Electronic duo Pale Blue returns to Crosstown Rebels with their long-awaited sophomore album ‘Maria’, revealing a spellbinding eight-track trip across electronic spheres. After forming their critically acclaimed Pale Blue project with their debut album ‘The Past We Leave Behind’ in 2015, Mike Simonetti (Italians Do It Better) and Elizabeth Wight (Silver Hands) have only furthered intrigue and interest in the years since, uniting for a series of expansive EPs on Simonetti’s own 2MR imprint exploring dancefloor-focused acid through to gripping electronica. Having already o?ered a first look and preview into their long-awaited album return via three singles on the label, with remixes provided by DJ Tennis, Kölsch, Fort Romeau and Perel, mid-May sees Simonetti, and Wight finally reveal their sophomore album ‘Maria’ on Damian Lazarus’ Crosstown Rebels - o?ering a uniquely raw yet seamlessly polished trip into their idiosyncratic world. “‘Maria’ is an album of love songs - the good, the bad, and the ugly… The album is written entirely in Elizabeth’s voice. These are all her words - her thoughts, based on her personal experience. When writing this record I took inspiration from classic rock LP sequencing, and tried to dial in on a coherent concept, a natural flow. Although these are clearly techno tracks, one would argue they have more in common with rock music than dance music. I wanted to try make something a little di?erent, verse/chorus/verse tracks but still heavy enough for the club, full of melody and emotion… poppy but not THAT kind of poppy. Pale Blue has been known to take on political subject matter in the past, but the politics of love is something we can all relate to.” - Mike Simonetti. Opening with the slow-blooming and beautifully crafted dreamlike melodies of the aptly titled ‘Spells’, the eight-track long-player navigates and traverses the broader realms of electronica through to lighter pop-influenced touches and sonics for an absorbing and compelling dive. ‘Dive’, the first single from the project, provides a hazy but resonant web of polyrhythms and textures guided by Wight’s captivating vocals, while ‘Laura’ reaches for sparkling leads synths amongst sweeping tones and moments of bliss. O?ering up change to the aesthetic ‘Ice Is Falling’ is a stripped-back and haunting production as Wight’s vocals carry eerie tones and pockets of space for a hair-raising e?ort. The second half of the project welcomes second and third singles ‘No Words’ and ‘Together Alone’, with the playful tones of the former complementing the wistful and floaty soundscapes of the latter for two tracks to keep listeners in a trance. Closing out the package, ‘The New Year’ is a delightfully worked pop-leaning gem built on electronic foundations with a slinking acid-tinged bassline snaking through the mix, before shaping things up with the anthemic and rosy glow of final track ‘The Last Song’. Further emphasising Simonetti and Wight’s innate connection and bond when creating and crafting music, ‘Maria’ is an exemplary display of the two at their best across a collection of eight productions straddling the electronic-pop border with poise and aplomb. More

Pale Blue unveil the penultimate single from their forthcoming album on Crosstown Rebels with ‘Together Alone’, accompanied by a driving and hypnotic remix from Kölsch. Artists with renowned solo careers alongside their ever-evolving journey as the critically acclaimed duo Pale Blue, Mike Simonetti and Elizabeth Wight continue to showcase why their collaborative material is much-loved from all corners of the electronic realm and beyond. Arriving on the heels of the release of the playful and charming ‘No Words’, the pair return to Damian Lazarus’ Crosstown Rebels with the third and penultimate single ahead of their forthcoming album release as they switch up the mood and veer into wistful territories across the absorbing ‘Together Alone’ - backed by a remix from Kompakt mainstay and electronic heavyweight, Kölsch. A carefully created journey across almost eight minutes, ‘Together Alone’ is an exemplary showcase of balance and restrain as delicate melodies and hazy tones float amongst subtle nimble percussion arrangements, blooming synths and Wight’s captivating vocals for a deep dive into dreamy spheres. Bringing his own take to the record, Danish electronic pioneer Kölsch heads to Crosstown Rebels with his excellent crafted ‘I Have You’ remix, as he builds on the original with a powerful and emphatic introduction of anthemic leads, crisp kicks and a warping bassline rooted at the track’s core to transport the production firmly into the heart of the dancefloor. More

Electronic duo Pale Blue return to Crosstown Rebels with ‘No Words’, the second single from their forthcoming album ‘Maria’, with remixes from DJ Tennis and Perel. Italians Do It Better founder Mike Simonetti and Silver Hands’ Elizabeth Wight’s rich and storied careers within the electronic realm and beyond only elevated further with the launch of their Pale Blue project in 2015, unveiling a series of critically acclaimed releases via Simonetti’s 2MR imprint with plaudits including Pitchfork, FACT and Resident Advisor, to name just a few. Having provided the first look into their forthcoming album on Crosstown Rebels entitled ‘Maria’, scheduled for release on the label later this year, the pair return to open March with the second single from the project, ‘No Words’ - accompanied by remixes from DJ Tennis and Perel. Detailing the backstory to the record, Simonetti notes both upcoming single ‘No Words’ and the majority of the tracks on the duo’s forthcoming album project were made on the exact synths used to create Jaydee’s iconic 1993 hit, ‘Plastic Dreams’. Guided by a captivating bassline accented by Wight’s charming vocals, which flutter amongst the mix, ‘No Words’ is a hooky and compelling production that ebbs and flows across its near five-minute duration with effortless ease, capturing the playful nature alluded to by Simonetti. Life and Death head honcho DJ Tennis’ remix arrives next, veering down a hazy yet absorbing path as crisp organic drums and engrossing melodies form around the vocals and journey through light and dark textures. The B-side of the record belongs to DJ/producer, vocalist and DFA Records favourite Perel, offering a cosmic dive through spacey synths, skittering bleeps and pops, and tough kicks across her take on the production - before distorting and warping the vocals and shifting the emphasis on the ever-evolving electronics across her ‘Dub Version’. More

Electronic group Pale Blue returns to Damian Lazarus' label Crosstown Rebels. Dive stems from the pair's upcoming album on the imprint, which will drop next year. Remixes from Fort Romeau and Rebolledo feature on the EP, adding another layer to the shoegaze-tinged tune. The title track opens with Elizabeth's soft vocals and a dreamy synthline, evoking a hazy but potent soundscape. On Fort Romeau's remix, the Oxfordshire native offers a Tranceadelic Mix of the track, combining tribal-flecked percussion with an understated bassline, allowing Elizabeth's lyrics to dominate the atmosphere. Rebolledo pens an acid melody and transposes Elizabeth's vocals to an alien-like pitch—perfect for a tripped-out listen. Jersey-born Mike Simonetti is one half of the musical group Pale Blue and the founder of labels Troubleman, Italians Do It Better and 2MR. With over two decades of experience working as a producer and DJ, Mike has released previously released on Crosstown Rebels, Correspondent and Me Me Me amongst others. UK Born Fort Romeau merges the tones of house, kraut, ambient, disco, and techno across his work, releasing on Permanent Vacation, Mesh and more. His album Beings of Light dropped on Ghostly International earlier this year, affirming his status as an innovative artist. Mexican DJ and producer Rebolledo is one-half of the electronic duo Pachanga Boys, but as a solo artist, his sound bounces between sun-kissed house and strutting disco. Tracks on Correspondent and Hippie Dance highlight his boundless approach as a producer. More

Swell is the debut album by Marske, a spoken word performer, musician and visual artist originally from the North East of England. Written and produced with fellow north eastern music maker Man Power (aka Geoff Kirkwood) and released on Me Me Me, Swell is available digitally, and as a special limited edition 12" record featuring a gatefold sleeve designed by Marske. Swinging from poignant self reflection to wry social commentary and laugh out loud midlife malaise, Swell sits somewhere central in a Venn diagram featuring The streets, Throbbing Gristle, Sleaford Mods, John Cooper Clark and Underworld. It's a coming of (middle) age album that sees two established creators working together at their idiosyncratic best to create something as honest as it is unique. "Welcome to Marske. It's not for everyone" TRACK LISTING:A1. Open, A2. Cine Fume, A3. 2 Prayers, A4. Pentangle Tangle, A5. He Don't, B1. Sit Still, B2. It Never Entered My Mind, B3. Gaps, B4. A Man In Distress, B5. Tracy
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The enigmatic Vyvyan returns to MMM with the incendiary single, CoatBraPants. Backed up with 2 remixes from Running Back’s Gerd Janson, as well as the debut remix from Charlie Nobody, the single further displays the unique driving disco house hybrid stylings of Vyvyan, and acts as the perfect precursor to his Debut album, also to be released on MeMeMe and expected in early 2020. Not content with a single bite of the peach, Gerd Janson has provided us with both an out-and-out 90s New York house interpretation, as well as a separate organic dark-disco-dub version. "Charlie Nobody”, aka Chris Stoker from Ess O Ess and Not An Animal Records, laces his first ever solo piece of released music with a psychedelic dose of dancefloor arpeggiation nestled beside some sweetly balearic guitar playing. More

Man Power’s Me Me Me signs up long-time friend Ian Blevins for his long overdue label debut. Blevins’s originals are backed by stellar remixes from Austin Ato and Kiwi. Blevins hails from the North East of England and has released on ESP Institute, Futureboogie, Not An Animal and Culprit. The prolific producer was a long time resident of the legendary We Love Space in Ibiza and is an enduring favourite on the UK scene with plenty of musical tricks up his sleeves. “Both tracks on offer showcase the mongrel sound that I hear coming out of the North East region,” Says Man Power. ”Partly tough, partly playful, not simply techno, not simply house, and certainly nowhere near the most common contraction of the two words.” Innovative opener ‘The Serpent’ is a suitably snaking, slithering groove with acid twitches, rubbery drums and raw percussive energy. It pings about in dynamic fashion and really keeps you on edge. First up to remix, Austin Ato makes his return to the label after his huge ‘The Sound Of’ EP in summer 2018 and gives further credence to Man Power’s suspicion of his impending super stardom. He takes the ‘The Serpent’ on a luscious and deep trajectory that would make Larry Heard proud. The second standout original is ‘Unse’, a dark stomper with cosmic rays that strike right to the heart of the dance floor. It’s menacing and absorbing music that is steely and unlike anything else. To remix is 17 Steps regular Kiwi, who is responsible for two of Man Power's favourite tracks of 2018. Here he continues his run of astounding form while taking ‘Unse’ in a tougher and more robust direction that will really make you sweat. As ever this is a brilliant and stylistically diverse package from Me Me Me. More

Man Power’s Me Me Me signs up long-time friend Ian Blevins for his long overdue label debut. Blevins’s originals are backed by stellar remixes from Austin Ato and Kiwi. Blevins hails from the North East of England and has released on ESP Institute, Futureboogie, Not An Animal and Culprit. The prolific producer was a long time resident of the legendary We Love Space in Ibiza and is an enduring favourite on the UK scene with plenty of musical tricks up his sleeves. “Both tracks on offer showcase the mongrel sound that I hear coming out of the North East region,” Says Man Power. ”Partly tough, partly playful, not simply techno, not simply house, and certainly nowhere near the most common contraction of the two words.” Innovative opener ‘The Serpent’ is a suitably snaking, slithering groove with acid twitches, rubbery drums and raw percussive energy. It pings about in dynamic fashion and really keeps you on edge. First up to remix, Austin Ato makes his return to the label after his huge ‘The Sound Of’ EP in summer 2018 and gives further credence to Man Power’s suspicion of his impending super stardom. He takes the ‘The Serpent’ on a luscious and deep trajectory that would make Larry Heard proud. The second standout original is ‘Unse’, a dark stomper with cosmic rays that strike right to the heart of the dance floor. It’s menacing and absorbing music that is steely and unlike anything else. To remix is 17 Steps regular Kiwi, who is responsible for two of Man Power's favourite tracks of 2018. Here he continues his run of astounding form while taking ‘Unse’ in a tougher and more robust direction that will really make you sweat. As ever this is a brilliant and stylistically diverse package from Me Me Me. More

For Me Me Me 14, I’m proud to announce the return of Shit Robot to the label for his first full length EP, following up from his previous contribution to our We We We Charity compilation, and last year’s remix for Forriner. Joining him is fellow label mainstay Edmondson (of Lissoms fame), as well as Vin Sol (Nonplus / Clone) making his label debut, after me wanting to snare him forever due to my status as a Vin Sol super fan! Shit Robot provides us with 2 RAW house cuts. On the A side we have the deep and bumping “Cubed”. For the B he gives us “Rotation” which is equal parts Analogue-Jack to Rave-Synth. Edmondson turns in a typically unique remix, yet again hinting at his background in non 4/4 sounds, and showcasing his unbelievable deftness for sound design. Vin Sol’s remix of Rotation expertly captures the spirit of late 80s house in a way that only the original early pioneers, Vin Sol himself, and a perhaps a handful others seem to pull off legitimately. Also included as a digital exclusive is the bonus track “Shit Robot - The Life To Come”, for that added low slung jazz-house fix. More

Me Me Me is two… and in keeping with the name it seemed that I had no choice but to put out what is only my second ever release on my own label since launching with the debut release “Tachyon” back in 2016.
(It’s also the labels 13th release too. Spooooooky) So here it is, a double A Side... Side A is “Valhalla” which attempts to be as majestic as the name suggests. Side AA has “Fidelity", which is me channelling big room house as much as I can, while trying to keep ahold of whatever heart strings I can tug on. I’ll let you judge if I’ve achieved what I’d set to do with either. More

Full disclosure...I changed the entire release schedule to jam this record in this year. When you listen, hopefully can see why. From getting the demos during my breakfast, the record was agreed and in the schedule by the time I’d finished my dinner. Currently if you cut Austin Ato I believe he’ll bleed an amazing record. This record swings between a peak-time hands in the air pink loveheart vibe, hot and heavy classic sample based house, and some real basement orientated machine-made jacking house. Its like a quadruple A Side release, and I personally find it impossible to pick a favourite on here. More

Vyvyan wants to keep his real identity secret, which is something I can’t help but respect (I did the same for a couple of years). Without the context of personality, the music really does do the talking, and in this instance it has a lot to say. Both original tracks on offer here are unashamedly dance floor focussed disco / techno mutations, and they’re both as compelling as they are fun. For remixes we’ve drafted in Paul Woolford, a genuine UK legend, who by this stage is irrefutably nestled in the top tier of the British electronic music Royal Family. His remix perfectly displays the unconventional wit, and mastery of groove, that’s propelled him to where he is today.
I imagine its the only track we’ll ever release that begins on a breaks and baseline assault, and ends on samples of farmyard animals. Finishing off the release we have a remix by my dear friend Christophe (Futureboogie) in advance of his own artist EP on Me Me Me later this year. Christophe skews the original’s frenetic rhythms in to a vintage sounding bumping piece of machine driven house with an Italo-esque twist, which is as good as this description sounds More

“Edmondson first came to my attention with his Lobster Theramin distributed release, Flamingo Tripper, on his own label “Lissoms”. Or so I thought… Turns out he was actually a guy who used to serve me in one of my favourite pubs in Newcastle. Back in those days he was a dub step / drum and bass kid, and as per the trend with all of those guys, he’s now showing the house heads how its done, with a much keener feel for sound design, groove and a better ear for a sample than 90% of us lazy people who cut our teeth on a 4/4 beat. Edmondson (or Sean as I did know him... and how I know him once again) is really one of the most exciting producers out there right now for me, and I couldn’t be happier that we’ve reconnected and he’s kindly allowed Me Me Me to present some of his amazing music. More

From Man Power: "I'm going to try not to gush too much about the fact that 'Me Me Me' has Raj Pannu's first ever record, but you have to understand that he's DJ royalty to someone from where I come from. From his residencies in Newcastle in the Early 90s, touring all over Europe, playing with the likes of Gilles Peterson, Jazzanova and James Lavelle to his move into turntablism in the late 90s playing one on one with DJ Craze, A-Trak and Q-Bert. All the way up to the last decade and his time spent touring the world for 5 years as part of Coldcut, working with institutions like the BBC and Ninja Tune, and just generally being an absolutely mind bending DJ playing with people from all over the spectrum, such as Richie Hawtin, DJ Kentaro, Jamie Lidell, Kode9 and more.... and now he's decided to release his first record... With Us! As you can imagine for someone with such a varied musical background, FSOP is hard to pin down. I played it to a friend and they said it sounded like Photek covering Pink Floyd, which is the closest approximation I've heard of it, I guess. It's techno, but steppy, and super musical, and dark, but uplifting. Above all, it's just really special.I couldn't not give the record a full side to itself, and for the remix we've found the perfect pairing with an interpretation from Cosmin TRG (who I met at a festival, and who I instantly hit it off with after finding our shared love of Guiness and Sarcasm). Cosmin chokes out all of the light with a cut of raw, skittering Paranoid Techno. Providing the ideal balance for both sides of the record. Raj has also provided us with a Dub Mix which we're releasing as a digital exclusive. The dub narrows the dancefloor focus, without losing the drama of the OG. Reading this, you can probably tell how excited I am about this record." More

Elliot Adamson knows how good he is, which is equally as daunting as it is impressive. I’ve known him since he was the eager beaver Barman at a place I’d play regularly in my hometown, who used to try and stick his demos under my nose, and now he seems poised for world domination with a who's who of the worlds biggest DJs singing his praises. I’m so pleased I listened to those demos when I did. Elliot has a startling breadth and depth of taste for someone of such tender years (although to be honest, people only mention other peoples youth when they feel like they’re getting old themselves). The EP Elliot has provided for Me Me Me covers a range of vibes which can be traced through mid 90s house, millennial techno and that current and contemporary feel that we’re all still struggling to name adequately. Elliot is a real talent and I couldn’t be happier to provide a platform for what I feel is his most esoteric work to date, and a worthy showcase of his real capabilities. More

The next release on Man Power’s Me Me Me features two emotive leftfield house cuts from DSC, the newly minted production alias of Desert Sound Colony, aka Liam Wachs, the man behind the newly launched Holding Hands record Label. Wake up, is a sweetly melodic track of pulsing house, with Coming Round providing a pumping and muscular leftfield techno counterpoint. On remix duties Man Power invites north east upstart Elliot Adamson to remix Wake Up, before his full length EP coming up next on the label. Hotly tipped by everyone from Jackmaster to Jamie Jones, Elliot is a superstar in the making, and relishes the opportunity to flex his more esoteric muscles with a slice of deconstructed electro that hints at the startling musical breadth, which the young producer is only beginning to reveal. Coming Round is remixed by none other the legendary Rex The Dog, who is not only an artist who Man Power has huge admiration for, but also someone he is pleased to call a good friend. The trust between the two artists shines through, as “Rex” provides possibly one of the most unfettered dancefloor tracks of his career. More

Is? Frank Butters? a new artist risen out of nowhere via incendiary releases on his own Too Many Squares label, or is he perhaps an established artist taking a new direction? The only concession to this question is that he’s someone ?Man Power? has known a long time, and one of his favourite new artists. Frank's ?Cult Of Glamour? focuses his early 80s proto-house aesthetic, with two machine driven cuts at differing tempos for opposing late night moods. For remix duties, Me Me Me asked all time hero ?Andrew Weatherall? to deliver his own version, and deliver he does with a swamp rock lead bellied organic take of ?Make It Right? (as well as a digital only instrumental version). To close off the package Man Power has enlisted Not An Animal Record’s mainstay ?Ess More

“Soak by James Hadfield, featuring Danny Linton, is one of the main reasons for the launch of Me Me Me and a record I love so much I have done my first rem ix for the label,” explains Man Power. Further remixes from Axel Boman and Bird Of Paradise cement a stellar third release on the burgeoning Me Me Me imprint. Soak is a distinct and uncategorisable piece of electronic music, with a rich thread of emotion running through it so strongly, it remains within each remix, albeit distilled in different ways. Fellow North Eastern Englishman Bird Of Paradise (Correspondant / HAKT) turns in two differing atmospheric interpretations of the track (one appearing as a digital exclusive), while Studio Barnhus supremo Axel Boman brings his own inimitable style to his rework, and Man Power’s delivers a dreamy and forlorn infusion on this magnetic record.
James Hadfield has been releasing music over the last ten years under several guises including Lizards and Elizabeth Collective, although remains an elusive figure in the bubbling underground house and Balearic scene. Soak sees him teaming up with Danny Linton , best known as post dubstep producer Funk Ethics. Man Power’s ear for the more captivating and experimental side of electronic music is being championing through Me Me Me, putting discerning dance floors to the test through its releases. 2017 contributions include Mike Simmonetti, Chida, Fort Romeau, Hammer, Rex The Dog, Daniel Maloso and many more . More

The first release on Man Power’s Me Me Me saw FACT mag travel to Mexico to get inside the head of the Geordieman in Mexico. Next up for the label is a comeback record from Last Waltz, the trio with which Man Power first ever released, featuring three new, original tracks, and a remix from the first ever recorded collaboration of Tel Aviv’s Red Axes (I’m A Cliche) & Naduve (Disco Halal). Last Waltz are Geoff Kirkwood (Man Power), Lee Forster (Lizards) and Mick Rolfe (The Great Curve). Outside of their solo projects, Last Waltz have released on labels including Futureboogie, Endless Flight (Mule Musiq), Tusk Wax, Lets Play House, Is It Balearic, and many more. After a two year break from producing together, the three North East England born producers finally felt brave enough to suffer the inevitable studio fist fights and tantrums that have always occurred during their creative process. This latest session has resulted in potentially their most cohesive and impressive output to date, with an EP that swings between deep excursions, psychedelic disco and industrial electro, only to have Red Axes and Naduve take the track into an altogether more low-slung and feral direction. Me Me Me is shaping up to be an imprint for crate diggers, blurring the boundaries of electronic music and forging new channels for the dancefloor. Future contributions are incoming from Axel Boman, Mike Simmonetti, Chida, Fort Romeau, Hammer, Rex The Dog, Daniel Maloso, Last Waltz, James Hadfield (as Elizabeth Collective) and of course Man Power. More