Reggae's African connection meets the global ethos of Glasgow's Scotch Bonnet Records for their historic new EP. French-born, Glasgow-based producer Stalawa has voiced a talented selection of East African vocalists to thrilling effect, over his heftiest roots rub-a-dub rhythms. This project is the culmination of multiple fruitful visits to Kenya and Uganda by Scotch Bonnet proprietors, Mungo’s Hi Fi sound system. It has been fine-tuned between Glasgow and Kampala over the last three years.
The A side features the wailing voice of Ugandan singer and emcee Blessed San. Showcasing a vocal style not unlike legendary Jamaican reggae veteran Michael Prophet (despite never actually having heard him before), Traitor is a mournful rebuke to all who violate his trust. Stalawa has mixed a haunting accompanying dub: all crashing drums and biting horns.
The B side hosts a Kenyan-Caribbean collaboration on a vintage classic. Connoisseurs’ Jamaican singer Delroy Melody has recut his 1979 local hit Ease Up The Pressure, adding verses from Luganda Rasta lyricist C Wyne Nalukalala (meaning “the troublemaker”). The remade backing, based on Dennis Brown’s Easy Take It Easy, was built in Jamaica by renowned drummer Sly Dunbar and keyboardist Dennis ‘Jah D’ Fearon. Also on the flip is Kenya's “first lady” of hip hop and reggae Nazizi. Her song Ukiangalia (“when you see” in Swahili) rides a dubby update of King Tubby’s famous Tempo rhythm.
All vocals bar Mr Melody’s were recorded in Kampala, Uganda by David Cecil and Wana Benjamin of East Africa Records, with brass parts dubbed by Stalawa in Glasgow. The guitar on Traitor is the work of popular Scottish vocalist Tom Spirals. Hornplay comes courtesy of Tim Quick, Liam Shorthall and Matieusz Sobieski.
a1. Stalawa - Traitor ft. Blessed San
a2. Stalawa - Traitor Dub
b1. Stalawa - Ease Up The Pressure ft. Delroy Melody & C Wyne Nalukalala
Cosmic Bridge welcomes back Margari’s Kid for his second EP "We Are Ghosts Now".
"We Are Ghosts Now" follows 2017 sellout label debut "Init 1" and two years on and now living in Bristol, Spanish producer José María Moya Sánchez has upped the ante further. Developed, deep and immersive; his unique 170bpm seekers music will continue to draw references to Burial and Instra:Mental / dBridge's Autonomic Drum & Bass but we'll pass you over to label head Om Unit to give you the full low down.
Om Unit - "Across the microcosms of Drum & Bass off shoots there are many sound-a-likes clinging to cliche'd references and rigid tropes; This only leads to a stale, repetitive and self referential culture and is why Margari's Kid supersedes his peers. Standing alone he creates deceptively beautiful and human tracks that while they feel simple, are in fact intricately layered with detail and emotion. These tracks are testament to the rich rewards achieved when a person injects a sense of real humanity into the often overly-technical domain of minimalism. As Margari's Kid, José María Moya Sánchez is is almost entirely leaning out of the pre-existing sphere of Drum & Bass and dancing in the rain on his own. This could be the beginning of something very special, and I think you should really pay attention."
We Are Ghosts Now is released 10th May 2019 on Cosmic Bridge Records on 12" vinyl and digital formats and features a remix from Label mate Crypticz and artwork from Studio Tape Echo.
Debut, 4 track 7" on KingUnderground by Flughand & Smuv. Flughand and and Smuv, 37 and 27 year old producers from Germany, collaborate on their debut EP "Fluo". They are both giants in the streaming game and known for their laid back, dreamy, lofi hip hop beats. They are two of the most well-known artists in the genre of lofi, with streams counting more than 100 million clicks. BeatPete, a fellow German and widely respected DJ, is the link here for the release on KingUnderground.
They each have their own distinctive style of cover art for all their solo projects and this time they worked with an Italian artist, "Heey Studio Design" for the "Fluo" EP illustration. It conveys the two of them, a cat (Smuv) sitting on a little island, chilling with a cocktail in the middle of an ocean and a dog (Flughand), flying an airplane up in the sky.
Widely revered French DJ and producer, Thomas Arroyo aka Laroye has released music exploring a variety of different genres from broken beat on the early days of MCDE and Faces Records, through to funk and boogie with QWESTLIFE on Midnight Riot, Black Riot and ISM Records and beyond. His creativity extends to a number of side projects, like Soul Rüma (with Andre Espeut) and experimental modular jams and atmospheric blues with his own project The Tom Laroye Experiment.
His next release on Tiff's Joints has already received the seal of approval from the likes of Laurent Garnier, Alexander Nut, Volcov and more. The A1, 'Colombia 26a', sets pace for the release with heavy Afro-Latin percussion, a thick bassline and the type of dexterous musicality the label is steadily becoming known for. 'The Trickster' is built around an infectiously squelchy keys part, bolstered by a bouncing bassline, the track culminates in a soaring lead melody and ridiculous synth solo. 'Espiritú' is more downtempo and spacey. Kicking off with a relentlessly driving and hypnotic polyrhythm, and complete with an uplifting choral arrangement, seriously trippy lapsteel guitar (?!) and a mysterious guiding voice.
Following the first of the 'SHIFT LTD' capsule collection by Xhin is an EP by Kirk Degiorgio with a remix from John Beltran. Full-bodied tracks fill in every frequency corner
'The Nearness of Flames' as a headspin stomper, while 'Acid Symphony' weaves an acid line into a rich tapestry. Ambient producer John Beltran reimagines the original with a sunrise touch.
Foxy Jangle returns with a cheeky one: a special re-issue of Bones & Natty's classic '95 jungle 12" - Pow / Thunder.
Originally slated for release back in the day on 24 Karat, this monstrous 12" alas never made it past the white label promo stage, becoming one of today's most sought-after jungle records
Lovingly remastered by Bob Macc at Subvert Central, pressed at Record Industry and with hand-stamped artwork by Dublin artist CISTO, this vinyl-only release is most definitely not to be slept on!
The Mandatory Eight first appeared on the compilation "Funk, Soul & Afro Rarities: An Intro To ATA Records" released in 2015 on Here & Now recordings with the song "Suckerpunch", which has since become the label's most requested song for re-release as a 45. ATA have dug deep in the archives to unearth two dance-tempo 45 killers to placate the calls until studio time is allotted to the band for a debut album.
The band's sound and ideology definitely lies in less refined eclectic soul. Feel over precision, passion over execution, soul-on-a-budget grooves.
From the opening drum pick up of "Soul Fanfare #3" it is clear that The Mandatory 8 are here to make you move. With proud horn lines reminiscent of something that you might find in the Stax vaults, Soul Fanfare definitely takes it's lead from backing bands such as the Barkays and the funkier side of Booker T and the MGs. One can imagine that this was definitely a set opener for the group, guaranteed to put foot to floor. Guitar and bass have a care free movement and feel, conjuring up tones of late 60's summer soul hits.
The B-side "Turn It Out" has a darker, moodier feel to the previous side. Still a dance floor filling groove, the band take a direction more similar to below the radar funk outfits such as Amnesty or LA carnival. Biting minor horn lines set the tone backed by a bubbling bed of congas, rhythm guitar, unruly bass and drums which don't dip below boiling for the duration. "Turn It Out" features a manzarek-esque farfisa organ solo which sets the sonic tone of a band without funds but with plenty of soul in the bank.
Both sides will reflect well for different moods on the same dance floor.
For Record Store Day 2019, Freestyle Records are proud to release on a fresh vinyl 45, two 1970's tracks by Ginger Johnson & His African Messengers that have been lost for over 45 years. 'Witchdoctor' and 'Nawa' (written by Dizzy Gillespie cohort Chano Pozo) demonstrate a musical progression as afro-funk had stamped it's indelible footprint on Ginger's ground-breaking afro-cuban and jazz hybrid style.
Traversing the tempo range, ASC is renowned for his versatility and ability to remain a consistent sign of quality no matter what sound he takes on. With his most recent foray into the Grey Area sound and his own unique take on Techno for labels like Horo, Semantica, ARTS and his own Auxiliary, ASC’s sound repertoire has expanded and been wholeheartedly embraced by a wider audience.
The Abyssal Plain sees James briefly returning to the tempo with which he initially perfected his craft. The Siren and Pyrrhic Parts I & II reboot the 85 / 170 Tempo with an advanced retake on the approach he mastered. Acidic scapes and soaring harmonies colour the discernible ASC frames. This is music to get lost in. Currents is an upfront 128bpm version of the ASC sound, a Grey Area / Techno blend that completes this formidable futurist quartet.
Coco Bryce steps up for LORE 006, setting the vibe instantly with the effortlessly anthemic tones of ‘Come 2 U’. Subdued chords and etheric vocals are draped over playful breaks and 808s in deadly style, one of those rare tracks that will lift any dancefloor throughout the night! Dead Man’s Chest makes an appearance on ‘True Rebellion’ fusing ruffcut sample choppage with Coco’s riffs & melodies to roll out a hazy recollection of the raves of yesteryear.
Side B continues the theme with ‘Beats Like This’, a neon saturated breakbeat workout of whirling melodies, hardcore riffs & b-boy vocal chops. ‘Like Normal Death’ revisits Yaïr’s instrumental hiphop roots, signing off the EP with soaring pads, heavenly vox and a laid back crunch.
Released May 10th 2019 on digital and heavyweight (180g) black vinyl, shrink-wrapped & housed in a full art reverse board sleeve.
a1. Coco Bryce - Come 2 U
a2. Coco Bryce - True Rebellion (ft. Dead Man's Chest)
After making a V/A appearance on ‘EXCURSIONS # 5’ via Phuture Shock’s EXCURSIONS sub-label in 2018, rising German talent Sandilé returns, this time on the Bristol-based parent imprint, with a blistering two-track missive entitled ‘Bulla Bulla’.
Having emerged out of Cologne’s vibrant underground house and techno scene over the last few years, the local DJ and producer has steadily built a name for herself with frequent DJ gigs across Europe and a clutch of releases on hometown labels including Like Records and IM IN LOVE. While last year saw the German artist land a production credit on Berlin’s Neovinyl, by way of a notable collaboration with prolific house duo Black Loops.
Here adding to her growing credentials, with her first solo outing on Phuture Shock Musik, Sandilé showcases her versatile, groove-driven style across two club-bound tracks - both of which bridge the gap between the soulful essence of deep house and the unrelenting drive of techno; replete with dark and dubby overtones, whilst also heavily taking cues from the UK’s rich bass music roots.
The opening salvo arrives in the form of the bass-driven ‘Bulla Bulla’, where a rollicking, tom-tom laden groove, sharp hi-hats and driving beats serve as a taut, rhythmic base for a whirlwind of fluttering dub chords, manic rimshots and Jamaican vocal chants that delicately merge with deeply emotive keys and lush pads enriched with the hi-tech soul of Motor City and an air of Bristol melancholy. Maintaining the dancefloor urgency on the B-Side, albeit on a more pensive, heads-down tip is ‘Heavy One’, which unfolds with the throb of hefty 4/4 kicks, bubbling low end and delay-drenched synth stabs that incessantly pierce through layers of skittering percussion and snappy claps, before a cascade of eerie padded chords akin to the 90’s intelligent jungle atmospherics of LTJ Bukem’s Good Looking imprint - takes you on a late-night sonic journey across the dark Metropolis of Berlin via Cologne through to inner city London and Detroit, running deep into the afterhours.
After the 13th tape release, HMD Records has compiled it’s first EP ever - with various artists, from Helsinki and Oslo. The music on the record is made by friends and colleagues of the Oslo based label and party promoter, HMD. Four tracks that vary in tempo and genre according to the artist’s different production styles.
All tracks are connected by deep chords and a passionate drive, labeled with (slightly naive) working titles about various stages of love. Very romantic, keeping in mind that HMD stands for "Hjemme med Dama" that roughly translates to “home with the missus” in a tongue in cheek kind of irony.
ZamZam 71 is the welcome return of D-Operation Drop, the multi-man crew from Cesena, Italy with a well-earned rep that continues to grow. Everything they touch becomes a bona fide killer, from traditional steppers to 140 abstractions, to full on clash material. Last year alone saw powerful releases on Scrub A Dub, Lion Charge, Green King Cuts, and Subaltern. Their second chapter on ZamZam marks yet another high point, an absolutely storming release that won’t leave any box it makes it into.
The reverb drenched melody that opens “Bronco” throws open the gate for a brutalist kick-snare riddim with one single purpose - to absolutely crush the dance. A throbbing two note sub and swinging chains sweep aside any and all challengers, leaving pure devastation in their wake. Mesmerizing in its simplicity and absolutely devasting in its efficiency, this weapon has been deployed on dubplate from the likes of J:Kenzo & The Bug - now the beast is released to wreak havoc on Sounds far & wide.
“Coldset” is the healing salve after the bruising of the A side, equally captivating and functional in the dance, swaggering at a cooler temperature with metallic rockers hi hats in the drivers’ seat and ethereal pads hovering above another signature D-Op Drop 140 scorcher. Reminding us of the roots of this music, “Dubwise” is the refrain that echoes and trail-tangles deep down the side chain into lusciously distorted sheets of sound that will have hands in the air for multiple rewinds.
ZamZam 70 is our first team-up with the man of mystery known as Marcus Anbessa. An enigmatic figure whose identity must remain secret for the time being, his infrequent releases on labels such as Lion Charge, Tribe 12, and The Most High (as “Unknown Artist”) are eagerly awaited by those who know, charting an uncompromising vision down a path untrod by the weakheart or the follow-fashion. We love music that builds its own sound world with only passing reference to familiar genres or signposts, music that believes in itself utterly - for this reason we feel genuinely blessed to present these two sides.
“March of The Falasha” is pure roots music that, firmly planted in the soil of dub and sound system, reaches back even further into the mists of time through technological means. Downbeat steppers is the idiom, pure heartbeat is the pulse. Like an old soul young in years but full of wisdom, a distorted flute melody wanders ahead through the undergrowth of bass, light filtering through the ancient canopy above in the form of swung percussion and flickering echoes overlapping and intertwining like vines and creepers weaving on temple walls. Ancient-to-the-future.
“Creator” strikes a different yet equally dread chord, 140-ish post-apocalyptic Rasta business focused squarely on bass and space, hard, insistent drums and infinite echo trails flinging from the snares and percussion, creating hypnotic tracers like sparks swirling heavenward from a well-tended fire in blackest night.
Imagine African Headcharge on Jah Tubbys, or a rootsman groundation resuscitating ancient machines in the crumbling ruins of a near-future world and you begin to see what Marcus Anbessa brings. This music reminds us that nature herself will some day claim Babylon and grind it to dust, regardless of our efforts to save it or hasten its fall.
We are super stoked to welcome back 3WA aka The Portuguese Serial Killer aka The Christiano Ronaldo of Dubstep for another fire release on Foundation Audio (this time around getting the vinyl treatment)! Pedro has got many tricks up his sleeves. Here are 4 of his finest. Make no mistake he will nutmeg you, dribble around you, Ronaldo chop past you and handball the finest goal without the ref seeing (and he’ll make it look easyyyy)… What’s more to say? The guys a wizard and makes some of the most interesting music in the Dubstep scene. Get to know if you don’t already!!!
Always seeking to push the boundaries of jungle, we welcome Response into the fold with two collaborative cuts of introspection for the pre-dawn. Manchester based Nick Owens is the master of epic journey music and we’re incredibly excited for his debut release.
Response & Pliskin deliver the rolling amen epic “Stolen Keys,” fully saturated in hypnotic pads and echoing strings that drive through the black of night into the soft gray of morning. Vocals by Lara Lee were recorded at Red Bull Studios and add an additional layer of emotion to this transcendental 13 minute track.
Next, Response collaborates with Sealord on the keys to deliver the meditative “Running Through,” layered with mellow instrumentation and deep vibes perfect for the after party.
Support from DJ Storm, Paradox, Dead Man’s Chest, Digital, Equinox, Mantra, Double O.
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