"Synth Expressionism/Rhythmic Cubism" LP from Chicago’s Jamal Moss aka Hieroglyphic Being is a collection of idioms that have no past and no future, his jarring use of polyrhythmic polyphony imbues a sense of timelessness.
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Zaire’ is the beginning of a new narrative for the artist. In this first chapter Khalab creates urgent compositions with layers of sound from the past, present and future. ‘Zaire’ is underpinned by an intensely pounding heart of other-worldly percussion. The collaged loops frenetically jab in syncopation breaking off when the inherent swing casts its discrete groove to summon the dance. Unrelenting waves of synthlines, basslines and rhythm find harmony amongst the melodic chants and distortion. Already making Gilles Peterson’s ‘All Winners’ list on BBC 6 Music‘Zaire’ is a breathtaking nucleus for airwaves, dancefloors and, any digital devices masquerading as abeatbox. The tracks ‘Aeh’ and ‘Night in the Jungle’ are the vessel from which the heat of ‘Zaire’ steams. DJ Khalab has departed and with ‘Zaire’ Khalab has arrived On the Corner. The two remixes on this EP offer magnified oppositions to the friction that Khalab seamlessly stiches into his tapestries of sound. The bass frequencies that Medlarbounces across his electro dirge, taking day into night, contrasts with the harmony and light of Will LV’s journeying remix that drives through the troposphere. ’Zaire’ is a prelude of the forthcoming ‘Black Noise 2084’ and the freeing of a narrative shackled in chains for centuries. Phrases of historic recordings collaged with future electronics and the analogue depth and artistic voices of the present makes this a ground breaking work of future music. The archive recordings bare a stark reminder of the need to face the barbaric recesses of modern human history. The many voices of Khalab’s ‘Black Noise 2084’ are coming to be heard. More

This 12” begins with Collocutor ripping into Miles Davis’ ‘Black Satin’, from the benchmark On The Corner LP, and owning it from the off. A respectful homage is paid to the original with sensational improvised parts being added with a hip groove from the percussive wonders of Magnus Mehta (Magnus P.I.), Maurizio Ravalico and bassist Suman Joshi. The sparks fly as guitarist Marco Piccioni channels the spirits of late ‘60s psychedelic fires. The melodic riff of Miles’ classic is stripped down by Simon ‘Shwaa’ Finch and Mike Lesirge who subtly encapsulate the original’s atmosphere. The A-side is completed with the label’s latest signing, DJ Khalab delivering a sharp, warped assault on Collocutor’s ‘The Search’, just in time for the LP's repress. On the flip is a live version of ‘The Search’ recorded during the ‘Live at the Fish Factory’ Session in 2016 which, have so far resulted in two collector’s edition dubplates that are as rare as hen’s teeth. The invigorated far out sound has been mixed on this recording by producer Sam Jones who has entrenched himself with the On the Corner approach and brought his ‘Sam Jones Construct’ vision to the label. Marco Piccioni sold his soul at a highway crossroads on the way to the recording. There are spirits riding on the backs of the ensemble guiding this version of ‘The Search’ out into cosmic oceans. The 12” ends with bassist Ruth Goller (Melt Yourself Down, Let Spin, Gufo and Bug Prentice) stewarding her virtuosic groove sensibilities into the twilight zone with this brooding off -kilter abstraction of ‘Everywhere’. The stripped backbones of the tracks rhythm are punctuated by a dialogue and mantra summoned by Goller that moves menacingly over a synth bass augmented b-line. More

On the Corner's DJ tool and eclectic favourite, Versus is back for a second instalment. There are some familiar faces occupying this tasty wax and some new comers pushing the needle further-out On the Corner. As 2015’s Versus sold-out we'd already acquired some fresh production talents and sent stems over to new and old friends alike.
Get your atlases out as we criss-cross the globe introducing you to artists from afar-afield as Nairobi, Manchester, Pune, Iringa, Detroit, and South London. We kick off with Jinku, self-proclaimed space monkey hitting OtC wax for the first time. The producer is one-fifth of the East African Wave, a collective of young DJ Producers who are revolutionising the East African arts scene. As a 'sponge' of different influences, Jinku lays down a balearic reworking of fellow Nairobian, Makadem's 'Nyako'. Of the returning artists none is quite as mysterious as the elusive and incomparable Black Classical - discordant-Ra-like organ meets Brazilian poly-rhythmic percussions bludgeoned with a heady slab of rave breaks make for 'Jeje': already a firm fave of Gilles Peterson. Boundary pushing Contours brings a new swing to the 'Agama' groove, following the underground smash from Al Dobson Jr back where it all started with the release of Tamar Collocutor’s first album in 2014. Wonky psychedelic perambulations through the Traab al-Beidaan (Sahara) from Sam Jones who adds another construct to his mantle. Group as Salaam have a cassette release forthcoming and this construct comes from field recording sessions conducted during a feast out in the shadow of Africa’s largest Windfarm by label head Pete OntheCorner. Vibes! On the B-side, sprightly producer Daisho from the Indian hotbed of Pune brings a layered percussive heater hanging in the atmosphere with ominous synth b-lines and rightly tipped to be in the realms of and early Four Tet mover. The release enters into a deeper shamanic dance territory in the final third: the beathead's elixir, M.I.X.G. and their massive xylophone (Embaire) are back and gets a heavy acid rerub as South London's FYI Chris appear OntheCorner wax again with 'Drop the beat'. Peter Croce, head of Detroit's Rocksteady Disco brings it deep into the early hours for this euphoric 4am fix of OntheCorner's afro-latin-electronic party experimentalists, Penya. More

'The Search' from Collocutor, the band’s second LP, is the story of a journey, from disillusionment to new beginnings, alienation to belonging, darkness to hope. It is a journey that can be interpreted as spiritual, emotional or physical/geographical, depending on the listener’s own experiences. Tamar Osborn, the band leader and composer says: “This wasn’t planned as a ‘concept’ album, but as the four main compositions developed they and their titles fell into a natural narrative order and the theme of the album became apparent. The three improvised Conversations were an opportunity to explore musically the meaning of ‘collocutor’ - a person taking part in a conversation - and how this applies to performance, and also to expand the textural range of the ensemble by dividing it into smaller groupings and freeing the musicians from structured composition.” The album had already been listed by The Vinyl Factory as one of their “Best new vinyl releases to look out for in 2017”, and has gained the enthusiastic support of icons such as Gilles Peterson, Mulatu Astatke and many others. Collocutor have The 2017 Mercury Awards submission in their sights and The Search could well have jazz breaching the shortlist yet again. Tamar Osborn has kicked off 2017 appearing at the Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Awards 2017 alongside Ninja Tune’s Sarathy Korwar: an incredible performance that set the tone of one of the most important celebrations of independent music. Collocutor’s sound has also graced the ears of the diverse audience that gathered to the Church of Sound last week (2/2/2017), with the band performing music from Yussef Lateef’s songbook as well as receiving a rapturous ovation for The Search. A sold-out concert, a moment of magic at Hackney's historic St. James the Great church, the new go-to destination for London jazz lovers that will be followed quickly by a headline performance at The Jazz Cafe. Established in 2013, On The Corner Records has rapidly established itself at the vanguard of the London jazz scene and Collocutor, its first signing has now become a leading force in the UK homegrown jazz movement. More