The summer is hot and the stages remain empty but the fans have spoken and we refuse to stop the beat here at Kompakt! London’s own Kiwi joins us with “Hello Echo” to fill your boombox park hangs with 3 epic blends of disco, house and everything in-between. To those unfamiliar with Kiwi here’s a quick intro. He’s the mind behind Crossbreed, the talked-about label and party series coming out of London. His early music endeavors saw him release on coveted labels like Disco Halal, Days Of Being Wild, Deep Shit, Optimo, Mood Black, Correspondent and we cannot forget the massively massive single “Orca” released on Futureboogie in 2017. He’s now ready to share the fruits of his lockdown with this debut for Kompakt. We ring in with the title track ”Hello Echo” featuring Bestley on vocals. Simply put, THIS is that disco-fied feel good single that is as essential as every hot day requires a cold drink in hand. Sexy and bold, “Down with the Rhythm” an immaculate bass line and a vocal that would make Dave Gahan proud. “Acqua Panna” is a favourite for us here. A crazed breakbeat mingles with a lost piano and synth that seems to jam on nowhere but somewhere that we find is very dear to the dance floor. More

Back with his third EP for Dave Harvey’s forward thinking Futureboogie label, Kiwi serves up three pulsating jams on ‘Charlie’s New Vision’, backed with a remix from Johnny Aux. Drawing upon his many influences across the house/disco/funk spectrum, South London based Kiwi has been illuminating the more discerning dancefloors of late with a strong of releases for Cin Cin, Needwant and his own new label venture, Crossbreed. A low-slung groove is explored on ‘Charlie’s New Vision’, incorporating tripped out film dialogue, bleeps and dubby tones, and a serpentine bass riff, all forging an off kilter yet infectious & hedonistic chugger. Johnny Aux follows up recent appearances on Man Power’s Me Me Me, Party Central, and Multi Culti with his own take on the lead track. Churning over a bleepy and epically transcendental remix of the highest order, this is the stuff of sunrises and enlightening moments! The sprightly ‘Ghiaccio’ draws together a kaleidoscopic array of opulent synth melodies with an compelling rhythm, whilst ‘Italian Heat’ doffs its cap heartily to the Italo disco choons of yore that always strikes a potent chord to this day. More

The infamous Kiwi returns to Needwant with his second EP on the London label (home to the likes of The Revenge, Ejeca, Maxxi Soundsystem and many more) On this cut Kiwi does what he does best by incorporating emotion and grit into dance music. The EP features 3 mixes of ‘Kiya’ as well as a remix from underground hero Brian Ring. The record has already seen support form the likes of Theo Kottis, AME, Tensnake, catz n dogz, Nick Warren & Fort Romeau to name a few. The record opens with the original version of ‘Kiya' which features warm bass tones, spaced out synth lines, shuffling percussion and a tribal-esq vocal. The Rave mix gives ‘Kiya’ dance floor authority, introducing driving acid synth lines and a weightier low end. On the B side Kiwi delivers a deconstructed ‘Dreamscape’ mix stripping ‘Kiya' back to it’s beautiful bare bones. ‘Kiya’ will be another addition to Kiwi’s already impressive physical discography which includes releases on imprints such as Disco Halal, Future Boogie & 17 Steps. His unique approach to remixing and producing over the years has meant that he has seen a wealth of support from names such as Andrew Weatherall, DJ Harvey, Gerd Janson, Daniel Avery, Erol Alkan, Optimo, Annie Mac and Skream. More

Kiwi's sound is one defined by positive, kinetic feeling - joining the dots between Detroit Techno, Soul and Balearic. With previous releases on Futureboogie, Life and Death and Moscoman's lauded Disco Halal imprint, he's garnered several accolades including reaching number #85 in Mixmag's Top 100 tunes of 2017 and sitting at #1 in the genre chart for a total of 9 weeks with his 'Orca' EP back in 2016. Now - continuing on his ascent, Kiwi lays out a pair of rapturous, gooey House jams that lands right on time for the festival season. On 'Oooh' - Vocal lines swirl over a largely beatless backing track. A rich, balmy feeling unfolds behind synth chimes and layered delays which work together to form an irresistible summer DJ tool. 'Andromeda' then follows up and blends 80's soundtrack-tinged stabs with crispy drums and thick sub bass before being accompanied by a pulsating synth line that carries the track to a delectable crescendo. Hammer then closes things up with a somewhat hallucinogenic take on 'Oooh' with LFOs, analogue sweeps and blobs of acid bleeding together to cap off an altogether warm and woozy trip. More

Kiwi AKA Alex Warren, returns to Futureboogie after 2016’s well received “Orca” EP (which picked up support from the likes of DJ Harvey, PBR Streetgang, Manpower, Kate Simko & many more) with the cinematically sprawling “Amityville” EP. With all the intensity and menace of the supernatural events immortalised in Rosenberg’s 1979 horror flick, “Amityville” leans on Lalo Schifrin’s classic score and serves up a chugging disco-fied monster. Arpeggiated synths and those memorable vocal refrains from the movie build a mood of anticipation that flourishes into sections of pure wigged out disco business. It’s a very clever and unique production, and one that we served up to DJ Tennis for re-interpretation. Following on from recent remixes for The Juan Maclean and Tricky, as well as a spectacular DJ Kicks mix for !K7, DJ Tennis remoulds “Amityville” into a deep and delicate house groove, introducing some guitar riffing and deft mallet instrumentation whilst manipulating the original components to mesmerizing effect. On “Warriors”, Kiwi continues his unabashed love of cult movies with a musical ode that captures the edgy and urban sounds of 70s cinematic synth soundtracks; phasing guitar riffs, rolling snares and dramatic synth sweeps dominate this infectious track. And closing the release, “Paco” is a melody fuelled and studious production; wandering keys drift over a steady beat and filtering bassline combo whilst the synths pitch bend and flex, resulting in a gloriously trippy ambience throughout. More

Following Dusky’s ubiquitous ‘Cold Heart’ EP 17 Steps presents Kiwi’s ‘Marmora’s Theme’ EP - the London producer’s debut on the label.
Having recently released on tastemaker labels such as Futureboogie, Correspondent and Optimo Music, Kiwi’s distinctive sound is a physical mix of Italo disco, techno and electro influences. Carried by a pulsating Italo bassline, lead track ‘Marmora’s Theme’ is a cosmic epic that rides crisp piano melodies and sci-fi synths - and is already garnering support from Gerd Janson, DJ Tennis and Annie Mac. Transporting the original’s piano euphoria into darker, rave referencing territory, the Tuff City Kids remix calls on growling reese bass and ’92 hardcore style pianos.
Offering some alternative vibes are the deeper, dirgy warehouse grind of ‘OTH’ and the beautiful, reflective electronica of ‘Reservoir’.

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Boundary pushing EP from Kiwi, regular side kick & friend of Duke Dumont, on Duke's re-launched label Blasé Boys Club... London based Dj, producer and wonderkid Kiwi steps forth as Duke Dumont's Blase Boys Club imprint announces their next club ready EP. Striking out with Animals, the latest BBC cut heralds a new dawn for the imprint that prides itself on unearthing fresh and unique talent. After spending time developing his gut busting live show, Duke Dumont adorns the A&R hat once again as he readies this new EP. Kiwi (AKA Alex Warren) is no stranger to creating sure fire dance-floor tremors; in fact, he's shaping up to be one of the most exciting young producers out there after tracks on Sneaky, Needwant, Kitsune and Deep Shit, with a string of remixes and tracks set for release in the coming months, plus a much anticipated back to back set with Mr Andrew Weatherall, the Animals EP stands as the perfect bridge into Kiwi's forthcoming summer season. With each track named after obscure species of wildlife, it's reflective of Kiwi's own penchant for touching the outer reaches of the floor, pushing the boundaries with unique and honed sonic interpretations. Starting life with wild intent, opening track 'ShortTail' takes on a pulsing, laser galvanised bassline, growling and pushing behind whirling atmospheric sweeps and layers of sub bass before dropping into a strong blend of techno drive and house swing, flanked by cowbell chimes and percussive nuances; make no mistake, this jacking track was aimed squarely at the soldiers on the floor. Next, Kiwi teams up with vocalist Takura for the light, dreamy and airy slow-mo house romp that is 'Fossa'. Takura's light, harmonic but strained vocals add an emotional quality to the ticking groove and slow-swing of the track, much like the cat like mammal that the track shares it's name with. On the flip, 'Atlanticus', going for a slow-mo, electro-boogie fusion, bringing together down tempo groove and slow and low bass, showcasing the London bred producers penchant for all shades of house music with an ethereal, musically charged composition. After this brief respite, it's back to business on 'Pelican', with a balearic feel accentuated by perky and fluctuating basslines, the tempo firing back up through a mesh of oscillating rhythms, compressed snare hits and an unstoppable groove. More

All proceeds go London based charity, Focus E15 which demands social housing, not social cleansing! More

Optimo Music presents a 5 track EP & also a debut release from Nashville’s Stranded, including a remix of title track “Celine’s Dilemma” by RSD, aka Rob Smith of Smith & Mighty fame. Despite hailing from Nashville, Stranded has a longing appreciation for the dance centric cities throughout the world whether it be Detroit, Manchester or Berlin, hence the moniker. Alienation, romantic rendezvous, 9 to 5 unease, and an apprehension of the future are just a few of the topics that surface on the debut EP, Celine's Dilemma, on Optimo Music. Sweeping and droning synths, jagged guitars, rolling bass, yearning and weary vocals, and disco beats propel the music and ideas showcased in the project. While using the backdrop of post punk, disco, and synth pop the music is a sonar call to places where people are gathering, working, and dancing. More

A new Optimo Music Disco Plate and the debut release from Feon. When these tracks first came my way I instantly knew they were ripe for a release on the label. Original, idiosyncratic, full of imagination and featuring a couple of dancefloor hits, how could I resist? ’Also, “The Sun is High” was surely destined to become a sun-blissed summer anthem…..
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It’s the return of the sexual vigilante Sex Judas and his trusted sidekick Ricky. This time in full album mode. Norwegian producer Tore Gjedrem of Ost & Kjex fame, channels his love of comix, bohemia and fascination with human vice, the unspoken, the Red Light districts, the alleys of the mind into his alter ego. Inspiration ranges from Africa to 80’s NYC, from Bohannon to Quasimoto, from Norwegian New Wave to Acid House. With contributions by friends in the Oslo scene as hometown legend Dj Pål Strangefruit Nyhus, composer Ole-Henrik Moe, jazzpianist Bugge Wesseltoft, Sidiki Camara from Mali playing that beautiful Ngoni, and multi instrumentalist Ivar Snuten Winther, the album touches anything from blues, funk, disco and post-punk to IDM, acid house and electronic explorer music. More

Another fierce and unique act from the depths of the Glasgow underground appear on Optimo Music with their debut Green Door studios recorded four track EP. Keyboard player Jim McKinven was previously in Altered Images, worked for many years in Martin Rushent's Genetic Studios, was in One Dove and previously appeared on Optimo Music as one half of Organs Of Love. He is however but one component of this transgenerational band. They describe their music far better than we could - "Seedy Electronica, consisting of 2 Basses, Electronic Drums, Synths and Dark Vocals. Inspired by the avant-garde that influenced the electronic music scene of the late '70's and early '80's.” More

Optimo Music is thrilled to release the new album from Jacob Yates. Not only is he one of our all-time favourite artists from Glasgow, but he is one of our favourite artists from anywhere. Criminally unknown except to a few who have been long transfixed by his recordings and performances, we hope this release will open a few more ears to his wondrous musical world. “The Hare, The Moon, The Drone” is the third album from Jacob Yates. This recording finds the band exploring dark hawthorn hedged lanes, moors and suburban, new build estates. There's something more earthy about the songs but the menace and darkness remains. Musically there is a big shift on this album, a field recording of a folk band from a dark, pine filled glen. More

After a year’s hiatus Optimo Music Disco Plates returns with the first of several planned releases. First up is long time friend Phil Kieran with an EP made specifically with Optimo in mind. It has been tried and tested over recent months and more than ticks all our boxes. We feel confident it will tick yours too. Phil says “The Ep was recorded in my house and made up of mostly live percussion performed live by Thomas Tettey Annang. Originally from Ghana, he moved to Belfast some years ago. It just so happens his wife is a close friend of my sisters and that was the first introduction. Thomas now runs "Releasing Rhythms” here in Belfast teaching drum classes. We used a wide selection of traditional African drums that all have their own name, each one has a style and a sound. The rhythms used in this record would stem back to South American rhythms but using African drums. This was a sound and rhythm that influenced early post punk records in New York and still has an influence on dance music today.” More

Blurt are perhaps the act who have played live at Optimo more than any other. Active for close to 40 years they are one of the UK’s all time great acts, phenomenal live and on record and supremely underrated. Blurt mainman Ted Milton is a living legend. Now in his 70s but more vibrant on stage than most artists 50 years his junior, he is a man of many talents; artist, poet, musician, performer…. In 1984 he released a solo 12”; “Love Is Like A Violence”, a no doubt accidental dancefloor gem completely out of kilter with any other music of the era that now makes total sense in 2017. Dubbed-out stabs, programmed rhythm, trademark sax squeals and a more subdued than normal vocal that is strangely reminiscent of Vincent Price. Thee definition of a cult classic and much in demand, side A of this 12” presents the A and B side (the equally outre “It’s Only Recently That Stalins Have Begun To Roost”) of this mighty 12” on one side of vinyl. “The Ruminant Plinth” is but one of multiple classic tracks in the Blurt catalogue and is a long, long time personal favourite that takes pride of place of the other side. Tribal hypno rhythms, chicken wire guitar, sax and Milton’s voice on fire, this was a genuine party starter on the Optimo dance floor on Sunday nights Glasgow. So louche it should probably be banned. 12” vinyl release in full picture sleeve designed by Glasgow artist Andrew Beltran. More

The whole EP is about being with the one(s) you love when everything else around you breaks down. Looking inward, with pure love, in the hope to radiate outward, rather than pushing for a fight, or running away. Recorded, written, and produced in isolation by Stephen and Penelope on our own in East London Studio space. The EP starts with the song "End Of Times" which is a dramatic, Shangri-Las influenced take on feeling powerless in a chaotic world, but still high on love. Happiness can be found in analog reverb. This is followed by "Serenity", a hard and tranquil meditation of past + future. Side 2 leads with "Heart Control", with a slight nod to Pink Floyd. A nine minute plea to ourselves to keep it all focused and under control… The EP closes with "Darkness Falls". The lyrics for this came from an apocalyptic dream that Penelope had, and wrote down in the morning. the music is 100% purely modular, er, except for the tiny bits of guitar at the end. More

Optimo Music is delighted to release a first album by Fantastic Twins (formerly known as The Twins). We’ll let them tell you the story behind this inspired and beguiling record - Obakodomo (Au Balcon Du Monde) is a soundtrack I created for a piece of contemporary dance, performed by two dancers for a young audience from the age of 4. It is the story of an imaginary journey in Antartica where two explorers go on an adventure. They encounter a colony of penguins and will progressively learn to understand their habits and respect their environment. Essentially, Au Balcon Du Monde is a metaphor of how to exist next to each other, how to share a territory, how to learn to live together and share resources. The scenography and stage accessories were designed in a minimalistic and non-obvious form to leave all the space for imagination. The penguins were made of translucent material to provide light effects and were programmed to move in a swaying motion, allowing interaction with the dancers and the music. LED system could be wireless piloted. More

Optimo Music is delighted to present the debut EP from Glasgow-based Lo Kindre. Lo Kindre is Luxembourg-born and raised Irishman Daniel Magee's personal dub interpretation, the result of a year of On U indulgence and Tuff Dub encounters, and time spent honing a live show across venues in Glasgow. Debut EP 'Plant Up' presents a cosmic blend of swirling synth and low-slung bass offering Magee's own version of dub to the public for the very first time. More

Optimo Music are delighted to present the second full-length from The Golden Filter, "STILL // ALONE". After relocating to London and playing shows around Europe for a year and a half, self-imposed pariahs Penelope Trappes and Stephen Hindman delved into creating a two-sided existential opus by renting out old studio spaces around the UK and using mostly analog 80's instruments, machines and effects. An album about being in love with pure solitude, when STILL // ALONE is separated into two distinct sides, record one, STILL, is a hypnotic meditation for the nightclub. Wavy patterns of sound and light bounce off of Penelope’s literary vocal bursts, layered over the ominous deep synths and arpeggiators, held together only by a strict 4/4 beat. The rhythm, ironically forcing the body to move, however internally focused and mindful, still.
Record two, ALONE, takes the club offline and into the fringes of raw, odd pop.
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Peter Zummo (born 1948) is an American composer and musician. He plays the trombone, valve trombone, euphonium, synthesizer, other electronic instruments, and also sings. He is associated with the postminimalist and Downtown aesthetics, and he describes his music as "minimalism plus a whole lot more." He’s well-known for his work with Arthur Russell. “In this project for Optimo, the listener can hear that my musical food pyramid has musicians at top, or maybe they are at the bottom. In any case, they are important. That is why, from track to track, I selected segments in which one player or another is featured in the take. Some may think that we musicians do multiple takes to get the perfect performance, but I like to find the special interactions lurking in each excursion. Different players came forward in each of the takes, which were recorded in the studios Seaside Lounge and Headroom, in Brooklyn, and live in performances at Cube Cinema, in Bristol, U.K., as well as in Long Island City and on Staten Island, New York. In order to escape the tyranny of the lyric, I am exploring in this release the possibilities of nonsensical and non-emotional lyrics. These kinds of lyrics bring the singing voices into the mix without an overweening message. The tracks include open-form compositions in which the duration was not specified.” More

After a sell out first EP on Optimo Music, MR TC follows it up with EP 2, "Surf & Destroy" four more tracks of analogue plus live instruments delirium. MR TC has been taking his live show (which involves a four-piece band) out on the road to great acclaim. His music and DJ sets encompass Leftfield Disco, Tropical Oddity, House and Techno whilst channelling the spirit of a youth spent playing in psychedelic rock bands in Luxembourg, listening to krautrock and worshipping Lou Reed and David Bowie. This is just the beginning…… More

Glasgow's Junto Club return with their second EP. In their own words... This is the second in our planned trilogy of Junto Club EPs. If the first was the birth of the Junto Club, this is the middle-aged existential crisis. We've followed the same ethos as the first EP, allowing the music to develop organically rather than being restricted by considerations of genre. Naturally, this was shaped by our experiences of the first EP. While the first EP developed through our experimentation with new sounds behind closed doors, this EP was the result of our attempts to retrospectively understand those creations and the interpretations of others. These reflections were mixed with our reimagining of those discoveries and our experiences of their live performance. Warm Me Up is not the same as the Junto Club EP because those virgin sessions can never be recreated. Nor should they be. This is the middle aged existential crisis of the Junto Club. And we hope you enjoy dancing to it. OM say: it’s electronic pop speaking oot the side of its mooth. More

Next up on Optimo Music is the next wave of unique talent to emerge from Glasgow, once again recorded in the near-legendary Green Door studio. Four tracks of highly original, impossible to pigeonhole, dancefloor-not-dancefloor music. Junto Club are four men from Glasgow who have remained friends since they were teenagers through creating music they love. Whilst learning new instruments during a long winter, their sound was fashioned unexpectedly with sporadic melodies overlaid on taut drum machines, synthesizers and bass guitar. Many humble dance moves followed as the band began to carouse behind closed doors with their newly-found rhythm. More

Noo are Daze Dasen (aka Plastique De Reve) and Sami Liuski (aka Bangkok Impact / Putsch '79. They return with their second 12" (Noo 2) and the third in the Optimo Music Disco Plate series. Their first 12" was a summer of 2014 smash hit. This second double A side 12" single is built out of imaginative sampling combined with analogue machines. Phenomenally produced, modern disco epics that fully work their magic in a club setting. Two ten-minute tracks. "Must Be The Music" : Absolutely guaranteed not to appeal to moody techno fucks. Epic disco-ness abounds. Features breakdance potential breakdown at around 6 minutes. Already huge with Pete Waterman. "Heaven's Gate" : a soundtrack for evacuating the planet. Road tested on our last star trip to Sirius. More

Following on from the summer hit that was Noo's Optimo Disco Plate one, we are delighted to present the second plate, this one an archival release from London's Reel Houze. Reel Houze are/were Dominic Dawson and Rob Mello, and these two tracks were originally released in 1996. Big with Twitch at the time, he dug out "No Difference" again last year and started playing it once more and then did the same with "The Chance". They felt and sounded timeless so it seemed a good idea to make these Dub Disco wonders available again to a new generation. 'The Chance" is based on a sample form Dinosaur L's "Go Bang". It is nearly 11 minutes of dubbed out disco madness featuring one of thee all time greatest Moog solos, played live by Rob Mello. DJ Harvey gets frenetic on the percussion (he's playing a toilet seat!). It's loose, it's a little debauched and is further proof that disco music can be out there, wild, modern and any tempo it goddamn wants to be. "No Difference" is the closest thing we can imagine to Basic Channel doing disco. Loose, long, extremely dubbed out and mesmeric, in the right hands it is swinging, sexy club hypnotiser. More