the second various artists release from bass agenda that focuses on dutch electro talent. following on from the success of the first release in 2016, that was supported by helena hauff, umek, dave clarke and many more, the sequel brings another four powerful and diverse electro tracks from the netherlands.

following a live debut at berghain and standout shows at de school and institut fuer zukunft, daniel martin-mccormick returns as relaxer with the fourth installment in the projects eponymous ep series. jamie lee takes over the a-side harrowing screams are framed by strobing chords and a deadly groove. simultaneously euphoric, agonizing and cathartic, jamie lee was written as the climax of relaxers live set and is a prime example of the artists uniquely feral techno. drawing equally on punk confrontations and more haunting emotional explorations, jamie lee is a lacerating and visceral descent. on the b-side, unwind oozes from the speakers, a miasmic cut that builds on the white knuckle tension of jamie lee. a lone synth figure worms its way through pulsating 3d drones, shimmering dissonances and hiccuping drums, rocking out into a quasi catatonic infinity. finally regime change gently floats on the surface of a trash-filled sea, a fading, smog choked reverie.

optimo trax presents a 4-track ep from germanys mathias schober, head honcho of berlin’s lossless label. as always we prefer to let our artists do the talking. heres what mathias has to say about this release - the idea behind all tracks on the ep was a simple setup of drums and one synth that would do a main sequence/sound, yet theres a lot of detail in all of them. in a certain way features a 808ish beat with a main sequence coming from a tiny monophon synth called atmegatron - 8bit love, it turned out being much more music than i thought it would be when i set everything up. but what rules are made for is the same setup but the sequence is a 101 and so are all the washed out fx synths. on is to break them i went a different route, i had the dub, delayed stabs synth first as i was messin with my moog and a space echo - which btw is used on every single track i release, if you haven’t noticed yet. so i was trying to build something around those stabs in order to fit the track to the others and so i ended up with another sequence coming from my moog. as there was still space on the record, i decided to add an ambient version of is to break them, i love the ambience on this track. i hope that my love for dub sounds is obvious enough on these tracks. happy i found such an excellent home for the ep!

ansome returns to perc trax for his first original release since his debut album “stowaway” was released on the label in april 2016. since then he has extensively toured europe and north and south america with his ever changing modular live set as well as further establishing his south london analogue material imprint with a run of uncompromising releases.
despite decamping to berlin last year “british steel” shows there is still a no nonsense uk grittiness to ansome’s music. the frenetic rhythms reflect the pressure and paranoia of london life and for the first time his music incorporates vocals, thanks to the voice of occasional live collaborator oliver kohlenberg.
the four tracks take in everything from broken grooves to straight up dance floor face melters with a perfect balance of rhythm and texture. “poison your body” has been a highlight of perc’s recent dj sets for months now, whilst “marching powder” was featured on rebekah’s debut essential mix for bbc radio.

das 2. album von zugezogen maskulin auf vinyl inklusive cd.

amongst hip-hop fans, boogie down productions first two albums criminal minded (1987) and by all means necessary (1988) both loom very large. and for good reason: they both captured one of the late 1980s most important and influential crews at their highest powers of lyricism and musical invention. that being said, too many people sleep on bdps third lp, ghetto music. released in 1989, when the hip-hop world was truly beginning to explode and reach new heights of sales and exposure around the world, the album is arguably as powerful as the groups first two. as on by all means necessary, in the wake of the tragic death of original founder, producer and dj scott larock, krs-one pushed along mightily on the production side, with help from his extended crew. musically the sound created on albums 2 & 3 was funky, catchy, and continually innovative, giving him the perfect backdrop to build his edutainment syllabus. lyrically there was never a question about krsã power, and on ghetto music he continues to impress, teach and ask important questions. clear cases in point are two of the albumãs singles, you must learn and why is that? but he gets even deeper on lesser-jocked tracks like the anti-police thought-piece who protects us from you (still sadly relevant in 2017), ghetto music and world peace. still as strong and entertaining today as it was almost three decades ago, this new reissue is a perfect way for younger fans to embrace one of the most underrated hip-hop platters of the era.

the visionary talents of multi-instrumentalist zach witness have sprouted full life in this world, lending his sonic touch to the bulk of erykah badus latest album, but you caint use my phone (motown records). this project was brought to life with erykah badu at the badudio and world witness studios in zach witness hometown, dallas, texas. this project put him on a unique trajectory, harnessing his intricately designed fusion productions into the periphery of an entirely new audience around the world. his forthcoming debut ep, electric revival: rise of an outkast nation, is the first project to find the light of day after this expansion phase, initially created as a birthday gift to zach witness friend and collaborator, andre 3000. the catalyst behind the creation of electric revival has a very specific initiation point. during the recordings for but you caint use my phone, erykah badu called on andré 3000 for collaborative assistance. this would result in the albums last track, hello, created at the home studio zach witness has lived in his whole life. this moment in time compelled zach witness to create an offering for andré 3000, and this was in the form of an entire body of music. electric revival takes on the stories of the lives entangled around societys most crippling and hopeless of situations. the social and political intentions of the ep paints a very defined purpose in this context. experience the transformative sounds of zach witness and his debut manifesto.

time being, originally released in 2003, was the first full-length cyne lp, following a series of 12inch singles for beta bodega s imprint botanica del jibaro. this project mooncircle reissue marks the first time that this long out-of-print album has been released on vinyl. this deluxe edition includes a remaster of the original time being album, previously released singles, instrumentals, and two previously unreleased bonus tracks (plain english and the word), both recorded during the time being sessions.

the cowboy moved slowly out of the booth and into the studio. you could tell by the look in his eyes, that the half-dozen shots of chivas regal had put his ego to rest, and he was ready to sing with the lady. they sang for three nights - the cowboy and the lady, and the gods were kind, and their album was finished on time. herein, lie the results…some good, some bad and some more. - lee hazlewood

east end dubs has been bumping around the london club scene and beyond for many years now so it was only natural that the prolific producers next ep should appear on infuse. mind traps ep has all the hallmarks of a classic eed release bumping tech grinders for those groovier dance floors. as featured on enzo siragusa s essential mix. vinyl only!

debut solo single from aaron frazer of durand jones & the indications. aaron’s super sweet, silvery falsetto was featured on “is it any wonder?” on the indications’ debut lp, but aaron steps out here with some low-down gospel soul with some help from friends including eli paperboy reed.

knapp zwanzig jahre, 13 soloalben und unzählige tourneen lang war pi auf der suche: nach seiner vorstellung vom leben und deren verpflanzung in seine kunst, seinem standpunkt als gewachsener musiker und erwachsener mensch, seinem platz in der hip hop-szene, der welt und weiter. nun ist der berliner da, wo er immer hinwollte: da, wo oben ist - ohne dabei das unten aus den augen verloren zu haben. pi hat über all die jahre seine dues gepayt, wie es im hip hop-jargon heißt. und im zuge dessen hat er begriffen: -nichts war umsonst.- eine erkenntnis, die er konsequenterweise zum titel und leitmotiv seiner neuen platte gemacht hat. auf den ersten blick mag dieser satz wie eine floskel klingen. wie eine plattitüde. eine binsenweisheit ohne belang. doch wer pi kennt und sich ein wenig mit seinen werken und seinem wirken der vergangenen zwei dekaden auseinandergesetzt hat, der weiß, dass er noch nie auch nur einen schritt ohne grund getan hat. außer rebell zu sein vielleicht. -jede stunde, die verstreicht, kostet zeit, die noch bleibt / und frisst auf, was noch kommt: nichts war umsonst.-

born and raised by jamaican parents in london, england, alpheus developed a passion for singing after seeing an old recording of sam cooke perform on television, and performing on local sound systems in london as a youth. his love for ska rocksteady and reggae developed as he was exposed to singers like john holt, marcia griffiths, don carlos, dennis brown, frankie paul, michael gordon, keith douglas, thriller u, maxi priest, and many more great artists.

following a string of remixes throughout 2016, and one of her busiest summers on the road, cassy is rounding off the year on a high. enter ‘kwench records’, a collaborative imprint she has created to represent honest and upfront house music. the remit is simple, on each release two or more artists will collaborate on ep original material, with a different artist joining the package on remix duty. they must not be afraid to experiment, nor do what comes naturally to them. and above all, trust in themselves and their instincts. this is something cassy has proudly learned to master over her dj career, and she now wishes to put out records in a creative space that encourages this approach. for the first release, cassy has called in one of her favourite house music producers, canada based demuir, to collaborate with her. demuir’s ‘derrick does disco’ ep which came out on great lakes audio in 2016 was a favorite in cassy’s sets throughout that year, even making it onto her mixmag presents cd ‘let’s talk about donna’, which accompanied her cover in june. there are three original cuts on the package, and as a special treat for the first release, cassy is holding back the incredible remix package until later this year.

after mukatsuku records summer hammond organ screamer from billy hawks (mukat 052) the label goes deep on an international funk tip. few years ago label manager nik played in france and the promoter pulled out a biosis now 45 that he never knew existed up till then and was generally thought to be a long album track only. an extensive search revealed nothing online including popsike/discogs/ebay except a tropical seller who d just bought a huge caribbean collection with the record included saying he d never seen it before either and he was keeping itâ&#128,¦failing to secure a copy themselves the label licensed it instead and created their own 45 edit which retains all the funk & soul of the elongated album version into a 7 inch friendly format. on the flipside and 1973 tumba safari from afro train get s a funky afrobeat re touch for peak time club play that would save you several hundred pounds on an original if you could actually find a copy !

some might say jordan fields is one of the most criminally underappreciated figures to rise out of chicago in the late 90s, not for people who know what s what though. after a career spanning more than 20 years he has established himself as one of the key figures of the underground. coming out of where everything started, chicago, jordan released records on a handful of key labels like catalyst, track mode, som underground, mood groove, maffia. he did not stop there and today he is still releasing bangers having never lost that magic touch that has kept him firmly grounded on the purest form of the underground, and that, after more than 20 years is pretty much unheard of. when we first contacted jordan we wanted to go back to where it all started, we wanted to be transported to late 90s chicago, to a time where it was all about the dance floor, when tracks meant something more than songs, when purely club-oriented music was the purest form of the underground. to be honest we were not expecting to get exactly what we wanted straight away, he immediately sent us a collection of tools straight out of dat tapes he had, going all the way back to the 90s and early 2000s, so yeah to say that we are excited with this release would be a huge understatement. this is a collection of tools meant for the dancefloor, not reminiscent of some gone by era, these are the real deal, made by a true master, 20 years ago, for the future.

dark entries and emotional rescue team up to further explore psychic tv’s acid house years. psychic tv was formed by genesis p-orridge and peter christopherson of throbbing gristle with alex fergusson of alternative tv in 1981. after various line up changes, the band shifted direction to dance oriented songs influenced by the house and techno scenes of detroit and chicago. by 1988 the group included dave ball of soft cell, fred giannelli of turning shrines and matthew best of carcrash international. during the summer of 1988 the group recorded a batch of songs at time square studios in london that would appear under the guise of various artists compilations jack the tab’ and ‘tekno acid beat’. the idea behind these ‘compilations of imaginary artists was creating a sense that a healthy acid house scene existed in the uk. virginia was the studio project of dave “mista luv” ball and then-wife virginia “gini” ball, a classical violinist who toured and recorded with siouxsie and the banshees and marc almond.

cheap present was formed in 2013 as a collaborative project between melbourne artists env and luis cl serving as an outlet for the pair to experiment outside of their main musical acts and subsequent genre limitations.
cheap present’s music is mostly recorded live in the studio with minimal overdubs and draws sounds and influences from various sources. using old keyboards and samples mixed with digital high definition sounds, the duo create a mixture of raw elements from the techno and dance tradition with a nod to classical melodies and industrial music. each song features heavy drums to highlight the melodic playfulness of their bass, synth arrangements and humorous but expressive vocals and song titles. the anterior mini lp follows on from the duo’s wet garden cassette earlier in the year and presents a collection of material looking back from the group’s creation in 2013 to more recent output. the pair’s evolution is clearly on display on the this 12 inch, from initial jam based songs such as waterproofyouth and bergwasser, which have a spontaneous metallic edge, to new songs such as rooftops, which display a more meticulous and mature approach to production.

zweifellos ist es die zusammenarbeit des pop-jahres 2009: die pet shop boys haben sich für ihr neues studioalbum »yes« mit dem hit-produzententeam xenomania (girls aloud, sugababes, gabriella cilmi etc.) zusammengetan.
die pet shop boys, die bei der brit-award-verleihung am 18. februar 2009 mit dem preis für ihren außergewöhnlichen beitrag zur musik ausgezeichnet wurden, haben drei der elf songs gemeinsam mit xenomania geschrieben. die übrigen stücke entstammen der feder von tennant/lowe, bei »all over the world« hat tschaikovsky einige ideen beigesteuert.
als vorbote des neuen albums »yes« wurde am 13. märz 2009 die single »love etc« veröffentlicht. die pet shop boys beschreiben diesen song als »post-lifestyle-hymne«, die mit nichts, was sie jemals zuvor gemacht haben, vergleichbar ist.
chris lowe äußert sich begeistert: »dieses album ist beeindruckend. es war toll, mit xenomania zu arbeiten!« und neil tennant findet: »es ist ein fantastisches, weit gefächertes popalbum.«
auf mehreren songs ist johnny marr als gitarrist zu hören, die orchesterarrangements auf »beautiful people« und »legacy« stammen von owen pallett (last shadow puppets, final fantasy).

elysium erschien 2012 und offenbarte eine weiterentwicklung im sound und in der musikalischen entwicklung der pet shop boys. der kompositionsprozess begann, als die pet shop boys mit take that auf tour waren, einige tracks entstanden sogar schon im jahr 2008.
das album wurde gemeinsam von den pet shop boys und andrew dawson produziert, der als soundingenieur viel an kanye wests album »808s & heartbreaks« mitgearbeitet hatte – ein album von dem neil tennant damals »leicht besessen« war. die düstere atmosphäre in den texten von elysium spiegelt sich im sound des albums wider.
neil tennant: »es ist einerseits sehr ›deep‹ im sound – es hat eine menge sub-bass – aber es ist auch tiefgehend, was die inhaltlichen themen betrifft und die art, wie sie formuliert werden. aber ich finde, es ist das schönste album der pet shop boys.«

following their no.1 hit tribesmen, which was one of the biggest releases on hot creations in 2016, dynamic duo solardo are back on the label with the mighty fall down. toronto native carlo lio and revered dj and producer mk are also on hand to deliver a solid set of remixes.

hybrid techno tracks full of tension on time to express number 30, presented by label founder peter van hoesen. the belgian producer takes up the opportunity to expand upon his previous work on the coast to coast ep. no longer exclusively restricted to straight 4/4 rhythms, van hoesen s music investigates hybrid, broken grooves infused with a clear sense of spatial sonic awareness. this is made clear with the first two tracks, towards manifestation and fox tactics. on the second half of the ep van hoesen launches two solid techno cuts, shifting from dense bassline work (concrete varition) to percussive, shuffling grooves (fox tactics). as with all previous time to express outings a specific i ching hexagram was chosen to accompany this release. hexagram #10 ( treading upon the tail of the tiger ) refers to advancement with care and ways of respectful progress. the title of the ep is a direct reference to the first line of this intriguing hexagram. nine at the beginning will be released on vinyl and digital formats on october 23rd 2017. a specially designed t-shirt will be made available at the same time, interpreting hexagram #10 through its design.

the new ep by rroxymore signals another audacious step forward for one of the most daring artists in the electronic music diaspora. thoughts of an introvert part 1 is born out of introspection, out of the necessity to disconnect from the frenzy of crowds and to create a soundtrack to an inner landscape which exists beyond the reach of government and dogma. in the words of the artist, -it is a sonic diary of sorts, cataloguing the events of a world which has not yet been invented, in the form of three mesmerizing dance tracks free of nostalgia and the expectations of style.- the spatial afro futurist funk of prodrome finds rroxymore balancing darkness and optimism as only she can. the title track, thoughts of an introvert is instantly familiar and carries a soothing utopian spirit, so needed today. mycetozoa, the closing track is bouncing, drum driven and mad, a celebration of rroxymore s complex musical mind, offset by irresistibly banging toms and rolling rimshot patterns. it is a track which is at once melancholic, happy, vulnerable, and full of hope. everything seems possible on the dancefloor this music was written for

with their 4th release, blaq numbers welcomes jesse bru on their original imprint - bringing you a solo ep full of pure blaq gold! the title track was also crowned by a heavily jazzed up remix from folamour - we hope you enjoy this release just as much as we do!
early support by: sampling as an art, jaques renault, roman rauch, kevin over, loz goddard, black loops, cinthie, m.ono, jad & the, seb wildblood, baldo and many more...

dj seinfeld announces his long-awaited debut album ‘time spent away from u’ on lobster fury out november 3rd. the album follows a year packed with ep releases on endotherm, natural sciences and e-beamz.
‘time spent away from u’ is an extended post-heartbreak love letter, delivered via the medium of the dance floor. a trip through the spectral shades of modern and vintage house and techno via heaving breaks and stuttering acid. presented on the special label collaboration of lobster theremin & meda fury.

for gregory porter, the influence of nat king cole on his life and music runs deep, a through-line that reaches back into some of his earliest childhood memories, and culminates in the release of the two-time grammy-winning vocalist’s stunning fifth studio album nat king cole & me, a heartfelt tribute to the legendary singer, pianist, and capitol recording artist. “he was one of a kind. he left such great music – such beautiful things to listen to that you can’t help but be influenced by that extraordinary timbre, style, and ultimate cool,” porter enthuses.

limited 2 disc 180 gram pressing with download code included. all tracks on vinyl 2 recorded live in new york city.

valby003 sees louf return, fusing heavier club elements with sentimental synth work. ‘if i was’ is a pummelling drum track, laced with synths that rise and fall gently, providing a fleeting moment of warm autumnal euphoria.
on the flip side we have ‘outside my house’. robotic, vibrating vocals challenge its listener to question the levels of emotion that a technological being can possess. delicate, tender house music.
prepare your heartstrings & welcome back louf!

this may look like just another lp, but in reality, it s a journey. i always made electronic music, but sometimes i wanted to get a musical point across that a synthesizer couldn t reach: the human touch, the perfection of imperfections, atonal experiments, the euphoria of the slightly out-of-tune fuzz guitar. so 7 years ago, my friend weytkin and me started a guitar combo to see what we could do with our collection of guitars and vintage equipment. the only machine i was 100% familiar with was the drummer: my trusty roland tr-808.- – ruud lekx (rude 66, jagdstaffel 66, lekx).

die wiederveröffentlichung von -the taste of tg - a beginner’s guide to the music of throbbing gristle- fasst das schaffen von throbbing gristle eindrucksvoll zusammen, erscheint erstmals auf (rotem) vinyl als doppel-lp im klappcover inklusive downloadcode. die sammlung umfasst, wie im original, tracks von verschiedenen tg-alben, live-aufnahmen und wird im rahmen dieser veröffentlichung durch den song -almost a kiss- bereichert.

label heads psycho & plastic let their passion for nonconformist electronic music reign free on their first full length album kosmopop. recorded in seclusion in the east german town of chemnitz, kosmopop was meticulously embellished and perfected in psycho & plastic’s berlin studios over a period of almost two years.
the vinyl release includes a download code.

this year sees abba’s the album turn 40, and usm are pleased to announce that we’ll be releasing a selection of products to celebrate the anniversary. abba: the album is the fifth studio album by the swedish pop group abba. it was originally released in scandinavia on 12 december 1977 through polar music and was released in conjunction with abba: the movie, with several of the songs featured in the film. the album contained two uk number-one singles, -take a chance on me- and -the name of the game-, as well as european hits -eagle- and -thank you for the music-. the album includes three songs from abba’s 1977 tour mini-musical the girl with the golden hair. these songs are -thank you for the music-, -i wonder (departure)- and -i’m a marionette-. altogether the album contained just nine songs—the least of any abba album, but were longer in length than previous albums (opening track -eagle- runs to nearly six minutes). abba: the album reached no. 1 in many territories. in the uk it debuted at the top and remained there for seven weeks, ending up as the third biggest selling album of the year (behind the movie soundtrack lps of saturday night fever and grease). in the us it became their highest charting album, where during 1978 abba undertook a big promotional campaign.
half speed mastered at abbey road studios and cut at 45rpm. 180 gram double vinyl, housed in a gatefold sleeve with download code included.

detroit producer norm talley shares his debut album, * norm-a-lise* on fxhe records. from a prolific dance floor career comes this debut full length album.
featuring 14 original tracks with influences of disco, house, and beyond taking his signature infectious style deeper. the album includes a track written by fxhe label boss omar s aka alex smith featuring l ‘renee.
having started his career when disco was king, talley’s real life influences over his 25+ year career have included the originations of house through various iterations. his reference points as one of the original members of the west 6 mile detroit crew and his dedication to his analog only studio position him as one of the more dynamic detroit artists who’s finally taking the time to release a complete project for his long awaiting fans.

rhode & brown are back on their motherlabel toy tonics! after last years breakbeat - tune st hippolyte and getting remixed by their buddies hodini and glenn astro, their new ep takes their sound further again. from diy-disco to dreamy house, whatever you like to call it.. the tracks have this joyful touch, that makes their sound so special. this time their production way was a little bit different: while spending holidays on the marvellous island of zanzibar they produced the raw versions of this ep. they set up their studio at a beach cabanne. with a monkey becoming their muse. they monkey came over every day to listen to their sounds. they became friends and called the monkey rosie and fed her with mangos. when back in europe the munich boys still were in a balearic mood. so they went to a house deep in the south of france to finish the music. the result were 4 tracks. three for this ep. and one track that they gave to the other munich based label public possession for their recent serie a compilation. which makes totally sense: public possession and toy tonics both have links to gomma records. its all a family thing. where great munich vibes incoming!

in the year 2053, two japanese musical explorers by the names of katsuyoshi and yousuke, travelled to the city of breda in the netherlands. whilst drinking beers in a park near the train station, they stumbled upon an old, partially decayed usb stick, hidden behind a trashcan. with usb technology being long absolete by then, they had no way of checking what was on there until returning back home to tokyo, where yousuke still had a macbook from around the turn of the century tucked away under his bed. after retreiving the data, the stick turned out to contain two 128kbps mp3s of unreleased coco bryce material. utilizing an extensive and painstaking radiocarbon dating procedure, they managed to pinpoint the production date to the spring of 2017. the tokyo natives then proceeded to reverse the mp3s back to their initial wav format via state of the art 2053 audio technology, and emailed them to richy at binary feedback, who subjected the files to a spot of mastering. richy immediately recognised the tunes from a series of youtube id request videos that had been doing the rounds for the previous 36 years. being the shrewd business man that he is, he decided to contact rick sanchez, who in turn teletransported the tracks back to 2017, dropping them off at an undisclosed dutch pressing plant. romanian visual artist raw parigi was contacted to sort out the labels, after which the records were pressed up and distributed to shops across the globe, hopefully making their way into the homes of hundreds of jungle and drumfunk enthusiasts worldwide. amen

say what you wanna say, but you have to give strahil velchev this: the manÆs a powerhouse. recording and playing live under the kink alias, he went on to become one of finest purveyorÆs of funk in techno and house. what it is, by definition, ainÆt exactly clear. and that is the beauty of it. kinkÆs music is unifying in the best possible way. channeling the spirit and feeling of a time where it didnÆt really matter who the faces behind the music were, kink plays with the elements of genres and sub-genres as if the future of it all is still wide-open. at the same time it could be accused of retro-fetishism, as much as the pope himself is infallible. the pure need to recreate moments, feelings and experience - rather than carbon copies of existing designs - was what started kinkÆs production work. hailing from bulgaria, it was nearly impossible to get your hands on all the records and music that fed into a system of raves, clubs and record shops that seemed far away from sofia, and financially it might as well have meant another galaxy. wanting to dj without having access to the tracks that spun the carousel meant that you had to create them yourselves. so, here we go with a private bootlegger gone public mastermind and one of the loudest voices in house, techno and beyond. from kinkÆs early productions with neville watson to his smash-hit for ovum, a cerebral album for macro, tons of remixes & tracks and his mind-bending live act, playground seems to take all that into a blender. simultaneously a sound-summary, the harvest of a field of ideas, and the exhibition of an artist in his prime, it also works as a sort of kink dictionary: avant-garde soundscapes stand next to boisterous bangers, classic club tracks and peak time emotions

new yorker anthony parasole provides three powerful, dancefloor productions for the third release onjoseph capriatis new label redimension. the exceptional opener ‘velocity wastes no time setting the theme of the record with its supremely-tight drum programming, jerky bassline and synth notes that spiral into space. ‘bang has similarly skipping percussion and a looped melody which reveals itself for a moment midway through the track before the pulse beats on. a killer, minimalist combination of drums, bass and the sample that the track takes its name from. finally, the restrained, warehouse feel and human touch to the rhythm of ‘hot zone again finds the berghain resident exploring the sweet spot between house and techno. his sonic voice between the two genres is founded on his wider influences, and the result carries a subtle funk, muscular beats and hint of nyc swagger. tried and tested by joseph capriati and sure to stay long in the bags of djs, parasoles fine productions have the hallmarks of an artist who knows exactly how to move a dancefloor himself. at once you both expect the unexpected and find that every progression or pad sweep arrives exactly when it was meant to.

“i’ve said it before, but dancehall and its influence on uk music has been a massive inspiration for me, going way back to hearing chris goldfinger on radio 1 playing music that was like nothing else i’d heard before. i love that fundamental rhythmic pattern, and i love how within the same world you can have some tunes that are built around the sweetest melodies and harmonies, and others that are built around super-tuff minimal drums and crazy squeeks and bleeps.
when it came time to build another ep for critical, i decided to link up with my good friend and long-time collaborator rider shafique, who has a much deeper knowledge of this music than me, and together create something that references both old and new dancehall, while still being playable in the kinds of sets i ve become known for. there’s no halftime and no chopped-up jungle breaks here - we wanted to make something really focussed and even disciplined - and hopefully we’ve succeeded.
big shouts to the vocal collaborators - super hyped to work with stush on a tune, irah came through with the righteous fire, and tiffanie malvo absolutely bodied her beat - but ultimate biggups have to go to rider. this wasn’t a project where i made the beats and rider voiced them - for pretty much every tune, we worked and reworked the riddims together. we’re both stoked on the results, and it seems like people in the dance feel the same way.” - sam binga

sentiment of callousness was written over a one-and-a-half year period of total collapse, characterized by disconnection between the world within and the perception of the world outside.
each of the tracks embodies feelings experienced during this time - from dark to bright, sluggish to energetic, alive to dead, real to unreal, and the self to the other.

next up on asking for trouble after selling out the album and re-pressing comes a four track remix ep for radioactive man’s luxury sky garden album. life-time friend of radioactive man and control tower partner dexorcist aka simon brown is first up to deliver his take on ‘sonic portal’ on the a side. his style has always been uncompromising and as a music lover and dj he s been a major influence on tenniswood’s style and taste for a long time. dexorcist turns in a detroit influenced banger which goes deep. ben pest then follows with his own take of the same track. a member of funk band pest, purveyor of wonky techno, music tech teacher and hardware enthusiast ben has also released on jerome hill’s don t’ label, i love acid and horror boogie to name a few. his take on ‘sonic portal’ is as genre bending and weighted as you’d expect. over on the b side pain struck stanley dumb remix ‘blast furnace’ - a fast and furious electro track which was released as a digital bonus to the album. they work it into a breakneck speed techno number. taste the amphetamine! completing the package biggabush (aka glyn bush) brings his dub influence to the mix. bush of rockers hi-fi connected with radioactive man during a mastering session asking to do the mix after hearing the record. the results are impressive and provide a welcome tempo and vibe change to the ep with its deep and dubby elements.

when it comes to living legends in the texas and latin music pantheon, few have been at it longer and are more revered by their fans and peers than soul vocalist and mexican-american songwriter and bandleader sunny ozuna. he became a star right out of high school in the late ‘50s and hasn’t looked back in the six decades since.
among countless other honors and notable achievements, sunny was the first latino artist to appear on dick clark’s “american bandstand” (in 1963). songs like “put me in jail,” “talk to me,” “should i take you home,” “my dream” and “smile now, cry later” still bring crowds to their feet throughout the southwest and california and around the world at “oldies” and “lowrider soul” events. and after releasing dozens of albums since the mid-1960s (in spanish and english), sunny still keeps a busy schedule and loves performing as much as he did as a teenager. his classic 45s regularly change hands for hundreds of dollars among collectors around the world, affirming his timeless appeal.
this new compilation on brooklyn’s acclaimed big crown label is a lovingly curated selection of songs from the years 1966 to 1972. all compositions were originally released on sunny’s key-loc label, formed after his national star had been established, so he could have control of his own musical destiny. with sunny hits – a mix of originals and some great covers thrown in mr. brown eyed soul is an excellent celebration of sunny’s amazing body of work, and a perfect introduction for newcomers.
produced in full collaboration and cooperation with ozuna himself, the cd and lp packaging includes liner notes by texas music scholar and archivist ramon hernandez, and features dozens of rare photos provided by sunny himself.
vinyl lp in gatefold sleeve including download code.

the ken boothe masterpiece from 1978 gets the long overdue remastered re-issue. -got to get away- was produced by phil pratt, features additional deejay vocals by jah walton (aka joseph cotton) and has extensive sleeve notes. packaged in the original sleeve design by anthony nero it is now available for the first time on cd and the high collectable lp-vinyl is here in a great 180 gram edition with leaflet including credits and linernotes.

originally released in 1973, dream on dreamer is a fine collection of songs. it was the last album to feature guitarist and songwriter robbie van leeuwen, all the songs are written by him. the arrangements are simple, the sound is tight and the playing solid. highly recommended to all shocking blue fans and anyone who wants to hear some of the best hidden gems in rock music history.
remastered audio 180 gram audiophile vinyl.

for kontra-musik white label s 10th release we give you none other than nuel. the italian producer is closely connected to the aquaplano label run by donato dozzy a natural source of collaboration as they speak the same language, not least in the musical sense. nuel has perfected this dreamlike and seductive speech and it was irresistible for kontra-musik. on the surface nuel s tracks might seem abstract and mathematical, but there s really an abundance of movement and groove in his music. mechanical yet sensual, there s subtle erotic current running through the whole release: it s like a marvin gaye record for robots that just want to get it on.

funkadelic have created an enduring legacy, and the power of their impact is visceral in detroit. their records not only played with genre, but possessed a diabolical sense of humour that led to music domination by the late 70s with parliament, funkadelic, parlet, bootsy’s rubber band and the brides of funkenstein all releasing albums the same year for two years in a row. the music itself is beyond stereotype, but equally huge is that they were a black band not allowing themselves to be limited by anyone else’s notions of who they could be, having a massive impact on the next generation of detroit music, detroit techno. but more than just techno, it is a freedom of thinking that extends beyond boxes, so we included all sorts of today s generation of detroit musicians and producers to show the wide range of music that was funkadelic and how these ideas are still contemporary, they endure and inspire.

pioneer dj, guy cuevas made his name by being one of the first residents in the famous parisian club le palace, shortly after it opened in 1978. attracting some of the biggest names in the entertainment business like prince, madonna, kenzo, serge gainsbourg, the location was a must-go for any one wanting to party over the paris adopted cuban expat’s amazing selection.
released in 1983, guy cuevas’ 12” single “obsession” is probably one of the best french disco-boogie records, enriched by jean-paul goude’s artwork for the cover.
the a-side’s nassau mix by françois k is a sensual and airy journey, while the b-side’s london mix offers a more realistic approach that will please the more classic-listening disco enthusiasts.
to this day this is a limited repress to 1000.

more strictly rhythm gold right here. an all-time, hands down, unstoppable classic record from way back - 1995 to be precise. if you don t know this record it s possible you ve been in a coma, living in a cave with no electricity or have literally just arrived here on planet earth. either way, once you hear higher state of consciousness you certainly won t forget it. produced by philly s legendary josh wink and released by the forward thinking a&r team at strictly. at the time there was very little to nothing that even came close to this release. the tweekin acid funk mix being the highlight and the version that caught everyone s ears and captured minds worldwide across radio-waves with endless rewinds on mtv and in the clubs. foreseeing the impending breaks boom that came around in the mid to late 90 s higher state... was one of those rare moments where a record truly transcends genre boundaries and found it s way into dj s boxes and bags on every scene. a mighty, evergreen slab of wigged out, acidic, breakbeat chaos. essential. this one s a tasty 2017 reissue and remaster, featuring all 3 mixes, unedited, as per the original release way back when. do not sleep.

das cover hält zwar nicht unbedingt, was sich der lüsterne betrachter spätestens beim blick auf titel wie »drink my honey«, »the wet dream« und »dirty willy« von der musik versprechen könnte, liefert aber einen überaus tanzbaren industrial-house-mix.
mit hilfe des gesampelten gitarrenbretts von niemand geringerem als luc van acker und dem groovigen zusammenspiel zwischen drumcomputern und synthie-themen ergibt sich letztendlich eine durchaus massenkompatible mischung, die mit ruths multifunktionalitäts-gesang geradezu garniert wird. zwischendurch lockert dann auch mal ein an nina hagens »african reggae« erinnerndes »marijuana in your brain« die szenerie auf, ehe es kurz darauf wieder mit härteren sequenzern und uptempo-breakbeats weitergeht.
ein album an der schwelle zwischen gut & böse oder aufregend & langweilig, allemal jedoch mit gutem unterhaltungswert. umso mehr noch bei dieser neuauflage mit bonustracks bestehend aus den b-seiten diverser singles, die damals von diesem album ausgekoppelt wurden.

during the 1970s, innovative musicians redefined the sound of jazz, funk, and soul music, digging deeper than ever before to unearth powerful new sonic textures. one such pioneer was keyboardist weldon irvine, a jazz-funk luminary who released some of the most revered recordings of the era. irvine’s 1975 album “spirit man” is a true masterpiece, full of infectious grooves and otherworldly electronic elements. entirely composed, arranged, conducted, and produced by irvine himself, the album remains a potent artistic statement, both deeply spiritual and intensely funky. crate diggers may recognize the opening track “we gettin’ down”, which was sampled by a tribe called quest for their classic single “award tour”. now, “spirit man” is back in print on limited-edition vinyl, complete with updated artwork. order this official deluxe reissue now!