so you wanna be a star 24 carat disco gold from 1980 right here. mtume, led by legendary jazz percussionist and all-round musical visionary james mtume had a number of massive hits and can count quite a few classics within their repertoire ( juicy fruit anyone?). this flawlessly arranged, funk drenched jam speaks on the dangers of living life too fast and relying on those who can t be trusted. remember, this was the beginning of the 1980s, the disco era had began to fade amidst the drug hazed excesses of the previous decade, while the music continued forging it s path skyward with tremendous records like this one. so you wanna really has a message and that s not surprising considering it has one of the most underrated production teams behind it in the shape of mtume / lucas. a true gem of the post-disco era. essential and rare. this repress of the original epic promo from 1980 is backed with a brand new re-edit from one of nyc s disco kings mr.k aka danny krivit. with almost half a century spent behind the turntables in nyc and beyond he surely understands records like so you wanna be a star intrinsically, he was, after all, there when it all happened! this classic has been legally reissued by above board distribution in conjunction with the legal rights holders sony music entertainment. this high quality repress features original epic label disco 12inch artwork and has been remastered from sonys original sources by optimum mastering, bristol uk.

cocoon say: tim green will be returning to cocoon for his first release on the label since march 2016, with an atmospheric new dual single. echo/they want us to fall down. a cinematic production offering heavy shades of emotion, led by deep chords and rattling percussive sweeps from the expectation-defying producer..

three years since profane’s seminal album v.illan mills was recorded for inperspective and it’s long overdue that he returns to the label. this canadian native’s unique style that somehow fuses the hip hop sensibilities of j.dilla, the jazz/funk ideologies of danny breaks and the experimental truth of squarepusher has been a breath of fresh air in recent years on the underground d&b scene and these two new cuts from him are no exception. the experimentally epic breakbeat off tempo monstrosity of drughmada is a heady, giddy tapestry of beats and breaks with a sleazy sample and panic led overtones. west newton views is a darker more minimal affair. a clunky, dubstep vibe which maintains moody intensity throughout. tense and suspenseful. the other side sees the triumphant return of rome’s lynch kingsley. this young, precocious talent has been a good friend to the label for a number of years and after making waves with his debut eden ep it was only a matter of time before his return. we are pleased to present void , a dark journey through the breakbeat, sci-fi escapism of early 90 s d&b which in time develops into a deep, break laden workout with gorgeous synths and fantasy atmospheres. a joy to behold.

after more than 30 years, halfway ritmo in collaboration with early sounds, will release unpublished recordings (1982-1989) from former tangerine dream and iggy pop s drummer klaus krüger. advanced dance combines a sweeping mix of krüger s handcrafted acoustic drums and distinctive electronic sounds of the late berlin- school years, creating a unique blend of advanced polyrhythms. krüger achieved a balance between creativity and classic drum patterns giving birth to an unconventional and avant-garde type of music that could be easily defined as a precursor of techno. his progressive mentality led him to delve further into the tape collage technique and unique ways of triggering his drums. it was a whole new world of music - sustained by his artistic surroundings, which included collaborations as well as friendships with other influential artists such as david bowie, martin kippenberger and helmut newton. in the time of german division, the pulsating west berlin became a melting pot of creativity and international encounters. advanced dance is the result of the blazing heat feeding the unstoppable thirst of discovery which characterized that generation, creating tunes that transform the listener s experience into one blissful moment amidst beautiful confusion.

the mushrooms project are well known for their sleazy mid-tempo laid-back percussive style, a sound that immediately resonated with rising stars and newly signed label mates earthboogie. specifically it was ‘dubby bolas’ from the italian duo’s 2016 album ‘rivea corymbosa’ album that really excited earthboogie and equally, the mushrooms were fans of the afro disco sound the londoners displayed on their debut track ‘route ten to interzone’. the mutual appreciation led to this remix project and now, released exclusively for record store day 2018, their complementary productions styles collide with great effect.

joris biesmans tve imprint returns for its third installment, this time featuring it’s eponymous founder front, center and recording under his own name. led by a forward-thinking electro remix from the ever-versatile man power, its another firm display of synth-led versatility, brimming with confidence and charisma. angry baby is an irresistible pressure-pot of stomping house, as playful as it’s name and as demanding as its imaginary infant protagonist, with a truly hypnotic, elastic breakdown proving irresistible in a club context man powers aforementioned remix is less loopy, more analog, with his well-tooled production technique pushing the records texture into altogether more cosmic and overwhelming territory, led by wailing synthesis. back to biesmans for b2, and a more acidic, almost unnerving vision unfolds throughout connecting the dots which does just that, linking futurist, michigan influences with a more floor-focused, european aesthetic.

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

on “5 star motel”, that younger gitkin (henceforth referred to simply as gitkin) has sought to expand the philosophy he encountered on that tape. the guitar is common thread, the raft to navigate a sun-dappled stream of ideas. it’s an embrace of cultures where folkloric stringed instruments still rule, or where they ve led to a more recent embrace of the electric guitar. he traces the loose, meandering paths which join them together.

sacred summits returns after a two-year hiatus with an album of interpretations of the music of eric satie by acclaimed composer morgan fisher. active for over 50 years morgans career has moved from 60s number one hit wonders love affair, to 70s rocknroll keyboardist in mott the hoople, before finally on to 80s ambient, improvisation and soundtracks, working with the likes of yoko ono, haroumi hosono and dip in the pool. based in japan since the mid-80s, fishers long-standing admiration for erik satie (1866- 1925) led to these inside satie recordings. satie’s unique work as a precursor to artistic movements such as minimalism, surrealism and repetitive music are acknowledged but for long periods he was not given the accolades his music warranted. a strange, eccentric, surreal man, he was never as acclaimed as the established masters, but influenced not only the likes of debussy but also many of the dada artists. on this album morgan played his music freely after just a brief look at the scores. recorded in just three days, it features piano, melodica, synthesisers, and morgans favoured tape delay system. inside satie is one of the first albums i recorded in japan shortly after moving here in 1985. in three days i improvised on several of my favourite satie themes. mostly i played piano as well as the rich, analog-sounding yamaha gs-1 (precursor of the dx-7), and sometimes used long tape delays to build layers of sound. all the pieces were recorded in single takes no overdubs (no time!).

damian lazarus magical live project the ancient moons returns today with their new single five moons. the band led by lazarus, is comprised of ben chetwood on drums, rob gentry on keyboards, and new vocalist j appiah. on five moons they are also joined by the australian punk sensation chela for a dubbed out, soulful excursion into the darker recesses of the dancefloor. the ancient moons first debuted in 2014 with lovers eyes, and followed that with the acclaimed album message from the other side, dubbed a a journey into technos dreamiest recesses by the fader and a psychedelic masterpiece by vice. since then the ancient moons have travelled the world with their highly immersive live show, supported roisin murphy on tour and played at glastonbury festival and melt! amongst others. last year the band resurfaced, after locking themselves away to record in the italian countryside, with i found you, which nabbed a bbc essential new tune and stunning remixes from black coffee and patrice baumel. today five moons offers another glimpse into this summers forthcoming album.

repress from space-disco lp from 1983/1984 by argentinian group led by keyboardist bruno carlos musso. carefully remastered by fabrizio martina (jolly mare), who also produced the bonus track (a disco-club oriented remix).

a true lynchpin of the detroit underground. sharif laffrey has been producing music & djing internationally for over 20 years. sharifs participation in detroits early rave scene during the early 1990s led him to music, djing & organizing underground loft parties. sharif became part of detroits submerge squad as he worked & lived in its storied 2030 grand river avenue headquarters working for mike banks as an operative for underground resistance & submerge. and dance is the debut release on laffreys own record label special forces. a workout of a jam that along its 14 minute long route undergoes transformations. cryptic spoken vocals and sound for dance.

simoncino returns to uttu with 4 synth led electronix cuts - super deep introspective techno & house from one of the best to do it!

dispatch dubplate reaches a milestone 10th release this april, with ukraine’s finest, dub head. joining the elite series, reserved for only the most in demand, unreleased gems, it was only time before his superb talents would lead to a disdub release from the aptly name producer. led by the mammoth “globular cluster” (a heavily requested staple of dlr & ant tc1 sets), #10 also features the dark, sinister “critical mass”, deep rolling progression in orchestra soul and the thumping “little more” as an exclusive track, only available to vinyl buyers. a limited run of 200 hand stamped and numbered heavyweight vinyl copies are available, do not sleep on these, as they will not be repressed.

vision songs vol. 1 (1984) is the laraaji album like no other, located at the intersection of new age and gospel. it is both his outlier and magnum opus, the feel-good diy tape of the century. discovered busking in washington square park by brian eno in the late 70s, engagement with the eternal flow has led laraaji to, seemingly by magic, emerge as the most beloved avatar of the unstoppable new age music revival of recent years. now vision songs rewrites laraaji’s musical history. unlike the many instrumental, free form albums upon which his reputation was built, this is an album of songs, with lyrics, verses, choruses. vision songs is literally a revelation -- of a master songwriter whose unbelievably catchy best compositions such as “we shall be lifted”, “all of a sudden”, and “is this clear?” belong in any great american songbook. casio synth jams recorded at spiritual retreat guest rooms and a tiny bedroom on the upper west side, lysergicallyspectacular anthems for a continually arriving new moment, “channeled,” as laraaji states in the album’s eloquent liner notes, “from the sky,” previously available in an edition of 100 cassettes sold at yoga retreats and on the streets of new york city, vision songs is humbly offered on vinyl, cd, and streaming for the very first time. this is where this is going on, this is where this is taking place, this is how this is going on. is this very clear?

akokan is a yoruba word used in cuba meaning from the heart, and indeed, every song on the self-titled debut album (march 30/daptone records) by orquesta akokan feels like a heartfelt gift from the band to the listener. assembled and led by cuban vocalist jose pepito gomez, orquesta akokan is a big band collective of the finest musicians on the island, both young and old. it features all-original music and was cut live to tape over a three-day session at havanas hallowed state-run estudios areito. areito is one of the longest operating studios in the world and where important cuban records have been made. the album was produced by jacob plasse and arranged by mike eckroth. comes in a gatefold sleeve with download code included.

xen & yovav return to malka tuti in 2018 with full thrust and eyes to the future. after being responsible for the first 2 releases on the label, this time the enigmatic singer and the influential producer collaborate and deliver 2 original songs. hayom etmol is a 100% good vibe diy post-punkish poppy song with a flowing synthetic bass line, balearic guitar riffs and dreamy vocals. the b-side, shavit, is a vocal led song, with a repetitive guitar bassline and, trip guitar riffs and a minimalistic drum machine. low fi in its production shavit feels as if it has been dug out of an abandoned 80s record store in the outskirts of glasgow or amsterdam, with a strong cold wave feel to it. this 7” will be the first in a series of more diy approach to electronic music, song writing and production. some exciting names on the bill so hold on to your chairs... hayom etmol’s artwork design was made as always by morey talmor, with a printed inner sleeve designed by the israeli artist kobi swissa and a special silkscreened outer pvc sleeve.

gnawa is a uniquely moroccan sound with roots in islam and links to a healing ritual called lila (arabic for night). from this heritage comes innov gnawa, the only new york-based gnawa group made from moroccan natives, led by the mâalem (master) hassan ben jaafer. in 2016, pique-nique recordings presented their debut ep together and, since then, the band have also featured on bambro koyo ganda from bonobo s latest album. aicha is their much anticipated follow-up. alongside the joyous call and response between the maalem and the group that s common in gnawa, there are also hints of electronic programming interspersed between the traditional live instrumentation no doubt an influence of nicolas jaar collaborator dave harrington who produced the ep.

strange valleys, the 2018 full-length from starving daughters, is a progression as well as a shift in sound from the la band s already-stellar previous releases. make no doubt about it that the sound of progressive rock and psychedelia still play a big role here but there s certainly a greater influence from library music on the new lp. the starving daughters vinyl impressions blog, led by chris tillotson of the band, shared the music of chris s collection of which many were library lp s. these records seemed to have seeped into the mind, body, and souls of the whole band on this strange valleys lp. everything from the instrumentation, the attention to melody, to the track-length shows the large appreciation they have for library music. that being said, this moog-heavy, psychedelic-prog-funk, california-themed record is certainly unique and adventurous. winding through the exotic roads of strange valleys is certainly a trip well worth taking over and over again.

long time friend of the label, neue grafik, steps forth with his most fully realised offering to date. this record has been a long time coming, born out of a encounter in paris back in 2016. this meeting of minds led to a blossoming friendship between fred ( neue grafik) and bradley ( rs intl) which has taken them across 3 continents, countless dance-floors and finally crystallised onto this 12-. the record itself takes cues from the broken-beat sound of london while paying homage to the parisian house dance scene. largely sample based, but also employing much more live instrumentation than ever before, neue grafik s music is informed by movement and in turn offers so much for dancers to respond to.

fayze came of age in windsor, ontario, a diverse, gritty canadian city in the immediate shadow of detroit. during the 1980s, this fortunate geography placed the local scene in the inner orbit of the emergent detroit techno scene. from that starting point, fayze fell deeply in love with experimental, original sounds. today, his innovative, genre-defying soundscapes flirt occasionally with global schools like avant-pop and krautrock, but his sound is all his own. fayze s new music uses vintage analog synthesizers, which he s been collecting since the early 1990s, to build organic, textural compositions. an idiosyncratic collection of ambient, dreamy soundscapes, the album features inspired collaborations with detroit, windsor, and toronto artists. its myriad influences include aphex twin , stereolab , led zeppelin , and boards of canada . a well-travelled creative professional by day, fayze previously made music with marc houle and marshall sfalcin of king kool flipped . this is his first major solo project.

2018 white vinyl repress incoming!
genosha basic artists, ghost in the machine make their perc trax debut! full picture sleeve perc trax returns to the dance floor after the political firestorm that was perc s bitter music with the debut release on the label from the netherland s ghost in the machine. the perc and therefore perc trax name stems from the word percussion and these three drum-focused tracks sum up the label s name perfectly. rarely appearing away from their own genosha basic imprint this ep hits as hard as anything on perc trax in recent years and along with recent releases from ansome and scalameriya ushers in a new wave of artists and a distinct new chapter in the perc trax story. the holy grill commands the whole of the a-side and charges forward until a reese led breakdown gives you a moment to pause for breath. the b-side contains two percussive workouts that have enough movement and development to them to elevate them above simple drum tools. as b2 track pskdt s locked groove loops endlessly (a first for perc trax), it is clear this ep is a hard-hitting statement of intent from a duo you should be hearing a lot more on perc trax in the near future.

band from trinidad & tobago, led by the internationally renowned lead guitarist guitarist and songwriter michael boothman. tabu and so dey say were recorded in 1972 and would remain family trees only recordings. limited edition of 500 copies worldwide! . family tree represented a new generation re-discovering trinidadian folk music forms and giving them a contemporary treatment. family tree infused old shango rhythms in their new sound and were the first to experiment with steel pan fused with standard instrumentation. tabu is a cover of a cuban standard made popular in trinidad by 1950s calypso musicians cyril diaz and his orchestra and so dey say was an original composition by david boothman. although they only ever recorded these two songs, the band toured with derek walcotts trinidad theatre workshop and forged long standing musical connections with some of the countrys leading musicians.

ltds 2018 repress - super djata is one of boldest and most exciting orchestras in the history of african modern music, if not one of africas greatest and most unsung ensembles. led by the late great zani diabaté, super djata band de bamako stands proud as one of west africas fiercest orchestras, with only a handful of releases and many tremendous gigs given over the last forty years.

an enticing taste of the upcoming debut album ‘eventual reality’ by the james l’estraunge orchestra. brainchild of scottish producer ricky reid, pianist on both 6th borough project albums and one half of the soul renegades alongside craig smith, the james l’estraunge orchestra is “the band that never was”, lovingly pieced together from a series of late-night studio sessions with some incredibly talented jazz and classical players. best described as jazz arranged with dance music sensibilities, the james l’estraunge orchestra sound is warm and organic, atmospheric and at times somewhat bleak, a perfect reflection of the remote log cabin in which it was created. immediately iconic both musically and lyrically, ‘closer’ is a powerful commentary on today’s self-regarding, materialistic world with a strong message of hope for a better tomorrow. combining lush, live instrumentation and climactic, cinematic composition, closer’s emotive, almost springsteen-like vocals are performed by ricky reid himself. ‘groovin’ you’ covers a classic from harvey mason: a bass led, heavyweight instrumental jazz-dance workout featuring some impressive brass and woodwind solos bolstered by spine- tingling string swells and tight, rolling drums.

zemlya (earth), the final installment of nocows three-part ep-series for figure unearths the artist‘s maybe most drastic work to date. while opener libbi still sprouts gently into crystalline arteries of ambiance, the incessant arps of synchronicity loom ominously. equally challenging, yet offering conciliation in form of string-led soothing is rave button, after which the record finds closure in the seemingly open-ended sound spiral of troubles will be miles away.

indianapolis band led by organist bobby watley (ex-lonnie smith group) and driven by his funky jack mcduff-influenced playing. discovered in march 1971, funk inc had sent bob porter a demo tape which languished in a pile of other until the producer finally got around to working his way through the whole batch. the band s tape grabbed him as soon as he heard the first notes and the rest, as they say, is history. a quintet, funk inc s constituent members were leader bobby watley on organ, eugene barr on tenor saxophone, steve weakley on guitar, jimmy munford on drums and cecil hunt on congas. watley, the leader, worked originally as a drummer, with both winston walls and lonnie smith. he switched to organ in 1969 and was heavily influenced by jack mcduff. barr played his first professional gig with little milton and then went on to lead his own band prior to joining funk inc. munford worked with artists of the calibre of etta james, jerry butler and james brown. hunt had been with the coasters as well as playing with local california bands. weakley was one of the (then) new breed of guitarists whose debt owed as much to jimi hendrix as kenny burrell.

from the knowledge gained on our expeditions, we are able to track down the jets fired during each unique eruption and share them with the people of this majestic orb.
the first squirt led us to the yard in hackney, where ross from friends performed live for one of the first few times in his already sparkling career.
>from the performance came a track called ‘champagne’, a wave of sax washing over you accompanied by plinking guitar and of course those fuzzy hi hats that go right to your head.
this track could previously only be experienced by seeing the trio play live or by watching our documentation of the performance, until now.
we’ve printed 300 copies only of this vintage moment from the summer of 2016.

ultramajic came into the possession of meticulously dated tapes from 1995 -1998 with sharpie inscription ashtar lavanda. we had never heard this name and google search didnt bring back many results. we had uncovered a hidden treasure of detroit electro. the ashtar lavanda tapes led us on a journey to find out who the producer behind the sound was, and furthermore how did this music never get released?

last years on the corner underground smash release, the 12inch ep santuris embaire umeme, introduced uganda’s mugwisa international xylophone group (m.i.x.g) to the world. the recordings center on the embaire, a giant xylophone native to ugandan folk music, which is dug into a pit for a natural, earthy bass resonance as gargantuous as the instrument itself. the instrument performs a key role in village life, with ceremonial playing sessions lasting for hours on end. these recordings may be esoteric in nature but they add important context to the santuri’s embaire umeme 12inch and are a vital documentation of the iganga village’s culture, as well as that of uganda. jones has artfully chopped the epic session into a series of short evocative chapters to create a pioneering masterpiece. remix duties are led by griot house innovators, the diabolcal liberties, who have raved-up some sun ra frequencies for the cosmic junglist crew. last but never least, victoria topping has created beautiful artwork using the session photography taken by jones during the recordings

following on from the critically acclaimed penya investigations cassettes and the 12inch acelere ep, afro-latin-electronic collective penya conclude an intensely creative period with a long player collection of tracks super liminal. liminal an in-between state references the transitional process the four piece band entered during a series of self-produced recording sessions held at penyas multi-instrumentalist magnus pis home studio between march 2016 and may 2017. penyas percussive and futuristic afro-latin sound also owes its genesis to the concept of liminality: the threshold of disorientation occurring during ritual practices. penya s hypnotic groovescapes, led by jim lem s bata drumming,ancient chants, sung by lilli elina, dubbed-out improvisations on trombone by viva msimangand lo-fi electronic production by magnus p.i create a sound that has garnered significant support on bbc 6 music via tom ravenscroft, worldwide fm via gilles peterson, on bbc radio 3s late junction, as well as being praised by a host of producers including dj khalab, will lv, dj jose marquez and dengue dengue dengue. penya s energised and engaging live show has also toured across uk festivals this summer, including brainchild, wilderness, farmfest and big love.

favorite recordings proudly presents le premier disco sans toi, new single ep by andre solomko, pursuing a collaboration that started more than 5 years ago. born in ukraine in 1965 and now based in finland, andre solomko is primarily a rich and engaging personality, but above all, a brilliant saxophonist, composer and engineer, whose contagious passion cannot leave anyone indifferent. after beginning a meteoric career in ussr, fate led him to finland, where he started the adventure vinyl jam, a label / studio / group. it resulted in two self-produced albums that will capture the attention of some international collectors, including pascal rioux (founder of favorite recordings). between 2012 and 2014, they released 2 albums together, où es-tu maintenant ? and le polaroid, hailed by many tastemakers and meeting notable success in japan. this new single also results from a long and solid partnership, led by a shared and deep passion for analog music and vintage grooves. announcing a new album planned for 2018, the ep unveils two new compositions with disco flavors. andre’s backed again by a team of great musicians and vocalists, such as mr day and lili wagner on “le premier disco sans toi” (the first disco without you), or charlotta kerbs on * moonbeach disco*. and if not really the first, this disco journey fits perfectly with andre solomko’s jazz-funk style and sense of melody, showing another facet of his many talents.

having established itself with eps from duke slammer and dmx krew, dublin’s modern magic welcomes bari’s armonics for the label’s third release. a trained pianist and resident dj/curator of the we talk event series in his home city, armonics draws influence from electronic music across the past 40 years: chicago & acid house, italo- & electro-disco, new wave, synth-pop and vaporwave.
his italowave style is a fusion of these retro-futuristic and cosmic styles, forged through armonic’s production processes which include cassette recordings, vintage synths & modern korg/roland gear. the look alive ep is the producer’s second release, following a debut on slow motion in late 2016.
accompanying the ep’s three original tracks is an anthemic, piano-led remix of red eye by international feel act black spuma, aka lauer (tuff city kids/arto mwambe) and fabrizio mammarella (telespazio).

limited edition 12- containing four selected songs of 1983 from the disco group led by geoff bastow (from giorgio moroder s team). these unreleased extended disco cuts give big value to this work

for house heads of a certain persuasion, dj duke is a name that resonates for all the right reasons. the u.s. veteran has been responsible for some of the 90’s most seminal moments, chiefly through tracks such as 12 minutes to do it (under his pleasure dome alias), party time and the prosumer-endorsed deep house classic, heard. he returns here courtesy of emerging imprint solo werks, who host his latest ep, green pastures. a momentous house-led workout, it compounds duke’s reputation as a producer of considerable panache while also acting as an auspicious start to life for the dublin based label. the title track is a grainy, old-school cut that bears all the hallmarks of a dusty analogue-jam and harks back to the days of vintage chicago with the sort of zest you’d expect from a man of duke’s credentials. the other original, skyscapes, is packed to the brim with industrial motifs and is characterised by the sort of effortlessly catchy baseline with which duke has made his name. mysterious and ethereal, it takes the listener on an uncompromising and throughly captivating house journey from the off. on the flip side, we have two stunning remixes, the first of which arrives from new jersey don, ruben candelario aka nicuri. a long-time favourite of nyc-based producers a la joey anderson, nicuri turns green pastures into a dreamy, acid-led space, adding layers of suspense and a glittering vocal intto the mix as he goes. last but not least are dublin-based producers slowburn, who serve up a stunning version of skyscapes. a carefully construed voyage into the deep, it caps off a fine ep with some aplomb.

red laser ceo il bosco selects four manctalo nukes that rock the label s manchester party on a regular basis. the manchester dj and producer carefully edits these rare or ignored tracks with the help of the another well-known local who only wishes to be known as the bat. play that song is like the smiths decided to have a go at boogie and creates an amazing mix of indie electro funk that shouldn t work but does. a little happiness has had the big italo collectors around europe searching frantically for the original of this lost gem since the track was aired on red laser s soundcloud. who will find it first? pac manc is an amazing dreamy slice of electro boogie ripe for the dancefloor and finishing the ep in style is the heavy drum led afro funk of shotgun rules again, with a synth bassline so big you could see it from mars. this one will live in dj bags for some time. limited to 150. hand stamped in textured grey card sleeves.

bridging instrumental tact with mysticism, afriqua debuts his anticipated aleph ep. finding a welcome home alongside r&s’s most innovative rhythmists and experimentalists. the berlin based producer has previously released a steady drip of high quality, unique music over the last few years that has brought him to the attention of r&s and led to this masterful, eclectic ep. aleph marks the first release in an extended collaborative journey between the artist and label

for this album, ebo joined forces with 12-piece band ‘the pelikans’ — from the cape coast region of ghana — led by bessa simmona, with rhythm guitarist fifi orleans lindsay. a genuine ‘holy-grail’ of ghanaian music and one of ebo’s most saught-after.
the album was released on the small abookyi label. named after a nightclub they played in called pelikans, and sung in english and fante, this was the first album where ebo sang on tracks, such as the classic ‘come along’, on which he also plays keyboard. this song clearly defined a new direction in highlife and has become a ghanaian funk anthem. ‘come along’ formed the basis of sadat x’s ‘remember that’ hip hop jam from 2011.
this official mr bongo re-issue is packaged in our new & improved heavyweight ‘tip-on’ sleeves, printed in japan, pressed on high quality vinyl, audio restored to the best of our ability, with label designs and artwork as per the original release.

having already earned his balearic stripes some time ago, as one of the resident djs at we love. at space in ibiza, ian blevins has since relocated to berlin, and has been immersing himself in the esoteric vibes of the city. on the strength of his latest ep on futureboogie, this is clearly a good thing, as the round trip ep is laden with the deep magical vibes that have also shaped his recent releases on labels like banoffe pies, not an animal records, blind jacks journey and esp institute. on round trip, an abundance of driving, arpeggiated synthesizers weave around sparse yet sturdy drumbeats, as thick pads rise and fall in dramatic fashion. panthera krause (permanent vacation/riotvan/lobster theremin) is on board for the remix of round trip, re-shaping the original into a merry, space organ led, tribal dance, with a splash of garage house vibes that soon become immersed in its own synth heaven, its a cracking remix from the leipzig based producer. on rolands rat, blevins keeps things tight with soaring strings, organ stabs a strolling bassline for a quality jam, whilst can you count my dream? is a dense, and cinematic slab of transcendental dance, an almost claustrophobic atmosphere only intensifies the drama and delivers the heat that seals this superb ep from blevins.

hailing from bristol, uk, borai is the progeny of the 90s jungle scene and has spent the last fifteen years careening his musical curiosity through every tile of the dance floor. borai s early years were occupied by bristol s many record shops as an employee and fan of the culture. while drenching himself in the expansiveness of electronic music history at work, he picked up djing to bestow his love for jungle, house and dancehall in the area s clubs. an obsession with hardware led borai to craft a slew of his own productions and releases on tasteful nudes, cahoots records, and brstl. with dark of the sun , borai is making his debut on the global cultural beacon halocyan records. the record will mark the 8th installment of the label s originary technicity series, which exemplifies techne in electronic music. dark of the sun is led by the rolling percussion of on the horizon , which feeds into the deep, grinding steam engine that is dark of the sun and followed by the transcendent bounce of wetware. the tracks are pressed on halocyan s signature 12inch cyan viny.

forriner is lee forster and oli worriner.
i made music together with lee for years (alongside mick rolfe) as last waltz. he also worked as lizards with james hadfield (james released solo for me me me 02), oli worriner, is a talented young northerner who’s already making a great name for his solo output, both under his own name and his traela alias, as well his label “tunnyl recordings”.
i’m really flattered that they’ve let me release their first full solo release, and i love how they’ve brought out each others deeper and more emotive sides in these 2 tracks. shit robot is a hero of mine. i basically wore out the grooves on a bunch of his dfa stuff from just over 10 years ago, and i’ve avidly bought everything he’s released since. i met him this summer for the first time when we shared the bill at a festival, and was so happy to find that he’s also lovely guy in real life. they say you should never meet your heroes, but i don’t subscribe to that as this meeting led to not one, but two fantastic remixes for me me me 08. the originals are a bright mix of melodically analogue left leaning house, while the remixes zero-in on a punchier dancefloor vibe, with an epic version goodnight, as well a more heads down disco dub.
so yeah, links within links, and keeping it northeastern again i guess.

is it balearic? started the uber sublabel up a few years ago, but 2017 has undoubtedly been the strongest year so far for the imprint. following excellent stints from serene, wawawiwas and bonnie & klein, max manetti makes a debut appearance with a self-titled ep loaded with just the kind of slick, instrument-led island grooves we ve come to expect from the uber stamp. from the dense tropical trip of -jungle prayer- to the laconic guitar licks of -dub macumba-, the cyclical mysticism of -changuinola- on to -garrison- with its considered piano chops and stiff breaks, this is an ep of proficient musicianship and eclectic funk for all manner of situations.

what started out as a simple email exchange between a young, hungry beatmaker and a seasoned player in the worlds of jazz and midwestern indie hip-hop, has resulted in a vibrant record nearly a decade in the making. on one side of let it out sits miles bonny, a long time musical collaborator who spent his youth soaking in powerful musical moments in nyc under the tutelage of his trumpet-slinging father, francis bonny, and later as a teen immersed in new york s busy indie-hip-hop scene. as he grew up miles cemented himself a niche in the midwest, most notably in lawrence, kansas where tireless forays into beatmaking led to the founding of the much-loved innatesounds crew and record label, as well as a series of solo releases and collaborative projects.

aa single from behind this wall. from london to the world.
abuja 336 is a collective led by bow-based vocalist jim caesar, violet hour dubs heavy on a psychedelic jam recorded during a moment of inspiration at villa lena, tuscany.
sega & chess is a collaboration between two artists unknown, catch the ‘night elm on mare st’ during the wee hours outside our bar after drinking too many shots of soju.
mixed at rushes studios in bethnal green. mastering by frank at the carvery.
artwork by david at shutupandance. illustration on aa by louie issaman-jones.

sam de la rosa, best known under the alias samuel kklovenhoof of the band led er est and with karen sharkey of the coombe, is back on mannequin records for a stunning 4-tracks electro-wave-experimental release. texas born but strongly connected with the new york cold wave and disco scene from mid 2000, and the wierd records family, sam s music is a clever mix of post punk, electronic hybrids, experimental pop and catchy melodies. additional mix by michael stein from s u r v i v e, already debuting on mannequin records back in 2011, before to get worldwide known for the netflix s stranger things soundtrack.

ben jacobs aka crackazat first made a name for himself when he was still living in bristol and released on ep on the city s futureboogie label, which has also signed music from the likes of julio bashmore, crazy p and outboxx. early in his career crackazat was also the official warm up act for an at the time up and coming artist called floating points, who now needs no introduction as one of the world s leading electronic music producers. moving to sweden shortly after the futureboogie release, crackazat made contact with the local talk owners mad mats and tooli, and after a couple of single/ep releases signed his debut solo album crescendo. the last couple of years crackazat has had an explosion of global popularity, which has led to playing gigs all over the world, and releasing tracks and remixes on labels ranging from josh wink s ovum, joey negro s z records and eureka in japan. classically trained with a strong jazz influence, crackazat has a distinctively individual sound that fuses funk with soulful vocals and the electronic bass music associated with his former home of bristol. eloquent and intelligent, rainbow fantasia is a masterpiece that showcases one of electronic music s most exciting talents.

symmetri is metavari s sophomore studio release led by electronic musician and composer, nathaniel david utesch, and debut studio lp on one way static records. the work is a stand-alone edit of metavaris metropolis re-score from record store day 2017, introducing new and reconfigured material in addition to selections from the soundtrack.

sa-ha-ra are a london based writing and production team led by peter hinds keyboards player of uk funk outts light of the world, incognito and beggar & co. with partners steve sinclair and kevin ellis they wrote and produced the enduring club classic “love so fine”. this 9 track vinyl album for 2017 includes tracks which expand on the sa-ha-ra sound and includes dance, soul and funk.

along with his rival, cornell campbell, johnny clarke was one of the most esteemed singers of the roots reggae era. having grown up next door to a popular sound system on waltham park road in western kingston, clarke s early fascination with music led him to hang out at studio one with jacob miller while still at school. he then made the rounds of talent shows with barry brown, sugar minott and the diamonds, which led to a debut recording in 1973, for the pianist glen stair, which remains unreleased. an early effort for clancy eccles, ‘god made the sea and sun,’ was not promoted properly, though ‘everyday wondering,’ for rupie edwards, impacted in britain, ‘golden snake’ for stamma houghton and a cover of smokey robinson’s ‘you really got a hold on me’ for glen brown were also false starts. the breakthrough finally came in 1975 when clarke linked with bunny lee, who had him voice the rastafari landmark ‘none shall escape the judgement’ (written by earl zero, who failed to muster a credible take), which kick-started the ‘flying cymbal’ craze. clarke’s resultant debut album, enter into his gates with praise, mixed hard-hitting rastafari devotional material with sympathetic cover versions of classics by the likes of the paragons, slim smith and delroy wilson, along with a few reggae renditions of some vintage american r&b.