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. number 3 in the series kicks off on a proper old-school tip with cls mammoth can you feel it from 1991, a collaboration between todd terry and benji candelerio cls made a huge and lasting impression with this euphoric and anthemic slab of dancefloor madness. instantly recognisable from it s ravey riff and funky drum programming, file this one under rave classic ! over on the flip side we have south street player s smoothed out (who) keeps changing your mind? , a rolling and deep jam from roland clark and george morel that came out in 1993. this one s some lights down, honest to god soulful house music, skipping garage drums and that organ driven groove offer the perfect vehicle for clark s gorgeous vox to soar over. yet another set of absolutely essential sr cuts from the archive! remastered with love by optimum mastering, bristol from original master sources. made in conjunction with strictly rhythm 2018.

‘you can’ stares directly into the haze and the strobes of the transformative night-out documented throughout gabe gurnsey’s debut lp, ‘physical’. undoubtedly one of the record’s most outright hedonistic moments, ‘you can’ finds gabe cheekily intoning an invitation to dance, get high, or both, assisted by a deeply trippy sonic atmosphere and a seductive, twilight bassline.
in the spirit of classic extended edits, the ‘extended dub’ version unpicks and expands on each of these elements, retaining the solid groove of the original while transforming it into a heady dancefloor tool. a staple of electro for the past two decades, the hacker meanwhile continues his recent hot streak with his remix of ‘you can’. firmly executed with his usual cyber-militancy, his simple but effective reimagining is littered with elasticated synth stabs, urgent oscillations and an audible desire to transform gurnsey himself into a man-machine.

lowrider soul heads for a south-of-the-border surf date on these two sizzling originals from alba & the mighty lions. a perfect soundtrack for cruising with the bad girls in a drop-top or soothing a late night heartbreak, la verdad and -esperando- are your tough, no-nonsense friend with a heart of gold who always has your back. soulful vocals paint a mood while the bands nimble arrangements follow every move. alba ponce de león is a multi-talented artist who cut her teeth in the swirling scene of brooklyns indie underground, backing up daptone acts charles bradley & naomi shelton as well as playing a major role in the fearsome feminist freedom fighters, the resistance revival chorus.

since 2010, buyepongo has led a steadily growing los angeles underground movement that combines the vast influence of traditional tropical sounds with the streetwise edges of the latin american diaspora. much like their name implies (translation: to cause a ruckus), their hybrid style is focused on the celebration, an infectious, energetic vibe that is universally and rhythmically connected. it ll get your feet moving, and much like many of the records from the golden age of cumbia, these two offerings demonstrate an updated and adapted reverence for the roots that is truly distinct to their own unique place and time. for the group s latest single, that place, the sprawling latinx scene east of los angeles, met head on with the east coast hot pot of brooklyn. recorded and produced in collaboration with names you can trust during the band s serendipitous 2017 trip to nyc, this new release takes two of buyepongo s most fan-favored and party-tested original songs, two that had yet to be recorded, and combines them with the nyct forty-five ethos: a stripped-down, warm analog recording that perfectly captures buye s live, bring-the-ruckus style in the room as it happened. por la vida romps over the a-side, a modern-day classic in the making whose lyrics (how beautiful is life, always full of surprises) compliment a sunny, easy-going house party vibe, while miri on the flip evolves from a loping, almost reggae groove into a transcendent journey through caribbean feel-good sounds.

remixes fro phonk d & delphi (one half of tiger & woods)

ltd 7- release with classic chicago house music >>>>
there’s a reason why so many of house music’s early releases have endured over the decades. the best of them have a quality that defies logic. early house records like heard s own -washing machine,- or the -no way back- by adonis, still have the power to stun listeners and drive clubs wild. they sound alien and beautiful, simultaneously ingrained within us and so unlike everything that followed. and few sound as beautiful, or as alien, as -can you feel it.- by 1986, heard—who was born and bred in chicago and been playing in bands as a drummer—had already proved to the world that he was a master of poignant, enthralling house. the previous year’s elegant “mystery of love,” originally released on alleviated records, had featured an insistent ascending bassline repeating under a plaintive, swooning analog synth, with a gentle, conga-led rhythm setting the pace. it was soon rerecorded in a slightly more fleshed-out style, this time featuring frequent collaborator robert owens on vocals—”there’s a moment in our lives when we all must try the mystery of love”—and rereleased on d.j. international.

first in a series from someone you might know using obscure and sometimes not so obscure elements from days gone by

a native of the caribbean coast of colombia, abelardo carbono achieved legendary status in his country’s storied ranks of musical icons by combining the homegrown sounds of cumbia with the chiming guitars of west african soukous, enormously popular with the local tropical sound systems, and drenching the whole thing in his off-kilter, surreal and slightly psychedelic sensibility.
with the exception of a well-received compilation of songs from his 1980s heyday, carbono has been rarely heard from outside the sweaty dancehalls he still commands in his hometown of barranquilla. now, names you can trust has welcomed the reclusive guitarist and singer back to the vinyl format with a simmering afro-carib beast of a cut, recorded with the assistance of will -quantic- holland on rhythm guitar and mario galeano frente cumbiero, ondatropica on keys and in conjunction with lucas silva of palenque records & polen records. it’s a true cross-generational and international collaboration that is uniquely possible via colombia. the first release of this expansive & power packed studio session is a cover of vallenato pioneer guillermo buitrago’s la piña madura. this updated take veers heavily towards africa on a rock solid foundation of bass and drums, with abelardo’s trademark guitar and quirky vocals leading the way.

the ny house trak brought joy to dance floors world wide in 2012 and beyond. with second hand copies now fetching for 40 euros and over, we thought it was time to serve you with a limited re-issue of both this club track and can you feel it? remastered and vocals on the a-side slightly adjusted this time round too! the ny house trak is cut on one side so you know what this means: extra loud pressing for ultimate sound quality. side b contains a previously unreleased instrumental!

since the release of their critically acclaimed debut album in 2013 on names you can trust, la mecánica popular has quietly been contemplating the evolution of the group s sound, philosophy, and overall approach to making music. band leader efraín rozas experimental nature has continually pushed the boundaries of his own definition of not only latin american music, but its broader relationship with music s global culture and history. the sound of -psychedelic salsa- that lmp helped capture in their debut was destined for further outside-the-box interpretations, and with the formation of a new quintet lineup over the last few years, lmp began to incorporate a more free, improvised and instrumental-focused performance of rozas increasingly radical compositions. the band subsequently took this liberated approach directly into the studio, recording roza cruz live, in its entirety. it was a cathartic experience, a necessary methodology for the new album s concept that embraced the intimate performance of its players and did away with standard techniques of isolation and overdubs. the evolution of the band s sound on roza cruz brings forth a blend of styles rarely heard together, a touch reminiscent of electric-era miles davis or eddie palmieri at his most experimental, as the driving force of timbales and congas provide a bed for a wave of lush, analog amplification that mirrors the dueling leads of fuzz guitar and electric piano. but as far out as those instruments take the listener, the raw rhythm the clave always keeps it tethered to the earth and the dance, a cerebral yet visceral gift for the mind and feet.

two unreleased recordings dug up by the team at numero group for their purple snow comp (get it), these were begging to be put on 45. recorded at audiotek studios inc in 1975. david z, who engineered lipps inc s -funkytown- and several prince productions, piloted both these recordings. get it on is the perfect end up night stone groove track, i can t recommend this record enough, buy it. another completely selfish venture, i just wanted this on 45.

balance recording is happy to introduce you to the presencs ok kiko navvaro. this album cut out ep that has been getting great play by the like of kerri chandler and chez damier. i can show you the way, is a very strong track and .a floor filler, while tracks like -black is black- is also getting strong dance floor feed back, while the track -everything happens for a reason, is becoming a house and techno anthem at some festival this past summer. this project is surely for those who like great music and want to keep their house music collection alive.

deep spacy acid influenced techno. incl alexi delano rmx

disco classics

first off, there s up and coming austrian producer demuja, who gives can you feel the love a super deep and funky treatment, brimmed with disco percussion, lush pads and a tight drum pattern. dimitri from paris & dj rocca pair up to deliver an erodiscotique dubstrumental of right now of the highest grandeur bouncy drums, detuned synth stabs, a tropical piano and thined out vocals while going crazy on the handclaps to full effect. nico lahs also takes on can you feel the love, building a classic sounding shuffling house beat around a cheeky string sample that really suits max voice, and really shimmers in the breaks. german combo volksfreude remix hard tons tessio with a full on dramatic house flavor, exploring max vocal in full around a plethora of soft synth strings and vivid acid sequences. v limited press with hand stamp label & sticker.

hailing from the london rat race, mux step forward with the first release on teenage father and lay their distinctive style out for all to witness. their broad-reaching indie rock sound has undertones of electronica, grunge and a very british swagger that deserves to get them onto radio playlists and festival line ups aplenty. -mdma- rumbles along somewhere between soulwax, kasabian and queens of the stone age, while -teenage father- ups the intensity with a punky thrum behind the raucous guitars and grinding synths, and then -stray- finds the band mixing up the time signatures for the most adventurous cut on the record.

jiaolong and now again team up for this special limited 12- featuring the daphni edit of luther davis group s disco classic you can be a star fresh from its inclusion on daphni s fabriclive 93 mix and heard in the dj sets of daphni and his friends at festivals all over this summer. the evergreen original is included in all it s glory on the b side. the 12- comes housed in a gorgeous hand screened sleeve by tazelaar stevenson

after a highly-regarded debut single on names you can trust back in 2014, combo chimbita returns, expanded and transformed into one of the most original and wild ensembles currently cutting their teeth in the new york city live arena. their latest 4-track studio effort, el corredor del jaguar, co-produced by nyct s greenwood rhythm coalition and featuring the powerhouse carolina oliveros on lead vocals, is an explosive tour de force of unbridled psychedelic energy and futuristic fire with firm roots in the ritmo of the african diaspora. with connections and inspiration drawn from the vast sea of caribbean music - specifically the band s native colombia - these transplanted first-generation new yorkers have carved a unique corridor in the thriving underground jungle of the big bad city.

- limited to 500 copies - pressed on clear wax
with the release of the movie -saturday night fever- and the soundtrack album of the same name featuring the bee gees in 1978, discomania was sweeping across the nation. and in the midwest, nearly every n

originating from lima, peru - sabor y control has been holding the torch for classic salsa dura and descarga in their home country for the last 17+ years, churning out an unprecedented 7 studio albums and countless live shows and festivals. led by saxophonist bruno macher and a talented orchestra of the highest order, the group maintains a steadfast dedication to the roots of the genre while maintaining a particular vision and style throughout their own original compositions. they have been a rare beacon of light for modern salsa peruana and salseros throughout south america. now, they ve teamed up with brooklyn s names you can trust to produce their first ever vinyl release to showcase internationally. this pair of sure shot salsa bombas feature incredible arrangements & writing that are at once deep, uplifting and primed for the dancers. it s a superb taster of tunes remixed and remastered exclusively for 7-inch vinyl play.

berlin-based producer, yapacc take on the original sees him transferring the song into a dancefloor-ready track whilst subtly maintaining the ambience of the original. off-beat house-esque sub-rhythms and a melodic bassline helps to keep the energy of the track moving forward, whilst the top end guitars and vocals keep the listener interest up until the very last second. russian-based dave pads remix also helps the original move onto the dancefloor with this incredibly funky, groovy-laiden back beat which simultaneously manages to hold onto the original tracks esthetical ambience. euphoric house stabs and a continuous layered texture sits behind the tracks groove, adding a sense of nostalgia and depth to an already emotive original.

top-reissue der beiden legendären alben us-r&b/gospel-band the voices of east harlem: “the voices of east harlem” (1973), produziert von leroy hutson und curtis mayfield, und “can you feel it” (1974), produziert von leroy hutson. zwei definitive soul-klassiker auf zwei lps.

pressing on transparent orange coloured vinyl.

gacha bakradze returns to transfigured time june 2nd with a new ep, titled ‘i can still see you’. the ep includes five original tracks. photos on the cover is by a georgian photographer andro eradze.

brill funky / soulful disco on 7 inch

sun, skyy, earth wind & fire..., brooklyn-based igbo (indigo green brown orange) reflect an elemental foundation of classic 70s and 80s funk and soul through a prism of hip arrangements and decidedly modern production befitting the diverse set of talented stage performers and composers they are. a sun-drenched celebration of life and musical positivity, their sonic palette evokes the same brilliant and playful colors as their name, the two songs presented here (on 45 for the first time) bursting with irresistible charm. it s a breath of uplifting fresh air in today s hyper-serious club landscape.

ricky l and marcoradi have been friends for as long as they can remember. they first met on the dancefloor of one of italy’s most iconic clubs, red zone in perugia, where ricky has been a resident dj for the best part of 25 years. now, they’ve joined forces in the studio for the first time, uniting under the hear & now alias for claremont 56. those with a keen knowledge of italian dance music will know their impressive track records. both have a history of producing fine deep house records and remixes for the likes of ibadan, uomo, reincarnation, top tracks, restricted tracks and vega records. with hear & now, they’ve decided to step back from the dancefloor, instead producing hazy, emotion-rich music for after-hours listening, and mornings spent blinking into the sunshine.

mother recordings is back once again with more of the floor filling beats that has made it one of the top labels of recent times. this latest is from simion, a producer with ties to labels like suara and hedoismn and one who here serves up two top cuts just in time for summer.

based out of san francisco, extra classic is a unique live band formed with a keen appreciation of vintage reggae & vintage sounds. the aesthetic, and certainly the skilled method of their production, is an ode to the art of that classic style as referenced to the term coined by the cool ruler himself. recording in their own studio, nopal recording, the band employs a taster’s choice of analog equipment and is devotedly tracked, spliced and mixed in-house direct to tape. however, as the group’s name itself implies, there is a dose of something extra and new in this swirling mixture of space echo, heavy phase, and emotive, psychedelic california-soul.
built upon the rock of an early-era dancehall swing, their first single in conjunction with brooklyn-based imprint names you can trust entitled in this life, is a perfect slice of lover’s rock gone sideways, a decidedly left-coast piece of roots and bliss driven by adrianne delanda’s lovely lead vocals and the steady, dusty echoes of the locked in players. presented in the traditional format with a version as per nyct fashion, the dub mix incorporates a soothing dose of synare beams and underwater instrumental dreams.

it all began with a licensing inquiry for a sister funk cut which we wanted to include on our deep funk comp titled “feeling nice vol. 3”. after the deal was completed producer fred forsh mentioned that the backing band of nadine brown’s masterpiece “leave me alone” had released a 45 themselves under their name teakwood. after mr. forsh played us both sides we knew that this 45 would have to be re-issued. what was about to follow nobody of us ever expected. mr. forsh told us that teakwood recorded almost a dozen of songs which were supposed to be released on a full length album. for unspecified reasons the album was never released and it remained in the can for almost 40 years. finally, we are very proud to announce the release of teakwood’s debut album “a distant star” in early 2017. until then you have to be content with this 45 rpm single re-issue.

funk was the syncopated groove that emerged in the mid-sixties through hits from james brown and dyke and the blazers. it was a natural development out of rhythm and blues. thousands of local bands tried to emulate brown’s success, and in the process created a plethora of rare and sought after 45s and album cuts that have been mined by djs and producers to fill floors or provide breakbeats. whilst the 20 tracks on this compilation would cost you thousands of pounds to own on their original issue, that isn’t really the point. instead you get to listen to magnificent grooves such as mickey & the soul generations explosive ‘iron leg’, andrew brown’s blues tinged ‘you made me suffer’ or the message music of 24 carat black.
j&d records release three exceptional compilations that look at vintage african-american music through the prism of uk club culture. all night long, can you feel that beat and extra added soul will be available on double vinyl and are compiled by dj and award winning compiler dean rudland, with stunning artwork from his long-time collaborators the unknown. across the three volumes there are 60 tracks of soul, funk and boogie.

massive 11-piece latin american afrobeat combo nelda piña y la boa have been exploring the vast rhythms of west african music and its many branches within their home base country of colombia for the last 3 years. influenced by the contrasting sounds and traditions of colombia s disparate atlantic & pacific coast cultures, they bring a unique twist to the familiar afrobeat lineup that is accentuated by their cantadora nelda piña, a singer from the bolivar region who was born in the 1940s. once again, colombia and its deep reservoir of modern and traditional musicians prove the awesome alchemy of melding the sounds and aesthetics of old and young generations.

malphino is a mysterious band from an imaginative tropical island of the same name that plays cumbia and a heady mix of exotic sounds. their music serves as a cinematic score to the backdrop of this mystical isle and its ethos.

growin music is a new experimental & atmospheric label who s fourth release comes courtesy of the dlsk project.

guitarist rolando bruno hails from buenos aires and got his start playing a raw brand of garage and punk with his band los peyotes. a few years back he took a step into the not-so-distant world of afro-peruvian psicodelico that s had a recent renaissance throughout south america. what made his early forays into a more tropical branch of fuzz so unique was his accompanying band-or lack thereof. armed with an electric guitar and self-produced and recorded backing tracks, rolando bruno and his orquesta midi jet-setted across europe and japan as a mad scientist one-man band, laying down a relentless style of chicha classica gone loopy that earned him several tours and a full-length album with the swiss imprint, voodoo rhythm. originally recorded in 2011 and now remastered and presented by names you can trust on vinyl for the first time, these two tracks are a glimpse into rolandos prolific electric madness and a lysergic-laced pointer towards things to come from the talented six-stringer.

born in 2012 on the west side of buenos aires, agrupación ilegal los imparciales is a mix of traditional cumbia, peruvian chicha and instrumental psychedelia. a full live act and often transcendental experience, the group utilizes the classic instrumentation of electric bass, electric guitar, farfisa organ and percussion, an homage to older times, without the crutch of electronic sounds and samples. its a new generation of young and accomplished musicians bringing forward the sounds of a lost era and aesthetic, so relevant in todays modern music landscape. already with two studio albums under their belt and a third on its way, its high time the group is poised for a worldwide release sampler at the hands of names you can trust.

in this offering by the berlin-based and made in the middle east label disco halal, we urge you to meet nadav spiegel, better known as autarkic. autarkic is a self-sufficient artist and live virtuoso, he is the first member of the disco halal family which will be releasing his music in spring 2016. “can you pass the knife?” is about the struggle being stucked in a gap between longing to his homeland and what it could have been like and a heavy criticism on what it actually became. it will be a mini-lp containing 6 mesmerizing songs, “asi keta g”, “solo gun”, “watch out”, “the misorientation of autarkic”, “ufo (space version)” and “tender lies”. that might sound like only a combination of random words now, but after being heard, these songs will help you to enter the embodiment of autarkic​ and allow you to save a piece of his soul on your shelf. shimmering melodies, gibberish language, haunting vocals, extended beat programming and one-take recordings, should mark the beginning of a new disco halal phase. after releasing mainly edits from around the transcultural hemmesphere, the transition to original exquisite music seems to be a necessity.

ltd vinyl only, get ready for two delicious cuts ...

ahead of their highly anticipated debut lp due on golf channel this fall, the berlin duo drop this little taster. the heavy, percussion driven analogue sound that is their trademark comes in two tight packages. the title track is all snaky rhythms and squelchy riffing and comes complete with exactly the kind of dense, break heavy remix that we would expect from compatriot, and top buddy of the band, wolf muller. flipside revanche is a sunnier affair, deft touches on the acoustic guitar and lighter percussion, but no less the party starter because of it. golf channel every time !

zwei tracks aus dem von barry white produzierten jay dee albumklassiker -come on in love- (1974) erscheinen hier erstmals auf 7 inch vinyl. das album wird in kürze von expansion re-released. jay dee, aka earl nelson aka jackie lee und eine hälfte des duos bob & earl, begann seine karriere in den späten 1950 ern und veröffentlichte unter diversen namen legendäre soul-singles und -alben bis in die 1970 er hinein. -harlem shuffle- von bob & earl war 1963 sein größter hit.

4 track with full of disco, electro & chicago feel

more heat from nervous. another seminal ep from one of the greatest house production duo s of all time - mood ii swing aka john ciafone & lem springsteen. this was only their second ep from 1992 and showcases their trademark drum programming and deep 90 s chords. contains 4 mixes including the sought after mood ii swing dub. remastered for 2015 in conjunction with nervous records, nyc.

12 inch limited hand stamped white label

hercules & love affair frontman andy butler resurrects his revered debut solo ep, reworked by arttu & dan beaumont & luke solomon. originally released on butlers own mr intl imprint earlier this year, the impassioned vocals of rising nyc star richard kennedy are infused with grandiose charm in this unique new alchemic explosion.

ltd 7 inch

strange happenings are going on down at scrutton street, ec1. with release after release cementing the names of those based or working out of the studio bunker, a desire for pushing the boundaries of electronic music is primary with little concern for whats hip. so if anyone can tim can and here with his newly birthed pseudonym comes junior fairplay. with a one-sided release and remix to his name on crimes of the future a glimpse has been offered of whats in store, but how do you like me now? gives it straight.