limited to 200 copies.

Ten years after his first full-length effort ‘Man Is Deaf’ landed him firmly in the runnings for DJ Mag’s album of the year, prodigal son Michael Anthony Wright AKA Brassica returns to Civil Music with a deeply accomplished, painstakingly whittled LP of hydraulic electro slickness, rich synthscapes, and hooky, peak-time tearjerkers for the most discerning front-left lifers. ‘Tribeless Gathering’ is a barnstorming testament to Brassica’s stylistic and timbral deftness, touching down in the elusive epicentre of the club/home listening venn diagram with ease.

From the elastic, neon acid pointillism of opener ‘Hop Kweng’ to the mardy, miasmic plod of closing chugger ‘Changa Hill’, Brassica seamlessly segues between avenues of influence, his notoriously omnivorous musical knowledge roadmapping each turn. Raised on a diet of everything from early rave standards to metal, and schooled in avant garde sonics as a student of sound design at LCC, Brassica does a peerless job of sublimating his countless influences into a record of refined, heterogeneous, and most crucially, catchy, club moods.

Less spartan than his more recent oeuvre on Feel My Bicep, and less baroque than his technicolour experiments in postmodern synth pop with vocalist Stuart Warwick, Tribeless Gathering represents Brassica’s triumphant return to the main room, replete with rushy hooks primed for the planet’s finest soundsystems, and passages of heads-down tension bound to draw listeners right to the edge of their seats. Overall it is a concise and refined testament to Wright’s command of spectral sonics and effortless ability to pressurise a dancefloor. It is no surprise that he has also worked as a prolific mastering engineer, tuning music from a plethora of dance disciplines for maximum club impact. This work extends to his own projects (including this one), cementing them as rare expressions of complete artistry from studio to turntable.

As we delve deeper into the record, we are ushered through a series of accomplished and varied club moods, each channelling a unique cocktail of influences, but retaining a warm, ebullient analogue sensibility unique to Brassica’s work. This playful scope of influence calls to mind James T Cotton or Machinedrum’s experiments in dance music form, but Wright manages it all under one roof, wrangling everything from sashaying wub-laden two step to snarling Dillinja-esque FM damage into something inherently his.

Choice cut ‘Change Yourself’ layers an almost Cerrone-like piano refrain over radiant surges of saturated bass, dubby, strobing chords and a jagged, driving break, building to a jaw-clenching apex of dancefloor elation, while the rude, playful half-step of ‘Elevation’ breaks down the vintage speed garage formula into linear fragments, utilising a tight palette of resonant bass slugs, infectious synth leads and Papua New Guinea-style vocal strobes. The aptly named ‘Hold Tight’ fuses heart-in-mouth UK ‘ardkore pads with glissando acid disturbance and surgical snare fills in a formula which recalls the ethereal grit of Nubian Mindz’ 00s experiments in big-smoke break science, while the questing melodic arcs and arpeggiated squarewaves of ‘Pinball Marinara’ could easily have soundtracked an 80s sci-fi epic, beset with sparkling, bare-bones drum programming and hazy beds of sub sediment.

With ‘Tribeless Gathering’, Brassica both irreverently fuses and pays homage to the many unique and weird permutations of UK dance music. The short lived gathering of junglists, ravers and house hotsteppas of a similar name may have long since dissipated, along with the tribes themselves, but across these 11 tracks, he lays a blueprint for a new sound of togetherness.

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The impact Belfast born duo Bicep have had on Irish music is unmeasurable, capturing the hearts and minds of the next-gen with their future-facing sonics. The pairing started their FMB label in 2012, going on to support a plethora of Irish artists in the process, from Cromby and Hammer to Brassica and Brame & Hamo.The label's latest record comes from yet another Irish artist. Swoose, a name that should be familiar to any Irish electronic lover, began his career handing out flyers for legendary club Stiff Kitten. From here Swoose went on to become a resident of Shine and AVA Festival, and has released a string of killer records on Shall Not Fade and Lost Palms. Now residing in London, his record on FMB brings the OG Belfast dance music community back together for a fittingly euphoric release. Title track ‘Breathe’ produces poignant undertones and contemplative thought, meditative breaks channeling the producer's fascination with wild flora and fauna. The track's interior begins to distort our sense of time and self, liquid textures forming over celestial harmonies like psilocybin. ‘Hyphae’ takes a 4/4 approach, while keeping the EP’s emotional personality present. Its pulsating bassline is balanced by far-reaching syths and dancing hi-hats, resting in a unified space of motion and colour. Rotterdam via Belfast based artist Kessler has been on the tip of everyone's tongue since the return of clubbing. He has released music on Sherelle’s BEAUTIFUL black and LGBTQ+ label and his debut Shall Not Fade release was one of the most celebrated EPs of 2021. Kesslers knackt to create beautiful, other-wordly soundscapes that are both functional and edge on the side of melancholy are unmatched. His flip of title track ‘Breathe’ swaps gentler tones for his signature UK-sound inspired drums and crowd-evaporating atmospherics. The arrangements gentle ebb and flow, maintaining that signature blend of pace and etherealness. Toronto’s Peach is on hand for the second remix – ‘Hyphae – a stripped-back early-morning groover that mixes psychedelia with flexible percussion. The track gives off a subtly uplifting vibe that blends heads-down club with minimal, punchy aesthetic. Just when you thought it was time to go home too...

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Bicep continue to bolster their Feel My Bicep imprint and follow up their recent remix of Blaze’s ‘Lovelee Dae’ with another reimagined classic. With this - the seventh addition to the catalogue, the Irish duo pay homage to another equally seminal recording as they rework ‘In Yer Face’ by 808 State. Originally released via ZTT on the group’s third studio album ‘Ex:el’ in 1991 - ‘In Yer Face’ reached number 9 in the UK singles chart. Engineered by Graham Massey, the original mix is model 808 State - bold, Northern House Music that captures perfectly the zeitgeist of 90’s Rave culture. Now - 25 years have past and on request from 808 State themselves, Bicep reimagine ‘In Yer Face’ breathing fresh air through the original, re-contextualising it and adding in their own signature sense of warming euphoria. Included in the package are two dramatically different remixes the first of which aired during Bicep’s AVA Festival Boiler Room back in 2015. Fast forward to September 2016 and the package is due for release both on 12" and digital on the 30th.



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UK techno stalwart Benjamin Damage makes his debut on Feel My Bicep under the name BDB - a collaborative alias with anonymous label mates. Two original tracks, a dub and a handy tool make up the 16th release on the label. It is with great excitement that Feel My Bicep welcome Benjamin Damage into the fold. As the first release on popular Berlin label 50Weapons, Damage’s critically acclaimed album Obsidian was the label’s last release before it shut down. He was quickly signed by R&S records, releasing two EPs with them (Montreal and Malfunction). He is also due to release a 4-track EP on Len Faki’s label Figure on 11 Nov, as well as an EP on ARTS in 2020. His characteristically emotional and energetic take on techno is evident in these two original tracks ‘Boss Rhythm’ and ‘Niio Rhythm’

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Following a string of releases this year, Bicep are keeping it green on their label with Sligo local heroes Brame & Hamo’s two originals and two remixes making up FMB015. Fresh from remixing TSHA’s latest track ‘Moon’ on Ninja Tune offshoot Counter Records, 2019 continues to be a big year for Brame & Hamo who have come through the ranks of Irish talent. Having kept all releases to their own imprint Brame & Hamo; it’s now time for them to step outside their home, and up onto Bicep’s label with two tracks ‘Waves Reach’ and ‘Dust’, along with remixes from Poland's Private Press and Voiski from France. Earlier this year saw the duo teaming up with Mall Grab to perform three gigs across the UK, raising an impressive £15k for a trio of multiple sclerosis charities.

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Extracting a rich sense of emotion from an evolving analogue set-up, Hammer follows up his previous FMB outings Dahlia and C-Space with a similar tone and sound palette as he lays out a new EP with 3 tracks that capture the Feel My Bicep sound perfectly, striking the balance between delicate melody and power with aplomb. This EP follows what has been a heavy 2019 gig schedule, with stand out sets at many top festivals and clubs such as Glastonbury, Panorama Bar and Parklife, along with both an Australian and Indian tour under his belt. The lead track ‘Parabola’ manifested as a slow burning percussive experiment that, as Hammer explains, ‘quickly got fired up by an extra 10bpm for the dance floor effect, turning itself into an acid led epic’ and as a consequence accidentally becoming the A1 at the same time. ‘Parabola’ is followed by ‘Panoptic’ and ‘Entropy’; all three track names inspired by his recent love for physics podcasts. He describes how ‘they are based around types of curvatures and levels of order that, in my head, are the visualisation of the 3 tracks inside workings; the engine room of the time machine.’ All three tracks were created with Hammer’s much loved Yamaha CS1-X, ‘a spaceship in its own right’, he explains. ‘A Xoxbox and a Roland SH-2 did the rest of the hard work. Time to enter the twilight zone with this one’!

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Next up on Bicep's Feel My Bicep imprint is a fresh single from fellow Irishman ?Cromby??, featuring two remixes from Electro stalwart ?DeFeKT and the ever-dependable ?Shanti Celeste??. Having held down a 6-year residency at ?Shine?? in his hometown of Belfast, Cromby now lives in Berlin where he has continued his ascent; having gone on to earn sets at ?Panorama Bar?? and? Robert Johnson ??as well as a release on Denis Sulta’s Silver Service label. Now - he slots neatly into the FMB catalogue with ?'Retribution'?? - a single that draws from his experience spent on the floor and behind the booth at clubs in Berlin, with it's stirring chords and frazzled drums. DeFeKT's offers up a buoyant, 808-heavy take on the original while Shanti's 'Chill' mix omits the kicks in favour of her signature sunny synth tones.

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The first release of 2018 on the ‘Feel My Bicep’ label welcomes back Hammer for his first solo outing on the imprint, ’C-Space EP’. Having collaborated with Bicep on ‘Dahlia’ back in 2015 - a glistening EP that soared through myriad clubs into the wantlists of many-a-fervid Discogs user - Hammer is now granted space to stretch his legs and does so across 3 galactic tracks. ‘C-Space’, ‘Atlantic 252’ and ‘Inside Soul’ all play with rich, sweeping chords, 80s synth lines and sharp analogue drums - a blend that lends them perfectly to the Feel My Bicep catalogue. ‘C-Space EP’ comes as the first ‘Feel My Bicep’ release since the success of Bicep’s self-titled debut album.

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Bicep continue to welcome new artists into the fold as they expand their Feel My Bicep imprint with a 12” from fresh signees Tim Sweeney and Lauer operating under T&P. Number 10 in their release catalogue comes as a single titled ‘Hail Falls’ which includes remixes from Dark Sky and fellow Irishman Hammer. ??Having introduced their collaboration through a self released record on Sweeney’s own Beats In Space back in 2016 - T&P continue to develop this fruitful relationship and roll out more Disco-tinged Acid in a manner that suits them perfectly to a release on Feel My Bicep. ?Monkeytown and Black Acre affiliates Dark Sky then expand on their illustrious catalogue not only with their forthcoming LP for Monkeytown but with a remix here that sees the original’s rich melodies spread over intricate, skipping rhythms. Then Hammer weighs in with his own bold, punchy take. Galvanised drums and a sharpened melodies lift the original into more tense territory as another strong addition to the imprint is capped off.

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Sacred Medicine, the joint project/label Joaquin Joe Claussell and Ron Trent have been carefully crafting and honing over the past couple of years, brings you the second instalment of deepness and authenticity.The much anticipated ‘Magic Carnival’, a song heavily programmed in their sets to maximum effect, is finally here!Another manifestation of the powerful and original output of the label, ‘Magic Carnival’ builds and builds in a musical crescendo with signature musical elements pulsating all over the song to full impact.A relentless spiritual groove….another jam in the Sacred Medicine building catalogue…a special one-sided 12 inch made with love and extra care, to spread the message loud and clear!

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