K'Alexi Shelby & Robert Owens present 'Downtown', a track that's been getting the inner circle of the House music community quite excited over the past few years - some projects simply can't be rushed, and this labor of love is one of those very releases. Often imitated but never replicated, Robert's instantly recognizable vocals have been tearing up dance floors since the late 80's, and here with his long time friend K' Alexi Shelby the pair have once again unleashed something special just in time for Record Store Day. Flying the Chicago flag high, remixes take shape from the ever impressive Anthony Nicholson & Mike Dunn, whilst Greek supremo Anthony K adds in a totally different musical trip, each one ticks all the boxes required and impressively opens up the release for a wide pool of DJ's to enjoy. It's K Klassik baby!

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New label from the Chicago legend K-Alexi Shelby: DJ and producer. One of Chicago's true heroes and cited by many as a pioneer the city's sound with one of his earliest releases Essence Of A Dream being regarded a classic. At the age of 12 he was already moving in the right circles, befriending Frankie Knuckles and Ron Hardy whilst frequenting the famous Warehouse. His upbringing in Chicago in the 70s and 80s meant that he was exposed to a range of genres and different styles of music including Stevie Wonder, Prince, Curtis Mayfield and David Huff. These same names would prove to be the roots of his influences. This new label K Klassik is a platform to release new material, the first 12 Inch features remixes from Glen Underground and Germany's Ian Pooley. With a 2nd 12" to follow featuring remixes from Ron Trent & Joe Smooth. Pressed on Limited Edition Green Vinyl. More

Big Love label boss Seamus Haji commits four of the label’s pristine releases to wax for the fourth edition of ‘A Touch Of Love’, opening up the compilation himself with ‘Wish’, made with Full Intention’s Michael Gray and featuring vocals from current Chic singer-songwriter Audrey Martells. This collaboration of legends is followed by another from Mark Lower & Fleur De Mur, this time with the fiery nu-disco track ‘Burn For Love’ before one half of NiCe7, FrescoEdits continues to develop his uplifting, loop-based sound with the disco-inspired ‘Get Free’. Closing out this eclectic release of Big Love favourites, London-based duo Saison and their motivational collaboration with Kameelah Waheed, ‘Be Yourself’. More

Newcastle's Hot Biscuit Recordings pull the strings behind many a white label sub-imprint, one of which is the elusive Funtown Records. The orchestrator of this edits series is obscure, and so are the sample sources for each of the edits heard on this 12". On the A-side, we hear a tight-lipped James Brown-style breakdown and ensuing boogie number, on which it is insisted that we "know what makes (this singer) feel alright". Good to know! The B-side, meanwhile, errs far further in the direction of instrumental synthfunk, proving the versatile mettle of this raucous reworker. More

Back digging in their prized vaults, Kaoz Theory cherry pick another two classics to be released for the first time on vinyl. Up first, one of Toronto’s finest Demuir enlists the signature soulfulness of Bluey Robinson for a bumping RnB-tinged, hazy house bomb entitled ‘Lusting U’. On the flip, Chicago legend DJ Sneak hits with a underground jackin’ groover ‘Judy Russell’ in trademark Windy City style. More

After two years of silence, Downbeat comes back with an old friend of the label. The responsible for that fantastic “Foregrounds and Backgrounds” ep, DaRand Land releases a new vinyl on the label from Madrid and he is fit as a fiddle. This underground music hero presens 4 synthetic deep house tracks with all those elements that are already an original brand: Hypnotic vibes with warm and smooth synth lines, silky pads and dubby basslines, This whisper from the lake EP will be immediately loved by the label followers because is exactly what the label is. Atmospheric and erotic midtempo house that represents perfectly the sound of Downbeat.

Mastered by Jose Rico More