Bicep continue to bolster their Feel My Bicep imprint with another reimagined classic. With this – the seventh addition to the catalogue, the Irish duo pay homage to another equally seminal recording as they rework ‘In Yer Face’ by 808 State.
Moods & Grooves welcomes the return of one of Detroit’s best multi-talented producers, Andrés. “Back In The Open” chops up a classic hit along with a few unknowns that will keep the floors moving throughout the night.
Heavy South African cut, unearthed by Dene from La Casa Tropical. The origins of Amajika is a tale of two worlds colliding at the perfect moment and begin in KwaMushu Township outside Durban. Here would be where a young Tu Nokwe would set up a school to help teach other aspiring youngsters like herself in music, dance and acting. This would become known as the Amajika Youth and Children’s Art Project and would be run from the Nokwe home, a common hangout for artists at the time. Some boast 2000+ pupils going through this program while others claim it wasn’t more than a backyard dance group, but for the lucky group of kids that were members in the mid 80s it would be their chance at stardom. Fast forward 30 years from the original release to a smokey club where ESA hears Got My Magic Working played by Rush Hours Store’s own Bonnefooi. Instantly he inquires about the track from his homeland and feels it a perfect addition the repertoire of the Afro Synth band he is quietly cooking up. Here you have compiled the two title tracks from original Amajika singles along with the instrumental version by ESA’s Afro Synth Band.
Pavel Fedoseev is KIKOK. As one of the few remaining members of the Komi tribe, he used the Komi words Ki (= arm) and Kok (= leg) as his brandname. Born in Kudymkar (capital of the Komi-Permyak nation) , now lives in Perm, no less than a 22-hour train journey east of Moscow, placing Fedoseev in what, he says, feels like cultural and social isolation. This 10 track album acts as a means to escape the monotonous cycle of his hometown. KIKOK works on this album with Loua (Luciana Russo) an electronic music producer based in Amsterdam. She’s taking care of vocals and voice snippets. The end result is a record that sounds both propulsive and hypnotic, an album that sounds like moving forward and in circles at the same time. Rich lashings of synthesisers pulse over beats that switch between techno thump and restrained ambience, with tracks seamlessly moving from dance floor stomp to woozy comedown let-up. Russian Rave Pop at it’s best. Perm is a disgusting city,” says KIKOK of his hometown. “It’s dirty, boring and rough. I’m afraid of walking outside; that’s why I sit at home and watch movies and make music.”
It’s a little unclear of the intentions behind London-based Japanese duo Afrobuddha’s name, but on their first release they were certainly working in collaboration with African musicians. Afrobuddha’s two previous 12”s came out in the first half of the last decade, and have since become highly sought after. Mysticisms now gathers the tracks together on this 12”, leading in with ‘Obame’, which was originally recorded with the Kakatsitsi Drummers in Accra, Ghana. Both the original and the dub mix channel a powerful Afrobeat flavour, with the source material from the Ghanaian singers and players front and centre of the mix. ‘Zone’ takes things back into a more club-oriented sphere, with plenty of synth layers and some nimble hand drumming from Davide Salvietti, which of course comes to the fore on the purely percussive ‘Drum Mix’.
American label Peoples Potential Unlimited has cared out its own superb niche in the world of heart aching, lo-fi funk. But here a new catalogue number seems to suggest a new series. It kicks off with French collective Spaced Out Krew and their timeless, boogie driven disco funk. The music was written during 2020 by Spleen3000 and Marius Cyrilou of Cee-O-Funk. There are starry-eyed melodies, rasping basslines and curious vocals that all add up to a nice cosmic disco sound.
5 tracks of pure heat of various styles from members of The Black Lodge global family. A1 is entitled “Atmospheres” from the ever-talented Michigan producer JTC aka Tadd Mullinix [Bopside/Nation/Ghostly]. A2, entitled “Arreskni” comes from newer Chilean artists MU-GA, a track we released in digital format last year from their debut EP. Finishing off the A-side is Italian super-duo Sons Of Traders [SOT/Frigio/Black Lodge] aka Tans X Mike Tansella Jr. with the acidic cut “Indianapolis” also released last year by BL on tape and digitally from their first full length album entitled “Crollo Nervoso”. Side B blasts off with the early Chicago house inspired track “Passion” by prolific Dresden producer Sneaker [Uncanny Valley/Rat Life/Frigio]. Closing off the comp is a dirty warehouse banger/burner by e-spirit, a new alias from LA producer Delivery [LA Club Resource/Valcrond Video.
The question ‘Who is DJ Steve?’ gets closer to being answered with the exciting release of his second EP on Klasse Wrecks. WRECKS036 brings more of the heat that DJ Steve is becoming known for. Direct lines are traced to back the formative years of UK Rave and Bleep music, production techniques are kept stripped back and faithful to the classic combinations of those numbers 808, 909, 303 and 101. ‘Secret Touch’ is a melting pot of acid lines, perfectly placed chord stabs and atmospherics that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Sheffield warehouse in 1992. The three original tracks are backed up with a hypnotic and perfectly grooved-out remix from Klasse Wrecks boss Luca Lozano.
Here we have the 3rd & final installment of Windy City (Feat. Moot Booxle) “Acid Funk” series. Once again, Moot lends his amazing keyboard skills to Windy City’s space disco excursions.
Gensi AKA András Genser deploys a trio of smooth and inspiriting cuts on the ‘Primavera 707’ EP. The title track gets the remix rub from British brothers Decius. ‘Primavera 707’ is tinged with a gloss and sheen, and a pop edge, that stays on the right side of classy. Heavenly melodies skit around an effervescent vocal, as Gensi distributes bubbly acid lines and expansive synths that elegantly crescendo.
Krokakai is an emergent Glaswegian producer with a penchant for hardware – largely using an MPC2000XL, SH09, MS20 Mini, TT-303, Roland Alpha Juno and other trusted tools. He’s already turned heads on labels such as Invisible Inc and PowerStation Records. Right here he lays down the label’s parameters with four unique, far-reaching escapades.
Human Sense Technology returns for their 2nd entry; this time from the man of many styles, Eastern Zurich’s very own Dan Piu, with Modern Utopia Thought EP. Dedicated to his youth and influenced by future visions of creation, the atmosphere and arrangement on this EP permeates into the imagination with colors of suspense, harmony, and spherical textures showcasing the finer lines of deep frequency. Courageous indeed as this EP embraces the mysterious in an eccentric bliss that charms the listening experience in a way that grooves the body as much as it moves the mind. Imaginative bleep infused mix of IDM, trance and braindance.
Delsin welcomes Jayson Wynters into the fold for a four-track EP that embodies techno as a vibrant, expressive artform with the ability to uplift. On The Affect Heuristic, Wynters strides forth with an electrifying machine language, calling to mind the feverish, psychedelic tweaking and layering of visionaries like Dan Curtin and Lee Purkis (In Sync). Across four tracks, Wynters pivots between distinctly Motor City-indebted funk, springy electro-techno and vivid, immersive soundchasms.
DOMINA TRXXX welcomes Lello Di Franco & Javonntte, with the 10th edition “Tales From The Space”. Vocoder dreams.
Groovin Recordings presents the reissues of the “My Spine Is The Bass Line” EP released in 1982 by English post-punk band Shriekback.
DISDAT returns with its 5th release by a true pioneer, Andrew Weatherall. There is not much to say that has not already been said about the Governor, so we will just give our respects and let his music do the talking. On the B-side Rhadoo’s remix is built on a mellow and powerful bassline, sprinkled with sounds oddities, and micro textures which keeps the mind occupied while the body surrenders to the groove.
