The fifth part in the very exclusive ‘Schatrax’ repress series.
re-release
Eddie Hazel – Game, Dames And Guitar Thangs [BEWITH011LP]
Among guitar aficionados, they don’t come much heavier than acid-drenched enigma Eddie Hazel. A founding father of Funkadelic and responsible for the blazing ”Maggot Brain” solo, he released just one album. A concentrated dose of guitar-driven psychedelic soul and loping funk-rock, Game, Dames And Guitar Thangs(1977) was co-produced by George Clinton and features the full Mothership crew. Despite impeccable credentials, the album sank and dropped out of print for years, becoming a sought-after collector’s item for funkateers ever since. Mercifully addressing the dubious legitimacy and quality of previous reissues, Be With Records present a worthy and welcome 180 gram edition, limited to 500 copies. Eddie Hazel was a pioneering guitar genius, but his troubled lifestyle led to a dearth of recorded material that demonstrated his strengths. It’s a wonderful thing, then, that this lost classic is available on vinyl again. Possibly the finest slice of P-Funk you’ve never heard, it’s a record that will make your brain dance and one every funk fan needs.
Thesda – Spaced Out [LER1004]
The Left Ear label hit that sweet spot once more, diving into the archive and coming back for air brandishing a veritable slab of private press jazz funk history. Originally pressed in 1979 in a run of 100 copies, Thesda was the brainchild of Thomas Crawford and Eugene C. Hagburg, backed ably by a handful of like-minded musicians, and existed for brief moment of sublime expression, captured in its entirety on this gorgeous LP. “Spaced Out” takes us on a cosmic journey through jazz funk, soul and disco into that far out dimension of groovesome psychedelia inhabited by Mandre and Dexter Wansel. Fully licensed and reissued for the very first time, this Left Ear pressing is your best chance to own this forgotten piece of jazz-funk history without having to remortgage the house.
Scott Cunningham Band – Morning Madness [BH99202]
This is the second 45RPM single release from Praise Poems 3, and what a monster it is. Although both songs are not necessarily new discoveries in the soul and jazz collectors world, it is the first official re-release of these two 1975 recordings. Hopefully the record buyers appreciate the work which was necessary to accomplish this mission of doing a legitimate re-issue. Mr. Cunningham and his music definitely deserves it.
Lonny & Melvin – Murdercapital EP [M001XX]
Lonny and Melvin, aka I-f versus That Nigger, aka Interr-Ference & Pametex. Deep dark brown analogue electronix from the La Haye Murdercapital heydays. Remastered and released on Murder Capital.
The Tapes – Selected Works 1982 – 1992 [ELP017]
In addition to his prolific output as Not Waving, London-dwelling Italian Alessio Natalizia has developed quite an interest in profiling the vast archive of music that surfaced from his motherland in the 1980s. After Strut tapped him to curate the Mutazione compilation back in 2013, Natalizia has taken to square his focus on more specific artists, with this Tapes retrospective following a similar profile of Daniele Ciulini last year. Selected Works 1982 – 1992 spans a decade of recordings from Tapes, aka brotherly pair Giancarlo and Roberto Drago whose style of industrial music absorbed the counter-cultural influence of William Burroughs or Throbbing Gristle, and the sci-fi dystopia of J.G. Ballard and John Foxx. The 21 tracks here will delight anyone with an interest in the obscure annals of European primitive electronics.
Continue reading “The Tapes – Selected Works 1982 – 1992 [ELP017]”
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.
AMM – Ammmusic [BT018]
Black Truffle is honoured to present the first vinyl reissue of the classic debut album from AMM, AMMMusic. Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of its recording in 1966, this reissue makes one of the cornerstones of the experimental music tradition available again in its original form, replete with Keith Rowe’s beautiful pop art cover and the terse aphorisms by the group that served as its original liner notes. A testament to the interaction between the experimental avant-garde and the countercultural underground, the album was originally released on Elektra, recorded by Jac Holzman (the label’s founder, responsible for signing The Doors, Love, and The Stooges) and produced by DNA, a group that included Pink Floyd’s first manager Peter Jenner. (Pink Floyd paid tribute to AMM’s influence on their improvisational sensibility with the track ‘Flaming’ on their debut album, named after the piece that occupies AMMMusic’s first side, ‘Later During a Flaming Riviera Sunset’).
DECA – Synthetic Lips LP [DECA001]
Mothball Record starts its 2016 release schedule with a bang by releasing their first LP. Originally produced in a tiny edition of only 100 copies back in ’87, this dark masterpiece from prolific Italian artist DECA finally appears as an official reissue on Mothball (in collaboration with Bordello A Parigi) remastered from the original tapes. “Synthetic Lips” is an absolutely diverse album spanning industrial, synth-pop, ambient and even elements of new age…some tracks will hit immediately and others will reward repeated listening.
Shazam – Memories [MNQ072]
Mannequin Records is proud to present the 12” reissue of one of the rarest minimal synth singles ever released in UK, cradle of DIY post-punk and minimal synth bands.
Amin-Peck – Love Disgrace [BST-X006]
Amin Peck is an electronic studio project, contaminated by the New Wave from U.K. like most ’80s electronic bands. Amin-Peck walked a fine line between Disco and Minimal Wave throughout the course of the early 1980s, oftentimes incorporating shameless Pop melodies and Avant-garde leanings. Amin Peck were an italian band leaded by Giorgio Fioroni (aka George Fyron, arrangements, production, vocals) with Leonard Parker (arrangments, keyboards) and Max Marne (production). Incredible but true, Amin Peck started as ‘hard rock’ guitar band in the 70’s… and becoming one of the best examples of italo disco. This limited edition contains full-length versions plus uncut audio material (A2) tracked down during tape restoration. The first pressing coming from 1982 was pressed only on 7inch in U.K.
Ashra – Blackouts [SPALAX14759]
Blackouts is a solo album by German musician Manuel Göttsching, released in 1978. It was originally released as an Ash Ra Tempel album, but the 2011 reissue of the album is credited solely to Göttsching. The album was written and performed entirely by Göttsching on electric guitar, keyboards.
Optik – Music, Harmony & Rhythm [MBG291]
Groovin Recordings introduce the release of Optik Music Harmony & Rhythm, another great EP originally released in 1991 under MBG International Records. Optik is the alias of Giorgio Canepa and Ricky Montanari, two of the most talented italian producers from the early ’90s italian underground-house movement. In this EP we find two killer deep-house tracks, Music Harmony And Rhythm and Illusions, two great examples of the italo-house touch of the early ’90s that we found in a lots of other productions by MBG, Don Carlos and Key Tronics Ensemble, to name a few. Illusion is also sure an epic track, it was the last disc played at Vae Victis (Misano, Italy) and the first disc played at Novenove (Gradara, Italy), two of the most famous italian after hours of the 90’s era.
Clarence G – Hyperspace Sound Lab [CAL006]
Before his untimely death in 2002, Drexciya member James Stinson recorded a number of killer solo records. Hyperspace Soundlab, initially released in 1991 and credited to Clarence G, is undoubtedly one of his best. It’s long been something of an in-demand gem, with copies changing hands for several hundred pounds. Here, Clone have done us all a favour and given it a much-needed reissue via their Aqualung series dedicated to all things Drexciyan. As you’d perhaps expect, all four tracks explore the Detroit elecro sound Stinson did much to develop, with the producer adding his own rap vocals to the killer “Clarence G’s Club”, and the ghetto-influenced bounce of “Cause I Said It Right”. Elsewhere, “Turbine” is an exercise in industrial-tinged drum machine abuse, while “Data Transfer” sees Stinson doffing a cap to classic Chicago acid.
Candido – Dancin’ & Prancin’ [SA8520]
Candido Cameron was a Cuban percussion maestro who had played with luminaries such as Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy Rich and Count Basie throughout his illustrious musical career which started in 1952. Fast forward to 1979 and Candido finds himself caught up in the Disco boom that had engulfed his adopted New York City. Feeling he could add his trademark quick-fire Conga and Bongo playing to Disco’s straight 4 x 4 syncopated rhythm he cut some records with legendary NYC label Salsoul. The fruits of this partnership were 2 full length LP’s and a handful of 12″ singles that changed the face of underground Disco. The first of these two LP’s made for Salsoul was the truly epic “Dancin’ & Prancin” containing the all time classic “Jingo” which has been sampled, edited, re-configured and coveted by too many names to mention! It’s a killer funky Disco version of master Nigerian drummer Olatunji’s 1969 percussion suite of the same name, Salsoul style. The LP also contains one of the deepest Disco records of all time; “Thousand Finger Man” a testament to Candido’s percussion prowess and a spacey, beautiful voyage that has left more than an indelible mark on modern House music, often being cited as a huge influence by artists such as Masters At Work and more.
Kirlian Camera – Eclipse [NTNO7871]
Norton North presents a collection of deluxe re-releases by Kirlian Camera: after 26 years the best-seller album Eclipse is again available on vinyl with the original tracklist and artwork. This record is one of the most representative albums of the 80’s, with his icy and pop style at the same time, a monumental classic for the synthpop and electronic scene, but also darkwave and experimental (the title-track “Eclipse” is a real classic for each underground club worldwide). Original released by Rose Rosse Records.
Steel Mind – Boss Man [TUONO003]
Monster Cosmic ultrarare repress licensed from the “maestro” Piero Torsani . One of Daniele Baldelli’s most played tracks At ”Cosmic Disco”.
Steve Poindexter presents Kareem Smith – N B Battle Track [S3004]
Co produced by Steve Poindexter this EP presented Kareem Smith to the world. All superb deep cuts here from 1991 full of soul and attitude. Re-released in conjunction with Trax 2015.
Laurent X – Machines [TX163]
Made by Mark Imperial & Vinnie Devine as Laurent X, ‘Machines’ was conceived in a 16 track studio with an unquestionable Roland TB-303, but also a TR-808, TR-909, a Juno 106, some FX and a bucket of rib tips. According to Mark Imperial, he and his friends (specially Vinnie Devine) had a mad fun playing with gear.
Shinichi Atobe – Ship Scope [DDS014]
Hugely sought-after techno classic – the precedent to ‘Butterfly Effect’, originally released on Berlin’s legendary Chain reaction and out-of-print for 15 years, now newly remastered from vinyl by Matt Colton at Alchemy. A massive personal favourite of Demdike Stare’s, Shinichi Atobe’s ‘Ship Scope’ was Chain Reaction’s penultimate release in 2001 and, with the benefit of hindsight, also one of the legendary label’s most sublime offerings.
The Hipodrome Of Music 