Zmatsutsi – Hookep Up [MMLP1001]

Discover the sex-appeal of Leeds with the trio Joe Gill, Heidi Armitage and Tim Hutton aka Zmatsutsi. They deliver on this mini-LP a mixture of s’mazing slow beats tracks, a bit like Rimini was meeting Dusseldorf in a Golf VR6. ‘Hooked Up’ is a hazy and psychedelic trip into druggy, slo-mo disco territory. Built around head-nodding drum machine rhythms, undulating arpeggio lines, trippy synthesizer motifs and breathy, poetic spoken word vocals, it’s a hugely atmospheric and enjoyable affair. There are occasional forays into more boogie-inspired territory, but even these outings tend towards the throbbing, pulsating and hypnotic. Of course, we expect little less from the inspired Macadam Mambo label, but we were still surprised by the dizzyingly high quality threshold throughout.

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Zmatsutsi – Hookep Up [MMLP1001]

Alma Negra – Sedowa EP [LIH033]

The Switzerland based group Alma Negra are offering a Afro- and Latin influenced Disco EP tailor made for Lumberjacks in Hell. With all the instruments played live, this EP Sounds like and entire village celebrating the uplifting Alma Negra Signature Sound.

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Alma Negra – Sedowa EP [LIH033]

VA – Napoli Segreta Vol.1 [EAS018/NG02]

Early Sounds announce, in collaboration with NG Rec, first volume of Napoli Segreta, a meticulous selection of the rarest and most sought after compositions of the 70’s and 80’s Napolitan disco and funk scene.” Everybody is haunting for the essence of the city and its sound. Such a haunting is so cruel that originality risks the extinction within the goat of fake authenticities, being them musical, cultural or artistic authenticities. Enough is enough! It is time to react. It is time to give back to the city what somebody wish to be steel forever. Time before samplers colonized the global acoustic imagery, here, in Naples, for Naples, throughout its metropolitan spaces and rhythms, such beautiful tracks have been recorded that once you listen to them they remain indelible. And after years spent following the footprints of legendary characters beneath a urban underground that crawls with anecdotes and passion, immersed in bloody quests into oceans of vinyl records, dusty tapes, in the midst of emotional vicissitudes, parties, sea, recording studios and seagulls…

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VA – Napoli Segreta Vol.1 [EAS018/NG02]

Conjunto Jovens Africanos – Nhu Djon / Volta Pa Terra [OST4502]

Continuing Ostinato’s series of Cape Verde 45s showcasing diasporan bands that are staples in Europe’s Cape Verdean communities, Ostinato Records presents timeless dance music for the summer by Conjunto Jovens Africanos, founded by Ze Orlando, a respected producer originally from São Tomé. Formed and originally based in Lisbon, the band fused raw Funaná rhythms from the Cape Verdean island of Santiago with syncopated electric guitars, raucous synthesizers, relentless percussion, and addictive vocals that kept their compatriots on their feet across little known Krioulu nightclubs in Europe’s major cities. First released in 1984, Conjuntos Jovens Africanos’ ”Nhu Jhon” and ”Volta Pa Terra” are stellar representations of modernized Funaná’s endless energy.

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Conjunto Jovens Africanos – Nhu Djon / Volta Pa Terra [OST4502]

VA – Heroes [TMCREC001]

French duo Too Many Cars are launching their own label Too Many Cars Records in order to release the finest House, Italo, Breakbeat and Acid music. Side A is all about House and Breakbeat stuff while Side B shows off Italo’s huge comeback in modern DJ culture.

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VA – Heroes [TMCREC001]

Articulat – Best of Manikin [07AM]

Articulat is the new artist name of Ovidiu Stanciu, a Romanian dj/producer living in Rotterdam. Under the moniker Manikin, he worked on several concept albums with titles like Popular Mechanics, Taxim and Grandma’s Attic Revival over the last couple of years. The A-side includes three thriving and pounding slow-beat bangers, while the B-side shows a Articulat’s more versatile style. Expect experimental electronic songs inspired by themes like Steampunk and Romanian folklore, very precisely engineered to experience storytelling in the most physical way.

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Articulat – Best of Manikin [07AM]

Palermo Disco Squad – Stadio EP [BAP120]

The undisputed one man army returns to Bordello A Parigi with an adventurous tour through the history of his beloved sports club. Palermo Disco Squad is Innershades aka the Belgian artist Thomas Blanckaert.

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Palermo Disco Squad – Stadio EP [BAP120]

Örtmek – Örtmek 02 [ORTMEK02]

Örtmek comes back round, presenting another vinyl only pressing of three invaluable edits of vintage Turkish funk, rock and disco delicacies. Following the raw, percussive experiments of the first release. Opening track ‘Özil Dans’ rains down crashing cymbals and freak-out-worthy wah guitars, maintaining an irresistible and authentic groove that doesn’t falter for five minutes of Eurasian hypnosis. ‘Dokuz Sekiz’ weaves traditional string elements alongside bursts of wild chanting. Finally, ‘Mozart’in Davul’ stitches a frantic, dense rhythm from the fuzz and feedback of an unknown slab of Turkish psychedelia.

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Örtmek – Örtmek 02 [ORTMEK02]

Harmonious Thelonious – Background Noise [KM051]

Harmonious Thelonious returns to the Kontra-Musik family with an absolute gem of a record. This is everything we want dance music to be: characterful, playful and impossibly funky. Harmonious Thelonious is a master of crafting organic sounding rhythms but arranging them in a manner that reminds one of a 1970’s car factory. Primal pulses running through modern assembly lines, gears and pistons covered in green lianas. The result is a perfect symbiosis between living tissue and mechanical parts – dance music for primitive cyborgs.

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Harmonious Thelonious – Background Noise [KM051]

OTTO – Stimmungen EP [ORGA01]

The conjectural wedding band OTTO is expanding its organ soundtrack madness. With its third record, it delivers sonic solutions for all sorts of moods, ranging from dark and stormy to smooth and suave. “Rhythmus” stands out with abstract, repetitive vocals in German, ready to land in a club somewhere near you. This project is supported by Orgaton, the society for the promotion of organ music.

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OTTO – Stimmungen EP [ORGA01]

DanyB – Jupiter Dance 0002 [JP-DB-0002]

DanyB returns with the next intergalactic installment of Jupiter Dance. Spring-boarding from the Jupiter Dance radio show, which takes a regular tour through the lesser known avenues of Synth Pop, Space Disco & Italo. Here we have another three worked up renditions of awesome international obscurities Yugoslavian synth pop a’la League Unlimited Orchestra from the early 80’s shares a side with some wigged out Italian synth-pop Prog-Rock. While the A reworks and overdubs a Japanese locomotive synth shinkansen for strobe-lit commutes.

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DanyB – Jupiter Dance 0002 [JP-DB-0002]