orgone takes on 13 funk and soul classics! otis redding, funkadelic, the meters, aretha franklin, betty wright, and booker t are just a few of the artists orgone cover on this mixtape collection with some help from friends as well! expertly recorded and performed, you could make an argument for some of these being better than the originals, but we’ll suffice it to say that its a simply killer set from beginning to end

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.

its the big 5! berlin frankfurt based label house is ok is celebrating its five-year long presence and has decided to mark that period with something special labels story started with a sticker homeboy printed in his former hometown, zagreb, saying house is ok. catchy, right? it became an underground slogan of the local scene. it didnt take long for people to embrace the idea stating that its ok to be into melodic, fresh, groovy yet, at times, a bit awkward dance music. just around the same time homeboys frankfurt based bros oliver achatz and janis played with the idea of starting a record label. guess what the logical choice for the name was? ten records, dozens of original songs and remixes later house is ok continues to grow. literally. what was once a platform for the original three founders is now an international family affair supporting the talented artists from frankfurt, stockholm, alexandria and orlando. nurturing the friendly approach this musical family continues to grow. looking back at the first five years, not only at the music that connected them all but at the bonds that deepened through the production process, house is ok crew wanted to take create a proper reminder and thank the ones supporting them throughout the years. a double 12 pack titled gemišt seemed like a proper way to do that. „gemišt will be released as two separate eps featuring the original music from kornél kovacs, roman flügel, gavri & mcqueen, tcb, house of life and the label makers themselves. oliver and janis deliver tracks under their known names, while homeboy introduces his new project with fellow wilde renate resident the swift, called longhair. croatian artist ugruv smek marks his yearlong collaboration with the label delivering yet another smashing artwork.

on their second 12-, the honey butter crew prove themselves to be experts in the arts of mellifluous house jams, just like their name suggests. leipzig s m.ono has previously been spotted on rose records, heist and nite grooves amongst others, and sounds in fine fettle on this smooth sailing 12- of feel good house jams. -peanut butter lover- has it all - dreamy pads, throbbing bassline, lingering piano. -bummi- meanwhile aims for a clubbier feel offset by chirpy vibraphone notes, and then -made in montana- rounds the ep off with some deft keys and an overall deep atmosphere.

warren harris did a sterling job on his first outing for perpetual rhythms as hanna, and he s back for round two. things are just as deep as you would hope and expect, with harris unique take on the detroit house formula present and correct on the cleverly executed -lake shore dr.- -parallel- finds him exploring his penchant for snagged, off-kilter rhythms matched with deep house delicacy, and -gold coast- takes things into lounge territory without ever sounding insipid. therein lies the magic of hanna, and beautiful experiment -khords 1- is on hand to finish the ep off as a statement of just how special and unique harris music is.

just like his secrets ep of last year, this latest instalment in detbois catalogue, entitled ‘ice cold, merges elements of drum and bass, jungle, bass music, techno and more in exquisite fashion, quite simply like nobody else has done before. the 3 track ep consists of pure breakbeat pleasure, with ‘blood drops leading the charge, a classy piece that elegantly rolls and seamlessly interchanges through various phases. its without doubt some of detbois most distinguished work yet, and were delighted that its opening the metalheadz account for 2018.

triple vinyl pack from the manual label, containing these eps:
- guy j - stop hold (man014-5)
- tundra / qbical / paul hazendonk - three is a crowd ep (man015-5)
- qbical - life is just a bunch of pixels (man017)

a long time in the making quare groove vol. 1 sounds of the irish musical underground from the 70s & 80s. spread across 2 12inches with extensive liner notes on printed inner sleeves. re-mastered with care by shawn at optimum.

next up on ruff stuff music ltd are 4 killer, heavily stomping tracks on the boundaries between house and techno. untitled05 is a new and fresh evolution of the label, bringing to life a solid sound with warm and intense atmospheres, including a magic remix by dj honesty. inside the storm opens side a with an imposing groove and hypnotic stabs, definitely flashing for the dancefloor. dj honesty s remix with its unique groove and the samples manipulation, goes in a deeper direction but still strong and energetic. the b side is full of surprises with mistake a track with a raw sound featuring incessant 909 toms, piano stabs and vocals that definitely recall the vibrations of the 90 s. a home with no air represents the true soul of ruff stuff, a warm house track with female voices, stabs and a fabulous organ that will transport listeners to another dimension. just put the needle on, push play and dance! vinyl only, limited copies.

kampana delivers once again with a pair of dance floor gems that will please lovers of funk, disco and gospel alike. on the a-side, aroop roy means serious business with reason to dance. driven by an outrageous slap bass, infectious horn stabs and a limb-shaking vocal refrain, its no surprise that this has been the secret weapon of his recent sets around the world. on the flip, detroit native peter croce, fresh from the huge success of his razor-n-tape ep, comes in equally strong, with the gospel-fuelled disco cut just like heaven. the track builds patiently, lingering on a raw disco groove, honing in on a powerful brass section and spirit-lifting vocals, and eventually climaxing with epic strings and thunderous piano.

living legend phew follows up her brilliant light sleep album with another masterwork voice hardcore comprised entirely of her iconic, instantly recognizable voice, twisted, folded and layered over six mesmerizing tracks

man power his raw electronic sound, organic flourishes and diverse selection make him a perfect match for dgtl, both on stage as well as on the imprint. next to releasing a steady flow of records on established labels like esp institute, optimo trax, correspondant and hivern discs, man power is running his own shop as well: me me me. this gives him an outlet to release music by both friends and himself. for his release on dgtl records he created a three-track ep called apologue ep, that showcases just two of different sides of his multi-faceted musical scope. the a-side features two firm, acid influenced tracks. the first of these two, the duelist, is an emotive house record, with a soundscape of piano melodies, synths and syncopated percussion laid on top of an acid bassline. el mago del tiempo features heavy hitting kicks combined with a sharp synth pattern. it has a long build up that keeps evolving throughout the entire composition. halfway through, the track breaks in to a raw and fierce rhythm accompanied by yearning, drawn-out synth pads. on the flipside, put your hands on the car (and get ready to die) brings back memories of a long gone past with nods to balearic pop, ebm, and the soundtrack work of stewart copeland, james horner, and jan hammer. this multi layered production has a warm and analogue sounding feel to it that rounds off a 3 dimensional release.

berlin based producer zigan aldi has always been open for different cultural influences in his music. an openess that might go back to his own background since zigan had been brought up in the eastern part of turkey, before he moved to germany when he was 14. apart from working in various jobs it was always the music that kept him going and let him experience his true passion. after releasing music on bedouin’s label truecolors or 3000 grad it was about time his diverse music finds another home on underyourskin records. therefore zigan delivers four exclusive tracks that depict his approach to electronic music with a mostly downtempo vibe. ‘luton’, ‘seems to be’ and ‘olin’ follow the path of the label’s as well as zigan’s philosophy: a slightly oriental influence that meets darker multi-layered synth chords to create significant atmospheres that can work at any time at the club. ‘miracle’ featuring sandeck is just what the track title suggest: a musical miracle. as the track slowly enfolds its groove to the audience, it is the guitar riffs and the vocals that sum up magic of this track at this very intimate moment.

tinnie house records present gratitude, the album by rafa kao and cam harris. question? what do you need to know when two deck magicians from brazil and aotearoa meld and mix up aroha and gratidao? answer: aurally that you ll experience an eight track kaleidoscope of unmissable, deep, dope, eclectic, techy, musical bliss, with a wee acidic twist and then some.. because just when you thought you were fully immersed in one tune on that dance floor, dink, blink and you ll totally be transmuted somewhere else with the next chink. whatever you do, as winter flicks autumn out the door? dont be the one who forgets to add this album to your non-chilled and lead me to the club warmers.

just in time for the season, seaside maestro jean claude gavri returns with this long awaited 3rd instalment of the seaside edits series. both tracks on side a are top notch 117 afro disco floor fillers by disco tech & lillo carillo. on the flip, the man himself label owner jcg is giving us a sneak peek inside his vinyl vault with off broadway, a balearic afro synth heaven, for these very lucky few that earned their ticket to the deeper zones of your collection.

paul rudder joins the something else family, with intr0beatz returning on remix duties for the labels 6th release in their 12- only series. no gimmicks, just real house music vibes that jack and groove for days.

frag maddin s wizard like studio techniques don t need no black magic - just solid ingredients, being boiled in his studio cauldron. in the process, the old becomes the new again. this time, in its most musical form for kakudo records yet. his ep is a magical kaleidoscope of sounds and feelings that work their charms on our souls, brains and hips. think chicago, think nyc s kinky trax of the early 90ies, think silly amounts of bass and think flourishingly funked out synths making for an individual musical language with maddin. timeless sounds! point 0 is now, these ones will last!

experimental cinema sonics, electroacoustic research practice and shadowy wind instruments come together to form this unique interpretation of the mythical city of gold. utilising rare, half forgotten soviet era synthesisers vladimir karpov creates immersive soundscapes under the name xyr. the formanta mini keytar and the alisa 1377 lend karpovs music strange, seldom heard atmospheres which the st. petersburg native then combines with field recordings, toy percussion and wood flute to further build upon his utopian narratives. part concept album, part nod to popol vuh, his attempt to channel the thematics of the ancient tale of the muisca people through his modest home studio left a lasting impression on us here at 12th isle and were proud to present a selection of the tracks on vinyl for the very first time. originally confined to just 25 cassette tapes, for this edition we have assembled some of the most inspiring tracks from the sessions as well as the bonus closing piece aguirre song. immediately engaging, sincerely heartfelt and strikingly original, these are recordings we have returned to time and time again. limited edition lp comes housed in screenprinted sleeve. el dorado recorded april-august 2014, originally released via illuminated paths (march 2015).

isle of jura’s second longplayer reissue is an album from ingleton falls that touches upon ambient, dub, house and balearic styles and was originally released in 1991 as a limited run of 100 self distributed cassette tapes ingleton falls are andy hannam seymour and andy eardley from tyne and wear in newcastle. having come from a more traditional band background originally, ingleton falls was their electronic project and the result of a love of acts like dub syndicate, african headcharge, gary clail, the orb and the klf.

roche madame s 1st various welcomes arapu, giuliano lomonte, alexis cabrera and kamran sadeghi. vinyl only.

just as magnified record grooves reveal dust constellations and lunar landscapes, so too does godblesscomputers’ third album. “solchi” is a deep search into previous moments in lorenzo nada’s lifetime, influenced by the presence and power of music. his process began with the recovery of some old cassettes, mixtapes nearly forgotten, audio recording of voices from his childhood, and lots of dusty jazz, soul, and hip-hop records. as the starting point of this travel merge with its end, past and present combine to form gbc’s current sound. warm electronic production rooted by grooving bass lines form the core of a kaleidoscope of sixteen tracks, colored by synthesizers, guitar echoes, scratches, samples, fading voices and kalimba. the album is a collection of sixteen stories, sixteen soundscapes, each of them gbc’s tribute to the path taken thus far, an homage to his love for music. the recording and studio work took place over a year, with the adding and subtracting of many elements. for this project, gbc invited several musicians into his home studio, both old friends and new. they helped to recreate the sounds of the original recovered recording, as well as add fresh ideas to the project.

guede remixes is a remix compilation of dj hell taken from his 5th studio album zukunftsmusik. the release features two remixes by joyce muniz and one by paul nazca. guede’s soundscape is acidic yet minimal, with its distorted vocals and raucous instrumentation lending the track an eerie and at times ethereal vibe. each artist brings a uniquely different perspective on the sound of the original cut, whilst never completely abandoning the track’s core identity. paul nazca infuses it with trance, joyce muniz keeps the acid and adds the deep.
early support by: kölsch, nicole moudaber, guy j, mar-t, affkt, tiefschwarz, mandy, marcus worgul, rino, just her, less hate, joris voorn, audiofly, kiki

time for a little recognition… pets welcome a true polish techno founding father to the fold: jacek sienkiewicz. dj since the early 90s, producer since the late 90s and one of the earliest artists to stamp their country down on the techno map, jacek was one of the first polish producers to be signed by the likes of trapez, cocoon and klang and laid down the foundations for the likes of pets founders catz n dogz several years later when they emerged as 3 channels. og status confirmed, hes remained just as consistent as he is influential. this single is proof: ‘su17 is a bubbling sine cauldron that starts with a simmer but builds to a boil with its ever-morphing, lava-like flow. expert drum momentum and sudden layers of instrumental help to create a fluid three-track-in-one experience that spellbinds you crowd for the entire eight minutes without realising. ‘mustang is a cascading synth odyssey that gently rises and falls like an escher looped staircase. gradually building in momentum with more of jaceks signature hypnosis flare, its not until the drums double up with an almost live-style visceral feel that you realise just how high jaceks taken you. it comes complete with a star-lit switch from berlins serial innovator tobias, where the synths are deftly refocused and a whole layer of orchestral delight are layered within.

once again we are sending a new release of acoustic signals from the collectively-run kindergarten at berlins east cross. after a techno focus on the last release, this one is a bit more melodic and housey. with “hot lies,” egon elliut contributes a well-crafted house track, newly revised in the “zkb taking the bus version” by one of our current favorite producers, zk bucket. with lots of love for detail, it’s a real pleasure. perel is no stranger to ://about blank. for years she has convinced us with her fantastic live sets, as a dj, she is just as grounded. “opal” sounds exactly like that — a shimmering, contemporary version of disco, an album on dfa is coming soon! our resident jessamine is releasing his first track ever on this mini compilation— rough and warm, with a touch of the 80’s in sound design, “more love later” has become a beautiful, harmonious and melodic love slider—suitable more for the later club hours. more love later!

known in the record collecting world as an incredibly rare album with just a handful of known copies, we present for the first time the full length album reissue of the two sisters from bagdad album as performed by la vice & co.

solar shield kicked off the austin boogie crew records discography with a bang in 2014 with his -reesis- 45 -- so much so that the labelhad to press it 3 times to meet demand. now , austin boogie crew present his much anticipated selftitled lp with 9 tracks of laid back modern funk! . austin, tx, musician chris mcdowell is a wonder on the keys. under his solar shield moniker texas producer chris mcdowell creates exuberant compositions that elegantly walk a tightrope between modern funk and electronic beat music. this quality nine track release features songs created between 2011 and 2013, settling into the modern funk cannon of 2018 with ease.

the studio and label digital b of producer bobby digital dixon became the ruling production house in the musical revolution that swept through jamaica from the mid-80s onwards with a lethal selection of dancehall weapons and chartbusting reggae hits. x-tra wicked gathers many of his bestever productions from those heady times when specialist stores were awash with 7-inch singles, freshly arrived from jamaica, and reggae music was once more on the rise. this great double 2lp-set presents 24 selected tracks in a double wide vinyl jacket, with just the top hits from the two bobby digital reggae anthology releases, the 2cd+dvd set x-tra wicked and the 3cd-set of -serious times- and has liner notes written by reggae expert john masouri.

finale sessions launch a new series entitled unreleased, and their kicking things off with label boss michael zucker sparring with jonno & tommo (more commonly found lurking around labels like ornate). as you would expect from finale, its a deep house masterclass, with jonno & tommo leading the proceedings with the deft piano licks and hard grooving sub bass of dirty nylons before zucker steps in with the pattering rhythms and swooning pads of just believe. on the flip zucker embraces a gentle strain of electro for narrow is the gate before jonno & tommo round the record off with the immersive tones of shark city.

kyle dixon & michael stein once again steer away from cliché, maintaining the pace they’ve set for themselves while subtly shifting tactics, just enough to keep fans hooked. their lush, deep music quickly shifts with jarring synth blips and misty, creaky chords whilst slowly descending into darkness. pressing on crystal clear vinyl with blue & white splatter.

kyle dixon & michael stein once again steer away from cliché, maintaining the pace they’ve set for themselves while subtly shifting tactics, just enough to keep fans hooked. their lush, deep music quickly shifts with jarring synth blips and misty, creaky chords whilst slowly descending into darkness. pressing on black 180 gram double vinyl.

ima (intense molecular activity) is the duo of don hunerberg (synthesizers) and andy blinx (drums and percussion). based in new york city and active between 1979 and 1982. don, a studio sound / music engineer and musician, andy an electronic clothing designer, drummer and sound reinforcement engineer at downtown clubs like max’s kansas city, mudd club and cbgb. in between doing sessions at radio city music hall studios for groups such as ramones, richard hell, sonic youth, liquid liquid, john zorn, glenn branca and many others, ima took advantage of off hours to create their own music. as far as influences go, don’s background was in electronic music and andy’s in prog rock. to produce the songs, don used his own method of creating patterns from 2-track tape loops and then edited them together on to a 24-track recorder adding more tracks of overdubs, in a very similar way that sequencers are used today.

this has always been a rare 12inch originally only released in the uk in 1979, phoenix was considered to be too disco at the time and the release pretty much sank without trace - one reason why finding those original uk 12inches is near on impossible these days. just 2 copies on discogs and a mint one will be circa £50 if you re ever lucky enough to find one. however, since 1979 phoenix has grown in stature and what was once considered to be a twee disco tune has now become a huge collector s item and a staple in the right clubs. no surprise really as this is norman connors at the top of his game and the production is red-hot. how phoenix never made it to 12inch vinyl in the u.s. is one of the great mysteries of life but here it is on beautiful fresh 12inch vinyl some 38 years later. as with all our 12inch re-issues we ve replicated the original label. luckily there are no bootlegs to contend with on this release, so this is the first re-issue of this song since the original release date, so order with confidence

dj koyote has long been a dab hand at discerning house music. thankfully, his latest offers more of the same. seeing the light of day on his own supergenius records imprint, france n trance sees the french producer perk up with no less than five original cuts, each of which boasts its own inimitable charm. opening up the release is the sounds of the title track. a melancholy effort full of warm, hazy vibes, its skipping, playful ethos is characterised by its twinkling, charming melodies. a smile-inducing track that s sure to prompt delirium on the floor, it gets us underway with some distinction. hey baby sees the producer opt for more uptempo strands. featuring a killer hip hop vocal sample and a series of off-kilter elements, it s a completely different proposition to what s come before - albeit one that emphasises the producer s knack for the unpredictable. just a young thing sees the producer hark bark to vintage chicago times with a jam that could well have been lifted from trax s back catalogue. full of booming kicks, claps and snares, this one plays out like a modern interpretation of a classic armando joint. the quite expertly names ladonna is an exercise is peak-time funk flavours, before business class sees us out the door with another track that suited to the night s most fervent moments. an industrial-tinged track of techno persuasions, it s a hot and heaving effort that s as likely to leave you in a cold sweat as it is reaching for the lasers. there s no doubt about it - koyote s latest is a triumph from the beginning to the end.

to make it to album number three, a group has to make a compelling debut and then avoid the sophomore slump. if you reach that third record, you are supposed to be a professional, a stone-faced musical grown-up. but don’t tell that to de lux. after their 2014 debut voyager and 2015 follow-up generation, the la duo is gearing for its best and brightest lp, more disco songs about love. the difference between this album and all the rest? let s ask the band: we like to say voyage was our baby, generation was our baby all grown up and more disco songs about love thinks growing up sucks and just wants to party smart.

skyrager presents the first in a series of dance floor edits designed for optimum peak set destruction! beat girl/wonderful is already generating heat on worldwide dance-floors in the skilled hands of crack selectors including hunee, lovefingers, mark e and more.beat girl is our a-side, a heavy, throbbing ebm monster. like something discovered on a long lost belgian white label with it s sharp french femme-fatale monologue and nagging acid bass-line. trust us, this one sounds ultra-heavy on the system! things get a little sexual about halfway through and then those guitars kick in, yes, guitars, scuzzed out, fuzzed out chords run rampant over this beast and you re gonna love it. this is that sleaze, put your phone away, pick up the amyl and jack. wonderful is just that, a ridiculously rare south african (!) cover of italo overlords klein & mbo s cut of the same name. there shouldn t be much more to say here, but you should know that it s a stellar combo of hypnotic drum machine rhythms, mind melting synth bass-lines and super dreamy spoken word vocals. its almost as if she s speaking directly to you as you lose yourself in the smoke and lazers, let go, you know you want to.

john lee hooker’s 1969 album back on vinyl.

estetika 001 introduces the first release of the new imprint of jason patrick and pat king. the label s objective is to release a signature style of timeless techno. berlin-based artist mekas (originally from buenos aires) delivers the first 3 track record, nodata. a1 starts off the release with lebreton featuring qik. thick kick and bass anchor a beautifully warm hypnotic synth riff that filters meticulously throughout the track working hand in hand with a subtle atmospheric pad and spacious reverb touches to create a uniquely huge engulfing sound. b1 is the second track titled marshfield, a heavy tune for peak time. its kick, toms, and bassline form a rugged groove for its dark synth, which along with the mysterious pad capture the essence of the track while ride cymbals glisten and automate throughout. b2 is the third and final track, nothing, which continues the dark and mysterious vibe of the release. an acidy mid-range synth part works along with an ominous pad and well programmed hi-hats, claps, and rides with just the right reverb treatment to provide space and depth to the track.

rekids launch re-issue label entitled r-time records with four timeless tracks from sir lord comixx. having established a handful of renowned imprints such as rekids, pyramids of mars, cabin fever and the double r, matt edwards new venture aims to shine a light on classic tracks that didn t always get the recognition they deserve. amoon sir lord comixx and i go back a long way and we met through our friend justin isonoe in the early 90s,” says matt edwards. “i was still living in catford and would regularly drive over to justin s studio where he d play me all this crazy, otherworldly music from amoon and it blew my mind i was completely captivated by his unique take on techno. at the time i had no idea that we grew up in the same neighbourhood and amoon was living just around the corner so, of course, we hooked up and in 1996 i released an ep from him including one of his classics ur my omen on my hard up label.” composed of four tracks from separate releases, retroactive (part one) inaugurates with 1 4 the groove from sir lord comixx s danceteria ep on ugly music. produced in 96, the track s raw aesthetic features sharp percussion, heady melodies and a compelling groove. meanwhile, enemax - which appeared on 1a records demonstrates throbbing synths and shuffling drums. originally produced under his a.moon moniker in 98, funk box is the most robust track on the package with its thudding kicks and assortment of meandering sounds, before the azid jazz provides a deep and funky finale.

your 5 day holiday is coming to a heartbreaking end on the magnifique isle of paradiso. as you wait on the pier for your last rendez vous with that special someone, your holiday romance is nowhere to be seen. all that’s left is the memory of shared cherry vanilla slushies, inflatable flamingo races, and the vibes…
these vibes have been conveniently pressed onto the latest slab of wax by your friends at childsplay to remedy your post summer-luv blues.
don’t let autumn get you down, get down to manuel instead.

this is the 5th release on riot radio records, an independent techno label based in scotland. here are 12 artists (the horrorist, paul birken, neil landstrumm, cannibal cooking club, nomad, durkit, dez williams, martyn hare, cymbol, binny, morphamish and lado) each with a wicked track for the first of many sampler lp’s on riot. it’s named a sampler because it is just that, a sample of the various artists and forms of techno that can be heard on our fortnightly riot radio show and also of what’s to come on the label from each of the artists featuring on the lp. that’s because each artist appearing on this lp will be delivering you their own individual release on the label, with each one featuring brand new original tracks and additional solid remixes by various exceptionally talented artists.

erst vor gut anderthalb jahren startete die erste staffel von »stranger things« bei netflix, trotzdem hat die us-amerikanische science-fiction-mysteryserie um mike, will, dustin, lucas und elfi bereits kultstatus erreicht. das gilt auch für den soundtrack, der nun anfang 2018 auf vinyl erhältlich ist: »stranger things: music from netflix series« kombiniert kurze ausschnitte, dialoge etc. mit songs aus der serie. dazu gehören klassiker wie »should i stay or should i go« von the clash, the polices »every breath you take«, joy divisions »atmosphere«, »time after time« von cyndi lauper, »rock you like a hurricane« von den scorpions und viele mehr.

kmd1 is not an ambient opener. it’s the sound translation of your nightmare’s anxiety. don’t be scared, it was just a dream. intentional drowning is a bridge to the underworld. let the syncopated groove fl ow through yourself and brace yourself for another dimension. aquaris monopole takes you in a sub heavy journey towards the dancefloor. the urge to dance will be stronger than first expected. all tracks mastered by pole at scape mastering in berlin.

this is high tension experimental electronica just the way i love it!

in recent years moire&#769,, has become an integral figure in re-imagining club music. the enigmatic artist has travelled a note-perfect path and in just a few years has collaborated with fundamental record labels such as r&s, werk discs and rush hour.

the numero groups dive into the deep end of americas private press continues. having battled the witches and wizards of darkscorch, the outlaws of cosmic americana, and traveled alongside ladies from the canyon and their lonesome heroes, its time to take it easy. with pop musics volume knob adjusted for deflation in the early 70s, softness begat smoothness. crewmen arrived from the worlds of jazz, folk, rock, and soul, all peddling a product that was sincere, leisurely, and lofty. a sound that was buoyant, crisp, defined. sometimes classified as west coast and, later, yacht rock the compass points of our private yacht expedition are the blue-eyed harmonies of hall and oates, the cocaine-dusted fender rhodes of michael mcdonald, and the combover strums of james taylor. here, at the glassy apex of rocks softer side, 20 strong swimmers are gathered together. an album for both relaxation and reflection, where listeners can enjoy the present, a cool breeze, and a taste of the good life.

bryan hervieu s d3 elements makes a welcome return to the music fold after a longish break, and who better to pick up the reins than trinidadian deep. northern li kicks things off, and from the first note and beat, you just know that trini has brought the spiritual and percussive deepness that he is known for. this track is 6 minutes of bliss, with swirling pads and beautiful melodies running throughout. over to the b side and it s thunder claps and the spoken word of liza zayas that starts off in the beginning. liza s voice sits perfectly alongside the caribbean textures, and the driving drums that trinidadian deep is known for. bryan s labels have long been a go to for lovers of quality and sophistication and this new one is no different.

before his debut studio full-length, dubbyman racked up a remarkable discography of dance singles and remixes. he has been away for a little while, but his new 10-tracker album is the perfect tool for him to make his anticipated return. -deep is dead- is a fascinating mix of organic and synthetic, past and present, smoothness and eclectic, darkness and brightness. the spanish producer has veered away from those dub-heavy and dark atmospheric deep stylings, and instead has ventured into much classic house and musically territory. almost all songs are soaked in warm chords, dreamy leads and gripping melodies. dubbyman also offers an immense and stunning roster of credits and guest musicians such as kuniyuki takahashi, leo gunn and george btp aka allstarr motomusic, just to mention a few.

charmin records has long been a formidable outlet for considered house tones, and on their latest v/a, the german label reminds us in emphatic fashion just what they’re capable of.

as ever, the next project on opilec music is one with a rich back story this time paying homage to a very specific disco scene of the early 80s: it finds label boss i-robots turning out one of his brilliant reconstructions, namely of a classic and cult track by one hit wonders ahzz. this track was first released on land of hits, a label run by peter brown (who also wrote -material girl- for madonna) and michael campbell and has now been officially licensed for this reissue by opilec music. the track, new york s movin was huge on the new york disco scene and was played by the likes of david mancuso at the loft, larry levan at the paradise garage and by nicky siano at studio 54, but continued to be a big hit with modern new york tastemakers kenny dope, dj spinna, danny krivit and his body & soul party crew well into the 90s, as well as with stars like motor city drum ensemble and bulljun. i-robots is a notorious producer and record collector with a vast understanding of the history of house and disco and his version combines an original vocal and instrumental version into something really magical. new york s movin (i-robots reconstruction take i) is a jangling, organic and lose limbed disco number with a funky drum line, soul in its bones and plenty of lovably rough percussion, clicks and drums. a retro and impassioned vocal line adds flair to the track at the midpoint just before that groove kicks once more. this version is featured on the new i-robots - reconstructions 2007-2017 10th year anniversary release. new york s movin (i-robots reconstruction take ii) is then just as emotive and outgoing but after the break has more of a focus on funk. this is a huge party starting track filled with feel good vibes and once again proves opilec music work on only the most special projects.