overview in the 1980s, as hip hop caught fire around new york, sparky d was coming up in the van dyke projects in brownsville brooklyn. she would go on to be one of the first recorded solo female rappers and rise to hip hop stardom. early in her career she was a pivotal player in what came to be known as the roxanne wars. it all kicked off with utfo s roxanne roxxane followed by roxanne shante s debut roxanne s revenge and then a salvo back at shante with utfo and a female mc known as the real roxanne. sparky d then started a trend that ran for what some say was over a hundred assorted answer records and nearly the rest of the decade by jumping into the roxanne trend with sparky s turn (roxanne, you re through). massive spins and sales throughout the city followed. the success of the cut lead to another handful of 12 releases, and this release, her proper full length debut this is sparky ds world,- produced by her boyfriend and old school legend spyder d. though the record didn t take off to the extent that her label mates boogie down productions found with criminal minded....well, what ever did take off like criminal minded. to this day the release serves as a testament to the power of one of hip hop s first female mcs, after all, this is sparky d s world. traffic entertainment group in partnership with b-boy records is proud to release this extended version of the album, out of print in any format for over 14 years. housed in a handsome 6 panel digipak featuring extended artwork and audio including all the 12-cuts, mixes and instrumentals from sparkys classic -throwdown- and -i can t stop- vinyl singles.

the late steve reid, veteran jazz drummer and percussionist, and kieran hebden (four tet), the british electronic musician/producer young enough to be his grandson, present the fifth and final installment of their momentous synergy. the music on this double cd was recorded in concert on 20 june 2009 in the foyer of the queen elizabeth hall at london s southbank centre, as part of the meltdown festival curated by free jazz legend ornette coleman. for this marathon workout, reid and hebden were joined by swedish power saxophonist mats gustafsson, whose fiery blowing style had inspired kieran to seek out a drummer like steve to work with in the first place. live at the south bank stands as a memorial to a thrilling and productive partnership sadly cut off in its prime.

he is one of the hardcore scenes biggest icons for almost twenty years. after five albums, neophyte returned to his favorite chamber to produce his first album in more than five years. a unique album: for the first time in hardcore history, an album will be released in two different parts. on monday january 16th, neophyte will present the first chapter of rechtoe rechtaan s successor: mainiak . jeroen streundings formation dropped its first ep in 1993 on rotterdam records: they released tons of tracks on the legendary label. next to these activities, neophyte came up with several aliases like bodylotion, hard creation and masters of ceremony to produce on terror traxx and forze records. in 1999 neophyte founded his own label neophyte records, which is considered to be one of the leading labels in hardcore for more than twelve years. neophyte developed himself as one of the best producers of the hardcore scene and helped new artists like evil activities and tha playah to get to the top of the hardcore olympus as well. mainiak proves why neophyte is hailed as a true leader of the hardcore scene. the first chapter of the album is packed with an arsenal of brand new material: besides a lot of solo tracks, neophyte has also collaborated with a selection of other artists such as neophyte records colleagues tha playah & the viper. mainiak s tracks have been edited for the album to keep it flowing in the best way for the listeners pleasure. the dj s and his diehard fans won t have to mourn: the album s tracks will also be available for download in full length.

dj-superstar paul van dyk praesentiert zum dritten mal in folge die staerksten tracks des jahres aus seiner weltweit uebertragenen radioshow -vonyc sessions-! eigenhaendig ausgesucht und gemixt, liefert pvd ein masterpiece von einer mixcompilation ab, die die elektronische clubmusik heute in all ihren facetten perfekt widerspiegelt! neben den besten trance & progressive-sounds hoeren wir elemente aus house, techno, electro und dubstep. das tracklisting ist vom allerfeinsten, eine jahresbesten- essenz 2011, die die hoerer der 52 stationen in 23 laendern weltweit zu schaetzen wissen. paul van dyks woechentliche -vonyc sessions- sind zu einem trademark des modernen club/dance-radios per digitalem breitband und satellit geworden. jetzt auch gespresst auf 2 silberlinge in top-qualitaet beim haendler deines vertrauens!

renegade hardware is proud to present ink: the last scroll. the first artist led album ever to be released on the label. tracklist lp: a. ink feat. btk Ð reptile, b. ink - hidden dreams, c. ink feat. btk - 5 elements, d. ink feat. perpetuum - world turns

soundway return once more to the caribbean and are proud to present ifetaya by black truth rhythm band, originally released in 1976. led by the charismatic oluko imo, ifetaya was the only release from the afro-centric trinidadian band and is re-issued here for the first time on cd. whereas most of their peers at the time were looking to the funk of the usa & james brown for inspiration,black truth rhythm band looked to africa, fusing rhythms from africa & the west indies with elements of jazz, funk, calypsoand soul. ifetayo was to be the only release from black truth rhythm band but imo continued his music and love of african rhythms, going onto record with fela kuti in 1988 and later on perform with members of felas egypt 80 band.

for toro y mois chaz bundick, 2011 has seen the release of his acclaimed sophomore album, underneath the pine, remix work for tyler, the creator, a split 7 inch with cloud nothings, and a steady stream of international tour dates. just over halfway through whats already been a busy year, the prolific producer has a brand new batch of lavishly funky material to offer. bundicks latest is no sloppily assembled bunch of pine session throwaways. the freaking out ep was put to tape in june during a period of touring quiescence. the release finds bundick reveling in twenty minutes of boogie, roping in the heavy sounds of groups like the gap band and mtume. while the first two tracks are modern takes on the 80s post-disco vibe, -sweet- sounds like the product of a todd edwards and teddy riley collaboration, with smooth synths weaving in and out of meticulously chopped and arranged vocal samples. the new jack influence spills over into the cover of cherrelle and alexander oneills -saturday love-, in which a swingbeat carries along fluttering piano lines steeped in delay. the eps crown jewel, -i can get love-, sees bundick assimilating styles of each of his to-date releases, with the synthesized funk of causers of this, the irresistible hooks of pine, and dance alias les sins penchant for filter effects and house beats. full of energy and crafted with a conciseness that begs repeated listens, freaking out is toro y mois most concentrated venture into pure dance floor hedonism.

el rego is a true legend of african soul music. here for the first time on album are 12 of his greatest recordings from the late 60s and early 70s hand-picked by daptone records. afro-soul collector/ dj frank gossner had spent years combing west africa tracking down 45s by theophile do rego (aka el rego) before finally meeting him face to face in his home in benin. from that relationship came this album, which we present to you here in a 20 page hardcover bookcase cd featuring el regos own story of his life and music along with pictures from his personal collection and artwork from his original 45s. the music has been remastered with great care, and the vinyl contains an exclusive bonus 45 (while supplies last) of se na min, one of his most sought after afro-funk tracks, backed with e ma non tin me, a beautiful and somewhat more traditional song about two blind men who agree to go together and leap to their deaths into a river.

the debut solo album from the former oasis songwriter and guitarist. .as leader of oasis since the band s inception in 1993, noel gallagher was at the helm for their global success, from the launch of their first indie uk singles in 1994 to their final shows together in the summer of 2009. over the course of their seven consecutive #1 studio albums, oasis sold over 70 million records worldwide and charted 22 consecutive top 10 uk hits from 1995 to 2008 (including eight 1s), creating an astounding historical record.

this collection documents the two-decades-plus recording career of r&b icon luther vandross. even before he started putting out records under his own name, he was a first-call session singer (hes the one who created and sang the chorus hook on david bowies -young americans,- for just one example). throughout the 80s and the 90s, he was (both commercially and aesthetically) one of the most consistently successful r&b singer/songwriter/producers. this healthy two-disc selection of highlights from the impressive vandross catalogue moves deftly from heartfelt ballads (-a house is not a home-) to percolating, poppy numbers (-never too much-), spotlighting the mans mellifluous voice and tasteful phrasing at each turn. this is quite clearly the definitive career summary for this deeply influential r&b titan.

for the first time in 30 years throbbing gristle are now back on their own original industrial records label. to mark the occasion we are pleased to announce the rerelease of tgs first five albums on vinyl & cd. each album has been restored and remastered specifically for each format by chris carter from 24bit baked tape digital transfers of the original first generation analogue master tapes. each of the cd special-editions are presented in a gatefold sleeve featuring restored and remastered cover artworks and an integrated 8-page booklet (the booklets feature different artworks and content to the vinyl editions). while the cd releases feature the same track count and running order as the vinyl editions each cd special-edition also includes an exclusive bonus cd containing content from the year of the albums original release. this additional content includes tg live tracks and remastered singles. the greatest hits cd special-edition also includes two previously unreleased throbbing gristle mixes from the 1980s.

trust now is the keystone album of brooklyns prince rama. the album takes the kaleidoscopic mysticism of ancient devotional music and focuses it through the fierce urgency and archetypal language of pop, forming an environment that is both accessible and impenetrable. first conceived as a ritual to be performed live, the songs were fittingly recorded inside a 19th century church in seattle by scott colburn (sun city girls, animal collective, arcade fire). as their 5th full-length album, and first as a duo, trust now is perhaps prince ramas most focused, cohesive and powerful album to date.

demissions is the album every in-the-know electronica fan has been anxiously awaiting for the last ten years. phoenecia, the duo who put experimental electronic music on the map in the us with their soul oddity releases, their infamous schematic label, their early releases on warp and their brilliant albums brownout & echelon mall, are back with new album destined to be as ageless & influential as any of their previous contributions. what strikes the listener at first is how seamlessly the songs throughout the album integrate acoustic percussion with electronics, most notably on the twelve-minute epic first track two-part invention for bodhran & computer.

the tenth edition of the decibel outdoor festival on saturday the 20th august was more than successful! this anniversary edition was one to remember: nice summery weather, the hottest music, top artists, and excellent atmosphere and a great audience! decibel outdoor festival has become the largest festival in the world for harder styles, with up to 50.000 visitors. with more than 12 arenas, every genre of harder styles spectrum is represented at the festival. this registration with a lot of extras is a must have for your collection.

this is the first part (of four) of the much anticipated reissue series of drexciya s early catalogue, marking 20 years since the release of their first ep deep sea dweller , and 10 years since their final album grava 4 . one of the most influential techno acts ever, and part of the heritage of detroits underground resistance, drexciya explored techno like no-one else before: raw and uncompromising music that reflected the harsh environment of the city where drexciya was conceived, with a mythical approach that only added to their cult appeal. drexciya arguably stands for the darker side of techno and electro, made not only for the club scene, but a further development of the music as an expression and extension of the mind. journey of the deep sea dweller is a near-complete collection of their early works, released in four parts, with all audio remastered from the original master tapes. since the original releases have such a strong character and stand on their own, these reissue can never recreate the magic of those originals. instead, clone have stirred up the catalogue, taking tracks out of their original context, giving the committed fan a fresh experience and the new listener a document that is the best possible introduction to the aquatic world of drexciya.

legendary bournemouth-based trio aquasky return with their 8th studio album raise the devil featuring 16 bass-heavy party tracks which include guest vocals and collaborations from lee mortimer, engine earz experiment, daddy freddy, ragga twins, tenor fly, mr. thing, pyramid, acafool, deja, roisin brophy, didjelirium and bex riley. this album sees the trio take it back to basics and return to what people expect when they hear the name aquasky! having been solid friends since the heady days of rave and acid house, the guys first hit the studio together during the jungle era and in 1995 aquasky was born, signing immediately to moving shadow before going onto release on some of the biggest and best labels including polydor, botchit & scarper, reinforced, good looking records, hospital, southern fried and mr. bongo. in 2001 they took the decision to launch their own imprint passenger as a place where they had free reign to unleash their full creativity and develop both their sound and the sounds of other acts.

the album is just a few seconds under an hour long, consists of seventeen tracks and covers every style from wonky reggae through pop-funk, street spitting, straight up hip hop, sung ballads and epic death-disco. it deepens much of what mr manuva has already achieved over a glorious decade of innovation, but also throws in enough new ideas and adventures to last most creative artists a lifetime. we think it is his very best work since run come save me. we re wondering (whisper it) whether it might be his best album ever.

2011 debut album from tropics aka british producer and multi-instrumentalist chris ward. since planet mu released his first single, -soft vision-, the synthpop of his early tracks has evolved into a more substantial and personal style. parodia flare features ward as a multi-instrumental auteur, weaving together vintage sounds, rhodes keyboard, banks of old synths, software and guitars, live drums and electric bass.

soaring by the bank of la seine, we soak in tipsy chanson and say goodbye to the bleakly cold. la chanteuse de jazz presents you luscious melodies to welcome the coming romantic season. the album first brings you josâ phine bakers j ai deux amours rendered by ranee lee, the winner of juno awards in 2010, with elegant piano to build up the atmosphere of left bank. then, annie royer, the charming bilingual vocalist, with her beautiful voice that brings on images, performs dith piafs hymne l amour and padam. after that, chrstine albert from new york brings you charles trenet s la mer with her cute tone. lavalse des lilas composed by michel legrand, the composer of the umbrellas of cherbourg is rendered by carol welsman, the smooth jazz queen of canada. caroline daly presented c est magnifique, the song composed for can-can by the american composer, cole porter. of course, last but not least, isabelle antena, the popular bossa nova queen in france, gives you her unique version of la pecheresse a la ligne, nous dormirons esemble and melodie to put on a little romance for this spring!

> they made us do it< contains pure analogue, dirty and sophisticated dance music, with a wide range of influences: from chicago house to german psychedelic krautrock, from skweee to minimal techno, from ambient to bass, from the first collaboration with their free-jazz daddy on saxophone up to collaborations with modern classical musicians. file under: konfusion! >they made us do it< Ð it makes for a challenging listen both at home and in a club!

andy vazs straight vacationing, his first full-length artist album, since the 2006 release of repetitive moments last forever, registers as less a straight-up collection of dance-floor burners and more of a variety pack that mixes club tracks and full-fledged house songs. listeners hungry for just ordinary 4/4 throw-downs will not entirely get their share of those, but theyll also get a whole lot more on this dynamic and well-rounded set of eight album tracks and that is exploring house music not just as a simple one way street, but give you a very personal view of the music we call house. straight vacationing dives into the genre in all its rich variety: from deep melodic, early chicago influenced acid house, jacking-jedi mind tricks to disco-type grooves and last but not least excursions into bizzaro world, with a vaz typical almost psychedelic experimental-edged sound, its all there.

this latest release by the ever impressive trunk records consists of two jazz recordings from 1964. the first four tracks, credited to west indian trumpeter shake keane, are taken from an unreleased acetate belonging to garricks private collection. the final four tracks consist of the shake keane & michael garrick quartettes a case of jazz ep that had a limited pressing of just 99 copies. much like trunks earlier michael garrick release moonscape (which was recorded in the same year), this is indeed obscure 1960s uk jazz. the first four cuts from the untitled acetate are very much jazz of the bossa nova variety. the hastings girls choir feature on the first two tracks and their lush vocals add a cool exotic vibe. tracks 3 & 4 are taken from the flipside of the acetate and were recorded with the gordon langford orchestra. the final four tracks from the a case of jazz ep are freer flowing and keanes trumpeting accompanied by garricks piano makes for some quality early modern british jazz. moody album closer regrets is a stunner and best showcases how well they both compliment each other.

-introduction to zoology- is the first album of music composer and film editor bartosz cichonsky. the title of his album is certainly sarcastic and that is in fact a clue about how much offbeat it is. doctor in atmosphere for some, pytors signature sound

its a thing of stately, fragmented, charred beauty....this is a stone killer from first to last beat.

gem club is an exclusive society: two people, a piano, and a cello. vocalist christopher barnes sings in a quivering whisper, and these minimal accompaniments assure that their sound never becomes louder than a hush. but the massachusetts duo s debut ep, acid and everything, showed just how much emotional intensity you could pack into compositions so spare, and how much could be suggested with so little. everything on breakers, their first full-length, sounds frozen over: icy, quiet, austere. you know that eerie feeling when you find yourself alone in a huge public place that s usually crowded-- maybe a shopping mall or a playing field- but at that moment is totally empty? this record sounds like a sustained version of that feeling. -i heard the party- juxtaposes echoing piano chords and a general sense of unease (-no one could have told you / your body would fail you-) with the refrain -i heard the partys here- floating across the track like the sound of dried up laughter. the word -party- feels so out of place in a song so pensive and lonely that there s something jarring about the experience. the feeling crops up repeatedly on breakers: a sense of slow-motion detachment, a suggestion that there were signs of life here once, but you ve arrived a couple of hours- or maybe a couple of weeks- too late.

one of the most referenced producers of the last year and one of the most influential producers on the scene: mk aka marc kinchen presents a sublime collection of his work, much of which has been previously unavailable digitally, on this latest volume in the house masters series. during the halcyon period of house music in the early 90s, marc kinchen became one of the genres most respected producers and in-demand remixers. starting out at an incredibly young age in detroit as a protŽgŽ of techno god kevin saunderson before later moving to new york, he fast became a prolific figure in the dance music community. here twenty of his most influential of recordings are collected and made available completely unedited, unmixed and dj friendly for the very first time. this package includes 9 tracks that have never been made available digitally.

2011 release, the follow up to 2010s successful first volume of bangs & works. the carefully curated compilation showcases chicago footwork, one of the most forward-looking, innovative new styles of electronic music on the planet. footwork is beginning to spread outside of chicago, influencing productions around the world. bangs & works vol. 2 brings the focus back onto chicagos own producers, showing where the real innovation still lies. while its predecessor sticks mainly to the more hallucinatory and left-field elements, this one has a wider remit, ranging from mad techno-style tracks to those that sound like musique concrete gone footwork.

first there was life is water for gerbadaisies when they are dancing, then there was a soft kiss by a rose, now we have shhh, dandelions at play - the latest album by boof. shhh, dandelions at play is available on cd and as download via bubbletease communications on itunes and juno download. accompanied by the 12inch-single joi is smiling/now shes jumping. produced by maurice fulton.

mixed and compiled by marcel dettmann, a stunning fresh berlin techno cd . decks tip !

hot on the heels of the wildly enigmatic debut from wu lyf, bristol-based guitar band zun zun egui continue the british avant-garde scenes fascination with indecipherable lyrics on their first offering, katang. with tracks performed in english, french, japanese, and creole alongside several mutterings which appear to be from an entirely made-up language, its impossible for anyone, bar the most accomplished of multi-linguists, to understand what their self-described -free-range rock music- is about.

vier jahre nach ihrem gefeierten hit-album the reminder meldet sich feist mit ihrem neuen werk zurueck: metals , das vierte studioealbum der kanadierin, erscheint am 30. september. bei den aufnahmen an der kalifoernischen kueste wurde die 35-jaehrige soewoehl voen langjaehrigen weggefaehrten chilly goenzales und moecky als auch voen neuen verbuendeten wie valgeir sigurdssoen (boenne, prince, billy, bjork) unterstuetzt. die stuecke, die auf metals versammelt sind, rangieren voen sachte poelternden, stimmungsvoellen klangteppichen bis hin zu extrem intensiven tracks, die wie ein musikalisches pendant den aufziehenden nebel und das darauf foelgende gewitter widerspiegeln. feist ist zurueck - und besser denn je. deluxe editioen koemmt in einer schonen digipack ausstattung.

2011 release. their first new album in more than three years, hysterical marks a major milestone in the continuing evolution of clap your hands say yeah. born out of an intensely collaborative process in which songs were constructed, dismantled, and then rebuilt anew, the album finds the band their most confident and creative, expertly expanding upon its already distinctive sound. from the chrome-plated licks of maniac and the title track to the sheets of eddying synths and emotive motorik pulsebeats of into your alien arms and ketamine and ecstasy, the band delivers up sonically provocative pop music that is simultaneously jubilant, mesmeric, and altogether infectious. hysterical reveals clap your hands say yeah to be a wholly developed band in full command of their unique artistic gifts. this long play version pressed on 180 gram vinyl also includes a download card.

2011 album from the british electronic duo, their first album in seven years. producer/songwriter/frontman richard fearless mixed the album in michigan after recording it in shoreditch, london. trans-love energies, a reference to the 1960s detroit anti-establishment group, features 12 new songs with fearless performing lead vocals on the majority of the tracks. vocalist katie stelmanis from domino band austra guests on three of the tracks.

thirty years after they released their first four track ep black roots singles output is finally showcased on -black roots - the reggae singles anthology-. released on september 5th, by bristol archive records in collaboration with nubian records this 16 track album spans the bands creative peak of the 1980s.

tripper, the fifth fruit bats full-length, was recorded at wacs studio in los angeles with thom monahan. for the first week of recording, fruit bats leader eric d. johnson brought in a full band to capture some of the live excitement of 2009s the ruminant band. however, having recently worked alone on soundtracks for an extended period, johnson knew that he wanted tripper to be more of a solitary pursuit than his previous album. the resulting album, a bittersweet meditation on hitting the road, leaving the familiar behind and reinventing yourself, is a reinvention itself.

multi-platinum, grammy award-winning rock band red hot chili peppers will release their upcoming tenth studio album, im with you, on warner bros. records on august 30th, 2011. recorded at east west in los angeles and shangri-la in malibu, ca, im with you was produced by rick rubin, who has produced the bands previous five albums, 2006s stadium arcadium, 2002s by the way, 1999s californication, 1995s one hot minute, and 1991s blood sugar sex magik. the album was mixed by andrew scheps and greg fidelman. im with you is the bands first new album since the two-set stadium arcadium.

500 limited edition cd that comes with 32 page comic novel. and illustrated by ulrich troyer. songs for william is the first in a trilogy of experimental dub projects from ulrich troyer and deep medi musik. ulrich troyer was born in innsbruck and raised in tyrol austria, he studied architechure and music at university and now resides in vienna where he lives and works as a freelance artist and musician. ulrich has been producing music and experimenting with electronics for over 10 years on various projects that include soundtracks for movies, dance productions, exhibitions and sound installations. since 2005 ulrich has also been performing live as a member of the vegetable orchestra. songs for william sees ulrich explore his love for dub music and the experimentations of pioneers such as king tubby, sound dimension and rhythm and sound alongside the influences of mulatu, tony allen and the psychedelic sounds of selda. to accompany this release is the first part chapter of a comic novel featuring the main character william (a guitar effect pedal!) and his journey! all analogue synthesizers, effects, stompboxes, samplers, guitars, percussion and melodica played, programmed, recorded and dubbed by ulrich troyer at the 4bit studio vienna.

the sound of garuda: chapter 2 is the brand new mix album from the uks no.1 dj: gareth emery. after the hugely successful first -sound of garuda- gareth emery returns with the second part to the garuda mix compilation story. the concept behind the compilation is to produce a mix from only new exclusive material from garuda, gareths own record label. the 12 tracks on the compilation is a cross selection of electronic styles ranging from uplifting slamming house music, engaging progressive and uplifting trance tracks with many of the tracks being made specifically for the album. it includes 2 brand new gareth emery tracks, which are collaborations with emerging artists. you dont want to miss out on this pearl from one of the grand masters of dance music!

august darnells swaggering alter ego kid creole dons his famed fedora and gets back in stride with his first high profile studio album in over 10 years: i wake up screaming. darnell first came to prominence during the mid-70s in new york, forming dr. buzzards original savannah band with his brother stony browder before producing a slew of eccentric projects for ze records including cristina, don armandos seventh avenue rumba band and gichy dan, as well as sporting his trademark zoot suit and fedora for the first time for the debut recordings by kid creole & the coconuts. signing on to chris blackwells island records and seymour steins sire imprint, darnell would become one of the 80s most unique and recognisable figures, scoring a brace of unforgettable chart hits mixing heavyweight tropical grooves with plenty of lyrical bite: -stool pigeon-, -annie, im not your daddy-, -im a wonderful thing baby- and more. with cover artwork echoing his love of 1940s film noir, this album explores the vibrant mind of darnell with a variety of themes and styles. recorded at darnells own studio in sweden and mixed by brennan green (chinatown recordings), i wake up screaming is an essential return from one of the truly unique characters in the world of music.

tunisia has never been a referent place in the electronic music world. it was better known for its beaches and sunny weather, hardly for its political regime but the events of 2011 brought quite some changes about that. these changes have been nurturing in the underground of the country until exploding to the face of the world, with fantastic momentums of rebellion, courage and union. shinigami sans album is a signal that emanates from the underground of tunisia: a hybrid of dubstep, techno and noise, very dark, but most importantly, very true. this is neither the sound of london or berlin, and if a couple of ingredients from here and there are recognizable in -toys-, it is most definitely the electronic sound of tunisia we bring to you here. from the dusty, 8-bit dubstep of -lofi- and -toys- to the dark techno rollers -post trauma- and -migra-, you will go by tribal beats, eerie atmospheres and heavily distorted sound textures. shinigami san draws a panorama that shows both impressive skills and style. -toys- is not only about excellent and true music, but also about original product design and diy manufacturing. this 450 digipack limited edition was hand-printed and crafted using silk screen printing, rulers and cutters. the graphic design is based on drawings from sabrina ben hadj ali, and each cd comes with 3 original prints on the theme of the album. today, we are up to put tunisia under the radar of electronic beat diggers, today, we bring you the first album of tunisian-born shinigami san: nothing cheesy here, just a raw, brutally honest vibe.

cocker kicks off a collectable series of bargain-priced finders keepers compilations made to support the label in light of the recent warehouse fire at pias north london depot. a long time fan of the label and their doings, he was granted full access to rifle their catalogue and hes picked some absolute treats for ya, including, if were not mistaken, some which have never appeared on cd before. to start theres the perspicacious poetics of carol battens beeing, besides the legendary pseudo j-pop of yamasuki (made by none other than thomas -daft punk- bangalters dad!), besides a first cd appearance for jacky chalards super man, super cool from the cache cache 12-. youll also find a nugget from the stone soundtrack, one of the labels finest moments from amrals trinidad cavaliers steel drum orchestra, the glam prog of gongs rational anthem, balearic prog from fusioon, tender folk from jane weaver with wendy flower, and a bonus moment in jean claude vanniers au desepoir des singles. top picks, well recommended!

wretch 32, real name jermaine scott, is one of the uks most loved mcs - from the underground up. from his early years in londons flourishing grime scene back in the early 00s, the tottenham-raised lyricist has always stood out from the crowd. his conscious and reflective bars, along with an extremely relaxed flow, made him a firm favourite on the uk hip hop circuit. much like tinie tempah, wretch 32 has proved that british mcs can reach the mainstream without selling their soul to pop. the first fruits of this crossover success were tasted in january 2011, when his single traktor broke into the domestic top five following an appearance on the bbc sound ofÉ list. and his second official single, unorthodox, fared even better, peaking at number two in april. so its clear that much has changed since his debut lp of 2008, wretchrospective - but has public recognition come at the expense of what marked wretch 32 out as such a talent in the first place? not at all - on the opening title-track, the rapper lets the listener know that its the same old wretch at work. over a drum-heavy hip hop beat he sets up the rest of the album well, advising everyone to fasten their seatbelts as he prepares to take them on a ride that they wont forget in a hurry. never be me finds wretch delving into his past, opening up about making certain decisions in life that got him to where he is today. featuring rnb newcomer angel on the hook, the track has an inspirational feel to it - all over another impressive, but this time more grime-influenced, beat. a true standout is anniversary, with alex mills on singing duties - its a love song, minus any cheese. then the album lurches into the electro-infused sanes the new mad - a glimpse into wretchs party lifestyle, with ladies and alcohol at the forefront of his attentions. and closer dont go just might be one of the tracks of the year.

dj diamond is 24 year old karlis griffin from the west side of chicago. he has been producing music since the age of 13 and djing since 20, heading the -flight muzik- clique of footwork producers. you might recall his two tracks from our -bangs & works vol.1- footwork compilation of last year. in addition hes also released several mix cds in chicago, but this, his first international album showcases his unique style of footwork music. dj diamond is a unique producer with his own distinct style and an unusual ear for unexpected sonic and rhythmic combinations within the footwork template. often he thoroughly edits samples into tiny trance-inducing, techno-like stabs. combining this with a penchant for neon synths and loose, broken drums (that are often more effect-laden and freeform than those of of his peers) and you have a sound which has an intriguing, deeper, dreamlike feel. the breadth and quality of his production is clear when you listen to this album. take opener -rep yo clique-s woozy drawling synths and tribal tom patterns next to -speakerz n tonguez- with it-s snapping snares, minimal, repetitive voice samples and martial, detailed drum work. then a track like -torture rack- which is like grime in outer space: a minimal bassline and some samples from a computer game, while a bass kick stumbles at half time, swarms of percussive detail giving it drama. its a brilliant exercise in wonky tension. the extraordinary -decoded- comes across like a kind of amalgam of trance and prog rock bombast at 160bpm while -wreckageÕs- high pitch saw noise is like a strange metallic bird-call, over light cymbals, gabba-like kicks and metallic claps. -digimons- harmonic microedits could even be an snd track transported to chicago. finally the albums closer -i choose you- rolls out over a heavily edited and processed soul sample, its drums rolling off at odd angles to almost seasick effect.

larry chubby reynolds as he was originally called cut some 45 s for the tri-spin label when first starting out in detroit during the 60s. he recorded with groups the relations and chocolate syrup before ultimately, in 1973, replacing william howard as lead singer of the dramatics. here he recorded and performed before his solo album deal with capitol records in 1981 which gave us the l.j. reynolds (which included key to the world ) then travelin in 1982. ahead of this fantasy album came lovin man for mercury in 1984, then ultimately tell me you will which features a special guest appearance by the o jays. rare on cd, this album has been much sought after by soul fans in recent years.

these are not just simple beats: these are tunebeats! yesterday, today and tomorrow in 18 incredible tracks! selected and mixed by tuneboy !! need to say more?

the thing return with guitars (gasp!) from none other than otomo yoshihide. recorded by jim o rourke live at pit inn in tokyo, shinkjuku crawl documents the different aspects of the thing and how they are shaping and melting together with the wonderful guitar magic of yoshihide. otomo yoshihide first came to international prominence in the 1990s as the leader of the noise rock group ground zero, and has since worked in a variety of contexts, ranging from free improvisation to noise, jazz, avant-garde and contemporary classical.

a really well done compilation Ð the first of what looks to be a great label from dakar! this well researched, fully annotated collection brings together rare work by idrissa diop Ð a great range of early 70s material done before his relocation to france, lots of it with a great blend of senegalese and cuban elements! the rhythms are wonderful Ð really spinning out in these hypnotic ways, and often encouraging a bit of descarga-like jamming from the musicians, especially on the longer tracks Ð and the full notes in the set really helps put the music in context. titles include -caridad-, -kaele-, -massani cisse-, -fonkale garape-, -gueth-, -yaye boye-, -cintorita-, and -dioubo-.

yuri mendez jr. has an amazing gift for composing good songs. he arranges them and records them brilliantly, and then groups them together on an album in an unpredictable yet cohesive way (his last album had 22 tracks. this one only has 8). uri mŽndez jr. is a true artisan in the best sense of the word. this is pajaro sunrises third album, and although the essentials havenÕt changed (good songs, great songs), the rest has certainly evolved. yuris voice sounds more and more emphatic, and with an extensive register full of nuances, he sings a story in every song. in doing this, he covers a stunning vocal range that dazzles from the first listen. yuri has been playing together with the same fantastic band for some time now. with them, he has rehearsed the tracks (many of which they were already playing in concerts), and then gone into the studio where almost everything was recorded with everyone playing live. the benefits of having a group that has already travelled together, as well as shared stages and life experiences are evident. and, if this disc breathes anything, its travel, highways, and familiar stories stolen from faraway places that also feel nearby. its a grandiose yet intimate album that thrills and grows with each listen.

you can forgive a band who set out to create something even just a little bit different and get it horrendously wrong, but its tough to have sympathy for a band who shy away from the challenge altogether. such was the case with autokratz on their first album, animal, which, apart from a passable opening track, consisted of a series of bland electronic pastiches Ð dance music that conversely made the listener want to sit and wait it out. that didnt stop the hype building around the duo, though, thanks in no small part to the fact that the album was released through in-vogue french label kitsunŽ music. the confusing positivity surrounding the lp suggesting, perhaps, that style overcomes substance once a record company has received the hipster seal of approval.this time around, however, kitsune has stepped aside, with autokratz releasing the follow-up on their own label, bad life. but has the sense of responsibility that surely comes with this step made them re-evaluate their direction? has it inspired them to inject a much-needed shot of creativity into their work? not a hope. if anything, autokratz descend even further into mediocrity on self help for beginners. once again, their best tunes are loaded towards the front of the album, starting with the lead single, -opposite of love. its far from outstanding, helped in no small part by the terribly contrived lyrics, but does possess a catchy synth melody Ð enough to earn it a place on club playlists, at least. its a similar story with -becoming the wraith, which has peter hook on hand to deliver an overtly new order-esque bassline. beyond that, however, the quality dips dramatically. tracks like -the seventh seal and -r.i.s.e. are typical of the selection on offer, underwhelmingly vapid, derivative tunes which show up a disappointing, but not totally unexpected, scarcity of guile on the part of their creators.where autokratz do excel is as producers Ð a quality evident not only in their own work, but also in their remixes for other artists. unfortunately, this only serves to exacerbate their deficiencies on the other side of the control room desk. ultimately it may mean that, having failed to address the shortcomings of their debut, autokratz will be fated to be filed under -also rans in the annals of music history. thats assuming, of course, that someone out there will actually remember them at all.