Teklife

Released 5th July

Tekvision Volume 1 was a stone cold classic, with Rolling Stone charting it at #3 in their top 20 EDM records of 2017. Two years on, Cornelius ‘Traxman’ Ferguson returns with the second instalment, featuring 7 exceptional new Footwork productions. Traxman isa bonafide OG, with a discography dating back to the halcyon era of Ghetto House in the late 80’s and early 90’s. 30 years on, Traxman is a revered figure in Chicago’s urban music scene, having presided over the evolution from Ghetto House to Juke and from Juke to Footwork culture. Originally released in 1989, Work Dat Mutha Fucker by Steven Poindexter is considered to be one of the most influential tracks from the early days of Ghetto House. Traxman remixes it brilliantly on this release, reworking the stripped back, minimalist drum beat of the original into an upfront Footwork pattern. This sense of continuity is equally evident on Let Me See You Naked feat. DJ Juicy, and Traxman’s remix of To Da Hoooz by DJ Deeon. These productions successfully capture the sexual energy and exuberance of Ghetto House, turbo charged at 160 BPM. Elsewhere on the record, Traxman explores different moods whilst always keeping the dance floor firmly in mind. The opening track it’s Lasting Bass lays an infectious vocal harmony over complex drum patterns and a fearsome bassline. Osaka opens with mellow, sultry keys before introducing a wobbling synth and diced up orchestral samples. 4 Da Lyfe is a soulful and slightly more meditative track, with a vocal loop expressing solidarity and self-affirmation. Wildcard feat. Jana Rush, stands alone as the only track without a vocal element, instead utilising a piercing and insistent synth to create a powerful sonic intensity. Overall this is triumphant record, and a worthy successor to the original Tekvision release, proving once again that Traxman is an unrivalled exponent of MPC-driven footwork energy.

Audio coming soon.

1. IT'S LASTING BASS
2. LET ME SEE YOU NAKED [feat. DJ Juicy]
3. WORK DAT MUTHA FUCKA (Footwork Remixx) [feat. Steve Poindexter]
4. TO DA HOZZZZ (Remixx) [feat. DJ Deeon]
5. 4 DA LYFE
6. WILDCARD [feat. Jana Rush]
7. OSAKA

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Traxman - Tekvision Vol. 2 LP

Teklife

£10.50 £7.25 (£8.70 Inc VAT)

Released 16th December 2016

Teklife Records are ready to drop their third release: New Start by Taso. The 7 track LP features collaborations with DJ Rashad & DJ Spinn, Gant-Man, DJ Tre, DJ Manny, DJ Taye and DJ Earl. New Start follows on from a highly coveted vinyl edition, critical acclaim and strong DJ Support for Open Your Eyes by DJ Earl. Once again, the spirit of collaboration is a key element: Teklife is a closely connected group of friends, working together harmoniously, and pushing each other to greater heights and depths through a shared love of footwork music. Smoke Dat Green, Taso’s collaboration with DJ Earl, was featured on Open Your Eyes, and now Taso himself takes centre stage for the next instalment, presenting unreleased classics alongside brand new footwork sounds. An accomplished DJ and MC, Taso frequently appears alongside Spinn at Teklife showcases all over the world. But despite a busy touring schedule, Taso never stops making beats. A multi-instrumentalist with a degree in audio engineering, Taso fuses raw musical talent with technical expertise. Since January this year, he has released an impressive 8 volumes of the Cold Heat EP series, bringing together a whole range of musical styles and moods through his MPC at 160 BPM. This versatility and willingness to draw inspiration from different sources is evident throughout the New Start LP. The title track is sultry and soulful, with Rashad and Spinn’s masterful influence clearly present. Don’t Get Mad provides a stark contrast: a dancefloor-orientated hype track featuring an on point vocal by Gant-Man. Bussin featuring DJ Manny and DJ Tre sounds like a love letter from footwork to jungle music. Over on the flip side, we start off with AM Track: another beautifully crafted classic featuring DJ Rashad and Dj Spinn. In the Green Room featuring Dj Taye is a muscular, speaker-rattling West Coast jam, and Murda Bass takes its cue from golden era UK Dubstep. The heavily - filtered final notes of De Capo Al Coda featuring DJ Earl round off a diverse but consistently high quality outing from Taso and the Teklife family. Message from Taso: “Thank you and much respect for supporting Teklife music. Without you there is no us. This record is dedicated to DJ Rashad and his family.”

Audio coming soon.

1: New Start (Featuring DJ Rashad, DJ Spinn, TASO)
2: Don't Get Mad (Featuring GANT-MAN)
3: Bussin (Featuring DJ MANNY, DJ TRE)
4: AM TRACK (Featuring DJ Rashad, DJ Spinn)
5: In The Green Room (Featuring DJ Taye)
6: Murda Bass
7: Da Capo al Coda (Featuring DJ Earl)

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Taso - New Start LP

Teklife

£10.49 (£12.59 Inc VAT)

Teklife Records are excited to announce their second release called : Open your Eyes by DJ Earl. From the opening notes of Smoke that Reggie and throughout the 8 track record, DJ Earl lays down expertly crafted footwork rhythms filled with wavey synths and killer vocal hooks. Every track on Open Your Eyes is a collaboration- as DJ Earl teams up with other Teklife members from his native Chicago and beyond. The cover art has been provided by Shepard Fairey, a long-time friend and mentor of Ashes57. It is an honour to have his iconic Obey artwork adorning a Teklife record. The limited edition vinyl is available to preorder now. Teklife’s debut release, Afterlife, celebrated the life and music of the late, great DJ Rashad. Afterlife received widespread critical acclaim and DJ support from the likes of Gilles Peterson and Kode 9. The first press vinyl sold out in no time, and a second edition is on the way. For Teklife’s follow up release, DJ Earl takes centre stage. A leading figure in the footwork movement, and long time collaborator with DJ Rashad, DJ Earl is a key member of the Teklife family. Open Your Eyes is a brutally strong EP filled with future classics. Moods range from the mellow-toned Smoke That Green feat Taso, to the high octane funk of Let’s Work feat Moondoctor & OPN. It’s hard to pick a stand out track, although Ratchet deserves a special mention for guaranteed dance floor destruction. A special shout out goes to OPN, who worked closely with Earl on this project. Message from Dj Earl: ‘This record took 2 years to complete and a lot of hard work to get right. I hope it gets people excited about the music we are making and about Teklife Records.’