after shifting through a few different monikers the last year deepblak rhythm czar afrikan sciences returns to form. laced always with his elastic funk forward grooves the reciprocity ep continues to build on his legacy. one that has consistently morphed diasporic rhythms into new colors. creating new space on the dance-floor as well inside the mind. four independent yet intertwined tracks all meant to make you oscillate inward outward.

the passage ep brings together two of the chief champions of far reaching sounds in aybee, and lars bartkuhn. bartkuhn best known for his work with his iconic (needs) imprint, and aybee for his boundary pushing ethos at (deepblak). a project spawned of mutual love, and respect the two met at an impromptu jam performance at the xjazz fest where the seeds were planted for further collaboration. committed to stretching out beyond tight parameters they sought to capture the spirit of the dance. as the astral walkers- they set out to combine the fearless freedom of the jazzfunk era with the endless possibilities within electronic music

deepblak’s chief alchemist aybee releases his fourth full-length studio album, the odyssey. as befitting its grand title, this newest long-player finds him concerned with personal journeys: both the personal one that has brought him to this point - living in berlin, 15 years since founding deepblak in his native oakland - and the one that beckons for him personally and creatively in future: aybee sees himself as being halfway up a mountain, looking back on where he has come from, and to where he will be headed next - both concepts play a profound role in the emotional textures of the album, which in true deepblak fashion draws from jazz, deep house, techno, hip hop, blues, experimentation, cinema, space, time and infinity.

bursting out of oakland into the ionosphere, a hot pocket of free jazz, house, blues, african & latin rhythms, a fully shuffled deck of everything that might expand your head, all fed into the mpc, and hot-wired right into your heart. now for the first time on vinyl, cut by the steady hand of dietrich schoenemann, pressed by the fine folks at optimal in germany, and housed in a custom gatefold jacket by aybee, deepblak’s chief alchemist.

brooklyn based producer shows off his knack for rich grooves, & melodies that are intoxicating in nature. the drive, & atmosphere are what led deepblak’s aybee to his work, & these ingredients on display as they speak to the head, & the feet.

afrikan sciences returns lush, and rhythmic as ever with his latest offering “boss nova’s second pass ep”. continuing to push into spaces of other-world sonic’s, afrikan sciences locks together groove palettes that inspire, and challenge. four tracks all worlds within themselves filled with soul, imagination, and freedom.

deepblaks chief connoisseur could be considered as the third leg of this mighty tripod (with aybee and afrikan sciences). originally from san diego, where he and former crew partner ikah love held a residency for 6 consecutive years every tuesday at bar dynamite, under the famed name four corners sound system. known for his polyrhythmic, organic, and soul-filled musical releases for deepblak, sound of speed, meda fury and do over records he now presents his first full-length, which further grows his afro-inflected house vibe into spiky new directions featuring the compelling vocals of khalil anthony and some assistance from afrikan sciences.

deepblaks left, and right arm aybee along with afrikan sciences offer up an homage to one of the greatest musical innovators of the 20th century, in miles davis. sketches of space is comprised of live jam sessions recorded over a 3 year span, and two countries . the project though named after miles classic sketches of spain is not dedicated to any of miless work specifically, but honoring his pioneering spirit from which this project drew fuel.

deepblak chief connoisseur damon bell returns with more cali infused dance-floor vibes on his teph-tep ep. smooth yet driving teph-tep pulls you into the center of damons grooves, and textures. as with previous releases the emphasis lay in damons arrangements that can power the dancefloor, and sit just as comfortably in headphones. teph-tep sets the stage for damons forthcoming debut lp coming fall 2014 on deepblak.

chris mcwaynes productions tie in his hip hop & jazz themes then pushed to the outer realms much like his friend afrikan sciences. includes the title track, and the gorgeous winding islands of dust. afrikan sciences chimes in with a remix for islands of dust.

the deepblak chief alchemist kicks of 2014 with his first ep since relocating to berlin, and reflects the different modes of the dancefloor experience as filtered thru aybees metronome. driving, atmospheric, and at times euphoric aybee melds these narratives into an ep that carries the emotional colors of an album. 22 meters also sees the vinyl release of akiara a long standing deepblak favorite from the blaktropolis 2 comp.

deepblak co-head & rhythm czar, afrikan sciences (aka eric porter), returns with his second full length project. following the critical acclaim of his 2011 *means and ways* lp the oakland, ca based producer continues to push further into the realms of the rhythmic netherworlds.

deepblaks chief connoisseur weaves his jazz, funk, & soul influences into deep delicacies. sprinkled with warmth & atmosphere, damons rhythms have the tendency to invite. afrikan sciences joins on *babylonian spliffs*.

deepblak chief alchemist aybee returns unveiling >worlds< on deepblak. once again we embark on cross dimensional travels into rhythm as aybee dives head first into sonic landscapes. >worlds< is a rhythmic cartography of the many moods of the oakland, ca based producer. fusing elements of the cosmic, and the deep as he mines through a host of emotional transitions of the last few years. true to aybees production aesthetics >worlds< is full of depth, layers, and colors while touching on various tempos. always seeking to expand the boundaries, aybee once again delivers a long play project that transports the listener while evading convention.

in line with his appreciation for all things deep, bell creates his deephouse visions fusing funk, jazz, & soul into an intoxicating melange.

the multi-talented vanese smith aka pursuit grooves makes her debut on deepblak under her new 91 fellows moniker. after establishing herself in recent years with pursuit grooves outings heavy in beats and bass, smith turns her talents to more open sonic landscapes. >91 fellows< represents as she terms her push into cinematic dub leaning heavily on her collegiate film major roots. the project was inspired as a dedication to her grandfather who passed on in 2011. through a myriad of ambient textures, and percussion she invites the listener to join her as she weaves through different emotional headspaces. six tracks that run like chapters of saga accompanied by two remixes by deepblak chief alchemist aybee, and resident rhythm czar afrikan sciences.

3 tracks dipped in the label heads usual otherness lacing rhythm, and soundscapes that move the mind & feet. all 3 take an open ended approach while being held together with aybeeÂs affinity for deep rhythmic travels.

s the deepblak ten year anniversary continues, its time to revisit prof. delacroixs deep classic >build her. initially released in 07, >build her< received massive support from deep selectors across the field. finding its way onto dj deeps >tronic jams vol.1<, and a permanent place in the crate of osunlade. for this outing, fred p. and afrikan sciences provide added perspective, as aybee takes a new look himself.

oakland based damon bell curates his first vinyl release with >kush musik wax<. damons productions are always rich with mood, swing, and depth. this release plays on damons archival tendencies as a dj leaning heavily on his influences of dub, jazz, and all things deep. the release starts off with damons much heralded >ezuku< which found its way onto the playlists of rick wilhite amongst others. >idiya< displays damons flair for arrangement as he twists the vibe midway thru landing you in a completely different space than the opening. >kymestry< is an uplifting deep house trip that brought a smile to the face of ron trent while at the deepblak studios. closing things out is label head aybee with a deep mid-tempo dub of >ezuku<.

three tracks by afrikan science, taken from their album of the same name. backed up with a remix by aybee.

chief alchemist aybee kicks it off with an 11 minute voyage into deep astral soundscapes. >n#ggas and space machines< plunges into late night space travel, and finishes off with the smoothed out vibes of >steps<.

• special deal
• 2xgatefold lp from les graciés
• silkscreened artwork by al white & house of traps
les graciés is a collaboration in the truest sense between paris-based sound artist gaël segalen and deepblak co-founder afrikan sciences. segalen’s experiments in electroacoustic sound met the wider world this year via a debut lp for erratum, an arresting work that showcases her ability to merge hypnotic murk ala angus maclise with the hard concréte of parmegiani & reibel. segalen’s ihearu imprint / organisation is a platform for her various doings, including psychogeographical audio works and multi-media collaborations, as well as servicing as a reference point for other contemporary female artists working across various mediums. eric douglas porter aka african sciences has been deconstructing and re-building forms of contemporary black music since the mid-2000’s, through releases on deepblak (the label he co-runs with aybee) and pan. his musical universe is one of warping cadences and celestial melody, referencing the bold work of percussionists like milford graves & art jenkins, the dissonant chords of motor city techno and stripped back essence of early chicago house matched with broken hard bop sentiments: all tied together with an aesthetic that sits somewhere between sun ra’s omniverse, jean giraud mœbius and dogon cosmology. together as le graciés, segalen and porter make a wholly unclassifiable strain of music that, while containing recognisable elements of each individual s work, also creates a third entity in the process, which can be heard to stunning effect on their forthcoming debut lp ‘low doses’ for firecracker recordings.

oaklands aybee will make his debut on mollys newly launched rdv (recit de voyage) with the labels second release. the nexus ep follows the dj/producer/filmmakers 2016 lp the odyssey on his own deepblak imprint and recent 12inch the motion syntax for londons dmk. having established a reputation as one of electronic musics foremost innovative and versatile musicians with a freeform, jazz-influenced approach to production that has lent itself equally to a prolific solo output under various guises and collaborations with afrikan sciences, ron trent and jerome sydneham - the nexus finds aybee again mining a deep & hypnotic house sound to maximum effect, employing the tribal drum patterns, hypnotic synths and signature grooves that helped establish the deepblak sound. the trio of tracks make for a perfect follow-up to rdvs debut from prophets of a new generation, and fit beautifully within the trademark deep, subtle & groovy style of the parisian dj & rex club resident molly, who herself is quickly establishing herself as a label owner with her own unique vision.

the london based dmk label returns after releases from kuba sojka and stojche with the deepblak recordings label head honcho aybee, with four tracks of deep house on the ‘syntax ep’.

love notes (from brooklyn) serves up another winner, this time with the sonic stylings of the illustious (and also brooklyn based) octo octa, whose not unimpressive discography already includes releases on such heavyweight labels such as running back, argot, and deepblak. from the opening, echoed chords and unique percussive qualities of eyes low, through the spaced out funk of touch formation, to the early morning vibes of i feel, this ep delivers on all levels. this is the 9th release on this fine american imprint and they show no signs of slowing down their sonic agenda.

the mighty shadeleaf pull in a seriously strong u.s team for their twelfth release damon bell from oakland, is a chief connoisseur at heralded deepblak recordings, and stands strong offering a complex variety of sounds that ebb and flow through all of his productions. known for his polyrhythmic, organic, and soul-filled musical releases on deepblak recordings & sound of speed records japan, he has also scored critically acclaimed releases recently on burek, meda fury, and don t be afraid. this collaborative ep with the vocalist (good friend and former oakland, and now berlin resident) khalil anthony, features a production collaboration with shadeleaf s own thatmanmonkz, and a remix from the mighty afrikan sciences as always, top drawer isht another shadeleaf sureshot

guess whose back on skylax ? the great & ultra prolific brooklyn based producer octo octa ! you know him from his releases on 100% silk, on gerd janson’s running back label, deepblak, argot, love notes & of course on our beloved stay undergroun it pays sub-label, that was his first introduction to the skyalx fans & world. the man from nyc serves up 3 slices of that u.s. experimental house sound we love so much. this ep delivers an amazing quality close to perfection for us on all levels. all in all, another killer release that feels straight at home in the skylax records impressive catalogue.

meda fury welcome back oakland resident damon bell for another accomplished ep of rugged cosmic grooves and tribal pressure. bell is riding a rich wave of form with a killer recent release on don’t be afraid, and even more fire on the burek label, not forgetting his impressive debut last year on his regular home, the mighty deepblak - he’s a proven master at fusing afro-centric rhythms, rich keys and off-kilter pads into an urgent and contemporary form of house music that deftly eschews cliche. ‘akebu-lan’ commences the ritual with a gospel vocal loop over pumping 808 kicks and tranced out swollen pads, giving way to ecstatic fender rhodes chords and climatic piano, reminiscent of robert hood - is this bell s fastest bpm track yet? loose/live jazz keys riff throughout ‘ether’ creating a warm rich miasma of sound against the distressed percussive gyrations and sinister drones. hypnotic synth riffs tumble over the powerful drum-track in ‘altered visions’ creating a deliciously hypnotic chug. drawing the ep to a close, deepblak and pan cohort african sciences joins bell for the sizzling ‘kinetic energy’, a sleazy, skronking cut of slurred moog bass and atonally pitched toms wrestling with thumping kicks and whispered vox pummel the listener

californiabased producer damon bell could not find a more suitable home for his new 12inch than croatian label burek. its his first one since blues for the libyan lp released in 2015. for deepblak, and it sounds as if the time off was well spent. two words that perfectly describe this record are rich and colourful, and the description is equally applicable to all three cuts. stand by me is a synthheavy piece built around the interplay between tracks rougher sounds and big lush pads. on the flipside, life is slightly faster and more direct, with a wonderful guitar part that circles around the main theme throughout the most of the track. similarly mannered, but slightly more intense transatlantic journey? we been here! is the last piece and features an infectious groove with lead synth piercing through layers of delicate arpeggios playing in the background. all in all, it feels good to have damon in the team. we hope youll enjoy this record

synth melodies, a killer bassline and dark analogue drums giving this track its momentum and its edge! a fine taste of a long-mooted new aybee album due on deepblak in the coming months

damon bell arrives on dba with a debut three-track ep that delves deep into the musical influences that shape his sound. best known for his output on fellow oaklander aybees deepblak recordings - where he holds the title chief connoisseur- bell has won ardent admirers both with his string of eps and with last year s debut lp blues for the libyan , in addition to releases on r&s sub-label meda fury. the trio of tracks that make up the ankh boogie ep find bell returning to the dynamic african rhythms of his most floor-friendly work, with live instrumentation layered over an electronic pulse. having had his start as a teenager obsessing over afro-cuban jazz and jazz fusion, his long-standing devotion to learning and adapting the music s polyrhythmic sensibilities in his own music, coupled with the voyages of sound deepblak is known for, result in a unique collage of sounds that at various moments can recall the likes of joe claussell, dj qu and ron trent. where the title track plays with sun-kissed melodies and percussive elements, the b1, aural afrek, goes into darker techno territory, while b2 cut time for change is an organ-led house workout.

this multi-talented north carolina native makes his debut after having been a consistent source of inspiration with the freshness of his perspective, and sonic tapestry. it is unchained, fluid, and free, like everything on deepblak.

aybee reboots his orion 70 moniker, described as “everything he loves about techno”. includes the first 3 of 12 books, in the deepblak mold touching on the trans-dimensional, lush, & the beautifully chaotic.

inmensamente (immensely) is the first vinyl release by lanoche and the first reference on so unreal, a new vinyl-only label based in madrid. this three-track ep opens with two deep house tracks ( te quiero and extasis ) on the a side and closes with the fourteen-minute-long inmensamente on its b side, an atmospheric lo-fi house composition which the ep takes its name from. lanoche is a project where ambient and experimental sounds converge with atmospheric techno and deep house, finding inspiration in the output of labels like mille plateaux, force inc music works, ~scape, faitiche, mule musiq, soul people music, deepblak, deep explorer, finale sessions, aesthetic audio, smallville, dial / laid, underground quality, plan b recordings, dolly, fxhe, echocord, sistrum, strength music, mojuba or something. with inmensamente , lanoche has produced a rare blend of abstraction, introspection and hedonism, carefully distilled into the enticing notes of an underground club sound.

in what could be called aybees first techno outing, 3 tunes which mesh rhythm, drive, & sonic colorings. in line with the deepblak ethos, but rounded off with a simple directive. movement.

deepblak chief alchemist aybee returns unveiling the sway of the tree, his new ep on sound of speed japan fusing elements of the cosmic and the deep. essential!

huge d e l a n o s m i t h remix
negghead and lex wolf form acid mondays and together the two have released music with 20:20 vision, circus, deep vibes and illusion recordings. illusion give acid mondays the full treatment after the duos salvia sessions 12inch from last year sold out almost instantly. smith, who appeared on the original 12inch, provides an additional unreleased remix while deepblak label head aybees reshuffles the original, burying it deep in chords and reflective vocal delays. not to miss out on the production action acid mondays provide their own east end dub to watching eastwood and invite z records producer dan goldman to play keys over the top as jd73.

feelharmonic records is very proud to welcome back to the fold the artists that kicked it all off for us at the start of this adventure, duijn & douglas. and to mark the occasion we are delighted to present the ubiquitous dutch duo’s eddies groove ep as our very first 10-inch release. opening proceedings is the original version of the title track a deep as, shuffling strung-out groove, a raw yet warm fuzzy-headed, druggy and slo-mo analogue odyssey. by contrast, the remix from the rightly revered deepblak boss aybee is a more precise affair yet packed as always with depth and purpose

this unmixed collection of 24 tracks and 4 digital bonus features new, original music from spacetime continuum, move d., fred p. from soul people music, i:cube from paris based versatile records, detroit heroes claude young and patrice scott, a beautiful piano distortion piece in collaboration from terre thaemlitz, deepblak boss aybee, sandwell district founder rrose, dekmantels juju & jordash, anto, future times founder and beautiful swimmersÕ max d, donato dozzy, and a stunning new bookend from gigi masin.

les graciŽs is a collaboration in the truest sense between paris-based sound artist ga‘l segalen and deepblak co-founder afrikan sciences. segalenÕs experiments in electroacoustic sound met the wider world this year via a debut lp for erratum, an arresting work that showcases her ability to merge hypnotic murk ala angus maclise with the hard concrŽte of parmegiani & reibel. segalenÕs ihearu imprint / organisation is a platform for her various doings, including psychogeographical audio works and multi-media collaborations, as well as servicing as a reference point for other contemporary female artists working across various mediums. eric douglas porter aka african sciences has been deconstructing and re-building forms of contemporary black music since the mid-2000Õs, through releases on deepblak (the label he co-runs with aybee) and pan. his musical universe is one of warping cadences and celestial melody, referencing the bold work of percussionists like milford graves & art jenkins, the dissonant chords of motor city techno and stripped back essence of early chicago house matched with broken hard bop sentiments: all tied together with an aesthetic that sits somewhere between sun raÕs omniverse, jean giraud mÏbius and dogon cosmology. together as le graciŽs, segalen and porter make a wholly unclassifiable strain of music that, while containing recognisable elements of each individual s work, also creates a third entity in the process, which can be heard to stunning effect on their forthcoming debut lp Ôlow dosesÕ for firecracker recordings.

eric porter douglass lp for pan is the labels fifth full-length album following contributions from james hoff, valerio tricoli, lee gamble and objekt. the new york artist has been putting out jazz, hip-hop and house-influenced records on deepblak