1
Orkes Teruna Ria - Bulan Dagoan
2
Yanti Bersaudara - Gumbira
3
Orkes Suita Rama - Tepui Tepui
4
Band Nada Kentjana - Djaleuleudja
5
Orkes Lokananta & Chris Byantoro - Nganggo Teklek Nang Krikilan
6
Orkes Teruna Ria - Budjang Talalai
7
Orkes Kelana Ria - Ya Mahmud
8
Orkes Teruna Ria - Geleang Sapi
9
Zaenal Combo - Ampat Lima Dalam Djambangan
10
Zaenal Combo - Seruling
11
Orkes Kelana Ria - Sojang
12
Mus DS - Neleng Neng Kung
13
Orkes Gumarang - Malin Kundang
14
Orkes Tropicana - Pantjaran Kasih
15
Orkes Teruna Ria - Tak Ton Tong
16
Orkes Lokananta - Tari Bali
17
Orkes Kelana Ria - Emplek Emplek Ketepu
18
Mus DS - Ahai Dara
19
Orkes Kelana Ria - Semoga
20
Zaenal Combo - Kaden Sadje
21
Orkes Irama - Gendjer Gendjer
22
Orkes Teruna Ria - Modjang Parahyangan
23
Orkes Sendja Meraju - Bubuj Bulan
24
Mus DS - Tautjo Tjiandjur
25
Nada Kantjana - Nelengnengkung
26
Ivo Nilakreshna - Ka Huma (bonus 7")
27
Zaenal Combo - Tandung Tjina
2LP+7" + extended liner notes in large 8-page booklet!
Padang Moonrise is the story of modern Indonesian music that emerged underneath the volcanoes of Java and Sumatra. Java, the most populous island in the archipelago of over 17,000 islands and 1300 distinct ethnic groups, and its capital city Jakarta, was where most of the post-colonial national identity, politics, administration and music production was centred.
Traditional songs from Java, Sumatra, Bali and beyond were re-imagined by a small group of state-sponsored musicians that also composed and arranged new music. These songs aimed at consolidating a geographically disparate country with a new language and new ideas of national character. This compilation brings together a handful of these recordings that combine elements of regional popular music, Islamic Gambus, Javanese & Balinese Gamelan and Kroncong, with jazz, Afro-latin music & instrumentation, and vocal harmonies influenced by banned American doo-wop and rock & roll.
The results are a unique blend of styles that have remained mostly insulated from the world outside of Indonesia until a recent worldwide resurgence in the interest of recorded music of all forms has shone a new light on these nearly forgotten recordings.
credits
releases November 25, 2022
Compiled by Miles Cleret
Artwork by Lewis Heriz
Mastered by Dan Elleson
Lacquer cuts by Frank Merritt
Layout by Meurig Rees
Tracklist:
1.Orkes Teruna Ria - Bulan Dagoan
2.Yanti Bersaudara - Gumbira
3.Orkes Suita Rama - Tepui Tepui
4.Band Nada Kentjana - Djaleuleudja
5.Orkes Lokananta - Nganggo Telek Nang Krikilan
6.Orkes Teruna Ria - Budjang Talalai
7.Orkes Kelana Ria - Ya Mahmud
8.Orkes Teruna Ria - Geleang Sapi
9.Zaenal Combo - Ampat Lima Dalam Djambangan
10.Zaenal Combo - Seruling
11.Orkes Kelana Ria - Sajang
12.Mus D.S. - Neleng Neng Kung
13.Orkes Gumarang - Malin Kundang
14.Orkes Tropicana - Pantjaran Kasih
15.Orkes Teruna Ria - Tak Ton Tong
16.Orkes Lokananta - Tari Bali
17.Orkes Kelana Ria - Emplek Emplek Ketepu
18.Mus D.S. - Ahai Dara
19.Orkes Kelana Ria - Semoga 02:20
20.Zaenal Combo - Kaden Sadje
21.Orkes Irama - Gendjer Gendjer
22.Orkes Teruna Ria - Modjang Parahyangan
23.Orkes Sendja Meraju - Bubuj Bulan
24.Mus D. S. - Tautjo Tjiandjur
25.Nada Kantjana - Nelengnengkung
26.Ivo Nilakreshna - Ka Huma 02:33
27.Zaenal Combo - Tandung Tjina More
Padang Moonrise is the story of modern Indonesian music that emerged underneath the volcanoes of Java and Sumatra. Java, the most populous island in the archipelago of over 17,000 islands and 1300 distinct ethnic groups, and its capital city Jakarta, was where most of the post-colonial national identity, politics, administration and music production was centred.
Traditional songs from Java, Sumatra, Bali and beyond were re-imagined by a small group of state-sponsored musicians that also composed and arranged new music. These songs aimed at consolidating a geographically disparate country with a new language and new ideas of national character. This compilation brings together a handful of these recordings that combine elements of regional popular music, Islamic Gambus, Javanese & Balinese Gamelan and Kroncong, with jazz, Afro-latin music & instrumentation, and vocal harmonies influenced by banned American doo-wop and rock & roll.
The results are a unique blend of styles that have remained mostly insulated from the world outside of Indonesia until a recent worldwide resurgence in the interest of recorded music of all forms has shone a new light on these nearly forgotten recordings.
credits
releases November 25, 2022
Compiled by Miles Cleret
Artwork by Lewis Heriz
Mastered by Dan Elleson
Lacquer cuts by Frank Merritt
Layout by Meurig Rees
Tracklist:
1.Orkes Teruna Ria - Bulan Dagoan
2.Yanti Bersaudara - Gumbira
3.Orkes Suita Rama - Tepui Tepui
4.Band Nada Kentjana - Djaleuleudja
5.Orkes Lokananta - Nganggo Telek Nang Krikilan
6.Orkes Teruna Ria - Budjang Talalai
7.Orkes Kelana Ria - Ya Mahmud
8.Orkes Teruna Ria - Geleang Sapi
9.Zaenal Combo - Ampat Lima Dalam Djambangan
10.Zaenal Combo - Seruling
11.Orkes Kelana Ria - Sajang
12.Mus D.S. - Neleng Neng Kung
13.Orkes Gumarang - Malin Kundang
14.Orkes Tropicana - Pantjaran Kasih
15.Orkes Teruna Ria - Tak Ton Tong
16.Orkes Lokananta - Tari Bali
17.Orkes Kelana Ria - Emplek Emplek Ketepu
18.Mus D.S. - Ahai Dara
19.Orkes Kelana Ria - Semoga 02:20
20.Zaenal Combo - Kaden Sadje
21.Orkes Irama - Gendjer Gendjer
22.Orkes Teruna Ria - Modjang Parahyangan
23.Orkes Sendja Meraju - Bubuj Bulan
24.Mus D. S. - Tautjo Tjiandjur
25.Nada Kantjana - Nelengnengkung
26.Ivo Nilakreshna - Ka Huma 02:33
27.Zaenal Combo - Tandung Tjina More
More records from Soundway Records
1
Ozzobia - Ndi Oma
2
Sammy Obot - Edue Ukot Akpa Itong
3
Eppi Fanio - Farofa Dancer
4
Etiene T. Boy - Jealousy
5
Pal Sagie - Esan
6
Ayo Manuel - Do Good (Dub)
7
Chimex G. Udensity And His Afrikan Band - Okpoko Na Azo Eze
8
I.S.C.A.C. Band - Igbo Nwe Egwu
9
Jeje - Jeje
10
Dizzy K - Omoge
11
Blackman Akeeb Kareem - Oya A (Eje Kajo)
12
Mannix Okonkwo - Ka Nyi Gbaa Egwu
13
Jimi Solanke - Owo Orisa - Ancestral Respects
14
Feladey - Experience
15
Soki Ohale - Wumaya Awuma
16
Jap Band & Feladey - Japadodo
17
Sonny Okosun - Highlife (Dub)
18
B.G. and Fibre - (G#) Thanks And Praises
19
Wura Fadaka Band - Eyo
Soundway Records presents a collection of Nigerian music chronicling a time when drum machines, synthesisers, imported pop, reggae, disco and soul collided with highlife, juju and cultural music.
The late 70s saw a period of political turbulence and prompted change across the country. Following suit, musicians and producers entered a period of experimentation, adaptation, modification and innovation, using new technology to renew and refresh cultural traditions. Nigerians formed their own unique approach to the limitless creativity these new instruments offered, to reveal a distinct sound which would dominate local airwaves for the decade to come. Nigeria Special Volume 3 celebrates the rich diversity of culture and musical styles of the nation, showcasing eighteen tracks across various genres which laid foundations for the innovation of Afrobeats artists of today.
Triple Vinyl gatefold LP compiled by Miles Cleret and Jeremy Spellacey, includes a large 8 page booklet with detailed liner notes, record scans and never-seen-before photos. More
The late 70s saw a period of political turbulence and prompted change across the country. Following suit, musicians and producers entered a period of experimentation, adaptation, modification and innovation, using new technology to renew and refresh cultural traditions. Nigerians formed their own unique approach to the limitless creativity these new instruments offered, to reveal a distinct sound which would dominate local airwaves for the decade to come. Nigeria Special Volume 3 celebrates the rich diversity of culture and musical styles of the nation, showcasing eighteen tracks across various genres which laid foundations for the innovation of Afrobeats artists of today.
Triple Vinyl gatefold LP compiled by Miles Cleret and Jeremy Spellacey, includes a large 8 page booklet with detailed liner notes, record scans and never-seen-before photos. More
1
Fatimah Razak - Dahaga
2
Black Brothers - Mangge Mangge
3
Marini & The Steps - Kuingin Dekatmu
4
Tian Niu - Deng Ni Zai Yu Zhong
5
The Rollies - Disco
6
Regalado - Pinoy Funk
7
John Philips & The Steps - Ayo Ke Disco
8
Aria Yunior - Salah Tingkah
9
Ahmadi Hassan - Habibi (Mari Bersatu)
10
Pongsri Woranuch - Aew...Phu Chai
Soundway Records delivers an exciting new compilation, diving ever deeper into South-East Asia. Ayo Ke Disco celebrates the musical identities emerging during the 1970s and 80s from the newly independent countries nestled around the South China Sea.
This time, Soundway’s long-time general manager Alice Whittington (aka DJ Norsicaa) steps into the limelight, embracing her Malaysian heritage and selecting music from her heavy collection of Asian records. Aside from steering the label, she is often found on international stages and radio stations playing an eclectic array of music.
For Ayo Ke Disco (meaning ‘Let’s go to the disco’ in Indonesian), 10 rare tracks of disco-funk, psychedelic funk, synth, city pop, and Hindustani-Arabic rhythms were painstakingly licensed from local labels – forming a snapshot of the vibrant discotheques and live scenes across Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the Philippines.
The vinyl release is also accompanied by the Ayo Ke Disco zine from Norsicaa, with extensive research on the history of music in South-East Asia, archival photos and exclusive interviews with some of the region’s most respected collectors. More
This time, Soundway’s long-time general manager Alice Whittington (aka DJ Norsicaa) steps into the limelight, embracing her Malaysian heritage and selecting music from her heavy collection of Asian records. Aside from steering the label, she is often found on international stages and radio stations playing an eclectic array of music.
For Ayo Ke Disco (meaning ‘Let’s go to the disco’ in Indonesian), 10 rare tracks of disco-funk, psychedelic funk, synth, city pop, and Hindustani-Arabic rhythms were painstakingly licensed from local labels – forming a snapshot of the vibrant discotheques and live scenes across Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the Philippines.
The vinyl release is also accompanied by the Ayo Ke Disco zine from Norsicaa, with extensive research on the history of music in South-East Asia, archival photos and exclusive interviews with some of the region’s most respected collectors. More
1
Dar Disku - Leil
2
Dar Disku - Alsutur Ft. FLANAH
3
Dar Disku - Sabir Ft. Billur Battal
4
Dar Disku - Ddayli Ft. Yacine El Khaldi
5
Dar Disku - Baar Baar Ft. Asha Puthli
6
Dar Disku - Ya Nas
7
Dar Disku - Galbi Ft. Aymen Attia
8
Dar Disku - Fajr
Preview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH275gX4auQ
The debut album from Bahraini-born, British-based musical duo Dar Disku is a celebration of their Arabic heritage and multicultural influences that melds golden age West Asian and North African sounds with a contemporary dance floor focus. Recorded between the UK, Algeria, Turkey and Tunisia, the album seamlessly crosses from disco to Raï, piano house to Turkish psychedelia, ambient to Bollywood and features guest artists from Algeria, Turkey and Bahrain as well as legendary Indian singer Asha Puthli.
Dar Disku is the innovative duo of Mazen Almaskati and Vish M, known for their dynamic DJ sets and eclectic mixes, into which they bring a deep-rooted passion for the rich musical traditions of the SWANA region (South West Asia and North Africa).
The self-titled album is a culmination of years of learning, listening, and creating. It serves as a transportive portal into the duo's expansive world beyond the dance floor, capturing the cosmic emotions of cinema through a meticulous analog approach to live recordings. It channels a wide range of influences, including Egyptian folk, Turkish psych, Algerian rai, Sudanese funk, Ethiopian jazz, and Khaleeji disco.
“Sonically we have tried to capture what time traveling with Dar Disku through our different influences would feel like,” they say of their recording process, “and although inspired directly some of our favourite hidden gems from the past, the sound of this record remains unmistakably rooted in our present day where current influences from electronic genres, hip hop, jazz and psychedelia also shine through.”
The pair explain that they learnt much of this through their own previously released edits of middle eastern music “which inspired us to create our own brand new original songs that draw from a similar breath. We've been able to combine this with our contemporary inspirations and bring to life something that is comfortingly nostalgic and yet refreshingly new.”
Vish and Maz have put immense effort into researching the songwriting and recording methods of the decades they draw inspiration from - utilising vintage consoles, analog synthesisers, and carefully crafted sonic spaces. This dedication is evident in every track, which combines their contemporary influences with the rich musical traditions of the region to create something that feels both timeless and innovative. More
The debut album from Bahraini-born, British-based musical duo Dar Disku is a celebration of their Arabic heritage and multicultural influences that melds golden age West Asian and North African sounds with a contemporary dance floor focus. Recorded between the UK, Algeria, Turkey and Tunisia, the album seamlessly crosses from disco to Raï, piano house to Turkish psychedelia, ambient to Bollywood and features guest artists from Algeria, Turkey and Bahrain as well as legendary Indian singer Asha Puthli.
Dar Disku is the innovative duo of Mazen Almaskati and Vish M, known for their dynamic DJ sets and eclectic mixes, into which they bring a deep-rooted passion for the rich musical traditions of the SWANA region (South West Asia and North Africa).
The self-titled album is a culmination of years of learning, listening, and creating. It serves as a transportive portal into the duo's expansive world beyond the dance floor, capturing the cosmic emotions of cinema through a meticulous analog approach to live recordings. It channels a wide range of influences, including Egyptian folk, Turkish psych, Algerian rai, Sudanese funk, Ethiopian jazz, and Khaleeji disco.
“Sonically we have tried to capture what time traveling with Dar Disku through our different influences would feel like,” they say of their recording process, “and although inspired directly some of our favourite hidden gems from the past, the sound of this record remains unmistakably rooted in our present day where current influences from electronic genres, hip hop, jazz and psychedelia also shine through.”
The pair explain that they learnt much of this through their own previously released edits of middle eastern music “which inspired us to create our own brand new original songs that draw from a similar breath. We've been able to combine this with our contemporary inspirations and bring to life something that is comfortingly nostalgic and yet refreshingly new.”
Vish and Maz have put immense effort into researching the songwriting and recording methods of the decades they draw inspiration from - utilising vintage consoles, analog synthesisers, and carefully crafted sonic spaces. This dedication is evident in every track, which combines their contemporary influences with the rich musical traditions of the region to create something that feels both timeless and innovative. More
Following on from his previous debut album Tape 1/Tape 2 on Soundway, Felbm delivers Tape 3/Tape 4: an intimate, emotional, lilting and melodic solo project. These 14 lo-fi, instrumental, jazz-infused sketches were written on guitar, with cascading keyboards, vibraphone and drum machine. Possessing a restorative and soothing quality, it goes some way to balancing out a chaotic year for the world at large. With echoes of the dreamier end of 1980s English indie-pop, minimal ambient music and Brazilian bossa-nova, Topper"s musical storybook includes touches of The Durutti Column, hints of Antônio Carlos Jobim and Baden Powell, whilst all set firmly in the summer fields of Germany and the Netherlands. The recording method used for the creation and recording of Tape 3 and Tape 4 follows the same as his previous release: all sketches were initially recorded onto cassette on a 4-track tape machine. Most notably a vibraphone finds its way onto almost every track fitting Topper"s sound-palette perfectly: warm yet distinctive, a percussive as well as sustaining sound that evokes some melancholy and a certain timeless nostalgia. Features that most certainly also apply to the other "new" instrument on the tapes: mellotron flutes. Tape 3/Tape 4 navigates the space between quiet, open, meditative tunes and more solid instrumental works, reflecting his constant search for an optimal balance between stillness and movement.
Tracklist
1.1Filatelie
1.2Tartufai
1.3Tiquetonne
1.4Veluwe
1.5Herausweh
1.6Talmen
1.7Heisei
1.8Brunnengasse
1.9Colorists
1.10Langeweile
1.11Beaufort
1.12Somnambulant
1.13Regtur
1.14Midori More
Tracklist
1.1Filatelie
1.2Tartufai
1.3Tiquetonne
1.4Veluwe
1.5Herausweh
1.6Talmen
1.7Heisei
1.8Brunnengasse
1.9Colorists
1.10Langeweile
1.11Beaufort
1.12Somnambulant
1.13Regtur
1.14Midori More
1
Papillon - Moulongo (Vocal)
2
Papillon - Moulongo (Dub)
3
Papillon - Moulongo (Poirier Dub)
Soundway presents Ferdinand ‘Maréchal’ Papillon’s underground club classic Moulongo - recorded in Paris in 1995 and highlighting the Zouk/dancehall/Makossa crossover sound that was then coming out of the city’s studios. Features a new remix from Canadian producer Poirier for a 2024 bassline zouk mover, cut loud and proud on 12” vinyl.
Ferdinand ‘Maréchal’ Papillon was part of the makossa wave that moved from Cameroon to France and across the African diaspora in the 80s and 90s, bringing the sounds of rhythms of Douala and Yaoundé to the clubs and dancefloors of Paris. Although best known for his Sakissa style - his own uptempo take on the makossa of Cameroon - Papillon also regularly featured zouk and reggae influenced tracks on his albums, combining Caribbean and African influences into a unique sound that has stood the test of time.
‘Moulongo’ originally appeared on Papillon’s highly sought after 1995 album “Homme fort….je suis sérieux” and was recorded at Studio de la Madeleine in Paris. The Moulongo session features a who’s who of the Paris scene of the time - Aladji Touré and Toto Guillaume from Cameroon as well as Congolese guitar greats Ngoma Lokito and Nene Tchacou - and combines dancehall, zouk and makossa elements for a pan-African dancefloor sureshot. More
Ferdinand ‘Maréchal’ Papillon was part of the makossa wave that moved from Cameroon to France and across the African diaspora in the 80s and 90s, bringing the sounds of rhythms of Douala and Yaoundé to the clubs and dancefloors of Paris. Although best known for his Sakissa style - his own uptempo take on the makossa of Cameroon - Papillon also regularly featured zouk and reggae influenced tracks on his albums, combining Caribbean and African influences into a unique sound that has stood the test of time.
‘Moulongo’ originally appeared on Papillon’s highly sought after 1995 album “Homme fort….je suis sérieux” and was recorded at Studio de la Madeleine in Paris. The Moulongo session features a who’s who of the Paris scene of the time - Aladji Touré and Toto Guillaume from Cameroon as well as Congolese guitar greats Ngoma Lokito and Nene Tchacou - and combines dancehall, zouk and makossa elements for a pan-African dancefloor sureshot. More
1
Barbara Hernandez - All Nite Tonight (Vocal)
2
Barbara Hernandez - All Nite Tonight (Version)
Cult soca disco 12”, produced by Leston Paul and originally released in 1984 - now available for the first time in 40 years.
Barbara Hernandez was working as a backing singer for Kool and the Gang in New York at the time the track was recorded, and the session featured their horn section as well as a who’s who of the Trinidad music scene for what would be Barbara’s only solo release. Suffering from poor distribution at the time of release, the 12” failed to make waves at the time but is now lovingly remastered and cut loud, a sure fire dancefloor sure shot. More
Barbara Hernandez was working as a backing singer for Kool and the Gang in New York at the time the track was recorded, and the session featured their horn section as well as a who’s who of the Trinidad music scene for what would be Barbara’s only solo release. Suffering from poor distribution at the time of release, the 12” failed to make waves at the time but is now lovingly remastered and cut loud, a sure fire dancefloor sure shot. More
1
The Godfathers - Ebe Ye Yie Ni
2
Pat Thomas - Gye Wani
3
Pepper, Onion, Ginger & Salt - M.C. Mambo
4
Andy Vans - Adjoa Amisa
5
George Darko - Kaakyire Nua
6
Rex Gyamfi - Obiara Bewu
7
Starlite - Anoma Koro
8
Abdul Raheem - Alaiye
9
Jon K - Asafo
10
Kwasi Afari Minta - Barima Nsu
11
Marijata (feat. Ata Kak) - Otanhunu
12
Gyedu Blay Ambolley - Apple
13
Dadadi - Jigi Jigi
14
Charles Amoah - Fre Me (Call Me)
15
Ernest Honny - New Dance
16
Bessa Simons - Sii Nana
17
Nan Mayen - Mumude
18
Nana Budjei - Asobrachie
In the early 1980s, a particular alchemy between new musical technologies and significant social, cultural, and political transformations in Ghana gave rise to a new style of highlife. Drum machines and synthesisers appeared alongside lilting guitar lines and punchy horns, and the emerging Ghanaian diaspora began incorporating US disco and boogie, R&B, European new wave, and Caribbean zouk and soca into their music.
This style soundtracked the birth of a new, proud Ghanaian identity and captured the idiosyncrasies of a rapidly changing postcolonial society, marked by increased migration and wider access to global sounds and modern technology.
More than 20 years after the release of the heavy funk and Afrobeat-focused Ghana Soundz compilations, and following the success of 2009’s Ghana Special: Modern Highlife, Afro Sounds & Ghanaian Blues 1968-1981, Soundway is now shining the spotlight on the multifaceted, diasporic sounds of the ‘80s on new compilation Ghana Special - Volume 2, a collection of 18 burger highlife, electronic afrobeat, and reggae tracks.
Though Ghanaian to its very core, burger highlife emerged mostly outside of Ghana and just as the sun was setting on the country’s musical golden age. In the 1960s and 1970s cities such as Accra, Tema, Takoradi, and Cape Coast were home to thriving music scenes, and the loud horn sections of the big highlife bands, or the simpler, socially conscious palm wine music ruled the dance halls, locals drinkeries, and airwaves.
Back then music represented a powerful force, and an artist’s endorsement or dissent could make or break a politician. Perhaps to curb this power, the incoming military regime-imposed curfews and substantial import taxes on musical instruments in the early 1980s. These measures, coupled with a profound economic downturn and shifting musical preferences that saw DJs replacing large live bands, served as the final blow to Ghana's once-thriving music scene.
Musicians left Ghana in droves, scattering across West Africa, Europe, and North America. Thanks in part to its more permissive migration policies Germany became the heart of this scene, and the movement in fact takes its name from “Bürger”, the German for “citizen”. Less confined by genres than back in Ghana, artists in the diaspora were quick to engage with the different styles, working disco, boogie, and funk into their highlife melodies. Access to state-of-the-art studios and modern musical technologies also gave birth to all sorts of mutations: burger highlife in fact is less defined by one particular sound, than by the experimental approach and global outlook of its artists.
Tracks such as Ernest Honny’s experimental cut “New Dance” are an example of just how far artists strayed from original highlife arrangements. Honny, who started his career as a keyboard player with Dr K Gyasi’s band The Noble Kings, had moved to Benin in the 1980s, where he experimented with synthesisers and drum machines at one of Cotonou’s top studios. Similarly, Nan Mayen’s “Mumude” is a slick, 80’s pop track which was recorded in Germany, with only a slight echo of highlife in its opening Fanti lyrics.
This generation of artists found inspiration in sounds that transcended geographical boundaries: singer and guitarist Nana Budjei, who was originally from central Ghana but had moved to the UK in the 1980s, says that his radiant, sun-drenched 1988 track “Asobrachie” is “influenced by reggae maestros Bob Marley and Alpha Blondy, and traditional Akan folklore music”; on “Jigi Jigi”, the Kumasi-born, Sweden transplant Delips Apo draws on soca, latin, and zouk influences.
Throughout the 1980s Ghanaian artists kept producing increasingly innovative and experimental hybrids, winning over new audiences abroad. Though back in Ghana the new sound was initially met with disapproval by purists, it slowly became a symbol of a new, worldly and modern Ghanaian identity. The creativity and open mindedness that characterised burger highlife have gone on to shape the evolution of Ghanaian music since, giving artists the freedom to explore new global sounds while preserving a proudly Ghanaian soul. Ghana Special - Volume 2 stands as a vibrant tribute to the lasting legacy of this groundbreaking musical era. More
This style soundtracked the birth of a new, proud Ghanaian identity and captured the idiosyncrasies of a rapidly changing postcolonial society, marked by increased migration and wider access to global sounds and modern technology.
More than 20 years after the release of the heavy funk and Afrobeat-focused Ghana Soundz compilations, and following the success of 2009’s Ghana Special: Modern Highlife, Afro Sounds & Ghanaian Blues 1968-1981, Soundway is now shining the spotlight on the multifaceted, diasporic sounds of the ‘80s on new compilation Ghana Special - Volume 2, a collection of 18 burger highlife, electronic afrobeat, and reggae tracks.
Though Ghanaian to its very core, burger highlife emerged mostly outside of Ghana and just as the sun was setting on the country’s musical golden age. In the 1960s and 1970s cities such as Accra, Tema, Takoradi, and Cape Coast were home to thriving music scenes, and the loud horn sections of the big highlife bands, or the simpler, socially conscious palm wine music ruled the dance halls, locals drinkeries, and airwaves.
Back then music represented a powerful force, and an artist’s endorsement or dissent could make or break a politician. Perhaps to curb this power, the incoming military regime-imposed curfews and substantial import taxes on musical instruments in the early 1980s. These measures, coupled with a profound economic downturn and shifting musical preferences that saw DJs replacing large live bands, served as the final blow to Ghana's once-thriving music scene.
Musicians left Ghana in droves, scattering across West Africa, Europe, and North America. Thanks in part to its more permissive migration policies Germany became the heart of this scene, and the movement in fact takes its name from “Bürger”, the German for “citizen”. Less confined by genres than back in Ghana, artists in the diaspora were quick to engage with the different styles, working disco, boogie, and funk into their highlife melodies. Access to state-of-the-art studios and modern musical technologies also gave birth to all sorts of mutations: burger highlife in fact is less defined by one particular sound, than by the experimental approach and global outlook of its artists.
Tracks such as Ernest Honny’s experimental cut “New Dance” are an example of just how far artists strayed from original highlife arrangements. Honny, who started his career as a keyboard player with Dr K Gyasi’s band The Noble Kings, had moved to Benin in the 1980s, where he experimented with synthesisers and drum machines at one of Cotonou’s top studios. Similarly, Nan Mayen’s “Mumude” is a slick, 80’s pop track which was recorded in Germany, with only a slight echo of highlife in its opening Fanti lyrics.
This generation of artists found inspiration in sounds that transcended geographical boundaries: singer and guitarist Nana Budjei, who was originally from central Ghana but had moved to the UK in the 1980s, says that his radiant, sun-drenched 1988 track “Asobrachie” is “influenced by reggae maestros Bob Marley and Alpha Blondy, and traditional Akan folklore music”; on “Jigi Jigi”, the Kumasi-born, Sweden transplant Delips Apo draws on soca, latin, and zouk influences.
Throughout the 1980s Ghanaian artists kept producing increasingly innovative and experimental hybrids, winning over new audiences abroad. Though back in Ghana the new sound was initially met with disapproval by purists, it slowly became a symbol of a new, worldly and modern Ghanaian identity. The creativity and open mindedness that characterised burger highlife have gone on to shape the evolution of Ghanaian music since, giving artists the freedom to explore new global sounds while preserving a proudly Ghanaian soul. Ghana Special - Volume 2 stands as a vibrant tribute to the lasting legacy of this groundbreaking musical era. More
1
Sai Galaxy - Sometimes It Rains (Feat. Kaivili)
2
Sai Galaxy - Okere (Feat. Bade)
3
Sai Galaxy - Rich Man, Poor Man (Feat. ROB)
4
Sai Galaxy - Hold Me Tonight (Feat. Steve Monite)
The star-studded Sai Galaxy project returns, bringing together West African legends Steve Monite and Rob with multi-instrumentalist Simon Durrington, guitar maestro Alfred Bannerman and Egypt 80 trumpet player Bade for a second EP of vital Afro Disco and Soul. The EP follows up 2022’s “Get It As You Move” EP, blending layers of vocal harmonies and synth washes with a rock solid disco base. The sound stays faithful to the analogue production techniques of the 70s and 80s, adding a modern touch informed by Simon Durrington’s Digital Afrika project.
Lead single Hold You Tonight features Nigerian disco icon Steve Monite (best known for his mega hit “Only You”), revisiting his 80s origins with a dancefloor-ready slice of dubby boogie.
Rich Man Poor Man (featuring Ghana’s very own Rob) slows down the tempo and brings the highlife influence to the fore, while Sometimes It Rains brings a neo soul bump with the Omar-esque sound of Fijian vocalist Kaivili. More
Lead single Hold You Tonight features Nigerian disco icon Steve Monite (best known for his mega hit “Only You”), revisiting his 80s origins with a dancefloor-ready slice of dubby boogie.
Rich Man Poor Man (featuring Ghana’s very own Rob) slows down the tempo and brings the highlife influence to the fore, while Sometimes It Rains brings a neo soul bump with the Omar-esque sound of Fijian vocalist Kaivili. More
1
Black Truth Rhythm Band - Ifetayo
2
Black Truth Rhythm Band - You People
3
Black Truth Rhythm Band - Save D Musician
4
Black Truth Rhythm Band - Kilimanjaro
5
Black Truth Rhythm Band - Aspire
6
Black Truth Rhythm Band - Umbala
7
Black Truth Rhythm Band - Imo
Soundway presents a long-awaited remaster and re-cut of the 1976 album ‘Ifetayo’ by Black Truth Rhythm Band, an important and overlooked chapter in Trinidad’s rich musical history that blends West African influences with jazz, funk and the social commentary of the calypso tradition.
Led by the charismatic Oluko Imo (who went on to record with Fela Kuti and perform with members of Fela’s Egypt 80 band ), the group drew on the strong connections to Yoruba culture and Orisa traditions in Trinidad, looking to Africa for inspiration and reflecting the burgeoning Black Power movement of the time.
Recorded at KH studios in Port of Spain, Ifetayo (Yoruba for ‘Love excels all’) was the group’s sole album release. Imo contributed lead vocals and played bass, kalimba, conga, flute and percussion, channelling music from both sides of the Atlantic into a distinctive and unique slice of Afro Trinidadian expression.
Includes bonus track “Imo” not included on the original LP More
Led by the charismatic Oluko Imo (who went on to record with Fela Kuti and perform with members of Fela’s Egypt 80 band ), the group drew on the strong connections to Yoruba culture and Orisa traditions in Trinidad, looking to Africa for inspiration and reflecting the burgeoning Black Power movement of the time.
Recorded at KH studios in Port of Spain, Ifetayo (Yoruba for ‘Love excels all’) was the group’s sole album release. Imo contributed lead vocals and played bass, kalimba, conga, flute and percussion, channelling music from both sides of the Atlantic into a distinctive and unique slice of Afro Trinidadian expression.
Includes bonus track “Imo” not included on the original LP More
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Oluko Imo - Oduduwa
2
Oluko Imo - Were Oju Le (The Eyes Are Getting Red)
Reissue of the 80s 12” single from Trinidadian musician Oluko Imo (Black Truth Rhythm Band), featuring Fela Kuti and Femi Kuti.
Recorded between Lagos and New York in 1988, the tracks sit at the fault line of the Trinidad-Yoruba connection, blending calypso heritage with the Afrobeat and jazz of Nigeria
On the A-side, title track ‘Oduduwa’ is a brooding slice of peak-era Transatlantic Afrobeat, blending a heartfelt plea for social justice and equality with a haunting piano line, shuffling drums and ethereal sax solo.
The song takes its name from Oduduwa, the founder of the Ife Empire, who is also seen as a divine Orisha (deity) in Yoruba culture, one that is often evoked by musicians and activists in Trinidad as a signifier of Yoruba heritage on the island.
On the flip, ‘Eyes Are Getting Red (Were Oju Le)’ is a long-lost slice of low slung Afrobeat featuring both Fela and Femi Kuti. Classic Nigerian horns and keys combine with Oluko Imo’s Caribbean-influenced guitar and Fela’s virtuoso sax solo, bridging the musical gap between Lagos and Port of Spain. More
Recorded between Lagos and New York in 1988, the tracks sit at the fault line of the Trinidad-Yoruba connection, blending calypso heritage with the Afrobeat and jazz of Nigeria
On the A-side, title track ‘Oduduwa’ is a brooding slice of peak-era Transatlantic Afrobeat, blending a heartfelt plea for social justice and equality with a haunting piano line, shuffling drums and ethereal sax solo.
The song takes its name from Oduduwa, the founder of the Ife Empire, who is also seen as a divine Orisha (deity) in Yoruba culture, one that is often evoked by musicians and activists in Trinidad as a signifier of Yoruba heritage on the island.
On the flip, ‘Eyes Are Getting Red (Were Oju Le)’ is a long-lost slice of low slung Afrobeat featuring both Fela and Femi Kuti. Classic Nigerian horns and keys combine with Oluko Imo’s Caribbean-influenced guitar and Fela’s virtuoso sax solo, bridging the musical gap between Lagos and Port of Spain. More
1
Gypsy Fari - Chi-Town Reggae
2
Gypsy Fari - Hail Jah
Reissue of the highly sought-after 7” from 1979 by Chicago reggae outfit Gypsy Fari.
Gypsy Fari was a project born in the south side of Chicago, after a chance meeting between St Kitts expat Leroy Webster and local music grad Kevin Coleman. The pair set out to blur the boundaries of genre with their unique brand of music,spearheaded by Webster’s Caribbean roots and fused with the soul and blues the midwest is famous for.
A striking stand-out of the band’s repertoire comes via their debut recording, laid down at Curtis Mayfield’s legendary Curtom Studios. The EP opens with Chi-Town Reggae - a super-charged blend of reggae and disco, led by Websters infectious vocal, steeped in soul and powered by a relentless rhythm section. Hail Jah follows closely, written on the hilltops of the outskirts of Kingston, Jamaica, it’s a deadly roots reggae missile that pays homage to Websters beginnings.
Once dubbed by a local news outlet “Gypsy Fari are to Chicago reggae what Muddy Water is to Chicago blues” - now remastered, repackaged and made available again for the first time since its initial release. More
Gypsy Fari was a project born in the south side of Chicago, after a chance meeting between St Kitts expat Leroy Webster and local music grad Kevin Coleman. The pair set out to blur the boundaries of genre with their unique brand of music,spearheaded by Webster’s Caribbean roots and fused with the soul and blues the midwest is famous for.
A striking stand-out of the band’s repertoire comes via their debut recording, laid down at Curtis Mayfield’s legendary Curtom Studios. The EP opens with Chi-Town Reggae - a super-charged blend of reggae and disco, led by Websters infectious vocal, steeped in soul and powered by a relentless rhythm section. Hail Jah follows closely, written on the hilltops of the outskirts of Kingston, Jamaica, it’s a deadly roots reggae missile that pays homage to Websters beginnings.
Once dubbed by a local news outlet “Gypsy Fari are to Chicago reggae what Muddy Water is to Chicago blues” - now remastered, repackaged and made available again for the first time since its initial release. More
Label:Soundway Records
Cat-No:SNDW12048
Release-Date:29.09.2023
Genre:HipHop/Rap/Urban
Configuration:12"
Label:Soundway Records
Cat-No:SNDW12048
Release-Date:29.09.2023
Genre:HipHop/Rap/Urban
Configuration:12"
1
Rex Omar - Dada
2
Rex Omar - Tokota
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Rex Omar - Konka
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Rex Omar - Osisi
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Rex Omar - Kele Ngele
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Rex Omar - Dada (Aroop Roy Rework)
Five of Rex Omar's premier cuts remastered for a new self-titled EP - an irresistible blend of street-soul-come-highlife, with elements of bouncing 90s RnB/hip-hop !
Over his career Rex Omar has evolved the genre, pushing boundaries and dazzling listeners. A definitive piece of his repertoire comes via his Dangerous album: while it was self- produced and recorded in London circa 1997, upon CD release it saw success mainly within his homeland of Ghana. An irresistible blend of street-soul-come-highlife, with elements of bouncing 90s RnB/hip-hop, it was developed with help from Ibibio Sound Machine’s Kari Bannerman and prolific Jamaican producer Bill Campbell. From this album rising London producer and DJ Aroop Roy revisits the four-to-the-floor excursion ‘Dada’, repurposing for today’s dancefloor with the addition of fizzing synth chords and stabs.
While Omar regularly raps on his earlier works, on ‘Kele Ngele’ (taken from his 2004 album Ajala) we hear a yearning melodic vocal over a more laid back RnB beat. This rounds out the new Rex Omar EP for the discerning listener to experience the full breadth of his inventive output. More
Over his career Rex Omar has evolved the genre, pushing boundaries and dazzling listeners. A definitive piece of his repertoire comes via his Dangerous album: while it was self- produced and recorded in London circa 1997, upon CD release it saw success mainly within his homeland of Ghana. An irresistible blend of street-soul-come-highlife, with elements of bouncing 90s RnB/hip-hop, it was developed with help from Ibibio Sound Machine’s Kari Bannerman and prolific Jamaican producer Bill Campbell. From this album rising London producer and DJ Aroop Roy revisits the four-to-the-floor excursion ‘Dada’, repurposing for today’s dancefloor with the addition of fizzing synth chords and stabs.
While Omar regularly raps on his earlier works, on ‘Kele Ngele’ (taken from his 2004 album Ajala) we hear a yearning melodic vocal over a more laid back RnB beat. This rounds out the new Rex Omar EP for the discerning listener to experience the full breadth of his inventive output. More
1
Circus Underwater - Big Buck Meets The Perpendicular Fish
2
Circus Underwater - Trees Walk
3
Circus Underwater - The Surface Of The Water
4
Circus Underwater - Rugaru By Itself
5
Circus Underwater - I Wash My Hair With Limes
6
Circus Underwater - She Dreams Of Golden Golves Dancing
7
Circus Underwater - ENtrance Of The Deacon
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Circus Underwater - Weeping Of Electric Sheep
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Circus Underwater - First Hump Of Stately Plump
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Circus Underwater - Thunder Daughters Underwater
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Circus Underwater - Requiem For The Glass Trapeze
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Circus Underwater - Muddy Ghosts Running From Rain
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Circus Underwater - Behind The Altar There Is A Carousel
Remastered release of Circus Underwater’s 1984 self titled outing, including unreleased tracks taken from the original ¼” tapes. Soundway presents Circus Underwater’s 1984 self-titled masterpiece. Remastered and extended to a double LP, thisdeluxe version includes six unreleased tracks unearthed fromthe original 1/4” tapes, and presented with an insert, includingnever-before-seen photos and the fascinating story behind the music.
Featuring artwork from Grateful Dead collaborator, DavidLundquist, the album encapsulates a unique moment intime. Echoing the story of a generation that grew up in the 50s and 60s where music was everything, two friends embarkon a journey of experimentation which begins in the beatnik suburbs of Washington DC and travels to the heart of hippieSan Francisco. The result is an opus that fearlessly blurs the boundaries of genres and embraces diverse influences. Elements of prog, rock, ambient and wave music culminatein an odyssey that seamlessly bridges the gap between thespaced-out creativity of the 70s and electronic music of today.
releases September 15, 2023
Original artwork by David Lundquist.
Mastering and lacquer cuts by Frank Merritt, The Carvery Studio, London.
Artwork restoration by Javi Bayo.
FOR FANS OF:
Jeff Majors, Song Of The Golden Lotus, Peter Westheimer, Workdub, Floating Points More
Featuring artwork from Grateful Dead collaborator, DavidLundquist, the album encapsulates a unique moment intime. Echoing the story of a generation that grew up in the 50s and 60s where music was everything, two friends embarkon a journey of experimentation which begins in the beatnik suburbs of Washington DC and travels to the heart of hippieSan Francisco. The result is an opus that fearlessly blurs the boundaries of genres and embraces diverse influences. Elements of prog, rock, ambient and wave music culminatein an odyssey that seamlessly bridges the gap between thespaced-out creativity of the 70s and electronic music of today.
releases September 15, 2023
Original artwork by David Lundquist.
Mastering and lacquer cuts by Frank Merritt, The Carvery Studio, London.
Artwork restoration by Javi Bayo.
FOR FANS OF:
Jeff Majors, Song Of The Golden Lotus, Peter Westheimer, Workdub, Floating Points More
1
Ayo Manuel - Song Of Love (Instrumental)
2
Ayo Manuel - Fun Time
3
Ayo Manuel - Don't Stop
4
Ayo Manuel - Sojourn (Ajo)
5
Ayo Manuel - Gboro Mi Ro
6
Ayo Manuel - Do Good
Soundway Records presents Ayo Manuel ‘1983-1990’, a collection of selected works by one of Nigeria’s DIY pioneers.
This mini compilation selects the stand out cuts from his two albums Love Candidate and Party Time, showcasing the evolution of Ayo’s music. Side A is led by Song Of Love (Instrumental) - mid-tempo, synth-heavy music toeing the line between lo-fi crunch and sophisticated charm. This is followed closely by afro-disco melters Don’t Stop and the aptly titled Fun Time. Both with strong American, disco-funk leanings but full of Nigerian flavour, they come signed, sealed and delivered for any discerning dancefloor.
Sojourn (Ajo) lights up side-B, a coming-of-age journey that sets the tone for the rest of the album. With slick US production, but with its feet firmly planted in Yoruba culture, we find a more developed artist combining talking drums with distinct ’90s production, that deliver a unique blend of afro-pop. Gboro Mi Ro echoes the influence of Nigeria’s biggest musical export, Fela Kuti, but still retains its own particular character. Do Good follows in the footsteps of its predecessors but with added drama and depth. More
This mini compilation selects the stand out cuts from his two albums Love Candidate and Party Time, showcasing the evolution of Ayo’s music. Side A is led by Song Of Love (Instrumental) - mid-tempo, synth-heavy music toeing the line between lo-fi crunch and sophisticated charm. This is followed closely by afro-disco melters Don’t Stop and the aptly titled Fun Time. Both with strong American, disco-funk leanings but full of Nigerian flavour, they come signed, sealed and delivered for any discerning dancefloor.
Sojourn (Ajo) lights up side-B, a coming-of-age journey that sets the tone for the rest of the album. With slick US production, but with its feet firmly planted in Yoruba culture, we find a more developed artist combining talking drums with distinct ’90s production, that deliver a unique blend of afro-pop. Gboro Mi Ro echoes the influence of Nigeria’s biggest musical export, Fela Kuti, but still retains its own particular character. Do Good follows in the footsteps of its predecessors but with added drama and depth. More
1
Ondatrópica - Tiene Sabor, Tiene Sazon
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Ondatrópica - Punkero Sonidero
3
Ondatrópica - Li´bya
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Ondatrópica - Suena
5
Ondatrópica - Locomotora Borracha
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Ondatrópica - Remando
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Ondatrópica - Ska Fuentes
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Ondatrópica - 3 Reyes De La Terapia
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Ondatrópica - Gaita Tropica
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Ondatrópica - I Ron Man
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Ondatrópica - Dos Lucecitas
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Ondatrópica - Cumbia Especial
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Ondatrópica - Swing De Gillian
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Ondatrópica - Bomba Tropica
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Ondatrópica - Linda Mañana
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Ondatrópica - El Caiman Y El Gallinazo
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Ondatrópica - Mambo Loco Especial
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Ondatrópica - Papi Shingaling
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Ondatrópica - Mi Negra
20
Ondatrópica - Traigan La Batea
21
Ondatrópica - Donde Suena El Bombo
22
Ondatrópica - Curro Fuentes
23
Ondatrópica - Descarga Tropica
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Ondatrópica - Cien Años
25
Ondatrópica - Rap Maya
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Ondatrópica - Pig Bag
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Ondatrópica - Homenaje A Landero
2023 Repress!
Conceived by Colombian musician Mario Galeano, the force behind the band Frente Cumbiero, and English producer Will ‘Quantic’ Holland, Ondatrópica brings together an all-star cast representing both the classic and modern styles of la musica Colombiana.
Over 3 weeks in January 2012 at the famous Discos Fuentes studios in Medellín legendary figures from Colombian music joined a group of younger Colombian musicians that included members of both Mario’s band Frente Cumbeiro and Quantic’s Combo Barbaro. The plan; “to re-interpret the tropical musical heritage of Colombia with new approaches in composition, arrangement and production in a classic and mythical setting.”
For the recording Will and Mario invited musicians that they felt had made a particularly important contribution to the history of tropical music in Colombia. Michi Sarmiento, crowned the Godfather of Ondatrópica during the recording process, sounds as at home playing on the drunken Black Sabbath cover ‘I Ron Man’ as he does on 'El Caiman y Gallenazo', a song penned by his father.
Multi-instrumentalist Fruko, the prodigy of the Fuentes Studio and one of the top progressive minds of the 70s got so involved that he joined the project for much longer than originally planned, and even ended up preparing desserts and fruit salads for the large group of musicians that had been assembled in the studio.
The Barranquilla-based accordion-playing don and singer Anibal Velasquez also joined the recording for two days. Another of the 42 musicians involved was octogenarian pianist Juancho Vargas who came straight from hospital to the studio to record ‘Cumbia Espacial’.
A mixture of well known and classic Colombian styles such as cumbia, porro, gaita and champeta clash head-on with boogaloo, ska, beat-box, hip hop, dub and funk. The tracks range from straight-up timeless pieces with one foot in the 1960s and 70s to progressive and forward-looking recordings firmly rooted in the 21st century. Mario and Will also adopted a 100% analogue recording approach in tribute to a sound and feel that the studio had been lacking for some years now.
Chilean MC Ana Tijoux takes the microphone for ‘Suena’, the melody line an ode to the major-key sound of 60s Sabanero cumbias. El Chongo, a young percussionist and beatboxer from the Caribbean city of Cartagena features on ‘Rap Maya’, a sound-clash with 82-year old gaita player Pedro Ramaya.
Soundway’s exploration into Colombian music began in 2007 with it’s much acclaimed compilation ‘Colombia! The Golden Age of Discos Fuentes The Powerhouse of Colombian Music 1960-76’. That compilation features many original works from the above-mentioned artists as well as some of the main session men of the day that also played on this new record. It's fitting then that Ondatrópica came together in the legendary Discos Fuentes studios in Medellín. More
Conceived by Colombian musician Mario Galeano, the force behind the band Frente Cumbiero, and English producer Will ‘Quantic’ Holland, Ondatrópica brings together an all-star cast representing both the classic and modern styles of la musica Colombiana.
Over 3 weeks in January 2012 at the famous Discos Fuentes studios in Medellín legendary figures from Colombian music joined a group of younger Colombian musicians that included members of both Mario’s band Frente Cumbeiro and Quantic’s Combo Barbaro. The plan; “to re-interpret the tropical musical heritage of Colombia with new approaches in composition, arrangement and production in a classic and mythical setting.”
For the recording Will and Mario invited musicians that they felt had made a particularly important contribution to the history of tropical music in Colombia. Michi Sarmiento, crowned the Godfather of Ondatrópica during the recording process, sounds as at home playing on the drunken Black Sabbath cover ‘I Ron Man’ as he does on 'El Caiman y Gallenazo', a song penned by his father.
Multi-instrumentalist Fruko, the prodigy of the Fuentes Studio and one of the top progressive minds of the 70s got so involved that he joined the project for much longer than originally planned, and even ended up preparing desserts and fruit salads for the large group of musicians that had been assembled in the studio.
The Barranquilla-based accordion-playing don and singer Anibal Velasquez also joined the recording for two days. Another of the 42 musicians involved was octogenarian pianist Juancho Vargas who came straight from hospital to the studio to record ‘Cumbia Espacial’.
A mixture of well known and classic Colombian styles such as cumbia, porro, gaita and champeta clash head-on with boogaloo, ska, beat-box, hip hop, dub and funk. The tracks range from straight-up timeless pieces with one foot in the 1960s and 70s to progressive and forward-looking recordings firmly rooted in the 21st century. Mario and Will also adopted a 100% analogue recording approach in tribute to a sound and feel that the studio had been lacking for some years now.
Chilean MC Ana Tijoux takes the microphone for ‘Suena’, the melody line an ode to the major-key sound of 60s Sabanero cumbias. El Chongo, a young percussionist and beatboxer from the Caribbean city of Cartagena features on ‘Rap Maya’, a sound-clash with 82-year old gaita player Pedro Ramaya.
Soundway’s exploration into Colombian music began in 2007 with it’s much acclaimed compilation ‘Colombia! The Golden Age of Discos Fuentes The Powerhouse of Colombian Music 1960-76’. That compilation features many original works from the above-mentioned artists as well as some of the main session men of the day that also played on this new record. It's fitting then that Ondatrópica came together in the legendary Discos Fuentes studios in Medellín. More
1
Felbm - Cycli Infini
2
Felbm - Cycli Infini
Tracklist:
A: Cycli Infini
B: Cycli Infini
Dutch multi-instrumentalist Felbm returns with the conceptual album ‘cycli infini’ : a 38-minute composition of metamorphosing tape loops, musical patterns and instrumental sketches. Further exploring the concept is the vinyl release which features the track spread over both sides and cut to the end of each locked groove - creating an essentially never-ending piece that challenges the idea of the traditional listening process.
The idea came to fruition by way of a lifelong interest and growing awareness of the cyclical nature of the world around him - be it through observing nature, or the mathematical and mind-bending works of Dutch artist MC Escher, or minimalist composers such as Erik Satie, Laraaji and Melaine Dalibert. “The openness of Laraaji’s and Satie’s music have also been an influence to create a certain softness and feeling of comfort, as I like this piece to be a place you want to revisit”, says Felbm, real name Eelco Topper.
While Topper’s previous releases on Soundway Records comprised series of short, individual sketches, on cycli infini the tapestry is sewn seamlessly together using a step-like progression through the circle of fifths, which as the name suggests, brings the listener back to the musical key and soundscape at which they started. Should the full track be on repeat, it begins anew without being noticed.
The piece began life with a layer of drone loops using tapes and delay pedals, over which acoustic instruments such as flute, saxophone and bass trumpet would playfully but gently interpret a melody - toying with jazz, ambient, fourth world and percussive sounds. As the music evolves through the key progression, organic elements such as birdsong and wind chimes ground the piece in nature. Says Topper: “the never-ending metamorphosis of matter has always fascinated me, the idea that nothing ever really disappears and everything has already been here… just in different shapes.”
For Fans of:
Laraaji, Basil Kirchin, Gaussian Curve, Young Marco, Greg Foat, Bibio, KPM library records More
A: Cycli Infini
B: Cycli Infini
Dutch multi-instrumentalist Felbm returns with the conceptual album ‘cycli infini’ : a 38-minute composition of metamorphosing tape loops, musical patterns and instrumental sketches. Further exploring the concept is the vinyl release which features the track spread over both sides and cut to the end of each locked groove - creating an essentially never-ending piece that challenges the idea of the traditional listening process.
The idea came to fruition by way of a lifelong interest and growing awareness of the cyclical nature of the world around him - be it through observing nature, or the mathematical and mind-bending works of Dutch artist MC Escher, or minimalist composers such as Erik Satie, Laraaji and Melaine Dalibert. “The openness of Laraaji’s and Satie’s music have also been an influence to create a certain softness and feeling of comfort, as I like this piece to be a place you want to revisit”, says Felbm, real name Eelco Topper.
While Topper’s previous releases on Soundway Records comprised series of short, individual sketches, on cycli infini the tapestry is sewn seamlessly together using a step-like progression through the circle of fifths, which as the name suggests, brings the listener back to the musical key and soundscape at which they started. Should the full track be on repeat, it begins anew without being noticed.
The piece began life with a layer of drone loops using tapes and delay pedals, over which acoustic instruments such as flute, saxophone and bass trumpet would playfully but gently interpret a melody - toying with jazz, ambient, fourth world and percussive sounds. As the music evolves through the key progression, organic elements such as birdsong and wind chimes ground the piece in nature. Says Topper: “the never-ending metamorphosis of matter has always fascinated me, the idea that nothing ever really disappears and everything has already been here… just in different shapes.”
For Fans of:
Laraaji, Basil Kirchin, Gaussian Curve, Young Marco, Greg Foat, Bibio, KPM library records More
1
Yoruba Singers - Ojinga's Own
2
Yoruba Singers - What To Do
3
Yoruba Singers - Stay Away
4
Yoruba Singers - Uncomprehensidensible Radio-Matic Woman
5
Yoruba Singers - Neighbour Jean
6
Yoruba Singers - G.o.-Go
7
Yoruba Singers - Massacura Man
8
Yoruba Singers - Woman A Dead Ya Fuh Man
9
Yoruba Singers - Ka Duma
10
Yoruba Singers - I've Got To Be Somebody
11
Yoruba Singers - No Intention
Tracklist:
Sida A
1. Ojinga’s Own
2. What To Do
3. Stay Away
4. Uncomprehensidensible
Radio-Matic Woman
5. Neighbour Jean
6. G.o.-Go
SIDE B
1. Massacura Man
2. Woman A Dead Ya Fuh Man
3. Ka Duma
4. I’ve Got To Be Somebody
5. No Intention
The 1974 debut album Ojinga’s Own and single Basa Bongo/Black Pepper by Guyanese Afro-Folk band The Yoruba Singers has been remastered for vinyl and digital.
The Yoruba Singers formed in Georgetown, Guyana in 1971. Despite their name they were not from Nigeria, but identified strongly with the area from which so many of the African diaspora in Guyana and neighbouring regions were originally descended.
The group started adapting Guyanese traditional folk music as well as writing their own - blending a mixture of protest, social commentary, blues, and genres inspired by the times. Beginning with about 12 people sharing vocal duties, most of the early repertoire was inspired by folk songs that started life on plantations or in religious settings accompanied by a few sparse musical instruments.
Integral to the Yoruba Singers’ sound are echoes of Obeah traditions which are very closely related to the Santería religion of Cuba and the Orisha and Shango traditions of Trinidad and Tobago. Calypso and steel-band culture from nearby Trinidad and Tobago was to some extent part of the musical DNA of the group, but they were naturally also influenced by the massive volume of rocksteady and roots-reggae coming from Jamaica.
For Fans Of:
Sir Victor Uwaifo, Francis Bebey, Fela Kuti More
Sida A
1. Ojinga’s Own
2. What To Do
3. Stay Away
4. Uncomprehensidensible
Radio-Matic Woman
5. Neighbour Jean
6. G.o.-Go
SIDE B
1. Massacura Man
2. Woman A Dead Ya Fuh Man
3. Ka Duma
4. I’ve Got To Be Somebody
5. No Intention
The 1974 debut album Ojinga’s Own and single Basa Bongo/Black Pepper by Guyanese Afro-Folk band The Yoruba Singers has been remastered for vinyl and digital.
The Yoruba Singers formed in Georgetown, Guyana in 1971. Despite their name they were not from Nigeria, but identified strongly with the area from which so many of the African diaspora in Guyana and neighbouring regions were originally descended.
The group started adapting Guyanese traditional folk music as well as writing their own - blending a mixture of protest, social commentary, blues, and genres inspired by the times. Beginning with about 12 people sharing vocal duties, most of the early repertoire was inspired by folk songs that started life on plantations or in religious settings accompanied by a few sparse musical instruments.
Integral to the Yoruba Singers’ sound are echoes of Obeah traditions which are very closely related to the Santería religion of Cuba and the Orisha and Shango traditions of Trinidad and Tobago. Calypso and steel-band culture from nearby Trinidad and Tobago was to some extent part of the musical DNA of the group, but they were naturally also influenced by the massive volume of rocksteady and roots-reggae coming from Jamaica.
For Fans Of:
Sir Victor Uwaifo, Francis Bebey, Fela Kuti More
1
Yoruba Singers - Basa Bongo
2
Yoruba Singers - Black Pepper
Tracklist:
A: Basa Bongo
B: Black Pepper
Guyana folk music reinterpreted and infused with Afro-roots and culture, reissued on vinyl for the first time.
A year after their debut album ‘Ojinga’s Own’, the Yoruba Singers from Guyana released the singles ‘Black Pepper’ and ‘Basa Bongo’. These two songs were recorded in Barbados and released on the Green Shrimp label and became extremely popular throughout the Caribbean and South America. The music also became an integral part of the very beginnings of what was later to become the Champeta Criolla sound in the Caribbean coast of Colombia.
For Fans Of:
Sir Victor Uwaifo, Francis Bebey, Fela Kuti More
A: Basa Bongo
B: Black Pepper
Guyana folk music reinterpreted and infused with Afro-roots and culture, reissued on vinyl for the first time.
A year after their debut album ‘Ojinga’s Own’, the Yoruba Singers from Guyana released the singles ‘Black Pepper’ and ‘Basa Bongo’. These two songs were recorded in Barbados and released on the Green Shrimp label and became extremely popular throughout the Caribbean and South America. The music also became an integral part of the very beginnings of what was later to become the Champeta Criolla sound in the Caribbean coast of Colombia.
For Fans Of:
Sir Victor Uwaifo, Francis Bebey, Fela Kuti More
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Various Artists - HOLDTight – Be My Love 2 Nite
2
Various Artists - Delfonic – Let’s Go Disco
3
Various Artists - Jack Tennis – Jorge’s Pipa
4
Various Artists - Those Guys From Athens – 4 Your Love
Tracklist:
Side A:
HOLDTight – Be My Love 2 Nite
Delfonic – Let’s Go Disco
Side B:
Jack Tennis – Jorge’s Pipa
Those Guys From Athens – 4 Your Love
4 Track 12 Inch E.P. featuring 4 smooth midtempo dancefloor gliders from our latest digital
release: TSTD YACHT DISCO EDITS 3 a&b compilation
File under: Yacht Disco, NuDisco, Soul, Funk, Brasil More
Side A:
HOLDTight – Be My Love 2 Nite
Delfonic – Let’s Go Disco
Side B:
Jack Tennis – Jorge’s Pipa
Those Guys From Athens – 4 Your Love
4 Track 12 Inch E.P. featuring 4 smooth midtempo dancefloor gliders from our latest digital
release: TSTD YACHT DISCO EDITS 3 a&b compilation
File under: Yacht Disco, NuDisco, Soul, Funk, Brasil More
NO VINYLE OF ANY MANU CHAO ALBUM HAS BEEN AVAILABLE ON SALE FOR AGES. ALL STUDIO & LIVE ALBUMS ARE BACK ON DOUBLE VINYL GATEFOLD FEAT. THE CD
TRACKLIST
A1. MERRY BLUES - A2. BIXO - A3. ELDORADO 1997 - A4. PROMISCUITY - A5. LA PRIMAVERA - A6. ME GUSTAS TU - B1. DENIA - B2. MI VIDA - B3. TRAPPED BY LOVE - B4. LE RENDEZ VOUS - C1. MR BOBBY - C2. PAPITO - C3. LA CHINITA - C4. LA MAREA - D1. HOMENS - D2. LA VAÇALOÇA - D3. INFINITA TRISTEZA More
TRACKLIST
A1. MERRY BLUES - A2. BIXO - A3. ELDORADO 1997 - A4. PROMISCUITY - A5. LA PRIMAVERA - A6. ME GUSTAS TU - B1. DENIA - B2. MI VIDA - B3. TRAPPED BY LOVE - B4. LE RENDEZ VOUS - C1. MR BOBBY - C2. PAPITO - C3. LA CHINITA - C4. LA MAREA - D1. HOMENS - D2. LA VAÇALOÇA - D3. INFINITA TRISTEZA More
1
Black Devil - "H" Friend
2
Black Devil - Timing, Forget The Timing
3
Black Devil - One To Choose
4
Black Devil - We Never Fly Away Again
5
Black Devil - Follow Me (Instrumental)
6
Black Devil - No Regrets
Territories: WW minus FR
Tracklist :
A1 - "H" Friend
A2 - Timing, Forget The Timing
A3 - One To Choose
B1 - We Never Fly Away Again
B2 - Follow Me (Instrumental)
B3 - No Regrets
Release Info:
Disco Club is a groundbreaking 1978 EP of experimental electronic disco created by Bernard Fevre and his collaborator under their tongue-in-cheek aliases Joachim Sherylee and Junior Claristidge. The Aphex Twin-backed Rephlex label notably reworked a handful of Disco Club tracks in 2004, however this is the first ever reissue of the EP in its complete, originally intended sequence. So synonymous is Fèvre's career with this release, he continues to perform internationally as Black Devil Disco Club today. An impossibly rare piece, this edition has been treated to a remaster from the original tapes by Fèvre himself. More
Tracklist :
A1 - "H" Friend
A2 - Timing, Forget The Timing
A3 - One To Choose
B1 - We Never Fly Away Again
B2 - Follow Me (Instrumental)
B3 - No Regrets
Release Info:
Disco Club is a groundbreaking 1978 EP of experimental electronic disco created by Bernard Fevre and his collaborator under their tongue-in-cheek aliases Joachim Sherylee and Junior Claristidge. The Aphex Twin-backed Rephlex label notably reworked a handful of Disco Club tracks in 2004, however this is the first ever reissue of the EP in its complete, originally intended sequence. So synonymous is Fèvre's career with this release, he continues to perform internationally as Black Devil Disco Club today. An impossibly rare piece, this edition has been treated to a remaster from the original tapes by Fèvre himself. More
1
EX GENERATION - Juno, Minerva, Venus e Fortuna
2
EX GENERATION - Napoli Fresca
3
EX GENERATION - A Pusteggia
4
EX GENERATION - Holding Your Heart
5
EX GENERATION - Seratina
6
EX GENERATION - Cavalluccio Rosso
7
EX GENERATION - Hurting Lies
8
EX GENERATION - Girovago
9
EX GENERATION - Controra
In an unprecedented international collaboration, Energy Exchange Records presents 'The Napoli Exchange' - the brainchild of Energy Exchange Records co-founders, Lewis and Ziggy, joining forces with producer and label boss Federico Gallotti (Tartelet / La Scimmia), the project was inspired by numerous visits to Naples, allured by the mediterranean breeze and of course the underground disco and funk forged by labels such as Early Sounds and Periodica Records. This meeting of minds created an opportunity to build bridges from the historic Italian city to the broader european scene of club crossover music.
A1. Juno, Minerva, Venus e Fortuna
A2. Napoli Fresca
A3. A Pusteggia
A4. Holding Your Heart
B1. Seratina
B2.Cavalluccio Rosso
B3. Hurting Lies
B4. Girovago
B5. Controra
More
A1. Juno, Minerva, Venus e Fortuna
A2. Napoli Fresca
A3. A Pusteggia
A4. Holding Your Heart
B1. Seratina
B2.Cavalluccio Rosso
B3. Hurting Lies
B4. Girovago
B5. Controra
More
NO VINYLE OF ANY MANU CHAO ALBUM HAS BEEN AVAILABLE ON SALE FOR AGES. ALL STUDIO & LIVE ALBUMS ARE BACK ON DOUBLE VINYL GATEFOLD FEAT. THE CD
TRACKLIST
A1. CLANDESTINO - A2. DESAPARECIDO - A3. BONGO BONG - A4. JE NE T’AIME PLUS - B1. MENTIRA... - B2. LAGRIMAS DE ORO - B3. MAMA CALL - C1. LUNA Y SOL - C2. POR EL SUELO - C3. WELCOME TO TIJUANA - C4. DIA LUNA... DIA PENA - D1. MALEGRIA - D2. LA VIE A 2 - D3. MINHA GALERA - D4. LA DESPEDIDA - D5. EL VIENTO More
TRACKLIST
A1. CLANDESTINO - A2. DESAPARECIDO - A3. BONGO BONG - A4. JE NE T’AIME PLUS - B1. MENTIRA... - B2. LAGRIMAS DE ORO - B3. MAMA CALL - C1. LUNA Y SOL - C2. POR EL SUELO - C3. WELCOME TO TIJUANA - C4. DIA LUNA... DIA PENA - D1. MALEGRIA - D2. LA VIE A 2 - D3. MINHA GALERA - D4. LA DESPEDIDA - D5. EL VIENTO More
1
Various Artists - A1 Italomania - Bella (Kapote Rework) (6:00)
2
Various Artists - A2 Confusione (Paul Older Rework) (5:00)
3
Various Artists - B1 La Strega (Paul Older Rework) (5:04)
4
Various Artists - B2 Sesso Spaghetti (BPlan Rework)(5:54)
5
Various Artists - C1 Patty Pally (Kapote Rework) (4:56)
6
Various Artists - C2 Il Treno (BPlan & Fab_o Rework) (5:26)
7
Various Artists - D1 Mia Cara ((BPlan & Fab_o Rework) (5:28)
8
Various Artists - D2 Paul Older - Bye (Paul Older Rework) (5:18)
Tracklist 2x 12":
A1 Italomania - Bella (Kapote Rework) (6:00)
A2 Confusione (Paul Older Rework) (5:00)
B1 La Strega (Paul Older Rework) (5:04)
B2 Sesso Spaghetti (BPlan Rework)(5:54)
C1 Patty Pally (Kapote Rework) (4:56)
C2 Il Treno (BPlan & Fab_o Rework) (5:26)
D1 Mia Cara ((BPlan & Fab_o Rework) (5:28)
D2 Paul Older - Bye (Paul Older Rework) (5:18)
Release Info:
8 reworks of rare and unexpected italian disco and funky pop music from the 1970ies. Not the usual electronic Italodisco classics, but here come some more organic sounding band-disco music from the time of 1976 - 82. Positive vibrations and high quality dance pop reworked for today's advanced dancefloors by Toy Tonics head honcho KAPOTE and his Italian friends BPlan and Paul Older. Some of these edits already have been released as bandcamp only, but because of extreme demand for vinyl Toy Tonics did this limited edition double vinyl release.
More
A1 Italomania - Bella (Kapote Rework) (6:00)
A2 Confusione (Paul Older Rework) (5:00)
B1 La Strega (Paul Older Rework) (5:04)
B2 Sesso Spaghetti (BPlan Rework)(5:54)
C1 Patty Pally (Kapote Rework) (4:56)
C2 Il Treno (BPlan & Fab_o Rework) (5:26)
D1 Mia Cara ((BPlan & Fab_o Rework) (5:28)
D2 Paul Older - Bye (Paul Older Rework) (5:18)
Release Info:
8 reworks of rare and unexpected italian disco and funky pop music from the 1970ies. Not the usual electronic Italodisco classics, but here come some more organic sounding band-disco music from the time of 1976 - 82. Positive vibrations and high quality dance pop reworked for today's advanced dancefloors by Toy Tonics head honcho KAPOTE and his Italian friends BPlan and Paul Older. Some of these edits already have been released as bandcamp only, but because of extreme demand for vinyl Toy Tonics did this limited edition double vinyl release.
More
1
RALPH SESSION - A : I know you can
2
RALPH SESSION - B1: Take me higher
3
RALPH SESSION - B2: House family
Tracklist 12" :
A : I know you can
B1: Take me higher
B2: House family
Short info:
Ralph Session is no stranger to the House music scene. He's been dropping House tunes for years on quality labels like Razor n Tape, Local Talk, Freerange, Nervous…and he's not stopping there! His "For The House Heads" release on Quintessentials combines NYC Deep House vibes with modern & classic touches. Awaiting you are 3 dope club cuts he's crafted, complete with punchy beats, heavy bass lines, uplifting vocals and catchy melodies. This summer will be a hot one for the House heads!
More
A : I know you can
B1: Take me higher
B2: House family
Short info:
Ralph Session is no stranger to the House music scene. He's been dropping House tunes for years on quality labels like Razor n Tape, Local Talk, Freerange, Nervous…and he's not stopping there! His "For The House Heads" release on Quintessentials combines NYC Deep House vibes with modern & classic touches. Awaiting you are 3 dope club cuts he's crafted, complete with punchy beats, heavy bass lines, uplifting vocals and catchy melodies. This summer will be a hot one for the House heads!
More
1
Ian Carr’s Nucleus - A1 : Roots (9:24)
2
Ian Carr’s Nucleus - A2 : Images (4:55)
3
Ian Carr’s Nucleus - A3 : Caliban (4:35)
4
Ian Carr’s Nucleus - B1 : Whapatiti (3:22)
5
Ian Carr’s Nucleus - B2 : Capricorn (4:00)
6
Ian Carr’s Nucleus - B3 : Odokamona (3:24)
7
Ian Carr’s Nucleus - B4 : Southern Roots And Celebration (7:45)
Format Notes: 2024 repress, 140g vinyl, remastered from the original analogue tapes
Track List:
1 A1 : Roots (9:24)
2 A2 : Images (4:55)
3 A3 : Caliban (4:35)
4 B1 : Whapatiti (3:22)
5 B2 : Capricorn (4:00)
6 B3 : Odokamona (3:24)
7 B4 : Southern Roots And Celebration (7:45)
Release Notes:
What an unbelievable record. From the wild cover to the iconic breakbeats, Roots from Ian Carr’s Nucleus is one of the dopest albums we know. This is seriously thick, funky-prog jazz-rock heaven. Originally released on Vertigo in 1973, other than a couple of versions at the time for other territories, Roots was never re-pressed since so it’s gone on to become another one of those impossible to find records.
Maybe it was a little too out there for the time, but it’s aged very, very well indeed and this Be With re-issue, re-mastered from the original analogue tapes, shows off just why this deserves to be back in press.
Genius trumpeter and visionary composer Ian Carr was one of the most respected British musicians of his era. He was a true pioneer and saw the potential in fusing the worlds of jazz with rock, just as Miles Davis and The Tony Williams Lifetime did in the US. In late 1969, following the demise of the Rendell-Carr quintet, and tiring of British jazz, Carr assembled the legendary Nucleus. Regarding music as a continuous process, Nucleus refused to “recognise rigid boundaries” and worked on delivering what they saw as a “total musical experience”. We can get behind that.
Under bandleader Carr, Nucleus existed as a fluid line-up of inventive, skilled musicians. This constant evolution and revolution was all part of the continuous musical exploration and discovery that took jazz to new levels.
Working together with producer Fritz Fryer and engineer Roger Wake, the seven compositions by Carr, Brian Smith and Dave MacRae that make up Roots flirt with perfection, and Nucleus at that time made up of the cream of 1970s UK jazz with Brian Smith on tenor saxophones and flutes, Dave MacRae on piano and electric piano, Jocelyn Pitchen on guitar, Roger Sutton on bass, both Clive Thacker and Aureo De Souza on drums and percussion, Joy Yates delivering the vocals and of course Carr on trumpet.
The spellbinding title track immediately renders the album indispensable. Riding the illest of loping breakbeats, “Roots” is low-slung, doped-out heist-funk. An absolute monster. If it sounds familiar then that’s likely down to it being sampled by Madlib for Lootpack and Quasimoto’s “Loop Digga”, as well as by a whole host of beat manipulators. “Roots” conjures prime instrumental hip-hop / beat music, only 20 years ahead of its time. Truly, these are the roots. Through sinuous bass, twinkling keys and a hypnotic guitar riff, a smoky brass motif weaves its way into a gloriously deep haze around Carr’s solos. “Roots” is over 9 minutes long, but there’s not a single wasted second, not surprising given that this is a condensed version of an originally 40 minute long commissioned composition.
The soothing vocal fusion delight of “Images” follows. Meticulously constructed, with gorgeous flute work from Brian Smith, with Joy Yates’ silky vocals and Dave MacRae’s Rhodes never sounding better. The cool, driving “Caliban” closes out the first side. Originally the third movement in a four part commission to celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday it stands up on its own, all robust rhythms and blended brass. Keyboard colour and Carr’s trumpet are splashed across the funk drums and basslines (and there’s even some bamboo flute). This really is fusion: the elements of jazz and rock coming together in beautifully synthesis.
Side two opens in riotous fashion with the short, thrilling samba of “Wapatiti”. Next up, “Capricorn” forms a smoothed-out, jazzy constellation. Mellow and dreamy, its twinkling percussion and languid horns slowly build the vibe before head-nod drums and a killer bassline enter the fray. With a distinct heaviness that Black Sabbath would’ve envied, “Odokamona” is a venomous slice of riff-soaked jazz metal (yes, you read that right), elevated by Carr’s wah-wah horns.
The album closes with MacRae’s exceptionally cosmic “Southern Roots and Celebration”. Very much in conversation with Weather Report, it opens as a languorous, spiritual jazz of chiming keys and serene guitar that turns slowly, gorgeously into a mid-paced, brass-laced banger. It’s another sure-fire party starter and the sound of the band having a righteous blast, building an ecstatic chaos that ends with Yates screaming.
And of course we need to talk about Keith Davis’ cover for Roots. Perhaps the coolest record cover of all time? Certainly one of the most bonkers. Just your run-of-the-mill high-gloss, acid-tinged airbrush dystopian/utopian living-room party scene. Consider this your chemical flashback trigger warning.
Front-and-centre the hip-to-death green robot holds court with their giant ball of yellow barbwire wool, hooked up to… something(?) being teased out from under the stairs (probably best not to ask). A thoroughly zoned-out, long-legged Pop Art party-goer lounges half-plugged in to the painting behind her as a pair of legs flail into shot from the the top of the stairs opposite. We won’t even begin to guess what the chap’s up to in the middle, but the view out of the windows is rather nice, and someone’s already got the hoover out ready to tidy up. All of the Nucleus sleeves are something special, but this particular one? Crikey.
This Be With edition of Roots has been re-mastered from the original Vertigo master tapes, Simon Francis’ mastering working together with Pete Norman’s cut to weave their usual magic with these wonderful recordings. The crazy cover has been restored at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.
More
Track List:
1 A1 : Roots (9:24)
2 A2 : Images (4:55)
3 A3 : Caliban (4:35)
4 B1 : Whapatiti (3:22)
5 B2 : Capricorn (4:00)
6 B3 : Odokamona (3:24)
7 B4 : Southern Roots And Celebration (7:45)
Release Notes:
What an unbelievable record. From the wild cover to the iconic breakbeats, Roots from Ian Carr’s Nucleus is one of the dopest albums we know. This is seriously thick, funky-prog jazz-rock heaven. Originally released on Vertigo in 1973, other than a couple of versions at the time for other territories, Roots was never re-pressed since so it’s gone on to become another one of those impossible to find records.
Maybe it was a little too out there for the time, but it’s aged very, very well indeed and this Be With re-issue, re-mastered from the original analogue tapes, shows off just why this deserves to be back in press.
Genius trumpeter and visionary composer Ian Carr was one of the most respected British musicians of his era. He was a true pioneer and saw the potential in fusing the worlds of jazz with rock, just as Miles Davis and The Tony Williams Lifetime did in the US. In late 1969, following the demise of the Rendell-Carr quintet, and tiring of British jazz, Carr assembled the legendary Nucleus. Regarding music as a continuous process, Nucleus refused to “recognise rigid boundaries” and worked on delivering what they saw as a “total musical experience”. We can get behind that.
Under bandleader Carr, Nucleus existed as a fluid line-up of inventive, skilled musicians. This constant evolution and revolution was all part of the continuous musical exploration and discovery that took jazz to new levels.
Working together with producer Fritz Fryer and engineer Roger Wake, the seven compositions by Carr, Brian Smith and Dave MacRae that make up Roots flirt with perfection, and Nucleus at that time made up of the cream of 1970s UK jazz with Brian Smith on tenor saxophones and flutes, Dave MacRae on piano and electric piano, Jocelyn Pitchen on guitar, Roger Sutton on bass, both Clive Thacker and Aureo De Souza on drums and percussion, Joy Yates delivering the vocals and of course Carr on trumpet.
The spellbinding title track immediately renders the album indispensable. Riding the illest of loping breakbeats, “Roots” is low-slung, doped-out heist-funk. An absolute monster. If it sounds familiar then that’s likely down to it being sampled by Madlib for Lootpack and Quasimoto’s “Loop Digga”, as well as by a whole host of beat manipulators. “Roots” conjures prime instrumental hip-hop / beat music, only 20 years ahead of its time. Truly, these are the roots. Through sinuous bass, twinkling keys and a hypnotic guitar riff, a smoky brass motif weaves its way into a gloriously deep haze around Carr’s solos. “Roots” is over 9 minutes long, but there’s not a single wasted second, not surprising given that this is a condensed version of an originally 40 minute long commissioned composition.
The soothing vocal fusion delight of “Images” follows. Meticulously constructed, with gorgeous flute work from Brian Smith, with Joy Yates’ silky vocals and Dave MacRae’s Rhodes never sounding better. The cool, driving “Caliban” closes out the first side. Originally the third movement in a four part commission to celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday it stands up on its own, all robust rhythms and blended brass. Keyboard colour and Carr’s trumpet are splashed across the funk drums and basslines (and there’s even some bamboo flute). This really is fusion: the elements of jazz and rock coming together in beautifully synthesis.
Side two opens in riotous fashion with the short, thrilling samba of “Wapatiti”. Next up, “Capricorn” forms a smoothed-out, jazzy constellation. Mellow and dreamy, its twinkling percussion and languid horns slowly build the vibe before head-nod drums and a killer bassline enter the fray. With a distinct heaviness that Black Sabbath would’ve envied, “Odokamona” is a venomous slice of riff-soaked jazz metal (yes, you read that right), elevated by Carr’s wah-wah horns.
The album closes with MacRae’s exceptionally cosmic “Southern Roots and Celebration”. Very much in conversation with Weather Report, it opens as a languorous, spiritual jazz of chiming keys and serene guitar that turns slowly, gorgeously into a mid-paced, brass-laced banger. It’s another sure-fire party starter and the sound of the band having a righteous blast, building an ecstatic chaos that ends with Yates screaming.
And of course we need to talk about Keith Davis’ cover for Roots. Perhaps the coolest record cover of all time? Certainly one of the most bonkers. Just your run-of-the-mill high-gloss, acid-tinged airbrush dystopian/utopian living-room party scene. Consider this your chemical flashback trigger warning.
Front-and-centre the hip-to-death green robot holds court with their giant ball of yellow barbwire wool, hooked up to… something(?) being teased out from under the stairs (probably best not to ask). A thoroughly zoned-out, long-legged Pop Art party-goer lounges half-plugged in to the painting behind her as a pair of legs flail into shot from the the top of the stairs opposite. We won’t even begin to guess what the chap’s up to in the middle, but the view out of the windows is rather nice, and someone’s already got the hoover out ready to tidy up. All of the Nucleus sleeves are something special, but this particular one? Crikey.
This Be With edition of Roots has been re-mastered from the original Vertigo master tapes, Simon Francis’ mastering working together with Pete Norman’s cut to weave their usual magic with these wonderful recordings. The crazy cover has been restored at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.
More
1
Anoux - No Title
2
Anoux - No Title
Format: 1 x 7” | Analogue Remastered
Versions:
Black Vinyl Edition
Tracklist:
Side A
1. The Unknown Song
Side B
1. Qui, Mon Amour
Release Notes:
In the late 70s/early 80s, songwriter Wim van der Stelt composed an instrumental track that he later
recorded during leftover studio time after a long recording session as a studio musician. A special and
strange piece of music that is difficult to name precisely in terms of style. You could think of it as a
piece of soundtrack or library music, but it's not quite that either. It's just a beautifully written tune
that hooks you as a listener. The melody sticks with – and grows on – you. He eventually sold the
song for a flat fee and lost track of what had happened with it. In 1982 it was released as a 7” single
on the Dutch record label "Friends Records". For the A-side, the instrumental version was
supplemented with English/French vocals and this version was entitled ‘Qui, Mon Amour’. Van der
Stelt knew nothing about it until recently, and he has no idea who the singer is, who produced the
vocal version or why the name Anoux was used. His original first recorded instrumental ended up on
the B-side of this single and was titled 'The Unknown Song'. After the record was released, it failed to
chart and was quickly forgotten. Until now! Regrooved is re-releasing the 7” with the original
instrumental version as the a-side and the vocal on the back. Hopefully this great song with its
melancholy melody now reaches the audience it deserves.
(The original release is credited under the name of the composer, his then-wife, B. Onderstal - for
love reasons. More
Versions:
Black Vinyl Edition
Tracklist:
Side A
1. The Unknown Song
Side B
1. Qui, Mon Amour
Release Notes:
In the late 70s/early 80s, songwriter Wim van der Stelt composed an instrumental track that he later
recorded during leftover studio time after a long recording session as a studio musician. A special and
strange piece of music that is difficult to name precisely in terms of style. You could think of it as a
piece of soundtrack or library music, but it's not quite that either. It's just a beautifully written tune
that hooks you as a listener. The melody sticks with – and grows on – you. He eventually sold the
song for a flat fee and lost track of what had happened with it. In 1982 it was released as a 7” single
on the Dutch record label "Friends Records". For the A-side, the instrumental version was
supplemented with English/French vocals and this version was entitled ‘Qui, Mon Amour’. Van der
Stelt knew nothing about it until recently, and he has no idea who the singer is, who produced the
vocal version or why the name Anoux was used. His original first recorded instrumental ended up on
the B-side of this single and was titled 'The Unknown Song'. After the record was released, it failed to
chart and was quickly forgotten. Until now! Regrooved is re-releasing the 7” with the original
instrumental version as the a-side and the vocal on the back. Hopefully this great song with its
melancholy melody now reaches the audience it deserves.
(The original release is credited under the name of the composer, his then-wife, B. Onderstal - for
love reasons. More
1
Ovïd - Distant Village
2
Ovïd - Dream Sequence (Edit)
3
Ovïd - Internal Dialog
Fauxpas Musik is excited to announce the latest release from Joe McBride, better known as Synkro. This EP features three atmospheric tracks that showcase Synkro's signature Lo-Fi Dub sound, highlighting his talent for creating emotional and immersive soundscapes. The release is available exclusively on vinyl, accompanied by a beautifully designed cover from artist Alex Ketzer, with photography by Alexander Binder. This blend of audiovisual aesthetics and high-quality pressing makes the EP a must-have for music lovers and collectors alike. Vinyl Tastes Better...
Genre: DUB Techno / Ambient / LoFi
TRACKLIST:
A Distant Village
B1 Dream Sequence (Edit)
B2 Internal Dialog
Credits: Artist: Joe McBride
Cover Art: Alex Ketzer
Photography: Alexander Binder
Mastered by: Lopazz
More
Genre: DUB Techno / Ambient / LoFi
TRACKLIST:
A Distant Village
B1 Dream Sequence (Edit)
B2 Internal Dialog
Credits: Artist: Joe McBride
Cover Art: Alex Ketzer
Photography: Alexander Binder
Mastered by: Lopazz
More
1
DJ Stingray 313 - LARGE LANGUAGE MODEL 03:39
2
DJ Stingray 313 - MULTI FUNCTIONAL ROBOTICS 03:29
3
DJ Stingray 313 - SENSOR DATA 03:44
FORMAT 12‘‘ Vinyl, full Pantone printed sleeve, download code
TRACKLIST
1. LARGE LANGUAGE MODEL 03:39
2. MULTI FUNCTIONAL ROBOTICS 03:29
3. SENSOR DATA 03:44
RELEASE INFO
DJ Stingray 313's INDUSTRY 4.0 EP is a sonic exploration into modern manufacturing concepts and the impact on humanity.
Moods and titles across the EP cover artificial intelligence (LARGE LANGUGE MODEL), the internet, and robotics (MULTI FUNCTIONAL ROBOTICS and SENSOR DATA) – all set to his signature high-energy, industrial, cyborg-style productions.
Together, the tracks on INDUSTRY 4.0 work as a striking and current introspective of humanity’s uncertain evolution, moving as fast as the technology it creates.
More
TRACKLIST
1. LARGE LANGUAGE MODEL 03:39
2. MULTI FUNCTIONAL ROBOTICS 03:29
3. SENSOR DATA 03:44
RELEASE INFO
DJ Stingray 313's INDUSTRY 4.0 EP is a sonic exploration into modern manufacturing concepts and the impact on humanity.
Moods and titles across the EP cover artificial intelligence (LARGE LANGUGE MODEL), the internet, and robotics (MULTI FUNCTIONAL ROBOTICS and SENSOR DATA) – all set to his signature high-energy, industrial, cyborg-style productions.
Together, the tracks on INDUSTRY 4.0 work as a striking and current introspective of humanity’s uncertain evolution, moving as fast as the technology it creates.
More
1
Colter Carson - A1 Tabu (06:30 min)
2
Colter Carson - A2 Love Cave (05:05 min)
3
Colter Carson - B1 Bass in Space (09:42 min)
4
Colter Carson - B2 DJ Drum Tool Edit (04:35 min)
5
Colter Carson - B3 Alto Voltaje (07:30 min)
12"
Tracklist:
A-Side
A1 Tabu (06:30 min)
A2 Love Cave (05:05 min)
B-Side
B1 Bass in Space (09:42 min)
B2 DJ Drum Tool Edit (04:35 min)
B3 Alto Voltaje (07:30 min)
Short information:
As an extension of his highly successful „Big Beat Manifesto“ series on Public
Possession, currently standing at Volume XI, Eden now opens up his garden to invite
some friends. The BBM label will host a series of releases that are close to his heart.
Secret D.J. Tools, meditative seances & more. Kicking of the new label is young
fellow kiwi Colter Carson, delivering 5 stellar dance songs. Already tested &
approved this mix of heavy percussion, quirky baselines and large synths will be just
the right treat for all fans of the Big Beats! More
Tracklist:
A-Side
A1 Tabu (06:30 min)
A2 Love Cave (05:05 min)
B-Side
B1 Bass in Space (09:42 min)
B2 DJ Drum Tool Edit (04:35 min)
B3 Alto Voltaje (07:30 min)
Short information:
As an extension of his highly successful „Big Beat Manifesto“ series on Public
Possession, currently standing at Volume XI, Eden now opens up his garden to invite
some friends. The BBM label will host a series of releases that are close to his heart.
Secret D.J. Tools, meditative seances & more. Kicking of the new label is young
fellow kiwi Colter Carson, delivering 5 stellar dance songs. Already tested &
approved this mix of heavy percussion, quirky baselines and large synths will be just
the right treat for all fans of the Big Beats! More