Two affiliates of the mighty PPU in a trouble up for Superior Elevation.
disco
Rekid – Tuesday Bluesday [POM005]
Matt Edwards’ Pyramids of Mars label is ready to unleash a fifth release, this time featuring three subtle but high impact slo-disco tracks from the boss himself under his Rekid moniker. The title cut opens things up in playful, mid tempo fashion. It has heavyweight, fat bottomed drums trudging below, booty shaking hits in the middle and a subtly funky guitar riff rolling over and over up top: all the necessary parts to tease dance floors into raptures, then. The brilliant ‘Mars’ is even slower, and has a mischievous feel to the low slung bass, the filtered vocal cries and jazzy hats. It’s a cut that is full of Detroit beatdown vibes and will surely percolate through any crowd and leave them desperate for more. Sublime last cut ‘Wave’ is a mechanical, grinding groove that slowly sweeps you up with its raw hits, slapping drums and cacophony of distant vocals.
VA – Time To Set The Night On Fire [01AM]
01AM is the perfect time to start a party and it is the first release of a new label by Afrobot related to his Afrobotic Musicology blog. The record contains 4 edits of music from different corners of the globe: to begin with an epic electro pop nugget from Greece and a heavily cut up Bollywood track on the A side, to finish the journey in Africa on the flip side with a percussive acid jam and a Zulu cult song that screamed for a rework. Limited edition / hand stamped artwork by Frank Koedood on the sleeve.
Nick J Smith – EP1 [RL019]
Nick J Smith has been immersed in the Leeds underground music scene for ages and is one third of the DJ crew and top mixtape blog Clandestino. This EP is representative of the eclectic vibe Nick brings to the trio. The main track ‘Flashback’ bubbles with Chicago style dreamy chug and 90’s rave gaze. Planet Raider is cyborg Manc-talo Electro night driving music at its best and mega Geordie Man Power twists the ‘Flashback’ remix into an impressive and progressive 9 minute bulimic tek belch.
Moodymann – DJ Kicks [K7327]
Following a year that saw the 50th entry in the long-running series released to wide acclaim, DJ-Kicks returns in 2016 another landmark edition. Iconic Detroit DJ and producer Moodymann is at the helm for his first ever multi-artist DJ mix compilation. Born Kenny Dixon Jr., Moodymann is a one-of-a-kind electronic music icon, hailing from, and wholly synonymous with the Motor City. He is an outspoken, impossibly charismatic artist who has been putting a distinctive and soulful stamp on house and techno since the early 90s. Melting together jazz, funk, soul, blues and rock in captivating ways, he is responsible for some of electronic music’s most definitive tracks, EPs and LPs on labels like Planet E, Peacefrog and his own KDJ and Mahogani Music imprints. As able to serve up the sweetest and most sensual sounds as he is the darkest and most depraved grooves, his own unique voice and stream of conscious musings infuse expertly sought-out samples for music that is decisively alive and authentic.
VA – The Very Polish Cut-Outs Volume 5 [TVPC008]
All good things come to an end, and The Very Polish Cut-Outs is no different. The fifth sampler will be the last in the much loved & long running series. For the farewell record, label boss Zambon has selected five unique reworks from top producers from Poland and beyond.
Ketsueki Sākuru – Blood Meridian [GD016]
By Giallo Disco standards, Blood Meridian is something of a curveball. Produced by debutant Ketsueki Sakuru, it cleverly combines the label’s usual synthesizer horror influences with percussion programming that draws inspiration from the throbbing worlds of EBM and New Beat. It’s a blend that works wonderfully well, from the bubbling, rising synthesizer lines and hypnotic rhythms of “The Judge”, to the cacophonous, slo-mo throb of “The Necklace” (all tactile chords and ricocheting drum hits), via the dark pulse of smack-jacker “The Judge”. Arguably best of all, though, is “The Kid”, which sounds like a pitched-down hook-up between John Carpenter and Nitzer Ebb.
Rim, Kasa & Rim Kaku Obeng – Mukatsuku V’s BBE – Official Edits [MUKAT042]
Two tracks one from each Rim & Kasa recent albums out in latter part of 2015 on BBE get the official edit treatment from Mukatsuku that have never been out before as official singles.
Manfriday – Groove / Winners [KSS1155]
Here’s an EP with two songs that are sure to take you back. Originally mixed by the legendary Larry Levan of the world famous Paradise Garage. These two Tracks were both considered anthems when played by Larry himself. Officially released in 1986, but this ‘’Demo Mix’’ of “Winners” was never released. Larry Levan played this unreleased cut for many years. “Groove” was never actually released and it was Larry’s Secret Weapon.
E-Versions – #5 [MERC021]
Merc return with the first in the next phase of E-Versions. As ever, MARK E’s best selling and precision club jams project delivers big things for discerning dancers We’ve witnessed first-hand the damage that A Side cut ‘Horn Jam’ visits on a sweaty dancefloor, with its insistent frug and layers of rising synths – a hypnotic bomb as only Mark can deliver On the flip Sanctified makes a meal out of a killer soul sample, working the arrangement into waves of subtle frenzy.
VA – Music First Vol.3 [MW006]
Magic Waves delivers the third and final installment in its series of EPs focusing on established artists working in disguise and encouraging the listener to put the “music first” ahead of names, trends or gimmicks. ‘Music First Vol 3’ opens in serious style with Fashionable Male’s epic EBM/New Beat stormer ‘Hardbody’; slow, deep and hard, building pressure to a crushing crescendo and guaranteed to drench any industrial basement dancefloor in litres of sweat. As if that wasn’t enough of an audiophysical workout we’re also treated on Side A to Deflektor1000’s ‘Krunch’, a punchy analogue technoid jam for the DJs that raves the bpm’s up to the next level in classic Detroit-Chicago style featuring whooshing strings, grinding bass and generally heavily elevating vibes. Flipping over to Side B things quickly get deeply hypnotic and very acidic indeed courtesy of Pagan Ritual’s squelching and jacking box-jam ‘Think Like Me’, another bomb no doubt destined to sit in many a DJ-bag for a long time. And closing things off we have an analogue Italo-Electro instrumental hard-rocker from Albert Ross in the shape of ‘Fly Away’, one that has been doing the rounds in the underground for some time and even popping up in the occasional I-f mix or two, finally available on wax but just as mysterious as ever.
Golden Teacher – First Three EPs [GT002LP]
Golden Teacher and the Rough Trade shops join forces to offer new ears the opportunity to hear the Teacher’s first three recording efforts on one handy compilation. Recorded between 2012 and 2013 at Glasgow’s Green Door Studio through a state-funded scheme for unemployed young musicians, this release documents the six-piece’s interest in the willful naïveté of late 20th century “post-” tendencies, leading France’s MidiLibre to later describe Golden Teacher as “an idiot-savant prototype of dance music in the 3rd millennium.” Golden Teacher is an ensemble of Cassie Ojay, Charles Lavenac, Laurie Pitt, Oliver Pitt, Richard McMaster and Sam Bellacosa. This release gathers all material from the band’s first three EPs, first released as OM18, OM20 and OM23 on Glasgow’s Optimo Music. The LP presents a selection of the band’s favorite tracks from these sessions.
Simple Symmetry – XXX002 [XXX002]
The Russian duo, Simple Symmetry, delivers the second EP on Holland’s XXX label, unveiling a trio of new cuts. They begin with the curious but entertaining Italo disco-deep house fusion of “Chemical Wedding Of Christian Rosenkreutz” before moving into deeper, more tactile territory with the Steve Hillage guitars, dreamy chords and chugging grooves of “Best Ice Cream In Guwahati”. The latter is remixed by Public Possession’s Marvin & Guy, who emphasize the track’s sleazier elements. Arguably best of all, though, is “Whip Me In The Saloon”, which sounds like a cracking tribute to mid-80s Chicago house with added piano solos.
Zombies In Miami – Snake Language [LOTR007]
The 7th release on Love On The Rocks, comes from the Mexican duo Zombies in Miami with a three track EP titled ‘Snake Language’. The title track is a raw an haunting drum heavy number. On the flip comes ‘Calo’ with its twisting riffs that wind and turn alongside percussive interludes. ‘Yamo’ changes the pace but is no less impressive with climactic flutes and a driving bass line. ‘El Fuego’ completes the release as a digital exclusive. With this EP, the Zombies in Miami are literally on fire!
VA – Red Laser Records EP 8 [RL018]
Red Laser is back with a blinder. A set of hardcore Manctalo uniting Manchester & Paris. Kid Machine returns to the label with a sci-fi chugger done in his unique deep style. Tommy Walker 3 turns on the lasers and tears down the rave. Alan Dente from the infamous Les Yeux Orange crew rips classic vocals for some classic sunrise sound tracking. Red Laser stalwart Starion closes the EP on a reflective Italo-noir note.
The Glue / Rulefinn – Stomperud / Kommafeil [GLUEUNTZ002]
Super secret Bergen/Stavanger/Oslo/Haugesund/Berlin based collab label GLUEUNTZ is back with another release, after the very successful Q&A 12″ two years ago.
Vox Low – I Wanna See The Light [ALR028]
Awaiting VoX LoW EP finally out on Astro Lab Recordings, 3 originals tracks came with a Remix by Ivan Smagghe on the B side.
The Pilotwings – Une Nuit Au Boxboys [MMLP303]
New master piece by the two young guys from Lyon where the label is based. This time they’ve let all their great inspiration take over, to deliver a strong piece of Chicago oriented House with tribal and japanese influences, the 707 is never too far, and a sexy male voice brings you into the moist backroom of this club named ‘Boxboys’.
Borusiade – Jeopardy [COMEME031]
Miruna Boruzescu, DJ and producer from Bucharest, presents her first EP on Comeme. The film-score like house is filled with enormous drums and ever climbing synth arpeggios.
Benoit Gagnon & Massimiliano Pagliara – In Spirals [CORRESPONDANT040]
Opening track In Spirals is an unabashed ode to funked up baselines and sparkling Italo melodies. Agamous pulls us in to sensual acid territory by taking 808 beats and 303 beeps into unchartered sexy locales. Go South continues the sexed up and synthy motif, and throws some electricised jungle drumming into the mix, making this the most intense and darkest track on the EP. Don’t Push Me, begins its journey with a more grooving disco percussion line and then heaps on some Chicago pads, ultimately blossoming into a full blown hands-in-the-air synth-exercise.
The Hipodrome Of Music 