two of the most respected house music producers on the planet join forces to create the cosmic disco joint monsters disco revenge. monsters disco revenge is a limited edition hand stamped disco release from gu aka glenn underground & boo williams. includes a dub & instrumental mix!

cape town duo christian tiger school provide the 3rd part of the lissoms series. both graduates of the red bull music academy and part of the sónar line-up this summer - they’ve previously posted an lp for the mighty tommy boy & remixes for subpop, and had their work remixed by luminaries like mndsgn.
“if you want to” embodies their sound and the fervent cape town beats scene aptly - esoteric uk influences sit amongst ambient soundscapes and a cracked breakbeat, pinned on a looped bassline - growing in intensity but using the most subtle of touches.
gacha bakradze’s version posits the track somewhere between slow-burning disco and krautrock, framing the character of the original with loose jams on his array of studio gear.
finally, edmondson’s version is a minimal, 2-steppy take honed by the berlin sounds which have pricked his ears for the last couple of years.

the legendary wu-tang clan is among the most successful and influential groups in hip-hop history. as one of the nine original members, masta killa has been an important part of the wu-tang legacy since the groups debut in 1993. hes contributed verses to countless wu classics (glaciers of ice, winter warz, triumph, duel of the iron mic, wu banga 101), released three critically acclaimed solo albums, and always remained true to the core clan aesthetic: razor-sharp wisdom over dusty, soulful production. now, masta killa is back with a brand new album, loyalty is royalty. the highly-anticipated project boasts an impressive list of guest appearances, including method man, redman, kxng crooked, sean price, rza, gza, prodigy, inspectah deck, cappadonna, and more. as fate would have it, two of those mcs have since passed away, making their contributions particularly special. all praises due to the memories of sean price and prodigy of mobb deep, says mk. two hip hop legends. with production handled by the likes of 9th wonder, illmind, p.f. cuttin, rza, true master, and dame grease, loyalty is royalty delivers the kind of classic hip hop experience fans have come to expect from masta killa.

get physical is proud to announce the release of the first ever album from chicago house luminary dj pierre. entitled wild pitch: the story, it collects originals and remixes old and new, and stands as a testament to the unique skill of one of dance musics most important figures. famously, dj pierre as good as invented the squelch of acid house when playing with his roland tr-303 drum machine as part of phuture back in the late eighties. from there he went on to clock up more than 200 credits under aliases like doomsday, prime one, raving lunatics, ac!d face, dj pierres afro acid project and many more. he also became famous for the wild pitch mixes and alias that lend this album its name: they were characterised by long intros, layer upon layer of strings, repetitive vocal samples, and filtered hypnotic sounds on hard beats. working with labels like strictly rhythm, trax, king street, nite grooves, international deejay gigolo and more recently get physical, pierre has contributed hugely to the global evolution of house music for thirty years plus. this is a timely reminder of that and one that is jam packed with essential tunes that, old or new, still sound impossibly fresh. included is a cover version of donna summers classic and pioneering disco cut ‘i feel love. it is a 9 minute masterpiece of loose drums, wild acid lines and synthesised squelches that build and build before the vocal arrives and carries you away to the stars

contemporary producer e. myers has self released four limited edition white label 12?s since 2015, whilst managing to remain low profile. whoever they are, we guess they?re huge fans of late 1980s chicago house, shep pettibone, colourbox and most of our reissues. so much that they asked us to re-release their second 12? ?hate / love? from 2016 backed with new remix of ?hate? made for dark entries. ?love? kicks off the a-side ?beats out a wood-cut tattoo of tuff drums rubbed with balloon-squeak synths to sound like gesloten cirkel meets helena hauff,? said boomkat. ?hate? is a dreamy house number that ultilzes a roland tr-707 drum machine with a rounded bassline, horns and strings that lift it into the stratosphere. for the new remix of ?hate? myers subtly shifts the pace and deepens the groove, stretching out the song to over 7 minutes of dubbed out new beat phantasia. all songs have been remastered for vinyl by george horn at fantasy studios in berkeley. the 12? is housed in a die cut disco jacket that features an original design by eloise leigh.

the mighty one-man-band with the most notoriously misspelled airport pick-up signs in music history returns to his beloved hometown imprint musique risquée with a scorching three-track can of shake-ass. guillaume & the coutu dumonts is never one to shy away from fresh contrasts in his works, and we have no exceptions here - all manner of dark-to-light, flacid-to-hard, and identifiable-to-wtf? moments, sounds, and vibes abound. lead-off piece histories vraies brilliantly soundtracks the inevitable future moment when a season-premiere costumed viewing party for game of thrones unknowingly gets their punch spiked with moon rocks and teleported right to the middle of panoramabar at peak time. a2 jam far is the field counterattacks with the next level fusion of sun ra arkestra-esque transmissions wrapped around a humpty dance-on-steroids bassline, twisting and shifting away from the hands on the clock with beautiful ease - i am music.. indeed. finally, b-side long-burner whatevers inside rocks a sultry belly dancers theme song at an fm and modular synth bazaar on uranus, with g & the cds patented sharp percussion fills ensuring that the resulting melted faces and hearts will still be set in motion by the all-important collective flexing of the gluteus maximus.

last seen baring his musical soul on maceo plexs ellum, innovative valencian artist fiberroot now makes his debut on correspondant. making himself known with three soul surging originals fiberroots spell-binding aesthetic and diverse palette complements jennifer cardinis label perfectly as it taps deep into most rudimental electronic foundations. suddenly sets the agenda: teaming up with og maestro dino lenny, the title tracks hits with authentic blasts of italo romance and rich analog craft. echo silent follows suit with more of a droning, loopy, wall-of-sound surge of introspective hypnosis while looking from the outside hits with more a clash-style feeling thanks to its loose drums and sweaty throbbing electro bassline. remix-wise glasgows mr tc goes nordic with his mystic refix of echo silent while jonathan kusuma takes suddenly to deeper, darker, driving places. three arresting originals, two immaculate versions suddenly is a landmark release for this exciting enigmatic man. we suspect hell be corresponding with us again very soon

hugh ‘redman’ james is one of the greatest jamaican music producers of the late 1980s. raised in a musical household in the west kingston slum of hannah town, with his mother a sound system selector, redman gained his initial schooling in the music business from none other than king tubby, the legendary sound system owner and dub mixer that was responsible for voicing and mixing some of the greatest reggae of all time. after being immersed in sound system culture during his youth in the 1960s and 70s, redman began sitting in on sessions at king tubby’s studio, but migrated to hartford, connecticut in 1978 in search of steady employment. returning to jamaica a few years later, he established a popular sound system in kingston and began producing music with king tubby’s assistance in 1985, working with the roots radics during a time of great uncertainty in jamaican music, as the new dancehall style came to prominence, early work featured gregory isaacs, sugar minott and frankie paul, as well as rising stars such as little john and horace martin. then, following the computerisation of dancehall, redman began producing some of the most popular music of the day, crafting durable and complex rhythms with a broad team of players that included steely and clevie, augmented by members of the browne bunch and other players. redman helped establish a number of total unknowns in this era, including carl meeks, dave bailey and wayne palmer, and became a serious contender for king jammy’s crown. but the producer was ultimately frustrated by the dramatic changes to sweep jamaican music in the early 1990s, and subsequently retreated from the music industry redman international dancehall 1985-1989 compiles the best work from his glory days, with half of the twelve vocal tracks coming complete with corresponding dub versions.

the superb forbidden planet is a shiny early electro cut with a great funk bass line, a real instrumental groove and fantastic melodies that shimmer like a hot sun. it s filled with joy and sounds as fresh today as ever, the way it ducks and dives and offers real warmth. the francisco remix keeps the funk vibe but changes the groove to be a more chicago house style cut. as such it has a rasping bassline, big drums and coarse percussion that make you want to jack. the masterful ali renault—a go-to disco and synth specialist who runs cyber dance records, human shield record company and most recently his own vivod imprint—then turns out a hypnotic version that is more driven and direct for the dance floor, with robotic bass and epic reflective synth lines. it s a cinematic track with great analogue textures that goes back to the future. the last original is the excellent stay with me , a cosmic love song with breezy trumpets and dreamy disco vibes as well as soulful vocals. italo melodies and infectious percussion finish it off and make it an instant crowd pleaser.

new project and new label from the creators of the fantastic 808 box, fundamental records. there are many details that make this project something really unique. these records will become classics if they are not already!. the music of every record is very special, also the artwork and the technic use to print each sleeve, but the concept behind this project something you need to understand, as you can read in the website everything is based in two factors: first, to provide the artist with complete anonymity in order to create in absolute freedom. second, to offer the listener the work of the artist without any external distortions. the use of words to describe or define music is a senseless task. most of the time the intention of descriptive text is not to shed light on the work of the artist, but rather to serve as a promotional tool to drive sales and increase recognition. this often has the unfortunate result of limiting the creator and his work. music is all we need, any other additives are completely dispensable.

as one of the first dutch musicians to establish a vital connection between detroit and amsterdam, orlando voorn has long been recognized as one of the netherland’s most original and inventive producers in the world of electronic dance music. voorn began djing at the tender age of 12 and went on to win the dutch dmc dj championships in 1986 with his own characteristic blend of hiphop and electro. towards the end of the eighties he acquired his first sequencer, packed away his turntables and turned his hand to producing.

a tripped-out batch of hard jamming tracks from ex-mutante rita lee – recorded with assistance from all the members of the group at the time, but in a mode that’s quite different overall! lee is clearly the star of the show here – singing all lyrics with a much fiercer vocal approach than on her earlier solo album – pushing things hard to keep up with the jamming keyboards of arnaldo baptista and guitar of sergio dias – both of whom are working with the energy that would show up in the mutantes styles in the years after lee departed. one of the most compelling aspects of the record is the structure of the tunes – less conventionally rockish overall than the direction os mutantes were moving towards – and still with that strong dramatic flair that lee always provided when in the group. titles include -vamos tratar da saude-, -amor branco e preto-, -superficie do planeta-, -teimoisia-, -tapupukitipa-, -beija me amor-, and -frique como-.

a landmark album from late 60s brazil! this is the first – and the wildest – album by this legendary group that was one of the founding forces of the tropicalia movement – a brilliant musical statement that easily ranks with some of the most groundbreaking late 60s american work by the velvet underground, captain beefheart, or the stooges! the music is a wonderful blend of 60s rock and early mpb – hard-driving with plenty of guitars, but also produced with beautifully baroque touches that echo through simultaneous albums by caetano veloso and gal costa – both of whose 1969 albums are strongly resonant with this one. in fact, caetano contributed a number of tracks to the album, including -panis et circenses-, -bat macumba-, -trem fantastma-, and his great -baby-, which is done fantastically here. great stuff all ’round!

180g brazilian polysom re-issue of the polydor original.
the second set of madness from the legendary os mutantes – and like the first, an album done in close collaboration with arranger/producer rogerio duprat, whose talents add a new level of genius to the record! the album’s got a compelling mix of styles that strikes out on the very first tune – a playful pastiche that’s partly postmodern, partly psychedelic, and still tremendously powerful decades later – even if you can’t understand most of the lyrics! styles are just about impossible to pin down, but that’s what makes the record so unique and essential – and if you ever needed one album to convince you of the mindblowing energy taking place during the tropicalia years, this one may well be it! a few tracks are written by tom ze, and titles include -dom quixote-, -dia 36-, -magica-, -rita lee-, -algo mais-, -qualquer bobagem-, and -fuga no ii-.

driving forces in thedown under underground music scene and australia s most respected producer duo, beautiful noise introduce a new record on glass ep on the resopal label. the two tracks on this ep provide minutely crafted and slowly-evolving extended club tunes as well as music for your house.

warehouse find ! mjazz presents rawtrachs is a 17-minute ride of beats, bass, noise and rawness. there is an obvious influence of jungle break beats and a f**k off attitude to formulaic music. the music represents freedom from the formula, freedom from restrictions, and most of all the freedom to connect with the universe via intuitive experiments with sounds. this release is limited to 30 cassettes – the cassettes are blue in a yellow case with a handcrafted cover – each of these covers are different (no two covers are the same). the cassette cases are then packaged up in an extra case which is hand sprayed with the mjazz seal of approval – super limited handcrafted packaging! this music is unapologetic and unadulterated – no watered down for the masses business!

vinyl only, white vinyl - supported by radio slave , slam , terence fixmer...
blumoog music label presents the new release, played by one of the most important detroit productors, who marked the minimal techno history: terrence dixon. two tracks, which take a big deal of electronic innovation and inspired by his unique style, will make the night people dance until the sunrise. italian veteran m.r.e.u.x is back again with two innovative tracks as well, which are composed by rare and experimental sounds with analog machines and are ready to be heard. magnificent ep of an extraordinary dj couple. monster track of quality and experience the musical concept is organized for mentality sought people, an approach to this sound out of the ordinary charts, where search for sonority make this ep single and dedicated to the iperclubbing population!!! low wrapping and atmosfere psychadeliche make this ep an precious object for techno electronic lovers! nothing is taken for granted, this is the difference!

donna steaks are the world s greatest tracks - and i mean that in every sense of the word. these tracks are, by far, the best sounding, most flavorful rave you ve ever had - truly in a league of their own. treat yourself to the very, very best life has to offer. one beat and you ll know exactly what i m talking about. believe me: i understand rave. it s my favorite sound. and donna steaks are the best.

p.o.s steps even further into genre-blurring territory with chill, dummy, his first official release with doomtree records since the release of his debut album ipecac neat. the album reflects on the past three years since a near-fatal kidney transplant sidelined him from making music and deals with the the difficulties of trying to maintain peace of mind and navigate through a confusing world, which is becoming increasingly more alienating. p.o.s’ production fingerprints are all over this one as he maneuvers through a wide range of sprawling beats contributed by himself, usual suspects lazerbeak and ryan olson, and newcomers cory grindberg and makr. several friends touch down along the way to offer up biting commentary and varying points of view (allan kingdom, astronautalis, kathleen hanna, justin vernon, open mike eagle, busdriver, and lady midnight, to name a few), but the album never suffers from an oversaturation of scattered voices, instead using everyone’s individual ethos and strengths to build a unifying call to arms. the result is p.o.s’ most bold, honest, and daring work to date, so chill, dummy.
blue marbled double vinyl in gatefold sleeve with fold-out poster.

its been almost two years to the day since we ve last heard from our dear friend & resident grodno beat-smith funkyjaws. his legendary string of releases on our label over the years have been some of the most revered music we ve ever released. that being said, a fresh new 10inch from the man himself was always a question of when, not if. well, here it is.

two of alkans most bombastic reworks over one disc. his scene-defining cut of justices breakthrough club hit waters of nazareth adds a subtle chicago drum edit to the originals notorious snarl, while the australian bands why wont you make up your mind? psych-rock is blasted through with euphoric electro energy.

buenos aires-based imprint unlock recordings release the fourth instalment of their collaborations series featuring cuts from ryan crosson, jonas kopp, guti from downstairs and more. the stripped back aesthetic of previous collaborations vinyl-only releases have garnered some heavyweight support from the likes of ricardo villalobos, sonja moonear, raresh and laurent garnier, to name a few. gonzalo solimano s label now returns once again, showcasing some of argentina s most exciting talent alongside other distinguished names from the scene - further establishing unlock recordings reputation for delivering high quality, jazz and dub-infused house and techno.

tokyo’s the most cutting edge electronic music label, moph records has started releasing vinyls! this very special first release features 4 tracks by shotaro hirata who is one of the founders of this label. a1 has dark synth sound and grooving beats with space synth sound expand your world. a2 has strong and complex beat hits hard in obscure atmosphere. b1 is minimal track with rolling baseline and sharp synth sound. b2 has effective beats with groovy track. you must hear this!

polysom brazil 180 gram vinyl lp repress import, released in 1969.
heady heady work from the legendary gal costa – caught here right at her early best, smack dab in the middle of the tropicalia years! the album’s one of gal’s legendary collaborations with arranger rogerio duprat – and it’s very much in the spirit of her other incredible session from 1969, but also features some even heavier and more tripped out guitar – in a way that really pushes the psychedelic aspect of the work! the sound here is really amazing – very fuzzy and freaky at times, in ways that make the album one of the most rocking sets of the entire tropicalia scene, but in ways that still hang onto the quirky experimental qualities of work by os mutantes or caetano veloso. gal’s vocals really rip out amazingly at times – light years away from the sweet sound of the late 70s, and more in the frenetic, urgent style you’d expect from the politically-charged scene that spawned the set. caetano veloso and gilberto gil join gal on a great version of -pais tropical-, jards macale guest stars on the classic -empty boat- – and other tracks include -tuareg-, -meu nome e gal-, -pulsars e quasars-, and -cultura e civilizaco-. essential!

like a message in a bottle, carried round by the ocean streams for decades, henrik rylander’s album “fran en obestamd plats i rummet” has floated around in the space of swedish underground music. hoga nord pulls the cork and unfolds the message that is a piece of music that was ahead of its time, sounding now 20 years after its first release in the late nineties. this album is a well-kept secret even for the most initiated music lovers in sweden! the music, influenced by flying saucer attack and other reverb/distortion drenched acts from the early nineties, harmonia and some of kraftwerks earlier works and minimalism, still sounds fresh!
rylander, a member of legendary acts such as union carbide productions and the skull defekts, has been pushing the envelope for electronic music, varying between ambient and noise. rylander’s solo works could be described as sophisticated music and “fran en obestamd plats i rummet” combines the sophisticated sides with his band oriented works that holds another kind of tension.
this record is the first release on the sub label hoga nord arkiv on which releases from the past, that hasn’t got as much attention they deserve gets re-released in an appropriate context.

audiophile re-mastering by ray staff at air mastering, lyndhurst hall, london. pressing on 180 gram vinyl.
the best r&b songwriter and soul singer that most people have never heard of, sam dees has written songs for countless artists, including gladys knight, aretha franklin, whitney houston, george benson, the temptations, teddy pendergrass, millie jackson, jackie wilson, the manhattans, regina belle, kc & the sunshine band, willie clayton, and many others. he’s also a pretty fine singer, having recorded for the chess, atlantic, polydor, and sss labels, and he had a nice string of his own hits in the 1970s.
his 1975 atlantic album “the show must go on” has long been regarded by southern soul aficionados as one of the best of the genre. sounding a bit like a deeper-voiced curtis mayfield (in both style and theme), dees sings with assurance, wisdom, passion, and a whole lot of soul here. songs like “child of the streets”, “troubled child”, & “what’s it gonna be”, share mayfield’s commitment to social commentary, and dees knows his way around a love song, too.

(180gr vinyl) for the second 12 of the series weve enlisted two of the most on-fire producers in germany: max graef and glenn astro, along with one of the uks brightest ascendant producers.

dalmata daniel continue with their inspired pairing of sonics and personalities on their seventh release (1st part of their split series) to date courtesy of dutch producer betonkust and budapest-based hardware techno fiend Új bála. as much as both differ in their geographical roots – holland and hungary, respectively, at first glance (or listen), their sound also ventures into different sonic territories. 1080p and pinkman-affiliate betonkust delivers vintage-tinged electronics – most prominently on his -ferenc s escape- – while Új bála digs deeper into the basement and unravels his analogue acid and badass beats. his -the piggy-bank deal- even touches upon oriental flavours. on the other hand, the music on this ep is buoyant and joyful, a welcome antidote to the gloom and doom that s not only been prevalent in the world around us, but also in too much music of the last few years.

180 gram double vinyl.
smartly blending hip hop with jazz & reggae & throwing in some classic r’n’b on the way, “the score” is an album that is political without being pretentious, commercially appealing minus the sell out. on “the score” the fugees stay true to themselves and deliver one of the most groundbreaking & influential hip hop albums of the nineties in the process.

phonica is proud to present the song for mr. lewis , a new record from austin ato! austin ato may be an unfamiliar name to most right now but you will have undoubtedly heard his music before. the man behind the mask colin bailey - has a decade of music production experience under his belt using aliases such as drums of death, frankie dreams and the slumberjack. following on from his recent 12inch on futureboogie, phonica white unveils the fantastic song for mr.lewis ep. when it comes to producing electronic music, colin proves to be a dab hand at a variety of styles. his work as austin ato updates the classic house sound utilising live instruments drums, percussion and keys alongside electronic elements. at the core of song for mr lewis is a moving speech from civil rights activist representative john lewis on gun control in the united states, a message that sadly remains just as important to this day. on the flip, the dub versions strips everything back to the drums, a raw counterpoint to the deeper original, perfect as a dj tool but a powerful bare-bones track in itself. finally, the blissful morning closes the ep in style, with colin laying keys over the top of a dubbed out drum machine and bass loop that could just keep going and going. oh yeah! artwork as always is supplied by the talented pedro carvalho de almeida.

setting out to make some happy music, sophie lloyd produced calling out in a dreary january as an antidote to the pervading doom and gloom of the news, summoning the power of the most joy-filled sound of all, gospel. this no-holds-barred anthem radiates all the live atmosphere of gospel worship in mid flow, with full instrumentation, keyboard breaks and understated kick drum pulling it all together. bringing in the uplifting voices of soul trio dames brown to re-record some old gospel samples was the icing on the cake, adding the last element of authenticity. a new member of the classic family, sophie lloyds impeccable knowledge of disco, soul and house shines through in this sparkling record, available on 7inch for the very first time.

to progress towards a civilization which does not unconsciously perpetuate or aggravate inequality and poverty, we need to accept our many differences. for those who prefer uniformity or others who would rather avoid proximity, the celebration of diversity might sound ridiculous. a certain measure of discomfort is required to reach compassion. but peace through diversity is no prophet’s fantasy. it is no harder to imagine than the magical fact that we are alive right now. the eternal act of dancing is one of the most active form of contemplation. facing our own selves in the mirror of movement, we realize that we indeed are reflections of one another at all times. what will our own actions and thoughts feed around us? with over 30 years of combined dancefloor experience, possible futures have been witnesses to the wildest fauna and flora the great nocturnal jungle has to offer. sourcing their inspiration from the many shades of color that co-exist between black and white, it is through the open and eclectic selections of inspired and devoted luminaries that possible futures have found their manyfold sound: frankie knuckles, larry heard, francois k, carl craig, moritz von oswald, dj harvey, theo parrish, chez damier, ron trent, dj deep or moodymann, amongst so many others, have dedicated their lives to the flourishing of diversity on the dancefloor. while the minds of possible futures float in the air with their bodies rotating behind the turntables, their feet are steadily rooted in reality, enabling their musical knowledge to unfold beyond the night. through their own record label, possible futures share their therapeutic musical blends. the first two cuts come from the grooves of argentine old hand leonel, a family friend of long date. “antares” and “bunda” drag their dusty trails across different genres, to be enjoyed at 45 rotations per minute. curative properties guaranteed.

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

7th storey projects is pleased to welcome back the myor massiv head honcho for his 3rd release on our label. earlier this year, coco bryce travelled to tokyo and osaka for a small series of gigs. thoroughly impressed by his experiences there, upon returning home, he immediately took to crafting a slew of jungle and hip hop tracks, heavily influenced by everything he d seen, heard, felt and tasted in the land of the rising sun. the ep kicks off with its title track, ayakashi. dark, fierce and mysterious like the mythical creatures it was named after, it builds up slowly, utilizing a combination of chopped up japanese percussion, haunting flutes and hot pants breaks, before switching to full on amen assault mode halfway through the tune. shinjuku is one of tokyos most well known wards, and also the place where coco found the records from which the samples were sourced to construct this number: a turntablism beat/scratch album, and a compilation of traditional work songs, this particular one originating from the gold mines of the island of hokkaido. on the b1 track, kaguya, he takes a more gentle approach: sweet, yet melancholic, like the miyazaki movie of the same name. the ep is rounded off with hotaru, which borrows from an entirely different source of inspiration, namely dj krush s abstract take on boom bap hip hop. shards of mid-90s mo wax are blended with anime samples, making for a solid two and a half minutes of golden era-esque head nodding.

one of the worlds most revered drum & bass outfits spectrasoul return with their third studio album how we live, self-released on their burgeoning ish chat music imprint. turning back to their roots for a more hardened, underground sound, how we live pushes through the full spectrum of d&b showcasing once more that trademark spectrasoul sheen and musicality that has won them legions of fans across the globe over the past 10 years.

russian producer nocow debuts on rekids with five murky tracks this december. based in st. petersburg, nocow is undoubtedly one of russian electronic musics most remarkable protagonists having released on clone, figure, fauxpas musik, gost zvuk and styrax. recognised for maintaining consistency whilst traversing various sub-genres, nocow is as comfortable producing intricate idm and robust techno as he is calm ambient and melancholic electronica. in soul connection a spoken word vocal mutters over metallic percussion and ominous stabs whilst a dense pad washes over everything. an undulating synth and ethereal effects make up disappear before moving onto syncopated drums and shadowy atmospherics in samaya dolgaya noch. next up, stop is comprised of mesmerising melodies, sturdy kicks and a looped vox until nocow concludes the package with a short 2-step cut titled aesthetic mind.

what attracts us to chilean-born artist ricardo tobar is the notion of intersection, and although fusion is nothing new, as a concept it will always pull our heartstrings. applying influence is amateur, we see this over and over again as we endure trend-driven appropriation of cultures the world over, but the epiphany when an artist finds true synergy between heritage and influence is a pivotal moment that the inspired will seek, even though it may take the length of one’s career to behold. as pretentious as that may sound, it is precisely the hybrid born from that place of intersection that excites us at the esp institute, the a plus b that equals 3. we hear this in ricardos music the latin american instinct in his drums and percussion, sometimes tightly aligned with body movements and other times hauntingly mis-aligned and chaotic, intersects with his rock influence of ethereal (micro) melodies that slowly layer and layer until were climbing a glorious (macro) wall of sound but most importantly we hear where these different parts of his life come together to further create one unique voice. on both sides of his esp institute debut liturgia, tobar couples one pulsing dance-driven track with another atmospheric and immersive track, requiring we educate ourselves in the polarity of this language he’s building, one that will expand to tell a broader story later this year with his debut album. we welcome ricardo tobar, another forward-thinking artist, to the esp institute, and are proud to support any direction his compass points from here, as we believe hell never follow but will always lead.

* walton drops his third instalment on tectonic in fine style, calling upon japanese influences to create a truly unique sonic across both tracks in the release. asian instrumentation meets directly head to head with the cutting edge sounds of a uk grime-techno axis to great effect. * ‘praying mantis’ captures all the charm of a fine japanese watercolour painting by means of some spectacular midi-harp programming. hi-hats and detailed percussion set a shuffling pace, building the mood up before a beautiful harp section unfolds and takes over, expertly programmed by walton to sound as if a master harpist had stepped into the room! as drums and bass join the party we have all the makings of a low-slung grimey masterpiece, both soothing and energising in a perfect zen balance. * flip then for ‘koto riddim’ which again brings japanese influences to the forefront of the track. walton programs classic sounding japanese percussion sounds along with grunting vocal cuts and a charming flutebased melody. as the track drops, it switches into a more familiar, grime-based palette of sounds, deftly arranged for most dangerous impac

five hundred and seventy-three moons ago (give or take), thunder tillman and his personal shaman emerged from the esp institute with an epic debut ep of baked psychedelics entitled jaguar mirror. we now bare witness to the duo’s glorious follow-up as they initiate us into the night school of universal wisdom. these two cosmic jokers possess a vibrant and fearless sense of exploration that knows no boundaries, as if their dreams translate directly into song and their bodies exist merely to channel music they’ve tapped into from another world, one where influences are uncharted and any instrument imaginable is available at their fingertips. as with jaguar mirror, their grasp of all things analogue begins with guitar laying the slightly imperfect foundation for four harmonious narratives, a journey that begins with a fast paced gallop across vast landscapes in search of the incan god of thunder, catequil, and gently concludes with us lying horizontally to absorb sporadic beams of healing light. the discourse throughout night school of universal wisdom is as charming as it is exquisite, orienting the listener with a bouquet of warm tones whilst layering plies of musical dialogue so subtle they require repeated study. thunder tillman manage to weave the past into future without diverting to pastiche, successfully merging their characterized production with melodic mastery and a sense of humor, a creative achievement that accredits them as two of our most esteemed scholars.

as one of fuse s original residents, rich nxt played a major part in the brand s evolution, helping take it from that sunday morning afters to being one of the most respected event brands and labels on the planet ever since the age of 10, rich nxt has been involved in creating his own music. thanks to his early training as both a drummer and keyboardist, nxt has an inherent musicianship fully apparent in his sound and style of production. taking influence from the london rave scene of the early 90s spanning drum n bass and jungle and later the minimal and tech-house scenes of europe, nxt s output found a platform on the now world-class fuse london label (launched in 2011). a core artist for the label, with five solo eps and a collaboration alongside seb zito, rich nxt has been integral to fuse s trademark sound with his debut ep bristle and quixotic ep two of the labels defining moments. nxt and zito s chemistry in the studio is clear with a further two collaborations on fuse sister label infuse. alongside his own productions, nxt s remix catalogue includes seb zito s never with enzo siragusa and his original breakthrough remix of jon maker s seeker , which was championed by tini and many other leading djs in the minimal house scene. by the end of 2016, a residency at amnesia ibiza with hyte x fuse alongside dates at off week in barcelona and several stand out events on fuse s 8th birthday tour including an epic after hours set at berlin s hoppetosse proved nxt is on top of his game. nxt also launched his own imprint nxt records that year, another platform for his own consistently quality output. several releases down the line, nxt s distinctive style layered with intricate percussion, obscure synths and ethereal pads combined with punchy snares and atmospheric vocals is marking out the producer and label as a prime source for djs and vinyl lovers. 2017 sees the launch of a second vinyl only imprint what nxt, a home for musical discoveries that end up buried deep in his own record bag. featuring both emerging talent and established artists from the uk and beyond, what nxt? all roads lead to the rave.

silent season tap up antenes for a rare 12inch, building on the sizable impact her last and only release on l.i.e.s. had back in 2015. here we get three trips into dark, evocative techno territory as you would expect to find on silent season, leading in with the doom-laden march of dream uncreates the land. take me to the birds (for a) ditches the drums and heads straight into the most delicate and stirring of ambient pieces, while metra train chicago 1000x- makes use of field recordings and processed static to make for an even more immersive listening experience. this is a daring release that eschews the need for functionality to take the listener somewhere else entirely.

omena celebrates its 20th release by inviting lance gurisik, the artist most commonly known as lancelot. there are no fillers here, transport consists of two tracks, both showcasing an impeccable sense of melodies and rhythm. a solid label favourite that s been tried and tested to rapturous dancefloor response

décalé. is a fresh new label based in biarritz ( france ). décalé. focuses on reissuing worldwide -french speaking- music from the 80 s / 90 s. travelling into multiple genres : synth-pop , west indies , new beat , occitan folk , afrobeat , ... and taking taste in weird and obscure records. for it s first release , décalé. started with one of the most awaited french zouk ( in the ear of the beholder ) albums : nar chiveol – -esperance music wir-. originally released in 1988 on a private press in guadeloupe and the same year on west indies records in paris . -apocalypse now ho- is now a well known banger for diggers and décalé. wanted to show the whole album that is really surprising by crossing west indies genres. from disco west indies with -séance de nuit- and -spleen maria- , weird rumba funk with -fo nou pédalé- to early biguine inspiration with -separation kc-. to close this album , - apocalypse now - and - swingue zouk la - sounds like a revolution didn t yet happen in carraibean music.

dj aakmael is a producer weve been loving for many years and were proud to be presenting you with his freerange debut. the us artist has had consistent releases dating back to 2004 and has graced the discographies of many a fine label including uzuri, earthrumental, kolour ltd, his own unxpozd entertainment and most recently the hotly tipped uk label church. here on his daydreeming ep were treated to four original tracks of real house music produced by a true original of the underground. kicking off we have daydreeming with muscular beats laying the foundation for some widescreen orchestral strings and off-kilter and subtly deranged torchsong vocals. rimbaudian steps up for the remix following what for us, is one of the tracks of 2016, werka 8 from his meda fury release. the swedish producer brings a very fresh approach with a loopy and hypnotic techno edge which draws you in with its repeating vocal and trippy sinewave melodies. flipping over we have basement 2 which drops the tempo slightly for a more heads down detroit-inspired jam. a simple three note synth repeats throughout while moody pads bring the deep heat resulting in a track that you could get lost in for days. beacot road closes the ep in fine style with introspective filtered piano chords providing the magic on this simple, stripped back track, the whole thing sounding somehow blunted like its being beamed through a thick haze of ganja smoke. enjoy, and please show your support for dj aakmael!

hola, amigos! our next 12- comes from mexico, delivered to you by the one and only rodrigo alvarez aka rainforest, known already for his output released through monochrome recordings, omni music, cadence recordings, skutta records, or 45seven. so once you’re familiar with the said list of his affiliations, you might imagine what to expect. the most appropriate term for a common denominator to describe the content of this ep would be, let’s say, jungle refurbished. feel more than welcome to explore rainforest’s world of beautifully-crafted complex drum patterns, low-frequency bass lines, and rich palettes of background samplework. we’re positive that your early-morning cup of coffee can be well substituted with the powerful, fierce-percussioned squad nights. the pensive, deep-end blu diesel euphoria will help you digest your daily concerns, and the exotic, desert-inspired sound tribe will give you a strong energy boost. given a bowl of so varied ingredients, you can be sure that you get a really wholesome treat, especially if you’re after something more organic. in terms of sound, that is.

an incredible album from brazilian rock legend raul seixas – easily one of the most important artists to emerge after the tropicalia generation – and a singer with a sound that’s as striking as his image on the cover! the album’s got an explosive blend of styles – everything from psychedelic samba to country rock to easy rock tunes – all bound together by the strong sense of presence that helped seixas elevate to become one of brazili’s most controversial rock stars of the time, all with the kind of legacy you might expect from the cover image! the sound is great – very different than what american and anglo groups were doing at the time, although with sly nods to their modes from time to time – and titles include the english track -how could i know-, plus -as minas do rei salomao-, -mosca na sopa-, -cachorro-, -al capone-, and the strange electronic -introducao-.

perth, capital of western australia, sits where the swan river meets the southwest coast. sandy beaches line its suburbs giving purpose to hot summer days, but after sundown, the city is where its at, if you know where to look. its possible that this double-life is what inspired the deep, melodic, futuristic sounds of one of australia s most mysterious electronic dance music labels of the 90s - red ember records.

paul white received universal acclaim for producing the majority of danny browns genre-defying atrocity exhibition album. in 2016 he also released a collaborative record with open mike eagle, and began work on a slew of solo material to be released on r&s records. with a free beat tape ‘everything youve forgotten’ released in january he now returns with danny brown on two tracks that showcase a producer at the very top of his game and one of the most exciting mcs of his generation. accelerator is a fuzzed-out psych monster that defies conventions about what rap music should sound like in 2017, while lions den proves that paul white and danny brown can beat the traditionalists at their own game too. instrumentals are included for both, as well as hand-drawn artwork by paul white himself.

>i wanted to capture all the weird and wonderful things that i imagine would be trapped inside the head of an old texan with his back against the wall in a coffee shop in new york city.<mutado pintado last october from mixhell, joe goddard (hot chip) and mutado pintado (paranoid london), brazil, london and the usa came a great mix of unexpected sounds. dropping via delayed records, the crocodile boots ep offered a cacophony of musical elements and spoken word thats myriad intricacies made it one of the most sonically intriguing releases of 2016. the title track crocodile boots, a funny, funky poem about daily life, politics and miscommunications, has received a special remix and accompanying visual from close friends and confidants, soulwax.