born as florian frickes brainchild, popol vuh needs little introduction, the band stayed active between the late 1960s & late 1990s (until florians passing in 2001). regarded as pioneers in avant-garde german electronic music, their early works practically laid down the foundations for kosmische muzik (space music) with the then new sounds of the moog synthesizer joined with ethnic percussions

emotional response starts 2017 with a mini-album of ambient-equatorial enlightenment by australia s mysterious tropical hi-fi. the final record from an artist appearing on the label s first schleiben series, this also points to the future. based somewhere in the far flung northern territories, the music of hi-fi s pre-incarnation electric egypt was first discovered via the note-worthy airwaves of l.a s outstanding dublab radio station.

rude operator’s dissonant intro on witchdoctor synthesizes a half-time beat with jazz undertones before bouncing into a percussive bassline. constantly evolving drum patterns, punctuated with horn bursts and upright bass from ornette hawkins, keep the dance floor moving.
gunman’s blissed-out atmospherics pave the way for a heavy combination of chopped up breakbeats and a juked-out drumline. equally influenced by early jungle and contemporary footwork, 808 percussion and congas punctuate the undulating bassline.
arrowhead fuses dubbed out elements with a running apache break and ominous synths. percussive vocal stabs propel the song forward, while a deep, driving bassline and amen cuts bring the pressure.
war diamond pays homage to dc’s indigenous sound, go-go. a hypnotic conga drum workout rinses oscillating bass with nature sounds, taking you above the canopy with a relentless swing. lightly toasted by born i music, this fresh take on jungle delivers a heavy, tribal perspective.

it goes without saying that space has always been central to techno – both in terms of its cosmic and futuristic trajectory, as well as in the spatial dimensions of sonic elements. etapp kyle’s first full ostgut ton ep release sees the ukrainian-born, berlin- based berghain resident emphasizing the connection between the two, while avoiding techno’s overt intergalactic clichés. by partially linking to his continuum ep (unterton, 2016), the results are four tracks of pristine, sci-fi minimalism, propelled by ambient synths and percussive explosions in distant skies – more utopian than dystopian. opener “alpha” establishes the cosmic theme from the get go, with chord swells and a whirring, phasing spacewind panning across the stereo image. while a subdued kickdrum gets things started, it’s the rhythmic interplay between dynamic high-hats and halled-out rimshots that guide the track through space. from there, “quantum” on a2 strips the voyage down to a glowing, unwavering arpeggiated synth line, interspersed with twisted, high-pitched bells and updated 909- esque snare patters.

this summer 2017 tom bulwer launches parasol culture, a vinyl only imprint, focusing on quality house and techno, with a tinge of “it’s a london thing”. dutch born tom came to london as a uk garage dj working up his way the ranks of pirate radio stations (freek fm, unknown fm), to producing and working with uk garage legend karl ‘tuff enuff’ brown. this year tom is focusing on tb audio, his analogue mastering studio in east london, and producing music on the deeper side of house and techno as a solo artist. tom has released on labels such as nu faze, !k7 and signatune records. he also regularly writes with long term partner in crime anna wall under their own names and under their moniker casse. the first parasol culture release is the output of tom and anna’s winter months under the same roof and in his studio in hackney wick. 2017 also sees tom start a new venture with dexter kane (murmur, get physical, fear of flying), aptly named, alternate facts, a vinyl only label and free party series, wax and stacks, party over profit, power to the people.

transmitting crucial beats from burlington, the vermont-based producers es-k and loupo have crafted a smooth, introspective long-player for the cold busted label titled symbiosis. holland-born es-k (essential knowledge) is known for his monthly spontaneous grooves series (where a collection of tracks are created in one sitting) and his vital 2016 album passages. fellow vt rhythm- wrangler loupo is also on the rise, with a recent album on the melody soul label named good company. this new collaborative release, symbiosis, is a brilliant meeting-of-the-minds, blending the styles of these two talents over the course of ten tracks. the result is deep and meaningful as well as groovy and headz approved, showcasing the duos penchant for envelope pushing in terms of atmosphere, melody, and rhythm.

get 2 know nicky benedek: a producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and dj. his compositions bridge the nebulous territories of house, boogie, hip-hop, jazz-fusion and experimental new age. born and bred in los angeles, benedek began pulling inspiration from the city’s structural and visual dichotomies at a young age. he picked up a guitar at 9 years-old, taking note of any and all sonic surroundings, from prevalent west coast g-funk to the synthesized sound effects in video games to a herbie hancock record pulled from his dad’s collection. amongst a complex set of influences, funk took a hold on his heart by high school. bene’s world is benedek’s second leaving records release, following last year’s coolin’ ep as well as a full-length debut on the influential peoples potential unlimited label. his catalogue also includes collaborations with dam-funk, delroy edwards and tom noble. recorded between his koreatown studio and the west la home he grew up in, bene’s world captures the characteristically-la mingling of urban action and canyon seclusion.

before there was a man in black, there were the sun records years, when cash began defining his peculiar and witty version of country music. born in arkansas in 1932, cash began recording as a top artist for sun records, for which he released his first full-length lp. this double lp set documents all the hits from 1955 to 1958, before cash signed to columbia records. these 35 “first steps” helped build the legend and are considered the milestones of an incredible career that ended with those passionate and soulful albums on the “american recordings” series released between 1994 and 2003, the year jr cash died on sept 12.

copenhagens music for dreams comes with yet another strong release - a double album of personal favourites compiled by jan schulte. according to all maps and witness accounts, germany does not officially have any tropical forests. this is of no concern to schulte however, who has unearthed many stunning examples of tropical drum music recorded there. perhaps the number of botanical gardens and palm houses in germany confused musicians into mistaking the climate, or maybe it was just a happy blend of escapism and multi-cultural integration within musical scenes that spawned such a curious output of undefinable tribal folk jazz. most of the tracks picked by schulte were released on small labels in the late 80 s. the musicians involved were mainly traditionally schooled, born and raised in germany. at that time to be interested in foreign folk music might have seemed a gimmick to some, what with the emerging -world music boom- already snowballing into the mainstream. but these songs, while they may be based on musical traditions from foreign lands, deal much more with introspection than exploitation. schulte himself points to his -general fascination for music that describes places where the artists have never been. songs about the jungle or the rainforest made by people that know the rainforest only from television and books. somehow i think you can hear their mythical imagination and fantasy in those tracks,- he explains....

feat. 11 previously unreleased recordings

drummer and music producer desmond mahoney is another of the unsung heroes of british reggae. born in jamaica, he moved to the uk in 1967 and began his professional career playing drums in a band called young ones from zion. he was a founding member of black slate when the group formed in 1974, played with them through their glory years and after running a sound system in north london for many years, returned to the fold when the group reformed a few years ago. his first foray in music production probably came during a brief period in toronto in 1978, working with a band called the ishan lions, but he was back in the uk in time for black slate’s breakthrough material, which brought them onto ensign in the uk, barclay in france and alligator in the usa. at the same time, he continued to arrange and produce for a number of british reggae artists operating in both the roots and lover’s rock modes, female duo nya & natty’s ‘one love stylee’ seemed to bridge the two styles quite successfully on this greatly sought-after 12-inch, first issued in 1981 on the s&g label, then based at a record shop in bow.

renowned argentinean artist franco cinelli returns to unlock recordings with three intricate cuts from the vault this september. one of argentina s most respected producers, franco cinelli has been making music for over two decades. the rosario-born artist has made a name for himself with excellent releases on the likes of djulz bass culture, esperanza and raum...music, not to mention his collaborative project alongside dario zenker named maria fresca on ilian tape. with so many of the upper echelons of house, techno and minimal supporting his tracks, including ricardo villalobos himself, franco cinelli s inimitable productions are not to be overlooked. originally released in 2009 and now finally getting a proper vinyl release, cinelli s remix of saccobros why not constructs an energetic narrative that extends over ten minutes. tight kicks work alongside looped atmospherics as a muffled hook and infectious sample add to the heightening suspense. cuts from the vault also sees two new productions from the argentinian. morph sense is the more twisted of the two, demonstrating a medley of clicks and whirrs whilst sci-fi inspired arpeggios operate throughout. as the name suggests, dub sine of the moon is the deepest cut on the package, with its crunchy percussion and subterranean tape delays that form a hypnotizing aesthetic from start to finish.

new york s p. leone is back with the second release on his newly launched e-missions imprint featuring work them records founder spencer parker on remix duties. born and raised in brooklyn, where he discovered the legendary storm rave parties run by frankie bones and adam x, p. leone cut his teeth djing in the lower east side of manhattan before making techno himself. before long the producer dropped his first two releases on work them records, joining a roster spanning radio slave, spencer parker, young male, anetha and physical therapy. e-missions was then launched in early 2017, acting as a platform for co-founders p. leone and caiazzo with more exciting artists soon to be announced. discipline signals is dark and robust from start to finish, with functions of discipline 1 inaugurating the package with resonating kicks, trippy elements and industrial synths. functions of discipline 2 follows a similar aesthetic but heads into a deeper direction with its cavernous atmospherics and glitch inspired effects, making way for laced with its sinister drones and tantalising melodies. spencer parker then remixes laced , concluding matters with rugged drums, energetic hi-hats and a rumbling low-end.

repress - without dl code - susso, aka bassist / producer huw bennett, creates music inspired by, and directly sampling, the magnificent sounds of the mandinka people, recorded during a recent trip to gambia. initially travelling with the aim of gaining perspective as a musician and to discover a new world of music first hand, huw found himself humbled by such a welcoming community of artists, mostly belonging to the celebrated susso and kuyateh griot families.
the tracks are composed entirely from original source material, field recordings and huw’s talents as a multi-instrumentalist, performing tuned percussion from the region including the mandinka balafon, kutiringding drum, aswell drawing on his skill as a professional upright / electric bassist. the music produced has a contemporary electronic sound, whilst still paying homage to a traditional gambian aesthetic. keira (meaning peace) guides the listener through huw’s journey up the river gambia, being welcomed into remote dusty villages, where your people are the most important thing in life

12 inch comes with a downloadvoucher to the full album!
space is the place friends! we are happy to present “space consciousness”, the first album on our little imprint composed by astro traveller adham zahran. born on a day where the sun was aligned with the eridanus supervoid, a ray of energy from deep space unraveled an ancient force inside baby adham that allowed him to share the wonders of the cosmos through some seriously funky house muzak. the 8 track joint comes to you in a binary format with a 12” continuous analog excerpt (by buying the 12“, you will get a download-code for the complete album). on top of that we asked professor chinaski, a proofed expert of the chaos theory and meteor card collector, to invert the albums intro into a slammy dancefloor banger, which the professional disc jockey won’t be able to resist. if you don’t believe us, ask your astrologist!

olim in latin can be used to indicate a time in the past or in the future. it can mean ‘once upon a time’ and ‘someday in the future’. a name and a project to try to move away from trends and genres, by taking inspiration from the past but at the same time leaving it, moving forward to shape a different and more narrative sound. the first attempt to do so is recursively: an 8 track album, opening with a sentence from bunny marrett sampled from an old documentary about st paul’s and the jamaican immigration in bristol during the 80’s. inspired by those intro words, recursively is a journey born from many years moving around, packing and unpacking suitcases, leaving villages, finding cities,leaving friends and finding more, emigrating, integrating. it’s a story about an entire generation trying to find the peace somewhere, somehow, sometimes by repeating the same steps in a loop of actions which seem to be the same but ultimately never are. it’s a soundtrack of those feelings and at the same time a message of hope to continue the journey through the faith that the meaning is the infinite journey itself. an infinite loop masterfully represented in carol rollo’s illustration. a story to be continued.

the third and final part of the jacob f. desvarieux anthology on endless flight brings two more hot productions of the fabled french zouk veteran with roots in guadeloupe. the tune “rifyx” is taken from desvarieux’s 1985 album “oh madiana” and delivers arresting jazz-funk and zouk-suspense enlarged with touching horns, synth-enthusiasm and longing female vocals. the second song comes from the paris based, west cameroon born singer tala, produced by desvarieux for tala’s album “mother africa” in 1982. also here desvarieux tuned the synthesizers odd and edgy to let them dance with an afro styled rhythm. above all tala sings sexy with a chorus of girls while percussions go crazy and the sounds of horns are longing for the sky. on top of everything endless flight asked again the japanese producer kuniyuik to edit a desvarieux track. he chose “rifyx” and tuned it into an epic soulful eight minutes long dream house anthem that funks all dancers crazy. hotter than hot stuff here!

russian born anastasia vtorova is based in berlin and makes music under the name machine woman. prior to joining the technicolour ranks, she has released two 12”s - via the self-titled imprint of swedish producer peder mannerfelt (2015) and uk label where to now? (2016) - plus a handful of very limited cassettes via sacred tapes (2015), tesla tapes and ono (2014).

driven by passion for quality music, easy tiger came to life in 2011. as a contemporary party series. it was born from the idea and the desire to offer something fresh to belgrade’s electronic music scene.
delving deeper into musical endeavours, marko nastic blends his essential quirky, modular soundscapes into two dancefloor oriented tracks. on his new vinyl only imprint, marko promises further explorations of the genre, octagon gate being the primary example of the abstract tendencies. the second side cut, monday surfing, brings some intricately programmed rhythms, keeping the dancefloor dynamics integrated with intricate synths and subtle pads. the first release on his own new easy tiger series is all about future thinking house music.

sowohl der film als auch der soundtrack zu »guardians of the galaxy« sind absolut kult. und da 2017 endlich die fortsetzung des science-fiction-abenteuers von marvel in den kinos läuft, gibt es passend dazu die neue filmmusik: »guardians of the galaxy: awesome mix vol. 2«.

music from the disney movie “hercules” on picture vinyl.

turn on, tune in drop out to the groovy sounds from the summer of love. limited pressing on red coloured vinyl.

psychedelic nuggets from the summer of love on 2 special marble colored vinyl lps, housed in a gatefold sleeve. compiled by alec palao.

portable is alan abrahams, a south african born artist, producer, and celebrated live act who has released his minimal wares on cult labels like perlon and live at robert johnson, as well as his own süd electronic label. abrahams’ first lp for !k7 is his most personal yet, taking the artist’s given name for its title. the album places portable’s distinctive vocals front and center, showcasing some very real song writing skills next to abrahams’ own piano playing, in addition to a few choice collaborators.
double vinyl release with cd-copy of the album included.

born in shreveport, louisiana, reuben bell began singing in local clubs. he first recorded for the local murco label in 1967 before moving to the silver fox and house of orange labels. in 1975 he released his first 45rpm single for alarm records (-superjock- b/w -i still have to say goodbye-) which was produced by wardell quezergue. neither side made any noise back then but 24 years later -superjock- was included in dj shadow & cut chemist s brainfreeze mix. since then it has become a classic and it has been played constantly by hip hop and funk djs all around the world. it has appeared on a handful of (mainly bootleg) compilations over the years so we are proud to present the long-overdue, fully licensed re-issue on its original format. you may check out tramp s -countdown to... soul- (tr-9067) compilation which contains -superjock- as well as some other fine rare grooves.

coloured vinyl !

locked club is the new russian electronic punk music. a wild combination of the legacy of classic house music, new-wave acid and techno sounds and the immersion of post-soviet dance experimentation. born out of scruffy techno beginnings at drum-heavy basement parties, this is a serious, acid inflicted view of modern electronic music from the other side - away from the surrealism of the big room. locked club and rlgn recorded this project together in a basement for the basement.

nachdem temporär die special edition des soundtracks erhältlich war (anderes coverartwork, pink gefärbtes vinyl), kehren invada nun mit dieser neuauflage zu dem ursprünglichen design des soundtracks zurück. sprich es ist auf dem cover wieder die rückenansicht von ray gosling in seiner silberfarbenen skorpion-jacke zu sehen. damit es nicht langweilig wird, ist das 140g schwere vinyl nun so gefärbt: frosted clear with multi-coloured splatter . das gatefold-cover rundet diese edition ab. -drive- gehört zu den populärsten scores der letzten jahre. die mischung aus elektronischer pop-musik (unter der leitung/produktion der chromatics) und dem elektronischem soundtrack (von cliff martinez, ex- red hot chilli peppers) geht wunderbar auf und verbindet sich treffsicher mit den suggestiven bildern des films.

the second release of secret swat manoeuvre s from the us of a ! after the instant sellout dj nature 12-, swat come through with a devastating & loving homage to the basement boys and amiri baraka s 2001 jam -an american poem- malik ameer is a veteran m.c. in the experimental rap/jazz scenes of california and nyc. ameer is also an internationally published poet with five books of poems to his name, he hosts and curates poets live in paris, france and is the editor for several literary journals based out of new york city. houston born, manhattan based leron thomas is a critically acclaimed writer, artist, and trumpeter who has worked with many household names from a variety of genres including michael stipe, lauryn hill, bobby watson, roy hargrove, bilal and mos def, to name but a few. from 2004 onward he has developed his genre-crossing music incorporating singer/songwriter, jazz, funk, electro-pop and rock, releasing nine solo artist records championed by the likes of gilles peterson etc. malik is a longtime friend and production collaborator of leron, as well as lending his emcee skills to both thatmanmonkz solo work, and their collaborative hip hop project madison washington . amerikkan poem was recorded in sheffield, paris, and new york.

from brussels comes cleveland, born in luxembourg from an italian family, andrea mancini, a 28 years old music producer has been behind releases on john talabot’s hivern discs, oskar offermann’s white, munich’s permanent vacation (and others). cleveland is able to enthral and captivate his audience, putting influences from various genres into one smooth hypnotic, adventurous and personal journey. built around warm tones of analog synths, esoteric atmospheres and percussive drums, cleveland s productions have an overall dreamy feel without losing its dance floor focus. he arranges every sound and movement to work in fluid harmony, gently lifting dance floors off the ground before they realise they re floating. he will release two new eps in summer 2017.

born in redlands, california in 1980, marquis howell grew up in a lovely way. raised to appreciate hand-me-downs, secondhand goods & older influences, he started imitating chuck berry riffs on air guitar in elementary school to impress the girls. having little to no luck with the invisible instrument & with many promises & persuasions, his parents bought him his first guitar. marquis took lessons at the local guitar shop and as often as possible he would practice 4 or more hours a day.

-amarcord- the debut vinyl from oobe italian new-new wave producer yari malaspina. oobe stands for out of body experience. and that is the exact feeling you get when listening to these productions. electric guitar, house music and nostalgic experimentatio

motor city drum ensembles dj kicks mix is the latest installation into the outstanding discography of danilo plessow, and is not to be missed. the addition of a selection of mcde exclusive tracks, and the majority of tracks being rare pieces of music from danilos personal collection make this a mix of not only exceptional mixing capability.

nice price deal !!! evirgen a.k.a. huseyin evirgen was born in istanbul, turkey and now lives in vienna, austria where you will often him find him either djing or performing his live sets. his study of composition and electro-acoustic music at the university of istanbul and mozarteum salzburg have left him in good stead for his creation of subtle compositions and driving flow, giving you both shakey leg on the the dance-floor and noddy head in the living room. his precisely programmed tracks tell of his insight into the functionality of music and the syntax of sounds

nice price deal !!! rnb par excellence feat the 4 tracks electric, cant let you go, obsession and do it !

4th release from init. the label focus on releasing japanese artist. this time, mikio kaminakamura who released his debut ep from fumiya tanaka s untitled records in 2016. vinyl only

2x 12 + dl code
coki (dmz) teams up with trixx for this heights ep.
he s bbeen a player of many years with groups such as ub40 aswad dub band ruff cutt just to name a few. he and his brother formed the band matic 16 to which the horn section is called matic horns. as a horn section they played on many reggae recordings for producers from the uk ja usa and europe. he has in resent times produced instrumentals for his own label hfp (homefront productions) that has been released 1.lucrative and 2 aba-ariginals as well as producing dub plates to the big sound systems such as aba-shanti-l channel one jah shaka and sound systems in europe. he has now taken to dub step with one of its biggest producers coki in bringing the horn to the electric digital sound with great success, new to the scene and new to both artists. this is an extension of bringing the sound of trixx to the club scene.

andi and david first met in a forest beside a psychedelic castle in the wild west of scotland and soon bonded over a love of wrong speeders, balearic gems hidden in plain sight and the odder side of the dancefloor before djing together just moments after andi was unraveled from a burning tarpaulin. a firm friendship and fun partnership was born. hailing from mancunia but for sometime an export to the usa, andi, for many years was one of the great things about new york city. a charming, low-key individual, a great, great dj and a graceful presence in the land of the overhyped and ego driven. andi held down the musical supervision of rock star games and was responsible for a lot of great music getting out to the gaming masses. he was a vital member of body and soul for the best part of 15 years, delivering infamous warm up sets for danny krivit, joaquin joe claussell and françois k, pedigree vibes... david, a music lover since birth, a record collector for more than quarter of a century and a reputation for being the first on the floor at any party. db s transition from dancer to dj didn t take too long and his selections of rare disco, oddball gems and panglobal pandemonium have seen him play back rooms, basements, festivals and freakouts throughout the land, whether running his own parties in glasgow or playing further afield alongside the likes of young marco, jayda g and moodymann.

all original organic groove trip hop coming out of cincinnati ohio. analog recorded, hard hitting vintage funk drums, thick grooving bass lines, meticulous guitar riffs, soulful electric piano’s & hammond organs create an original soundscape of emotion & groove. this music (we feel) is in a class of it’s own. we are not trying to duplicate a sound of yesteryear but explore a distinct natural sound of our own.
in 2016 grimez brought some of cincinnati’s best musicians in the studio to record raw analog recordings using vintage gear. guitarist brad myers currently has a phenomenal jazz cd out “prime numbers.” organ/keyboard prodigy, j-skillz, is a frequent session musician for hi-tek. tim hensley is the drummer for the cliftones, a reggae band that is touring and receiving well deserved national notoriety. the remaining musicians all have degrees in jazz and perform in many shows throughout cincinnati.

following the excellent single-sided heater from sharif laffrey, discos capablanca is back in action once again with odopt, previously only spotted on excellent swedish label born free. the record opens up with the ominous, dramatic tones of -belgrade-, all searing synth swells and bloated drums working towards some cinematic apocalypse scenario. on the b-side, -croque trans croque- has a cooler head but instead aims to unsettle with its off-key metal chimes atop a steady-ticking disco rhythm, and then -rex ingram- finishes the ep off with yet more surreal beatdowns that will send the party in a very interesting direction indeed.

after much consideration into what makes a quality label, tour records was born. the first release from the imprint, a 4 track ep bringing together walker. and harrison bdp. thick, rolling dub vibes from start to finish.

anna wall & corbis take on queen drummer roger taylors two sharp pencils special remarks : 12&#8243, mff house bag, 150g vinyl
(get bad). the result? one of the most unlikely and essential party records of 2017. queen and house music: not necessarily the most obvious of bedfellows, but music for freaks has never been a label to take the path most travelled. over the course of their de-cades long journey the label founded by luke solomon and justin harris has released uni-quely idiosyncratic dance music, establishing the label as a go-to imprint for those seeking imaginative, unpredictable records that still undeniably work on the dancefloor. their latest release might well be among the most out-there of them all. originally released back in 1984,two sharp pencils (get bad) is a record by queen drum-mer roger taylor, featuring him on vocals as well as drums, bass & guitar. now brought bang up to date via a fully official and endorsed remix courtesy of anna wall & corbi, this overlooked album track looks set to become one of the summers most essential records. born and bred in the uk, anna wall is a dj, producer and label owner who is a key player in london’s underground house music scene. her label the bricks champions up-and-coming producers, while anna herself has djd all over the world, most recently for mixmag at pacha for their ims launch party. corbi is an ibiza-based dj and producer, a&r for the highly respected fina records and co-founder of melon bomb, a party and dj collective that has in the space of just a couple of years become one of the white isles most talked-about exports. having met while working at house giant defected records some years ago, anna felt that corbi would be the perfect studio accomplice to work on the remix of two sharp pencils.

brussels-based play label records step up for the second instalment of their la parenthèse house series. the four track ep will be dropping both digital and vinyl. on the a-side, interstate delivers some irresistibly groovy house vibes, followed by dancing your heartbeat, an even funkier track by folamour. the b-side is marked by a deeper and slightly more mellow atmosphere. through house resort by siler and flabaire, who have already been a part of the first la parenthèse house edition, one dives into a loungy warmth. the final track comes from san francisco born, berlin based producer yooj. he drops a multi-layered journey with a catching balance of emotional and percussion-driven energy.

part 2/3! several shades of the same color is patricias first album for spectral sound, produced in conjunction with his own label active cultures.

limited edition of 100 copies worldwide. the limited edition comes with an extra one-sided disc filled with eight locked grooves. each one lands fully formed and are trippy mental workouts.warped percussive loops, blissed out and high tempo house, dark drones, mills style minimalism and more.

zone records welcome a real legend in the form of cardopusher for their next ep, a five track affair that is arresting from the off. venezuelan born cardopusher is now based in barcelona and co-founded the classicworks label. his diverse and experimental sound takes him from techno to electro to acid to rave to house, all with his own singular perspective. always fusing ideas with great skill on labels like super rhythm trax, zodiac 44 and bnr, he now comes correct for zone. kicking things off is the raw and raucous ‘nothing left to believe in.’ it is a macho tune with fractured vocals, wild synths and slap funk drums all sounding industrial and tortured. then comes blast cut, a more dynamic and stripped back electro groove with a corrugated bassline and metallic synth stabs all sounding informed by the past but looking to a distant future.

official mr bongo reissue. licensed from george prah, founder of gapophone records.
marijata was a group made up of three members – kofi electric addison on drums, bob fischlan on organ and nat osmanu on guitar, hailing from ghana. ‘this is marijata’ is the groups first lp, released originally on the gapophone label – it is pure, rootsy, raw, driving african funk music of the highest order, now highly sought-after in both its original and previously reissued forms.

following his self titled lp, illa j sometimes known as “john regal” (born october 13.1986 in detroit, michigan) is a singer, songwriter, rapper, producer, multi instrumentalist. he takes us on a trip to his hometown detroit with his third solo album home. his last lp successfully took illa j out of his brother and hiphop legend j dilla‘s shadow to show he is in his own lane. yet, yancey still felt as though he was in a box labeled rapper. teaming up with producer calvin valentine, who entirely produced the album, home is illa j‘s first album to properly showcase the full extent of his vocal range to put him in the singer-songwriter conversation. the listener can feel the soulfulness of this lp through illa j‘s singing and valentines‘ smooth production.