1977 and 1987. with most of these titles now very hard to find in their original edition and unknown by many, this compilation should be a must have for any disco-boogie-funk music lover and collector. fully remastered from originals at the carvery cut (uk).

welcome to toolroom 15. celebrating 15 years of one of dance music s most recognisable and truly international independent labels. avoiding a retrospective reflection of the label s classic tracks, achievements and catalogue, toolroom are proud to present an album of all new exclusive material written by some of house music s freshest talent alongside established genre favourites, including mark knight, booka shade, tube & berger, format:b, danny howard, eelke kleijn, dosem, rafa barrios, dj s.k.t, gotsome, weiss, raumakustik, david keno, rebuke, mendo, the golden boy, harry romero, adrian hour and many more. three discs mix, edit and reconstruct these productions, offering a seamless journey through the genres toolroom have become world famous for, house, tech house & techno 15 years. 15 parties. 1 essential album.

luaka bop presents this album from contemporary brazilian legend kassin. one of the leading producers and instrumentalists in brazilian music, alexandre kassin has produced roughly 100 records for singers, including marisa monte and bebel gilberto, recorded with sean oÕhagan (stereolab, high llamas) and made a full album based on nintendo game boy sounds. he has played bass for caetano velosoÕs live shows and conceptualized the orchestra imperial band. his new album, relax, is rooted in dreams and surrealism, yet grounded enough to reach listeners where they are. across 11 tracks, kassin flirts with latin rhythms, brazilian pop, and straight-ahead soul, using this varied stylistic array to tell imagined tales of death, drug usage, politics and fate. theres a dichotomy to relax, with kassins arrangements often feeling bright and danceable, yet with incredibly sullen themes. its a record that speaks directly to the yin and yang of everyday life, and the uncertainty that comes with simply existing.