Review: 3 Men Gone Mad were an independent group formed in Blackburn and Darwen in the UK. They fused electronic sounds with rock and were prolific in the 1990s when they became cult favourites amongst those who know. You Try is a much sought-after collection that has been restored by Utopia Records many years after it made its way onto John Peel's 1991 Festive 50. He heard in it a mix of The Clash, Joy Division and Talking Heads and that still rings true. The main mix has a raw energy that captures the angst of Britain at the time - and still today, frankly. A spaced-out dub brings a fresh feeling of euphoria and an extended B-side mix draws out this record's undeniable pleasures.
Tactics Of Bass - "Big Hips Blue Gloves (No Dubs)" (7:48)
Tactics Of Bas - "Tactics Of Bas" (7:59)
The Ron Honey Experience - "D66" (7:14)
Quadruplex - "Sky Wave" (7:01)
Quadruplex - "Robot Rotate" (5:30)
Quadruplex - "G-Hop" (7:24)
The Secret Garden - "Rough Diamond" (3:24)
Review: A special white vinyl edition of a stonker of a UK techno LP. The legendariness of The 7th Voyage's Return Voyage LP is said to outstrip that of others, with the short-lived label and artist moniker of one Joe Smilovitch locking in a "lost album" compiling works by fellows Tactics Of Bass, The Ron Honey Experience and Quadruplex for gem-hunters. That's the cherry on top of two already-wonderful single-EPs from the Smilovitch himself, 'The Predator' and 'The 4 Point', both from 1996. Pariter deem it "an exceptionally rare issue of a highly sought-after classic", and we can vouch for that. Wicked tunes all round.
Review: The Avidya label arrives with a bold new concept that sees it push itself to "step out of comfort zones to release a series of EPs of broad, challenging and deep music." The first affair is a fine one from four artists, the first of which is Lyon based procure A Strange Wedding from the Worst label. His slow trance locks you in and then Gothenburg trio Datasal come through with a prog rock and post funk and dance fusion. 84PC's contribution is peak time gold and Barcelona's Iro Aka arrive with another debut to round out this fine offering.
Review: The diffuse hues and retro-feeling colours of the artwork on this new 45rpm from Star Creature perfectly embody the downtempo and Balearic sounds within. They come from A Vision Of Panorama who seems to ever more have the dance floor in sights over his last few releases. That's not to say these are banging tunes - but they do have lovely grooves. 'Piano Sunset' is a real spine tingler with 80s keys and mid tempo drums that come alive with crisp hits and a fresh bassline. 'Lost In Palms' then has a shuffling and low slung groove with nice wet hits. Add in some more lush chords and you have a real pearler.
Review: A Vision of Panorama and Star Creature continue their successful collaboration with another lovely 12" for lovers of classic house. Following the sold-out Fusion To Illusion LP, this new offering blends deep beats with hints of boogie and r&b in a fine showcase of the duo's signature sound, which is effortlessly cool, timeless, and trend-defying. Featuring vocal contributions from Sykes and Stacie G, the A-side delivers smooth, loungey vibes and includes the 12" version of 'Purple' which has been previously available only as a 7". The A-side also includes the instrumental track 'Ear Dreamin',' while the flip focuses entirely on instrumentals and brings a futuristic yet nostalgic edge.
Review: Actress released a mix for Resident Advisor in June and to everyone's surprise, it was filled entirely with new, unreleased music. When asked if this was a new album, Darren S. Cunningham, aka Actress, responded simply, "It's a collage - Braque." Call it what you likeia mix, a mixtape, a collage, or even an albumiit's unmistakably another bold statement from Actress. Cunningham's approach defies labels and formats, creating music that exists in its own space, evolving without concern for conventional definitions or boundaries. It's just pure, unfiltered Actress, doing what he does best.
Review: Marseille label Secousse turn their attention to the debut single of Senegalese musician Maxidilick Adioa. 'Toubab Bile' was originally released in 1987, and it tackles the harrowing story of the West African soldiers betrayed by the French army in 1944. Having worked as a percussionist for years before that, Adioa invested his own money into recording the track in Paris and finding distribution through Safari Ambiance until his talents were picked up on by Island's Chris Blackwell. The track single-handedly launched Adioa's solo career, and it's not hard to hear why - the perfect synergy of West African and Jamaican music with a potent call for justice in its heart.
Living On My Memories (feat Giulia La Rosa) (4:12)
Serenade (4:35)
Review: Ahead of his second upcoming album For Today, Etnean artist Agosta presents two unreleased tracks on a new 7" featuring Giulia La Rosa's poetic vocals. These gems blend chill-out electronics with Balearic vibes that are perfect for the brighter days ahead. 'Serenade' offers a sophisticated mix of elegant dance and relaxed atmospheres with inspiration taken from artists like Felipe Gordon and Nutty Nys. Its fluid groove, gentle percussion and dreamy synths create an immersive intimate vibe and both of these tracks evoke sunset serenity with real warmth in the vocals.
Review: Many Hands is a fresh label helmed by Jona Jefferies and Kava that here kicks out an eclectic EP with four tracks from various members of its musical family. Dan Aikido opens with '0800 TXT4 Herb,' a smooth fusion piece that builds a laid-back groove, blending fretless bass, jazzy keys and soulful vocals all reminiscent of Rare Silk's 'Storm.' Ernie Ruso's 'Stroke It' offers slow, sensual r&b infused with P-funky wah-wah effects while DJ Nomad's 'African Boy' brings upbeat pop house next to funky organ and a female reggae MC.Jefferies' closer 'A Change Will Come' samples Dr. Martin Luther King Jr with a rave-inspired beat and soulful piano. Cracking stuff.
Review: Japanese stars Akiko and Yukihiro Fukutomi came together to cover SADE's anthem several years ago but it now makes its way back to fresh wax courtesy of Record Store Day 2024. They infused it with dark, mysterious jazz and contemporary influences and Akiko's enigmatic vocals intertwine flawlessly with the minimalist arrangement. On the B-side, their original 'let GO' offers a spiritual journey through dub-techno realms where the synergy between Akiko's emotive delivery and Fukutomi's masterful production creates a captivating sound. This release epitomises the pair's creative chemistry and innovative approach to blending diverse musical elements into a seamless, immersive new realm.
Review: The Analogue Attic microverse is defined by a unified commitment to the deepest ideas of where house music can head, and no one embodies that spirit better than Alex Albrecht. On this latest 12" he's heading into the velvet folds of low tempo chugger 'The Blacksmith' and downtempo dream state 'Coles Ridge' with elegiac piano sparkling atop fathoms-deep pads and the softest of percussion. This is house music as a vessel for pure relaxation and sentimental meditation, and across six tracks Albrecht offers up balm after balm to soundtrack oceanic realms of calm - a much needed tonic for the frenetic pace of modern life.
Review: Altone, an emerging talent in dub techno, delivers the Invincible Nature EP on Denmark's Echocord Records, a label revered for over two decades. The EP showcases Altone's knack for crafting deep soundscapes. Side-1 features 'Naturally Unnatural,' presenting two distinct takes: the first is sparse and minimal, epitomizing classic dub techno, while the second version is more techy and aggressive, adding an edge to the composition. Side-2 brings remixes of 'Unnaturally Balanced.' Thomas Fehlmann, a legendary producer, lends his expertise to the 'Naturally Flowing' remix, infusing it with a fluid, dynamic quality. The 'Another Channel' version rounds out the EP with a quintessential dub treatment, staying true to the genre's roots. Invincible Nature EP is a compelling showcase of versatility in dub techno and Echocord's enduring influence in the scene.
Review: It's good to have this one available again. Dorothy Moore's 1976 soul classic, featuring vocals from Taka Boom, Chaka Khan & Mark Stevens, 'Misty Blue' became an Ibiza chill-out anthem in 2002. As 'Misti Blu' it got high-profile plays by Mary Anne Hobbs, Pete Tong and Mixmaster Morris and even David Mancuso charted in his end-of-year highlights. Now the sundown gem gets reissued here on a tidy 7" as a superb rework from Claude Money. The crooning vocals remain the highlight with sultry trumpets and lavish downtempo rhythms. What's more, we're told that a new live disco and house version are also to come this year.
Review: Ahead of an oncoming Tbilisi party set to be thrown by the Sameheads crew, their latest 7" appears ahead of time as the latest offering by fellow friends, Andrea & Alexander. With just 300 copies available, this dreamy duo share a juxtaposed space with a more esoteric, gritty B-side, occupied by TINA's 'Vacation', which breaks from the usual Sameheads sound, almost entirely, to indulge a massively wonky inhumation. The A's own 'Olias', by contrast, is light and sixteen-thy, dotting along with detuned Italo saws and descending cadences of relief. Once performed live at the fabled Sameheads festival, City Of A Thousand Suns, the label here celebrate its recorded version for the world to hear on repeat.
Review: Re:discovery has got a superbly illusive reissue eon its hands here with 1993's Clouds Over Europe EP from Aquarian Atmosphere, 39626 and Unit 2. It is a cosmic deep tendon voyage that tingles all of your sense as you ride on the gloriously serene synths of opener 'White Clouds'. It is one of the three tunes from Aquarian Atmosphere, the others being 'Floating On Boyne' a dreamy downtempo number that leaves you gazing at the stars and also 'Rhiannon', a thinking melodic masterpiece. 39626' 'Elixir Of Life' is an intense mix of synth modulations and minimal rhythm and Unit 21s' 'Clubtraxx' (Movement 1 - unreleased version) is pure Detroit techno goodness.
Review: There can be no questions about the intention of the Garries label given its name - to make music for the more out there moment son the dance floor. And the first Ep certainly lives up to that with a pair of weird and wonderful jams by mysterious artists who go only by, we assume, their initials. AR's 'Comin' Apart At The Edit' is a cosmic world of slow motion rhythm and live drums with warped efforts and whirring synth sounds that all take you into another dimension. BS's 'More BS' is a mix of astral synths squelch and slow motion chug with a soft-rock vocal bring plenty of emotional impact up top before some prog licks ring out to add further unusualness.
Review: The Alone Together Remixes EP breathes new life into Viken Arman's acclaimed 2023 album and has standout reinterpretations from Acid Pauli, Session Victim and Mano Le Tough. Session Victim first infuse 'You With Me' with their signature soul and craft a rhythmic, percussive journey. Acid Pauli blends 'You With Me' and 'Lonely Raver' into a surreal, experimental trip of modular rhythms and dreamlike textures and deep house master Mano Le Tough offers a wonderful take on 'Vibrations'. It is a pulsing club workout designed for peak-time with plenty of lush synth textures. Importantly, each remix is sympathetic to Viken's original analogue warmth.
Review: ATEQ and Samuel Rohrer's latest collaboration delves into avant-garde jazz and ambient music and again shows they have great studio versatility. The EP opens with 'Tune Analysis' where delicate sonic elements come together like falling snowflakes. 'Vuh' transitions into percussive sounds and allows them to take centre stage. On the B-side, the percussion evolve into a more structured rhythm and create a meditative, incantatory atmosphere. The final track elegantly synthesises these exploration and brings the EP to a refined conclusion that both makes you think but also want to move.
Review: Legendary Brazilian jazz-funk trio Azymuth drop their latest record 'Arabuta', pointing themselves in a new cardinal direction in sound. The limited 7" brings two new mix version of their recently released 'Arabuta' to the fold, both by fellow producer and Azymuth collaborator Daniel Maunick. Part-dancefloor, part-dub, both versions bring preservative tones, fully circling the resinous Brazilwood tree after which the track is named. The Tupi Guarani word for the endangered tree fuses with deft unperturbed jazz licks, despite the sense of urgency in saving the species, underscoring Azymuth's fusion of timeless Brazilian jazz-funk and cosmic futurism. In more ways than one, this record serves as a symbol of both the value and fragility of Brazil's natural beauty.
Review: Florence-born Ricardo Baez has been making moves for more than a decade. He heads up his own party and has landed on cult labels like Live At Robert Johnson and Mule Musiq, which is where he returns now with four more cultural deep house offerings. 'A Sunny Day In Florence' is as warm and breezy as you'd hope from the title, while 'Dark Room' is a jumble of live broken beats, bongos and haunting synths for a steamy workout. 'Whisper Wood' is acid, Balearic style, and 'Animarara' taps into a percussive and wiggy tech house groove. 'The Life Of Larry' is feathery, jazzy and late night house excellence. Baez masters many different styles on this standout EP.
A Soft Mist Production - "Upside Down Rainbows" (5:01)
Dr Sud - "Zaffiro" (Jazz cut) (3:59)
DatSIM - "Influx" (4:40)
The Rabbit Hole - "Tail Groove" (4:27)
Review: No matter your particular preference in the deep house world, this various artists' outing from Q1E2 Recordings is sure to have something for you. Mike Riveria & Marco Ohboy, for example, tap into an early sound on 'Euphoria' with its big, brash piano stabs and whistles, while A Soft Mist Production keeps it all cuddly and deep with languid chords draped over gentle drums on 'Upside Down Rainbows.' DatSIM brings in some space-tech vibes for a deft rhythm and neon infused sound on 'Influx' and The Rabbit Hole's 'Tail Groove' has a mad double bass sound jumping about beneath frantic jungle breaks.
Review: Baia Club is a new collaboration between Really Swing label head Quiroga, vocalist Whodamanny and Dario Bass. They serve up a low slung boogie-down beat with "Shine On" on the A side, in all its neon-lit early '80s glory that's sure to get 'em moving on the dancefloor. Over on the flip, the House mix does exactly what it says on the tin; classic early '90s vibes with some awe-inspiring piano solos, sparking chord progressions and cool rhythms - like the label's name suggests!
Review: This compilation captures the essence of the Balearic sound, offering a sun-drenched journey through diverse electronic styles. 'Stay Cool (& Less Horny)' sets the tone with its laid-back groove and infectious melodies, while 'Ketkeys' adds a touch of psychedelic flair with its swirling synths and hypnotic rhythms. On the flipside, 'Chug Love' delivers a dose of feel-good energy, its pulsating bassline and uplifting chords guaranteed to get bodies moving. 'Tiny Nancer' closes out the compilation with a dreamy atmosphere, its ethereal textures and Balearic-infused melodies creating a sense of blissful escapism. This is a must-have for those seeking a sonic escape to sun-kissed shores and blissed-out vibes.
Review: Setting aside the tired old debates about what does and doesn't count as Balearic - at this point, that's down to the listener - the hard-to-describe genre does at least lend itself to the humble re-edit. If 'anything goes', then nothing is off limits. The shadowy Balearic London crew put that to the test on this versatile and rather good selection of reworks. They begin by slightly pitching down, tooling up and dubbing out pop 'classic' the Macarena on 'Mac & (Less) Cheese', before heading into safer Balearic territory via the glistening guitars, rubbery grooves and wide-eyed sound effects of 'Release The Hounds!' Elsewhere, 'Cities of Gold' is an extra-percussive slab of deep instrumental synth-pop/proto-house excellence, while 'Stellar Style' does a fine job in re-framing and tweaking an AOR pop gem from the early-to-mid 80s.
Review: After 15 years of live space-rock improvisations and jam sessions around Europe, Bambi Davidson finally got round to delivering their second LP last month. Warmly received by old fans and new, here we find the title track repurposed as an extensive 13 minute exercise in spatial expressionism. Dreamy, deep and full of endless twists and turns, this is the epitome of modern cosmicity. Claremont never cease to surge forward.
Review: Bongo Joe and Sofa Records' third instalment of the Maghreb K7 Club Disco Single series dives deep into Algeria's vibrant 1980s scene, offering four tracks that shine a light on the region's overlooked gems. The A-side is led by two irresistible pop-boogie-funk tracks from Khaled Barkat: 'Galouli Enshara' and 'Zourini'. Self-taught and self-produced in 1983, Barkat's music was a hit at the time but got overshadowed by the rising tide of rai. His dynamic collaboration with Yazid Fentazi, Redouane Ayoub, and Mhenni Benlala resulted in a sound that blends infectious grooves with local flair. Now, for the first time, these tracks are on vinyl, offering fresh ears the chance to rediscover a key player in Algeria's pop history. Cheb Tati takes over on the B-side with 'Dub El Hammam', a heavyweight dub number that showcases his range as a rai vocalist. Tati was flown to London in 1989 to work with dub pioneer Denis Bovell, and this track is a standout from their sessions, merging the pulsating rhythms of reggae with a distinctly North African flavour. Closing out the release is the Kabyle band Asif, whose only known recording, 'Tafsut', serves as a fitting finale. Formed by three brothers in Lille during the late 70s, this beautifully crafted pop-boogie track captures the band's unique sound, bringing a sense of nostalgia and triumph to the collection.
Review: Long-serving scalpel fiend Beatconductor is in old-school mash-up mode on this tidy seven-inch single, which serves as the third release on his freshly minted GATT imprint. On 'Human Emotions' he cannily combines two classic cuts: the instrumental of Human League synth-pop classic 'Don't You Want Me' and the full female acapella from a loved-up, glassy-eyed soul/R&B gem that should be familiar to most. He does something for more revolutionary on the surprisingly brilliant 'I Can FIXX A Hole', where the acapella from a Pepper-time era Fab Four favourite rises above a tweaked, slightly dubbed-out version of a vintage, Rhodes-sporting Hall & Oates groove. It shouldn't work, but it genuinely does!
Review: This is the fourth in a new series of stamped 7" releases from Gatt artist Beatconductor. There is nothing smart about the work on 'sink About It' which simply brings a classic vocal to a big beat. It's an easy way to get any party going. On the flip is 'Let It Happen' (unreleased 7" mix) which his more nuanced and interesting, with funky bass lines, loose limbed percussion and gorgeously twinkling keys all raining down from above.
Smells Like EPA Dunk(limited hand-stamped heavyweight coloured vinyl 12" (comes on different coloured vinyl, we cannot guarantee which colour you will recieve))
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