Krootchey – Qu’est-ce Qu’il A (d’plus Que Moi Ce Négro Lá) [DE167]

Philippe Krootchey was a musician, DJ, radio and television host born in Versailles, France in 1954. In 1984 Krootchey released his debut single Qu’est c’qu’il a (d’plus que moi ce négro là)’ on disco label Casablanca Records. Subsequently the single was re-released the same year but sung in English as Whatazzy’. For this release he teamed up with former Love International bandmate Fred Versailles, who shared his love for Kraftwerk and Yellow Magic Orchestra as well as glam rock and 70’s black American soul music. Fred remembers, The idea was to send a message about racism against black people with a humorous tone. The French title translates to What has this nigger got, that I do not have’ Reversing the racial scales, Philippe (who is black) would get the girls and the fame, making white people jealous. It was Philippe’s tactful way to joke about racism he had experienced and overcame.’ The result is a slick synthetic funk and electro boogie reminiscent of Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambata. Philippe rap and subverting racism at the same time. On the B-side is Voodoo’ a slowed down instrumental dub version that stretches out the original to over 7-minutes. Sadly on September 2, 2004 Philippe Krootchey died of a cerebral aneurysm, just short of celebrating his 50th birthday.

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Krootchey – Qu’est-ce Qu’il A (d’plus Que Moi Ce Négro Lá) [DE167]

Sterac Electronics – Things To Think About [VDLP001]

Some things are just too good to be hidden from view. That’s certainly the case with Things To Think About, the first album from Dutch electronic music legend Steve Rachmad’s lesser-known Sterac Electronics project. It’s a while, though, since the public has been treated to a heavy dose of Sterac Electronics material. He first established the alias at the turn of the millennium, primarily as an outlet for hardware-driven electro music shot through with funk and soul. Recently, Rachmad and Tom Trago decided to revisit the Sterac Electronics archive, discovering a killer collection of cuts created at different points over the course of the last 15 years. Now 9 of those spellbinding hardware jams have been gathered together for the first time on Things To Think About, a warm, rich and evocative collection of electro-fuelled workouts that giddily pay tribute to the music of Rachmad’s youth.

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Sterac Electronics – Things To Think About [VDLP001]

Nomade Orquestra – Estremundos [FARO198]

Nomade Orquestra return from the stratosphere via Brazil with their second offering: Entremundos (Between Worlds). Gazing outward through a kaleidoscope from the heart of Sao Paulo’s jazz scene, the collective consciousness of the ten-man orquestra has dreamt up an adventurous amalgam of earth’s most far reaching musical cultures. Recorded at Red Bull Studios, Sao Paulo, Entremundos is like a cosmic musical playground where Ethio-jazz, Indian classical and Oriental sounds dance around Afro-Brazilian roots rhythms and Northern hemisphere jazz, funk, soul, library music and hip-hop influences. The sheer vastness of the album is astounding, Nomade Orquestra have quite literally conquered the world in sound. vinyl / CD
Nomade Orquestra – Estremundos [FARO198]

Potter & Tillman – …Space…Rapture [HJLP002]

Reissue from this soul/jazz-funk fusion album originally released in 1982 on Poet Records. This sought-after album is an amazing and unique creative project produced and composed by David Eric Tillman including outstanding performances by some of the highest-level musicians whose common thread was their ability to kill up tempo and modal bop and excel in this jazz-funk/fusion style thanks to their up bop think quick knowledge.

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Potter & Tillman – …Space…Rapture [HJLP002]

VA – Musica Per L’Immagine [FBNMLP001]

With Fly by Night Music now celebrating their fifth year of operation, Lorenzo has marked the occasion by assembling his biggest project to date – an impeccably curated collection of obscure Italian production music circa 1974 – 1985. The project, nearly a year in the making, has been very close to Lorenzo’s heart – beginning unexpectedly in the record fairs of Buenos Aires and leading him on several trips to Rome and Milan, tracking down the original musicians and licensors. ”In this compilation, I have tried to include some of the most interesting cuts I have collected over the years. Tracks like the entirely electronic ”Nitrogen” from Alberto Baldan Bembo’s ”Sound Orchestra” LP on Star Track Records, featuring a wild evolving bassline leading us through frantic rhythmic experimentations. ”In the Space”, by French born composer Albert Verrecchia and taken from Italian poliziesco drama ‘Il Tempo Degli Assasini’ (Season for Assasins), tells the tale of wistful longing, played out with serenity on strings and keys, but unexpected interruption from its stop-start arrangement brings an unforeseen tension into the mix… And how could I not include the wonderfully charming ”Screw Driver” by Fabio Fabor, from his collaborative album ”Superman” with a young Antonio Arena. Featuring an orchestra of beautifully programmed ARP and Oberheim sonorities alongside the Commodore 64 programmed graphical artwork by Antonio Arena himself.” The music itself was partly sourced from Lorenzo’s own collection, archived and then restored especially for this release. Where possible, tracks (such as ”Vision”, ”Nitrogen” and ”Blue Magnolia”) have been lifted directly from the original master tapes kindly lent by the repertoire owners. Every track, however, has been carefully restored, remastered and cut for vinyl by the cautious hands of Andreas [LUPO] Lubich at Calyx Mastering, Berlin.

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VA – Musica Per L’Immagine [FBNMLP001]

VA – Import Export [CHALICE002]

After a long hiatus the Fasaan Recordings crew finally emerges from their basement to break out a second volume of their Chalice imprint. Functioning as a looser side vehicle to Fasaan, Chalice is a home for rawer and more uncompromising side projects of the Fasaan crew and their extended family. Honing in on a murky zone of cheap-sounding machine rhythms and punchy boogie-influenced proto-house sounds, the Chalice style is in your face and then out the door “just like that”: take it or leave it. As the title “Import/Export” suggests, the contributions for this installment have been gathered from such foreign places as Copenhagen, Bandung, Tallinn, Manchester and Dublin.

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VA – Import Export [CHALICE002]

Sterac Electronics – Things To Think About [VD028]

Another side of Steve Rachmad. Preceeds and album of archive tracks that shows the far reaching talents of this master producer. Some things are just too good to be hidden from view. That’s certainly the case with ‘Things To Think About’, the first album from Dutch electronic music legend Steve Rachmad’s lesser-known Sterac Electronics project.

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Sterac Electronics – Things To Think About [VD028]

Riz Ortolani – Si Puo’ Essere Piu’ Bastardi Dell’ispettore Cliff? [FLIES023]

ORTOLANI, Riz - Si Puo Essere Piu Bastardi Dell'ispettore Cliff? (Soundtrack)

Previously unreleased full edition for this explosive jazz-funk score by Italian Maestro Riz Ortolani, created in 1973 for the crime-movie Si può essere più bastardi dell’ispettore Cliff’ (also known as Mafia Junction’). Only two tracks from this OST were published at the time in a now extremely rare C.A.M. 7-inch, but that was enough to create the legend. Four Flies had access to the original C.A.M. master tapes, so to present here the complete session for the first time. Just expect one of the funkiest piece of the whole Ortolani’s career: car chases, sex scenes, vicious kills are served here by amazing drum breaks, fat bass lines, captivating horn section and wonderful guitar effects. Totally outstanding session, and a real new classic for all crime-funk lovers.

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Riz Ortolani – Si Puo’ Essere Piu’ Bastardi Dell’ispettore Cliff? [FLIES023]

Fontän – Fontän [HNRLP010]

FONTAN - Fontan

There are many ways for a band or an artist to compile an album: some make it in a week and some let the process go on longer. The latter approach does often mean that that the record will not be better than had it been recorded and mixed within a short amount of time, rather the contrary. However, there are those albums that just could not be made within in a week or a month, those compilation of songs that needed the time to melt together to form an album. Fontän’s third album titled ‘Fontän’, released on Hoga Nord Rekords is that kind of an album. Put the opening track ‘Mangsebung’ on, then stay with the record until the closer ‘Shadows’ rings out and you will go clear, sharp, and mildly messed up by the listening experience because this is an extremely well directed trip in mind-altering music! This album needed time to reach such heights. With Johan Melin’s and Jesper Jarold’s love for music and non-sentimental creative approach, this album proves that the band never gets hung up on trying to sound like the past masters, but to develop what they once started.

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Fontän – Fontän [HNRLP010]

NST Cophie’s – Bian Kou [KALITA12001]

Kalita Records announce their first release, the three choice cuts from NST Cophie’s 1980 private press Ivory Coast Afro-disco album ‘Mon’Da Center’. After moving to Paris in 1976 and having played with other well-known bands such as N’Bamina, Osibisa, and with numerous artists including Jimmy Hyacinthe and Papa Wemba, ‘Mon’Da Center’ was Ernest’s first solo album. Pretty much unknown except to the most hardened of diggers, ‘Bian Kou’, ‘E Clolo’ and ‘Mioukouna’ are guaranteed to set any dance floor alight, with hypnotic Afro-disco grooves, killer drums and angelic female vocals.

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NST Cophie’s – Bian Kou [KALITA12001]

Henry Thomas & Rise – My Dreams Are Clouded [ATH046]

A regular triple-figure fetch on the auction sites, it was only a matter of time before Henry Thomas & Rise’s beautiful 80s soul doublet experienced the strong-armed justice of Fryer. Not just reissued but sourced and tracked down – this is just the start of what will hopefully be a whole load of criminally slept on and unreleased soul from Henry and his troupe. “My Dreams Are Clouded” is a verified club banger with its FM synth ripples and low-down bass bumps while “Don’t Wait Too Long” is the ultimate come home record. Slinky, swooning and soaked in raw dollops of emotion – Henry Thomas is, once again, on the rise.

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Henry Thomas & Rise – My Dreams Are Clouded [ATH046]

Pasteur Lappe – Na Man Pass Man [ASVN015]

Following on from the Pasteur Lappe compilation ”African Funk Experimentals” LP, we are really pleased to be re-visiting Pasteur with a repress of his second album from 1979, ”Na Man Pass Man”. The story begins in the 60s with a charming 19 year old Nicolas ”Pasteur” Lappe becoming a sensation on Radio Adele in Douala, Cameroun. He goes on to become the editor of the Douala Gazette newspaper and become friends with other African music stars such as Tala AM, J Moboule and Fela Kuti. He also works tirelessly promoting new and upcoming local Cameroonian talent. After moving to Paris, a stint in journalism school and publishing a book of poems ”Chansons Negres” he finally settles into a new life of music in Paris. His second album ”Na Man Pass Man” is made in 1979 with the backing band and production collective called the Zulu Gang, which include Douglas Mbida (who went on to release several top flight albums himself) and Jacob Desvariaux (who went on to form Kassav). The album is full of diverse sounds; from driving funk, sweeping disco grooves, syrupy ballads, reggae, Jackson-five-esque pop to finger-lickin’ soul. At its core though is the custom ”Sekele” groove… a movement to encompass the dance, grooves and vibes from his native Douala.

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Pasteur Lappe – Na Man Pass Man [ASVN015]

Alessandro Alessandroni – Afro Discoteca [FLIESDJ001]

ALESSANDRONI, Alessandro - Afro Discoteca (Soundtrack)

Four Flies Records is back in full force, this time with an EP that looks at the more sophisticated and modern dancefloor… The Italian label embarked on another journey of rediscovery, a specialty they seem to master. The destination of this trip was a dusty vault in Africa, where a famous Italian musician moved years ago… The Italian film and TV industry provided in the 60s and 70s countless opportunity for talented musicians to compose and produce a rich variety of music: soundtracks, library music, experimental music – an infinite amount of recordings that still represents a paradise for the most curious and passionate diggers. So here we have the proof that there’s still lot to discover. Alessandro Alessandroni is one of those pioneers, a maestro that built the legend of Italian soundtracks and library music along with Ennio Morricone, Piero Umiliani and many others. His vault testifies how prolific had been those times, with hundreds of tapes and obscure recordings from that period. Among the many, a dusty tape bearing the hand-written label “Afro Discoteca” captured the attention of Four Flies. The music contained in the tape had never been released until now.

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Alessandro Alessandroni – Afro Discoteca [FLIESDJ001]

Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek – Nem Kaldı [CATADG024]

Brand new Anatolian Psych-Pop sensation. 4 heart-melting gems where Turkish Folk meets groove and electric action. Young singer/multi-instrumentist Derya Yıldırım teams up with fantastic drummer Greta Eacott (G-Bop Orchestra / One-Take records) and 3 quarters of Catapulte Records’ Orchestre du Montplaisant (Antonin Voyant, Graham Mushnik, Andrea Piro). With members originating from Turkey, Germany, France, Italy and Great Britain, Grup Şimşek (pronounce « Shimshek ») encapsulates the Outernational generation.

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Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek – Nem Kaldı [CATADG024]

Brian Bennett – Voyage: A Journey Into Discoid Funk [ISLELP001]

Isle Of Jura’s first LP reissue, the highly sought after ‘Voyage – A Journey Into Discoid Funk’ by Brian Bennett originally released in 1978. A cosmic disco classic completely re-mastered from the original master tapes by Matt Colton.

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Brian Bennett – Voyage: A Journey Into Discoid Funk [ISLELP001]

Shahara-ja – I’m An Arabian Knight [LER1007]

SHAHARA JA - I'm An Arabian Knight (reissue)

The history of dance music is littered with one-hit wonders. The mysterious Sahara-Ja, whose one and only 12″ appeared on Australian label Central Station back in 1989, is a perfect example. Since slipping out in limited quantities 18 years ago, the Egyptian Lover-does-’80s soul cut “I’m An Arabian Knight” has become something of an in-demand record amongst collectors. This timely reissue contains all four versions included on the original ’89 release, including a tasty instrumental and the must-heavy Funky Arabian Mix. This sublime version puts more emphasis on the producer’s killer electro rhythm, dreamy chords, and cascading, Persian style synthesizer melodies.

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Shahara-ja – I’m An Arabian Knight [LER1007]