part two of the ep features the motor city drum ensemble remix, and the original “in a silent mix” version from 1999, a track out of its time when released on allen’s sole record “black voices”. a long serving dekmantel veteran, danilo plessow was there from the start. after compiling the first selector’s compilation last year, mcde turns tony allen’s masterpiece in a jam, with added house beats, giving the funk number the edit treatment. the final mix sounds like the kind of track you would hear mcde play in one of his sets as he’s firing up the heat. the organ sounds and trumpets are left high in the mix, to create an unforgettable hook that resonates throughout, in complete motor city style.

the first last gas station compilation includes 12 new tracks and aims to showcase artists that the site has followed for many years, as well as promising talents to keep an eye on. featuring las daytime disco duo poolside,vampire weekend s bassist baio, italian duo marvin & guy, brooklyn s duo vito & druzzi, adelaide-based producer james curd and turbotito, california balearic duo woolfy vs projections, disco halals moscoman, mexicos finest zombies in miami, ny unstoppable disco funkers midnight magic, dfas greek mastermind larry gus, crew love’s david marston, and last but certainly not least peaking lights acid test. this will be a ride to remember.

we believe music shouldn not be explained or overanalyzed. we would rather avoid too many useless words. just press play and listen to it.

soul jazz records’ latest excursion into the crescent city vaults delves deep into the roots and history of the voodoo world of new orleans funk. packed to the brim with serious break-heavy, heavyweight funk tunes from classic new orleans artists including eddie bo, betty harris, dave bartholomew, johnny adams and eldridge holmes (with the ever-present allen toussaint and the meters as always behind the scenes). there is also a host of rare cuts from a number of lesser-known second line new orleans artists, whose fame rarely reached past the walls of the city, including gus ‘the groove’ lewis, james k-nine, norma jean, bob french, chuck colbert, zilla mayes and joe haywood. comes as heavyweight 180 gram double vinyl, housed in a gatefold sleeve with download code included.

new to the stay underground it pays gang, the 11h release on the label comes from one of the most elegant japanese producer we ve heard in ages: motomitsu! we get the chance to get 5 cuts on one ep which is almost a mini album introducing you guys to his astonishing sound. born in 1977 hamamatsu, japan motomitsu is a japanese artist, dj, children s book author, musician, poet, event organizer living in paris. he crosses freely the border of music and arts, literature. he is publishing his children s books and releasing his music. he plays dj as a member of dj team-cracki- in paris, also play the keyboards and accordion for some bands. his art work is influenced by music and poem. he has released tracks on various labels such as cracki, soirée records (detroit) & cherry juice. all in all, another wonderful release that feels straight at home in the stay underground it pays catalogue. skylax always.

paramour is a freshly born french music label based between toulouse and berlin. its first release has been produced by various artists we like and we invited to play at our parties. on this record, you will find a talented melting pot of minimal, rhythmic, mental and trippy music. 300 copies // vinyl only

paramour is a freshly born french music label based between toulouse and berlin. its first release has been produced by various artists we like and we invited to play at our parties. on this record, you will find a talented melting pot of minimal, rhythmic, mental and trippy music. 300 copies // vinyl only

“den heliga Ån” (the sacred river) is the debut album of ambient wizard and techno connoisseur aos. the album is themed around the river helge Å that runs through the town of Åhus in the southern parts of sweden. the town in which aos grew up. the music reflects both a deep love of the river and the nature that surrounds it and has a melancholic feel of a time passed by.
on the course of this album aos invites us to take the journey on the river with him: from the sweeping electronic gestures of timelessness in tiden upphör vid mölleholmen, via the melodic pings that can be heard throughout graften, and the ritualistic electronics at play in jag eldar vass vid kavrö until the blissful mellowness of vår i biflödena – where spring has arrived, and both the river and the music are filled with a calm melancholy, yet joyful in its celebration of a winter that is ending.
this debut album collects six tracks of soft techno, ambient atmospheres and field recordings with a close attention to details, harmonics and electronics.

irazu returns to stale after his acclaimed “shtamm” with regis in 2017. this time pessimist take charge on the remix duties, filling a dense and energetic long play vinyl where irazu shows his strongest work to date.

it’s remix time! we open our vaults to let our favourite producers from round the globe play around with our releases. this is the first of 3 remix eps, with fantastic reworks by the hanseatic hedonism force of rss disco, the australian psychedelic vibes of dreems, the austrian psychedelic vibes of tight pants and the mexican dreams of sainte vie. tune in, drop out!

this is essential tremor’s second and final album of all time. the band broke up after the recording of this record but still managed to play one final show before fully breaking up. the show was one of the most brutal things nashville, tn has ever witnessed and lead singer cole k was banished from nashville forever following the performance. essential tremor’s work never quite fit in with the rest of what was occurring in nashville around the time these tracks were recorded, but we re sure that this tape will fit right in with the rest of your collection.

still steamin from his turner street sound collaboration, midnight tenderness serves up a dreamy first solo offering with a fire-cracker of a four-tracker for sydneys ken oath records. the opener refresco is a bleary eyed house number with gently propulsive 707 cowbells and shaker rhythms over smooth pads & an infectiously jazzy bassline. the four to the floor mould is quickly broken as the ep progresses - terme is a midtempo electro track that retains all of the dreaminess of refresco while punching in some swish drum programming. flipping the record over, bevanda is a sweaty miasma of sub-bass, fm flutes and birdlike synth leads that could soundtrack an imaginary club located in the middle of queenslands tropical rainforests. the eps closer, hydra, pushes the tempo way down and introduces some smooth guitar licks, courtesy of riffin rory as well as some lithe flute play. the end result is a sleazy new jack swing jam that works as well for warm-up as it does for cooling down. if youre tired of buying boring club 12inches, look no further! this one will be as comfortable coming through your home stereo as it will be in the club

ghent based pianotrio steiger have earned their place in the ever growing peloton of young belgian jazz innovators. as a result, they won the young jazztalent price at the 2017 gent jazz festival. with their luscious and rigid grooves in minimalistic framing, they cose themselves between schntzl and de beren gieren, likewise minded young beljazzbands that don’t take it so closely with traditions. they play jazz with a rock’n’roll attitude. sdban ultra is very pleased to present a sampler of their debut album ‘and above all’ on a limited 10” vinyl for record store day 2018. this release marks their introduction on sdban ultra, their sophomore album is expected next fall. ‘and above all’ houses both jazz and modern compositions, avant-garde and experimental electronics. steiger takes inspiration from jazz and refers to the traditions but equally pulls those apart, for example in the chaotic miniature bachfag and in the intimate inverse/reverse . with berlin revisited the band clearly chooses electronic instrumentation. it is reminiscent of the electronic jazz of the noughties: bands like triosk, sofa surfers and flanger did not so much work towards jazz but used the genre as a stepping stone to dive into the cosmos. steiger are launching themselves into infinity on this track with a pounding beat, shrill cymbals, overdriven keys and an unwieldy bass.

a compilation of classic elvis presley songs on 180 gram vinyl.

the soundtrack as heard in the 2-part documentary, featuring 18 definitive hits, powerful performances and rare alternate versions. comes as double vinyl in gatefold with download code included.

following his work with swedish label comorbid records, stockholm native bård ericson aka boerd has signed with anjunadeep to release his latest mini-album, ‘static’. an accomplished musician, bård’s boerd project aims to reflect his own personal emotions and atmosphere. with a deft and delicate approach to composition, his music draws you in whilst shutting out the outside world. cutting his teeth from age 15 in the world of chiptune (composing via the means of 16-bit videogame consoles), bård quickly developed a taste for creating abstract music. and after a handful of eps and live shows across europe, he transitioned focus towards music that he felt better expressed his own place in the world. enter ‘boerd’. with influences ranging from burial, bibio and even aphex twin, the 26-year-old has developed a style that pushes the boundaries of atmospheric electronica with stunning attention to detail. building his sound from samples he records himself, ericson conjures a euphoric mix of subtle soundscapes that simultaneously breathe and play in awe.

this limited edition record store day release offers a much desired vinyl issue of a special collaboration between betty wright & the roots. only on cd since it’s initial release in 2011, “betty wright: the movie” is considered among betty’s best albums after having not had a new release in nearly ten years. there is so much good music here expansion have spread over a double lp at a time demand for such quality releases on vinyl is at a highpoint. the lead single was “grapes on the vine” featuring lil wayne, other guests on the album including snoop dogg and joss stone. betty has co-written most of the songs, her voice still at its finest after a 50 year career while triple grammy award winners the roots add a magic touch to this incredible project. there will only be 1000 pressings of the album.

the pendletons return with their latest ep, funk forever, a jazz flavored boogie affair with soul inspired song-writing that evokes old school vibes while still staying fresh and current. horn lines, yamaha dx7 keys and snapping hip hop inspired drum programming topped by sweet singing with heartfelt themes, the group carves out a bold new sound on these 5 solid tracks. featuring elive, potatohead people and ishtar. the pendletons are a long-standing boogie-funk and modern soul project of e da boss (of myron and e on stone s throw) and trailer limon. the group emerged with their very first release in 2010, a 7inch inch of coming down/waiting on you on the slept on record label, which set the tone for the group to emerge it instantly became a cult classic receiving constant play at nights like sweater funk and funkmosphere, and fetching for serious sums among collectors. most recently, in 2016, they released the ep gotta get out. the title track caught the ear of renowned dj gilles peterson, who liked it enough to release it on his brownswood bubbler compilation. in 2018 the group is hitting the ground running with a brand new ep out this spring, and a full-length album to follow later later in the year on the renowned bastard jazz label. now armed with a horn section, a vast array of accomplished jazz and funk contributors, and a knack for quality song-writing, the pendletons sound has shaped into something fresh and unique, setting it apart from the legions of imitators.

hot on the heels of their recent eps on roam, correspondant and futureboogie, zombies in miami maintain the disco heat with their debut on mike simonettis 2mr. three tracks and one remix deep, the entire release is a full trip to the senses. take it off leads by example: strident, uplifting and dynamically arranged so a whole new level of feels is unleashed when you least expect it, theres a real timeless energy and focus coded deep into every element. new odisea takes more of a cosmic approach with its slinking bassline and soaring, yearning chords that weave and wave above it. buckle up even the slightest variations and percussive additions are so well placed, they create an almighty rush every single time. finally ‘where is the voice of that man on acid’ attempts to ask the question we’ve all been asking for years. fittingly psychedelic, layered and circuitous, its springy riff persistently tickling under waves of evocative atmospheres and it comes complete with a sublime, sub-loaded rolling technoid trip-fest from honey soundsystems jackie house. the duo describe the ep as the result of hours of jamming, trying to imagine and recreate the loudest, most energetic and sweaty dancefloor tracks that we could play in mexico, europe and all over the world no matter the borders. we’d describe that as mission accomplished.

so robbie m says hes retired, but thats just the day job, now with new gear acquired and the studio set up in the family room, its time for ram music productions to become a household name (spoken only through a vocoder).

bawrut has had an amazing couple of years. since kicking our label off back in 2015 with the modern acid classic ciquita (12inches of which will now set you back silly money on discogs), the madrid-based producer has gone from strength to strength. last year saw him tear down sets at sonar and farr festivals, drop a feted new ep on hard fist records, and have his music soundtrack numerous adverts for fabric events. other djs have been quick to show their appreciation, and bawrut’s unique appeal can be seen in how far and wide across the spectrum his music has featured. optimo, avalon emerson, patrick topping, jackmaster, artwork, andrew weatherall and many more have all supported heavily. were proud to kickstart bawrut’s 2018 with 4x4, a brand new ep of typically leftfield bangers. these four tracks come on like a whirlwind journey through a bawrut dj set, with something for every time of the night. ghettoscar fuses african chants with burbling acid, building the kind of goodtime dancefloor warmth bawrut is famed for. more cowbell does exactly what you’d expect, giving djs a glorious, cowbell-powered disco bomb that fuses the spirit of incredible bongo band with classic nyc house. i hear voices is a crazy ride, with an expertly cut up vocal sample repurposed into a weird, descending riff that’s quite unlike anything else out there. throw in bawrut’s trademark kitbag of carnival whistles, rattling latin percussion and a creeping acid line that works itself up into a soul-salving joy and youve got a modern classic on your hands. finally, lead track three sounds is probably bawruts biggest moment to date, a peak time jacking techno monster built from the most minimal of elements - drums, claps, a one note bass squelch and a tom drum gone wild. bawrut takes this tom sound and treats it like a 303, pushing far off the rails, working it up and up, twisting it through pitch and frequency like a man possessed, raising its pressure til it tears off the roof. theres no one else making techno quite like it - and you can expect dancefloors to be going crazy to the mania of three sounds throughout 2018 so there you have it - four more missives from the wizard of madrid. play em loud.

richy ahmed has been steadily building his four thirty two label over the last 12 months, introducing talented artists such as jansons and senzala to the fold. the imprint is fast becoming a go to label for those who like their house music uncomplicated and hype free, ensuring the chicago and detroit house sound burns bright with new music indebted to the roots of the music. after recent releases on seth troxler’s play it say it label, and remixes for london grammar, richy brings the goods back to home on this latest four thirty two release. on cant stop us, chunky stabs incessantly jab at meaty drums, as a female vocal loop rides on an opening filter. the good vibes build to a classic house piano crescendo that marshall jefferson would certainly approve of, as the soaring strings and evolving drums raise the rapturous mood to dizzying heights. on the flip, the percussive disco drums of dials mavis are bolstered by a booming sub bassline whilst deft keys and deep rhodes chords deliver the infectious melody on this bumping jazz ride.

what if music had no beginning, no end? can music exist for itself or of itself, without structure constraining it, defining it? can music be non-linear, non-narrative, simply experiential, existential? the second full-length album on mysteries of the deep, musica enterrada from portland’s william selman, neither answers these questions nor supposes them. but in listening, one can’t help but wonder: what if i disappeared into this record forever? in another time and place, william selman was known as warmdesk, an alias through which he issued a series of sharply precise minimal techno records. in recent past, selman shifted gears, shedding the dynamics of tension and release that characterized his previous alias output. under his own name, selman began releasing process-oriented, freeform experimental music on cassette-focused outlets like digitalis and hausu mountain. now comes musica enterrada, a diaphanous, weightless musical vision not unlike the theoretical square root of grm and popol vuhs early electronic forays. split into six tracks across two sides of vinyl, musica enterrada bubbles, churns, drifts, and dozes. dulcet tones pile up gently like waves on shore. patterns repeat and reconfigure, as if heard from different angles. rhythms appear, shift the frame, then disappear, into the ether whence they came. play musica enterrada on repeat. and if you disappear into it, fret not you have drifted into solace.

the canadian producer has built an impressive discography in recent years with a stream of quality releases via labels such as clone s royal oak imprint, spring theory, lone s magicwire and most recently his -hope you re well- ep on ninja tune s technicolour imprint. pitchfork were quick to acknowledge his unique production style and innate ability to balance the openness and experimental qualities of the back room and the hooks and sonics of the main room describing previous single is it dry? as -a rarity: peak-time techno that won t rot your brain or insult your intelligence, with appeal from the basement to the big leagues-. following recent excursions channeling the big room sound, he returns with a sleeker, more refined ep. -for this record i pushed myself to keep things more minimal than usual, in a relative sense.- he explains. -focusing on repetition in melody, rhythm and harmony, putting a lot of trust in my initial ideas and letting them play out. it was harder to stop than to add more.- the resulting five tracks span upbeat opener napoletana - -a rough and ready duet between a mfb 522 drum machine and juno 106-, through the swirling improvised piano loops of last day - recorded in an hour just before he packed up his gear at the studio of fellow montreal residents braids and moved it all home, to the bumpy 2-step of less and less .

in this oversharing era, uncommon is for an artist to choose to remain in total anonymity. even for the easytiiger teamwork, the real persona behind the model nice act is still a complete mistery – actually not a problem when the sound speaks for itself. the debut ep -nice to meet you- arrives with four raw dance burner gems, including a futuristic arp killer remix from the lemon-fanta guy, pépe, for the song -cravo amargo-. besides the rough-shaped aspect of the sound, this ep reveals a very sharp and sophisticated production, with complex element layer works that could perfectly fit as the soundtrack for a blade runner microcosm built inside of a night club. -nice to meet you- invites you to this journey through a particular soothing world, surrounded by a complex & confessional mood without saying... well, a single word.

the second intergraded is a four tracker from hi & saberhaegen, the brainchild of two producer/djs from scotland and ireland respectively. they first met midland at a gig at sneaky petes in edinburgh where they booked him to play at the club (where they also hold a residency). having previously played their music on anthony naples proibito and huntleys and palmers he was keen to hear what else they had been working on. what followed was selection of tracks that ended up being distilled down to the light on leaves ep. without relying on superlatives and detailed track by track descriptions, its an amazing record that reveals itself with every listen and one we are really proud to have on the label.

padre himalaya s third release counts with the iran-born, berlin-based, mohammad reza mortazavi. an internationally acclaimed artist who, when it comes to play the traditional persian instruments, tonbak and daf, can single-handedly build an orchestra of sounds that are just as illusionistic as shamanistic. in this ep, focus, mohammad brings us five lush percussion tracks. expect complex and meditative rhythms in a journey between the throbbing minimal sounds of going, rebounce, floating in the now and the elusive hypnotic movements of white daf and birth of a whale.

the comeback of the growing bins favourite private german jazz funk gem. spring is in the air and groove is in the heart for hamburgs most loveable record label. following the freak beat festival of wolf and wandts instrumentalmusik comes a release thats been in the pipeline since the organic imprint first took root the first reissue of the beautiful senora. beguiling and brilliant, this private press princess makes you want to dance, dream and do cartwheels, then breaks your heart when you realise youll never meet her a rare beauty indeed. so its time to let basso play cupid and introduce you to the love of your life

limited sales pack, featuring 3 classic luke solomon releases. includes cuttin headz ch007, lets play house lph031 and local talk lt044.

detroit duo ataxia offer up their kodak moment ep via visionquest this march, accompanied by an edit from label co-founders shaun reeves and ryan crosson. eric ricker and ted krisko aka ataxia have been at the forefront of the contemporary house and techno scene for some time, racking up releases on some of the leading labels across the globe such as leftroom, nervous, culprit and play it say it, making the duo one of detroits finest exports in recent years. here we see them making their debut on visionquest, the label of fellow detroit natives ryan crosson, shaun reeves and lee curtiss. vhs leads the package with murky synth swells, resonant synth sweeps and fluttering square wave bass tones at its core as shuffled drums carry the ever-evolving hypnotic groove along. the original mix of kodak moment follows, shifting the focus over to snaking bass lines, mind-bending, modulating synth whirrs and dynamic, choppy percussion throughout. reeves & crossons edit of kodak moment then rounds out the release, stripping things back to ethereal atmospherics and shuffled drums whilst subtly stirring in the original’s hooky bass groove as the interpretation unfolds.

written and produced by renato pearson published by rec play, ascap (p) 1992 wea international inc. licensed courtesy of warner music uk ltd 2018 repress © groovin recordings

since the very first release of tommy s turbojazz project, we wanted to have him with us on the boast. this excellent ep proves his great musical skills and we are thrilled to release this wide range music. bangers with solos, acoutstic deep house, hiphop interludes, regular hiphop house sampled song or even a smashing -emotional disco- track done in collab with s3a complete this ep. we would highly suggest you to dig (literally) this release for home listening or dancefloor play.

as featured on movements vol.9, we thought it is well worth to re-release -when the well runs dry- on 45 too. even better, what you find here is a previously unreleased alternate take! listen to the first seconds of the b-side -a brighter day- and you know why this 45 should be in any djs box. essentiell re-release for the open minded dj who does not only play tracks which are in demand but just plain funky

a pair of naughty as you like sample heavy house music rumblers. rapture inducing grooves for the more discerning floor. these gents have had some big label releases, but the names have been changed to protect the innocent. get involved. vinyl only slab. hand stamped 45rpm loud cut for club play.

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.

for her first single, the sublime title loverboy comes out as a big urban spleen, released in a space made of asphalt and artificial paradises. groups like hooverphonic or even portishead play around this throbbing softness that is loverboy, splashing about in the electronic lounge of the 90s. the opener, alien lady features a flute-driven solo backed up by a funky guitar riff that then transitions into a tropical beat and tanja narrating the story of feeling a stranger in a big city, not understanding the social codes and clues ‘i don t speak the language in the way that you know’ while worth to you is a dreamy, glitched-out hypnotic track which maintains an edge of mysterious sexuality and her signature sense of intimate detachment. if the atmosphere coming out of lomboy’s work can be sometimes felt as prude and even shy, it certainly does not intend to hide with embarrassment the aphrodisiac scent that permeates it. on the contrary, this modesty perceived in the interpretation and in the production sensually envelops the different compositions, and imparts to this guilty pleasure the feeling of a stolen kiss. warped caress brings us to vertiginous heights and takes us into abyssal depths throughout the five tracks. this suggests at times a diegetic representation of this erotic world seen through the insolent prose and at other times a mimetic representation where each instrument plays an important part in every story told.

hypnotic monster by flug. we believe music shouldn not be explained or overanalyzed. we would rather avoid too many useless words. just press play and listen to it.

the second outing from yaleesa hall in this two-piece ep series on will & ink. the 13th release on the label packs a visceral punch across four fresh tracks that are perfect for dance floor deployment. first track daisy wright kicks off with minimal but impactful drum rhythms that eventually get cut up with tumbling sirens, hammering hits and blasts of dirty noise. it s hugely physical stuff, while follow up barbara adams is more stripped back and mysterious. icy hi hats tick, howling synths sound bring a sadness and the depth of stern field as sounds play out above, below and all around you is truly standout. harriet brown then sinks into a deeper electro groove with spangled bass, before a vip mix then slows things down to a dread fuelled dub wise swagger that eventually breaks out into oscillating, stuttering rave madness. it makes for one hell of a thrilling ride and kicks off a promising year for both yaleesa hall and the will & ink label.

decks full cover edition !!! you definitely should go for it if you are in love with a quality dub techno. there’s nothing can be more dubby as this particular release that will undoubtedly blow your mind. watch out! it’s extremely hot one. vinport ltd. is very proud to be distributing this label exclusively. ubertrend records is quite established play on the world’s techno scene and is managed by denny kay. vinyl only. no repress. limited press.

lillygood party! is a label focused on licencing tracks that alex and stephane play for years at their parties. the aim is to re-edit and revisit those jams from soul to house , jazz to afro, boogie to techno and make us and people enjoy and smile on the dancefloor because those tunes are really really good both tracks here are classics dancefloors tunes, nothing rare, just favourite tunes that alex and stéphane play in their sets. on the a side the onwards international version is longer than the original and the arrangement quiet different for more intense dancefloor action. here they both worked on the edit to find the right balance and the right sound in order to revisit the uk classic jazz funk number, a firm favourite here lillygood! the b side is an amazing disco modern soul gospel track from elbernita twinkie clark already reissued some time ago but the cherry on the cake is that you have here a 12inch version extended and a new mastering for extra loud play this version is slightly different than the original, alex extended parts: the beginning with drum intro looped for mixing and changed the end to make it longer keeping the original flavour. please enjoy as much as we do because we love those edits, we love those tunes, we love music we are very happy to share with you these limited vinyls releases

inside out is a brand new series that invites djs and producers to blur the boundaries between traditional artist albums and mix compilations. coming from aus music label head and dj-kicks curator will saul, the concept encourages artists to showcase their own music and or the music of those in their own individual circles. the mix will be release digitally and on cd, while a selection of the tracks will also be available on double gatefold vinyl. each instalment will feature 100% new and unreleased music. it is a chance for artists to take sole creative charge, a&r as they see fit and then commission brand new music specifically for the cause. depending on who is at the helm, inside out will take different forms: producers may wish to represent their own sound with only music they have made themselves or with close collaborators, while djs and label heads may wish to reflect the sounds and scenes that surround them. the results will be a window into an artists world that works as a coherent mix, but also as a treasure trove of fresh new music that steps outside the usual lines of a dance album. the idea stems from will sauls own approach in the club, which often finds him seeking out brand new and unheard music to play for the first time. that feeling of taking people into the unknown is one that reminds him of the energy and excitement of his early days as a dancer.

instrumental music is supposed to be asemantic and yet a rich language of rhetorical gestures has grown up around it. none of them may have a specific meaning but they easily lead the listener towards an emotion, a sensation, an embryonic story. does any of this mean that music is abstract? or does it, to the contrary, mean that music tells a story? there is no abstraction without a story. is there a story without an abstraction? the composition on this album, is it a radio play? tropa macaca = andré abel and joana da conceição check out their earlier albums, they’re just as great.

norwegian duo smerz had a prolific 2017, which saw the copenhagen-based henriette and catharina play the likes of club 2 club, moma ps1, sell out half life parties of their own, as well as release five new tracks along with five self-directed videos. clearly not ones to wait around, smerz go in to the new year with their have fun ep on the horizon for release via xl recordings in march 2018. with their unique electronic sound blending deconstructed club music, minimalist r&b and experimental pop and techno, smerz are also prolific djs who s djing style takes a similar route. mixing live vocals over their own music and interlaced with choice cuts aimed squarely at the dancefloor, this duo dj hard in a live setting and are thrilling to watch as well as listen. smerz currently host their own monthly nts radio residency, mixing cutting-edge dance music and darker tones, in what is turning in to their trademark style.

weekend loving from jennifer lara is a perfect blend of boogie funk, roots reggae and lovers rock. produced by black solidarity records in 1985, this album is a masterpiece from the studio one princess. recorded at tuff gong and music mountain studios in jamaica, the rhythm tracks are played by some of the best musicians from the island in the sun: lincoln style scott (drum), errol flabba holt (bass), robbye lyn (piano & synthetiser), dean frazer & ronald nambo robinson (horns). this reissue was carefully remastered from black solidarity master tape, now presented as a double lp 45 rpm dj friendly edition. the original limonious artwork was reloaded and a bonus track was added to complete the set: ’in my time’, an obscure slow synth groove, full of hope and melancholy. jennifer lara was first taken to studio one in 1969 by keyboardist richard ace, who was a session musician. she never left the studio one family and became resident harmonist. she added backing vocals to the songs of some of the camp’s biggest names, including delroy wilson, freddie mcgregor, dennis brown and sugar minott. in 1974, jennifer lara recorded her debut album with coxsone dodd at studio one in brentford road. the results of the sessions appeared on studio one presents jennifer lara, which was an instant success. jennifer lara was one of clement coxsone dodds protégés. one year after coxsone passed, she died at the kingston public hospital. she is survived by two children, daughter ika and son cheka. jennifer lara was a very likeable person, got on with everyone. she was involved in many benefit concerts to help to poor and the needy in jamaica. may your soul rest in peace, we love you jennifer.

pangaea returns to his hessle audio label for the first time since his debut lp in drum play , with two club tracks exploring different textures and designed for impact.

seven years ago, unbalance created his own label as a base for his musical ideas, a platform to play around with the conception of what -techno- is and would be alongside his own creative progression. come to present day and the label is now at its ninth release, reaching a point where the line of accumulated experiences must be drawn in the sand — and the experiences of previous projects and releases lead to venerable conclusion. enter ten, an album of internalized strife that was created during a period of big changes in the artist s life. between enduring personal experiences, his creative output veering between his straightforward club eccentricities and subdural sensibilities, unbalance cultivates a symbiotic link between sounds played and sounds portrayed — whilst paying tribute to the essence of groove, vibration and the hypnotic unknown that exists to balance the scales. this album will be the final point in the label s journey into the depths of multifaceted techno music.

the first release of 2018 on the feel my bicep label welcomes back hammer for his first solo outing on the imprint, c-space ep. having collaborated with bicep on dahlia back in 2015 - a glistening ep that soared through myriad clubs into the wantlists of many-a-fervid discogs user - hammer is now granted space to stretch his legs and does so across 3 galactic tracks. c-space, atlantic 252 and inside soul all play with rich, sweeping chords, 80s synth lines and sharp analogue drums - a blend that lends them perfectly to the feel my bicep catalogue. c-space ep comes as the first feel my bicep release since the success of biceps self-titled debut album.

fuzzed out and psychedelic covers of rare and classic tracks performed by san francisco’s monophonics. monophonics are back with a six-song ep that fuses the complimentary and explosive soul, rock and funk influences, proving themselves to be the rightful inheritors of the bay area’s impressive psychedelic soul sound. mirrors is comprised entirely of cover tunes, except that i doubt you’ve ever heard of half the deeply funky and soulful originals that inspired these soulful, tastefully produced, and timeless monophonics treatments. “we wanted to do a couple songs that were more familiar to people and then shine some light on groups we’re big into,” lead singer, keyboardist and co-producer kelly finnigan explains. it takes a lot of guts to cover your favorite songs, your van jams, that song you play as a shot of inspiration to break-up a marathon studio session. “not only are these great songs, but these are artists that we listen to and are influenced by.”

placed under the media spotlights in 2011 thanks to their joyful and loony indie pop, concrete knives went on to sign with the legendary uk imprint bella union (beach house, fleet foxes, lift to experience, etc.). their first album be your own king was successfully released the following year, selling more than 7000 copies in france alone and sending the group of friends on the road to play more than 150 live dates all over europe. quiet for the past six years and after recording with danish producer andreas pallisgaard (trentemøller, goat, pinkunoizu), the band is set to return with a much awaited second effort on the french label vietnam (h-burns, chevalrex pharaon de winter).