Fundamental Records present a vinyl edition of the previously digital only album Cosmos by Cygnus, composed out of eleven tracks (plus two bonus cuts on the 7″). Perfectly bridging the gap between street-smart electro DJ tools and more home-listening techno, Cygnus perfectly updates this sound.
Seven years after his last release as Smackos, music making machine Legowelt surprises us all with ‘A Vampire Goes West,’ a brand new and ever-experimental ambient album. It comes on his own Nightwind label and was made in total isolation on the North Sea coast last Christmas. As for the music, it is smudgy and cosmic; an “all out amateur spacejazz spiritual ambient eruption on smudgey cassettetape” that will take you far away from reality across 14 absorbing and atmospheric cuts. It includes some extra fun treats too: a fridge magnet and microzine with a map in ASCII art that has a quest attached to it which, if decoded, reveals a password that unlocks some secret and special prizes.
The album is newly recorded sound track of the “A Trip To The Moon” film by Georges Melies in 1902. The Lobster Films in France has released a DVD of the same film with Jeff Mills’ sound tracks in November 2016. The famous silent film is only for 16 minutes or so but Mills has finished the entire tracks for this sound track album.
‘When Georges Méliès created Trip To The Moon in 1902, the world was just beginning to feel the tightening, yet exciting effects of another giant leap in modern civilization with the Industrial Age. It was a place in time that was transformable and in all dimensions of an evolutionary process: social, economic and political revolutions were buzzing. As man worked hard under the Sun, exposing his efforts and determination, it was the Moon that hatched his dreams. It was a time of realization and a time of romance’. – Jeff Mills
One of the greatest euro synthi-disco album of early 80’s finally reprint by Mondo Groove Records. Original released in 1982, “Computer Disco” is the most Kraftwerk-ian italian production. Marcello Giombini was a pioneer of early sequencers and in this cult LP produced cheesey cosmic synth pop a little bit italo disco oriented. Every fan of 70/80’s synthesizer music and electronic djs should put in his collection if they not already possess the extremely rare original edition.
East Wall was an Italian electronic dark wave band started by Fabrizio Chiari (ex keyboardist of Kirlian Camera) and Wilma Notari in 1982. After a series of demos and live performances, the duo recruited Angelo Bergamini of Kirlian Camera to help with arrangement and synthesizers. They released their debut single ‘Eyes Of Glass’ in 1985 which had huge success in Germany, leading to a deal with ZYX. By 1991 the band consisted of Fabrizio Chiari (Synthesizer, Electronics, Keyboards), Tiziana Wells (Vocals, Synthesizer) and Angelo Bergamini (Synthesizer, Piano, Arrangement). At the beginning of the year, they recorded their next batch of songs at Prominence Studio in Cremona and A Love Sound Studio in Piacenza. “Silence” was self released by the band in 1991. The lead track ‘Silence’ was a left-over song by Kirlian Camera recorded in 1985 with vocals by Simona Buja under the alias Lorenza Larini. It was recorded largely using a variety of now-classic Roland, Yamaha, and Oberheim synthesizers. The album displays East Wall’s maturity and unique aesthetics, with instrumental pieces reminiscent of Angelo Badalamenti’ Twin Peaks score. Tiziana Wells sings with pure emotion, hypnotic at times, upbeat and carefree at others. Frankie Teardrop (of the Wierd party and the Systems of Romance blog) describes this album as “possibly the closest thing to darkwave freestyle that exists.’ We decided to expand the album, releasing it as a deluxe double LP cut louder at 45 RPM. We have also included an unreleased extended version of ‘Ice Of Fire’ and the bonus track ‘Intro’, found on the DAT tapes Fabrizio Chiari sent us.
College – Old Tapes celebrates ten years of composition from 2006 and 2016. Most of these tracks are unreleased demo versions. To illustrate the music video of the track “Auto Pilot”, College team up with the director Dan Bell. This collaboration, born out of the same generational anchoring, reflects the strange dream of a paradise of the consumption which collapses silently.
Hailing from Buenos Aires, like a massive tentacular burst of lightning, electrifying everything and everybody along their way, Suspensivos Inflamables since 2001, have been blasting stages and danceoors across south america with unprecedented sonic and ultra sonic power. Flowing unobstructed between lavish dubs and feverish psych punk rock, this 8 member ensemble performs live submerged on a visual lysergic orgy of self designed animations and video footage projected onto themselves. In the same fashion, this LP was recorded live in studio at Odisea Records, Buenos Aires, on several memorable sessions.
The general consensus is that “We Got It From Here, Thank You 4 Your Service”, A Tribe Called Quest’s sixth and final album, is something of a triumph, with many critics hailing it as the best full-length of 2016. It’s certainly a fine set, full of their trademark musically rich backing tracks (enhanced, this time round, with a greater reliance on live instrumentation), conscious lyrics and distinctive, on-point vocal delivery. Given their legendary status within hip-hop, it’s unsurprising to see a string of similarly high profile guests dotted throughout, with Busta Rhymes, Andre 3000, Kayne West, Consequence, Jack White and Elton John (presumably in sampled form) all lending a hand. Even if you’re only mildly interested in hip-hop, this should be essential listening.
L/F/D/M aka Richard Smith returns on Clan Destine for another release, an epic journey thru Techno, Electro, Noise, Acid and even Disco. 60 minutes ov madness, hold tight.
The album ‘A Little Comedy, A Little Drama’ by Dusty Baron is the result of collaboration of Moldavian fellows Eugen Kara, Ivan Slivka and Dima Scripnic. Inspired by French and Italian psychedelic electronic music of 60s and 70s, cartoons and the comedian genre of absurd, the trio tried to incarnate their vision of the Space into a LP comprising 13 tracks. Vintage synthesiser lines and classic drum machines create a hugely entertaining blend intoxicated with universal love. Now and then you trace the combinations of techno rhythms rushing into the futuristic vertical, and sometimes the sound transforms into a blend of absolute and exotically influenced reverie.
Only a few nuggets of information exist on The Valley and The Mountain. ‘Gentle Waters Keep Moving’ is the first full length outing from TVTM and their/his/her most absorbing work to date. Sharpened edges are rounded, 303 squawk softened and rhythms mellowed as ten tracks of melting music is served. The Detroit denizen calls on the sounds of the hometown. Techno is at the album’s heart but frosted touches of electro are present, warming acid twangs, house grooves with all being dipped in a refreshing undercurrent of electronica.
2183. After crash landing on an alien planet, intrepid explorer Modula valiantly crawls from the wreckage of his interplanetary cruiser clinging to his life (and antique synthesizers.) Taken captive, this neo-Naples born space traveller is soon drafted into the services of the court of this other world’s ruler. His music boxes save his life and change the very face of this distant kingdom. The results have just been beamed back in time to earth and intercepted by the Bordello receiver dish. Modula’s voice crackles through and utters two words: Autostrada Galattica . Cosmic boogie, futuristic funk and deep space disco are human terms to describe these sounds sent half way across the universe to be enjoyed by we humans of the 21st century. Love, sacrifice and musical riches from a synthesizer super nova.
Composed and recorded in 2014.
Frigio release the first album from Alessandro Parisi’s sepulchral dwelling pseudonym Hesperius Draco. Donning the ceremonial robes, the conventions of house, techno and horror soundtracks are blurred as past, present and future merge. Stalking darkness and light, bordering the divine and profane, “Actus Tragicus” pulls the dancefloor into the murky shadows of Rome. Ritualistic chants, chilling choirs and hissing beats are brewed across two slabs of vinyl. BPMs dip and rise as Hesperius Draco takes you on a winding journey through the catacombs of his world.
The return of Manie Sans Delire with seven new tracks on a double vinyl edition (12inch & 7inch) recorded in studio between June 2015 and July 2016. Manie Sans Delire is the project of June and Trenton Chase focusing on electronics, played and recorded live.
Atmospheric and ambient dub master Yagya serves up Stars and Dust, his seventh full length album and second on Delsin. It finds the Icelandic artist perfectly pair melody and minimalism to create ten more tender tracks that will sooth both body and mind with a range of very real emotions. Electronic but organic, it is another complete work that encourages you to lay back and get lost in sumptuous sound.
Editions Mego publish the third release by Sendai. Comprised of Peter Van Hoesen and Yves De Mey, Ground and Figure presents the duo reside in a more economic framework which allows the sound and rhythm they produce more room to shift, swirl and swim the circumference of the audio spectrum. Moving away from the twitchiness and anxiety of the earlier output Ground and Figure is a vast spacious journey from a duo in full control of their chosen path. Throughout Ground and Figure abstraction and rhythm weave amongst each other in such a sly manner that the resulting tension in the conflicting elements presents the listener with a hypothetical high-tech elastic percussive grid. A thudding, pulsating, shapeshifting ambient beast is summoned by these two creators working as one. This is machine music. This is hypnotic disorientation. This is an immense ambitious and refined world of sound and rhythm. This is the work of two producers who continuously try to top up their skills.
Valere Aude, the debut album from Romans, a collaborative project between New York techno producer Gunnar Haslam and Vienna-based acid evangelist Johannes Auvinen (aka Tin Man). Featuring 12 tracks of hallucinogenic, psychedelic techno, Valere Aude is an acid-etched trip to the outer reaches of the mind. The finished product is a steamy, moody record, experimenting with atmospheres, tempos, and sounds, designed for blistering hot days and cold, rainy nights. We couldn’t be more excited to share it with you.
Seminal early 70’s Bahamian Funk of the highest order. The debut LP from the Munnings brothers legendary outfit. “Funky Nassau” is one of the most sought after Soul/Funk records ever with it’s highly original blend of US black music styles and Bahamian roots. A very famous band in their native Nassau, the group only had 2 full length albums under their belts along with a slew of 45 singles but have managed to stamp their name on the ears and minds of record lovers since they first burst onto the scene. The obvious track to reference here is the title track “Funky Nassau” a breakbeat fuelled monster dance cut that has supplied hungry samplers with sounds for decades (everyone from The Prodigy & The Roots among those who have used the cavernous drum break!), the rest of this excellent LP also includes the amazing Funk of “Come Down” and a whole host of other brilliant sun-drenched tracks. Absolutely essential. Here’s your chance to own a true classic! You’d be hard pressed to find another well rounded debut LP, this one is pure joy from start to finish.
During the 1970s, Tilahun Gessesse enjoyed a successful career in his native Ethiopia. Blessed with a sublime voice, he specialized in creating popular hybrids of hot American styles – most notably soul and jazz – with traditional Ethiopian styles. Sima!, which is named after one of his most revered 7″ singles, gather together music from numerous releases throughout the 1970s. It boasts numerous gems that see Gessesse combine his bold, snaking vocals with rocking rhythms, modal jazz mysticism, and heart-aching ballads. Given the standards of recording studios in Ethiopia at the time, much of the material is notably lo-fi, sound wise, but in many ways that enhances the intoxicating feel of the music. A killer selection from one of the leading vocalists from the golden age of Ethiopian music, ranging from 1969-1975. If Ethio-funk, soul and pentatonic, Sun Ra-esque moods are your bag, you’ve come to the right place.
