solaronemusic is proud to announce this special record. andreas left us suddenly at june 20th in 2016 after long health problems. around that time we finished with him -the worst of gehm- release. he was so happy about this project!!! even one week later we got the terrible message that he died. we put alot of love and effort in this project to give him his last big monument! special thanks to all his friends and labels like mathematics recordings, abstract acid, creme organization, psycho thrill and of course bunker. rip in andreas! we will never forget you!

deep purple’s 19th studio album sees the light of day. it is being released by the german based label earmusic. the band’s last studio effort dates back to 2005’s ‘rapture of the deep’ so this is a long time coming.
this will make album number four to feature steve morse on guitar and the third with keyboardist don airey. as previously reported, concrete information on the album title is, shall we say, up in the air. “there’s a big question mark over the name at the moment. and possibly an exclamation mark as well.” vocalist ian gillan told classic rock magazine.

savage times fing als experiment an und dokumentiert die unmittelbare, künstlerische entwicklung hanni el khatibs. ursprünglich wurde der großteil der songs auf savage times bereits zuvor auf fünf eps nach und nach veröffentlicht. diese compilation vereint alle eps und enthält zudem vier weitere, neue bonustracks. el khatib startete das projekt im dezember 2015. die aufnahmen zu den songs wurden in jonny bells (crystal antlers) jazz cats studios aufgenommen. dafür fuhr hanni el khatib täglich von l.a. nach long beach. auf der stundenlangen autofahrt kamen ihm oft die ideen für seine tracks. hanni el khatib wollte sich nicht mehr auf ein genre festlegen und ließ sich einfach von seinem musikalischen instinkt leiten. sobald ein song fertig produziert war, veröffentlichte er ihn. savage times zeigt, wie wandelbar sein sound ist: garage rock, punk, disco, grime und hip hop fügen sich hier konsistent ineinander, über die eigenen grenzen hinweg

beautiful piano melodies, ballads drawing their inspiration from jazz, classical music and cinematic imagery, hummed choruses, a mood at the crossroad of nostalgia and reverie, instruments with uncanny timbre and charm, chiseled percussions, added to a subtle electronic production, this is the recipe for tout va bien, the second solo album by french composer ezechiel pailhes.

after a flurry of releases over the past 4 years for the likes of deep medi, zam zam sounds, danse noir, and most recently for discrepant with his acclaimed long-form abstraction ghost tapes, el mahdy jr. returns to boomarm nation for an anticipated follow up to his internationally praised and sought-after 2013 debut lp the spirit of fucked up places.

the cold busted label unearths more funky nuggets from the fertile russian soil with this brilliant 7“ single from moscow’s anatoly ice. dj, producer, and host of the funk and beyond parties and radio show (running for nearly ten years), anatoly ice has been drawn to the swing of a phat beat for a long while. this single bursts with old school funk and new school attitude, beginning with ”something happened (2me)“. a vintage drum kit and melodic horns are joined by a big hip hop rhythm as the vocals and horn section are expertly cut up and rearranged. the song’s catchy hook – also the title – is left nearly intact and should playfully dance around any b-boy’s head as he does his thing. flip the record for ”light”, which exhibits a strutting breakbeat and some g-funk sauce in its prominent synth line. funky piano, guitar, and bass provide the backdrop, soundtracking a midnight cruise through the bad (as in good) part of town. hold tight … anatoly ice is at the wheel.

reissue of the 1992 nirvana album on heavyweight 180 gram double vinyl, cut at 45rpm, housed in a gatefold sleeve. recompiled and remastered from the original analog master tape and recording sources by bernie grundman at bernie grundman mastering studios.

the 12 greatest tracks from dream dance volume 1 - 4 on double vinyl, housed in a gatefold sleeve.

office vol. 10 ! versatility has got to be iron curtis second name. there are only few other producers on the electronic scene who are able to display such a variety of musical facets as this talented man from berlin. with his maple ep he underlines his reputation of an artist with many faces as his new release is quite a box of surprises: rarley have we heard iron curtis in such a dubby mood.
beginning with the straight and bass centered title track maple iron curtis moves on to the almost beatless and moody collision and the chord driven dub house of entago entery and finishes the ep with the delicate, ambient encore reset me on b2. with its impressive display of variety this record is a celebration of reduced, understated dub techno performed with a distinct musical flair and a clear artistic vision which perfectly fits label owner baaz direction of his office imprint so far. what s surprising is how effortless and natural iron curtis appearance on his long-time friend s record label feels. in such good shape his maple ep is a definitve tip for the lovers of sophisticated and detailed dub techno full of suspense.

long time minus artist jon gaiser is back with his fourth studio album on richie hawtin’s influential techno label, simply entitled ‘iii’. the first signals from the album are sent with march single ‘on the way.’ it is a funky track with wriggling synths executed in undeniable gaiser fashion. textured hi hats and loopy bass all work on sucking you into the colorful and trippy groove. add into the package a typical big remix from sci+tec boss and techno megastar dubfire and you have one of the most essential releases of 2017.

lessismore record label, founded in 2003 by the dutch dj and producer alexis tyrel together with mbc, has been home for mostly his own releases under all his monikers and various artist compilations. “return to planet alpha” continues in this tradition, being a second long-player of alexis tyrel after his debut “newtradition” from 2011.
“return to planet alpha” is a collection of elegant techno tracks which instead of following the now so popular dark and destructive path focuses on daily moods and airy atmosphere, which is closer to open air and lounge than to sweaty pits of contemporary rave. but that doesn’t mean that the twelve tracks are just indistinctive background music. for one thing, tyrel is a master of slick and tight beat foundations of kick drums and bass, often smoothed out with cool synth pads, onto which he layers all kinds of rhythmical chains, subtle melodic ideas and sounds ranging from vintage synths and industrial bits to organic textures and even field recordings.

sweet soul und funky grooves von baltimores frankie & the spindles aus den jahren 1968-1977 mit produktionen von george kerr und bunny sigler, die ursprünglich nur als heutzutage schwer zu findende 7” singles veröffentlicht wurden, erscheinen nun erstmalig auf lp.

dance fiction is a little bit more than just a various artists ep. anaxander, quell, kresy and klaaar team up for a truly house music records. this house music record, made for the floor, is the result of the friendship between the art feast crüe and artists that have played at our endless parties in our beloved city of lyon. long nights, eating some of the finest local food, dancing, drinking, and having a good time together. this is what we call dance fiction, a simple story of friendship and love of dance music

toby tobias can be found in the shadows of south london. this is his first offering for the esp institute. on side a, gravitator evolves slowly over ten minutes from a somber intro of supernatural sighs, pulsing machine feedback and techno squelches into an ethereal landscape peppered with dissonant fragments of synth. with side b’s right turn to nowhere , toby stretches out even further, flexing a tasteful programming of the 808 while taking the long road to a reverb-drenched crescendo of distortions and expansive string swells. after a prolific output of material for other quality labels around the world, toby tobias has undoubtedly re-focused his point-of-view upon his induction to the esp institute. these two songs will have you locking up your children at night.

the underground anthems just keep on coming from seth troxler’s play it say itlabel. next up is assured party starter and snatch! label boss, riva starr. this italian hit maker has long been delivering off-kilter and playful underground house tunes. he does so on his own label as well as cajual and hot creations, always injecting them with plenty of colour and charm, which help them stand out in any set. these latest two offerings are no different, and are sure to blow up dance floors all over the world. first up is the arresting title track, ‘another dimension’, a skewed and sideways house cut with booming bass, bumpy drums and quirky trumpets going off in all directions. it’s a grinding groove that will drill to the heart of any ‘floor and really set it alight. then comes ‘another race’, a much deeper and more direct tune for heads down dancing. it has surging kicks and synths, slinky percussion and an irresistible sense of forward motion that will sweep up all those who hear it. clever filters bring real tension, teasing out plenty of pressure and ensure this one is another modern classic in the making. these are two powerful tracks from riva starr that are sure to make a real impact this spring and mark another standout release from seth troxler’s ever impressive play it say it.

discographies in dance music don’t come much more impressive than that belonging to paul woolford, the man behind seminal releases for the likes of planet e, xl recordings and running back. special request is the project that sees him continuing to defy expectation with a new ep on the fabric-run label houndstooth. stairfoot lane bunker encapsulates this approach with 5 bold new excursions into the outer limits followed by a remix from minor science (known for his previous releases on whities and the trilogy tapes) the eagle-eyed will notice 5 of these tracks appear on fabriclive 91. this ep is issued as an addendum. redrum is the fierce opener. rampantly-edited electro beats, a sampled speak-n-spell vocal, and a pure sci-fi breakdown sets the scene for the rest. stairfoot lane bunker and replicant are jungle tracks taken to dizzying extremes - the former building from widescreen atmospherics, thunder spells and lightning before descending into a frenzy of breakbeats and long heavy bass notes. replicant ratchets the pressure up further with hyper-edits across it s breakbeat introduction and throughout, punctuated by furnace-rattling subs. telepathic dog and five lane ends are highly evocative ambient pieces, pushing into the uncanny realms of metaphysical music. to end the release minor science comes through with his remix of stairfoot lane bunker, effortlessly blending in his own work with the disjointed sr breakbeats, flashing only snippets of the serrated bars, chopping them up and creating a new track in the process.

in november last year, undo released “disconnect”, his third album. a charming long-player that has won very good feedbacks and reviews. now it’s time to unveil the first ep with remixes from the album. a great and variate package including reworks from friends and artists he admires as mexican iñigo vontier, russian dimitri veimar and belgium cabaret nocturne. there’s also a new mix by undo himself.

up next on good company records is tourist kid s under armour suite , a power ambient head cleaner in four parts, built for the club, and best enjoyed at high volume. originally recorded in a sweltering bedroom in hawaii, the a-side pits rolling virtual piano against heavyweight clouds of crisp dsp that jitter and jostle at 125 bpm for this, local audio/visual artist rory glacken s first vinyl release. on the flip, the suite is reworked by basic mind, one half of gcr alumni long body, who lures a blowfly house stomper from the original s minimal, digital dusk. packaged in a disarmingly plain black sleeve !

hailing from the ruhr area in germany, the homewreckers have a long history to look back on. numerous projects have involved the three band members johannes ehmann, gregor pottmeier and krischan wesenberg in the past 20 years always meandering between the realms of jazz, blues, soul, house and techno. between the profound bags of djs and the shelves of audiophile heads. their unique sound spans from deep dancefloor oriented electronic music to film soundtracks that, amongst others, underlined the infamous productions of the artist harun farocki. confusion ep is an excerpt of their upcoming album machine kiss that sums up six years of research and work and melts the influence of more than 25 years of knowledge onto one record.

after the success of the double lp kepler 438 on be as one, the well known shlomi aber imprint , orbe is back with even more energy and strength with his new lp -interplant”. the emerging artist from madrid whose tracks are regularly supported by the likes of marcel dettmann, nina kraviz, maceo plex and john talabot, presents his new 3x12’’ long player featuring fifteen tracks. orbe’s early years in music were shaped by broken rhythms which is worked into the ‘internplant’ lp as he fuses futuristic and cosmic sounds as a nexus.a new step forward for his career and a sonic palette which he wants to focus on right now. hybrid sequences taking inspiration from andromeda/buchla lem3 spider synthesizers and sampling of old school breaks have helped to create compositions like “what happens with strangers”, “revival” “deejay drama” and “virtual environment” where orbe mixes classic and futuristic sounds to create something current and referencing his origins. other singles like “multi filament light” “closer people dreams” and “the old ideology” were written as visionary works without percussive elements. they include atemporal melodies which try to involve to the more exigent listener. “data nights” “thematic exploration” and “higher dimensions influences” show the artist’s darker and more techno focused inspirations. here we can find metallic industrial sounds fused with minimalist precision to create brooding tension. “unreal”, “interplant” and “subground dehumidification” lay focus purely on the dance floor, characterised as a dynamic peak time tool accompanied perfectly with harmonic and glitched out pads.

the cocoon recordings very own inhouse compilation series dots and pearls is back once again and takes us on a tour to the expected sounds of the upcoming spring season. frankfurt based christian burkhardt starts the selection of four exclusive and previously unreleased tracks. his -karambolage- breathes spring air and creates an early summer feeling par excellence. this tune will even turn gray and rainy april weather into bright sunlight. on spot with playful and positive harmonies and a very subtle 80 s synthie-pop flavour. this one here definitely makes us want more! next in line is argy, one of our most long standing cocoon recordings artists. his -how late it was, how late- has an undeniable 80s retro charm, too however it follows a completely different direction than burkhardts -karambolage-. this one refers strongly to an early 80s acid sound and reminds us of great productions such as -on and on- by jesse saunders. we cannot tell how far argy s reminiscences goes back but for the ones who know: -how late it was, how late- will bring you back to the great times of labels like rams horn and their rational youth s -dancing on the berlin- wall. brave and surprising at the same time and above all: -übercool-! with -baroon- by markus fix follows another acid track - however, this one has a far more epic flavour full of warm analogue strings and based on a hypnotic arrangement. fix -baroon- is defintely less retro than argys and burkhardts contributions - a deep tech house gem made for the first sunrises of the upcoming allnighter open airs. with -euphrasia- jim jules accelerates slightly but goes also deeper at the same time. his production follows the cinematic mood of markus fix but paints a darker picture. this one takes us on an intensive musical journey. deep, slightly gloomy and extremely hypnotic, -euphrasia- is almost captivating and bewitching and a perfect conclusion for this highly diversified fourtracker.

a tribute to andreas gehm (1972 - 2016), german producer, king of acid and inspiration to many including the artists in this compilation. all proceeds will go towards funding andreas gehm s post-mortem affairs, managed by his best friend, joe kurta. long live the king. vital sales points: tribute album to acid king, andreas gehm, who took his own life in 2016. andreas released one of his last few eps with midnight shift. all artists in this compilation have been influenced by and are deeply saddened by his passing. all proceeds will go towards funding andreas gehms post-mortem affairs, managed by his best friend joe kurta

julia holter eröffnet mit dem live-album -in the same room- eine reihe, der zu ehren domino ein neues sublabel ins leben gerufen hat. domino documents wird, in anlehnung an die legendären peel sessions der bbc, studio-aufnahmen seiner künstler veröffentlichen, die innerhalb eines tages, niemals mehr als zweier tage unter live-bedingungen in einem londoner weltklasse-studio aufgenommen werden. der erste offizielle documents release ist nach einem song von julia holters domino debüt -ekstatsis- benannt. diese neue, karriere umspannende sammlung ist das ergebnis aus zwei tagen arbeit, die julia holter nach ihrem auftritt beim letztjährigen green man festival mit band in den rak studios geleistet hat.
das 180 gramm doppelvinyl erscheint im klappcover, downloadcode inklusive.

no waves records 3rd vinyl release.
a side includes 2 tracks by israel artist dot:
“the way you feel” is a classic deep house track with a timeless signature.
“long shot” is a strong dance floor track with dubby marks and a solid groove.
on the b side following the first release of no waves, stephan bazbaz comes back & unleashes his long time favorite track - “806”. a beautiful deep dubby track with all the right elements.
b2 is a rework by the new york rising star nico who gives the original a perfect pump and a drifting break to make it unforgettable.

after remixes for mark broom on his label beard man, for s-file and ben long s record on decoy, we are proud to present the brand new single from turbo turbo. 2 excellent techno tunes that blow the dance floors all over the world away. the two german brothers bernd and manfred hit with their techno sound the current nerve of the club scene. we hope that you are as much excited as we are about this new release from turbo turbo. pick up you favorite track and play them loud!

repress in white cardboard sleeve.
claremont 56 has always had close links with japan’s vibrant music scene, with founder paul ‘mudd’ murphy making annual trips for djing and live performances. it’s perhaps unsurprising, then, that the label’s latest limited-edition vinyl release comes from japanese outfit okinawa delays, a project founded by producer, dj and long-time friend of the label takeo.
some of you may already be familiar with okinawa delays thanks to 2016’s hana, a cover of a popular 1995 j-pop hit featuring original vocalist satoko ishimine. the singer is a well-known performer in her native japan, having released a number of acclaimed records on toshiba emi throughout the 1990s.

magic and mind blowing 4 tracker. first single ep by johannes heil since a long time. >by night< is a classic statement of a true mastermind and techno pioneer and a homage to of what we all living for: energy, light, power, hope, peace and love. be aware of this release. outstanding coverprint, shrinked and dj friendly 140g pressing. mastering and cut by cgb at dubplates and mastering.

bartellow has long been associated with the esp institute though tambien, a trio formed alongside bavarian cohorts marvin and valentino, who have released seminal dancefloor material over recent years. with his debut album panokorama, we are invited into a completely different world of bartellow s creation a place where influences become a melting pot of mood, nuance and texture, and where instrumentation is abstracted from a variety of cultures, including those that exist solely within his imagination. bartellow has found a way to merge primitivism with retrofuturism, identifying their point of intersection and reveling in their union across ten songs. while his academic background as a jazz musician certainly informs both his progressive approach to composition and non-linear production, it is his obsession with electronics and synthesis that shape his current musical climate. the title panokorama stems from bartellows visualization of the album, a surreal landscape with a foreign presence centrally embedded, a panorama punctuated by a ko, although a hybrid word that reads as nonsense, it somehow feels and sounds just right.

after their amazing ep on brüksel jardin -savana- dka and jon mosto delivers even more great music this time as a debut release for scatcity. the catalogue contains one original track and 2 remixes by nandu and skatman. each one of the three tracks has a different vibe and style to it. the original track is a housey/clubby track with sensual french vocals from elenita, deep bass and minimalistic drums whereas the remixes are two completely different interpretations of the vocals, the nandu version is filled with organic drums, killer baseline, and jungley sounds, whereas the skatman reconstruction, took the vocals into more emotional side with long pads and a melodic arp. vinyl only release!

deep breath records strikes again with it s fourth release. this time the music comes from the spanish duo 11.off. the ep also comes with two big remixes from djf (prayers for the long life, ahd) and bandada (illegal alien, phase insane, spark musik, true type tracks). this ep is a mix of techno and tech-house with deep touches which makes it all vey complete.

supply records proudly presents waynette’s stunning debut album, “eraser on the dancefloor”. a heidelberg native living in berlin for the past few years, the dj, producer and vocalist has landed with her first ever release of any kind. supply could not be more honored to present her fresh, raw and distinctly personal take on underground dance music to the world. these seven tracks effortlessly span a range of techno, house and electro moods, interspersed with waynette’s unique vocals. from meditative rhythms to jagged electronics, a bold new voice has arrived, a multifaceted and hugely creative artist, and one to keep your eyes on for years to come.
the album was long in development, assembled from a wealth of productions, with new intriguing ones constantly arriving at the label’s doorstep. with a cache of material to carefully pour over, the final track list was decided upon an at a in person meeting in berlin between label heads and artist, the perfect musical harmony achieved. a landmark release for a label mostly focused on twelve inches so far, this is supply’s second ever lp, after rene&#769,,, audiard’s well-received “pechorin” lp in 2012 . “eraser on the dancefloor” is a fearless album, and it arrives in striking artwork by mikala hyldig dal, who also directed the video for “gentle.”

based in california, banana stand sound has been wrecking expectations and setting forth new musical streams consistently for two years now. its discography is a diverse display of tribal stompers, melodic groove spectacles and everything in between, which excites the labels unarguably exquisite taste. over the years theyve gained steady advocacy from institutions such as fatkidonfire and trusik among others, as well as by a long list of highly esteemed djs and producers from the likes of j:kenzo, benga, compa, skream and joe nice.

after contributing a smashing remix to the first release on blank, uk producer kalyde is coming back to the emerging german imprint with a fantastic ep of his own. growing up in detroit, he never got involved with electronic music until he went to university in bristol, where he honed his production and dj skills before resettling in london. not long after that crucial step, an impressive string of releases followed on great labels like skint, madtech, avotre and roush. kalyde has rapidly advanced to be one of the most exciting new talents in the uk s modern house & techno scene, and also has become a sure shot on dj sets of big players from the likes of annie mac, loco dice, eats everything and many more

...vol. 5

this release journeys to mid-80s argentina and the highly sought after 2nd solo album of carlos cutaia. inspired by the new electronic sounds emanating from europe, this multi instrumentalist offers more than a pastiche, embedding his own melancholy in a unique and classic nueva wave-album. classically trained, carlos cutaia started as a composer for dance and theatre, before spending much of the 1970s as a member of a number heavy rock, prog rock and rock-fusion bands of some note, before finally going solo with the city of distant tones album in 1983. however, by the time of his 2nd solo album in 1985, as his country finally left behind a long period of military control and enjoyed greater freedoms, carlos was fully immersed in the new electronic pop sounds imported with hungry ears from europe. teaming up with fellow composer, keyboardist and producer, daniel melero and alejandro oucinde, the futurism of kraftwerk and gary numan s tubeway army was embraced, but also adapted to fit their native land, just as it was understand a new modernity. starting with the swagger of visiones incomunicadas, the template is set. sharp drum machines, semi-nonchalant, half spoken vocals set the scene, while chopped guitar and smart synth lines fit the over riding feeling of an intelligent nonchalance. things however, do go beyond the straightjacket of euro-pop as heard on the anthemic programacion and avant twist of the first of two piano-ambient pieces aproximacion dos and its companion piece uno found on the b side). eric satie and minimalism are clearly not far away. however, it is side b opener sensacion melancolica that captures the sound to perfection. a balearic masterpiece, capturing in it s title the over-riding atmospheric of a unexplained sadness, a loss. operativo and the poem humanos de america bring things to an end of a feeling melancolica.

presenting fapte002 - anamorph - subconstient ep (white 180g, vinyl only - limited)
originally from tunisia, anamorph is one of those great explorers who travel the world in search of new influences, finding inspiration in romania after a few years of living in bucharest, he presents fapte with 2 original tracks to match the identity of the label:
side a of this white vinyl consists of one original mix - sub constienta - with an uplifting baseline, with industrial background textures complete with mesmerizing synths that make your body vibrate to the groove.
on side b, swing altfel is a track that tells the story differently, taking the listener on a long journey thru the sound. just like the exquisite painting of painter leonid afremov, the track it self has many sounds combining one on top of the other in a progressive release of the right amount of joyful vibe, with passages and percussions mixed with tweaked vocals, giving this track the perfect rithm.

skober is one of the hottest talents coming from in eastern europe and makes his debut release on funk n deep black. this monster release titled phoenix rose is filled with deep vibes, beautiful melodies, amazing vocals and addictive grooves to keep you on the dance floor all night long. also included in this huge release are 3 top quality remixes from spektre, frankyeffe, and balthazar & jackrock, making it a perfect addition to the techno enthusiast s library. dj support: alan fitzpatrick, joseph capriati, luigi madonna, umek, spartaque, markantonio

the untold stories label continues in cosmic vibe with their pro series single entitled spok, by franco cinelli. the bside features a remix by fellow argentine and emerging talent nektar agu. the two artists first collaborated earlier in the year with franco cinelli doing a remix of nektar agu s track rainy days, which received support from ricardo villalobos. now continuing in fine form nektar agu returns the favour with a superb remix of franco s 14 minute atmospheric dance floor filler, developing it joyously, with intricate percussion and an altogether enlivening mood filled with maasai voices which gives the remix a very different and earthly tribal spin in comparison to the more cosmic aura of the original spok. live long and prosper!

more stories from lonely planets rec. on the long awaited debut ep of star traveller sinan alakus. solid 12” diameter taking you on a cosmic waveform expedition with clean spacious orbits inspired by past, present an future. warping through techno jams and time bending house grooves to atmospheric ambient and kepler electro cuts. five ethereal voyages to make that interstellar medium travel less lonesome.

omar has a totally unique, individual style and sound still marks him out as a future thinking and utterly unrivaled artist, who has collaborated with so many legendary names that it would be foolish to deny his worldwide reputation - who would dare contradict the likes of stevie wonder, erykah badu, carleen anderson, angie stone, common and fellow fans and followers like maxwell and jarrod lawson?
following on from 2013’s album the man, 2016 sees his new long player further cement this undeniable reputation. love in beats is omars 8th studio album of his long, illustrious career and may just be the most eclectic & varied to date. somewhat more electronic in it’s conception and sound than it’s predecessor, love in beats incorporates soul, caribbean rhythms, an undercurrent of funk, with touches of zouk, a jazzy waltz, spoken word and also features collaborations with us soul legend leon ware, blue note pianist robert glasper, grime mc ty, guadeloupe born singer jean-michele rotin, and uk soultress natasha watts, the floacist and mayra andrade, the cape verdean born singer who lives and records in paris.
co produced by scratch professer, omars grammy winning brother, this collection should create excitement worldwide, the sounds are varied - but all have omars’ unique fingerprint on them, style and substance beautifully merged!

super rare (pretty much unknown) mid tempo vocal modern soul / disco floater with a great sweet soul flip. i have been looking for this one for a long while, its got that outsider soul lo-fi vibe that i love. remember and always check the flip, the ballad goes double time near the end and is one for the more sophisticated dance-floors

if you’re setting out on an epic voyage to the electronic disco universe, it pays to recruit an experienced pilot. when it comes to intergalactic musical fusion, few are quite as experienced as cosmic disco pioneer and noted dancefloor explorer daniele baldelli. produced alongside friend and regular studio partner dario piana, zero gravity cannily updates baldelli’s early ‘80s cosmic disco blueprint for the 21st century. we think that the ep contains some of his strongest music to date, with each of the three cuts offering subtle nods to the italian maestro’s original cosmic club ethos. a-side “infinity machine” expertly combines many of baldelli’s greatest musical inspirations into one mind-bending late night workout. underpinned by a druggy, arpeggio style bassline, the track rises and falls through waves of funk-rock guitars, crunchy clavinet lines and intertwined synthesizer solos. throw in jammed-out electric pianos, and you have a near perfect fusion of cosmic disco and blazed funk-rock. the producer’s long-held love of african rhythms surfaces on “if you drive”, where bold acid bass, ricocheting percussion hits and weightless chords combine beautifully with starry melody lines and vintage analogue synthesizer motifs. it’s afro-cosmic for the nu-disco generation. a fine ep is completed by “air lock”, in which baldelli and piana pepper a rubbery, electrofunk-influenced groove with cascading synthesizer melodies, swirling pads and a swathe of fuzzy, eyes-closed guitar solos. it’s bold and assertive, but also as otherworldly and stratospheric as you’d expect from a pioneer at the peak of his powers.

hercules & love affair return to the fray with “controller”, a pulsing, propulsive new song that signals the first salvo from their long-awaited new album. featuring the horrors’ faris badwan on vocals, it takes the hercules’ disco-house heritage and fuses it with starker post-punk stylings. a taster both sonically and aesthetically of the new album, controller connects new wave, post-punk and 80s electro within the clubland realm of hercules & love affair. also featured is tuff city kids italo-disco inspired remix, and mike simonetto homage to early 90’s west coast break-beat house, and then there is the superb dub of the original….what a package! hearing the the horrors’ live version of frankie knuckles & jamie principle’s ‘your love’, andy realised he’d found a rock artist willing to engage with dance culture s history. with its underbelly of seamy ‘80s electro-pop yet recalling early house records by the likes of lil louis and bam bam, “controller”’s sub-dom, master-and-servant roleplay in the lyrics work perfectly with faris vocals delivery creating something truly quiet special

label heads and long time partners kreon and lemos return to equivalence with avatone an emotive excursion to the early days of electronica, filled with warm strings and electric bass in a break trip reminiscent to the sound of detroit and late 90s uk breaks

a bona-fide nigerian prince and probably the only musician to have ever played with fela kuti, miles davis and bob marley, eji oyewole combined african highlife with western jazz to create a hybrid so that was as smooth as it was funky. his first album, charity begins at home was an angry tirade against corruption in nigeria. me & you is his ‘relationship’ album, a brighter and happier set of songs that sees eji all loved up, presumably with the mysterious ‘cameleon’ featured on the cover. eji’s flute is no longer a strident voice raised in anger. instead, on ‘me & you’ and ‘i’m a dancer’ it is a playful line of seduction. on the wonky and woozy ‘eniafelamo’ his sax is a post-coital salutation. even the one political track, ‘long live nigeria’, is a loved up call for peace, progress and trust. chilled, assured and dexterious, me & you is a sophisticated showcase of eji oyewole’s chops. ‘this is the beginning of an atomic musical evolution,’ he declares on the cover. ‘brothers and sisters, stay cool.’
(peter moore)

kiki gyan’s star didn’t burn long, but it burned bright. drafted into the afro funk super group, osibisa, at 15, he was millionaire by 18 and regarded as one of the best keyboardists in the world by 21. ‘life was good, man,’ he told journalist kweku sakyi-addo. ‘too good!’. in 1983 he dived head first into the new york party scene. he took a lot of drugs, spent a lot of time in clubs and got together a team of crack local musicians to record feelin’ alright, his third and final solo album. all the kiki gyan trademark elements are present and correct. the album is unique a blend of highlife music with electronic funk and disco. ‘rosemary’ follows the formula most closely and was a hit across nigeria and ghana. but on ‘give it to me’, ‘love to love you’ and the title track, you’ll hear a slicker, boogie-influenced sound that has made feelin’ alright one of his most sought-after albums. kiki gyan would never hit such heights again. his addictions eventually took hold and he died aged 47, destitute and alone. feelin’ alright remains one of the brightest stars in his extraordinary constellation.
(peter moore)

name in lights have been organising parties, djing, producing music and running their own label feed for a long time. fact is - they are kind of royalty back in stockholm. after releasing records on under the shade, free association, let s play house, as well as getting remixed by dr dunks and axel boman it s now time to present two tracks on omena. believe it or not but the ties between omena and name in lights go way back. all inclusive is that type or track you would either start or end the night with while post mortem sounds like dj koze and isolee would have a baby together. on this release there are two remixes which completely flip the originals. underground hero samo dj is a force to be reckoned with. with recent releases on the trilogy tapes, public possession and an album on snaker together with maxxxbass he found time to work all inclusive into something completely new. watch out for the end. finally label boss tooli delivers a remix filled with as much rhodes and conga as your heart desires.

tuamie returns to street corner music with holy ghost spirituals, the third release in scm’s gospel flip series. following jake one and ras_g’s collections, tuamie chops and flips his sanctified selections into raw beats. a no brainer for a tuamie fans, this will not be around long.

aelfric michael avery has been a self-reliant artist for a long time. the canadian producer has been exploring underground acid and rough, homemade techno since releasing his first material as avery monarch back in 1994. however it wasn’t until more than ten years later that his music would surface again on his own napalm enema label. napalm enema has also carried work by the likes of faltydl, paul blackford and mrs jynx. avery has released just as much music under his acid elf guise, most notably appearing alongside +10 acid crew (jodey kendrick) for the sought-after bruvs acid ep, and now the alias makes a welcome return to vinyl with four essential tracks from the archives. there’s a subdued, hypnotic and delirious quality to the productions on this ep for arma, ranging from the uneasy delay pulses of fetus to the metallic clamour of urban wasteland, but most importantly they’re all injected with a distinctive personality that stands apart from the 303-tweaking masses.