Marcel Dettmann – My Own Shadow: Approaching [K7458EP]

Dettmann’s live project ”My Own Shadow” is, in his own words, ”a space where all of my artistic expressions meet,” blending techno with film, sketches and photography. The shows are less club sets and more immersive experiences, where the audience gets lost in a ”full sensory narrative.” My Own Shadow’s first official release, Approaching, is a five-track EP, complemented by his own photography on the artwork. The music spans techno and ambient, fizzing with a madcap funk and energy quite unlike any of his previous productions.

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Marcel Dettmann – My Own Shadow: Approaching [K7458EP]

Gasper Lawal – Ajomasé LP [STRUT503]

Ajomasé is the groundbreaking debut album by legendary Nigerian percussionist Gasper Lawal. Originally released in 1980 on his own label CAP, Strut are proud to now bring this unique album back to the racks. Lawal’s style was forged through decades of high-level percussion work with the likes of Stephen Stills, Barbra Streisand, George Clinton & Funkadelic, Manfred Mann, Alexis Korner, Vangelis and Ginger Baker’s Air Force band. Dissatisfied with existing genre labels and production norms, Lawal began recording his own album in 1976 at Vangelis’ own studio in London’s Marble Arch before switching to long, drawn-out night shifts at Surrey Sound Studios, using downtime between The Police’s sessions for Outlandos D’Amour. Lawal meticulously self-produced, composed, and overdubbed the album over four years, assembling an elite group of musicians from both Nigeria and the UK. The instruments used were often hand-built, including a powerful one-of-a-kind drum carved deep in the Nigerian bush. “This music is not about trends, about what is commercial or a “sound” of a particular moment,” explains Lawal, “it is about music to be felt, that gives pleasure. It is nurturing and meditative.”

Gasper Lawal – Ajomasé LP [STRUT503]

Ice aka Lafayette Afro-Rock Band – Disco Frankenstein LP [STRUTLP467]

From the crypts of Parisian funk obscurity comes the long-lost Halloween holy grail, Disco Frankenstein from Ice AKA Lafayette Afro Rock Band. A teasing album of horror-disco oddities originally released as a compilation—a misnomer cloaked in mystery, as the tracks themselves hail from the group’s playful experiments in the mid-to-late ’70s. This album unearths a twisted treasure trove of grooves, originally scattered across obscure side-projects and international pressings, brought back to life by Strut on blood-soaked vinyl exclusively for Halloween 2025.

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Ice aka Lafayette Afro-Rock Band – Disco Frankenstein LP [STRUTLP467]

Beckie Bell – In Need Of … LP [STRUT293LP]

Strut reintroduces a sought after independent disco gem from the Topomic catalogue: Beckie Bell’s ‘In Need Of…’, reissued in full for the first time. Originally released in 1980, In Need Of… quickly became a cult classic of the French disco scene. After relocating from New York to Paris in the late 1970s, Bell carved out a unique space for her sound, blending the soulfulness of New York disco with the high energy sophistication of the European market. The full debut album features some of Bell’s earliest recordings, including the full length version of ‘Super Queen’ (1979) and ‘In The Right Place’ (1980), showcasing her commanding vocal delivery and distinct musical style.

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Beckie Bell – In Need Of … LP [STRUT293LP]

Theo Parrish – DJ Kicks: Detroit Forward [K7414LP]

Growing up in Chicago, later Detroit-based music producer, Theo Parrish is internationally well known for his own inimitable downtempo house music style. The approach Parrish took to compiling DJ-Kicks was very ambitious, inviting his Detroit peers to produce a collection of brand new material, and in turn creating the first ever all exclusive entry to the esteemed series. “Detroit creates. But rarely imitates. Why? We hear and see many from other places do that with what we originate. No need to follow. Get it straight. In the Great Lakes there are always more under the surface than those that appear to penetrate the top layer of attention and recognition. What about them that defy tradition? Those that side step the inaccurate definitions often given from outside positions? This is that evidence. Enjoy.”

vinyl / mixed CD

Theo Parrish – DJ Kicks: Detroit Forward [K7414LP]

Motor City Drum Ensemble – Dj Kicks EP [K7285EP]

Danilo was always incredibly young with things. He started producing at the age of eleven—“way too early” as he jokes—having his first release out just five years later: Inverse Cinematics’ “Slow Swing”, released on Pulver Records in 2002, and ended up finding its way into Ricardo Villalobos’ record bag as well as onto one of the first Fabric mix CDs. An album under the same name and a string of EPs followed. Dailo’s latest releases, the Motor City Drum Ensemble’s Raw Cuts series in 2010, had the house music world responding strongly to the charmingly fresh and dirty sounding tracks, all mixed down in spontaneous two-hour sessions. Danilo has also released on top labels ranging from 20:20 Vision to Rush Hour as well as his own MCDE and Four Roses imprints, produced for Ben Westbeech and Rainer Trüby and never ceased to amaze with his challenging remix work for artists like Caribou, Jazzanova, DJ Sprinkles and Zero 7. His understanding of how the parts of a track can work has never been more apparent than on his DJ-Kicks mix. In 10 years, playing 80+ gigs a year, including such temples as Berghain, Fabric London, Rex and MOS, he’s absorbed dance history through hard and disciplined work behind the decks. Look at the opening selections of his DJ-Kicks mix to get a glimpse of his amazing ability to fuse totally disparate sound aesthetics into a coherent whole. With the next months holding an extensive tour schedule for Danilo, dancers around the world will be able to experience his gift as a selector first hand. That is, before he gets back into the studio to start working on his first album as Motor City Drum Ensemble as well as a live act. All this will prove, just as his DJ-Kicks is doing now, that there is no such thing as stagnation in the ever-evolving cosmos of Danilo Plessow.

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Motor City Drum Ensemble – Dj Kicks EP [K7285EP]

Lone – Saturday Night EP [K7353EP]

Following on from his intimate entry into the DJ-kicks mix series, Lone is putting out a vinyl only EP of all the unreleased tracks from it. The horizontal mix tapped into all of Lone’s influences, from hip-hop to house, IDM to techno. It also showcased some producers signed to his own Magic Wire label, and of course the back bone was built from some of the Nottingham man’s freshest new productions. They come after celebrated releases on Werk Discs, R&S and Dekmantel, and include dance floor aligned EPs and more rounded full lengths designed for close listening. Here he sits in between the two across three thrilling cuts. Opener ‘Saturday Night’ is a breezy bit of deep house with crisp boom-baps and swirling pads that lend it a dreamy, ethereal feel. Spoken word snippets are stitched into the groove and the whole thing is as frictionless and feel good as house comes. Next up, ‘Arc’ is a little more direct, with scattered snares flapping over dry wooden kicks. It’s a punchy bit of house latest DJ-kicks mix star Kerri Chandler would be proud, and comes overlaid with spring time flutes and luscious pads as a classically inclined bassline powers things along. Last but not least is ‘Alpha Wheel 4’ (Ambient Mix), a kaleidoscopic passage of suspensory sound scuffed up glassy surfaces trapping you in rays of refracted light from start to finish. All three tracks exhibit Lone’s authentic, lived in and lo-fi aesthetic, and as a result slip perfectly into his ever more essential discography.

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Lone – Saturday Night EP [K7353EP]

Marcel Dettmann – DJ Kicks [K7340LP]

Marcel Dettmann has mixed the latest edition of the highly respected DJ-Kicks compilation series. Whilst Dettmann is well-known for his incendiary sets at his residency at Berghain, his DJ-Kicks mix is crafted for listening, and displays a more reflective side of the DJ and producer. The mix explores a wide array of selections from various subgenres; ranging from the a new vocal-led Strictly Rhythm release, to rapping on Clarence G’s 1991 release ‘Cause I Said It Right’, recently reissued by Clone Records. Over the course of its 1hr 14 duration, Dettmann reveals multiple new original productions; most notably a collaboration with Levon Vincent, ‘Can You See It’. The pair have collaborated once in the past, releasing ‘Vengeance’ on Levon’s own Novel Sound label towards the end of 2015 to critical acclaim. ‘Can You See It’ sees the duo venture into darker territory; a stripped back, sub-bass laden affair, the quality of this production immediately stands out in the early stages of the mix. Dettmann also collaborates with MDR affiliate Wincent Kunth on ’Possible Step’. In addition to five brand new original Dettmann remixes and edits, there’s an unreleased remix of Marcel’s ‘Let’s Do It’ from Ostgut Ton labelmate Rolando. Designed to be enjoyed by both the critics and more casual listeners, this mix is the latest in a long series of lifetime achievements over the course of Dettmann’s career – and with so many new unreleased original Marcel Dettmann productions included, this is a landmark release for the producer.

mixed CD / vinyl

Marcel Dettmann – DJ Kicks [K7340LP]

Dam-Funk – DJ Kicks [K7332LP]

DAM FUNK/VARIOUS - DJ Kicks

A lot of folks feel like they know DaM-FunK, he is laid-back, affable and personable but to truly get the guy, I mean really understand him, is to know a deep love of music like no other. A more suitable reflection of this is his contribution to the beloved DJ-Kicks series. A snapshot into the mind of the pioneer of Modern-Funk music…get to know the man behind the shades. For fans of George Clinton, Madlib, Theo Parrish, Flying Lotus…

vinyl / CD

Dam-Funk – DJ Kicks [K7332LP]

Front De Cadeaux – The Gift EP [SF008]

Mugwump’s Subfield label introduces its first signings with the Belgian-Italo duo Front De Cadeaux aka DJ Athome & DJ Hugosan. They expertly produced their own brand of “Supreme Rallentato”, which is a fucked-up slo-mo italo, acid, disco, techno and house hybrid that so rightly fits with Subfield’s mission statement of covering subgenres. This full Ep on Subfield features 2 original F2C obscene & dirty slo-mo tracks at their most playful, “Ouvre Ta Bouche” and “Front De Cadeaux Theme” plus the magnificent dub-house of “Killers”. Remixes comes courtesy of Factory Floor’s Gabe Gurnsey (DFA) in a quite brutal bleep-techno mood and Manchester’s nu-balearic kingpin Ruf Dug (Music For Dreams), getting into what he described as a ” 808 snare roll warehouse analog fucked-up version”

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Front De Cadeaux – The Gift EP [SF008]

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.

vinyl / cd

Moodymann – DJ Kicks [K7327]

Cobblestone Jazz – The Modern Deep Left Quartet [K7258CD]

COBBLESTONE JAZZ - The Modern Deep Left Quartet, K7

Two and a half years after their debut LP, 23 Seconds dazzled critics and lit up dance floors worldwide, Cobblestone Jazz are back with a powerhouse new album that captures their live-in-the-studio energy like never before. A mixture of heady, jazz-inspired house grooves and below-the-belt analog funk, it raises the bar for electronic dance music in 2010. Titled The Modern Deep Left Quartet, the record marks an important addition to the Cobblestone Jazz lineup, as the trio of Mathew Jonson, Danuel Tate and Tyger Dhula brings aboard Colin de la Plante (aka the Mole).

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Cobblestone Jazz – The Modern Deep Left Quartet [K7258CD]