born in munich, sebastian schnitzenbaumer aka belp partially grew up on the seychelles islands off the coast of east africa. educated in classical piano, those two gravitational poles, european and african influences, became the basis for his musical development. having travelled extensively with a closer connection to london over the years, belp kept his base in munich, becoming part of a small alternative scene questioning the predominantly rich and posh surface of the city. blending jazz, dub and noise, an emphasis on darkness in his broken beat oriented works evolved as a reaction to a rather hedonistic society preferring warm and uplifting sounds.

out-er sub-label pregnant void is proud to announce the release of hi.mo’s debut album “urtiis”. landing on double vinyl in june 2018, it is a fantastically absorbing showcase of the italian’s weird and wonderful fusion of various strains of sound from jazz to hip hop to classical. “the alteration of conventional musical patterns thrills me”, says the artist who is classically trained in piano and uses that knowledge to play with rules, structures and forms. influenced by idm, african drums, jazz and the interplay of chords, rhythm and harmony, hi.mo infuses his electro-acoustic productions with found sound samples and analogue and digital tools. this is a spelling-binding and intimate album that is filled with invention, but never at the expense of the overall experience, which is beautiful and beguiling throughout.

as a dutch label, were proud supporters of the homegrown sounds of guys like nachtbraker, frits wentink and fouk. adding another dutchie to our list of exquisite producers, we present you pitto with his debut on heist recordings. pitto is a musically omnipotent creature, venturing into deep house with the underground hit richklap on wolfskuil back in 2012 and dreamy electronic pop with his album breaking up the static on sonar kollektiv and virgin. he has also moved beyond producing his own music, running studio stekker, a dutch music festival that focused on freeform creative interactions between musicians where the artists performing on the festival locked themselves up a week in advance in kytopia (colin benders synth paradise) to make new music together. through this, hes worked with people like kyteman, matthew johnson, sebastian mullaert and colin de la plante, better known as ‘the mole, who is also present on pittos heist debut with a remix. the ‘late night studio moves ep is one of varied styles, where pittos inspiration from african music, jazzy and soulful samples becomes evident. he finds his ‘funk in repetition, clever sample combinations and combining electronic and live elements in the most organic way. ‘late night studio moves finds its basic groove in an african percussive loop.

the producer, multi-instrumentalist, dj and record collector gabriel cyr aka teleseen releases 5th album ‘the emotional life of savages via french imprint goldmin music. african rhythms, latin heat and otherworldly electronics collide like neurons, processed through a new york state of mind. the pancontinental sounds are mirrored in his own life, which has oscillated back and forth between various countries. a jazz background combined with a love for house and techno are ingrained in the grooves. also key is the samba, baile funk and mpb that inspired him while living in rio de janeiro, plus the sounds he reabsorbed on returning to nycs club scene.

second release on new la based pleasure of love label, barcelonas pau roca on editorial duties. soulful disco grooves and rare south african funk are subtly retooled, teased out, and extended to perfection for dj use. born out of a dingy basement club in hollywood, pleasure of love has grown from anything goes disco house party to adventurous re-edit label. reworks reflect the spirit of the party and limited pressing of 300 matches the capacity of the venue that holds it each week.

&#8203,,,re-issue of hard-to-find 1971 jazz album, originally recorded and released in finland. fascinating fusion of modern jazz and elements of caribbean music, african roots and pan. quintet featuring rudy smith from trinidad & tobago, plus musicians from barbados, surinam, and ghana. tip! lars samuelson, a jazz trumpet player and producer in sweden who heard this quite unique quintet, was captivated by their concept and sound, and asked them to record an album. otinku, the resulting album, was recorded in stockholm in 1971, produced by samuelson, and originally released on the odeon label, a subsidiary of emi finland. with an afro-jazz/caribbean orientation, the selections are a rich mixture of jazz standards and original compositions, including recently re-discovered killer funk tunes otinku and sugar daddy, and a fine steel jazz version of bags groove. the album was their only release and is now a sought after item for steel pan/caribbean music fans and vinyl diggers.

when harold boue aka abstraxion invited fantastic man into his studio after playing together the night before he didnt knew he was planting the seed for a new project. as he recalls, it was a day of intense sun in marseille with not enough sleep, but the result was so great that it inspired harold to work on new tracks around the idea of creating music to reflect his city: a bit rough, but luminous and influenced by elements of mediterranean, african and northern european cultures. this has translated into a heavily percussive sound, in which tribal disco grooves invoke the spirits of voodoo-techno. three cuts driven by warmly distorted rhythms, bursts of primitive drums, rubbery synths and uplifting chants that overall feel like the first sunrays after an excursion through a dark cave: both blinding and blissful. the projects name is a tribute to the astrological sign of harolds son, who was born at the same time as the music on the ep. it was the definitive signal he needed to convince himself it was the right time to start something new and different. and an event that for sure helps understanding the vibes that this music transmits: as pure, fresh and powerful as only a new beginning can be.

you won’t find many producers quoting plato - ‘inner symbols’ takes its cue from the philosopher’s words “music is a moral law. it gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, charm and gaiety to life and everything”. influences are many and all, ranging from colonization and african diaspora to korean shamanism, doug hammond to junior byles.

incl. her in demand tune -tomorrow- . six-track anthology of south african singer ntombi ndaba, featuring 2 songs from 3 of her solo albums, mina ngiljaji (1988), mama nature (1989) and why me (1991). . ntombi ndaba first rose to fame in 1985 with ntombi & survival, becoming one of the most popular singers of the bubblegum era. after setting up the independent label anneko with her producer a.t. ‘rubber’ khoza in 1988, she went solo. following khoza’s death in the early 1990s, ndaba never recorded again. mastered by: wouter brandenberg

hello sailor recordings 5th release features two edits by tom noble and label s captain renata do valle. on this collaboration we navigate through west africa, exploring sounds from cameroonian singer marthe zambo - alu and nigerian musician sonny okosuns - my ancestors . these edits are subtle works and an homage to these artists, keeping the music true to its originals. do valle often likes to explore african sounds on her hs releases which are a big influence on brazilian music, it s origins and roots. tom noble is an avid collector, selector, producer and the man behind the great superior elevation records in ny

nubian quadrant ep sees dutch producer philou reaching for that sweet spot between afro and electro to produce three pulsing new tracks for byrd out. as philou says, -all good music ultimately comes from africa-, and true to his african roots, the ep was part recorded in malawi. with his tracks being picked up by the likes of erol alkan and eats everything, this ep is sure to provide the rhythmic backdrop to the summer. if you imagine the driving force of fela kuti matched with the acid sqwelch of phuture, you re part of the way there. it s dancefloor sunshine on vinyl. mastered by the legendary noel summerville, artwork by g.s-l studio.

giovanni damico keeps amazing things coming and takes it with this release on the mighty label kalakuta soul records to the next level. joining forces with the mighty gabriele spagnuolo and francesco di domenico on guitars and saxophone, the italian boogie doctor brings to life three filthy stompers inspired by amazing artists from the african continent who have shaped what we now call (dance) music. to felas people is one of three stompers delivered for this joint teaming up with mr. villy odili - lead singer of the amazing nigerian band villy and the extreme volumes - whos precise lyrics and drifty voice joins forces with a charging afrobeat rhythm hailing from giovanni damicos bad ass laboratory. afro stomp and baba on the other side come with the most furious drums and bassline one could ever imagine accompanied by a celestial instrumentation that hits the mind, the soul and the hips.

difusion take to their first solo release on editorial in style, with four irresistible edits of summer goodness. afrocal kicks things off channelling a slice of south african disco on the a side, coupled with a cut of electrifying funk in the form of can i do it. flip it over and you re taken on a more soulful tip for i can feel it before the sunset groover askin you rounds off the e.p perfectly.

there was only ever going to be one choice to launch first floor. not only is dubbyman the cover star of our debut publication of the same name, but he s also the face and sound of influential spanish label deep explorer, in-demand producer/remixer and long-time favourite with us. so the opportunity to collaborate on a special edition 7- vinyl release was one we couldn t miss. so far, featuring south african vocalist and musician ras vadah from the therapy collektive, is an extended version of the laidback, jazzy opening teaser from dubbyman s debut album deep is dead. deep explorer stalwart leo gunn, on remix duties for the first time, takes the same track and gives it a piano-driven, dance-floor focused spin. the accompanying fanzine not only includes interviews with both dubbyman and gunn, but also features articles on johannes albert, tommo & jonno, jesus gonsev, arnheim, sensible soccers and more.

the 3rd release on alma negra records is dedicated to the music of eritrea, a small (in african terms, that is) country nestled in between sudan and ethopia on the south end of the red sea. drawing from its native spiritual roots as well as the christian and islamic influences of conquering factions, this multiethnical country is home to an amazingly diverse plethora of cultures and musical styles. on this ep, we are happy to showcase the music of the saho people from the region of zula, which is located in between the coastal lowlands close to the dahlak archipelago. the word saho roughly translates (translated?) as nomad, pointing towards a lifestyle where tradition and culture is being passed on orally over generations. the exact source for these edits of the saho sound are thus lost to the murky depths of history, as they are based on traditional folksongs

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

following her 1959 appearance in the anti-apartheid film come back, africa south african native miriam makeba vaulted into the international spotlight, fell under the tutelage of harry belafonte, and moved to new york city in 1960 where she immediately became a massive recording sensation. this lp collects some of that brilliant early material that launched her career and made her one of the most beloved voices of the 20th century. all tracks recorded 1957 - 1962.

following afrobeat makers vol.1 (sold out), comet is pleased to announce the second volume of the afrobeat makers collection, due for release in june this year: the tony allen’ original afrobeat patterns revisited by few of the best international dj/producers, with among them: doctor l (paris), thiago franca (sao paulo), mps pilot (amsterdam), or gnowee (paris) tony allen has spread afrobeat to the corners of the globe, a perfect synthesis of tradition and sophistication – his various collaborations with great artists from all genres and styles are a truly proof of his openness. doctor l, paris based music producer, is a sound activist going through the musical galaxies, fusioning from 80’s punk rock, to hip-hop, electronica and afrobeat ... in 2000, already on comet records, he brought lagos afrobeat towards the third millennium with the album black voices by tony allen, and even send it to the moon, with his other project, psyco on da bus. since 2002, dj/producer mps pilot (nl) has immersed himself in the cutting-edge tropical bass scene. in every possible direction and slippage between all different genres, mps pilot maps the crosspollination and divergence of contemporary music. he performed on 3 continents, both in remote desert or major festivals. thiago franca is a producer, musician and saxophonist from são paulo arts scene, this year with his power afro-punk trio meta meta, they released for the first time in europe (mais um discos -uk), their debut album metal metal. thiago is meanwhile developping his african rooted solo outfit, sambanzo, and was also in criolo’s touring band for two years, where he met tony allen, which led to two collaborations on the the afrobeat makers and meta meta’ albums.

the chisa years: 1965–1975 (rare and unreleased) is a compilation album by south african jazz trumpeter hugh masekela. the album consists of 14 rare or forgotten tracks recorded by stewart levine and hugh masekela from 1965 to 1975 when they ran their own chisa records label. thom jurek of allmusic wrote “in sum, there isn’t a weak moment on this entire collection. it’s appeal is wide and deep and one can only hope this is the first of many volumes of this material to appear. bbe records has done a stellar job in making this slab available.” dan nishimoto of the prefix magazine stated “the compilation focuses on masekela’s original idea of “african american music.” from the early experiments of the zulus (a group featuring m’bulu) in mixing doo-wop, rhythm & blues and south african gospel and the mbaqanga/”grazing in the grass”-style work of the generically named johannesburg street band to the clearly fela-influenced ojah (masekela’s band in the mid-’70s, consisting of players from ghana and nigeria) and the readyfor-primetime belting of m’bulu, each track reveals a multi-pronged effort to find and challenge the notion(s) of how african and american cultural forms could interact.”

after the release of brazilian disco boogie sounds (fvr098), favorite recordings follows-up, this time focusing on its homeland language. helped by a close connoisseur friend, dj and collector charles maurice presents a fine selection of what he thinks represent best the amazing energy of this specific movement and period. with 10 rare titles, all produced between 1975 and 1984, he shows a perfect picture of what you could find in french record stores at that time, on one hand, tracks by overdrive, marché noir, didier makaga or france-lise, were produced by underground artists and labels from the french caribbean and african community and also filled with the raw spirit of this tropical stamping. on the other hand, tracks by beckie bell, kelly, le club, or bernard guyvan, were released by major labels such as trëma, carrere, disques vogue, or pathé marconi, thanks to confirmed independent producers, acting not only in france, but also in canada and the us. today, favorite recordings and charles maurice are very proud to shed some light again on these gems, and hopefully offer them a new life on your turntable

m.e.r - montevideo electric recordings is an uruguayan record label named after its capital city, montevideo. supporting vinyl s cultural tradition, this was the chosen format for releasing the work of its artists. m.e.r sound found itself in constants evolution and mutation, merging latin groove and rhythm and it s african background with classic detroit sound generating a space where different cultures meet without being locked in one genre alone. through dj/live sets m.e.r artists deliver a strong commitment to spread club culture and techno/house heritage, with musical quality and a floor-oriented sound.

dj koyote and too smooth christ team up to release on some party tunes, a 3-track ep of collaborative and spontaneous jams. willing to produce coupe-decale-inspired tracks with old analogue gear, they crafted at the end an hybrid sound mixture, somewhere between south african house, grime and uk funky. on error : does not computer, a tr606 meets swirling arpeggios spiced with crystal riffs. a sneaky bass line provides an even more swaying groove to the track. on strike (on-a-string mix), a straight-out-of-pretoria riff meets a strong and conquering string stab on top of a really dry and thumping beat. modern action is the most introspective track of the ep, with an m1 pattern flipped upside-down and hazy cymbals rythms.

the next offering on crosstown rebels comes from italian trio pastaboys, who gift us with a rhythmic and hypnotic three-parter. they invite the inimitable rebolledo to take on remix duties to complete this package. the ep is a trance-inducing affair. the trio lure us in with opener kolo kolo. its funky rhythm sets a precedent as its trance-inducing power builds layer upon layer into an intoxicating and hypnotic groove. abbassa is up next. heavy on the bass, with a sensuality that is palpable. the african vocal adds a tribal touch before the track tumbles into a crescendo of urgent synths. rebolledos version of abbassa is a more cosmic affair, staying true to his psychedelic inclinations and with an added a bass guitar groove. pastaboys have been releasing music since the dawn of the new millenium. they’ve showcased their tasteful and highly refined productions on imprints such as 83 west and defected. releases such as born again, body resonance, limit, hozho, deep musique prove that their music is timeless and that dance music is still a matter of groove and soul.

for the past two years, flee has been working on its first issue entitled benga music – a signature genre from kenya. conceived as an attempt to document a kenyan timeless music genre – benga – this issue is also a visual and audial tribute to the heritage of east african music. approaching this musical genre with a new and innovative perspective, the first release of flee features a vinyl compilation and a printed journal. faithful to the local essence of the genre while transcending unproductive nostalgia, the two objects ensure that the vibrant traditional roots of the benga movement interact with a contemporary approach. to make this initiative possible, we joined forces with celebrated kenyan journalists, ondiso madete and emmanuel mwendwa, and collaborated with renowned international specialists such as douglas paterson. this great team work translated into a well-documented manuscript, with exciting articles, exclusive authentic photos of the era and creative present-day illustrations celebrating the genre. accompanying the journal, the record tells a surprising story, starting with the pioneers of benga (daniel owino misiani, george ramogi and the migori superstars) and concluding with the modern respectful re-interpretations of nik weston, jaakko eino kalevi, and africaine 808, blowing the dust of the original scores.

note: import release - limited repress - comes with digital download code and a 16 pages silkscreen printed journal with articles in english and french.

sterns edits returns after their well received and recently repressed amadou balake excursions, this time with ben gomori turning his hand to guinea for a third instalment in the series of re-works from the sterns music catalogue of african gems. balla et ses balladins were one of guinea s national orchestras formed as a result of the newly elected president, sekou toures authenticite policy of the early 1960s, which sought to promote guinea s cultural identity following independence from france in 1958. gomori takes the scalpel to two cuts recorded during their years on the state-run syliphone label, making good use of bandleader balla s lively trumpet playing. the gently haunting nyo is taken on a stomping slo-mo chug with a head-nodding bassline and stuttering fx creating a shimmering effect on the tropical guitars, while the rousing horns of wilikabo are laid over with rasping synth bass for a punchy juxtaposition. sterns edits is an official collaboration between african music stalwarts sterns music and london s ben gomori.

genre busting south african jazz and kwaito meets cuba (chucho valdez), brazil (flora purim), cameroon (brice wassy) and drum n bass (bristol). first time on vinyl, remastered sound, new liner notes, exclusive track, gatefold with printed inners.

berlin based jens dohle is a man of many talents. an accomplished composer and arranger for theatre productions across europe, classically trained multi instrumentalist, explosive live drummer for ye:solar, munk, hot coins, sado opera. longtime collaborator with danilo plessow aka mcde and noema from african shakedown fame. remixer for jazzanova and 4 hero. there s not enough room here to list his amazing work. 2018 ushers forth a new identity to his already enviable c.v with his first ep as james dole (a jokingly anglicised version of his birth name). the 3 tracks here all showcase his ability to create a strong mood and use great splashes of melody and rhythm but without ever losing the groove. written during a period of introspection in deepest, darkest berlin, each one tells a different story. ex is a moody monster of a track. it builds and builds into a pounding nightime symphony with a kind of epic-ness which hints at many years spent mining the highs and lows of music, love and life. big room yet with a gut wrenching soul beneath the slightly flamboyant majesty. made in east berlin and well road tested in the cities debauched nightclubs. fantasia shows off mr doles jazz and broken beat background with rolling, funky drums sashaying with hip hoppy live jazz keys. then those signature euphoric yet melancholic synths appear halfway through the track to create an emotionally halcyon mood. wibes. the ep closes with grande. super melodic yet cinematic with amazing synth work and a sophisticated arrangement showcasing james s well trained musicianship and artistry. an opus of melody and longing built for italian arthouse films about unrequited love. dj support from - midland, honey soundsystem, sandrino, jimpster, ame, dvs1, shadow child, joe goddard, red rack em, futureboogie, soft rocks, domenic cappello, downtown party network, danny russell

after a short break in the african wilderness, black rox return for part 4 of this acclaimed series. date with the rain sees soft rocks turn in an 11 minute one for the lion king manipulation of a joyous and uplifting jam that fuses traditional rhythms (think a humm-ba-ba) and vocals that are underpinned with a strong 4/4 kick.on the flip side,roots unit perform some major surgery with a pump up the jam reconstruction on le beat is technotronic. crazy percussive jungle rhythms and wonky vocal hooks rule the roost until it merges into a future techno-techno amazonian world.

in recent times alex pletnev has been making his mark on the musical stratosphere with an array of works from from cold wave edits, through gorgeous adaptations of african and world music to tribal techno originals. he joins us as pletnev for aztec code / daywalker, a 12inch combining his abundant influences to take us to bizarre, far-off places.

the colorful world of arp frique is the exotic and super funky debut album of niels nieuborg. after his surprising, very well received debut release on rush hour, arp frique continues collaborating with orlando julius, ed motta, americo brito, ronald snijders and more! tip! . pulsating nyc style live disco vibes, interwoven with both caribbean and cape verdean sounds, are themes throughout the record with danceability always guaranteed and a healthy finishing touch of weirdness present across most tracks. first single ‘nos magia’ was shortlisted for track of the year 2017 at gilles peterson’s worldwide awards and has been given airplay by bbc radio 6 music, bbc radio 1 and nts whilst club djs antal and hunee have all supported the track in their sets.

unique soul jazz records’ record store day seven-inch box set which brings together a stunning five-single/ ten track selection of mind-blowingly groovy selection of african, latin, jazz and funk music from the congo. absolutely killer and essential tracks (mostly unknown) from the masters of the vibrant congo scene in the 1960s – featuring the groups franco & ok jazz, rock-a-mambo, african jazz, african fiesta and more. roots african meets dizzy gillespie, james brown, ray barretto & more. the bomb! this unique box-set edition is only available as a one-off pressing especially for record store day 2018.

san francisco in the late 1960. the hotbed of psychedelic and rock culture. the dead, joplin, jefferson airplane and a host of others all gaining mainstream acceptance for their acid tinged work. but the city and the surrounding bay area had so much more going for them. a liberal political outlook and a large african american and latino population, meant that musical and cultural reference points were wider and more easily assimilated there than (almost) anywhere else in the united states. two of the biggest groups to emerge from this scene were santana and sly and the family stone, with their melting pots of sound that took in jazz, soul, rock and latin influence. for a while they were two of the biggest acts in the united states and scores of local bands tried to follow in their footsteps. they were hard acts to follow and very few got to the stage of making a 45, never mind a whole lp. one of the best to do just that were leon’s creation, whose debut lp “this is the beginning” acid jazz are reissuing here. a native of san francisco leon patillo led the group, whose multi racial line-up echoed that of his heroes on the local scene. self contained and gigging locally they made their debut album at the tiny studio 10 who also custom pressed the album in extremely limited numbers the music is a perfect blend of acid soul, mixed with hippie sentiments that will get you dancing on the uptempo numbers such as the title track, ‘back roads’ – with its glorious harmonies and the soaring ‘power’. more thoughtful numbers such as ‘until you were gone’ or ‘love’ will touch your soul. so impressed was carlos santana that he eventually asked leon to join his band.

“yuxtaposición” is a recently unearthed treasure recorded by a tight italian trio in miami during the early seventies. until now, this music has only been heard in office backgrounds, tv commercials and movie soundtracks. but the perseverance of an admirer brought about its first-ever release on the italian schema label. imagine hearing a 1972-era cal tjader quartet without cal tjader and you get an idea of what to expect. it’s slightly latin, lightly funky and truly enjoyable. “yuxtaposición” offers enough to interest a jazz listener. but the sounds heard in these 35 minutes are really better appreciated as mood music. lead man, cabildo, composer of all ten tunes here, has a knack for writing jazzy little hooks that launch his tasty, well-crafted keyboard solos. often alternating fender rhodes and piano within the same song, his playing maintains a hypnotic command that recalls bob james’ cti style. electric bassist bobby fares and percussionist max ronnie make subtle, supportive contributions that serve only to enhance cabildo’s sound. there’s a funny thing about yuxtaposición too. it’s kind of like developing an addiction. you may not pay much attention to it at first. but before you know it, you’re hooked. you need to hear it to be satisfied. a very nice surprise.

bawrut has had an amazing couple of years. since kicking our label off back in 2015 with the modern acid classic ciquita (12inches of which will now set you back silly money on discogs), the madrid-based producer has gone from strength to strength. last year saw him tear down sets at sonar and farr festivals, drop a feted new ep on hard fist records, and have his music soundtrack numerous adverts for fabric events. other djs have been quick to show their appreciation, and bawrut’s unique appeal can be seen in how far and wide across the spectrum his music has featured. optimo, avalon emerson, patrick topping, jackmaster, artwork, andrew weatherall and many more have all supported heavily. were proud to kickstart bawrut’s 2018 with 4x4, a brand new ep of typically leftfield bangers. these four tracks come on like a whirlwind journey through a bawrut dj set, with something for every time of the night. ghettoscar fuses african chants with burbling acid, building the kind of goodtime dancefloor warmth bawrut is famed for. more cowbell does exactly what you’d expect, giving djs a glorious, cowbell-powered disco bomb that fuses the spirit of incredible bongo band with classic nyc house. i hear voices is a crazy ride, with an expertly cut up vocal sample repurposed into a weird, descending riff that’s quite unlike anything else out there. throw in bawrut’s trademark kitbag of carnival whistles, rattling latin percussion and a creeping acid line that works itself up into a soul-salving joy and youve got a modern classic on your hands. finally, lead track three sounds is probably bawruts biggest moment to date, a peak time jacking techno monster built from the most minimal of elements - drums, claps, a one note bass squelch and a tom drum gone wild. bawrut takes this tom sound and treats it like a 303, pushing far off the rails, working it up and up, twisting it through pitch and frequency like a man possessed, raising its pressure til it tears off the roof. theres no one else making techno quite like it - and you can expect dancefloors to be going crazy to the mania of three sounds throughout 2018 so there you have it - four more missives from the wizard of madrid. play em loud.

hunee presents a collection of his favorite dance floor cuts from the 70ties till modern times. pressed on 3 slices of vinyl (+download code) biggest tip! going from afro to disco to techno, hunchin all night holds a wide spectrum of songs, tracks by the wonderful boncana maïga, pat thomas, black beat niks, kenny larkin, larry heard, mappa mundi and many more. hunee, aka hun choi, is a korean berliner who has been drawn in music since a very young age. after working in record stores and studying musicology he resided in amsterdam, where he released his debut album hunch music. as a dj he has always followed a hunch, which gave him wings to communicate the music he loves with crowds all over the world. with hunchin all night, hunee expresses his relationship with the dance floor.

2018 repress - this ep is a dedication to the amsterdam based alkebulan project. philou and villy are both members of this project, the project brings artists from africa & african diaspora together. the alkebulan project is on a mission to change the perception of africa an it s citizens.

since 2002 dj phast has an established track record in the hip hop scene, as a former itf champion and performing at various venues, together with das efx, mop, smif n wessun, krs one, etc., he has time and time again proven his musical and technical know-how. after years of banging out dope powerful productions and working with a wide array of european artists, the time has finally arrived for him to release his debut album. this record will guide you through the realm of strong southern blues and express its depths of today‘s modern stated black music. so you can expect a grand taste of the blues scene, but without losing the classic charismatic hip hop sample sound elements. be prepared for the rugged & thorough arrival of the creature from the black lagoon!!

2lp gatefold, incl dl card , there are some records that manage to sound both of a time and utterly timeless and bon voyage organisation s jungle? quelle jungle? (a nod to supertramp s crisis? what crisis?) is one of those albums. its silken-smooth production, irresistible grooves, funk-tinged guitars, lush soundscapes and general glowing presence could easily lead one to believe that have dug up a lost disco gem from the 1970s. however, behind the disco-pop gleam lies eerie dystopian sci-fi ruminations of a futuristic bent and tones that can often feel as french as they do asian or african. this sort of cross-continental exploration is an expansion on bvo s previous two eps, the man behind the organisation, adrien durand, says. -i tried to continue the musical expedition between dystopian science-fiction haunted africa - plus haitian vaudou on -soleil dieu- - and futuristic asia. addressing, in a double entendre manner, some of the political issues that i am sensitive to.- in fact the jungle in question in the album s title is a metaphorical one and one that creates a vast series of environments for durand to explore such subjects as world trade, utopian ideals and themes of idols, as well as of time and communication. however, one will need to speak french to decipher such explorations, as well as shake off the natural impulse to move with every glorious beat on its 13 tracks, of which are moved along by maud nadal and agathe bonitzer s golden vocals.

first release of label la casa tropical, two south african nuggets. especially smile is a sought after tune by satari. the flip might even be better. tip! synth heavy south african disco boogie from the mid 80s. first issued near the end of the synth-pop era that gave boom to the local record industry, this release takes the b-sides off the mysterious groups first 2 singles recorded at johannesburgs legendary satbel and ovation studio. combining live instruments and an embrace of the electronic gear that was already standard in all studios city wide, the newly formed supergroup was able to create a unique sound at a time the word disco was starting to be associated with a different emerging movement.

ghana s dj katapila is back with more minimalist dance music productions, this time inspired in part by his travels overseas. following the success of the re-release of his trotro recording a couple years ago, katapila has been playing in europe and the uk, bringing his style of breakneck-paced, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink west african club music into a very different conte, giving katapila (real name ishmael abbey) inspiration in the kind of music he has heard in places like london. so he made some new music, here we go!

next up on yoruba is this split release. glasgow’s vince watson invites us to a new dimension with his contribution. another rendezvous says it all atmospheric and carried by simple chords that float over the four to the floor pulse. think movement and formation. depending on your relationship with the universe, one might be able to feel the colours of this track, greens and blues. pensive with just enough edge to secure a commitment from the seasoned djs ear, this one is steady with a sexy incline that holds you through to the other side. come ride. its bold to build a song around a steel drum and a west african shekere, but that’s where it starts with dakota’s ‘make it better’. a gorgeous soulful house track featuring the vocals of dakota and osunlade’s vocals layered and arranged behind and throughout. the groove is a rich and well-constructed song with carefully considered lyrics that speak of longing, praise and caution. listeners hear the echoes of latin accents that call us into to reflection and flight. surrender your hands in the air for this dancer friendly love gem that stretches beyond cliche lyrics. yoruba records delivers another high-quality soundscape that measures across time and space

after a year’s hiatus optimo music disco plates returns with the first of several planned releases.
first up is long time friend phil kieran with an ep made specifically with optimo in mind. it has been tried and tested over recent months and more than ticks all our boxes. we feel confident it will tick yours too.
phil says “the ep was recorded in my house and made up of mostly live percussion performed live by thomas tettey annang. originally from ghana, he moved to belfast some years ago. it just so happens his wife is a close friend of my sisters and that was the first introduction. thomas now runs -releasing rhythms” here in belfast teaching drum classes.
we used a wide selection of traditional african drums that all have their own name, each one has a style and a sound. the rhythms used in this record would stem back to south american rhythms but using african drums. this was a sound and rhythm that influenced early post punk records in new york and still has an influence on dance music today.”

mar & sol first release is aleluia lp from the cabo verde singer pedrinho. at the time, late 70 s, this lp was one of the biggest successes from cabo verde music. singer pedrinho moved to lisbon when he was 18 years old, and recorded this album, the first one of his career. aleluia was produced in the same street where mar & sol is based nowadays, in rua de s.bento, lisbon, portugal. this street was also where pedrinho come to live when he arrived in portugal, like the majority of the musicians and emigrants from the old african portuguese colonies move at that time, to try a new luck. a big community grew here and these artists got the opportunity to record their own traditional music by the hands of local labels. now is the time for mar & sol to give a new life to all this music, this is the first of many reissues that are coming to start the series of the label.

favorite recordings proudly presents combattant, first ep by pat kalla produced by bruno patchworks hovart. pat kalla is a musician, singer and storyteller. patrice of his birth name, in tribute to the great lumumba! lover of words, french language, and music of course. born in lyon, from a cameroonian father, musician and political activist, and a french and literary mother, he explores from his childhood the soul, the slam, the funk and the art of telling stories, life being a great one. after years of touring alongside many bands (conte & soul, legend of eboa king, mento cloub, voilaaa sound system), and several acclaimed titles on the two albums by voilaaa, he comes back with this project to put a bit of primordial lightness in a rainy world: a tribute to the african culture in honor of a father with sawa origins, the tribe from the people of makossa. jojo ngallé, moni bilé, pain, manu dibango, franco, rochereau, kabasele, fela, françois nkotti & the black style, all these legends vinyls have turned on the family turntable and the collection has whetted the child s appetite. through this new trip, he revisits styles that are sometimes little known to western audiences, such as high-life, makossa, angolan music, afrobeat, afro-disco and others. we could talk about franc cfa, we could talk about jacques foccart, but we will rather dance, because -the dancer seems naive, but his feet must be connected with earth to understand history backed by the super mojo disco, a hyperactive band from lyon with deep groove and positive energy, pat kalla offers us an anti-crisis project, where swaying and feel-good humor is mandatory! an album soon in the crates, beware cest medicament

stunning new album from chicago’s finest electronic futurist hieroglyphic being, aka jamal moss, newly released on soul jazz records. this is his third album for the label, following on from the acid documents (2015), and african with mainframes (w/ noleian reusse) k.m.t. (2016). limited edition of 1000 copies on double 12 inch vinyl, housed in a gatefold sleeve with download code included.

very often included among the 50 must-have albums of modern african music, the two albums “angola 72” (with the inevitable “mona ki ngi xica”) and “angola 74” (with the first ever recorded version of “sodade”) are finally re-edited in vinyl lps, with their original sleeves as published in 1972 and in 1974, in the netherlands, on the label morabeza records.

very often included among the 50 must-have albums of modern african music, the two albums “angola 72” (with the inevitable “mona ki ngi xica”) and “angola 74” (with the first ever recorded version of “sodade”) are finally re-edited in vinyl lps, with their original sleeves as published in 1972 and in 1974, in the netherlands, on the label morabeza records.

richard sens sound has always been influenced by black dance music and european electronic music and these two tracks carry on the vibe dark, electronic funk! flow master is inspired by old school new york house combined with european industrial body music. sen calls it muscle house. bad meaning good is a lighter, deep groove that takes inspiration from african percussion artists like kongotronics.