Mystica Tribe – Island Oasis [SSDB001]

Mystica Tribe is the musical alias of Tokyo-based producer, Taka Noda. Drawing on a wide range of influences from dub, soul, bass music, rhythm and blues Mystica Tribe has quickly been developing a very distinctive sound that exists in a weird, freaked out zone between dub and techno. Noda is especially interested in deep, psychedelic music, and this is reflected in his productions, which are equally suited for late night listening sessions or bent, broken in dancefloors. Now he heads over to Canadian label Silent Season for his debut album, capitalising on his emergent career in the field of dub-influenced downtempo with his most complete artistic statement to date. From the spacious stalk of ”On The Lookout” to the edgy piano delay of ”Peek-a-Boo”, this is the work of a man who has immersed himself in the tradition of classic dub music, but not at the expense of bringing things up to date. The loose, live and natural feel of the album is testament to Noda’s skills in the production department, not to mention his instinct for a killer sub-heavy rhythm.

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Mystica Tribe – Island Oasis [SSDB001]

Vakula – B [BANDURA006]

Having begun the year with a 12″ of dub techno and ambient tracks that all boasted titles beginning with A, Vakula has decided to move onto the letter B. Musically, the script is similar, with glistening and slowly-shifting opener “Bikote” sitting somewhere between dub techno and ambient techno. With its lilting, echo-laden chords, galactic reggae shuffle and flotation tank chords, “Bifurcus” is a deep space treat, while “Biofenosis” is an altogether bolder, cheerier and more forthright trip into dubbed-out house territory (with a dash of techno thrown in). For those seeking more horizontal fare, the ambient dub epic that is closer “Binarity” should safely ease you into the required position.

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Vakula – B [BANDURA006]

Peter Westheimer – Cool Change LP [LER1008]

WESTHEIMER, Peter - Cool Change

If you walk into a record store you might discover Peter’s recordings filed under the usual headings: Electronic, Ambient, Experimental or New Age. Peter has long loved blending sounds from around the globe, with both Asian and European classical influences often finding comfortable spaces beside his synth pop sensibilities within his soundscapes. In the record stores of our minds you might also file some of Peter Westheimer tracks like ’Walking On The Edge’ or ‘Elastic Smiles’ under Mutant Disco or Divergent Dance Music.

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Peter Westheimer – Cool Change LP [LER1008]

Denis Mpunga & Paul K – Criola [MFM019]

MPUNGA, Denis/PAUL K - Criola

The last Music From Memory is a mini LP of works by Denis Mpunga and Paul K. Combining elements of traditional African music with experimental electronics, the Belgian/Congolese duo released only a handful of tracks, scattered across a few rare LP and cassette compilations that were put out in the mid eighties by obscure european labels . This release also includes a few previously unreleased songs that were found on the original master tapes.

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Denis Mpunga & Paul K – Criola [MFM019]

Shankar Jaikishan – Raga Jazz Style [OTR001]

Never before reissued, this legendary 1968 EMI recording is a revered Indian jazz rarity; a collectors’ holy grail. Raga Jazz Style is an original Indian excursion into Indo-jazz fusion. A one-away recording from the almost unknown Bombay jazz scene, it is among the few jazz LPs to hail from the subcontinent. Raga Jazz Style takes the melodic, scale-based raga system of Indian classical music and marries it with a swinging jazz rhythm section assembled by Bollywood’s most highly acclaimed musical directors, the soundtrack composing duo Shankar Singh and Jaikishan Panchal. Singh and Panchal were a dominant force in Hindi film music from the late 1940s onwards. Shankar had been trained in classical tabla, while Jaikishan was an expert harmonium player. They worked together on well over a hundred films, and their innovative compositions and orchestral scoring revolutionised the music of the nascent Bollywood industry.

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Shankar Jaikishan – Raga Jazz Style [OTR001]

Alek Lee – Sfarot EP [ATN034]

In a very “fourth world” manner, Alek Lee brings together middle-eastern influences in his music with ease and without ever having it sounding cliché: on Harabait and Sfarot (and its dub version), his friends and him play the violin, the bass clarinet and the accordion in a way which reminds of Klezmer music, putting the three songs on the EP in line with both his musical education and his cultural background.

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Alek Lee – Sfarot EP [ATN034]

ASOK – Inner Circle [MORK013]

Stu Robinson aka ASOK returns with a quick fire reply via Lobster Theremin sub-label Mörk. Applying a similar template of contradictory elements, cobbled into a melded, half-melted mass of aquatic techno, proto-rave and depth-charged deep house, Inner Circle is the transformation complete. A step into the unknown without a shadow of doubt.

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ASOK – Inner Circle [MORK013]

VA – Various 01 [NRML021]

The first Normals Welcome V/A 12” sees some familiar faces as well as some freshies to hit the label. The A side represents two Vancouver, BC based projects: ESB and Ambien Baby (a new collab group from Sophie Sweetland aka D. Tiffany, and Daniel Rincon). The Paronomasiac aka Nik Kozub, head honcho at NW starts off the B side, with London, UK duo Metropolitan Soul Museum rounding it all off.

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VA – Various 01 [NRML021]

Rhythm Of Paradise – State Of My Mind EP [CHIWAX026]

Rawax prouldy welcomes Rhythm Of Paradise to the Family. It happened last autumn when our label head Robert Drewek was traveling to Bari to play a gig with his friend Nico lahs. He met this very symapthic & crazy guy and felt in love with the music he showed him.

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Rhythm Of Paradise – State Of My Mind EP [CHIWAX026]

Move D / Reagenz – Roll Split / 460 Melrose Ave [AWAY004]

Ave Berlin collective AWAY ready the 4th release in their catalogue. They present a split 2-tracker from label mainstay Move D and his pairing with Jonah Sharp under their collaborative guise of Reagenz. Natural in their progression, both tracks spark ardour as they steadily develop adding another fine addition to a blooming catalogue.

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Move D / Reagenz – Roll Split / 460 Melrose Ave [AWAY004]

Aleqs Notal – Ascending Nodes [SISANOTAL]

Sistrum welcomes Aleqs Notal to the family with Ascending Nodes. Arriving as yet another unique thread in the ever-expanding fabric of the Sistrum sonic tapestry, the EP is a statement on deep, warm vibrations for those in search of soul cleansing sounds. Listen often, listen loud and dance abundantly…

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Aleqs Notal – Ascending Nodes [SISANOTAL]

VA – In The Dark Again 7 [DARK007]

The first release in 2017, from In The Dark Again, is the seventh Various Artists EP on my label for dark and trippy sounds. This time Ka§par, Lectromagnetique, Vault and Synkronized bring the noise.

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VA – In The Dark Again 7 [DARK007]

Exhausted Modern – Hellenistic Thoughts [EIDE001]

EXHAUSTED MODERN - Hellenistic Thoughts

Eidetic is a new project from the brokntoys camp, focusing on the deeper side of techno. To kick off the project, Eidetic welcomes Exhausted Modern – an alias from Layup, the co-founder of Endless Illusion, for a 4-track EP of grimy, grubby, eerie electronics suited for the early hours on the dance floor.

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Exhausted Modern – Hellenistic Thoughts [EIDE001]

Dj Spider – 1 Degree EP [GV007]

Green Village turns to DJ Spider for a new 12 inch. The NYC artist is now a respected member of the Big Apple’s contemporary house and techno wave, and it’s an absolute must for him to be represented on the city’s bubbling scene, especially when he’s up for firing off tunes like “Space Jungle” and Satsang”, two mean, club-minded house bangers with a prominent lower-end. “Divide & Conquer” turns things darker and more ominous thanks to its icy, minimal approach – a cold blend of stripped-back beats and circling bass tones – while “Urantia Of Nebadon” displaces the traditional house framework in favour of a dark, molecular selection of electronic sounds guided by a simple pattern of 4/4 beats.

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Dj Spider – 1 Degree EP [GV007]

Salomon Dunkan – Tacchi A Spillo [COSMOS004]

SALOMON DUNKAN - Tacchi A Spillo

The next COS_MOS release comes from Salomon Dunkan, a mysterious and unknown producer who serves up two tantalising tracks.’Android (Adamantium Mix)’ is a slow and percolating house track with a rugged acid line and sharp percussive knives cutting up the rubbery kick drums below. Swirling pads add a cosmic atmosphere and there whole hits slowly but surely builds to a raging and intense peak of bristling hits and gurgling synths. It’s controlled chaos and then ‘Tacchi A Spillo’ treads a more direct path. Again the high hats are bright and sharp, the mood is very sci-fi and the bass lines rumbled down low. Like a deep space odyssey this one travels far and wide and grows ever more physical and jacking as it goes on.

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Salomon Dunkan – Tacchi A Spillo [COSMOS004]