sound-tracking her unerring dedication to living and breathing dance music and club culture around the world, classic music company presents this double 12” to accompany honey dijon’s debut artist album ‘the best of both worlds’. featuring collaborations with the most relevant artists that dance music has to offer in 2017, the album is one of the most anticipated events in this year’s house music calendar, preceded by honey’s bbc radio 1 essential mix, relentless worldwide touring demand, international media attention and three critically-acclaimed lead-up singles.

there is a sense of urgency increasingly infecting the human condition, fragmenting our attention span, accelerating our needs and often influencing our motives when making creative decisions. the result is a lack of dynamics, there is no ebb or flow, its “go” time, all the time. electronic music is one of the clearest examples of a widening division between great art created in a deeply imaginative vaccum and the soulessly formulaic and branded product that serves the impatient masses. what draws the esp institute to benedikt frey is his ability to operate on the fringe, outside the constructs artists constantly channel themselves into - his art speaks a pure language that is realized by any means necessary, a process devised solely to articulate his own message, one delivered with patience, never rushed nor dictated by the outside world. artificial was written and produced over two years, tirelessly sculpted into a sequence abstract pieces that are fiercely independent but accumulate layers of meaning when collaged. it is electronic and rhythm-based, but never reliant on any prescribed instrumentation, arrangement or expecatation. this is our idea of well conceived and executed album, not simply a collection of tracks but a complex narrative that unfolds over peaks and valleys, pulling the listener into emotional corners before leaving a residual impression. some may describe music very well in words, but there is always something lost in translation - a story only the music itself can tell.

for their second release losers with attitude provides another four track compilation:losers are the new black. there are losers everywhere these days, all over the world. you losers need a sound track for their lives and lwa is here to celebrate you! you are truly the new black! the artists helping us with this release are: from argentina, contrasilencio - a project formed by two long time producers, tom o hara (bassfactory, minimal: impossible, 909 tom, contrasilencio, kinze jam, 1.5,9.13 music) and luis pompa (pompa, contrasilencio, kinze jam, 15c, suculenta, club fantasma). a progressive, intelligent, and slow burning acid track, hasta el martes marks their 3rd appearance on various compilations and their 4th overall release. though the project may be new with over 35 years of experience between them you can be sure to expect big things.

our hero, jo tongo (born joseph ekambi tongo mpondo) was born and raised in douala cameroon. in 1964 he headed off to paris to begin pharmaceutical studies. somewhere along the way the music in his soul eventually won out and he embarked on a life of music. in the latest of our series of funk experimentals lps we dig for the funk. not necessarily the artists greatest hits but most definitely the funkiest ear benders. we proudly compile together tracks from 1968 to 3 new brand new exclusive tracks from present day 2017. and yes, they all have the funk. in spades.

when we launched our digital imprint in 2013, one of our explicit reasons for doing so was to fund a vinyl label. it may have taken us four years to get to this point, but we’re finally here - fkofv001 is upon us. the debut fatkidonfire physical release sees new artists join our roster. taiko’s untitled grime has been blowing up the dances for a hot minute, championed by the likes of truth, spooky and many more. spooky even named the tune in his fact mag top ten most prized dubplates list! we linked taiko up with mancunian wordsmith skittles (currently smashing it with the levelz crew), and “don’t be stoopid” is the anthemic result. fkof fam and producer extraordinaire district adds an industrial grime-esque flavour to his remix for a killer one-two punch. the two producers collaborate, for the first time ever, on the b-side, entitled “yokai”. it’s a tune that demonstrates why we signed both musicians incredible atmospheres, depth and weight. beau at ten eight seven, as ever, has mastered the tunes to perfection. we’re proud of this release and, on first listen, we hope you’ll hear why...

the sound of studio one can be identified by the great singers that it cultivated along the many great songs that these singers released. but as studio 1 s dominance was slowly pulled away by the up and coming new breed of producers many of the artists would inevitably end up working for these new camps and so the songs and singers found a new audience. the reggae sound of the studio 1 would make a great combination and the man to pull this was together bunny lee.

teaming up again with the master of junglist vocals – mc fats and employing the classic soulful vibes of legend cleveland watkiss, break created a full vocal single, with both artists featuring on both sides. we are the people weaves mellow and uplifting piano chords with a strong verse from cleveland, switching to fats for his lick to cut into a heavy drop. weighty wobbling jungle subs, peppered with warm synth bass melodies carry this summery roller through, with both vocalists complimenting each others flavours stylishly. a blissed out dreamy breakdown gets you chilled for a switch back to the second drop bassline, going low and long with the subs. a chilled summery feel good vibe, with some backbone!
midnite classic, rolling in a heavy reggae skank loop for the intro sets a great backdrop for cleveland’s very catchy lyrics and melody. switching to fats for a minimal dnb build up and dropping with his renowned vocal style cutting over the bassline on a junglist style drop. a classic old skool feeling but still with a fresh modern edge, this is an addictive club tune, capturing raw vibes that are always needed in the dance.

planet rhythm teams up with rotterdam techno operation th tar hallow and releases a collection of tracks by artists that have frequently appeared on the cult label. deep down westcoast electronics by respected artists such as klankman, charlton, labelboss thanos hana and rhyw. klankman opens up this 4-track va with the ominous “can not use that command on overlapping selections”. berlin based rotterdammer charlton follows up with the heavy arps and outgoing drums of “profiler”. thanos hana opens up the b side with the tough techno cut “the injury pattern” and berlin based rhyw- closes down the varied slice of vinyl with the moving “mkfbtb”.

the seventh ep from the untold stories, is a collaborative project, beats and keys. the beats coming from nektar agu, and the piano from matias zurita, aka cossmos. both artists from buenos aires, and they obviously found a great harmony for this project, because the result is very nice indeed. a1 is a special work, entitled seiya . it s an enlivening track of distinct attitude, the flow is strong, the percussion powerful, and combined dextrously with the beautiful keys from cossmos. the effect is very inspiring, very mental - deep and evocative, and very enjoyable. this epic work then get s a remix by archipel label boss pheek, who keeps all that made the original magical, and crafts a refined 8 min remix, if you liked the first track then this will be a very awesome further development. the ep is then concluded by a 7 min work by nektar agu and cosmos, this time a more upbeat and trippy affair, again it s beats and keys in a cool harmony, again done with considerable skill, and is a nice end to a fine record.

afterlife keeps on going strong! earlier this month they brought us tale of us & vaals monument and that just got a proper remix treatment. no others than stephan bodzin and barnt, two artists, who stand out notably for their unique sound took turns on the original lead track and put their very personal touch on it.

first release from the beat catalogue serie which is focused on new artists. all music produced and mastered by kevin skyler. electronic delight ranging from dance to experimental style

headed by a carioca who was blessed with the name of his own city, moodisco contains a 3-track bomb from leo janeiro with doc label boss gui boratto and a very special remix by french act rodriguez jr. this could just be a happy coincidence, were itÆs not for the fact that leoÆs trajectory made him a protagonist of the electronic music scene in his hometown, rio de janeiro. he built a career dedicated to music. in a city with so many daytime attractions, it is the night and electronic music that has been blessed with his talent. he has compiled an impressive list of residencies and performances globally. known as one of the ambassadors for brazilian electronic music, leo has the ability to combine originality to a universal language. just like his hometown. on this limited edition vinyl and digital release, leo janeiro, gui boratto and rodriguez jr. presents a serious track sequence of techno and house beats. each artist has kept its own trademark. öi had a lot of ideas and one of them was to have a remix by an artist that i admire, respect and have a personal relationshipö, says leo janeiro. rodriguez jr. (oliver mateu), shared his unique talent creating a remix for moodisco. he is the one half of french electro act the youngsters û best known for their two studio albums and singles for laurent garnierÆs label. rodriguez jr. reveals a different incarnation of mateuÆs musical psyche, moving through shimmering, contemplative electronica, to deep and urgent techno, leftfield melodic accents and quirky pop refrains. a perfect blend for this project. moodisco is a combination of artists and friends on the move. they are tireless in enthusiasm and are bursting with new tunes and projects. a straight punch ep release with serious beats, deep melodies and the synth keys we just love to listen over and over!

there is a long-standing love affair between dj harvey and pikes, ibiza. as well as coming back for his third consecutive ‘mercury rising’ residency, the legendary ‘djs’ dj has been appointed ‘cultural attaché’ for pikes, meaning his magic touch and feel-good presence will create even more special moments at pikes this summer, including the launch of new label, pikes records.
in 2015 dj harvey made his hugely anticipated return to ibiza and made pikes his home for his mercury rising debut, a concept inspired by the beauty of the real ibiza, the incredible history of pikes and a genuine love for music. the love, the dancing, the music and the balearic spirit perfectly and poetically encapsulated by dj harvey has seen mercury rising widely recognised as the most special night to embrace the island in over a decade.
the next step in the harvey and pikes story sees him launch pikes records – the first record label founded by pikes owners and ibiza rocks co-founders andy mckay and dawn hindle. on the label, harvey explains: i see so many avenues to work together to release music, everything from live recordings from ibiza rocks and pikes, mix tapes, original productions, showcasing new artists, theres all sorts of avenues to open up. with the finer details still under wraps, its safe to say fans can look forward to the first release being harveys very own mercury rising compilation. but what can we expect from the third instalment of mercury rising? putting it quite simply, just a serious good time really says harvey.

giving us a preview of his forthcoming album maktub, satori is next to release on crosstown rebels with umama. the single features alongside remixes from three of the most prominent artists from today’s house scene.
demonstrating his incredible ability to incorporate world sounds into his music, satori mesmerises with umama. amidst a soiree of african percussion is a soothing hypnotic chant, all encased in alluring synths. italian legend riva starr’s jazzy take on the original, integrates the chanting vocal as a futuristic anthem. louie vega maintains an ethnic feel. his remix, alongside an instrumental, encompasses futuristic synths with a sturdy kick throughout.

originally released on a promo-only limited edition special 12inch mix in the u.s., anung anunga was pressed in extremely limited quantity, making it one of the rarest columbia 12inch releases ever a mint copy will currently set you back around £100. produced by veteran dance music producer bert decoteaux, -anung anunga- is the perfect fusion of red-hot cuban musicians with a contemporary dance production. the result is simply stunning and continues the tradition of artists like candido and joe bataan crossing over into the dance music world. as though that s not enough, on the flip we ve provided the equally stunning baila mi ritmo the other outstanding dance track from their only columbia studio album which now makes its debut on 12inch for the first time ever. all in all, this is an exceptional double-sided slab of 12inch vinyl which could almost be a fresh new find for many since the original 12inch disappeared without a trace

uwe schmidt has long been recognized as one of electronic musics most respected and versatile artists. a man of many talents, projects and identities including atom heart and senor coconut, uwes playfully ironic and acid- tinged atom tm moniker is perhaps the identity that most speaks to the new york dancefloors where the bunker makes its home. several atom tm releases are much-loved bunker classics and with the future nights 12inch uwe offers a heady experiment in what happens when a track takes you so far inside your own head that you’re in danger of losing your way back. . the a side is comprised of two fuzzy vocal techno tracks that are as fun to listen to as they will be to subject to some heavy tweaking in the hands of a capable dj. the b side, chemistry is particularly versatile and crazy-making with elements of darker techno stirred into a disorientingly stereophonic maelstrom that’s guaranteed to cause a dancefloor to lose its moorings until the only thing keeping reality from splintering is the tracks dry academic vocal reassuring us that its all just chemistry

house for her is a label founding its birth in the need that she s gone had to express his feelings in his mixes and productions. the time came to him, 1 year ago to give the floor to other people, to let everyone build pieces of music around their lived experience. in this release, the four artists came to cover in mist the wax in a cascade of tablecloths sometimes soft and other times more aggressive, to develop a ep rich in questioning, ranging from dance pieces to other more ambient things, linking them together to tell a story. raär and mp-57, as usual, darkened in the pile, revealing brutal tracks but nevertheless completely full of feelings. devant, with a more colorful touch, has come to appease the ep of a piece of a house deep and sexy, endowed with an atmosphere reminding us much nostalgia. and finally entrave, in a final piece, quietly envelops us to finish to walk in this ep, as in a novel, a kind of sombre happy-end.

back available as a limited vinyl edition (500 only) for the first time since 1985. featuring key players like bernie worrell, bill laswell, mory kanté and herbie hancock ! manu dibango needs little introduction, born in cameroon in 1933, manu developed a musical style fusing jazz, funk, and traditional cameroonian music. he’s definitely among the best known african artists outside of africa. collaborations were numerous and include top acts like fela kuti, herbie hancock, bill laswell, sly & robbie, don cherry and bernie worrell. in addition to selling hundreds of thousands of copies of the albums he recorded, he played such huge venues as yankee stadium and madison square garden.

tafi allstars is a collaborative recording project between optimo music artists thomas lea clarke (mr tc) and conal blake (whilst) and members of the tafi cultural institute of tafi atome, ghana. after having previously visited tafi atome to take part in the music of the volta region study tours that are organised by tci in collaboration with green door studio, clarke and blake secured funding from creative scotland to travel back to tafi in november 2016 to record a mini-album of tracks that blend the rhythms and melodies of traditional borborbor and agbadza drumming forms and ewe songwriting with electronic instrumentation and dub recording techniques.

after showcasing his knack for emotive productions via various eps throughout his career, including chart-topping singles on hot since 82s knee deep in sound and dave seamans selador, the swiss artist several definitions now reveals his first full-length album. it should come as no surprise that the artist found familiarity in what he calls the berlin style of electronic music and notably, that of oliver koletzkis stil vor talent. reborn after the road is an intense and emotional affair, consisting of 14 tracks crafted using field and live recordings, switching between analogue and digital to mould a sonic atmosphere that emblazons the artists core ethos. although the personal experience that sparked the inspiration for the lp is far from pleasant, several definitions style is audibly resolute. reborn after the road, the albums eponymous track, creates a fitting intro for the healing process that is to follow. its airy pads and majestic strings sonically stand at the epicenter of the expressive album. several definitions continues to explore these sounds on vaporous slices like pontce?ard 32 or the more acidical last breath. the mellifluous, feminine vocals of lameduza on learn to feel and her, as well as spanish singer goldsuns crooner talents on the introspective trust, on the other hand, showcase several definitions ability to work the human voice into his musical explorations. taking introspection one step further towards darker realms, senelity then feels like a rite of passage into the deeper and more intense segment at the albums core. over you briefly signals a turning point, with its alarm-like synths and grave leads, which is then followed by the glitchy resistance on modular spaces.

chico buarque construcao revisited by l_cio is a beautiful debut project part of a doc series of releases combining classic brazilian names with doc artists and producers. l_cio (laercio schwantes) the man with the transverse flute known for some of the freshest and unique tracks coming out from brazil is behind this gemstone. increasingly building a legacy of fans following his live performances and recent releases on doc records (vazio, traffic, people talk, schwantes), this man is a non-stoppable 30 hours machine gun. on this long awaited 2-track limited edition vinyl release, l_cio and gui boratto kept the roots of this classic track construcao. however they added all the proper elements of a techno dance floor knockout. by inserting malicious baselines, flutes and strings they generated aggressive melodies while keeping all characteristics of this epic song. voted as the greatest brazilian song by rolling stones magazine, construcao was originaly recorded by chico buarque in 1971 with production by roberto menescal. released during military dictatorship, chico buarque criticizes the way of life of the brazilian workers, comparing them to machines. the song is known for its interchangeable last words, used as if they were pieces of a board game, as said by buarque. generatiions apart, construcao (l_cio & k_ri version) and construcao (l_cio & borattos deconstructed mix) are the first ever authorized remixes in over 45 years. l_cio the latest dance floor brazilian soldier, a menacing builder of beats completes an epic turnnig point by editing and lapidating a classic poetry. with a b side dub version beutifully crafted by label boss gui boratto, this limited edition pearl is finally here for our joy!

in a new transatlantic partnership, uk label secret reels and washington, dc imprint better listen records have teamed up for a run of collaborative records. the joint brand, secret listen, combines the labels in sound as well as in name. imagine the lush, pensive and moody deep house tones of secret reels joining with the sample-heavy disco soul leanings of blr. secret listen vol. 1 takes two artists each from both rosters for the first amalgamation. the -secret side- hosting english producers harry wolfman and chocky, while the listen side invites sune and vitamin d of high hat appreciation society and the newly founded honey butter records to the affair. it s a v/a release with a variety of offerings and flavours. wolfmans floozy sits first in the record as a bright and whimsical flute-led morsel, while chockys inner disco is a cerebral, loopy cut. on the flip, sune provides some exquisite rhodes action in his groovy midtempo effort, glidin, and his swedish compatriot closes out the affair with the bittersweet lately.

for its 23rd release, berlin-based italian label out-er welcomes techno fellows dj spider and phil moffa for v ep .
the collaboration between the italian label and the two techno producers, follows a meeting in nyc between out-er co-founder simone gatto at the producers headquarter gatto always appreciated the artists musical peculiarity and, generally, supports distorted electronic sounds, which anyway already found space on the label’s previous releases thanks to the efforts of the analogue cops, christopher rau and marieu.

solar phenomena is a brand new label on an exciting astral crusade. the take-off pilot for our virgin mission is none other than decorated polish producer echoplex. one of the country’s first breakthrough international techno artists, his body of work dates back almost 20 years while often taking us 20.000 light years forward. this is no exception.

for the third binary cells imprint, the word is given to marla singer. -re-20- is a powerful industrial techno stepper combined with driving raw mechanic beats. b side includes bas mooy and endlec visions. the dutch and greek artists are delivering two massive remixes, transforming this ep in a brutal straight and effective dj tool.

colours of infinity is a new alias for melbourne based producer andy donnelly. his debut album follows a recent sold out split 12- on brokntoys offshoot, discos del quebranto, as well as a string of releases as kloke on labels including styles upon styles and sub squared. under his latest moniker, donnelly has axed the dense, sample-heavy hardcore continuum he is best known for and developed a more back to basics approach, using old, cheap hardware and primitive recording techniques to capture performances in the spirit of 70s bands such as cluster, early tangerine dream and latter day artists like ekoplekz and pye corner audio. one time pressing, strictly limited to 300 copies. mastered by simon davey @ the exchange vinyl in his converted bank vault. riyl: cluster, harmonia, tangerine dream ekoplekz, pye corner audio, john carpenter, carl craig

this is the debut album of swedish producer daniel andraasson, an artist that has both a sonically and artistic resemblance to the skudge family of labels and artists.

influencing the electronic landscape since 2010, hot creations has gained notoriety through pioneering a new and unique sound. also recognised for tirelessly pushing boundaries of house, techno and disco across it’s ever growing and innovative catalogue. one hundred releases later, the label is stronger than ever, celebrating with a mammoth ep from co-founder jamie jones. an ultimate summer jam with elevating synth lines, sound of music is a cover version, originally released by nookie and features chart topping artist katy b on vocals. kooky chords is a dance floor bomb, with melodic breakdowns sure to set any dancefloor on fire. next, positive pressure features label favourite kevin knapp, deep and gritty, the bassline swings with spacey layers. last up, parallel universe is a deeply infectious chugger with vocal cuts. “i m so honoured to be releasing the 100th record on hot creations. it’s been an incredible journey to reach this point and i can t wait for the next 100. as i opened up with the first release on the label, i thought why not start the next 100 on the same foot.” - jamie jones co-founded with lee foss, hot creations was the start of an empire, which went on to include sister labels hot trax and emerald city. jamie also runs paradise at dc10 in ibiza, standing today as one of the most popular nights on the island, it enjoys a close connection to the label. remaining at the forefront of the dance world, hot creations continues to break new talent and play host to well established producers. releases have come from artists such as patrick topping, richy ahmed, route 94, waff and roisin murphy amongst many others including pop group hot natured. critically acclaimed albums by miguel campbell, digitaria, popof and phil kieran have all been highlights on the label. reaching this impressive milestone, it seems only right that jamie jones is the one to deliver the 100th release.

as one of the labels core artists, iain howie has confidently crafted rhombus 22nd catalog release and debut 12-. with vivid atmospheres, spacious vocal textures, and mountainous grooves, iain continues to hone the vision he created in his first outing on rhombus. we re happy to have him back in action and making his mark on wax.
dj support from:
maya jane coles , estroe (rush hour), acid pauli (circus company)

figure jams is back with a another fresh and exciting pairing of artists. this time the record is a collection of pure analogue goodness, sparkling ripe with synthesizer magic. the a-side comes courtesy of duo-of-the-moment twr72, who happen to distill perfection through simplicity in their stripped-back productions. while‚polished is a pulsating bit of beatless yet captivating clean-cut loops, their other contribution shows their talent at crafting something lean, dry and punchy, which is still undeniably driving and hypnotic. picking up on the synth-heavy theme of this release is st. petersburgs finest aleksey niktin aka nocow. inspired by the endless baltic winters, the producer packs his tracks with emtions that feel cold but not icy, engulfing the listener in winching waves of melancholic electronica.

>maybe price is incorrect - tba< deep house legend enrico mantini brings to life purism, a new label and artists collective focused on a traditional approach in making and playing music, with no limitation on style. first release delivers three tracks of emotional, intense, warm yet groovy deep house ballads. pure pleasure for your ears. food for your soul.

london based feelings expand their horizons with the birth of their new label feelings worldwide. following in the footsteps of their much loved parties, the label will see releases from some of the pioneers of the dance music paired alongside exciting new artists who ring true with the blueprint those pioneers created.
for the first release feelings have enlisted iranian born, london-based producer kasra v, delivering an incredible slice of middle-eastern inspired house. on the a side is the early 90s inspired fantasy, a dance floor thumper with a tribal house feel you could imagine rolling out the speakers at a dreamscape party, followed by the dreamy pris providing a contrasting sunrise vibe to the prior track. on the flip is myth a steady piano-led builder inspired and written in the style of southern iranian tribal music, followed by a remix of the same track from legendary nyc producer cozmo d under his dream 2 science alias bringing a straighter dancefloor ready versioin with the heavy deep house flavours his d2s project is lauded for.

we are proud to present qna and the first release stemming from quarion and joel alter combining forces. meeting years ago in berlin, it is ironic that they first made it to the studio after joels relocation to copenhagen. recorded in berlin, tabor session was born a hypnotizing piece of modern techno fusing driving beats with a myriad of synths and eerie sounds in a complete balance. like an ensemble of dancers on the verge of loosing control. while memory lane shows the melancholic mindset of the artists sansui cruise is full of playfulness and raw bouncy beats in a tribal groove.

“we are what you think we are” is the tenth dispatch from the crew here at lost soul enterprises, new york city, usa. this compilation features a whopping 15 artists who together represent all corners of the label’s extended family, with frequent local collaborators paired with past guests of our various parties. it is served with love from us to you on 3 slabs of vinyl released in 3 installments.
each installment charts a different component of our sound: 10.1 highlights the influences of synthwave and postpunk electronics, 10.2 is comprised of razor-sharp acid and overdriven electro, and 10.3 delves into darker shades of industrial techno. together, all of these elements loosely sketch our little corner of the sonic universe. with this humble offering we tried to capture and share with you a little sliver of what we’ve found together in hazy rooms full of flashing lights and strange sounds.

for its 2nd vinyl release, hi! energy has gathered 4 of the finest underground house artists! melting jackin house & funk infused chopped samples with the new generation of deep and garage sounds. each track is a hit!

win2win, aka black spuma, aka lauer and fabrizio mammarella. is that enough names? new project from two of slow motion s most loyal artists fantasia 500 channels the spirit of detroit electro and even dare we say it ghetto house through the disco grinder to make something totally new. with enough chug and swagger to rock any floor this four tracker is 100% party ready.

introducing forecast, the new va series from them. many of the artists showcasing tracks have more music forthcoming with us. forecast is therefore a glimpse of what is in store for the label in the future.

spatial cues is a series of split singles sounding out main(void)’s and kon janson’s shared musical space. operating out of berlin and london, the two artists join forces to showcase their mutual vision of techno music. cues003 explores the darker side of the series with a focus on low frequencies, echoing percussions, and vast spaces, evoking a deep introspective motion. diffracting a manifold of sounds around its massive kick drum, cues003 a builds and releases tension through a dramatic sequence of smooth swells and intense surges. grounded by its captivating groove, cues003 b evolves around the sinister funk of fierce fm bass stabs, leading up to a powerful break that introduces a razor-edged hi-hat.

what happens when a house-music icon takes a small, talented bunch of musicians and mixes it with a savory blend of jazz, funk, dance, and soul music? you get a hearty serving of e.o.l. soulfrito, who make their single debut with upright love on vega records. e.o.l. soulfrito, led by musical director and conductor louie vega, is the condensed version of vega’s elements of life live-band project, which over its tenure has released three albums, won a grammy award in 2006 for best remixed recording, non-classical (curtis mayfield, superfly (louie vega eol mix), and performed for a globally-televised audience during the 2007 superbowl pre-game show. e.o.l. soulfrito’s name is a play on the popular latin-caribbean seasoning sofrito, which serves as a nod to vega’s own puerto rican heritage. earlier this year, the band played their first show at gramps in wynwood, miami during miami music week. upright love embodies the organic energy of e.o.l. soulfrito’s live performances. with a runtime of more than ten and a half minutes, it’s a steady groover that slowly blossoms into a blissful symphony of sprightly chords, jazzy bass, crisp percussion, pattering tambourine courtesy of kat ayala, and cindy mizelle’s vocal ad-lib serenades. easygoing yet refined, the single plays out like a summer afternoon jam session between vega and his friends: axel tosca on fender rhodes & synth upright bass, josh milan on synth jazz guitar & synth percussion. start swaying those hips and let the rhythm carry you into the sunset. i wanted to create a more condensed band, since the elements of life band has ten members, it’s always been a little difficult to do smaller venues. i also wanted to create music inspired by groups and artists like war, cymande, johnny hammond, and herbie hancock’s headhunters, but with the vega e.o.l. twist and style. i then created e.o.l. soulfrito with my studio musicians and rhythm section of elements of life and nuyorican soul. i want to take this band and perform in festivals and venues like the blue note, jazz café, ronnie scots, and bb kings. e.o.l. soulfrito will bring you future grooves with a tinge of the musical landscape from our rich past, and yes, there will be experimentation get ready for it.

while many of com truises contemporaries mine nostalgia as an end unto itself, the princeton, nj bedroom producer (aka seth haley) recombines older musical forms as a means of expressing something deeper and more ambitious, building a carefully conceived picture of the artists vibrant inner world. the cyanide sisters ep, com truises first official release, was first available as a free download through am discs in june of 2010, ghostlys remastered and extended reissue of cyanide sisters nearly doubles its tracklist, making good on months of blog and music-critic enthusiasm and delving deeper into seth haleys synth-savvy project. with com truises proper full-length on the way, and a string of high-profile remixes for neon indian and twin shadow already in the can, the cyanide sisters ep is an electrifying introduction to a prodigious new talent.

two of the leading artists in dub techno and ambient electronics produced four cuts between their extensive studios in new york and stockholm, with the results sitting in between the powerful oscillations of echologists previous ep for kynant (kyn005) and the slo-mo, roland jams tm404 specialises in.

french artist marc nguyen tan released two renowned albums in the early 2003 and 2006 under the artist name colder on trevor jackson’s seminal label output recordings. in november 2015, colder returned after a decade in hiatus with his third, highly acclaimed album many colours followed by two other lps titled the rain and goodbye in 2016. kasper bjorke is one of the most acclaimed and versatile producers and djs hailing from denmark. kasper has released five renowned solo albums over the past decade and remixed a wide range of artists, from rebolledo to weval. the two artists first started working together when kasper remixed colders single ”your kind” - and colder in return remixed bjørke s track ”marbled blood”. the idea to take their collaboration even further was formed when the two of them met in person during sonar festival in barcelona in 2015. in 2016 they then teamed up in the redbull studio in paris for a three day improvised recording session. the result is the black magic ep in stores on september 8th via throne of blood. a collection of five raw, driving post punk / new wave and techno influenced compositions, recorded via the studio ssl desk in paris, using hardware synths and drum machines played through some exotic vintage effects. colder recorded his mesmerizing vocals on the spot along with french drummer julien sabourin and saxophone player thibaut javoy. the ep will be followed by a stellar remix package from the golden filter (optimo music), mutado pintado (paranoid london) and french producer and dj pilooski.

charlie ahearn s 1983 film wild style holds a place in both music and cinematic history as one of the first examples of a hip-hop film. since its original release it has been widely praised for its hybrid approach as both a narrative musical and a documentary, and as a time capsule of sorts into the culture of hip-hop during its infancy in the 1980s. besides its classic depictions of mcing, turntablism, graffiti, and breakdancing, the film also featured now legendary figures of the genres in acting roles, such as grandmaster flash, fab five freddy, busy bee starski, and many more. wild style went on to garner an immense cult following, portions of the film itself would be sampled in records by artists like nas, beastie boys, mf doom, and more, and would even be exhibited by museums in chicago and boston as part of programs on the art of the 1980s.

here at quantize we simply love confounding expectations cos, guess what? we love all kinds of music and don t like to be stereotyped. but this one even surprised the hell out of us so much so that we figured it deserved a 7inch vinyl release in tribute to the original format. think (about it) was originally recorded 45 years ago in the summer of 1972 by the fiery lyn collins. produced by the godfather of soul, james brown, it barely scraped into the rnb top 10 at the time and normally would have faded into time as just another great james brown produced record but in 1987, it started to get sampled by a new generation of hip-hop artists like roxanne shante and robe base and dj e-z rock. suddenly the world woke up to the possibilities of sampling and since that point, think (about it) has been sampled 1908 times and is the no.3 most-sampled record of all time. so we decided to cut a new version of it with real musicians and one of the few vocalists that would be capable of matching lyn collins firepower - dance music s diva supreme, the incredible barbara tucker. we wanted barbara to really cut loose on this and she didn t disappoint. and yes, those are real keyboards, real guitar and real horns. believe us, this session was off the scale! so when we finally got our breath back we decided we had to get this out on a 45 on its 45th anniversary! it seemed the most appropriate way to do justice to a record that simply jumps outta the grooves. we believe think (about it) will have universal appeal pretty much everywhere since the song is now implanted within the dna of dance music across the world.

featuring a wide range of artists (das ding, plus instruments, de fabriek for a start!) from the amsterdam fetisj scene and cities such as rotterdam, utrecht, the hague, and zwolle. it gives a glimpse into the artistic diy music movement that was growing extensively outside of mainstream circles.the beautifully printed record sleeve was designed by steele bonus. it includes liner notes (in english and dutch) that paint a great picture of the context where these bands and artists lived and breathed. it is compiled by mark van de maat and mastered by rude 66.

founded by friends and fellow producers braunbeck and hazel, sol eterno will serve as an outlet for their own productions, but also for companioned artists sharing similar tastes and aesthetics.

since four triangles was founded to release material from previously unheralded artists working in the space between house, techno and vintage rave, it seems fitting that the label’s second release should come from an analogue explorer still making his way in the world.
you may have stumbled across jonas friedlich’s debut solo 12”, a thrillingly forthright collection of hardware workouts that slipped out, unheralded, on molten moods late last year. we think the five tracks showcased here offer an extended glimpse in friedlich’s distinctive musical vision.

mister mellow moves further away from the synthesizer-heavy sounds of the recent washed out releases and more band-driven sound of his work on iconic labels sub pop in america, and domino in europe. on mister mellow, greene draws from the experimental collage techniques of musique concrète and plunderphonics artists such as the residents. combining styles as diverse as free jazz, house, hip-hop and psych together with interlude-esque voiceover samples, often pulled from anonymous youtube vlogs, he creates a busy, chaotic, and caricaturish mix that mirrors the claustrophobic, hyper-stimulated psyche so familiar to young adults. as he continues to carve out his innovative sonic identity, influenced by the world around him but unafraid to buck trends, it’s fitting that greene has partnered with legendary hip hop label stones throw records, long a home for beat-loving musical rebels. his approach to releasing music is every bit as individual, too: in an environment where compiling singles into an album format or working with a single video director are the norm, greene has chosen to commission eleven different artists to bring the visual aspect of his fully-realised album project to life. on mister mellow, washed out steers clear of emotion to empathise with the minutiae of the world around him. ive been much less interested in sentimentality and emotion for the past couple of years, says greene, in some ways, i think its a reaction against getting older and having more responsibilities. maybe i’m just nostalgic for a time in my life where i could just relax and block out the world for a moment. though mister mellow is an intensely personal album, its ideas and observations speak to the lived experience of so many young adults, an experience that we come to see as both funny and sad.

running a label with the ambition to push new and unique voices isn t always an easy task. while finding new artists is about as hard as finding a black t-shirt in berlin, most budding artists seem pressured to conform or mimic the already established, only to be heard. performing under the artist name bleie, oakland resident sarah bly is not one of them. originally hailing from seattle, she indeed works with the mortar of techno form, but uses different bricks altogether. it s a hard sound to articulate, at first, it s almost alienating to ears worn by years in dark clubs. its mercurial, yet still surprisingly club compatible nature makes it an aural tiger balm – it burns and soothes at once. this compositional depth is perhaps a result of bleie s background as a trained pianist and violinist, by which she transmutes the commonly associated tropes of the genre. bleie lets the elements rule over the form, giving the tracks a morphing and unpredictable feel. obviously we were instantly intrigued when stumbling across her music, and now extremely proud to present her vinyl debut certainty is only a feeling . four tracks of unique techno so brimfully suggestive that it s nearly peerless. we can t imagine this leaving anyone unaffected.