1
Whitesquare - A1 Carte Blanche
2
Whitesquare - B1 Lux Interior
Tracklist:
A1 Carte Blanche
B1 Lux Interior
Release Info:
Over recent years Rome-based DJ and producer Whitesquare has earned a reputation for his eclectic and expansive DJ sets and his cosmic approach to his house, techno and disco productions. Following releases on labels including Toy Tonics and 20:20 Vision, along with his own Whitesquare Series and Versione Lenta imprints,
he returns to Life And Death with a fresh EP that’s bursting with summer positivity.
Life And Death’s first release of 2021, 'Discreet Moment Thing' is split into two parts, with a second installment
coming up later this summer. Whereas Whitesquare’s previous offering, 2020’s 'Seventy Days Of Déjà Vu', was a
laid back affair created during the first lockdown period, this latest pair of tracks have been clearly created with
the dancefloor in mind, drawing on influences from classic house music of the late 90s / early 2000s era when the
genre was at its peak dominance of popular culture.
Part one opens up with 'Carte Blanche', giving us a taste of much-needed optimism and dancefloor bliss. On the
flip side, euphoric piano chords and a feel-good bassline shape 'Lux Interior', the ultimate summer jam.
More
A1 Carte Blanche
B1 Lux Interior
Release Info:
Over recent years Rome-based DJ and producer Whitesquare has earned a reputation for his eclectic and expansive DJ sets and his cosmic approach to his house, techno and disco productions. Following releases on labels including Toy Tonics and 20:20 Vision, along with his own Whitesquare Series and Versione Lenta imprints,
he returns to Life And Death with a fresh EP that’s bursting with summer positivity.
Life And Death’s first release of 2021, 'Discreet Moment Thing' is split into two parts, with a second installment
coming up later this summer. Whereas Whitesquare’s previous offering, 2020’s 'Seventy Days Of Déjà Vu', was a
laid back affair created during the first lockdown period, this latest pair of tracks have been clearly created with
the dancefloor in mind, drawing on influences from classic house music of the late 90s / early 2000s era when the
genre was at its peak dominance of popular culture.
Part one opens up with 'Carte Blanche', giving us a taste of much-needed optimism and dancefloor bliss. On the
flip side, euphoric piano chords and a feel-good bassline shape 'Lux Interior', the ultimate summer jam.
More
More records from Whitesquare
1
Whitesquare - A1 Discreet Moment Thing
2
Whitesquare - B1 Lady Cherry
Tracklist:
A1 Discreet Moment Thing
B1 Lady Cherry
Release Info:
Life And Death begins 2022 as it did 2021, with a new 12" release from Whitesquare. 'Discreet Moment Thing Pt.
2' follows part one with another pair of undeniable dancefloor cuts that draw from the classic electronic music that
has influenced the Rome DJ and producer throughout his career.
On the A-side, 'Discreet Moment Thing' is a modern update of Eighties electronic disco, with inspirations from the
synth pop pioneers of its time especially prevalent through the track's cut up vocals and bassline. On the flip,
'Lady Cherry' draws from the more glamourous purveyors of the 80s synth sound, with its Euro-pop piano
melodies, balearic pads and insistent synth basslines. More
A1 Discreet Moment Thing
B1 Lady Cherry
Release Info:
Life And Death begins 2022 as it did 2021, with a new 12" release from Whitesquare. 'Discreet Moment Thing Pt.
2' follows part one with another pair of undeniable dancefloor cuts that draw from the classic electronic music that
has influenced the Rome DJ and producer throughout his career.
On the A-side, 'Discreet Moment Thing' is a modern update of Eighties electronic disco, with inspirations from the
synth pop pioneers of its time especially prevalent through the track's cut up vocals and bassline. On the flip,
'Lady Cherry' draws from the more glamourous purveyors of the 80s synth sound, with its Euro-pop piano
melodies, balearic pads and insistent synth basslines. More
1
whitesquare - Traces To Nowhere
2
whitesquare - Understand
3
whitesquare - Suivre
It seems like the Italians are well and truly taking over here at Freerange these days. Following hot on the heels of releases from Stefano Ritteri and Bugsy we now present you with a brilliant three tracker from Rome-based producer Whitesquare. Known for previous releases on 2020 Vision and Toy Tonics Whitesquare has switched up his sound a little to delve deeper into the world of Afro-inspired electronic house which fits perfectly on Freerange and should appeal to fans of Hyenah, Rancido and the Keinemusik crew. Title track Traces To Nowhere sets the tone, taking it's roots from the precision sonics and reduced approach of Berlin minimalism but infused with a warm, organic sound palette, resulting in a deep and atmospheric track which is powerful yet understated. Flipping over we have Understand, another hypnotic mood-setter which utilises a repeating vocal, percussion fills and a killer sub bass to create a track which places all the emphasis on the paired-back groove and subtle detail. Rounding off the EP we have Suivre, a conga-heavy drum tool which mashes up live jazz drumming with a driving kick and echoing vocal to great effect. The sense of space makes this one a winner for changing things up in the mix and sounds fearsome on a big system. Three lovingly crafted tracks which bridge the gap between Berlin and Johannesburg, bringing a fresh yet appealing sound to please dance floors worldwide.
More
1
whitesquare - Someone Else
2
whitesquare - About The Past
3
whitesquare - Abraxas
4
whitesquare - Peaks
For the next release on 20/20 Vision we welcome the first release from exciting new signing Whitesquare. From the birth of his career in 2011, Rome-native Whitesquare has been championed by many successful DJs and producers. The newest signing to the Leeds imprint and 20/20 Vision family, Whitesquare marks a shift in direction for both label and artist with ‘Peaks.’ The release signifies more than a few beginnings; the start of summer, a change in production values for Whitesquare and a re-branding of the label. ‘Peaks’ pure and euphoric 4 tracks of melodic, deep and emotive house and techno effortlessly bridges these gaps. Both A-sides ‘Someone Else’ and ‘About The Past’ are characterised by a mellow lyricism that progresses into steady dance floor cuts. Whilst, B-side ‘Abraxas’ and 'Peaks' shift gear into deeper techno territory, containing a darker agenda, swirling into compelling compositions in their own right. The union between Whitesquare and 2020 Vision seems like a perfect fit and with more releases in the pipeline, this is certainly only the beginning.
More
More records from Life and Death
1
BEÃTFÓØT - TOO CUTE
2
BEÃTFÓØT - HEART OF LEAD (TAKE IT OFF!!!)
3
BEÃTFÓØT - MANIAC [ft. Princess Rani]
4
BEÃTFÓØT - LEO’S SONG (THE SOCIAL MEDIA GUY)
5
BEÃTFÓØT - WHERE HAVE I BEEN ALL MY LIFE [ft. Bugle Boy]
6
BEÃTFÓØT - STAY WID DE MONEY (GO HOME!!!)
7
BEÃTFÓØT - FOOTYLICIOU$
8
BEÃTFÓØT - THE BOMB (IS IT THE TEAR GAS OR BABE ARE YOU)
9
BEÃTFÓØT - SUKC MY DIKC
10
BEÃTFÓØT - VIP PARTIES
11
BEÃTFÓØT - AN OLD COUNTRY BALLAD
12
BEÃTFÓØT - BEST DJ EVER (I’M THE!!!)
Format: LP (Pink Coloured Vinyl)
Tracklist:
TOO CUTE
HEART OF LEAD (TAKE IT OFF!!!)
MANIAC [ft. Princess Rani]
LEO’S SONG (THE SOCIAL MEDIA GUY)
WHERE HAVE I BEEN ALL MY LIFE [ft. Bugle Boy]
STAY WID DE MONEY (GO HOME!!!)
FOOTYLICIOU$
THE BOMB (IS IT THE TEAR GAS OR BABE ARE YOU)
SUKC MY DIKC
VIP PARTIES
AN OLD COUNTRY BALLAD
BEST DJ EVER (I’M THE!!!)
In a world of division, BEÃTFÓØT’s delayed second album is as an invitation to unite at a utopian celebration of life. Originally scheduled for release in October 2023 but postponed due to the ongoing Israel/Palestine war, the intrinsically-political ‘TOO CUTE’ has taken on more prominence than the Tel Aviv duo of Udi Naor and Adi Bronicki could have imagined.
“It's more urgent than ever for us to share this now, even though the album has been ready for a while,” says producer Naor. “BEÃTFÓØT are against any war, and believe that people should talk and not use violence - never,” he adds vehemently. “We feel the pain of Palestinians and Israeli loss of life, and are devastated by it. We hope the war will be finished soon and that peace and prosperity will come soon for both sides.”
While both Naor and vocalist Bronicki have been active in protests, charity work and community efforts over the past year - explicitly against the current government in Israel - such values of peace, acceptance, coexistence, inclusiveness and anti-hate from all sides are further instilled in the songs that form ‘TOO CUTE’.
“We're really trying to highlight that there are people here working tirelessly for a brighter future for our ill kids and our neighbour’s kids,” adds Naor, who is also co-founder of techno duo Red Axes. Having had to flee the country with his family, it’s through music that Naor and Bronicki have found hope.
In light of such conflict, the multi-layered yet sonically-bonkers record also enables escapism, which is needed more now than ever. Following their self-titled 2021 debut (released on DJ Tennis’ label Life and Death), ‘TOO CUTE’ is a refreshingly-ridiculous dark-rave rollercoaster which careers between hard-dance, big-beat, post-punk, techno, hyperpop, country and everything in between.
Things blast off at breakneck speed with the chaotic title track’s hyperpop snares, instantly-catchy lyrics (which feel ominously striking considering the war) and a stadium-ready chorus that erupts into rolling breakbeats, punishing EDM and even a nod to The Bloodhound Gang’s ‘The Magic Touch’. Somehow, we’re just three minutes into the record.
The tongue-in-cheek ‘HEART OF LEAD (TAKE IT OFF)’ still bangs despite its silliness, like if Kero Kero Bonito got in the studio with will.i.am. Later, ‘LEO’S SONG (THE SOCIAL MEDIA GUY)’s wittily satirical one-liners - “I just wanna get high with AI” - come thick and fast amid a barrage of glitches and guitars. ‘SUKC MY DIKC !!!’, meanwhile, pairs flute with pulsing hardstyle beats.
While their first record’s experimental explosion captured the pure carnage and energy of the BEÃTFÓØT universe in a conceptual fashion (though remaining polished in its own way), album two is primed to connect with a bigger audience thanks to its pop melodies, structures and songwriting.
Much of ‘TOO CUTE’ was written while the duo toured Europe for the first time, with rough sketches of tracks created in the moment during their incendiary live shows, and then recorded in planes and cars.
If their first record was a case of testing the vibes, album two is more assured and confident within their sonic world. “In the first album, we stepped into the club, metaphorically, and started making eye contact with everyone to figure out the energy,” Bronicki says. “But, this time round, I already had an idea of the story that I wanted to tell to these random people.”
And what is that story? “Radical silliness, or radical fun – that’s the essence of BEÃTFÓØT,” Naor confirms. “What we really want to do is goof around and have fun, and that brings out something very profound and honest,” he explains. A sense of nostalgic freedom is also at the album’s core, thanks to the removal of adult predetermined social constructs that decide how people should behave or look. “There’s a very honest and positive energy in holding onto your childlike wonder and trying to explore that with others,” Bronicki suggests, adding that “the adult world can be so wrong and angering”.
She feels this relates to both the album’s lyrics and the artistic state of mind that the duo always work to: “the goal is to feed a really thought-out and profound idea, but through a playful spoon,” she says. With this in mind, the recurring theme of ‘TOO CUTE’ stems from the duo’s “radical and lived experience of existing in a place that holds a lot of guilt and fear – because death is so imminent and prevalent in a very confronting way”. This is clearly represented on ‘FOOTYLICIOU$’, on which Bronicki screams “someone’s gonna die tonight!” before emphatically shouting “NOT ME!”
The album title is BEÃTFÓØT’s response to that: “We want to be a celebration of life, and that applies to all lives, of all backgrounds, including animals… that’s our guiding light,” Bronicki says.
“We create in the context of living in a country where the current government’s anti-democratic measures are limiting who is included in the celebration of life. Because different people are always being pushed out and excluded: whether it’s queers, Palestinians or people from different religions.”
BEÃTFÓØT - who have found a home among the LGBTQIA+ community - are fighting back against oppression. “We want everybody to come to the party and celebrate life together,” says Naor, setting out his and Bronicki’s mission… “and our goal is to widen that party as wide as it can go.”
More
Tracklist:
TOO CUTE
HEART OF LEAD (TAKE IT OFF!!!)
MANIAC [ft. Princess Rani]
LEO’S SONG (THE SOCIAL MEDIA GUY)
WHERE HAVE I BEEN ALL MY LIFE [ft. Bugle Boy]
STAY WID DE MONEY (GO HOME!!!)
FOOTYLICIOU$
THE BOMB (IS IT THE TEAR GAS OR BABE ARE YOU)
SUKC MY DIKC
VIP PARTIES
AN OLD COUNTRY BALLAD
BEST DJ EVER (I’M THE!!!)
In a world of division, BEÃTFÓØT’s delayed second album is as an invitation to unite at a utopian celebration of life. Originally scheduled for release in October 2023 but postponed due to the ongoing Israel/Palestine war, the intrinsically-political ‘TOO CUTE’ has taken on more prominence than the Tel Aviv duo of Udi Naor and Adi Bronicki could have imagined.
“It's more urgent than ever for us to share this now, even though the album has been ready for a while,” says producer Naor. “BEÃTFÓØT are against any war, and believe that people should talk and not use violence - never,” he adds vehemently. “We feel the pain of Palestinians and Israeli loss of life, and are devastated by it. We hope the war will be finished soon and that peace and prosperity will come soon for both sides.”
While both Naor and vocalist Bronicki have been active in protests, charity work and community efforts over the past year - explicitly against the current government in Israel - such values of peace, acceptance, coexistence, inclusiveness and anti-hate from all sides are further instilled in the songs that form ‘TOO CUTE’.
“We're really trying to highlight that there are people here working tirelessly for a brighter future for our ill kids and our neighbour’s kids,” adds Naor, who is also co-founder of techno duo Red Axes. Having had to flee the country with his family, it’s through music that Naor and Bronicki have found hope.
In light of such conflict, the multi-layered yet sonically-bonkers record also enables escapism, which is needed more now than ever. Following their self-titled 2021 debut (released on DJ Tennis’ label Life and Death), ‘TOO CUTE’ is a refreshingly-ridiculous dark-rave rollercoaster which careers between hard-dance, big-beat, post-punk, techno, hyperpop, country and everything in between.
Things blast off at breakneck speed with the chaotic title track’s hyperpop snares, instantly-catchy lyrics (which feel ominously striking considering the war) and a stadium-ready chorus that erupts into rolling breakbeats, punishing EDM and even a nod to The Bloodhound Gang’s ‘The Magic Touch’. Somehow, we’re just three minutes into the record.
The tongue-in-cheek ‘HEART OF LEAD (TAKE IT OFF)’ still bangs despite its silliness, like if Kero Kero Bonito got in the studio with will.i.am. Later, ‘LEO’S SONG (THE SOCIAL MEDIA GUY)’s wittily satirical one-liners - “I just wanna get high with AI” - come thick and fast amid a barrage of glitches and guitars. ‘SUKC MY DIKC !!!’, meanwhile, pairs flute with pulsing hardstyle beats.
While their first record’s experimental explosion captured the pure carnage and energy of the BEÃTFÓØT universe in a conceptual fashion (though remaining polished in its own way), album two is primed to connect with a bigger audience thanks to its pop melodies, structures and songwriting.
Much of ‘TOO CUTE’ was written while the duo toured Europe for the first time, with rough sketches of tracks created in the moment during their incendiary live shows, and then recorded in planes and cars.
If their first record was a case of testing the vibes, album two is more assured and confident within their sonic world. “In the first album, we stepped into the club, metaphorically, and started making eye contact with everyone to figure out the energy,” Bronicki says. “But, this time round, I already had an idea of the story that I wanted to tell to these random people.”
And what is that story? “Radical silliness, or radical fun – that’s the essence of BEÃTFÓØT,” Naor confirms. “What we really want to do is goof around and have fun, and that brings out something very profound and honest,” he explains. A sense of nostalgic freedom is also at the album’s core, thanks to the removal of adult predetermined social constructs that decide how people should behave or look. “There’s a very honest and positive energy in holding onto your childlike wonder and trying to explore that with others,” Bronicki suggests, adding that “the adult world can be so wrong and angering”.
She feels this relates to both the album’s lyrics and the artistic state of mind that the duo always work to: “the goal is to feed a really thought-out and profound idea, but through a playful spoon,” she says. With this in mind, the recurring theme of ‘TOO CUTE’ stems from the duo’s “radical and lived experience of existing in a place that holds a lot of guilt and fear – because death is so imminent and prevalent in a very confronting way”. This is clearly represented on ‘FOOTYLICIOU$’, on which Bronicki screams “someone’s gonna die tonight!” before emphatically shouting “NOT ME!”
The album title is BEÃTFÓØT’s response to that: “We want to be a celebration of life, and that applies to all lives, of all backgrounds, including animals… that’s our guiding light,” Bronicki says.
“We create in the context of living in a country where the current government’s anti-democratic measures are limiting who is included in the celebration of life. Because different people are always being pushed out and excluded: whether it’s queers, Palestinians or people from different religions.”
BEÃTFÓØT - who have found a home among the LGBTQIA+ community - are fighting back against oppression. “We want everybody to come to the party and celebrate life together,” says Naor, setting out his and Bronicki’s mission… “and our goal is to widen that party as wide as it can go.”
More
1
Mind Against - Love Seeking
2
Mind Against - Love Seeking – Club Mix
3
Mind Against - Love Seeking – Âme Remix
Tracklist
A1. Love Seeking
A2. Love Seeking – Club Mix
B1. Love Seeking – Âme Remix
The brothers Fognini aka Mind Against return to Life And Death with their new single Love Seeking with a remix from friends and fellow masters of the emotional dancefloor Âme.
It’s fitting that techno storytellers Mind Against should revisit the home of their first EP with a revamped sound and turbo-charged take on current-day disco. Their history with DJ Tennis and Life and Death is almost as old as the label itself, harking back to their days living together in Berlin.
Now the brothers leave behind their signature hypnotic techno palette for a boogie-fied stepper that’s equal parts pop breeze and deep synth trip, full of hopeful anticipation. For the remix, Innervisions duo and cultural tour-de-force Âme twist the knobs and stretch out the heartstrings for an extended slice of big room goosebumps.
In the words of Mind Against themselves:
“10 years after releasing our very first EP Atlant on Life and Death, we’re excited to come back to our first imprint with such a special track and remix by Âme.
We’ve stepped out of our usual comfort zone and done something that can be both linked to our own musical world and to the sounds that Life and Death have evolved in recent years.
Our friendship with DJ Tennis is about as old as the label is, bringing us back to the times we used to share a flat in Kreuzberg. One may say this release is both an ode to the past and to a bright future, full of promises.”
More
A1. Love Seeking
A2. Love Seeking – Club Mix
B1. Love Seeking – Âme Remix
The brothers Fognini aka Mind Against return to Life And Death with their new single Love Seeking with a remix from friends and fellow masters of the emotional dancefloor Âme.
It’s fitting that techno storytellers Mind Against should revisit the home of their first EP with a revamped sound and turbo-charged take on current-day disco. Their history with DJ Tennis and Life and Death is almost as old as the label itself, harking back to their days living together in Berlin.
Now the brothers leave behind their signature hypnotic techno palette for a boogie-fied stepper that’s equal parts pop breeze and deep synth trip, full of hopeful anticipation. For the remix, Innervisions duo and cultural tour-de-force Âme twist the knobs and stretch out the heartstrings for an extended slice of big room goosebumps.
In the words of Mind Against themselves:
“10 years after releasing our very first EP Atlant on Life and Death, we’re excited to come back to our first imprint with such a special track and remix by Âme.
We’ve stepped out of our usual comfort zone and done something that can be both linked to our own musical world and to the sounds that Life and Death have evolved in recent years.
Our friendship with DJ Tennis is about as old as the label is, bringing us back to the times we used to share a flat in Kreuzberg. One may say this release is both an ode to the past and to a bright future, full of promises.”
More
1
Orofino - Amsterdam
2
Orofino - Amsterdam - DJ Tennis Remix
2024 repress
Tracklist:
A1. Amsterdam
B1. Amsterdam - DJ Tennis Remix
Release Info:
Sicilian musician Luigi Orofino delivers his debut single Amsterdam for Life and Death records, due for release on 19th May. The song features regular Erlend Øye collaborators La Comitiva, and comes together with a dancefloor friendly remix by DJ Tennis.
Amsterdam might sound effortless, but the laid-back groove and easy atmosphere that Luigi has conjured up isn’t something you can just pluck out of thin air. It’s taken everyone involved several years of playing together to get just the right marinade of Brazilian rhythm and Mediterranean musicianship. It’s a flavor they’ve mastered while on the road with Erlend Øye as La Comitiva, and their touring schedule has become a way of life. When the travel ban was finally lifted, Luigi headed straight to his friends in Amsterdam, and that freedom to travel once more inspired this song. That trip put the color back into life, and the result was this timeless slice of sunny samba rock.
The song has many collaborators, all operating under the gentle guidance of Luigi. Players from La Comitiva and I Calafatari gelled in the studio, also accompanied by Lucio Aquilina (NuGenea) and Luigi Scialdone (Fitness Forever), while the lyrics were written together with Alberto Locatelli. A breezy piece of Brazilian-tinged funk and easy soul, Amsterdam is more than the sum of its parts - it’s the sound of friends playing together and simply enjoying life.
The single is topped off with a remix by Life and Death chief Manfredi Romano aka DJ Tennis, who boosts the kicks while keeping the loose samba magic. The pair met in Mexico, and the kindred spirits immediately hit it off. After bouncing versions back and forth between Siracusa and also a studio in Paris, the final version was realized, full of floaty Rhodes chords and cavaquinho thrills that will lighten any dance.
It’s a testament to Amsterdam’s catchiness that many of Luigi’s friends are involved - the song is reflected in the people it brings together, and in this sense, it’s as much about the art of encounters as it is about the city.
More
Tracklist:
A1. Amsterdam
B1. Amsterdam - DJ Tennis Remix
Release Info:
Sicilian musician Luigi Orofino delivers his debut single Amsterdam for Life and Death records, due for release on 19th May. The song features regular Erlend Øye collaborators La Comitiva, and comes together with a dancefloor friendly remix by DJ Tennis.
Amsterdam might sound effortless, but the laid-back groove and easy atmosphere that Luigi has conjured up isn’t something you can just pluck out of thin air. It’s taken everyone involved several years of playing together to get just the right marinade of Brazilian rhythm and Mediterranean musicianship. It’s a flavor they’ve mastered while on the road with Erlend Øye as La Comitiva, and their touring schedule has become a way of life. When the travel ban was finally lifted, Luigi headed straight to his friends in Amsterdam, and that freedom to travel once more inspired this song. That trip put the color back into life, and the result was this timeless slice of sunny samba rock.
The song has many collaborators, all operating under the gentle guidance of Luigi. Players from La Comitiva and I Calafatari gelled in the studio, also accompanied by Lucio Aquilina (NuGenea) and Luigi Scialdone (Fitness Forever), while the lyrics were written together with Alberto Locatelli. A breezy piece of Brazilian-tinged funk and easy soul, Amsterdam is more than the sum of its parts - it’s the sound of friends playing together and simply enjoying life.
The single is topped off with a remix by Life and Death chief Manfredi Romano aka DJ Tennis, who boosts the kicks while keeping the loose samba magic. The pair met in Mexico, and the kindred spirits immediately hit it off. After bouncing versions back and forth between Siracusa and also a studio in Paris, the final version was realized, full of floaty Rhodes chords and cavaquinho thrills that will lighten any dance.
It’s a testament to Amsterdam’s catchiness that many of Luigi’s friends are involved - the song is reflected in the people it brings together, and in this sense, it’s as much about the art of encounters as it is about the city.
More
1
Marvin & Guy - Who Dis
2
Marvin & Guy - Dance With Your Feet (ACD Mix)
Tracklist
A1. Who Dis
B1. Dance With Your Feet (ACD Mix)
After a 6-year break, a poignant love affair between Life and Death and Marvin & Guy resumes with two catchy but effective tracks that breaks a two-year hiatus from releasing original music.Minimal and purposefully crafted for dancefloors, a departure from the usual emphasis on melodies we all get used to listen from them. This record emerges organically during playful experimentation with just a bass on a synthesizer, preserving its distinctive rhythmic and harmonic changes.The girlfriend's continuous request to play "Who Dis" underscores its contagious allure. Both songs incorporate sounds like shattered glass, opening doors, a whip, and an authentic Formula 1 engine roar – all meticulously recorded specifically for these ideas. There's not really specific creative process beside having fun with synthesizers; it's simply music crafted for the joy of dancing.
More
A1. Who Dis
B1. Dance With Your Feet (ACD Mix)
After a 6-year break, a poignant love affair between Life and Death and Marvin & Guy resumes with two catchy but effective tracks that breaks a two-year hiatus from releasing original music.Minimal and purposefully crafted for dancefloors, a departure from the usual emphasis on melodies we all get used to listen from them. This record emerges organically during playful experimentation with just a bass on a synthesizer, preserving its distinctive rhythmic and harmonic changes.The girlfriend's continuous request to play "Who Dis" underscores its contagious allure. Both songs incorporate sounds like shattered glass, opening doors, a whip, and an authentic Formula 1 engine roar – all meticulously recorded specifically for these ideas. There's not really specific creative process beside having fun with synthesizers; it's simply music crafted for the joy of dancing.
More
1
Ataxia - A1. Ataxia & Mister Joshooa - Mastermind
2
Ataxia - A2. Ataxia & Mister Joshooa - Doc Rickers
3
Ataxia - B1. Ataxia - Six Days, No Chuck
4
Ataxia - B2. Ataxia - Keep My Youth
5
Ataxia - B3. Ataxia - Skatepark
Tracklist:
A1. Ataxia & Mister Joshooa - Mastermind A2. Ataxia & Mister Joshooa - Doc Rickers B1. Ataxia - Six Days, No Chuck
B2. Ataxia - Keep My Youth
B3. Ataxia - Skatepark
Detroit-based duo Ataxia and Mister Joshooa come together on Life and Death with their new EP 'Mastermind'. The record marks a new installation of Ataxia's punk forward house vibe; however, this time the group has their blinders on - this mini album is 100% dance floor oriented, all suited up to scratch the insatiable itch of the worldwide dance
Starting off strong with 'Mastermind', the collaboration delivers from the second we hit play. The A-side maintains similar elements such as a resonant kick and skipping percussive beats masterfully intertwined with vocals that echo and stutter. Record scratches, cowbell, and classic vocal hits can all be found on the B-side, bringing old-school sounds to the forefront with dynamic, rhythmic grooves.
More
1
Demi Riquísimo - Proto Call
2
Demi Riquísimo - Talk To Frank
Tracklist
A1. Proto Call
B1. Talk To Frank
Release Info:
Semi Delicious label boss Demi Riquísimo is set to release his latest EP via DJ Tennis' renowned Life & Death imprint. The release, entitled the ‘Proto Call’ EP, features a double helping of cross genre, hands in the air jams sure to set the day party and club scene alight this coming summer.
The release opens with the titular ‘Proto Call’. A thoroughly diverse track ‘Proto Call’ melds disco percussion with elements of vintage Italian house, squelching acid and progressive all whilst chugging along with propose, a key feature of many efforts in Life & Death’s back catalog.
On ‘Talk To Frank’ sensual vocals set the tone for this bonafide hip shaker. A rhythm that implores you to dance, an inviting organ top line gives way to subtle acid grooves with both then working in unison over a classic house bass line.
DJ Tennis has long been known for his impeccable taste in music and his ability to spot talent. The pair have shared the stage in a series of recent back to backs and the ‘Proto Call’ EP is another touch point in the burgeoning creative relationship between the pair.
More
A1. Proto Call
B1. Talk To Frank
Release Info:
Semi Delicious label boss Demi Riquísimo is set to release his latest EP via DJ Tennis' renowned Life & Death imprint. The release, entitled the ‘Proto Call’ EP, features a double helping of cross genre, hands in the air jams sure to set the day party and club scene alight this coming summer.
The release opens with the titular ‘Proto Call’. A thoroughly diverse track ‘Proto Call’ melds disco percussion with elements of vintage Italian house, squelching acid and progressive all whilst chugging along with propose, a key feature of many efforts in Life & Death’s back catalog.
On ‘Talk To Frank’ sensual vocals set the tone for this bonafide hip shaker. A rhythm that implores you to dance, an inviting organ top line gives way to subtle acid grooves with both then working in unison over a classic house bass line.
DJ Tennis has long been known for his impeccable taste in music and his ability to spot talent. The pair have shared the stage in a series of recent back to backs and the ‘Proto Call’ EP is another touch point in the burgeoning creative relationship between the pair.
More
1
Carlita x Andhim - Life
2
Carlita x Andhim - Nation
Tracklist
A1. Life
B1. Nation
Release Info:
Turkish-Italian multi-instrumentalist and rising music icon Carlita joins forces with German DJ and production duo Andhim to release their debut EP ‘Life’.
More
A1. Life
B1. Nation
Release Info:
Turkish-Italian multi-instrumentalist and rising music icon Carlita joins forces with German DJ and production duo Andhim to release their debut EP ‘Life’.
More
1
Sebra Cruz - Margaret
2
Sebra Cruz - Don't Worry Psy Happy
3
Sebra Cruz - Poliziesco
4
Sebra Cruz - Altre Cose
5
Sebra Cruz - Sunfish
6
Sebra Cruz - Optimist
7
Sebra Cruz - Studio Session
8
Sebra Cruz - Dancebra
9
Sebra Cruz - When Life Was Slow
10
Sebra Cruz - Flying Junior
11
Sebra Cruz - The Siebel Road To Mars
Tracklist
A1. Margaret
A2. Don't Worry Psy Happy
A3. Poliziesco
A4. Altre Cose
A5. Sunfish
B1. Optimist
B2. Studio Session
B3. Dancebra
B4. When Life Was Slow
B5. Flying Junior
B6. The Siebel Road To Mars
Release Info:
Veteran artist Sebra Cruz releases his debut album ‘Don't Worry Psy Happy’ on DJ Tennis’ revered Life & Death imprint. The daring eleven track LP is as experimental as it is definitive and encapsulates the Italian spirit in perfect style.
The LP follows two previously teased singles; ‘Margaret’, an ode to Cruz’ girlfriend which is a deeply passionate and expressive melodic house offering and album title ‘Don’t Worry Psy Happy’ a hedonistic, tripped out soundscape.
The lead track ‘Sunfish’ is a melange of powerful synths overlaid with sporadic vocals and a swinging breakbeat which make the record the perfect soundtrack for early morning dancefloor euphoria.
The album continues its genreless motif and is hard to pin down. It broaches a variety of styles including cinematic and ambient leaning sonics such as ‘Optimist’ and ‘Poliziesco’, the latter which includes Gabriele Fabbri’s atmospheric guitar riff throughout.
‘The Siebel Road To Mars’ is a similarly powerful yet emotive record which samples current Italian President Sergio Mattarella between the piano and the extraterrestrial sound palette. Continuing with the more abstract tracks ‘Flying Junior’, which was named after Cruz’ own sailboat, emulates the peacefulness and tranquillity of the sea. It’s yet another reflection of Sebra Cruz’ artistic personality.
Juxtaposing the calm and serene records from the album, ‘AltreCose’, inspired by the energy of the Neapolitan people during Sebra’s DJing residency in the 90s, is a more high energy disco-infused record. Similarly ‘When Life Was Slow’, released on Life & Death back in 2020, is another upbeat dance interpretation and a tribute to Cruz’ passion for Italian composers from the 60s and 70s.
Speaking about the album Sebra says: “What emerges is in my opinion an album with predominantly Italian spirit, disco, house with both edgy and gentle influences. I never decide what to do first, I simply follow my spur of the moment instinct. Releasing an album for Life & Death is cool because I've always had huge respect for Manfredi.”
Sebra Cruz and DJ Tennis have a long lasting and trusting collaborative relationship exhibited by the former's numerous releases on Tennis’ Life and Death label. DJ Tennis’ encyclopaedic musical brain and shared passion for Italian composers perfectly complements Sebra’s stylings.
Striking an impeccable balance between abstract and obscure sonics and more methodical and conventional melodies, 'Don't Worry Psy Happy’ is a body of work that exquisitely expresses Sebra Cruz’ personality via different worlds and mediums.
More
A1. Margaret
A2. Don't Worry Psy Happy
A3. Poliziesco
A4. Altre Cose
A5. Sunfish
B1. Optimist
B2. Studio Session
B3. Dancebra
B4. When Life Was Slow
B5. Flying Junior
B6. The Siebel Road To Mars
Release Info:
Veteran artist Sebra Cruz releases his debut album ‘Don't Worry Psy Happy’ on DJ Tennis’ revered Life & Death imprint. The daring eleven track LP is as experimental as it is definitive and encapsulates the Italian spirit in perfect style.
The LP follows two previously teased singles; ‘Margaret’, an ode to Cruz’ girlfriend which is a deeply passionate and expressive melodic house offering and album title ‘Don’t Worry Psy Happy’ a hedonistic, tripped out soundscape.
The lead track ‘Sunfish’ is a melange of powerful synths overlaid with sporadic vocals and a swinging breakbeat which make the record the perfect soundtrack for early morning dancefloor euphoria.
The album continues its genreless motif and is hard to pin down. It broaches a variety of styles including cinematic and ambient leaning sonics such as ‘Optimist’ and ‘Poliziesco’, the latter which includes Gabriele Fabbri’s atmospheric guitar riff throughout.
‘The Siebel Road To Mars’ is a similarly powerful yet emotive record which samples current Italian President Sergio Mattarella between the piano and the extraterrestrial sound palette. Continuing with the more abstract tracks ‘Flying Junior’, which was named after Cruz’ own sailboat, emulates the peacefulness and tranquillity of the sea. It’s yet another reflection of Sebra Cruz’ artistic personality.
Juxtaposing the calm and serene records from the album, ‘AltreCose’, inspired by the energy of the Neapolitan people during Sebra’s DJing residency in the 90s, is a more high energy disco-infused record. Similarly ‘When Life Was Slow’, released on Life & Death back in 2020, is another upbeat dance interpretation and a tribute to Cruz’ passion for Italian composers from the 60s and 70s.
Speaking about the album Sebra says: “What emerges is in my opinion an album with predominantly Italian spirit, disco, house with both edgy and gentle influences. I never decide what to do first, I simply follow my spur of the moment instinct. Releasing an album for Life & Death is cool because I've always had huge respect for Manfredi.”
Sebra Cruz and DJ Tennis have a long lasting and trusting collaborative relationship exhibited by the former's numerous releases on Tennis’ Life and Death label. DJ Tennis’ encyclopaedic musical brain and shared passion for Italian composers perfectly complements Sebra’s stylings.
Striking an impeccable balance between abstract and obscure sonics and more methodical and conventional melodies, 'Don't Worry Psy Happy’ is a body of work that exquisitely expresses Sebra Cruz’ personality via different worlds and mediums.
More
1
Cobblestone Jazz & The Mole - Hip Waders
2
Cobblestone Jazz - Does Yo Mama Know?
Tracklist
A1. Cobblestone Jazz & The Mole - Hip Waders
B1. Cobblestone Jazz - Does Yo Mama Know?
Release Info:
The Cobblestone Jazz trio team up with kindred spirit The Mole for a double single of cascading grooves and stretched-out club burners.
It’s been over 20 years since the first Cobblestone Jazz EP, and Danuel Tate, Mathew Jonson, and Tyger Dhula continue to unravel expectations, creating outside-the-box rhythms and shifting, explorative musical structures for the dancers. It’s an approach that has seen them play countless shows at festivals and clubs around the world, while reinventing their style on the fly, and whipping up a timeless blend of classic and modern sounds.
For this single they're joined by friend, bandmate and hypnotic discotheque collagist The Mole. Hip Waders comes from one of the group’s long studio sessions, and this gem of a jam was laid to tape after a couple days of playing. Usually the group likes to set the studio up first (tuning the room, picking their instruments and setting up the patch bay), before exploring and recording musical ideas over the rest of the week. Although bouncing along at 120bpm, Hip Waders still strides into deep waters, courtesy of jazzy, tremolo chords that ripple across its skittish electronic groove, which constantly unfolds across a full 13 minutes.
In contrast, the B-side isn’t so meditative, but rather more classically arranged, and sprinkled with some live passes over the top. Does Yo Mama Know ups the tempo and rolls along on a broken, garage rhythm, before a sweet descending organ progression pulls the pulse into tighter focus. The title is in fact a nod to the Hollywood club that West Coast house pioneer Marques Wyatt did in the mid ‘90s - all about the music and sound, no lights except for those of the 1200s, and a killer vibe.
In this way, the 12” is split along true Cobblestone fault lines - a contrast of long-winding and concise, macro and micro, vintage yet (re)inventive. Cobblestone Jazz and The Mole find the pocket as they always do: those coordinates somewhere between the dance music of the past and the present, while adding a twist to create new, forward-looking versions.
More
A1. Cobblestone Jazz & The Mole - Hip Waders
B1. Cobblestone Jazz - Does Yo Mama Know?
Release Info:
The Cobblestone Jazz trio team up with kindred spirit The Mole for a double single of cascading grooves and stretched-out club burners.
It’s been over 20 years since the first Cobblestone Jazz EP, and Danuel Tate, Mathew Jonson, and Tyger Dhula continue to unravel expectations, creating outside-the-box rhythms and shifting, explorative musical structures for the dancers. It’s an approach that has seen them play countless shows at festivals and clubs around the world, while reinventing their style on the fly, and whipping up a timeless blend of classic and modern sounds.
For this single they're joined by friend, bandmate and hypnotic discotheque collagist The Mole. Hip Waders comes from one of the group’s long studio sessions, and this gem of a jam was laid to tape after a couple days of playing. Usually the group likes to set the studio up first (tuning the room, picking their instruments and setting up the patch bay), before exploring and recording musical ideas over the rest of the week. Although bouncing along at 120bpm, Hip Waders still strides into deep waters, courtesy of jazzy, tremolo chords that ripple across its skittish electronic groove, which constantly unfolds across a full 13 minutes.
In contrast, the B-side isn’t so meditative, but rather more classically arranged, and sprinkled with some live passes over the top. Does Yo Mama Know ups the tempo and rolls along on a broken, garage rhythm, before a sweet descending organ progression pulls the pulse into tighter focus. The title is in fact a nod to the Hollywood club that West Coast house pioneer Marques Wyatt did in the mid ‘90s - all about the music and sound, no lights except for those of the 1200s, and a killer vibe.
In this way, the 12” is split along true Cobblestone fault lines - a contrast of long-winding and concise, macro and micro, vintage yet (re)inventive. Cobblestone Jazz and The Mole find the pocket as they always do: those coordinates somewhere between the dance music of the past and the present, while adding a twist to create new, forward-looking versions.
More
1
Jimi Jules - Free Bird
2
Jimi Jules - Lil Dirty
3
Jimi Jules - Speed Meditation
4
Jimi Jules - Touched By Silence
Tracklist
A1. Free Bird
A2. Lil Dirty
B1. Speed Meditation
B2. Touched By Silence
Release Info:
High-flying global house and techno torch-bearer Jimi Jules returns with a new EP Free Bird on Life and Death Records.
The four tracks on Free Bird were written during the same sessions as Jimi’s album ‘+’ on Innervisions in 2022, and collected together they’re a summary of what Jimi’s all about - hands-in-the-air anthems, chaotic house bangers, deep burners and contemplative moments all rolled into one release.
Jimi Jules has been turning dancefloors inside out for over 20 years, from festival stages to intimate redlight basements. He’s brought his free-wheeling creative spirit and masters in music to bear on collaborations with Dixon, Âme, Joy Tyson and Tugg The Drummer for labels like Defected, Innervisions, Zukunft, Watergate and many more.
Jimi’s Free Bird EP switches seamlessly from anthemic mood and all-out party to self-reflection and brooding rave noir across 25 transformative minutes. The title track is a acid-tinged floor filler, imploring dancers and the public at large to question the status quo, and “break the rules, in everything you do”. Then Jimi follows his own advice and hands over the controls to his Swiss latino accomplice Lil Dirty, who embraces the chaos with delay effects, scratches and saw waves, for a house grinder that's full of fun and filters.
The euphoria of the A-side is balanced out on the flip with two deeper cuts. Speed Meditation delivers a zoned-out atmosphere over a bouncy percussive groove, while poking fun at the West’s adoption of spiritual practices to deal with the stress of modern living. Touched By Silence rounds off the EP, as Jimi channels his inner dancing Thom Yorke for an urban hymnal complete with a haunted falsetto, on top of a driving beat inspired by the ghost town that was Zurich during the pandemic.
Free Bird is an EP only Jimi Jules could make, operating at the height of his powers after over two decades of making people dance all over the world, where he rips up his own rule book and gets creative on four tracks packed with personality and character.
More
A1. Free Bird
A2. Lil Dirty
B1. Speed Meditation
B2. Touched By Silence
Release Info:
High-flying global house and techno torch-bearer Jimi Jules returns with a new EP Free Bird on Life and Death Records.
The four tracks on Free Bird were written during the same sessions as Jimi’s album ‘+’ on Innervisions in 2022, and collected together they’re a summary of what Jimi’s all about - hands-in-the-air anthems, chaotic house bangers, deep burners and contemplative moments all rolled into one release.
Jimi Jules has been turning dancefloors inside out for over 20 years, from festival stages to intimate redlight basements. He’s brought his free-wheeling creative spirit and masters in music to bear on collaborations with Dixon, Âme, Joy Tyson and Tugg The Drummer for labels like Defected, Innervisions, Zukunft, Watergate and many more.
Jimi’s Free Bird EP switches seamlessly from anthemic mood and all-out party to self-reflection and brooding rave noir across 25 transformative minutes. The title track is a acid-tinged floor filler, imploring dancers and the public at large to question the status quo, and “break the rules, in everything you do”. Then Jimi follows his own advice and hands over the controls to his Swiss latino accomplice Lil Dirty, who embraces the chaos with delay effects, scratches and saw waves, for a house grinder that's full of fun and filters.
The euphoria of the A-side is balanced out on the flip with two deeper cuts. Speed Meditation delivers a zoned-out atmosphere over a bouncy percussive groove, while poking fun at the West’s adoption of spiritual practices to deal with the stress of modern living. Touched By Silence rounds off the EP, as Jimi channels his inner dancing Thom Yorke for an urban hymnal complete with a haunted falsetto, on top of a driving beat inspired by the ghost town that was Zurich during the pandemic.
Free Bird is an EP only Jimi Jules could make, operating at the height of his powers after over two decades of making people dance all over the world, where he rips up his own rule book and gets creative on four tracks packed with personality and character.
More
1
Ataxia - Detroit Gospel
2
Ataxia & Andres - Pine Island
3
Ataxia - Language
4
Ataxia & Dj Minx - Maxia
5
Ataxia - Spit In Your Percolator
6
Ataxia - 98 Degrees
7
Ataxia - Number Streets
8
Ataxia - The Formulator
9
Ataxia - The Pusher
10
Ataxia & Mister Joshooa - Feels Like
11
Ataxia - WM
12
Ataxia - Dance the Bridge
Tracklist:
Ataxia - Detroit Gospel
Ataxia & Andres - Pine Island
Ataxia - Language
Ataxia & Dj Minx – Maxia
Ataxia - Spit In Your Percolator
Ataxia - 98 Degrees
Ataxia - Number Streets
Ataxia - The Formulator
Ataxia - The Pusher
Ataxia & Mister Joshooa - Feels Like
Ataxia – WM
Ataxia - Dance the Bridge
Info:
Having torn up raves for well over a decade, the Detroit duo Rickers and Ted Krisko AKA Ataxia present their debut longplayer ‘Out Of Step’. Featuring guest spots from close peers DJ Minx, Andrés and Mr Joshooa, they twist house, techno, electro, breakbeat and rave into revitalized new shapes; embellished with a touch of soul, funk and hip hop. With backgrounds in hardcore and punk, Ataxia’s debut is suffused with that energy, attitude, and approach; this is raw, lean and unashamedly no-nonsense dance floor tackle that goes straight for the jugular. Heavily analogue, the album experiments with tape saturation, which harks back to the duo’s formative years in bands, recording demos to cassettes. These straight-up, in-the-red tracks give preference to overdriven drum machines, rather than generic polished sheen, but conversely, it’s all deceptively well-crafted too; ‘Out Of Step’ is a standout record that’s big in character, bringing to mind the renegade spirit of Underground Resistance, and the bombastic brilliance of The Prodigy and Chemical Brothers.
Defiantly optimistic despite the state of the world, a “life is good” vocal sample meets minor chords sliding over 808 hats on the exemplary house/techno pumper ‘Detroit Gospel’, before a lighter moment on the album, but no less impactful with its hefty low-end thump, is ‘Pine Island’ featuring Motor City hero Andrés. Together they cook up a Motown-inspired house cut awash with horn swells and backup singers, bouncing to wide swung funk bass, in classic 313 style. ‘Language’ turns the club on its head – busting out one of the most distinct basslines in recent times, and bristling with buzzy, undulating chords, whilst ‘Maxia’ features influential Detroit royalty DJ Minx. Inspired by her classic ‘A Walk In The Park’, with a fat distorted kick and stealthy bass groove, this is low-slung, stripped-back, heads-down coolness. The high-tech funk of ‘Spit In Your Percolator’, is laser-guided in its efficiency, with a strobe-like, increasingly intensifying energy, peppered with clever, tripped up vocal chops. With the next cut, conveyor belt noises and fast churning low-end gives way to a dubbed-out breakdown, on the deep breakbeat roller ‘98 Degrees’. Charged with a blistering, rave intensity, ‘Number Streets’, is a futuristic distorted techno workout that booms through the subs, whilst ‘The Formulator’ mixes filtered snippets, abstract synth noises and melodic bleeps with a bassline echoing Paperclip People’s ‘The Floor’. Closer to the UK definition of hardcore, combining 4/4 and breakbeat, ‘The Pusher’ evokes the spirit of late 80s orbital raves, adding a natty keys solo, and deadly bass used sparingly, for even deadlier effect. ‘Feels Like’ sees Rickers and Ted team up their studiomate and fellow TV Lounge resident and club booker, Mister Joshooa. Inspired by Photek but also almost UKG in style, this breakbeat session is stamped with MJ’s signature chopped vocals and intricate rhythmic interplay. The bubbling, wobbly loose swing of ‘WM’ is constructed around a classic chopped-up MTV cribs sample, with a filtered vocal creating a far out psychedelic effect – all of which is propelled apace by a huge bruising LFO. The LP concludes in fine style with ‘Dance The Bridge’, where bouncy beats and wigged-out keys meet bright, gently uplifting synth chords that bring a clear-skied mood; ending the record as it began, on an optimistic note.
‘Out Of Step’ marks another chapter in the ongoing relationship between Life and Death co-founder DJ Tennis and Ataxia. Their connection goes back to the earliest days of the label, where they played gigs together on some of Tennis’ initial visits to Detroit. It’s a friendship that’s blossomed organically over the last decade through their shared love of punk and hardcore, and led to the fruition of one of Ataxia’s most compelling projects to date. Labels to release Ataxia’s output include legendary Detroit techno imprints Planet E and KMS, plus the seminal American house label Nervous Records. Their catalogue also includes music for Visionquest, Leftroom, 20/20 Vision and Seth Troxler’s Play It Say It.
More
Ataxia - Detroit Gospel
Ataxia & Andres - Pine Island
Ataxia - Language
Ataxia & Dj Minx – Maxia
Ataxia - Spit In Your Percolator
Ataxia - 98 Degrees
Ataxia - Number Streets
Ataxia - The Formulator
Ataxia - The Pusher
Ataxia & Mister Joshooa - Feels Like
Ataxia – WM
Ataxia - Dance the Bridge
Info:
Having torn up raves for well over a decade, the Detroit duo Rickers and Ted Krisko AKA Ataxia present their debut longplayer ‘Out Of Step’. Featuring guest spots from close peers DJ Minx, Andrés and Mr Joshooa, they twist house, techno, electro, breakbeat and rave into revitalized new shapes; embellished with a touch of soul, funk and hip hop. With backgrounds in hardcore and punk, Ataxia’s debut is suffused with that energy, attitude, and approach; this is raw, lean and unashamedly no-nonsense dance floor tackle that goes straight for the jugular. Heavily analogue, the album experiments with tape saturation, which harks back to the duo’s formative years in bands, recording demos to cassettes. These straight-up, in-the-red tracks give preference to overdriven drum machines, rather than generic polished sheen, but conversely, it’s all deceptively well-crafted too; ‘Out Of Step’ is a standout record that’s big in character, bringing to mind the renegade spirit of Underground Resistance, and the bombastic brilliance of The Prodigy and Chemical Brothers.
Defiantly optimistic despite the state of the world, a “life is good” vocal sample meets minor chords sliding over 808 hats on the exemplary house/techno pumper ‘Detroit Gospel’, before a lighter moment on the album, but no less impactful with its hefty low-end thump, is ‘Pine Island’ featuring Motor City hero Andrés. Together they cook up a Motown-inspired house cut awash with horn swells and backup singers, bouncing to wide swung funk bass, in classic 313 style. ‘Language’ turns the club on its head – busting out one of the most distinct basslines in recent times, and bristling with buzzy, undulating chords, whilst ‘Maxia’ features influential Detroit royalty DJ Minx. Inspired by her classic ‘A Walk In The Park’, with a fat distorted kick and stealthy bass groove, this is low-slung, stripped-back, heads-down coolness. The high-tech funk of ‘Spit In Your Percolator’, is laser-guided in its efficiency, with a strobe-like, increasingly intensifying energy, peppered with clever, tripped up vocal chops. With the next cut, conveyor belt noises and fast churning low-end gives way to a dubbed-out breakdown, on the deep breakbeat roller ‘98 Degrees’. Charged with a blistering, rave intensity, ‘Number Streets’, is a futuristic distorted techno workout that booms through the subs, whilst ‘The Formulator’ mixes filtered snippets, abstract synth noises and melodic bleeps with a bassline echoing Paperclip People’s ‘The Floor’. Closer to the UK definition of hardcore, combining 4/4 and breakbeat, ‘The Pusher’ evokes the spirit of late 80s orbital raves, adding a natty keys solo, and deadly bass used sparingly, for even deadlier effect. ‘Feels Like’ sees Rickers and Ted team up their studiomate and fellow TV Lounge resident and club booker, Mister Joshooa. Inspired by Photek but also almost UKG in style, this breakbeat session is stamped with MJ’s signature chopped vocals and intricate rhythmic interplay. The bubbling, wobbly loose swing of ‘WM’ is constructed around a classic chopped-up MTV cribs sample, with a filtered vocal creating a far out psychedelic effect – all of which is propelled apace by a huge bruising LFO. The LP concludes in fine style with ‘Dance The Bridge’, where bouncy beats and wigged-out keys meet bright, gently uplifting synth chords that bring a clear-skied mood; ending the record as it began, on an optimistic note.
‘Out Of Step’ marks another chapter in the ongoing relationship between Life and Death co-founder DJ Tennis and Ataxia. Their connection goes back to the earliest days of the label, where they played gigs together on some of Tennis’ initial visits to Detroit. It’s a friendship that’s blossomed organically over the last decade through their shared love of punk and hardcore, and led to the fruition of one of Ataxia’s most compelling projects to date. Labels to release Ataxia’s output include legendary Detroit techno imprints Planet E and KMS, plus the seminal American house label Nervous Records. Their catalogue also includes music for Visionquest, Leftroom, 20/20 Vision and Seth Troxler’s Play It Say It.
More
1
Carlita - Bon Trip
2
Carlita - Bon Trip – Krystal Klear Remix
3
Carlita - Run Run Run featuring Duddha
4
Carlita - Run Run Run featuring Duddha – Red Axes Remix
Tracklist:
A1. Bon Trip
A2. Bon Trip – Krystal Klear Remix
B1. Run Run Run featuring Duddha
B2. Run Run Run featuring Duddha – Red Axes Remix
Carlita’s meteoric rise through the electronic music space continues with her impressive new ‘Bon Trip’ EP and also marks her first-ever vinyl release.
The EP kicks off with the title track, a spacey slice of progressive house drenched with a classic-era piano line - it’s exactly what you want to be listening to when the sun rises and sets at your favorite outdoor party. Next, ‘Run Run Run’ immediately kicks into high gear with an irresistible bassline that offsets Duddha’s spiritual, leftfield vocals which help make the track quite the trip. The package is rounded out by two remixes - Krystal Klear offers a punchy, electro-interpretation of the title track while Red Axes dips ‘Run Run Run’ into a vat of acid for their 303-inspired version of the song.
The “Bon Trip EP” comes on the heels of Carlita and DJ Tennis’ incredible remix of Diplo feat. Jungle “Don’t Be Afraid”.
More
A1. Bon Trip
A2. Bon Trip – Krystal Klear Remix
B1. Run Run Run featuring Duddha
B2. Run Run Run featuring Duddha – Red Axes Remix
Carlita’s meteoric rise through the electronic music space continues with her impressive new ‘Bon Trip’ EP and also marks her first-ever vinyl release.
The EP kicks off with the title track, a spacey slice of progressive house drenched with a classic-era piano line - it’s exactly what you want to be listening to when the sun rises and sets at your favorite outdoor party. Next, ‘Run Run Run’ immediately kicks into high gear with an irresistible bassline that offsets Duddha’s spiritual, leftfield vocals which help make the track quite the trip. The package is rounded out by two remixes - Krystal Klear offers a punchy, electro-interpretation of the title track while Red Axes dips ‘Run Run Run’ into a vat of acid for their 303-inspired version of the song.
The “Bon Trip EP” comes on the heels of Carlita and DJ Tennis’ incredible remix of Diplo feat. Jungle “Don’t Be Afraid”.
More
1
Alan Dixon - Take A Trip
2
Alan Dixon - Take A Trip (Ambient Version)
Tracklist
A1 Take A Trip
B1 Take A Trip (Ambient Version)
Take a Trip was born of a love of Acid House and wanting to explore my mates 909 & 303!! The way they sing when programmed is mind blowing. There’s magic inside of them that creates something special. From Chicago’s Warehouse to London’s Shoom and Hedonism, Manchester’s Hacienda’s Hot and Nude nights, parties such as R.I.P., Spectrum, Zoo, The Trip, Apocalypse Now, Legends, the State, Rage an Sunrise. It’s a sound that will never fade.
Alan Dixon is back with his first ever acid track and it’s instant love. The disco producer hits the target with no compromise.
More
A1 Take A Trip
B1 Take A Trip (Ambient Version)
Take a Trip was born of a love of Acid House and wanting to explore my mates 909 & 303!! The way they sing when programmed is mind blowing. There’s magic inside of them that creates something special. From Chicago’s Warehouse to London’s Shoom and Hedonism, Manchester’s Hacienda’s Hot and Nude nights, parties such as R.I.P., Spectrum, Zoo, The Trip, Apocalypse Now, Legends, the State, Rage an Sunrise. It’s a sound that will never fade.
Alan Dixon is back with his first ever acid track and it’s instant love. The disco producer hits the target with no compromise.
More
1
Ashee - Country Classic
2
Ashee - Rampage
Tracklist:
A1. Country Classic
B1. Rampage
Release Info:
Ashee’s music fires on all cylinders. Not preoccupied with subtlety, the music punches you on the nose and won’t be ringing you the next day to apologise. A punk ethos pulls together sinister 90s techno energy, rave goosebumps euphoria, and face-twisting garage basslines from the subwoofer of a modified Vauxhall Corsa skidding past a kebab shop.
Country Classic, Ashee’s second EP, holds on to all with an injection of dead-pan fist-pumping EBM on the A-side. “Rampage” the B-side is a DJ’s Swiss Army knife - extremely versatile, from floor-filling warm-up to keeping the dregs in the room at afterparty.
More
A1. Country Classic
B1. Rampage
Release Info:
Ashee’s music fires on all cylinders. Not preoccupied with subtlety, the music punches you on the nose and won’t be ringing you the next day to apologise. A punk ethos pulls together sinister 90s techno energy, rave goosebumps euphoria, and face-twisting garage basslines from the subwoofer of a modified Vauxhall Corsa skidding past a kebab shop.
Country Classic, Ashee’s second EP, holds on to all with an injection of dead-pan fist-pumping EBM on the A-side. “Rampage” the B-side is a DJ’s Swiss Army knife - extremely versatile, from floor-filling warm-up to keeping the dregs in the room at afterparty.
More
1
Whitesquare - A1 Discreet Moment Thing
2
Whitesquare - B1 Lady Cherry
Tracklist:
A1 Discreet Moment Thing
B1 Lady Cherry
Release Info:
Life And Death begins 2022 as it did 2021, with a new 12" release from Whitesquare. 'Discreet Moment Thing Pt.
2' follows part one with another pair of undeniable dancefloor cuts that draw from the classic electronic music that
has influenced the Rome DJ and producer throughout his career.
On the A-side, 'Discreet Moment Thing' is a modern update of Eighties electronic disco, with inspirations from the
synth pop pioneers of its time especially prevalent through the track's cut up vocals and bassline. On the flip,
'Lady Cherry' draws from the more glamourous purveyors of the 80s synth sound, with its Euro-pop piano
melodies, balearic pads and insistent synth basslines. More
A1 Discreet Moment Thing
B1 Lady Cherry
Release Info:
Life And Death begins 2022 as it did 2021, with a new 12" release from Whitesquare. 'Discreet Moment Thing Pt.
2' follows part one with another pair of undeniable dancefloor cuts that draw from the classic electronic music that
has influenced the Rome DJ and producer throughout his career.
On the A-side, 'Discreet Moment Thing' is a modern update of Eighties electronic disco, with inspirations from the
synth pop pioneers of its time especially prevalent through the track's cut up vocals and bassline. On the flip,
'Lady Cherry' draws from the more glamourous purveyors of the 80s synth sound, with its Euro-pop piano
melodies, balearic pads and insistent synth basslines. More
world excl. US
Tracklist:
A1 [SKIP INTRO]
A2 LAŸF
A3 ??? FUN ???
A4 21 GRAM
A5 ? KING~TRÃSH ?
A6 (? ?° ?? ?°)?
A7 ~BÂM~BÁM~BÄM~
A8 BÛLLDØWZER
B1 ÃDINÅMØ
B2 BLÓODFLØW
B3 GRÜFFALØ
B4 TOTALLY SOBER
B5 EXIT THROUGH THE GUILT SHOP
Release Info:
Have you ever wondered what would happen if the Spice Girls smoked crack and joined forces with the Power Rangers on acid? Meet BEÃTFÓØT. These punk-infused electronic poltergeists and big-beat acid trio are Udi Naor, drummer and founding member of electronic duo Red Axes, Adi Bronicki (who also fronts Israeli garage-punk-folk band Deaf Chonky) and ace of all trades guitarist Nimrod Goldfarb.
The band have been launching warped stoner-acid-pop out of Tel Aviv with maniacal intent and are producing post-punk rave bangers that will scorch every dance floor with a huge lethal smile. BEÃTFÓØT are a DIY supergroup who describe themselves as sitting somewhere between Aqua, Beastie Boys and The Prodigy.
Their music endeavours feel akin to being hurtled through a kaleidoscopic waterslide, overflowing with the spirit of 90’s youth culture. The radioactive trio are DJ’s, musicians, songwriters and producers with a diverse range of individual projects and talents, their combined sonics map your journey across the hazy astral spectrum of hip-hop, big beat and rave music. Morph these radioactive pieces with the no nonsense attitude of punk-rock and the venomous spitting flow of golden-era rap and you might just come close to fabricating the freakish sound of BEÃTFÓØT.
The band’s self-titled debut is set for release on 17th September on Manfredi Romano aka DJ Tennis’ Life and Death. Founded in 2010, the imprint curates soulful dance music with a post-rock aesthetic. This refreshingly original and experimental LP from BEÃTFÓØT marks a new direction for Life and Death this year and beyond.
“BEÃTFÓØT” takes unsuspecting listeners on a wild ride of unprecedented musical madness (firmly without seatbelts). Fizzy synthesiser programming stimulates you effervescently through the album like the welcomed sting of sour sweets, surprising accompaniments appear in the form of manipulated vocal lines and quirky samples, all jovially mixed together in a gummy melting pot of wild conceptualisation and starry eyed rhythms.
Thirteen tracks of unprecedented dancefloor mutations send us triumphantly into the candy-covered kingdom of BEÃTFÓØT with open arms and infinite imagery of fanciful gutter-glam escapades. This project fulfills the role of a musical bulldozer, flattening all previous conceptions of what it means to belong to a genre and leaving behind a hot mess trail of anarchic musical fragments in its wake. The undying spirit of the nineties.
With fans that include legendary Irish born singer, songwriter and producer Roisin Murphy, BEÃTFÓØT are a breath of fresh air set to be igniting dancefloors this summer.
More
Tracklist:
A1 [SKIP INTRO]
A2 LAŸF
A3 ??? FUN ???
A4 21 GRAM
A5 ? KING~TRÃSH ?
A6 (? ?° ?? ?°)?
A7 ~BÂM~BÁM~BÄM~
A8 BÛLLDØWZER
B1 ÃDINÅMØ
B2 BLÓODFLØW
B3 GRÜFFALØ
B4 TOTALLY SOBER
B5 EXIT THROUGH THE GUILT SHOP
Release Info:
Have you ever wondered what would happen if the Spice Girls smoked crack and joined forces with the Power Rangers on acid? Meet BEÃTFÓØT. These punk-infused electronic poltergeists and big-beat acid trio are Udi Naor, drummer and founding member of electronic duo Red Axes, Adi Bronicki (who also fronts Israeli garage-punk-folk band Deaf Chonky) and ace of all trades guitarist Nimrod Goldfarb.
The band have been launching warped stoner-acid-pop out of Tel Aviv with maniacal intent and are producing post-punk rave bangers that will scorch every dance floor with a huge lethal smile. BEÃTFÓØT are a DIY supergroup who describe themselves as sitting somewhere between Aqua, Beastie Boys and The Prodigy.
Their music endeavours feel akin to being hurtled through a kaleidoscopic waterslide, overflowing with the spirit of 90’s youth culture. The radioactive trio are DJ’s, musicians, songwriters and producers with a diverse range of individual projects and talents, their combined sonics map your journey across the hazy astral spectrum of hip-hop, big beat and rave music. Morph these radioactive pieces with the no nonsense attitude of punk-rock and the venomous spitting flow of golden-era rap and you might just come close to fabricating the freakish sound of BEÃTFÓØT.
The band’s self-titled debut is set for release on 17th September on Manfredi Romano aka DJ Tennis’ Life and Death. Founded in 2010, the imprint curates soulful dance music with a post-rock aesthetic. This refreshingly original and experimental LP from BEÃTFÓØT marks a new direction for Life and Death this year and beyond.
“BEÃTFÓØT” takes unsuspecting listeners on a wild ride of unprecedented musical madness (firmly without seatbelts). Fizzy synthesiser programming stimulates you effervescently through the album like the welcomed sting of sour sweets, surprising accompaniments appear in the form of manipulated vocal lines and quirky samples, all jovially mixed together in a gummy melting pot of wild conceptualisation and starry eyed rhythms.
Thirteen tracks of unprecedented dancefloor mutations send us triumphantly into the candy-covered kingdom of BEÃTFÓØT with open arms and infinite imagery of fanciful gutter-glam escapades. This project fulfills the role of a musical bulldozer, flattening all previous conceptions of what it means to belong to a genre and leaving behind a hot mess trail of anarchic musical fragments in its wake. The undying spirit of the nineties.
With fans that include legendary Irish born singer, songwriter and producer Roisin Murphy, BEÃTFÓØT are a breath of fresh air set to be igniting dancefloors this summer.
More
1
V.A. (Red Axes, Prins Thomas, Fango,...) - A1. Schwarzmann - Octave Two
2
V.A. (Red Axes, Prins Thomas, Fango,...) - A2. Prins Thomas - Agua
3
V.A. (Red Axes, Prins Thomas, Fango,...) - B1. Byetone - Wheels
4
V.A. (Red Axes, Prins Thomas, Fango,...) - B2. Gera Akaté - Mukti
5
V.A. (Red Axes, Prins Thomas, Fango,...) - C1. Red Axes - Rasss
6
V.A. (Red Axes, Prins Thomas, Fango,...) - C2. Fango - Trattore
7
V.A. (Red Axes, Prins Thomas, Fango,...) - D1.Vivian Koch - Find Your Way Out
8
V.A. (Red Axes, Prins Thomas, Fango,...) - D2. Luciano Esse - Lost
Tracklist:
A1 Schwarzmann - Octave Two
A2 Prins Thomas - Agua
B1 Byetone - Wheels
B2 Gera Akaté - Mukti
C1 Red Axes - Rasss
C2 Fango - Trattore
D1 Vivian Koch - Find Your Way Out
D2 Luciano Esse - Lost
What is techno? It's a question that might be worth considering in our current world away from the dancefloor, and that which is proposed by DJ Tennis on 'Anthems for No State', a new compilation commemorating ten years of music from Life and Death. A number of the label's most trusted associates offer their sonic answer to Tennis's query on this propulsive yet thoughtful compilation.
"Not all of the artists here are exclusively associated with 'techno', whatever that may be, and everyone took a different direction", explains Manfredi, the international DJ turned-lockdown bicycle repairman. "But in producing something outside of your comfort zone, or experimenting with something you'd never thought about experimenting with, it takes you right back to when you started, and so you have nothing to lose. And it's liberating."
Although 'Anthems for No State' focuses on the potential within one particular sound, it's the perfect anniversary accompaniment to a decade of one of electronic music's more unpredictable institutions. As Tennis himself puts it, "sometimes we failed, sometimes we were successful without ever expecting it, but we always want to keep things interesting within the manifesto of the label."
In this instance, techno is truly a matter of Life and Death.
More
A1 Schwarzmann - Octave Two
A2 Prins Thomas - Agua
B1 Byetone - Wheels
B2 Gera Akaté - Mukti
C1 Red Axes - Rasss
C2 Fango - Trattore
D1 Vivian Koch - Find Your Way Out
D2 Luciano Esse - Lost
What is techno? It's a question that might be worth considering in our current world away from the dancefloor, and that which is proposed by DJ Tennis on 'Anthems for No State', a new compilation commemorating ten years of music from Life and Death. A number of the label's most trusted associates offer their sonic answer to Tennis's query on this propulsive yet thoughtful compilation.
"Not all of the artists here are exclusively associated with 'techno', whatever that may be, and everyone took a different direction", explains Manfredi, the international DJ turned-lockdown bicycle repairman. "But in producing something outside of your comfort zone, or experimenting with something you'd never thought about experimenting with, it takes you right back to when you started, and so you have nothing to lose. And it's liberating."
Although 'Anthems for No State' focuses on the potential within one particular sound, it's the perfect anniversary accompaniment to a decade of one of electronic music's more unpredictable institutions. As Tennis himself puts it, "sometimes we failed, sometimes we were successful without ever expecting it, but we always want to keep things interesting within the manifesto of the label."
In this instance, techno is truly a matter of Life and Death.
More
1
Kino Todo - A1 Goa Kids
2
Kino Todo - A2 Boom Shaki Boom ft. Red Axes
3
Kino Todo - B1 Paradox
4
Kino Todo - B2 Vocus Pocus
Tracklist:
A1 Goa Kids
A2 Boom Shaki Boom ft. Red Axes
B1 Paradox
B2 Vocus Pocus
Release Info
Israeli artist Kino Todo continues to put himself in the spotlight with an innovative new EP on DJ Tennis's Life And Death that features a track with countrymen Red Axes.
Todo's multicultural sounds on Jenia Tarsol’s and Chaim’s Blue Shadow records, where he released his first ep with hit banger “Gidafi Na” as well as on Moscoman’s Disco Halal have made him one of the most promising new artists in the scene. He is someone with a psyched out style that fuses long, drawn out drum machine rhythms with intoxicating synths as well as influences from prog and rock. His music is colourful and charming and always refreshingly original. His last release, 'Yasmin', was his biggest yet, but this new offering shows another mature evolution for such a young artist.
Opener 'Goa Kids' is a bristling and uplifting arrangement that is always on the move. It comes on strong with a percussive jumble of hits and tambourines that ride in loose fashion over a surging groove. Warm, rich bass pumps down low, enchanting flutes and youthful vocal chants all get you locked and take you on a charming trip. The lively 'Paradox' is a more broken beat, with twisted synths and sci-fi sound effects all underpinned by booming kicks as alien vocals are layered in with sirens and pixelated pads. It is a fantastic collision of musical worlds.
The vital 'Vocus Pocus' is a Middle Eastern rave that overflows with musical imagery, ghoulish vocals, juddering kicks and retro-future synth lasers that prepare you for take off. Last of all, the esteemed Red Axes duo join the party for 'Boom Shaki Boom', a tripped out and freaky cut of Israeli acid techno that is riddled with edgy pads and intergalactic sounds.
These are complex and characterful tracks that draw on a wide range of cultural references and reimagine them as dance floor dynamite.
More
A1 Goa Kids
A2 Boom Shaki Boom ft. Red Axes
B1 Paradox
B2 Vocus Pocus
Release Info
Israeli artist Kino Todo continues to put himself in the spotlight with an innovative new EP on DJ Tennis's Life And Death that features a track with countrymen Red Axes.
Todo's multicultural sounds on Jenia Tarsol’s and Chaim’s Blue Shadow records, where he released his first ep with hit banger “Gidafi Na” as well as on Moscoman’s Disco Halal have made him one of the most promising new artists in the scene. He is someone with a psyched out style that fuses long, drawn out drum machine rhythms with intoxicating synths as well as influences from prog and rock. His music is colourful and charming and always refreshingly original. His last release, 'Yasmin', was his biggest yet, but this new offering shows another mature evolution for such a young artist.
Opener 'Goa Kids' is a bristling and uplifting arrangement that is always on the move. It comes on strong with a percussive jumble of hits and tambourines that ride in loose fashion over a surging groove. Warm, rich bass pumps down low, enchanting flutes and youthful vocal chants all get you locked and take you on a charming trip. The lively 'Paradox' is a more broken beat, with twisted synths and sci-fi sound effects all underpinned by booming kicks as alien vocals are layered in with sirens and pixelated pads. It is a fantastic collision of musical worlds.
The vital 'Vocus Pocus' is a Middle Eastern rave that overflows with musical imagery, ghoulish vocals, juddering kicks and retro-future synth lasers that prepare you for take off. Last of all, the esteemed Red Axes duo join the party for 'Boom Shaki Boom', a tripped out and freaky cut of Israeli acid techno that is riddled with edgy pads and intergalactic sounds.
These are complex and characterful tracks that draw on a wide range of cultural references and reimagine them as dance floor dynamite.
More
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Label:We Release Jazz
Cat-No:WRJ010LTD
Release-Date:16.07.2021
Genre:Jazz / Nu Jazz
Configuration:LP Excl
Label:We Release Jazz
Cat-No:WRJ010LTD
Release-Date:16.07.2021
Genre:Jazz / Nu Jazz
Configuration:LP Excl
1
Hiroshi Suzuki - A1. Shrimp Dance
2
Hiroshi Suzuki - A2. Kuro To Shiro
3
Hiroshi Suzuki - B1. Walk Tall
4
Hiroshi Suzuki - B2. Cat
5
Hiroshi Suzuki - B3. Romance
No sales to Japan!
LP: 180g vinyl, half speed mastered, heavy sleeve, obi, gold ink
Genre: Jazz, Fusion, Funk
Tracklisting LP
A1. Shrimp Dance
A2. Kuro To Shiro
B1. Walk Tall
B2. Cat
B3. Romance
Info
We Release Jazz is ecstatic (purrrr!) to announce the official reissue of Hiroshi Suzuki's glorious jazz-fusion-funk Holy Grail Cat (originally released in 1976), sourced from the original masters and available on limited edition 180 gram vinyl mastered at half speed for full audiophile sound, as well as on digipack CD. Both versions come with liner notes by Teruo Isono.
Cat was recorded in October 1975 at at Nippon Columbia Studio, while Hiroshi Suzuki was visiting his home country of Japan after moving to Las Vegas in 1971 to play with Buddy Rich and perfect his craft. Back on his old stomping grounds, the man known as Neko (Cat) immediately reunited with his dear friends for an epic two day session of groove magic. The chemistry was still intact. The skills and style had grown.
The result, Cat, is a smooth masterpiece, a deep and soulful affair where stunning trombone solos by Hiroshi Suzuki flirt with Takeru Muraoka's heavenly saxophone and the sensual rhythm section of Hiromasa Suzuki (keyboards), Kunimitsu Inaba (bass), and Akira Ishikawa (drums).
Celebrated in jazz collectors circles, in the lofi beat scene, and among music diggers around the world, Cat has become one of the most sought-after Japanese jazz albums of all time and, much like Ryo Fukui's Scenery, has fascinated old and young generations alike.
Points of interests
- For fans of jazz, fusion, funk, trombone, Japanese jazz, smooth rides, cats, allure.
- Official reissue of the glorious jazz-fusion album by Japanese trombonist extraordinaire Hiroshi "Neko" Suzuki.
- 10th release from We Release Jazz, following Ryo Fukui's Scenery, Mellow Dream, A Letter from Slowboat, and Ryo Fukui in New York, the soundtrack of Le Cercle Rouge by Eric Demarsan, Stuff Combe 5 + Percussion, Marc Moulin's Placebo Live 1971 and Boillat Thérace Quintet albums. We Release Jazz is the sister-label of Geneva-based WRWTFWW Records (Midori Takada's Through The Looking Glass and Lunar Cruise with Masahiko Sato, Pierre Barouh's Le Pollen, Jun Fuka-machi's Nicole, Grauzone's discography, …)
More
LP: 180g vinyl, half speed mastered, heavy sleeve, obi, gold ink
Genre: Jazz, Fusion, Funk
Tracklisting LP
A1. Shrimp Dance
A2. Kuro To Shiro
B1. Walk Tall
B2. Cat
B3. Romance
Info
We Release Jazz is ecstatic (purrrr!) to announce the official reissue of Hiroshi Suzuki's glorious jazz-fusion-funk Holy Grail Cat (originally released in 1976), sourced from the original masters and available on limited edition 180 gram vinyl mastered at half speed for full audiophile sound, as well as on digipack CD. Both versions come with liner notes by Teruo Isono.
Cat was recorded in October 1975 at at Nippon Columbia Studio, while Hiroshi Suzuki was visiting his home country of Japan after moving to Las Vegas in 1971 to play with Buddy Rich and perfect his craft. Back on his old stomping grounds, the man known as Neko (Cat) immediately reunited with his dear friends for an epic two day session of groove magic. The chemistry was still intact. The skills and style had grown.
The result, Cat, is a smooth masterpiece, a deep and soulful affair where stunning trombone solos by Hiroshi Suzuki flirt with Takeru Muraoka's heavenly saxophone and the sensual rhythm section of Hiromasa Suzuki (keyboards), Kunimitsu Inaba (bass), and Akira Ishikawa (drums).
Celebrated in jazz collectors circles, in the lofi beat scene, and among music diggers around the world, Cat has become one of the most sought-after Japanese jazz albums of all time and, much like Ryo Fukui's Scenery, has fascinated old and young generations alike.
Points of interests
- For fans of jazz, fusion, funk, trombone, Japanese jazz, smooth rides, cats, allure.
- Official reissue of the glorious jazz-fusion album by Japanese trombonist extraordinaire Hiroshi "Neko" Suzuki.
- 10th release from We Release Jazz, following Ryo Fukui's Scenery, Mellow Dream, A Letter from Slowboat, and Ryo Fukui in New York, the soundtrack of Le Cercle Rouge by Eric Demarsan, Stuff Combe 5 + Percussion, Marc Moulin's Placebo Live 1971 and Boillat Thérace Quintet albums. We Release Jazz is the sister-label of Geneva-based WRWTFWW Records (Midori Takada's Through The Looking Glass and Lunar Cruise with Masahiko Sato, Pierre Barouh's Le Pollen, Jun Fuka-machi's Nicole, Grauzone's discography, …)
More
1
todd terje - Ragysh
2
todd terje - Snooze 4 Love
3
todd terje - Bonysh
2025 Repress
Touched by the hand of Todd...Drumroll, please…New 12-Inch with original productions since…Ragysh, Bonysh and Snooze 4 Love...Trans dance from the Norwegian Chief inspector that is Todd Terje…Greatysh hypnotism, properysh beats and a lovelysh Terjerine dream to round it all off…Vinyl contains some hidden tracks and extra elements… Cannot stop listening to it… …Touched by the hand of Todd…
Tracklisting:
A: Ragysh
B1: Snooze 4 Love
B2: Bonysh
More
Touched by the hand of Todd...Drumroll, please…New 12-Inch with original productions since…Ragysh, Bonysh and Snooze 4 Love...Trans dance from the Norwegian Chief inspector that is Todd Terje…Greatysh hypnotism, properysh beats and a lovelysh Terjerine dream to round it all off…Vinyl contains some hidden tracks and extra elements… Cannot stop listening to it… …Touched by the hand of Todd…
Tracklisting:
A: Ragysh
B1: Snooze 4 Love
B2: Bonysh
More
1
Nový Svet - Tibidabo
2
Nový Svet - Raja
3
Nový Svet - Ciudacanta
4
Nový Svet - Suenos, Anos, Despues
5
Nový Svet - Alarma
6
Nový Svet - Rexistencia
7
Nový Svet - Tierra (Sanguine II - Noticias)
8
Nový Svet - Lo Que Tu 1
9
Nový Svet - Solo Un Sueno
10
Nový Svet - Torbellinos
11
Nový Svet - No Mas
12
Nový Svet - Lo Que Tu 2
13
Nový Svet - Tampoco
14
Nový Svet - Al Fuego
LTD to 150 copies!
After having finished recordings for "Desde Infiernos De Flores", Nový Sv?t immediately began putting down new songs for a follow-up album, which they planned to finalise benefitting from time won by releasing "Desde Infiernos De Flores" in slices (of CD EPs) over a period of some months.
J. Weber's and Frl. Tost's return to an earlier life in their hometown Vienna brought a new deck of cards into play and those by then already mixed new pieces, rumoured to circle around all things dream and sleep and (waking up in) nightmares, suddenly were regarded as "too spanish", hence "inappropriate" for release. Instead in late 2007 surprisingly a synth-only album named "Todas Las Últimas Cosas" ("All the last things"), accompanied by a collection of early demos entitled "Todas Las Primeras Cosas", was announced by the acclaimed german label Treue Um Treue / Reue Um Reue.
During the following seven years it took Nový Sv?t to present their next album "Mono", tons of unreleased music were made available on various formats. But none of the tracks being abandoned in 2007 showed up.
Years after their making those recordings were saved from a disintegrating master and compiled for the album "DeGenerazione", which when it much later showed up online caught the attention of Quindi Records, now making the album available for the first time on the intended LP format, presenting a missing link in the Austrians' discography and the final part of a musical triptych, the so-called Spanish Trilogy, a reflection on transition, begun with "Fin.Finito.Infinito" back in Vienna, where it now would also find an end.
Although noisy and rhythmic in parts, "DeGenerazione" closes the passage of Nový Sv?t's exile on an overall introspective note. It stands as a document of a band at the point of implosion, another dark hole - in a story full of them - illuminated and evidence that J. Weber's Spanish did not improve a bit. Not even living there. A triumph of the will.
VITAL SALES POINTS:
Following Jota Solo's debut on the label late last year, Quindi is honoured to present DeGenerazione, the final album of the infamous Spanish trilogy and the final musical testament of the defunct Austrian cult industrial-folk band, of which J(ota). Weber was the founder, Nový Sv?t - just three years after "Desde Infiernos De Flores", their latest archive release on Brannten Schnüre's Quirlschlängle label - now finally revealed to the universe and available on vinyl.
A1. Tibidabo
A2. Raja
A3. Ciudacanta
A4. Suenos, Anos, Despues
A5. Alarma
A6. Rexistencia
B1. Tierra (Sanguine II - Noticias)
B2. Lo Que Tu 1
B3. Solo Un Sueno
B4. Torbellinos
B5. No Mas
B6. Lo Que Tu 2
B7. Tampoco
B8. Al Fuego
B9. Mierdamaquina
More
After having finished recordings for "Desde Infiernos De Flores", Nový Sv?t immediately began putting down new songs for a follow-up album, which they planned to finalise benefitting from time won by releasing "Desde Infiernos De Flores" in slices (of CD EPs) over a period of some months.
J. Weber's and Frl. Tost's return to an earlier life in their hometown Vienna brought a new deck of cards into play and those by then already mixed new pieces, rumoured to circle around all things dream and sleep and (waking up in) nightmares, suddenly were regarded as "too spanish", hence "inappropriate" for release. Instead in late 2007 surprisingly a synth-only album named "Todas Las Últimas Cosas" ("All the last things"), accompanied by a collection of early demos entitled "Todas Las Primeras Cosas", was announced by the acclaimed german label Treue Um Treue / Reue Um Reue.
During the following seven years it took Nový Sv?t to present their next album "Mono", tons of unreleased music were made available on various formats. But none of the tracks being abandoned in 2007 showed up.
Years after their making those recordings were saved from a disintegrating master and compiled for the album "DeGenerazione", which when it much later showed up online caught the attention of Quindi Records, now making the album available for the first time on the intended LP format, presenting a missing link in the Austrians' discography and the final part of a musical triptych, the so-called Spanish Trilogy, a reflection on transition, begun with "Fin.Finito.Infinito" back in Vienna, where it now would also find an end.
Although noisy and rhythmic in parts, "DeGenerazione" closes the passage of Nový Sv?t's exile on an overall introspective note. It stands as a document of a band at the point of implosion, another dark hole - in a story full of them - illuminated and evidence that J. Weber's Spanish did not improve a bit. Not even living there. A triumph of the will.
VITAL SALES POINTS:
Following Jota Solo's debut on the label late last year, Quindi is honoured to present DeGenerazione, the final album of the infamous Spanish trilogy and the final musical testament of the defunct Austrian cult industrial-folk band, of which J(ota). Weber was the founder, Nový Sv?t - just three years after "Desde Infiernos De Flores", their latest archive release on Brannten Schnüre's Quirlschlängle label - now finally revealed to the universe and available on vinyl.
A1. Tibidabo
A2. Raja
A3. Ciudacanta
A4. Suenos, Anos, Despues
A5. Alarma
A6. Rexistencia
B1. Tierra (Sanguine II - Noticias)
B2. Lo Que Tu 1
B3. Solo Un Sueno
B4. Torbellinos
B5. No Mas
B6. Lo Que Tu 2
B7. Tampoco
B8. Al Fuego
B9. Mierdamaquina
More
1
Whitesquare - A1 Discreet Moment Thing
2
Whitesquare - B1 Lady Cherry
Tracklist:
A1 Discreet Moment Thing
B1 Lady Cherry
Release Info:
Life And Death begins 2022 as it did 2021, with a new 12" release from Whitesquare. 'Discreet Moment Thing Pt.
2' follows part one with another pair of undeniable dancefloor cuts that draw from the classic electronic music that
has influenced the Rome DJ and producer throughout his career.
On the A-side, 'Discreet Moment Thing' is a modern update of Eighties electronic disco, with inspirations from the
synth pop pioneers of its time especially prevalent through the track's cut up vocals and bassline. On the flip,
'Lady Cherry' draws from the more glamourous purveyors of the 80s synth sound, with its Euro-pop piano
melodies, balearic pads and insistent synth basslines. More
A1 Discreet Moment Thing
B1 Lady Cherry
Release Info:
Life And Death begins 2022 as it did 2021, with a new 12" release from Whitesquare. 'Discreet Moment Thing Pt.
2' follows part one with another pair of undeniable dancefloor cuts that draw from the classic electronic music that
has influenced the Rome DJ and producer throughout his career.
On the A-side, 'Discreet Moment Thing' is a modern update of Eighties electronic disco, with inspirations from the
synth pop pioneers of its time especially prevalent through the track's cut up vocals and bassline. On the flip,
'Lady Cherry' draws from the more glamourous purveyors of the 80s synth sound, with its Euro-pop piano
melodies, balearic pads and insistent synth basslines. More
1
Kerrie - Machine Alliance 05:38
2
Kerrie - Symbiosis 05:25
3
Kerrie - Technopoly Dream 05:21
4
Kerrie - Ode To The D 05:13
5
Kerrie - DX1 Replicants 04:55 (Digital Bonus)
6
Kerrie - DX2 System & Structure 05:08 (Digital Bonus)
7
Kerrie - DX3 Human In The Loop 04:35 (Digital Bonus)
Territories: World excl. UK
FORMAT 12" vinyl, generic sleeve, dl card
TRACKLIST
1. / A1 Machine Alliance 05:38
2. / A2 Symbiosis 05:25
3. / B1 Technopoly Dream 05:21
4. / B2 Ode To The D 05:13
Digital Bonus:
5. / DX1 Replicants 04:55
6. / DX2 System & Structure 05:08
7. / DX3 Human In The Loop 04:35
At what point does a new tool or technology become so integral to a process as to be intrinsic? And what happens if that technology starts to subordinate its user?
By reflecting on these questions Machine Alliance, the new EP by Irish producer Kerrie on Tresor Records, connects her music to the sci-fi origins of techno and electronic music in general.
With inspiration from classic books and films of the genre such as The Machine Stops, The Matrix, and Blade Runner as well as modern explorations in art and philosophy like Free Your Mind and Technopoly, the EP’s title takes on two opposing but intersecting meanings.
One, based on the potential for machines to take over or replace humans, is a key idea of sci-fi that seems closer to reality with the arrival of machine learning and real artificial intelligence.
The second has a much more positive view, one where the “alliance” is between the artist and machine to create the music, a process she places immense value on, being both cathartic and therapeutic, whilst also being a vehicle of addition and expansion: “I feel that it’s a collaboration…the machines are precise in their timing and I add the human touch (literally) in the live performance which adds natural imperfections, so we both provide something the other can’t. There’s also an element of growth; the machines get updates and so are always expanding in terms of their musical capabilities. And the more I push my own technical abilities I feel we are growing together in a constant synchronised dance.”
This “dance” results in four tracks (plus three digital-only bonuses) of classic machine funk which combine the aforementioned ideas in sci-fi with a deep lifelong affection for techno. Tracks like Ode to the D, and Technopoly Dream display this love through her choice of sounds and structure, both intentional and subconscious, while Replicants, and Human in the Loop project into other genres to fully round this release off as a contemporary example of music rooted in both past and future.
More
FORMAT 12" vinyl, generic sleeve, dl card
TRACKLIST
1. / A1 Machine Alliance 05:38
2. / A2 Symbiosis 05:25
3. / B1 Technopoly Dream 05:21
4. / B2 Ode To The D 05:13
Digital Bonus:
5. / DX1 Replicants 04:55
6. / DX2 System & Structure 05:08
7. / DX3 Human In The Loop 04:35
At what point does a new tool or technology become so integral to a process as to be intrinsic? And what happens if that technology starts to subordinate its user?
By reflecting on these questions Machine Alliance, the new EP by Irish producer Kerrie on Tresor Records, connects her music to the sci-fi origins of techno and electronic music in general.
With inspiration from classic books and films of the genre such as The Machine Stops, The Matrix, and Blade Runner as well as modern explorations in art and philosophy like Free Your Mind and Technopoly, the EP’s title takes on two opposing but intersecting meanings.
One, based on the potential for machines to take over or replace humans, is a key idea of sci-fi that seems closer to reality with the arrival of machine learning and real artificial intelligence.
The second has a much more positive view, one where the “alliance” is between the artist and machine to create the music, a process she places immense value on, being both cathartic and therapeutic, whilst also being a vehicle of addition and expansion: “I feel that it’s a collaboration…the machines are precise in their timing and I add the human touch (literally) in the live performance which adds natural imperfections, so we both provide something the other can’t. There’s also an element of growth; the machines get updates and so are always expanding in terms of their musical capabilities. And the more I push my own technical abilities I feel we are growing together in a constant synchronised dance.”
This “dance” results in four tracks (plus three digital-only bonuses) of classic machine funk which combine the aforementioned ideas in sci-fi with a deep lifelong affection for techno. Tracks like Ode to the D, and Technopoly Dream display this love through her choice of sounds and structure, both intentional and subconscious, while Replicants, and Human in the Loop project into other genres to fully round this release off as a contemporary example of music rooted in both past and future.
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1
CHRIS KORDA - VIZYON
2
CHRIS KORDA - IYIKA
3
CHRIS KORDA - RA MI
4
CHRIS KORDA - EGUNGUN
Format: 2x12“ LP
Tracklisting:
A1 VIZYON
A2 ASIRI
A3 IYIKA
B1 ALA AYE
B2 AWOSE
B3 RA BAYI
C1 RA MI
C2 EGUNGUN
D1 DEK SEP BLUSO
D2 FAZO KANTO
Info:
New album by Chris Korda.
Akoko Ajeji means "Strange Time" in Yoruba.
All the tracks on the album are in complex polymeter, determining not only the
rhythm, but the harmony too.
The result is an intricate but non-random pattern of interference.
Vizyon means "trance" in Haitian Creole. Its polymeter repeats after 155,195,040
beats (roughly 805 days) and has a Greatest Prime Factor of 19.
Asiri means "secrets" in Yoruba. Its polymeter repeats after 14,894,880 beats
(roughly 80 days) and has a Greatest Prime Factor of 31.
Iyika means "circles" or "revolution" in Yoruba. Its polymeter repeats after 58,198,140
beats (roughly 300 days) and has a Greatest Prime Factor of 19.
Ala Aye means "dream world" or "space bound" in Yoruba. Its polymeter repeats
after 118,731,810,156,960 beats (roughly 1.7 million years) and has a Greatest Prime
Factor of 37.
Awose means "template" or "stencil" in Yoruba. Its polymeter repeats after
5,785,219,440 beats (roughly 85 years) and has a Greatest Prime Factor of 349.
Ra Bayi means "buy now" in Yoruba. Its polymeter repeats after 629,909,280 beats
(roughly 8.6 years) and has a Greatest Prime Factor of 23.
Ra Mi means "buy me" in Yoruba. Its polymeter repeats after 480 beats (3 minutes
and 26 seconds) and has a Greatest Prime Factor of 5.
Egungun is Yoruba for "bones" or "ancestors" in the collective sense. Its polymeter
repeats after 27,720 beats (3:33:14 in elapsed time) and has a Greatest Prime Factor
of 11.
Dek Sep Bluso means "seventeen blues" in Esperanto. Its polymeter repeats after
16,336,320 beats (roughly 91 days) and has a Greatest Prime Factor of 17.
Fazo Kanto means "phase song" in Esperanto. Its polymeter repeats after 78,540
beats (roughly 10 hours) and has a Greatest Prime Factor of 17.
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Tracklisting:
A1 VIZYON
A2 ASIRI
A3 IYIKA
B1 ALA AYE
B2 AWOSE
B3 RA BAYI
C1 RA MI
C2 EGUNGUN
D1 DEK SEP BLUSO
D2 FAZO KANTO
Info:
New album by Chris Korda.
Akoko Ajeji means "Strange Time" in Yoruba.
All the tracks on the album are in complex polymeter, determining not only the
rhythm, but the harmony too.
The result is an intricate but non-random pattern of interference.
Vizyon means "trance" in Haitian Creole. Its polymeter repeats after 155,195,040
beats (roughly 805 days) and has a Greatest Prime Factor of 19.
Asiri means "secrets" in Yoruba. Its polymeter repeats after 14,894,880 beats
(roughly 80 days) and has a Greatest Prime Factor of 31.
Iyika means "circles" or "revolution" in Yoruba. Its polymeter repeats after 58,198,140
beats (roughly 300 days) and has a Greatest Prime Factor of 19.
Ala Aye means "dream world" or "space bound" in Yoruba. Its polymeter repeats
after 118,731,810,156,960 beats (roughly 1.7 million years) and has a Greatest Prime
Factor of 37.
Awose means "template" or "stencil" in Yoruba. Its polymeter repeats after
5,785,219,440 beats (roughly 85 years) and has a Greatest Prime Factor of 349.
Ra Bayi means "buy now" in Yoruba. Its polymeter repeats after 629,909,280 beats
(roughly 8.6 years) and has a Greatest Prime Factor of 23.
Ra Mi means "buy me" in Yoruba. Its polymeter repeats after 480 beats (3 minutes
and 26 seconds) and has a Greatest Prime Factor of 5.
Egungun is Yoruba for "bones" or "ancestors" in the collective sense. Its polymeter
repeats after 27,720 beats (3:33:14 in elapsed time) and has a Greatest Prime Factor
of 11.
Dek Sep Bluso means "seventeen blues" in Esperanto. Its polymeter repeats after
16,336,320 beats (roughly 91 days) and has a Greatest Prime Factor of 17.
Fazo Kanto means "phase song" in Esperanto. Its polymeter repeats after 78,540
beats (roughly 10 hours) and has a Greatest Prime Factor of 17.
More
Label:Be With Records
Cat-No:bewith166lp
Release-Date:22.03.2024
Genre:HipHop/Rap/Urban
Configuration:2LP Excl
Label:Be With Records
Cat-No:bewith166lp
Release-Date:22.03.2024
Genre:HipHop/Rap/Urban
Configuration:2LP Excl
1
Bahamadia - Intro (0:50)
2
Bahamadia - WordPlay (3:17)
3
Bahamadia - Spontaneity (4:08)
4
Bahamadia - Rugged Ruff (3:08)
5
Bahamadia - Interlude (0:29)
6
Bahamadia - I Confess (4:06)
7
Bahamadia - UKNOWHOWWEDU (3:35)
8
Bahamadia - Interlude (1:09)
9
Bahamadia - Total Wreck (3:26)
10
Bahamadia - Innovation (3:23)
11
Bahamadia - Da Jawn (5:19)
12
Bahamadia - Interlude (1:05)
13
Bahamadia - True Honey Buns (Dat Freak Sh t) (3:41)
14
Bahamadia - 3 Tha Hard Way (4:12)
15
Bahamadia - Biggest Part Of Me (4:51)
16
Bahamadia - Path To Rhythm (3:24)
Territories: Worldwide no restrictions
Format Notes:
2024 first time double vinyl reissue with exclusive bonus track, 140g double vinyl, remastered audio with restored artwork
Track List:
A1 Intro 0:50
A2 WordPlay 3:17
A3 Spontaneity 4:08
A4 Rugged Ruff 3:08
A5 Interlude 0:29
B1 I Confess 4:06
B2 UKNOWHOWWEDU 3:35
B3 Interlude 1:09
B4 Total Wreck 3:26
B5 Innovation 3:23
C1 Da Jawn 5:19
C2 Interlude 1:05
C3 True Honey Buns (Dat Freak Sh*t) 3:41
D1 3 Tha Hard Way 4:12
D2 Biggest Part Of Me 4:51
D3 Path To Rhythm 3:24
Release Notes:
Bahamadia’s 1996 debut album Kollage is rightly regarded as one of the greatest rap albums of the 1990s. For the first time ever, Be With present the definitive double LP version of this eternal hip-hop classic, including the legendary "Path To Rhythm" which never appeared on the original LP or on vinyl, anywhere. An indelible VIBE from start-to-finish, Kollage presents Bahamadia's swirling rhymes delivered with an irresistibly butter flow and razor-sharp assuredness over a steady slew of smoothed-out, jazzed-up, blunted beats. Achingly cool and effortlessly funky throughout, it's an absolute must for true 90s hip-hop fanatics.
The entire Kollage project was recorded at D&D Studios and the ties to Gang Starr are keenly felt, with DJ Premier producing five tracks in addition to the killer songs Guru had already produced with her. Working with the cream of the mid-90s East Coast sound, Kollage is, accordingly, a record that demonstrates a varied musical taste with disparate influences, as Bahamadia has previously stated: “The title Kollage was a reflection of my state of mind. I first got interested in music from playing my parents’ and grandparents’ records, as well what I heard on the radio. I wanted Kollage to reflect that diversity both lyrically and sonically."
With intelligent, poetic lyricism and a laconic verbal style bursting with both warm texture and deceptive energy, Bahamadia’s flow was as inspired by Aretha and Nancy Wilson as it was Q-Tip, Schoolly D and Lady B. Swaggering out the gate, "WordPlay" finds Bahamadia confidently showcasing her considerable old-school battle-rhyme skills over a Guru beat that utilises an infectiously bouncy bassline with splashes of sultry jazz horns and a Jeru vocal snatch for the hook. Up next, the quietly shimmering and ruggedly beautiful "Spontaneity" is one of the most alluring on the record, Da Beatminerz crafting a brilliantly soulful and jazzy soundscape for Bahamadia's effortless vocals to float across. It's followed by "Rugged Ruff", where the rapper carefully constructs a swift off-beat flow over Premier's raw jazzy fire.
With smooth spacey synth vibes overseen by former Geto Boys producer N.O. Joe, "I Confess" is, without question, a fly love song and soothing (p)-funk groove. "UKNOWHOWWEDU" is an airy, chilled tribute to her hometown. Produced by Ski Beatz & DJ Redhanded, it rides a gloriously mellow break. It's a true Philly anthem, shouting out a who’s who of the entire city’s scene. Early banger "Total Wreck" follows, presenting a murky Guru instrumental elevated by jazzy horns. Bahamadia invokes the title's suggestion, firing her brilliant bars more aggressively than we’re accustomed to. More Beatminerz-brilliance comes in the way of "Innovation", an opportunity for the MC to invoke Freestyle Fellowship in her forward-thinking and literary verses. "Da Jawn" features hometown buddies The Roots, with Black Thought gliding into a back-and-forth with Bahamadia over ?uestlove’s warm, snapping percussion. With the strut club banger "True Honey Buns (Dat Freak Sh*t)", DJ Premier provides some laidback vibrant boom bap for Bahamadia to share a wild, cautionary tale about a night out with her girl, Kia.
Fan favourite "3 Tha Hard Way" is a hypnotically sinister cut, with Bahamadia, K-Swift and Mecca Star taking star turns to coast over DJ Premier’s raw beat whilst the tender "Biggest Part Of Me" is a heartfelt stunner dedicated to her son. Incredibly, only the European and Japanese CD versions of Kollage was released with the brilliantly breezy “Path To Rhythm”, featuring Ursula Rucker. Whilst ostensibly a "bonus track", it's anything but, to our ears. Very much in sonic conversation with KRS-One's stretched-out sleeper classic "Higher Level", it's absolutely essential so we had to include it, appearing on wax for the first time here, exclusively. Quite a coup.
Somewhat predictably, whilst Kollage was released to significant critical acclaim, it suffered from disappointing sales. In the intervening years - and for far too long - it was a criminally underrated record, an increasingly hidden gem. We hope this double LP reissue - which looks and sounds amazing - will go some way to correct this. This 2024 Be With double LP re-issue has been mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Cicely Balston and pressed at Record Industry. It's too bold and beautiful to remain overlooked and underserved.
More
Format Notes:
2024 first time double vinyl reissue with exclusive bonus track, 140g double vinyl, remastered audio with restored artwork
Track List:
A1 Intro 0:50
A2 WordPlay 3:17
A3 Spontaneity 4:08
A4 Rugged Ruff 3:08
A5 Interlude 0:29
B1 I Confess 4:06
B2 UKNOWHOWWEDU 3:35
B3 Interlude 1:09
B4 Total Wreck 3:26
B5 Innovation 3:23
C1 Da Jawn 5:19
C2 Interlude 1:05
C3 True Honey Buns (Dat Freak Sh*t) 3:41
D1 3 Tha Hard Way 4:12
D2 Biggest Part Of Me 4:51
D3 Path To Rhythm 3:24
Release Notes:
Bahamadia’s 1996 debut album Kollage is rightly regarded as one of the greatest rap albums of the 1990s. For the first time ever, Be With present the definitive double LP version of this eternal hip-hop classic, including the legendary "Path To Rhythm" which never appeared on the original LP or on vinyl, anywhere. An indelible VIBE from start-to-finish, Kollage presents Bahamadia's swirling rhymes delivered with an irresistibly butter flow and razor-sharp assuredness over a steady slew of smoothed-out, jazzed-up, blunted beats. Achingly cool and effortlessly funky throughout, it's an absolute must for true 90s hip-hop fanatics.
The entire Kollage project was recorded at D&D Studios and the ties to Gang Starr are keenly felt, with DJ Premier producing five tracks in addition to the killer songs Guru had already produced with her. Working with the cream of the mid-90s East Coast sound, Kollage is, accordingly, a record that demonstrates a varied musical taste with disparate influences, as Bahamadia has previously stated: “The title Kollage was a reflection of my state of mind. I first got interested in music from playing my parents’ and grandparents’ records, as well what I heard on the radio. I wanted Kollage to reflect that diversity both lyrically and sonically."
With intelligent, poetic lyricism and a laconic verbal style bursting with both warm texture and deceptive energy, Bahamadia’s flow was as inspired by Aretha and Nancy Wilson as it was Q-Tip, Schoolly D and Lady B. Swaggering out the gate, "WordPlay" finds Bahamadia confidently showcasing her considerable old-school battle-rhyme skills over a Guru beat that utilises an infectiously bouncy bassline with splashes of sultry jazz horns and a Jeru vocal snatch for the hook. Up next, the quietly shimmering and ruggedly beautiful "Spontaneity" is one of the most alluring on the record, Da Beatminerz crafting a brilliantly soulful and jazzy soundscape for Bahamadia's effortless vocals to float across. It's followed by "Rugged Ruff", where the rapper carefully constructs a swift off-beat flow over Premier's raw jazzy fire.
With smooth spacey synth vibes overseen by former Geto Boys producer N.O. Joe, "I Confess" is, without question, a fly love song and soothing (p)-funk groove. "UKNOWHOWWEDU" is an airy, chilled tribute to her hometown. Produced by Ski Beatz & DJ Redhanded, it rides a gloriously mellow break. It's a true Philly anthem, shouting out a who’s who of the entire city’s scene. Early banger "Total Wreck" follows, presenting a murky Guru instrumental elevated by jazzy horns. Bahamadia invokes the title's suggestion, firing her brilliant bars more aggressively than we’re accustomed to. More Beatminerz-brilliance comes in the way of "Innovation", an opportunity for the MC to invoke Freestyle Fellowship in her forward-thinking and literary verses. "Da Jawn" features hometown buddies The Roots, with Black Thought gliding into a back-and-forth with Bahamadia over ?uestlove’s warm, snapping percussion. With the strut club banger "True Honey Buns (Dat Freak Sh*t)", DJ Premier provides some laidback vibrant boom bap for Bahamadia to share a wild, cautionary tale about a night out with her girl, Kia.
Fan favourite "3 Tha Hard Way" is a hypnotically sinister cut, with Bahamadia, K-Swift and Mecca Star taking star turns to coast over DJ Premier’s raw beat whilst the tender "Biggest Part Of Me" is a heartfelt stunner dedicated to her son. Incredibly, only the European and Japanese CD versions of Kollage was released with the brilliantly breezy “Path To Rhythm”, featuring Ursula Rucker. Whilst ostensibly a "bonus track", it's anything but, to our ears. Very much in sonic conversation with KRS-One's stretched-out sleeper classic "Higher Level", it's absolutely essential so we had to include it, appearing on wax for the first time here, exclusively. Quite a coup.
Somewhat predictably, whilst Kollage was released to significant critical acclaim, it suffered from disappointing sales. In the intervening years - and for far too long - it was a criminally underrated record, an increasingly hidden gem. We hope this double LP reissue - which looks and sounds amazing - will go some way to correct this. This 2024 Be With double LP re-issue has been mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Cicely Balston and pressed at Record Industry. It's too bold and beautiful to remain overlooked and underserved.
More
1
SOROG - No Pares El Sonido! (Onda Sónica Valencia) 5:32
2
SOROG - Prigioniero Notturno 3:08
3
SOROG - No Fear 4:42
4
SOROG - Patto Di Sangue 2:42
5
SOROG - Do You Know The Devil [?] 3:35
6
SOROG - Preserve Traditions (Tekno World 1996, Happy Acid Flash) 3:10
TRACKLIST
A1 No Pares El Sonido! (Onda Sónica Valencia) 5:32
A2 Prigioniero Notturno 3:08
A3 No Fear 4:42
B1 Patto Di Sangue 2:42
B2 Do You Know The Devil [?] 3:35
B3 Preserve Traditions (Tekno World 1996, Happy Acid Flash) 3:10
More
A1 No Pares El Sonido! (Onda Sónica Valencia) 5:32
A2 Prigioniero Notturno 3:08
A3 No Fear 4:42
B1 Patto Di Sangue 2:42
B2 Do You Know The Devil [?] 3:35
B3 Preserve Traditions (Tekno World 1996, Happy Acid Flash) 3:10
More
1
VA Side A. Chloe Caillet, Side AA. Josh - A. Unknown Artist - Dou Dou (Chloe Caillet Edit)
2
VA Side A. Chloe Caillet, Side AA. Josh - AA. Unknown Artist - Love Is The Drug (Josh Ludlow Edit)
The first release from PVBLIC XCESS's new imprint XCESS RECORDS. Kicking things off with two dance floor ready edits from label owners, Chloe & Josh.
TRACKLISTS:
Side A. Unknown Artist - Dou Dou (Chloe Caillet Edit)
Side. AA Unknown Artist - Love Is The Drug (Josh Ludlow Edit)
First release on new imprint XCESS RECORDS and first in a series of XCESS EDITS.
- PVBLIC XCESS have had a residency alongside Dixon at pacha, hosted a stage at Timewarp festival. The have a party series with guests such as Jamie XX and the martinez brothers and are starting a residency at Fabric playing all night long in September 2021.
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