Format : Vinyl 12” (180 gr., Limited Full Cover)

Track list :

A1 Alma Negra - Dakar disco
A2 Alma Negra - Contra
B1 Alma Negra - Dakar disco (Kuniyuki Remix)
B2 Alma Negra - Back in town

Release Info:

Alma Negra – Dakar Disco EP

When your roots have a broad geographical diversity, it’s very likely this will resonate in the music you make. This is certainly the case with Alma Negra and their new release on Heist. It seems they have embraced all their cultural influences more than ever in their new ‘Dakar Disco EP’. The whole record oozes class and musicality and feels like a carefree collage of the rich musical lives they live. The three originals on this EP vary in tempo and energy, giving you something for each moment of the day or night. They are accompanied by a remix from none other than the Japanese master of cosmic funk: Kuniyuki.

The EP kicks off with the title track ‘Dakar Disco’; an island style mid-tempo burner, rich with filtered guitars, bells and bleeps. Soothing chords and synth melodies are introduced for a lovely build up, but it’s the live horn section that takes centre stage. Here, the track really comes to full fruition, with a squeaky lead accompanying the horns for an electronic twist to what is above all a lovely summer jam.

‘Contra’ ups the pace and moves more into dance floor territory with loose claps, spacey pads and faraway chants. This track really gets to you with the live percussion and extremely catchy lead running throughout the track. This is afro house just the way we like it.

We’re very proud to have Kuniyuki remixing ‘Dakar disco’. This master of his craft has done an outstanding job with his cosmic take on ‘Dakar disco’. He lays down a great riff on bass guitar, while playing around with all the live elements and adds a serious bit of reverb for a stunning effect. This track is a perfect example of Kuniyuki’s musical skills and we can almost see him jamming this out, eyes closed and directed towards a distant point in space only he can see.

The EP’s closing track ‘Back in town’, is perhaps the clubbiest track of the set. A friendly acid line squeaks over tribal drums & chants and you immediately get pulled in by a great balafon hook. You can really hear how the guys feel at ease combining these worldly elements with modern electronics and ‘Back in town’ is a great example on how to blend these sonic worlds.

So there we are. A taste of the Alma Negra summer with a healthy dose of Japanese funk. Enjoy!

Yours sincerely,

Maarten & Lars More

Tracklist 12":
A1: Alma Negra - Kabaré (Bambounou Remix)
B1: Alma Negra - Haleto lale lalô (Glenn Astro Remix)
B2: Alma Negra - Tany Be (Michal Turtle Remix)

Release Info:
Switzerland's Alma Negra are known for their deft, tasteful explorations of world roots, anchored in digging, sampling and sharing. On this brand new remix collection, Alma Negra invite a trio of equally curious producers to remix some three of their best-received musical endeavours. French producer and DJ Bambounou capitalises on the quick tempo and raw-energy at the heart of
the Maloya sound as the basis for his raw and hypnotic reimagining of ‘Kabare’, originally sourced from Christine Cabare, one of the most notable stars of the contemporary Maloya scene.
Glenn Astro, meanwhile takes on another release, ‘Haleto lale lalô’. Originally influenced by the Saho sound, the origins of which lie in the musical history and landscape of Eritrea, the Money $ex Records owner fashions two distinctive reworks out of the already adapted original material. After applying the soft pressure of his weightless, smooth funk for an initial, blissed-out remix, he switches up to a warm, percussive jack session on his ‘Rhythm Trax’ remix, available here as a digital bonus. Finally, cult producer and musician Michal Turtle, best known for his sensational LPs and compilations
on Music From Memory, delivers only his second ever remix in a forty year career, conjuring a magical slice of dreamy, percussive pop from ‘Tany Be’, awash in signature brass. More

Format : Vinyl 12” (180 gr., Limited Full Cover)

Track list :
A1 Conversation
A2 This is the place
B1 From the heart
B2 Conversation (Awanto 3 remix)

Release Info:

Alma Negra are back on Heist! After their much applauded 2017 release with that great Soulphiction remix, they’ve been rather busy taking over the scene. They started their new label “Alma Negra records” where they released 3 ep’s in quick succession, with new as well as older material that showcases their tropical roots and keen ear for clubby reworks. They launched their live show, doing gigs across Europe with a highlight at one of London’s more intimate live venues: the Jazz Café. Their latest outing -making their release count a total of 4 in only 8 months - was on Marcel Vogel’s Lumberjacks in Hell and explored the more live / rework side of their project. Now they’re back on Heist with 3 new tracks, supported by an Awanto 3 remix.

“Conversation” is a track we wanted to put out on Heist badly, simply because it’s a beast of a track. It sits somewhere between a live African drum track, percussive techno and moody Midwest electronics, with pads and strings coming in and out of play while a relentless kick drum keeps the energy on a haunting level. This track is Alma Negra at their filthiest, and it feels like they’ve taken a next step from last year’s dark and heavy Luanda dub, bringing it from an intimate dreamy stage straight into the main room.

“This is the place” shows a different side of the house spectrum with the Alma’s love for dreamy deep house. The track flows up and down, with soothing Rhodes chords, arpeggio’s and mumbling vocals setting a summery mood that’s perfect for your warm up or daytime party. Meanwhile, their third original track “From the heart’ goes even deeper and navigates around a smart vocal loop topped with strings, bleeps, claps and rimshots that just keeps going. This is probably their most meditative and funky track so far and we’re very happy to release it on Heist.

We invited Awanto 3 to play with us on our Amsterdam night during the Prince Charles residency and that’s where the idea for his remix came about. Both ourselves and the Alma’s are big fans of his unique work. He always seems to find such a cool hook in the smallest of licks and really has his own sonic universe. His remix of “Conversation” is exactly what you might expect from his signature combination of weird electronics, unexpected sampling, stretched arrangements and gritty vibes.

This EP has been in the making for a long time and we’re super excited to finally share it with you.

Yours Sincerely,

Maarten & Lars. More

Strong Alma Negra Reworks EP !

Vinyl 12 Inch (Full Cover)
TTrack list:
A1 Lindigo · Tany Be (Alma Negra Rework)
B1 Salem Tradition · Kabaré (Alma Negra Rework)
B2 Lindigo · Tany Be (Alma Negra Dub Mix)
Release Info:
The second of Alma Negra’s 12 Rhythms Series is dedicated to the Maloya sound from La Réunion, a tiny island where a
melting pot of cultures is reflected strongly in its music. Maloya’s roots go back to the time of slavery, its quick tempo and raw
energy making it not only a popular dance music but also a powerful protest through movement.
On their Maloya EP, the Basel collective pay tribute to the hypnotic rhythms that were feared both by the Catholic Church and
the French government for the musical form’s subversive part in the rebellion against colonialism.
The release revolves around two contrasting Alma Negra re-workings of Lindigo’s Tany Be. The first takes a classic call &
response structure in 12/8 and 6/8 rhythms, adding a driving bass line and guitar licks. A solid 909-kick locks things in step,
along with a sax flourish and FM synths. Their re-imagining of African and Tamil influences for modern dancers is a triumphant
manifestation of the music’s origins.
With the main reworking focusing on a rolling dance floor groove, the Dub Mix concentrates on trance-inducing aspect of
Maloya. Using a modular set up to pick apart layers of percussion, it is a dense and heady trip into the spirit world.
The B side focuses on Christine Salem, one of today's stars of the Maloya scene. Without wanting to squeeze the soul from her
deep tones, Kabaré is slowed down a notch, with drums added sparingly. This sensitive treatment gives the track just enough
weight and tension to punch in on todays dance floors without losing the intent of the original.
The source material for this EP has been road tested from the very beginning of Alma Negra’s journey. The collective have gone
to great lengths to ensure the original creators are on board with their treatment of their music and are honoured to be given the
chance to distil their own ethos into a record that is bubbling with today’s dance floor drive. Their reverent treatment aims to
preserve the power and beauty of the source material, to bring uncovered gems to a new audience. More

Vinyl 12” (180 gr., Full Cover), Ltd 500

Track list :
A1. Afrorleans
A2. Luanda dub
B1. Endless summer
B2. Endless summer (Soulphiction remix)
Release Info:
It’s safe to say this release marks Heist’s most international endeavor so far: next up we’ve got Alma Negra, 4 guys with roots in Portugal, Cabo Verde, Italy and Spain, hailing from Switzerland. They’re putting out an African influenced EP with German Detroit afficionado Soulphiction involved for a remix. Afro lovers will probably know Alma Negra because of their great work on Highlife, Sofrito or Basic Fingers and we’ve been in touch with them for a long time to make this release happen. Their 3 originals are a great showcase of their skills; blending traditional African music
with contemporary house and techno.
‘Afrorleans’ is a track with Fela’s footprint all over it. They serve a lovely Rhodes jam over a classic Nigerian afrobeat, subtly supported by sparse electronic percussion giving room for the keys and afro drums to really shine. Meanwhile ‘Luanda dub’ is another beast altogether. As a modern reinterpretation of the traditional Lamento style from Luanda, this track is a gloomy techno workout with some killer bottom end, getting nice and trippy with dubbed out guitars, spacey vocals and tribal percussion.
On the flip, we’ve got both versions of ‘Endless summer’, closing the EP on a light and mellow note. Alma’s original leans heavy on indeed “endless summer-y” Rhodes keys, filtered wahwah’s and African chants. Soulphiction does well in keeping the cheery vibe alive, but adds some serious grunts with his percussion and a killer bassline.
With these fantastic guys as our second release of this year, and knowing what is still to come, I’m sure all of you will keep on listening to anything we send your way. Thanks for doing so.
Your Sincerely,
Maarten & Lars. More