d‰m-funk is the kind of guy who seems like he d make great company: laid-back, affable, personable. but to truly get the guy, to really understand him, is to know a deep love of music like no other. dam s contribution to the dj-kicks series gives you an opportunity to do just that. it s a snapshot view into the mind of the pioneer of modern-funk musicÉ dj-kicks invites you to get to know the man behind the shades. dam makes a lifetime of digging and absorbing music that feels as laid-back as the santa ana breeze. years ago, he coined the term modern funk to give context to his music. the elements of the synth-heavy and multi-layered style are gloriously displayed on dj-kicks. -modern-funk is a combination of all the sounds on the mix,- he explains. -funk, boogie, electro, house, modern-soul, ambient tonesÉ a push and pull of nostalgia and progressiveness...- at a satisfying 19 songs, d‰m-funk s dj-kicks lets grooves breathe. this is a mix to happily get lost within, a document in vibe. unexpected contemporary joints mingle with lost gems from unlikely places. the exclusive d‰m-funk production -believer- makes its debut on dj-kicks, an extensive instrumental composition that on it s own could only be classified as signature modern-funk. the mix also includes dam s excellent collaboration with nite jewel, as nite-funk, on -can u read me?-

matthew barnes, der hochgelobte britische musikproduzent, veršffentlicht anfang mai unter seinem alias forest swords sein langerwartetes, zweites album compassion via ninja tune! compassion ist die antwort auf die ungewisse, aggressive neue welt, in der wir leben und tŠglich kommunizieren - destilliert zu einer einzigartigen soundlandschaft. barnes forschen nach dem schneidepunkt von ekstase und melancholie, dem kŸnstlichen und dem menschlichen wirkt zeitgemŠ§ und rŸhrend, eine lobpreisung auf ursprŸngliche verbindungen, auf das leben und ein besorgter blick in die richtung, die wir derzeit einschlagen. heraus kommt ein selbstbewusstes, unwiderstehliches, lebendiges werk, das vergangenheit und zukunft vereint: webende schwaden von summenden, digitalen texturen, field-recordings, klirrende beats und verzerrte jazzsaxophon-elemente mit zischenden orchesterarrangements. barnes versucht sich mehr denn je an der idee der wortlosen, mehrdeutigen vocals als eigene form des ausdrucks. mit melodien und gesŠngen, die sich im laufe der tracks entwirren, sich dehnen und krŸmmen, und sich selbst finden - auf wunderschšne art und weise. zentral zu dieser spannenden welt steht -compassion-, ein album, das so schwerwiegend wie verletzlich ist, auf dem barnes die apartesten teile seine bisherigen werke in etwas formt, das sich sowohl dringend als auch notwendig anfŸhlt und barnes schlussendlich als einen der wichtigsten elektronischen kŸnstler und komponisten seines heimatlandes gro§britannien zementiert.

pilocka krach still means nothing but pilocka noise. sheÕs the charming queen of berlins post techno underground and a true recording & perfoming artist. her new release on her very own imprint greatest hits international is a conceptional framed double vinyl album and a journey diary of her last two years on tour around the globe, with mexico, detroit and her hometown roots in berlin as fixpoints on her neverending agenda. pilocka krach is ãsugar caneÒ & ãthe lost amigosÒ, her band and all at once. her style is pure electro post rave simplicity, where each single sound is either raw sampling cuts or deep growling synthesis. big basslines meet funky grooves and surprising hooks, grooving along with her own voice and a lot of other vocal features, whereever you go. each Ôn everthing gets the room it deserves and mingles alltogether to so much more, than just another stereo sum. never heard an album that dry and that wet at the same time, with an overall fun and jam factor, that is truly touching. she took her original style more than just a few steps further and sharpened her skills in an impressive and real straight forward way of raw funkyness and true storytelling. you canÕt listen to it without moving. pilocka is always surfing the right balance of how much, or better how less it needs, to keep it going, get down to the point of no return and beyond the miracle of repetition.

a lot can be said about the stubborn and confrontational ways of prolific dutch producer drvg cvltvre and his new york haunted label, but one can never accuse him of taking the easy way out. musically, his output of experimental electronics has swayed between heavy industrial techno and noise, composed music and slow, doomy and experimental house. on this new, full lenght album nobody cares forever he blends all of the above. from the orchestral hit, rave fueled opener to the melancholic synths of closing track all of my heroes and everything in between is pure experimentation and decomposing of standard house, rave and techno elements. now, here, in this #trumpage, you can feel his resistance to authority and the readiness to confront in every inch and fiber of this album...

the complementary duality that is ichinen is the raw expression of roberto bosco and kiny. 2017 sees them return with the proven form of their alliance, kicking things off with the dual craters album.

the avant garde movement largely influenced katsoulisÕ early compositions. after which, he turned to minimalism, applying elements of jazz and rock into that genre. since the 80s, the use of technology became gradually apparent in his compositions, whist not diminishing the importance of the human factor and the creative involvement of the performer. . today, he is striving for simplicity, trying to express the most, using the least, providing the context for this release. from the subtle ambience of title track Òif not now whenÓ, to the intense and confronting sound on Òall the blue skiesÓ, katsoulis and his accompanying musicians deliver a diverse and contemporary work with a level of sophistication that will challenge the current electronic musical landscape. the purity of sound in stand out track ÔtoreÕ is juxtaposed by the dark and gritty Ògrand delusionsÓ, a remarkably modern composition which sounds like it has been composed for a berlin techno club, from a man we suspect has never been to one. Ôslipping beautiesÕ, the most revered of katsoulisÕ back catalogue (recently remixed by young marco) is given an organic and intelligent reinterpretation for 2016. the haunting and provocative vocal performance by anna linardou on ÔzarrinÕ leads the record down an even more emotive and provocative path.

hot casa records present togo soul 70 (selected rare togolese recordings from 1971 to 1981). a treasure-trove of rare and unusual recordings mostly recorded in lomŽ during the 70Õs, a fusion of traditional voodoo chants, raw soul and afro jazz. hot casa records selected 13 tracks, a snapshot of some hundreds of rare and often forgotten tapes from the most prolific, professional and exciting phase of the countryÕs recording history, including international stars like bella bellow (who even performed to maracana stadium in brazil), or roger damawuzan, compared as the james brown from lomŽ, and forgotten tapes and brilliant songs in mina, kabyiŽ and fon languages. many of the tracks featured here are peppered with innovation and experimentation highlighting how diverse the music scene in togo was at the time, even if the political context influenced their creation.

the third instalment of the stil vor talent berlin compilation series brings forth a new gang of carefully selected artists, gathered under the umbrella of another underground berlin hotspot. kottbusser tor is undoubtedly the beating heart of kreuzberg, unashamedly pulsating 24/7 with the good, the bad and the ugly. theres no place quite like it, thanks to its raw charme. as always, music is the common denominator and oliver koletzki delivers the perfect soundtrack with this new release, while chrisse kunst renders the visual.

les graciŽs is a collaboration in the truest sense between paris-based sound artist ga‘l segalen and deepblak co-founder afrikan sciences. segalenÕs experiments in electroacoustic sound met the wider world this year via a debut lp for erratum, an arresting work that showcases her ability to merge hypnotic murk ala angus maclise with the hard concrŽte of parmegiani & reibel. segalenÕs ihearu imprint / organisation is a platform for her various doings, including psychogeographical audio works and multi-media collaborations, as well as servicing as a reference point for other contemporary female artists working across various mediums. eric douglas porter aka african sciences has been deconstructing and re-building forms of contemporary black music since the mid-2000Õs, through releases on deepblak (the label he co-runs with aybee) and pan. his musical universe is one of warping cadences and celestial melody, referencing the bold work of percussionists like milford graves & art jenkins, the dissonant chords of motor city techno and stripped back essence of early chicago house matched with broken hard bop sentiments: all tied together with an aesthetic that sits somewhere between sun raÕs omniverse, jean giraud mÏbius and dogon cosmology. together as le graciŽs, segalen and porter make a wholly unclassifiable strain of music that, while containing recognisable elements of each individual s work, also creates a third entity in the process, which can be heard to stunning effect on their forthcoming debut lp Ôlow dosesÕ for firecracker recordings.

sascha borchardt aka monoloc is a dystopic atmospheres fanatic that has dedicated his life to the dance floor from an early age. the frankfurt-born artistÕs raw yet sleek take on techno and ambient has evolved to characterise his own musical style in his productions. monolocÕs sound is a mixture between techno, dub and ambient, nurturing a tone that is driving, groovy and low-slung, but with greater emotional range. he acquires most of his inspiration from old movies and likes to work mostly with field recordings in his productions. Ôthe untold wayÕ on dystopian is his second album, following his first in 2012, and shows a notably matured development in the artistÕs style.

2 cd compilation incl hits by harddrive, soul vision, space echo, sam divine, street kings and more

favorite recordings presents this official album reissue of the parker brothers s blue-eyed-soul/modern-soul private-press album ! produced in 1981 by george p grexa and released in a private-press version on his label crown vetch enterprises, this album is filled with memorable material from the first note to the last, mixing modern-soul, boogie, cross-over jazz and rock elements, for a result reminiscent of the westcoast music golden years, however being recorded in pittsburgh.

2cd for the price of 1 cd & bonus mix (per download code) : as a special bonus, the double-cd (via a download code) includes an hour-long retrospectivo-mix by dubfire & oliver huntemann.

10 rare french disco and boogie titles, all produced between 1975 and 1984. check!! on one hand, tracks by overdrive, marchŽ noir, didier makaga or france-lise, were produced by underground artists and labels from the french caribbean and african community and also filled with the raw spirit of this tropical stamping. on the other hand, tracks by beckie bell, kelly, le club, or bernard guyvan, were released by major labels such as tr‘ma, carrere, disques vogue, or pathŽ marconi, thanks to confirmed independent producers, acting not only in france, but also in canada and the us.

one plus one/indecisive is the 7inch release from the debut ep by melbourne band the do yo thangs a collection of sensual slow jams and bumping future soul dominated by rich, four-voice harmonies. one plus one is equal parts performance and programming, drawing from a broad palette of live instruments and electronic sounds. at the front, hugh and audrey alternate lead vocal duties, supported by harmony singers maddie otto and tiaryn griggs. backing them, the guitar sound is classic soul but the plethora of synthesizers and 808 kick drums is definitely not, nodding equally to vangelis or hiatus kaiyote. the more you listen, the more intricacy is discovered. the writing uses jazz elements and odd rhythmic devices, but it s all tucked away - theres nothing that intrudes into the foreground or interferes with the song s abilities to speak to an audience

cuts from dillinja, firefox, critycal dub and, naturally serum himself

here we see italian brother duo elia and niro perrone, release their debut long player in the shape of ÔpescaiolaÕ the name of the suburbs the pair grew up and paying homage to their musical roots growing up together. across the duration of the ÔpescaiolaÕ lp easy to remember serve up a amalgamation of raw and intriguing electronic, house and techno cuts. opener ÔhanckoraÕ lays down a lo-fi infused hip hop style to kick things off, while Ôcheckma demÕ lies in similar territory with the addition of some vocal stylings as wel

fred v & grafix bring a breath of fresh air with their long-awaited second album oxygen. the 15-track venture strips away any uniformity, opening up into dreamy, synthesized waves of drum & bass, elements of elegant electro-pop, down-tempo beats, unsuspecting instrumentation and everything in between

on limited edition compact disc. no., founded by atomtm & material object in 2014, celebrate their second birthday in style with no. ii, a collage, a readymade, an assemblage, a synthesis, in short: a spectrum of elements refracted through the prism of the labels output between the 1st of may 2015 to the 1st of may 2016. you might call such a spectrum a mix, and thats up to you. over the 79 minutes the mix traverses a wild landscape of material. a dose here from the lysergic adventures in the concrete jungle of g@ng5ta, a stroll there over the bubbly terrain of material object+ishqs invisble light, the air punctuated by the haunted soundscapes of former severed head: garry bradburys yakovlevian torque. slather on top of that a caustic beat from anamorph specimens and then undergrid it all with the morbidly obese frequencies of atomtms texturen series and you have yourself some kind of interdimensional feast. so, welcome to our second birthday party.

already drawing comparisons to artists like kaytranada and pomo, french producer and multi-instrumentalist jean tonique gets set to become one of the most hyped artists in 2015 with the release of his second ep through yukseks partyfine label on 30th march 2015. drawing influences from 70s funk, jean tonique makes an effort to distance himself from genre-defining elements while approaching his music from an organic and raw songwriting perspective. using elements from hip hop, house, and 70s/80s funk, the multifaceted producer likes to draw people in with the malleable dynamics of his music. after remixes of lana del rey, outkast, the kooks and many more, jean tonique has broken into the online market through being a regular fixture on hype machines top 10 and growing recognition from media outlets. now, growing on his french electronic music notoriety, jean tonique is preparing to expand his presence with the physical release of the you ep bringing that old school, happy vibe that made us fall in love withfunky house

john frusciantes foregrow doesnt sound like any acid test record, or any record, thatÕs come before it. after the unlikely alliance between the los angeles label and the iconoclastic venice, ca musician on trickfinger, all bets are off. this ones truly a passage through night. frusciantes using elements of john carpenters eternal scores, the drum programming dna of jungle and footwork, and yes, a roland tb-303, all slowed down to a crawl. foregrow is a lurching, lysergic beauty which offers glimpses of his platinum pop instincts, but only behind the veil of true experimentalism.

ntogns second full length album was made for the art installation *where threads lead*, curated by frantic art gallery in tokyo.
the idea is to give a sonic interpretation of strings as both art and as an all encompassing structure of life. ntogn s approach to this has been to work with few evolving elements, flowing and curving like threads in a web. resulting in a varied lot of sonic braids.
early support by cio d or, svreca, takaaki itoh, valentin corujo (exium), mod21, attemporal, eomac, iori, jonas kopp, rasmus hedlund, retina.it, victor martinez, periskop, sam kdc, antonio vazquez, blndr, luigi tozzi

exzellente mix-cd des kanadischen trance-dj & produzenten max graham zu seiner gleichnamigen radioshow cycles, die wšchentlich in Ÿber 85 lŠndern dieser welt ausgestrahlt wird. graham, in europa auch bekannt durch seine dj-sets beim tomorrowland-festival, gelingt eine fein ausbalancierte mixtur aus techno, progressive und trance.

body function and vatican shadow have combined forces on Ôgames have rules for hospital productions, simultaneously stripping back each producers more prevalent production elements - the dancefloor-focused techno structures of function, the experimental cassette-roots of vatican shadow - to create an album of dynamic electronic ambient music, equal parts rhythmic and atmospheric.

ever since first appearing on bristol s black acre imprint back in 2009, kwesi darko s blue daisy project has been hard to pin down. 2011 debut album the sunday gift was a triumph of woozy downtempo fusion, with bustling bass music influences rubbing shoulders with folksy elements, ambient, trip-hop and experimental electronica. following black acre s demise, darko now finds himself on r&s, a label willing to let him follow his unique path. as a result, sophomore album darker than blue is an even more adventurous and enjoyable set than its predecessor, with darko adding modern classical, beat poetry and hazy jazz influences to his already heady musical brew.

better strangers is the debut album by manchester based producer acre, set for release by tectonic recordings on 6th november 2015. the album follows eps on both tectonic and sister label cold recordings and visionists pan collaboration label codes. as influenced by rave & jungle, grime and techno as electronica, ambient and drone, his ep releases have been rhythm driven snapshots of other-worldliness spliced with dancefloor sensibilities. acre has sought to explore a wider variety of textures on better strangers to re-contextualise elements from uk bass music, bring them away from the dancefloor and open up new possibilities.

die neue ausgabe der mixreihe -a little something radio- des manchesteraner deejays diesler bringt einen schwungvollen mix aus modernem disco, elektronischem soul und wundervollen balearic-sounds. 14 superbe tunes aus dem modern soul underground. diesler ist mit seinem partner simon ham auch resident-dj der stets ausverkauften partyreihe -you dig?- im soup kitchen club in manchester.

basti grub releases his third longplayer , confirming once more his outstanding talent when it comes to deep, sensual (tech) house with a latin twist. the title is neu means new in german, underlining his approach to settle down in this genre for good. all tracks breathe a sweet air of easy beats, enriched by highly addictive rhythm elements, sweet synths, groovy basslines and great vocals

both landaus voice and compositions are extraordinary: the voice raw and exposed, pure and precise.

when i joined mouse on the keys, i envisioned a concept that mixes diverse elements of contemporary music, such as dynamic hardcore drumming and modern french harmony with the feeling of a detroit techno follower. since we got an offer to release an album on mule musiq, a label with much diversity in dance and contemporary music - our new album has been pulled out of us by itself- reveals the japanese acoustic and electric piano player daisuke niitome. together with drummer and piano player akira kawasaki and synth and piano player atsushi kiyota he is mouse on the keys, an energetic, hard to pigeonhole tokyo based trio that combines the sound of divers pianos and synthesizers with out-there drumming.

med school presents creative potential drum & bass! flawless impressively blends elements of liquid d&b, jungle, half-step, hip-hop and more ragged rhythms

lost my dog co-founder pete dafeet unleashes his highly anticipated debut album the root, the soul. a musical record of the year he married, pete evokes a sense of house music s glorious past in these eight beautifully crafted cuts. early dj support from chez damier, ian pooley, charles webster, milton jackson, manuel tur, moodymanc, blakkat.

gerade rechtzeitig zum saisonauftakt auf der beliebtesten partyinsel europas bringen wir ibiza clubhits/summer 2015. in einem fetten dj-mix auf 2cds werden die besten und topaktuellsten house-hits gefeatured, zu denen auf den dancefloors der insel abgefeiert wird. robin schulz, laidback luke & tujamo, mike candys, hardwell und milk & sugar, sie alle sind auf dieser compilation vertreten!

how much do you really know about nina kraviz? shes a russian techno dj, an accomplished producer, one of dance musicÕs breakthrough names of the last five years. true enough, but theres so much more to her story than that. shes one of electronic musics most interesting characters, someone who has stuck to her musical guns since day one, someone who has wide-ranging roots that run deep in the past, yet shes also the embodiment of the future. her signature sound is a raw blend of house and techno with a very acidic feel. if that feels very now, kraviz has a lot to do with it, which is why she was asked to mix the latest instalment of !k7Õs landmark Ôdj kicksÕ series.

alland byallo has crafted ten unique tracks for the mighty uk imprint. bones, flesh stands out for its distinctive vibe and groove. from the opening track looking long to the closing singularity the album stirs and flexes, flies and touches down with elan, sounding raw, alive, organic and original all though. all the while being a record that moves the mind and the body from start to finish

strut return to the archives of seminal chicago house label dance mania in january 2015 for dance mania: ghetto madness. the follow-up to struts acclaimed dance mania label retrospective hardcore traxx from early 2014, this new instalment places the spotlight on the raw, stripped back, hyper bpms of ghetto house and the rise of the movements fresh generation of stars during the mid 90s including dj deeon, dj funk, jammin gerald and dj milton.

new york, early 90s, the haydays of the new york and jersey clubhouse! with labels such as nugroove, nervous, freeze, strictly rhythm, henry street music taking all the spot light, there is jovonn working on a small but sensational catalogue of music that somehow gets overshadowed by the popular releases on the mentioned labels. the honest productions, jazzy melodies and playful vocals (rooted in gospel) were taking things into a more musical, more spiritual way, lacking gimmicks or dispensable samples. for the real diggers, the true lovers of house music jovonn always was a name to watch, a producer of some of their favorite ny house tracks, tracks that have a raw edge combined with a sincere human touch and pure underground house vibes

emotional rescue is proud to present the first ever collection of works from spanish song writer javier bergia. as a member of finas africae his name is finally coming to prominence. now with this selection of his music from 1985 to today, the depths of his acoustic, folk and balearic writing can be heard. born in madrid in 1958 to a family steeped in both classical and spanish traditional music, javier s unique mastery of guitar, percussion, voice, poetry and composition is drawn from both this grounding and upon his lifelong musical inquisitiveness . since 1980 he has been an integral part of the ancient music group atrium musicae . in 1984 he founded, with juan alberto arteche and luis delgado, the groundbreaking group finis africae as a sonic investigation into a fusion o f diverse ethnic musical forms incorporating both indigenous instruments and electronic elements. as a solo artist, his career blossomed when, in 1985, he recorded his first lp, the acclaimed recoletos and he has since recorded thirteen solo albums . with luis delgado he recorded the now classic album la fl or de piedra under the name ishinohana and regularly appears with singer ismael serrano. javier has composed music for and collaborated on many documentaries, films and advertisements as well as collaborating on protects with a myriad o f artists including maria del mar bonet, joaquin diaz, vainica doble, marina heredia, pablo guerreo, antonio vega and cafe del mar. today he participates in the sephardic music groups halilem and alquibla , as well as diverse alternative chamber music groups. javier works around the world as composer, arranger and producer and he appears daily with manolo hh on radio nacional de espana.

loose records is proud to announce a new series of six eps that will be released over summer 2014, culminating in a double disc cd compilation chock full of musical goodness. the italian label was established in 2005 by rino cerrone and mario manganelli and is related to the respected events crew of the same name. in that time the label has been showcasing new talents alongside more established names, and that s the same case on this bristling new compilation.

sean pineiro combines different musical elements to one stringent sound story, filled with anecdotes.

julius papp presents with this compilation the warm, soulful groove of san francisco, a city famed for its love of hazy, summery deep house. inclusive acapellas, dj tools and his own unreleased edits, blending elements from tracks by the likes of vincent kwok, kerri chandler, dennis ferrer and blaze.

kink spent years of backwards-engineering the sounds of detroit, chicago and early warp. tweaking whatever software was available, he learned all the sideways possibilities of hacking into the sonics of analog classics with the beauty of digital degradation: alias noise, bit crush, noisy fft grains - his one-of-a-kind results electrified dance floors all over the world ever since. now, all the elements of kinks live sets have been bundled like a laser beam in his debut album

theres no room to argue, joseph capriati has enjoyed his finest year to date and his escalation as one the principle profiles in techno knows no boundaries. the napoli-born firebrand has just completed a stunning season in ibiza as a resident of marco carolas music on at amnesia

following on from the impact of 2011s sophomore album glimpse, were proud to announce the release of julien dynes third full length album december. stylistically a continuation of the futuristic elements hinted at on glimpse blended with the stilted pulsing rhythms of dynes first lp pins and digits december offers studies in shimmering melodies, woozy beds of rich harmonic sound, sturdy percussive backdrops, combined with rnb stabs and dense vocal harmonies.

man is a rope is not a band but rather a process developed by new york songwriter / producer / artist, evan t. q. kreeger. using live instrumental and vocal performances with analog effects to make electronic hybrid music rather than employing virtuals, loops or samples, man is a rope creates its own unique dark dynamics and complex churns which invoke elements from no wave, early mute/4ad, rowland s. howard, the cabs, detroit / birmingham techno, a certain ratio, the swans, coil, 70s crimson, and film music. these works are composed in parallel with video treatments and storyboard development. from conception, audio is forever bonded to its symbiotic images.

while >sweet nothings< was a balancing act between clubsound and listening-electronica the duo is now turning its back on the dancefloor, to take the listener on an accustic tour through their personal amber room. with their chamber-electro mix, containing characteristics of dubstep, catchy pop-elements, classical string arrangements and and a singer/songwriter like intimacy, they achieve to create new sound-rooms

phil weeks is a house music purist. whether djing or producing, the parisian with the huge personality delivers raw beats influenced in equal measure by classic chicago house and nu-school french flair, underpinned with a hip-hop attitude. his long running robsoul recordings also defines him as one of the most skilled label heads in underground house music

3 cds! classic & future anthems! incl. swedish house mafia, alesso vs.one republic, tiesto, david guetta, faithless, calvin harris, nicky romero!

lets start with the italian ilario alicante and his dj-mix to get the immediate scoop of what makes this guy so special: we cannot describe it other than saying this mix rules! strong but relaxed at the same time with a good variation and xxl deepness in the selection makes this mix a great house-excursion. this is the sound of hot summer nights and happy people dancing til the morning. you can imagine this very special summer party vibe while listening to ilarios mix which incorporates the right elements such as emotional piano-breaks, cool vocal-samples, kicking house-beats and hypnotic basslines.