Betty & The Code Red is a life and creative partnership between Benin-born Tunde Obazee and his girlfriend Betty. The pair grew up in Nigeria and would play all manner of instruments to entertain people at the local school before staying together as they went on to live in Italy and the US. Obazee performed at colleges and universities despite no formal training and eventually recorded a selection of tunes together including a small album on relatively new bits of gear like the Yamaha RX7. Especial has collated some of their best work across two new EPs, this being one of them. More

The last of the Konduko series from Emotional Rescue arrives now and quite possibly it is the best of the lot from Noel Williams. His 'Fantasy' saw him work with Larry Dermer aka Der Mer on what is an effective and catchy electro jam that operates at the higher end of the tempo chart with some classic vocoder vocal action to really make it pop. Despite being released originally in 1984 this one still bangs with its emulated TR-808 beats and nagging melodies. The instrumental heightens that and then the Jonny Rock Discomix shuts down with long-form rework that shows why the DJ, editor and all-round amiable bloke is so well regarded. More

South African Warrick Sony is a ground breaking composer who was behind the Kalahari Surfers project which now gets a vital spotlight courtesy of Emotional Rescue. This compilation shows how effortlessly eclectic his sound was - from jive rhythms to jazz, tabla to political speeches and much more in between. A Hindu pacifist who was once conscripted into the South African Defense Force, he founded this group as a way out getting his ides out there, calling on other musicians as and when he needed them. It was the first radical white anti-apartheid pop in South Africa and as this vital collection shows it explored polyrhythms, slow motorik, dub sound collage and even a goofy cover of Nancy Sinatra. More

King Sporty is something of a chameleonic artists, not that many people know. He started out int he 70s making reggae and soul 7"s, then moved into disco, boogie, hip-hop and electro 12"s during the 80s, and then when house music hit in the 90s he evolved once more. This new drop from Emotional Rescue takes a tune from that late era. 'Computer Music' is four to the floor with electro influences and a lazy break that pull you in deep. Far-sighted chords bring a serene sense of cosmic majesty while a filtered vocal adds space age vibes. A dub is included as well as the Universal Cave Discomix by the Philadelphia DJ and production crew. A retro-future EP indeed.. More

Emotional Rescue's vital Konduko reissue series sadly comes to an end here with a look at the label's final years. In those days it moved away from reggae, disco and boogie towards an enduring electro sound that had a vast and lasting impact on the Miami scene. The biggest tune from that time was when Noel Williams linked with local songwriter Lawrence Dermer aka Der Mer for the track reissued here. 'Fall Out' soon became a hit with its driving electro-funk rhythms. The original sits next to the later Fresh '86" mix as well as a NAD disco mix from Dan Tyler, best known as one of the Idjut Boys. It's an irresistible package of body-popping electro with hooks for days. More

Noted reggae vocalist Barry Biggs comes under the Emotional Rescue microscope here with celebrated LA digger Patrick Billard aka DJ Duckcomb remixing one of his cuts. First up is the original version of 'Illusion' which has big pianos over the clean digital dub. The soaring vocal is obscured by plenty of lush effects and melodies. After a version twists and contorts the original, the DJ Duckcomb Discomix slows things down and ups the dazzling disco vibes but keeps the dub dubby bottom end to ensure plenty of dance floor impact. This is a classy one as ever from this label. More

Here comes Emotional Rescue and Konduko's last in their series of Noel Williams/King Sporty reissues, this time looking at later electro productions and the hip-hop/boogie influenced 'Sun Country'. Vocals and co-production come from Williams' long-time partner Betty Wright and as well as a vocal and instrumental mix there's a longform remix by Bay Area disco dub stalwarts, 40 Thieves.
By this point in his career, the godfather of Miami Bass had travelled a long way from his Jamaican roots in reggae and soul, paying homage to the warm climbs of the Sunshine State and laying down a much copied template using the TR-808 drum machine create the electronic emulations of the breakbeat, claps accenting the backbeat and trademark low frequencies shaking the floorboards. The instrumental stretches the arrangement, emphasising the interplay between electronics, bass, vocal samples, scratching and fx, the voice transformed into a percussive element in its own right. The flip sees 40 Thieves flexing their understated understanding of electro funk, making for a rounded, generation-jumping package. More

Group Du Jour was founded in Portland, Oregon in 1983 and have had a storied career spanning the decades since. They have always brought together live, ethnic, and electronic sounds with folk and modern pop, later getting ever more experimental. Early albums Forgotten Colors in 1986 and Wonderful Vision in 1988 are groundbreaking affairs, the latter of which gave rise to 'Motion Of Waves', which is something of a cult favourite for deep diggers. It is a rich instrumental groove that layers up synthesiser, flute, guitar and haunting vocals sitting over a brilliantly electric beat. The whole thing was a live one-take recording and is perfectly suited to both sunset and sunup moments of dancing pleasure. More

Betty & The Code Red is a life and creative partnership between Benin-born Tunde Obazee and his girlfriend Betty. The pair grew up in Nigeria and would play all manner of instruments to entertain people at the local school before staying together as they went on to live in Italy and the US. Obazee performed at colleges and universities despite no formal training and eventually recorded a selection of tunes together including a small album on relatively new bits of gear like the Yamaha RX7. Especial has collated some of their best work across two new EPs, this being one of them. More

Emotional Rescue looks to the newly rebuilt but still very much culturally separate East and West Germany of the 1980s with this new EP. It's dub reggae through a post-punk and alternative lens by Hanover artists Felix Holter aka Dubvisionist. All these cuts have a very live, improvised feel because father way he worked from rhythms first and jammed endlessly before adding the vocals. They are taken from their 1987 release 10 Tracks Of Reggae & Dub Music which was inspired by the great Adrian Sherwood label On-U Sound label, and you can hear that clearly. More

Emotional Rescue can be relied on to dig up obscure, left of centre dance gems and serve them up to newer, wider audiences. Adu's reggae-pop cut 'Burkina Faso' is a great example, re-purposed for the dancefloor without any of its original flavour lost in the overhaul. A
South Saharan/West African emigre to Brixton, Rauf Adu would go on to fairly sizeable European fame with the Eddy Grant-esque 'Human To Human'. This, however, is his 1982 debut for Copasetic Records, another reggae-pop inspired, ludicrously catchy effort with scorched electric guitar and a Compass Point-style drum/bassline providing rhythmic rocksteadiness. As well as the buffed up original, there's a dub mix, which gives his beautiful guitar plenty of room to breathe, and an appearance from the Isle of Jura Sound System boss Kevin Griffiths , whose remix completes the trio of mixes. More

Emotional Rescue is delighted to debut a first. Rather than a straight reissue of an (obscure) classic or a collection of music by an artist or label, here presented is a compilation of various artists centered around a sound and movement reggae-tinged music and how it influenced and spread from the Caribbean and diaspora.

Drawn from the off kilter digging of archivist, DJ and collector Bruno (perfectliv.es), Nowhere Like Here is not a follow up, but a sideways accompaniment, to his recent and already cult like 'Perfect Motion' collection of left field pop and new wave, recently self-released with Flo Dill (NTS).

This is a special release to celebrate the label's 10th year and beyond, offering a treasure trove of lo-fi and often pop inspired reggae cuts, mixing heartfelt Lovers Rocks style paeans and quirky private press oddities, all guaranteed to 'make-a-move and tap', these are, in the main ridiculously rare or impossible to find alternative bombs, that are just as sound system rocking and massive bass line quaking showcases of the enduring legacy of this Jamaican music phenomenon.
As with much of the early 80s period, the music community was in the throes of a Do-It-Yourself cultural renaissance as small labels, where crazy limited, one off White Labels Onlys came and went. Songs like Avalanche 's 'Your Love is Such a Good Thing 'or Warp Speed's 'Take It To The Night' were part of the claiming the means of production in to their own hands, pressing up the records and self-distributing. This raw, naive exuberance can be heard in the songs themselves. This is not reggae or Lovers as known, but something more expressive. Musical, simply produced, but with intelligible and uplifting optimism that is just superlatively catchy.

While Paul Thompson's 'Can I Take You Home' and Ras Ibuna's 'Black Beauty' are more straight-ahead Lover's style cuts, there is the parallel dance pop private pressing vibrations of the two Keith Robinson songs and Majority's 'Caroline' included all part of a thread; a joining the dots that Nowhere Like Here is at its most basic, a warmth the whole album exudes.

This is not a Lovers Rock Hits of some, but a left-of-center versioning, spread across Double Pack and cut loud for DJ play, fitting the ethos of Emotional Rescue by presenting something most will not have heard before and all the better for it. More

Emotional Rescue dives back in the world of post punk experiments and early synthesised electronics to present another of the labels iconoclastic 7" 'collectors specials', with a look at Stockholm's Staalfagel.

Born in 1977, Erik Fritjofsson and Petter Brundell merged and formed Staalfagel out of the suburbs of Jakobsberg. Like so many at the time, the duo was tired of Prog, Jazz and Symphonic Rock and formulated something new and against at the same moment; a time where drummers were jettisoned in place of drum machines and the inspirations of artists like Creedence Clearwater Revival, Devo and Pere Ubu were thrown in the mix to fervent results.

With Micke Kjell soon joining on bass, they toured Sweden constantly, the manic machine beat, beating guitars and strange synth sounds defeated the throng and led to a considerable following. Recorded live to tape with no overdubs or mixing, the faithful CR 78 drum machine, the results radiate energy.

Release just 4 records in 2 years (1980 - 1982), Utan Rymddrakt Pa Uranus appeared as their last ever release. Jettisoning the punky-funk vocals of previous releases, the single is a pure electronic groove. Funk bass and guitar atop, its short form simplicity is perfection distilled in 2 parts of less than 3 minutes, conjoined like some reggae dream, with 'Uranus II' acting the dub 'version' counterpoint.

Discovered and shared by long-time friend, DJ and collector, Gary The Tall steps out from behind the decks and microphone of his long running NTS show to present an exemplary "Reversion". Teaming up with master producer and label affiliate, Timothy J Fairplay on engineering duties, they keep the originals' straightforward charm, deceptively editing, looping and reversing with aplomb, for a killer flip side. More

REPRESS ALERT!: A planned reissue for many years, the untimely passing of Steve Coe shortly after the label's rerelease of The Ganges Orchestra's The Dream put everything on hold. However, time moves and so now seems a fitting time to revisit this "world dance" classic with fonder hearts. Long cherished, it is a reminder of Steve's enduring studio mastery. After the initial success of his work with Sheila Chandra in Monsoon, Steve expanded his musical scope, working on an Indipop compilation as clubs looked to Eastern flavours to add a new dimension for the dancefloor.

Teaming up with tabla disciple turned teacher, Jhalib (Millar), as well as long time collaborator Martin Smith, it's hard to imagine Mysteries was first heard in 1982. Hailed as an all time classic, it's enduring appeal can be seen in how it became a staple for the likes of Danielle Baldelli at the infamous Cosmic club and beyond to become an original Evissa "balearic" secret play for Weatherall & co in those fateful summers of love and beyond.

Remastered especially for this release, the orchestral Eastern melody and mid-tempo chugging rhythms and vocals marry in perfection with a dub bassline of Wobble inspired depth. This alone would be enough, however, the original is at last backed with the 1988 remix. Aimed at the then burgening New Beat scene, a subtle straightening kick is added, but it's the unmistakable vocals of Sheila Chandra that finally brings this release together in melodic harmony. Peace be with you Steve. I AM x More

Completing a trilogy of reissues from the Indipop label, Emotional Rescue celebrates its 10th Anniversary by looking again at the ground-breaking music of Steve Coe and his label.

Founding Indipop in 1981 to debut the single of his new project, Monsoon and the soon to be hit 'Ever So Lonely' that brought to the world (dance) music stage the singing talents of young actress and vocalist, Sheila Chandra.

Having worked with Steve right at the start of Emotional Rescue, it's fantastic his special mix of Indian Classical and Dance Pop under the spotlight once more, highlighting his role in helping to kick start the 1980s huge interest in world music, while achieving considerable commercial success and cross-appeal.

The reissues of The Ganges Orchestra's The Dream (ERC010) and Jhalib's Mysteries Of The East (ERC029) were tinged with sadness as both Steve and John (Jhalib) passed shortly after each was released. Working with Sheila Chandra over a number of years, the idea to bring the sole East-West release back has been a long labour of love.

Only ever released as a white label promo in 1984, the reasons the song remained a mega rarity have been lost over-time; however, its sheer scarcity means it now trades for dizzying sums. Appearing later on compilations, here at last is the first-time full reissue of the Club and Dub Mixes, plus a long-form remix in 2 parts, by label honcho Chuggy.
Possibly the most song based of Steve's projects working away from Sheila, he again teams up with Martin Smith to work with unknown vocalist Usha on what became an unfinished band project idea. Presented in Club Mix, they craft a one-off, uplifting sitar and bass heavy 80s disco-inspired "Klab hit", as well as the instrumental focused Dub Mix that accentuates the sitar play for a slower and steady build.
As this project was painstakingly formed, the B side remix took shape, diving in to the studio with label affiliate DanyTyler (Idjut Boys / NAD), rearranging the best of both mixes, extending and dubbing over 12 minutes of Indian Classical meets 80s Psychedelic clubland Ecstasy and is presented alongside a digital only bonus long Dub for the more nuanced minds. More

Emotional Rescue finally gets around to reissuing some House music with the start of a 3 x 12" series from Miami's Dancefloor Records. Covering House and Freestyle, this is music as worthy as any other explored to date.

Founded by British ex-pat Jeffery Collins in 1983, Dancefloor Records was the culmination of a music industry journeyman's long career from swinging sixties London to bohemian seventies NYC before relocating to the sunnier climbs of Miami.

Taking in the City's unique mix of American, Latin and Caribbean sounds, Dancefloors early success came via a long association with reggae turned disco star King Sporty. While his legacy will be looked at in future, this series concentrates on Dancefloor's shift to the growing club sounds emanating from Chicago and NYC.

First is the little is known Eighth Ray. As often the case, a project by a group of musician friends who went on to release under various pseudonyms. From the opening spoken word intro of Axis Of Love, the spaced-out 4/4 and spiritual, pulsing arps, this could be mistaken for the then in-vogue 'Italian House'. With Rimini in its sights, the vocals are the journey, underpinned by simple, up'n'back bass and Mateo and Matos style keys, pure 6am sunrise.

Backed with the deeper 8th Ray, the EP eschews the bumpin' House then coming from NYC and looks to the sound system vibes out across the Atlantic. Deep House before the term had grabbed hold, been twisted and contorted and donned head-to-toe in black. Simply, real House music. More

Collecting Orders For Repress!

UK lover's rock/roots reggae group Dambala has been at the forefront of Emotional Rescue's revival of these sounds in recent years. After a haunting EP last summer we now get an immersive full-length that takes us back to the melting pot of sounds that was London in the 70s and 80s. Revelations is actually a collection of singles from the band recorded between 1978 and 1980 pressed on nice loud wax for heavy DJ deployment. There is a melancholic mood to the synths in these tunes, with weighty dub, fat bass, and skilled guitar all adding the sort of detail that occupies the mind as much as the body. More

Emotional Rescue is at it again with another fully licensed and remastered offering, this time bringing to wax Mataya's Golddigger with a previously digital-only 'tape Mix.' Zimbabwe-born and later London-based Mataya "Clifford" Chewaluza was a core part of the vibrant West London music scene, using his songwriting, production and multi-instrumentalist skills on albums for RCA and Virgin. He also dropped a few 12"s and this one was released in 1988. It's a cult curio with crashing 80s production, disco-tinged grooves and plenty of subtle African rhythm which includes a standout dub mix from Jura Soundsystem. More

Emotional Rescue return to the work of Noel Williams as King Sporty. The Miami-based Jamaican made some seminal, stunning music that presaged the increasing importance of synthesisers in disco and dance music overall. This time the label have decided to give a regal airing to a cut previously only available squeezed onto the Deep Reggae Roots LP. "Safari" is a heady brew that keeps a necessary skank in the groove while channeling the nagging funk of The Meters and heading somewhere exotic. At just under four minutes, it's the kind of jam that warrants an extended treatment, and who better to do a respectful job than Lexx, who more than doubles the run time of the track on the B side. More

New Burial 12" on XL. More

Restock incoming!

Seminal EBM-techno outfit Code Industry surfaces on Dark Entries with a reissue of their Structure EP. Detroit-based musicians Rob Myers, E.N. Sevy, Kyl Crys, and William Keith formed Code Industry in 1989 following their previous project, Code Assault. Among the few Black artists working in the idioms of EBM and industrial during their time, Code Industry tackle issues of racism, the media, and the hypocrisy of patriotism. The band’s frigid synths and menacingly whispered vocals display their affinity for European EBM acts like Front 242 and Nitzer Ebb, but their adventurous production and high- tech grooves situate their work equally within the Detroit techno continuum. The Structure EP was originally released in 1991 via the legendary Antler-Subway label. On its six tracks, Code Assembly expand upon Method of Assembly, their debut album from the year prior, while presenting striking new work hinting at the development of their sound. On “Behind the Mask (Image Mix)”, the band reworks one of the hits from Method of Assembly into a leaner, more kinetic form, finely sculpted for maximum dancefloor impact. The instrumental “Fury” shows the outfit pushing harder into the then-nascent Detroit techno sound, with spare synths and disembodied vocal snippets. Meanwhile, brooding downtempo cuts like “Ail” and “Crimes Again the People” imbue their cyberpunk aesthetics with politically-charged rage. Code Industry illustrates the depth of techno and EBM’s mutual entanglement while addressing political struggles that still embroil us in 2023. This reissue of Structure includes a double-sided insert with lyrics and liner notes by Pen Jackson aka E.N. Sevy. It will be released on Juneteenth as a celebration of powerful Black American music. More

Dark Machine Funk is delighted to welcome the first guest producer into the fold, Head Front Panel. A huge source of inspiration to DMF since those highly sought after HFP 12”s hit the record store racks in 2014, Head Front Panel delivers a superb well rounded 4 track EP titled ‘Tactile’ for DMF’s 5th release.

The opening track 'Panama' opens with some otherworldly pads, sweeping resonances tickle the ear before signature HFP drums hit you with pure engaging energy. Broken kick drums and rattling percussion perfectly sit on this hypnotic tribal-esque sonic dream, a depth and area that we've not heard from HFP before. 'Tactile' brings the perfect tool, loopy rhythms that stretch the perception of time whilst getting lost in subtle rides and eerie door creaking atmospheres, deep listening will provide a new journey on every repeat. 'Surdo' open's side B, and we're catapulted into the fire with shaker/hi hat percussions that grab your attention immediately and vocal samples scatter across the stereo field. Shimmering pads take the track into deeper territory but all while keeping in a constant state of forward motion accented by the occasional double kick drum. A huge baseline swings the track to give it it's funk. 'Them' probably the most recognisable HFP track hammers with a thunderous kick drum and a subtle repetitive synth line, groove is king here where percussion elements are pushed and modulated to create enough interest to carry the track through till close.

We are more than honoured to present ‘Head Front Panel - Tactile’ on DMF! More

Mint Condition - A record label focused on excavating the outer fringes of classic House and Techno. Unreleased mixes, classics, overlooked gems and never heard before material, mined from the last 30+ years of contemporary dance music are the order of the day. From Chicago, Detroit and New York to Manchester, London and beyond. Mint Condition have got their digging hats on to bring you exclusive heat and those rarer than rare jams that have been in your wants list for years. Dig in......

MC065 presents a highly anticipated reissue of Kilowatt's 'The Last EP' – a coveted 4-track compilation featuring a blend of technoid electro-funk and Detroit-inspired house grooves. Originally unleashed on Rob Gretton's legendary Manchester label 'Rob's Records', this EP seamlessly meshes with contemporary sounds and promises an immersive experience on a powerful sound system. Catering to aficionados of the more intricate and funk-infused facets of electronic music, Kilowatt unleashed this underground gem in 1995, earning it a well-deserved cult status among dedicated music explorers and DJs alike. Secure your copy of this exceptionally rare piece of UK musical brilliance now, courtesy of your friends at MC.

All tracks have been lovingly remastered by London's Curve Pusher from the original sources especially for Mint Condition. 100% legit, licensed and released. Dug, remastered, repackaged and brought to you by the caring folks at your favourite reissue label - Mint Condition. More

Debut duo album from the unlikely pairing of Jeremiah Chiu's modular synthesizer and Marta Sofia Honer's viola features post-composed improvisations interwoven with field recordings from sojourns on the Åland archipelago in the Baltic Sea. An active intersectional cultural producer in the Los Angeles scene, Chiu is known for his visual art as much as his music. A professor at Otis College of Art and design by trade, Chiu's a regular musical collaborator of Booker Stardrum, Celia Hollander, Dustin Wong, and Sam Prekop. Honer is a first call session player for the likes of Adrian Younge and Beyoncé. She's also played on recordings by Chloe x Halle, Angel Olsen, Fleet Foxes, Stanley Clarke and others, including five recordings with Grammy nominations. More

Following the summer hits 'Feel It' and 'Radiance', Amelie Lens returns to EXHALE and ends the year with the pulsating hymn ‘You and Me’. not only unveils another sonic masterpiece but also signs off on an extraordinary year of releases, underscoringher stature as a reigning force in the techno landscape, leaving us yearning for more.


TRACKLISTING

A. Amelie Lens - You and Me (Original Mix)
B1. Amelie Lens - Feel It (Original Mix)
B2. Amelie Lens - Radiance


INFO

Following the summer hits 'Feel It' and 'Radiance', Amelie Lens returns to EXHALE and ends the year with the pulsating hymn 'You and Me'.

Rounding off her 'You and Me' EP, the title track stands as a testament to Amelie's ongoing journey in the electronic music universe. With 'You and Me', Amelie dives even deeper into the uncharted depths of her musical soul, delivering an audacious composition marked by trance-infused bass, captivating acid tones, irresistibly dynamic drums, and an epic energy surge. Her distinctive and enveloping voice takes centre stage during the break, crafting a hypnotic and compelling ambiance.

"In the embrace of infinity, we become one with the pulsating universe. Surrendering to eternity, we transcend into the melody of trance and acid. We reach for the lasers and embrace the lights, entering a state of higher consciousness while floating through the sky" - the lyrics are a poetic voyage, encapsulating the transformative essence that only an artist like Amelie can evoke on the dancefloor.

With 'You and Me', Amelie not only unveils another sonic masterpiece but also signs off on an extraordinary year of releases, underscoring her stature as a reigning force in the techno landscape, leaving us yearning for more. This single plus 'Feel It' and 'Radiance' will all be released on a special vinyl on the 19th of January 2024.
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The legendary Don Cherry with his great 1966 quintet featuring Gato Barbieri (tenor sax) Karl Berger (piano) Bo Stief (bass) Aldo Romano (drums) which can also be heard on three fine releases on ESP-Disk, and with the New York Total Music Company in 1968. His quintet was on very fine form at this time, it captures a crucial stage of Cherry’s journey from free jazz to yet wilder territories.
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Matthew Halsall announces a limited-edition vinyl only pressing of Bright Sparkling Light, a luminous three track EP featuring some of his most gorgeous compositions. (Strictly limited to 2000 copies worldwide)

Listen: https://listen.k7.com/89d5471c-e07b-447e-bb70-9279140fc635 More

Excellent restrained Drum & Bass / 'grey' Techno / Ambient hybridization More

There’s a time for everything. To fill in another piece of the puzzle. To make the matrix make sense. Trying not to hide it, trying not to fight it. Just trying to recognize it and keep on going.

This four-tracker, the first release on Sansibar’s 'Sin Sistema' imprint, borrows the best elements of formulas we love, and for a good reason.

‘We Rise’ a spiraling, mesmerizing infusion of yearning pads and a twisting acidic wormhole that leaves no room for doubt: this is Sans on form, and we have lift-off.

‘Elastic’ continues the lysergic theme, turning the dials towards a more sinister entity. Growing, realizing one’s power, and using it.

And on to the B-side, joining forces with Denzel, becoming ‘Sonic Minds’, getting into Techy territory. This is strictly festival business. Tried and tested throughout summer ’23 to devastating effect. Call an ambulance.

The final track ‘2k’ ups the Tech ante and sprinkles some murky UK Garage dust on top: skippy drums, a bouncy bass section, and dubby atmospheric More