ex-harry pussy guitarist bill orcutt s 2009 side a new way to pay old debts was an instant classic for those attuned to his brand of stomach-scrapingly raw, hoary blues improvisation. few could have expected the album to be subsequently issued on cd by editions mego, but the more you thought about it the more it made sense - though all-acoustic, orcutt s music is every bit as extreme, violent and threshold-testing as that of, say, florian hecker, russell haswell or mika vainio. as if to prove it wasn t a token gesture towards eclecticism, mego boss peter rehberg has signed a brand new album from orcutt, and what an album it is. for the most part it s in that visceral, coruscating style that he s best known for, all finger-bleeding fretboard assaults that manage to sound at once virtuoso and completely out-of-control, reaching a psychotic climax on the visible bosom: but there are some more reflective passages too, hell, the title track might even be the most chilled thing he s ever recorded. the album was cut at d+m in berlin, which really teases every last drop of blood, sweat and tears out of the recording, which took place at orcutt s home studio in san francisco in spring of 2011. brutal, bludgeoning but incurably romantic, how the thing sings demands your steadfast attention. mind-blowing.

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.

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-.

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.

rench dj-producer tom pooks releases a very special mixed compilation, bringing to your ears the kazantip unique atmosphere. the kazantip republic invites tom pooks each year, so he decided to release a mixed compilation to share his experience. last year, tom pooks opened for carl cox performance and the idea of this compilation became really serious, with the support of mike spirit, the then minister of songs and dance of the kazantip republic. now, french techno expert reveals a deep and strong mix, with 13 underground tracks and nothing but good vibes. without any big names nor big hits, tom pooks delivers a brillant mix, evolutive and mental as he loves. this mix sounds like the freedom and magic of kazantip, which is a strong experience in tom pooksÕs life : Çmy first time at kazantip was something weird, arriving in the midlle of nowhere, kind of lost in south of ukraine, even a bit scared : not my language, not the same food, not the same cultureÉ but after being welcomed by mike and his team, i found out the real spirit of kazantip !È no doubt, this compilation is a real tribute to the kazantip way of clubbing

2 cd with finest hardstyle

madlib got a bit lost in his detour into jazz - madlib medicine shows 7 (high jazz) and 8 (advanced jazz). he was supposed to circle back with a punch-you-in-the-face return to hip-hop form - a collaborative album with detroit rapper frank nitti - but instead he found himself lost in the lost gates... a place where black soul (madlib medicine show 10) really means disco funk. sorry about that. the good news is: hes back. and that hip-hop album, for which the medicine show faithfully have been holding their tickets, is finally here. its called lowbudget high-fi music and its a interesting look back at the madlib medicine show and a prelude of what is to come in the 12th, 13th and Ð maybe Ð 9th releases in the series. all of the regular madlib collaborators Ð med, guilty simpson, strong arm steady Ð are represented here with exclusive tracks. karriem riggins pops in for a supreme team interlude, as does a.g. madlib digs out a jaylib-era track that was earmarked for the never-realized second album and, of course, interludes, outerludes and Ð probably Ð queludes abound. the madlib medicine show series is a combination of madlibs new hip-hop productions, remixes, beat tapes, and jazz, as well as mixtapes of funk, soul, brazilian, psych, jazz and other undefined forms of music from the beat...

sehr gelungenes electro-album!

house music is about big names and big personalities, and none come much bigger than kenny dope gonzalez. you dont last 25 years in the industry without being short of a bit of talent, and time and time again kenny has proved that he is the man to beat. whether its his pioneering work as one half of masters at work and nuyorican soul, or his more recent endeavours with mass destruction, kennys beats take some serious beating.

this series reflects brilliantly on his dedication to digging for those untouched and unrivalled samples and breaks as you hear mr. thing use in his dj sets. as a dj, mr thing never fails to engage the crowd with his winning combination of hip hop and funk breaks, spiced up with his legendary mixing and scratching skills.

cr2 presents the biggest and freshest hits in 2008! incl. carl cox, eddie thoneick, fedde le grand, gap 4 and many more

the sound of rob mac and matt smooth aka jumbonics is something bethween crunchy jazz breaks and bass lines with a little bit of pop and melody!you cant pigeonhole them, but you will like it!