As we approach the threshold leading us back to the Black Lodge on our transformative 8th journey, we are escorted through and beyond the mystical portal by the vigorous and fierce forces of Sneaker. ‘Portrait in House’ is a collection of 3 resonant works, which are unified into a singular vision within its uncanny language that is rooted deeply in the foundations of Jak, New Beat, EBM, and Wave. Existing inside the liminal spaces of where light meets dark, we are presented with a documentation of dissonance and harmony.
Timothy J. Fairplay presents ‘Dungeon Module Volume Two’ is a follow up to last years Volume One and as before a ‘compilation of tracks made by occasional visitors, Alias’s, pseudonyms, mystery producers, assumed names and alter egos who make music in Timothy’s Dungeon Module studio. The compilation begins with ‘Bad Guys’ by Timothy himself, sounding like one of those minimal wave records that were popular in Italo clubs, and ‘Success’ by Tear Jerker is raw NO-303 Chicago House music. Bizet’s ‘Farandole’ gets a west coast rework by TJF, and ‘Iron Thorn’ by Leon Kaiser is part of the unreleased soundtrack for the Poliziotteschi film of the same name. Starting side B, Based in Dawson City, Main Street Mining are back from Vol 1 with ‘Its About Time’ followed by Media Attention who is Timothy J. Fairplay and Jamie Paton, ‘Golden Era’ is heavy New Beat influenced club music. Crunchy jack track ‘Not Licensed For Use’ by P2000M made entirely with Timothy’s Casio RZ-1, and the enigmatic Antoine Rouge makes his return from Volume One with ‘Pocket Keyboard’ to close the cassette. Finally there is a digital only bonus beat track version of Main Street Mining’s ‘It’s About Time’.
The Dirty Blends label is really on fire of late. DirtybLends 13 comes from these 2 misfits that split the 4th edition on the label which is Zodiac and The Jak..Zodiac kicks off the a-side with a Thanksgivin beat…food is served and your stone cold munching. Fuk Christopher Columbo and the pilgrims. It’s all about eating p@#$$. Stuff your gullet with this heat and be thankful.. The flip side of this disc come from the leader of the the klan as “Itz In Ur Mind” is created strictly for Ron Hardy as this is the 3rd conceptual idea to follow “Hardy’s Haunted Box” from the 2nd edition of dirtybLends.
The Dirty Blends is back with another great mix of new yet vintage-sounding jack beats and raw warehouse tracks. The A-side of DirtybLends 12 is an 808 style beat track production from the late eighties days of WBMX Radio in Chicago along the lines of Bad Boy BiLL or Julian ‘Jumpin’ Perez’s energetic passion from our newest member to The kLan: Garcia The Latin Rogue entitled: Let’s Do It. The B-side of this disc comes AGAIN from the music groover: Cliff Solomon moving the label forward with this significant composition he greatly succeeded in creating his own idea from the nyc group Sinnamon for those who know oLd schooL Paradise Garage entitled: Give Yourself To The Beat!
JTC returns with a four-track EP, a mint encapsulation of his signature, decades-established style, machined from original remembrances of the Midwest’s party heydays and future visions of jakbeat tekno and underground acid-house progenies. ‘All Access No Excess’ is the first release in 2024 from Tadd Mullinix (Dabrye, X-Altera, Charles Manier) under his techno guise JTC, following his 2023 Album, Intra.Actae
The fourth installment of the ‘Tracks From The Alley’ series continues to explore the oblique edges of the jackin zone, dragging recognizable primitive elements of dance music through narcotic madness; a possible soundtrack for sleepless nights at the skate park. Involved in this 4 tracker mini-compilation are the Greek dj/producer DimDj, the Berlin-based Italian producer and part of Sons Of Traders, TANS, the Portugal-based Brazilian Unrealistic Expectations label owner Nothing Was There, and the Alley Version’s brothers FLML.
For the next release to come in 2024 on Nation, we R ecstatic to preview the 1st of its kind split record cover artwork for our label with both songs as 1 min clips personally carved sound-bytes, each with critical textual description that we urge you to read as the music plays within the frame. The project is Modern Analysis. a vintage analog duo comprised of duKe and AFQ.
For the 4th chapter from the definitive days of house music, as the previous 3 chapters is education that a lot of alleged “House” DJs and Producers are obviously lacking.
Traxx plays again from the early 80s, 90s and today from vintage and out of print record labels: Westwood, Trax Records, Bright Star, Rockin House, Dancemania, Alleviated, Subscape and Neroli…. to productions from: Ron Hardy, Boyd Jarvis, Virgo, Tyree, Marcus Mixx, Pharris Thomas, Mr Fingers, Kenny Dope, Nightwriters, Deep Concentration and we have arrived.. a new joint from {3MM} as 3 musical minds bridging and building blocks of the early dance music scene honoring a legendary institution landmark still standing with selections of today and yesterday incorporating musical blueprints of Chicago, New York and the UK’s timeless heroes we admire, honor and inspired by their education.
We hope this will give people the chance to listen to music many may have never heard on this side of sound that provides a provocative and thoughtful musical workout in your mind with vinyl turntables, a vintage mix console…effects box and 2 cd players.
Timothy J. Fairplay finally lands on Pinkman, furthering his sonic excursions into raw, jacking, yet evocative house music. ‘Convictions’ rattles through drum-machine workouts topped with soaring synthlines, inviting you to spiral in the club’s darkest corners. Between the shuffled claps, ominous melodics and delay-laden syncopation, ‘Convictions’ playfully evokes both the mechanical exploration of urban space, and the claustrophobic intimacies encountered within it. There’s even a nod towards 1980s’ cult cinema hit ‘The Bronx Warriors’ at the end. Naturally, these six tracks find a perfect home on Pinkman.
DirtybLends edition is another 3 track release combining 3 different ideas together from heavy Jakbeat to old school slower style tracks of the label: Chicago Underground to early 80s proto-house instrumentals of Boyd Jarvis. The A siDe kicKz oFF wit the return of kincaid presenting a daRk n meNaciNg composition played n created wit bLood n sweat behind the vintage music boxes to come with this 12 minute riPPer of beauty entitled: Circuit Collapse. The 1st production on the B-side comes from new member of The Klan of The Beatheadz: Cliff Solomon on this production the caT honors the timeless work of the originator Boyd Jarvis & Timmy Regisford from 1985 on next plateau. Developing drum and bassline ideas with elevated drama and deepest respect for the true pioneers of the underground. The final tune on Dirtyblends 11 on the B side is a collaboration from The Jak and Lex Lathan recorded at Nation HQ presenting their idea to keep the spirit of the early releases on Chicago Underground that were produced more slower in style entitled: The CaLL {oN tHe EdgE}
DirtybLends edition 10 is a Chicago slab of ruff business. The A-side comes from new member of The Klan of The Beatheadz, Grizzly Knuckles with ‘Caviar’ an influential continuation concept from the early days of trax records for 1 of the nastiest productions to come from The Sensuous Man & Woman Goes Disco laying on top of a drum machine rhythm that gets to the heart of the cut and the message. The B-side comes from the leader of The Klan of The Beatheadz: The Jak himself re-creating the drum rhythm of Jesse Saunders with his Kpr machine from scratch, then applying influential sounds from his keyboard to sound like DJ Rush from his proto release on relief records by creating a new blueprint for Jakbeat CHICAGO style of slam dance and mosh pit chaos that happened at The Reactor or Medusa’s (for those who remember)
L.I.E.S. boss, Ron Morelli follows up his acclaimed “Heart Stopper” LP with a new six track mini LP. The six tracks on “Rhythm Master” focus on a departure from the more song based structures of “Heart Stopper,” presenting a series of raw “old style” beat tracks for the DJs to use and abuse as they see fit, although these tracks are not as cut and dry as the title may imply. Check the complex, jacking, drum programming of the Fingers inspired “Loose Screw” or absolute melodic deep house mastery on the closing track “Escapes.” and the late nite mix show drama of “Disco Gridlock” with its monstrous reverb drenched kick opening the b-side. All of these standing on their own and all of them displaying Morelli’s versatility as a producer in his ability to pinpoint and execute the many styles that made djs what they were back in the days.
DirtybLends edition 9 is a Deep Concentration release…if you’ve been really paying close attention Deep Concentration just dropped on LA Club Resource for their 6 track homage ep even though the text reads for the artists as The Kid n Cliff, put 1 & 1 together.
the A-side of ‘Don’t B Alarmed’ is truly definitive!! the musical journey speaks volumes..the B-side is an instant BEATDOWN with ‘Heavy Thump {beat dat shyt}’ that is focused entirely on a CHICAGO style of GUTS, pianos and damage!!
dirtybLends edition 8 is a 3 track INFERNO-SMACKDOWN combining 3 different ideas of new age/oLd scHooL Jakbeat inspired from a significant hero in the Chicago Underground scene of the early nineties dropping crucial releases on record labels: Saber, Dancemania and Relief.
The Falcon kicks the A-side into madness with ‘Sound The Alarm’ made 2 Jak 4 Crazies that’s completely bezerk n twisted!! B1 introduces this nU cOhort to the label on this release comes from Grizzly Knuckles (a thuggish menace) bringing his weapon of choice musically in a hypnotic spell of mental riddims wit ‘Mad Bell’ this is chicago pit-tripping for those who are aware! B2 brings The Jak as the final nail in the coffin to complete this 12 inch with ‘Aftermath’ that is for those who have any idea of SLaM dance body blows..this is that level of crazy!
The Hipodrome Of Music 