* london artist dean blunt returns with hotep by blue iverson.
* this vinyl only release marks the second 12” on benji bs deviation label.
* first making waves with the almost cult level ‘hype williams’ project, and then more recently solo and as part of the group babyfather, the new 8 track lp sees blunt step back into the shadowy role of producer for a new band called blue iverson.

first solo release for talented newcomer pepe villalba, who previously made his debut on panea records. he delivers four eclectic tracks spanning from breakbeat to acid house, crossing downtempo atmospheres that slightly touch deep house. standing out release!

spearhead records label boss steve bcee returns with his 4th studio album, and itÆs safe to say that itÆs his best one yet. not just a solo affair, bcee has also drafted in some of the finest vocal and production talent around. with features from two time best d&b vocalist winner riya and d&b legend logistics being just the start. northpoint is bcee at his most diverse. from the early 90s hardocre influenced keep moving on to the jungle roots of hollow eyes this is an album that really showcases how broad the d&b spectrum can be while still keeping to the spearhead ethos of being uplifting musical d&b packed full of heart & soul. bcee said i wanted to make an album packed full of d&b that would work in a club just as well as it would in the car. no fillers, no showcasing how i can produce house or hip-hop or whatever, just pure no nonsense drum & bass. with bceeÆs spearhead presents brand regularly selling out shows at clubs like the legendary egg in kings cross & shoreditchs village underground, plus his growing dj & production schedule and the vanguard project his alias as a duo with fellow d&b produced villem, itÆs safe to say that even though bcee has been in the game for 16 years, heÆs only just getting started. support from friction, mistajam, metrik, technimatic, s.p.y, nu:tone, logistics, london elektricity and a whole load more

best known for his ambient excursions as voices from the lake alongside donato dozzy, neel joins token with the 4-track calcata. from his collaborations with dozzy to his solo work for their joint-run label spazio disponibile, neels studio experience as a mastering engineer has gained him recognition as a producer who pays great attention the technical aspects of his sound.

this is the first 12 inch from luke jenner’s first solo project since his infamous new york band the rapture split up. very often first releases are like a statement. both sides of this 12 represent a side of what meditation tunnel is about: epic and melodic on dreamsequence, psychedelic and hypnotic on sunrise. mixed by joakim, whom luke shares a studio with in brooklyn.

space is the place! ufo station recordings brings you their fifth release, the second solo ep by hans berg titledpathfinder (with a remix by inland).

in 1973, emi records nigeria released the 45 rpm disc fuel for love b/w soundway, credited to a mysterious band called wrinkar experience. the record was a finely-crafted gem of pop-rock and funky soul as had never before been heard coming out of the countryÆs nascent rock scene, and it ended up being the biggest selling nigerian single up until that point. the success of wrinkar experience effectively demonstrated that was a market for homegrown pop and rock, and sent record labels scrambling to sign similar bands, kicking off the nigerian rock revolution that is still being celebrated and discovered by new generations today. but while wrinkar experience launched the movement, the group itself would be short-lived: after another hit single in 1973, the bands frontman danie ian split for a solo career. the remaining principal players in the group cameroonian musicians ginger forcha and edjoo jacques racine tried to keep the wrinkar name going before giving it up and rebranding themselves as rock town express. rock town expresss debut lp funky makossa was recorded in 1974 for arc records, the cutting-edge studio and label established in lagos by english drum legend ginger baker. the album showcased in long format the qualities that had only been hinted at on the wrinkar experience singles: bright, confident pop melodies, articulate lyrics, and darkly potent funk-rock. comb & razor sound is proud to present a new, fully-authorized reissue of funky makossa, featuring the seven tracks from the original release, plus i am a natural man and i dont want to know, from wrinkar experiences seldom-heard third and final single.

wyclef jeans neues album ist sein mittlerweile zehntes studioalbum und das dritte album der »carnival«-reihe – »carnival iii: the fall and rise of a refugee«. »carnival iii« kommt im rahmen des 20-jährigen jubiläums von wyclefs debütalbum »the carnival«, welches 1997 erschien sowie 10 jahre nach der fortsetzung »carnival vol. ii: memoirs of an immigrant«, veröffentlicht im dezember 2007. jeans erste erfolge feierte er als ein drittel des legendären hip-hop-trios the fugees neben pras michael und lauryn hill. als mittlerweile selbst gestandene musikalische legende hat wyclef mit weltweiten superstars kollaboriert: mary j. blige, carlos santana, akon, missy elliott, alexandre pires, shakira und viele mehr haben mit ihm recordet. zu seinen größten hits hierzulande gehören die fugees-songs »ready or not«, »killing me softly« und »fu-gee-la« sowie seine solo-hits »gone till november«, »perfect gentleman«, »911«, »hips don t lie« mit shakira oder »party to damascus«.

played by chez damier , for his first solo record label founder antoine molkhou aka siler present us his -still a kid- ep.two orignial tracks and the a great collaboration on -spatial purim- with the popcorn family member flabaire.

oaklands aybee will make his debut on mollys newly launched rdv (recit de voyage) with the labels second release. the nexus ep follows the dj/producer/filmmakers 2016 lp the odyssey on his own deepblak imprint and recent 12inch the motion syntax for londons dmk. having established a reputation as one of electronic musics foremost innovative and versatile musicians with a freeform, jazz-influenced approach to production that has lent itself equally to a prolific solo output under various guises and collaborations with afrikan sciences, ron trent and jerome sydneham - the nexus finds aybee again mining a deep & hypnotic house sound to maximum effect, employing the tribal drum patterns, hypnotic synths and signature grooves that helped establish the deepblak sound. the trio of tracks make for a perfect follow-up to rdvs debut from prophets of a new generation, and fit beautifully within the trademark deep, subtle & groovy style of the parisian dj & rex club resident molly, who herself is quickly establishing herself as a label owner with her own unique vision.

following the release of the homemade waves ep in 2015, the room below returns to don t be afraid with his second ep for the label. the title healing scaphoids reflects on the period of time he spent constructing the tracks, during which he suffered two separate broken wrists whilst cycling around london. one right, one left. both time, the scaphoid bone! unfortunately, only one of the wrists healed properly and the ep retains a slightly broken feel, steering away from four-to-the-floor territory, and with london as a clear sonic influence. 2017 has been a productive year for henry keen aka the room below. as soundspecies, alongside brother olly, he released a collaborative album with afro-cuban percussion group ache meyi, performing live at the barbican in may to follow the previous year s appearance at the manana cuba festival in santiago de cuba.. henry also has a solo ep forthcoming on rising new york label maddjazz, due for release in mid september.

the 2nd solo album from peter gabriel, originally released in 1978 - now back on 180 gram vinyl, half-speed remastered

“soldier” is iggy pop’s fourth solo studio album, released in 1980. for the album iggy collaborated with ex-sex pistols bassist glen matlock. david bowie and simple minds provide backing vocals on “play it safe”. videos were made for the songs “loco mosquito”, “knocking em down (in the city)” and “dog food”.
first pressing of 1000 numbered copies on clear green/black mixed 180 gram vinyl.

this limon is sweet, not sour! austin boogie crew records presensts its newest 45 release: the solo vinyl debut of san franciscos own trailer limon (dan meisenheimer). as one half of the pendletons (along with e da boss), limon has been leaving his imprint on the modern funk scene since 2010 with classic singles like waiting on you, let me turn you on, and most recently on the gotta get out ep. this solo 45 features two choice cuts with appearances from west coast heavy hitters e. live and b. bravo. dancing with somebody is a sleek and sexy mid-tempo delight where limon croons about dancing with a stranger while another lover is on his mind. steppers will adore the bumping drums, soaring keys, and resonant bass that peeks its head out at the perfect times. too good.

tataaa! a full on 12- disco ep coming your way via the notorious frank music label. johannes albert – in italy they call him giovanni alberto – plays the rattle bass and bangs out the sweetest piano solo you will hear all year. „giovanni frizzante- it is. truth is he just watched a „how to make italo disco in ableton- tutorial and listened to another 238 lauer tracks for inspiration on top. accompanied by a more sample-laden arp-disco tune that won t give you any cure. added for good measure? jep, prins thomas diskomiks on the flip in all its glory. what could possibly go wrong?

killawatt returns with his sophomore 47 solo ep. successive to 47010, his first solo four-tracker for the label released earlier this year, killawatt delivers 47012 allowing his percussive heavy background to influence his take on modern dance floor material with bone rattling rhythms with stirring overtones and ruptured drum patterns.

steffi occupies a unique space in the realm of contemporary electronic music. although she s a world renowned dj, steffi s musical interests reach far beyond the dancefloor, and it s her work as a producer that has established an impressive, hard-won legacy. soon after moving to berlin in 2007, steffi joined ostgut, becoming a resident at panorama bar and releasing on the club s label. to date she s released five albums, including two solo for ostgut ton, a co-production with virginia, another with analogue cops as third side and a collaboration as doms & deykers on martyn s 3024 label. her impressive discography features club classics like “ yours feat. virginia” , carefully chosen remixes and appearances on labels including permanent vacation, underground quality and mixes for panorama bar and fabric. she owns and operates four labels: klakson (with dexter), dolly, dolly deluxe and dolly dubs. world of the waking state is steffi s third solo album for ostgut ton and a musical departure for both her and the label. it s also a serious statement of intent. over ten tracks she embarks on entirely new electronic terrain for her productions, marking industrial spaces with superlunary warmth while exercising a refined knowledge of polyphony and arrangement. subdued melodies interact with each other over implied harmonies and microcosmic drum patterns, luring us into a world that is introverted, bewildering and gratifying all at once.

after the long awaited and acclaimed return of the notorious manie sans de&#769,lire on june records, one-half of the group, trenton chase, returns on the label with a bold solo lp marking his departure from the sound of his previous releases on the imprint. for his first album attempt, trenton embarks on the search for everything and manages to encapsulate the whole essence of the june records ethos within 43 minutes of music. although initially not planned as an album, deadlock was conceived organically as it only took a few months for its completion during the artist’s most abundant 2017 studio spring sessions. this body of work transcends formulaic attempts to showcase a very refreshing and uncompromising take on synth music. chase followed a crude approach to songwriting, rehearsing and improvising live until the best take would eventually become the final track. artwork by florent mazzocchetti.

the contemporary techno talent, architectural, releases his second solo ep on non series. known for his smart production and sound design, architectural aka juan rico delivers a new 4 tracker with an advanced framework.these new cuts present a wide range of sci-fi spellbinding sounds with a distinctive techno funk which fits perfectly with non series tendency.

just over a year ago cassy embarked on her largest and most personal project yet, her debut solo album donna , released on revered imprint aus music. since then, cassy has put out a string of remixes on powerplant, turbo, echoe and watergate, plus a track on muna s latest va. throughout this period, cassy has also been in the studio working on new material, the first of which to be released in september, and is titled cassy 004 . as the title infers, cassy is reawakening her self-titled imprint she created in 2006, and has had three previous releases until now. with no plan or set schedule, the remit was simply to release her own records, when the time is right, and the quality is high. the music always reflected the quirkier side to cassy s club tastes. and 004 continue in this vein. it perfectly encapsulates the sleek and hypnotic sounds of the harder end of her dj sets. the tracks are titled one and two , with cassy giving one a reshape to round off a trio of cuts aimed at the dancefloor.

label boss, deepak sharma deliver a three-track gem on his solo debut for his imprint, hidden recordings. within annapurna lies his varied interpretations of techno vividly on display, all unique in their own ways but with a consistent, underlying gritty tone the label is famed for. he protects his house, and makes a bold statement as a soloist. from dj to curator of hidden recordings, deepak sharma has been entrenched in techno for over a decade. as the selector for hidden recordings, he began to expand the reach of his soundscape in order to appreciate all music, particularly techno. through these experiences, he had a moment where he started hearing sounds differently, and since then has been on a journey to make that sound. he s authentic to the mood and what feels right, combining raw, hypnotic rhythms that lay a foundation for an industrial monochrome minimalism with flashes of bright color while others fall deeper within the moody, darker abyss.

french artist marc nguyen tan released two renowned albums in the early 2003 and 2006 under the artist name colder on trevor jackson’s seminal label output recordings. in november 2015, colder returned after a decade in hiatus with his third, highly acclaimed album many colours followed by two other lps titled the rain and goodbye in 2016. kasper bjorke is one of the most acclaimed and versatile producers and djs hailing from denmark. kasper has released five renowned solo albums over the past decade and remixed a wide range of artists, from rebolledo to weval. the two artists first started working together when kasper remixed colders single ”your kind” - and colder in return remixed bjørke s track ”marbled blood”. the idea to take their collaboration even further was formed when the two of them met in person during sonar festival in barcelona in 2015. in 2016 they then teamed up in the redbull studio in paris for a three day improvised recording session. the result is the black magic ep in stores on september 8th via throne of blood. a collection of five raw, driving post punk / new wave and techno influenced compositions, recorded via the studio ssl desk in paris, using hardware synths and drum machines played through some exotic vintage effects. colder recorded his mesmerizing vocals on the spot along with french drummer julien sabourin and saxophone player thibaut javoy. the ep will be followed by a stellar remix package from the golden filter (optimo music), mutado pintado (paranoid london) and french producer and dj pilooski.

after 20+ years with psych legends yura yura teikoku, shintaro sakamotos third solo album is a bonafide masterpiece of warped steel guitar, ambient disco and aor soul. orginally released in japan, 2016. like a language of sakamotos own…made with a ship-in-the-bottle-like focus. pitchfork love if possible is the pay-attention-moment. not enough know. more should know. under the radar perfectionist pop for the extraterrestrial bachelor pad. spin

for the 6th release fabe goes solo again with a four tracker that includes all his musical facets starting with an a side which actually transports his most club characterized work. on the b side everything gets more melodic and hypnotizing chord pads are telling the story further...

brotherhood sound system records is back with the third solo ep on the label, this time coming courtesy of swedish producer and electronic mastermind nils krogh, aka arkajo. hes made his mark on the dance music landscape as one half of the revered house, techno and electronica duo genius of time, releasing on labels such as aniara recordings, running back and royal oak

since four triangles was founded to release material from previously unheralded artists working in the space between house, techno and vintage rave, it seems fitting that the label’s second release should come from an analogue explorer still making his way in the world.
you may have stumbled across jonas friedlich’s debut solo 12”, a thrillingly forthright collection of hardware workouts that slipped out, unheralded, on molten moods late last year. we think the five tracks showcased here offer an extended glimpse in friedlich’s distinctive musical vision.

als einer von kompakts mitbegründern und –besitzern zeichnet reinhard voigt für ein gesamtwerk verantwortlich, das unsere musikalische historie von anfang an entscheidend geprägt hat - sei es als ambient-tanz-projekt sturm, techno-raufbold s.r.i., experimenteller profan-mitstreiter pentax, ein drittel von kölns legendärer house-boyband forever sweet oder einfach unterm eigenen klarnamen, mit unentbehrlichen releases wie etwa der frühe speicher-hit “supertiel” (kom ex 2) oder die jüngsten solo-eps “kontraste” (kom 351) und “reisen & speisen” (kom 338). voigts produktionen fanden eine heimat auf kultlabels mille plateaux oder harvest, helfen aber auch beim anschieben jüngerer plattformen wie kompakt-nachwuchs kx. zurück auf dem mutterschiff, präsentiert er die neue 12” apokalypse mau, deren zwei tracks für rohen, brutzelnden, zielstrebigen techno plädieren – die sorte techno, die unerwartete dynamik aus reduziertesten synthie-motiven sowie scheinbar willkürlichen bleeps herausschält und in selbstbewusste schieber für gierige tanzflure verwandelt.

bleeds second release of the year is a fourth solo outing for label head volte-face, following up last year s incendiary you bury me 12inch. in classic bleed fashion, the ep features three atmospheric peak-time techno tracks, an ambient piece and an artist-curated remix by rising japanese star wata igarashi, a name synonymous with some of the finest off-centre techno labels, including semantica, time to express and midgar.

since his last appearance on hemlock (2015 s double ep hek025) hodge has produced a seemingly effortless sequence of celebrated eps and collaborations for livity sound, berceuse heroique and no corner. equally comfortable squaring up with heavyweights such as randomer and peder mannerfelt as he is maintaining a prolific solo production output, hodge has cemented himself as a leading voice in uk dance music and a champion of the elusive sweet spot where functional techno resonates with soundsystem culture. a quick listen through his recent ra mix is a great way to keep up to speed with his recent output. one for the hemlock fans who have been patiently tolerating this year s more experimental cuts. swing for the fences is straight down to business getting the kicks in below one of those ear-wormer percussive atonal toplines hodge does so well… the drop is one of the heaviest we ve heard this year and tipped to raise some fingers, open mouths and spill drinks across dancefloors and tv studios worldwide. less pool cue more pool party aomame is a breezy melodic (patio) heater powered by tough drums and intricate percussive work. arranged for both the dancers and the heads it freely refreshes and translates the main theme with a precision and playfulness that few producers can match. medway will warm up or cool out the dance with big room sirens and some rude detuned drum work. still no messing about on the b2: it s a hodge thing all the way.

luc van acker is all except an obscure musician. already from his solo records in the early 80’s he has been building a name for himself as a multi-talented musician and performer. when you are in the middle of the night, you’ll see the revolting cocks. the session on this record is from 1981 and thus a very early piece of music in the discography of luc van acker. for this occasion he has performed with live electronics, a violin and various other gadgets and tools. the music must be seen as somewhere in between old style industrial music (thus experimental) and modern classical music. this live performance takes the listener from rhythmic to the sound of the sound. the session has been tranfered from the original tape and is edited and re-mastered to make it available for a new audience. the liner notes have been written by luc van acker himself.

sean price sadly passed away on august 8th, 2015. sean was 1/2 of heltah skeltah, 1/8 of boot camp clik and developed a cult-like following with his trio of solo album releases starting in 2011. the sean price legacy continues with the highly anticipated posthumous release of his 4th studio album, imperius rex. the album features doom, prodigy, styles p, smif n wessun, rock, method man, raekwon, inspectah deck, junior reid, buckshot, ruste juxx, bernadette price & more. production from alchemist, harry fraud, nottz, amongst others.

supported by : gerd, se62, fabio monesi, anil aras, dj steaw, inner sense, samann, dj caspa, owain 124, dj rampage, dj maddjazz, manooz...
the mlh crew brings house music tracks based on raw rhythms, infectious stabs and hard hitting grooves, written somewhere between chicago, new york, london, berlin and paris. after their first solo ep, mlh bring back the 90 s new york vibe with two veterans of this sound : the dat project aka william rosario and transitive elements aka enrico mantini.

june records presents rr hearse - call of oedipus. completed between 1981 and 2013, call of oedipus is a collection of solo works and collaborations of rr hearse with s/m, a.rib and mr. cricket. the tracks were recorded live at concerts on greek university campuses, squats, in studio as well as in rr hearse s bedroom. this mini lp is a never released before document of the greek underground music scene, transferred from cassettes and reel-to-reels s from rr hearse s personal archive. very limited!

joe armon-jones & maxwell owinare forces to be reckoned with. both integral parts of the burgeoning south london jazz scene, these young musicians contribute to numerous outfits including ata kak, jamie isaac, mc pinty, moses boyd exodusand ezra collective, as well as pushing their own solo projects.this is their first combined effort. idiom is the result of multiple collaborations under the direction of joe and maxwell. featuring nubya garcia, oscar jeromeand jake long, it is heavily influenced by the hardcore continuum and covers everything from 2-step, broken-beat and house to jazz and dub.having been compared to artists like 4hero, floating points, harvey sutherlandand moodymannall in the same breath, joe & maxwell arealready garnering support from radio 6 musics gillespeterson, jazz fm/musica macondas tim garciaand jazz fms chris philips.this is an accomplished body of work by some of the most exciting young talent in london right now.

industry veteran paolo martini is next to join the emerald city family with red rocks. bringing the funk, he delivers a solid two-track release with irresistible groove and dance-floor disco heat. paolo martini has been in the business for over 30 years, first releasing with gianni bini on various labels such as defected, strictly rhythm, universal, azuli and nervous. they soon established their own label ocean trax and handled remixes of kylie minogue and jamiroquai. paolo has also been testimonial for several clothing brands including diesel and adidas and also the rane mp2015 mixer. his following co-productions can be found on acclaimed labels such as hot creations, snatch!, moon harbour, 8bit, saved and cecille amongst many others. 2017 starts the beginning of a new adventure with a string of releases geared up under his new solo project.

this mysterious duo have been long time friends since childhood and both have active solo careers in the independent music industry. on this ep they join forces to give listeners a refreshing and envelope pushing abstract deep house experience.

lossless music’s leftfield sublabel exkursions is back with its second vinyl release. exkur002 features the incredible talent of james morton aka concealed identity. after hearing james’ 12” on narratives soul intent tracked james and proposed james remix “no answers” which is did in amazing style. james also offered up a stunning brand new solo track called “zahir”, a 7 minute journey into cinematic 170bpm. soul intent finishes up the 12” with a 140bpm garage/bass music monster called “tribes” via odyssia alias.

always with a dope groove & big basslines, herb lf tunes have always been influential and musically a few steps ahead. herb lf solo or him being part of the projects westpark unit, gush collective, discoshit & more, there are way too much releases to mention in the last two decades. his knowledge & production skills also made him to one of the most sought after mastering engineers. freude am tanzen, frank music, musik krause, quartet series, troubled kids and lots more labels & artists like the xtra-dope final touch in their music, carefully mastered by herb lf in his düsseldorf based nordstadt fm studio. please welcome the -decades ep via farside records. where are the young men? is a huge soulful & epic tune, but also a reminiscence to the early 80s punk/wave era. check the groove & bassline, even with a dosis of boom bap vibe inside for ecstatic moves on your dancefloor. henry l & ingo sänger try a different perspective on the punk/wave attitude of where are the young men? and add a little dosis of funk, disco & detroit techno to the tune. with a demanding groove & organic sounds, this is extra funky & takes you back to the vibes of the freestyle summer of love in 1989. rave on. herb lfs real pong, madrid has a demanding groove with beautiful spacey chords. this is as soulful as it gets and might be your secret weapon on a small basement floor, but should amazingly work on bigger sound systems as well. the tune air is breathing deep, phat & slow. start or finish your night with this ambient monster tune or play it at home. lots of fresh air guaranteed.

all pieces are conceived and recorded between the end of 2015 and 2016 between amsterdam and tuscany. the path starts with cristallo di bismuto which is a low-tempo jam marked by dusty 80s drums and deep pads that transport you straight away in an underground nocturnal urban sci-fi scenario. i wish you could shelter me has within a powerful rolling bass part and a solid drum-machine pattern, dx7 s style keys with some romantic melancholic colors. oosterpark laguna is an exotic house groove with a lush pad and a sweet saxophone solo perfect for a sunny warm day. mare aperto is a nostalgic house tune inspired by the early chicago s piano house and the italian golden era of clubbing of the end of 80s early 90s. the release includes a label s sticker inside and a stamp on the inner sleeve.

pvnv is back on his own label with his second solo ep! 5 tracks from deep techno to ambient thru his singularity.

revered swedish producer sebastian mullaert releases his first exclusive vinyl on default position after the huge success of his remix to vedanta in 2014. sebastian first made his name as one half of the acclaimed duos minilogue and son kite, but in recent times focuses on his solo career, which sees him appearing at clubs and festivals all over the world and releasing on some of the industry s most respected labels and imprints. samunnati is a brand new double vinyl ep featuring four original mixes from mulleart, with remixes from fellow swedish duo johanna knutson & hans berg, belgium s danieli and label founder joseph s. joyce. its genesis lies in a melody recorded live on sebastian s roland sh101 which has been resampled and processed in many different ways, offering several contrasting mixes to suit many different tastes and styles.

this summer 2017 tom bulwer launches parasol culture, a vinyl only imprint, focusing on quality house and techno, with a tinge of “it’s a london thing”. dutch born tom came to london as a uk garage dj working up his way the ranks of pirate radio stations (freek fm, unknown fm), to producing and working with uk garage legend karl ‘tuff enuff’ brown. this year tom is focusing on tb audio, his analogue mastering studio in east london, and producing music on the deeper side of house and techno as a solo artist. tom has released on labels such as nu faze, !k7 and signatune records. he also regularly writes with long term partner in crime anna wall under their own names and under their moniker casse. the first parasol culture release is the output of tom and anna’s winter months under the same roof and in his studio in hackney wick. 2017 also sees tom start a new venture with dexter kane (murmur, get physical, fear of flying), aptly named, alternate facts, a vinyl only label and free party series, wax and stacks, party over profit, power to the people.

the cultural phenomenon that is the wu-tang cannot accurately be described without referencing one of the pillars in the clan s discography, chef raekwon s only built 4 cuban linx remains firmly planted as one of the defining triumphs in their artistic legacy. the oft referred -purple tape-, has been cited and debated by many as the greatest wu-tang solo project to date and a remains a bullet point in any discussion involving the greatest -cocaine rap- or -street hop- albums of all time.

including 2 remixes by osunlade under the collective name of yoruba soul! since their first acclaimed album apiafo, vaudou game turned down the heat over 160 stages across the world. peter solo has displayed his vaudou chants and charisma around the globe. on the road he and osunlade met and shared their musical visions. kidayu is the name of the 2nd opus and means “sharing”: it’s exactly what those versions of “on se pousse” are about. ! limited press.

vinyl only
lucretio s first solo release on memento, the -system pressure e.p.- is a piece of carefully handcrafted nightclub music. the late-hours anthem -addict to the dancefloor- combines the early 90s heart-felt grooves with the state of the art of contemporary electronic production. -2bpad1- is a relentless ride of voltage controlled oscillators and hexadecimal quirks over hefty bare drums processed with a juicy analogue filter. finally -love wont leave- bring back together house and techno, melting their rhythm and blues essence into an absolute peak-time conjunction.

for fans of the italian avant-garde, few names inspire the loyalty and devotion offered to the percussionist and composer lino capra vaccina - a perfect emblem of the country’s extraordinary movement of musical minimalism. he first gained note as a member of aktuala, a project which laid the groundwork for a entire generation of practitioners following in their wake - creating a hybrid of rock, avant-garde, and ancient musics, while incorporating a diverse number of sonic traditions from across the globe - african, middle eastern, indian, etc. vaccina’s career as composer has been marked by two distinct features, an incredibly high bar of quality and ambition, and a tragically slim amount of recorded output. following his departure from aktuala, he worked extensively with others - juri camisasca, franco battiato, etc, and within the short lived super group telaio magnetico, but his astounding solo efforts have been slow to emerge. in 1978 he released the legendary lp antico adagio, and wouldn’t be heard from again until 1992’s equally extraordinary l attesa. fortunately, over the last few years, the milan based imprint die schachtel, has embarked on a multifaceted project - reissuing vaccina’s hard to find lps for a new generation, as well as offering a range of stunning archival recording which had never before seen the light of day. their latest release, an lp entitled echi armonici da antico adagio, falls into the later category. it is nothing short of a momentous even

the story of the great roots reggae harmony trio black uhuru is one defined by many unexpected twists and turns. in its best known form, led by michael rose and with founding member duckie simpson and the black american female vocalist, puma jones, the group would enjoy the greatest popularity of any act in the wake of bob marley’s untimely death in 1981, but the origins of the group lay in the turbulent waterhouse district during the mid-1970s. duckie first formed the group as uhuru, the swahili word for unity, with garth dennis as lead singer and don carlos to join him in harmony, after cutting an adaptation of the impressions’ “romancing to the folk song” at dynamics, “time is on our side” at randy’s for clive chin, and “slow coach” for raymond “benno” anderson, dennis drifted into the wailing souls and don carlos went solo, leading duckie to recruit rising waterhouse vocalist michael “tony” rose as lead singer, and errol nelson from the jays for harmony. their debut album, love crisis, was produced, voiced and mixed at king tubby’s studio by prince jammy and remains and outstanding example of jammy’s roots reggae production phase. the song “hard ground” vamps on a similar theme to marley’s “talking blues”: rose sings of a life of everyday hardship, with destitution and homelessness the pervading factors. on the extended dub portion and dub the instrumental cuts that follow the alternate vocal take of this enthralling 12-inch ep, you can hear the non-standard instrumentation that helps make the work so innovative, with winston wright’s harpsichord melody emphasising the hopelessness of rose’s emotive lyrics, the commanding rhythm and understated bass and guitar from robbie shakespeare and chinna smith completing the picture.

recorded in a shaky makeshift chicken shack in rural maryland, link wray’s eponymous 1971 solo album is a compelling and forward-looking piece of honest, handmade americana. check !