- Limited Edition of 350 copies
- Thick high quality picture sleeve with hype sticker
- Previously unissued on vinyl, recorded in 1986

The Outer Edge is excited to announce the release of an intense and previously undiscovered funk rap / boogie single, featuring two tracks recorded in 1986.

While researching for his book on 80s funk music in Germany, DJ Scientist explored bands from Bavaria that collaborated with GIs. One of these bands is Grand Slam, a group that remains active to this day. The band’s leader, Toby Mayerl, lived near a US Army base in Amberg, where he fell in love with funk after hearing Roger Troutman and Zapp. He soon became part of two groups: Total Control and Grand Slam.

Originally led by guitarist Harry Zawrel, Grand Slam had a “European” funk sound similar to Talking Heads or Level 42. However, in 1985, Mayerl took over the band and merged it with Total Control, a mixed group that included African-American soldiers. From that point on, they shifted towards a heavier funk and soul sound, continuing to work with musicians from the GI community. By late 1986, they had enough material to record their debut album, Make My Day. Although published by the independent label Kerston, the album was only available on cassette, primarily sold at their concerts in early 1987.

DJ Scientist managed to track down an original copy of this ultra-rare tape in the MUZ archive in Nuremberg. "What I heard blew my mind," he said. "The cassette featured seven raw, well-produced funk and soul jams with fantastic arrangements and vocals." As an old-school funk and disco rap collector, he was immediately captivated by the track "Goin' Out," which features GI rapper Calvin E. Flagg. This song evokes the energy of early recorded rap singles from labels like Enjoy or Sugar Hill Records.

On Side B, the second track from the unheard debut album, ‘Don’t Let You Down,’ offers another glimpse of what we've been missing. This uptempo boogie-funk track features lead vocals by Aletha Mcbryde, Calvin E. Flagg, and Oliver Allwardt, along with thrilling synths and a lively brass section - perfect for turning up the volume.
Both tracks have been remastered from the original master tapes, which Toby Mayerl fortunately still had in his archive. The artwork for the release is inspired by original band posters, with the Grand Slam logo taking cues from Bootsy's Rubber Band’s Body Slam! cover from 1982. This limited vinyl pressing is capped at just 350 copies.

- Intense Funk Rap / Boogie single
- Fully Licenced, recorded in 1986
- Transferred from original master tape
- Mastered by Frederic Stader



TRACKLISTS:

A
Goin’ Out

B
Don't Let You Down (Single Edit)

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Format Notes: 2024 first time vinyl release, 140g double vinyl, remastered audio with restored artwork


Track List:

A1 Mr. Righteous (Intro) 0:35
A2 You Need Knowledge 3:45
A3 88 Soul 3:12
A4 Black Shakespeare 3:02

B1 For My People...It's Spiritual 2:55
B2 Lonely At The Top 3:56
B3 Just Listen 4:05
B4 California Dreamin' 4:33

C1 Purity 3:59
C2 Kunta Kente 4:20
C3 1993 Shit 3:49

D1 We Got Plots 3:38
D2 Do Win-Dis 4:11
D3 Hope She Remembers Me 3:15

Release Notes:

Holy grail hip-hop alert! Superstar Quamallah's Invisible Man was never released on wax so, to celebrate the 15th anniversary of this astounding record, we present the first ever vinyl edition. A stunning record which gained accolades upon its initial release, such as a prominent feature on Gilles Peterson's renowned Best Of 2009 show, it's one of the most essential jazz rap albums of all time. Cut across double vinyl, it’s exceedingly limited, with just 500 pressed for the world.

Deep jazz rap on that mellow-melodic tip, Invisible Man is an unforgettable album with nothing but dope beats and dope bars. There's a strong chance this album has passed you by but we truly believe it to be a lost hip-hop masterpiece. It supremely captures the essence of a golden age classic without being slavish to the past. No, this ain't some facile throwback rap. It's a fresh and deeply soulful, original album shot through straight from the heart. Perfect to chill to, Invisible Man is profoundly jazz-oriented and captures with simplicity and sincerity the essence of hip-hop circa 1983-1994. It sounds like vibing with your nearest, dearest and oldest friends on a long hot summer night as the tantalising thought that anything is possible fills the air. You know what, we can just call this "magic hour rap" and we think you'll know what we mean. It's just beautiful. Just Listen.

Brooklyn-born, California-based emcee, DJ, and producer Superstar Quamallah was active in the West Coast underground scene throughout the 90s and recorded extensively with such revered names as Defari and Tajai. His parents were some serious artistic heavyweights, too; his father was soul organist Big John Patton, a giant in the jazz world known for his releases on Blue Note whilst his mother was an active designer. However, he remains relatively unknown. Invisible Man, named ostensibly after the classic Ralph Ellison novel, could also refer to how he is viewed by the public at large. With close affiliations to the Hieroglyphics, Dilated Peoples and Likwit crew, his debut EP "Don't Call Me John" arrived in 1999 on ABB Records, after which he took a sabbatical from recording which included graduate school, travelling, teaching at Inglewood High and eventually a professorship of African Studies at Berkeley.

With a laidback flow and deep, relaxing presence on the mic, Superstar Quamallah is equal parts Big Daddy Kane, Rakim and Guru. Invisible Man is refined, soulful, feel-good hip-hop of the old school. Its wise, spiritual and literate sound, combined with the summertime vibes projected by the smooth beats and the nostalgia-inducing samples and vocal scratches, created jazzy boom-bap rap reminiscent of prime De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest and Gang Starr.

Irresistibly bouncing opener "You Need Knowledge" loops sparkling pianos, horns and a nagging whistle refrain with scratched vocal refrains from Slick Rick, Mobb Deep and Guru. The super-smooth head-nod classic "88 Soul" also utilises a beautifully swelling piano line and dusty breaks whilst Quamé reminisces about his childhood in NYC. Deeply moving, the silky, sultry "Black Shakespeare" is built around an elegant piano loop and goes hard on the superman lover tip whilst "For My People...It's Spiritual" is transcendental rap in conversation with Rakim and older gods. The "Moment Of Truth"-sampling "Lonely At The Top" is striking for its undiluted boom-bap stylings and the staccato flute-hop of "Just Listen" is riddled with soulful refinement. The deeply-affecting, wistful-yet-triumphant bells and horn-drenched single "California Dreamin'" is top-tier rap of unimpeachable quality. What a flow!

Another highlight is the rich melodic piano-rap of "Purity", a beautiful ode to the foundations of rap and those keeping the culture authentically alive. Beautifully played instruments and spiritual jazz samples elevate the deep thinking present on "Kunta Kente" whilst the darker jazz-tinged battle-rap of "93 Shit" goes super hard both in a lyrical sense and with its no-holds drum punches. The breezy Rhodes and string loops that serve as the sonic backdrop to the slinky jazz rap of "We Got Plots" are just gorgeous as our hero evokes Common's "I Used To Love H.E.R." with a head-spinning tale of crime, deception and double crossing. And some twist! "Do Win-Dis" has a tense crime-funk backing and rolling beats which complement Quamé's flow perfectly before the record is rounded out by the tough yet jazzy brilliance of rap confessional "Hope She Remembers Me". Just sensational.

Upon its original release, Quamallah himself declared: "My favorite time period for Hip Hop music was definitely between 1983 and 1994 with 1988 and 1993 being two years that standout as extremely impressive years musically and culturally. The fashion, slang, movies, TV shows and vibe during those years was incredible. While totally submerged in the feelings and music of that entire time period, I went to work on Invisible Man and I am excited for people to hear the result! It is an album that I would want to hear from some of my favorite artists of the past and present today. This is not a RETRO trip for me; this is me at my best lyrically and spiritually using the accessories of the 80s and 90s to fuel me. I am a 88 soul as the song states!"

This album goes deep. It goes all in. When Invisible Man first came out it had a real hold on us here at Be With HQ. We couldn't stop listening to it. We'd venture to say it's one of the top 25 rap records of the 2000s. In the years since its release, it has remained a criminally underrated record, an increasingly hidden gem. We sincerely hope this first time double LP release will go some way to correct this. It's been mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Cicely Balston and pressed at Record Industry. Finally available on the format it should always have been on, it must never be rendered invisible again.


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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
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Germany
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2xLP: Cotton Candy Skies Vinyl, Gatefold Jacket,double-sided 11x17 poster,obi strip, marketing sticker

Larry June & prolific producer Cardo have joined forces once again to bring you their latest masterpiece: "The Night Shift," a nocturnal adventure that takes you on a ride through the vivid and pulsating streets of Larry's life, as brought to life by Cardo's distinctive production. Larry June, the San Francisco native known for his smooth, laid-back flow and his unwavering commitment to living a healthy and prosperous lifestyle, seamlessly blends his distinctive style with Cardo's signature production, creating a sound that's as crisp and refreshing as a glass of cold-pressed orange juice. "The Night Shift" is the soundtrack to those late-night drives, providing the perfect backdrop for contemplation and cruising. "The Night Shift" is more than just an album; it's a testament to the chemistry between Larry June and Cardo, two artists at the top of their game. This project is a reminder that, in the still of the night, when the city's lights are aglow, and the world is asleep, Larry June and Cardo are hard at work, crafting music that transcends time and place.

Key Marketing/Selling:
- Larry June & Cardo are each extremely respected and notable individual artists in the Hip-Hop community
- Album activations & listening parties in LA, SF, Houston, Dallas and NY during release week, with exclusive merch drops released alongside each event
- 3 previously released singles include "The Good Kind," "Chops On The Blade," & "Without You (Blxst Interlude)"
- Multiple music videos set to be released in support of the album
- Extensive outdoor and digital campaign in major markets
- Larry June's previous releases, Orange Print, Spaceships On The Blade & The Great Escape have done exceptionally well at retail
- The Great Escape peaked at number 32 on the Billboard 200 while Spaceships on the Blade peaked at number 39
- All production is handled by Cardo
- Cardo has produced for the likes of Wiz Khalifa, Drake, Mac Miller, Payroll Giovanni, Kendrick Lamar, 2 Chainz, Travi$ Scott, Jay-Z, Meek Mill, Schoolboy Q & Skepta, among others
- Cardo most recently went 16x Platinum for his work on Drake's "God's Plan" & 5x Platinum on Drake's "Wants And Needs"
- Larry June is most recently off of an impressive run of sold out headlining shows - a 56 date US tour, and international stops in Europe, New Zealand, Australia & Japan
- Larry June is your favorite rapper's favorite rapper & more often than not, Cardo is the producer behind some of the biggest songs in Hip-Hop

Tracklist:
1. Clocked In
2. Chops on the Blade
3. Ocean Cuisine (feat. 2 Chainz)
4. Love of Money
5. Sweet Lady (feat. Dej Loaf)
6. Pop Out (feat. ScHoolboy Q)
7. Glasshouse Knockin'
8. Without You (Blxst Interlude)
9. GRGP (feat. Too $hort & Peezy)
10. Stickin' and Movin'
11. Won't Wait (feat. Jordan Ward)
12. Let Me Know
13. Made A Way (feat. Payroll Giovanni)
14. Road Runnin'
15. Big Fish (feat. Alemán)
16. The Good Kind


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All your favourite System Olympia songs in one vinyl record.

Pre-order now.

Every Version is slightly different / Limited Edition.

New slightly different cover ( different ring on the hand, name of the ring is Durante)


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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
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Territories: Worldwide no restrictions

Format Notes: Part of Be With x KPM Library Reissue Campaign, 2024 first time vinyl reissue, 140g vinyl

Track List:

A1 Brian Bennett – Image 4:29
A2 Neil Richardson – The Little Orphan 2:27
A3 David Gold / Gordon Rees – Paradise Island 2:19
A4 David Gold / Gordon Rees – Forbidden Fruit 2:19
A5 David Gold / Gordon Rees – The Enchantress 2:56
A6 David Gold – Phenomena 2:41

B1 John Scott – Infinite Expanse 1:46
B2 John Scott – Static Objects 2:31
B3 John Fiddy – Metamorphosis 2:37
B4 Neil Richardson – Cubist Pictures 2:12
B5 Neil Richardson – Analysis 2:04
B6 Neil Richardson – Crystal Ball 2:38
B7 Steve Gray – Gliding Through Clouds 2:55

Release Notes:

Impossible to find in the wild, KPM's Image is exactly that; this record paints extraordinary, hyper-vivid scenes with music, in the way only the library greats can. Originally released in 1974, Image is an absolutely stunning listen from start to finish, and arguably the most wanted KPM grail that's still not been reissued - until now! Just too good…

Worth the price of admission alone, and likely the reason you're all already drooling about this release, the mellow, dramatic beat of "Image", Brian Bennett's opener and title track, is a Jaylib-sampled firecracker. A reflective, scenic underscore which grows to full orchestra and ends as it begins - it's just beautiful. Next up, swoon to "The Little Orphan" by Neil Richardson featuring strings and harp. It's a deeply emotive, sweeping orchestral piece. Just straight gorgeous. It's followed by "Paradise Island", a lush, horizontal Balearic gem courtesy of Gordon Rees and David Gold; it'll send you into a blissful reverie with its elegant strings and gentle drums. From the same pair, "Forbidden Fruit" is, again, string-drenched but the strings are more insistent, stabbing even, and, with drums and Blaxploitation guitars high up in the mix, it's definitely a funkier proposition. "The Enchantress", again a Rees-Gold special, is a slower, groovy, synthy wonder. Closing out the A-Side, "Phenomena" is a mysterious gem, a Gold solo effort set at a breezier tempo with propulsive percussion and head nod, fast-paced breaks with ace keys.

Flip over for "Infinite Expanse", John Scott's dramatic panorama adorned with proud, triumphant horns. Scott's "Static Objects" paints patient, pastoral scenes; there's a serenity and stillness to the proceedings. Next up, Be With favourite John Fiddy delivers shifting shapes and patterns with his wonderful "Metamorphosis", all wah wah, harps, dramatic percussion and strings. It's by turns billowy and blasting. "Cubist Pictures" follows, Neil Richardson's brilliant nebulous, fragmentary piece. Better yet, Richardson's gorgeous, beatless "Analysis" follows, and it's an orchestral beauty featuring cello, harps and woodwind. It's no exaggeration to describe this as transcendental. His "Crystal Ball" presents more static scenes with cello, twinkling percussion and strings, before Steve Gray's fantastically-titled softly-ace "Gliding Through Clouds" closes out this remarkable set.

As with all of our KPM re-issues, the audio for Image comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. And as usual, the sleeve reproduction duties were handed over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM’s brand identity.

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
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Germany
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Territories: Worldwide no restrictions

Format Notes: First time on vinyl, 140g double vinyl, remaster overseen by Steve Moore, new artwork commissioned by Steve Moore


Track List:

A1 : Burning Feeling (6:33)
A2 : The Fog (4:13)

B1 : Don’t Turn Away (From My Love) (8:54)
B2 : South Beach Sunrise (5:22)

C1 : New Age Of Christ (5:01)
C2 : Maybe Tonight (6:37)

D1 : Love Reaction (4:56)
D2 : Deco District (7:11)

Release Notes:

With the cosmic-disco-drenched Burning Feeling, Steve Moore’s high-gloss Lovelock project conjured one of the most slept-on albums of last decade. Chunky, neon-lit synths and crashing, spacey guitars ride chugging Italo basslines and smooth-yet-shuddering drums to thrilling effect. Finally appearing on vinyl for the first time, 10 years after its original release, the album’s been freshly remastered (overseen by Steve, of course), pressed as a double LP and dressed in some stylish new black and gold artwork. This is the sound of “Big Room Smooth”.

Be With was well aware of Lovelock by way of the rather ace “Don’t Turn Away (From My Love)” from the 2008 compilation Cosmic Balearic Beats on Eskimo Recordings. Yes, we had the 12", but as shameless vinyl snobs we totally missed the full CD-only album that followed. Whilst working on the vinyl release of his KPM album Analog Sensitivity, Steve brought up Burning Feeling and how disappointed he was that it never had a vinyl release. We got the hint and didn’t need much persuading after finally hearing the whole album.

So where does Lovelock sit on the Steve Moore sonic spectrum? According to Steve “Lovelock is an outlet for me to explore my more pop-oriented ideas, whether it’s disco, lounge, soft rock or whatever I try next. When I started the project in 2006 I was listening to a lot of Italo disco so it felt natural to explore those sounds”. Even the “Lovelock” name itself is a nod to Italian genre film actor Ray Lovelock.

As well as the spacier end of disco, Steve was also listening to Laura Brannigan, Abba/Frida, S.O.S. Band, Alan Parsons and Jan Hammer at the time. These influences shine through. To those who think they detect a hint of irony, Steve’s happy to confirm that “I definitely have a sense of humor, but my love for the styles of music I reference is sincere, and I think that translates to the listener. Lovelock definitely isn’t a joke project, but it is meant to be fun”.

Burning Feeling was written and recorded in Nyack, NY between 2006 and 2008. For the gear-heads, Steve’s arsenal at the time included his trusty Sequential Pro-One and Prophet 600, a Korg Polysix, his Yamaha DX7II FD, a Moog Little Phatt and his Fender Jazz Bass and Strat. He posted the first Lovelock track on MySpace (yep!) in 2007 and the initial reaction was great. A couple of tracks made it onto some compilations and, after a few years of failed negotiations, the album eventually came out on CD in 2012 on Internasjonal, the label run by Prins Thomas and Kai Fraeger (who by genuine coincidence also runs Be With primo distributor Word And Sound). The album got good reviews, mostly in Europe and the UK, but not a whole lot of action in Steve’s native US. This double vinyl release should fix that.

The monumental, MDMA-rich title track opens the album and sets the mood. The fizzing, dramatic synth riff refrain intoxicates, before cavernous slo-mo house drums enter the party to devastating effect. It’s followed by the hypnotic, prog-Balearic mood piece “The Fog”. Dizzying synths never detract from the overall smoothness; this is vital, classy cosmic disco. Flip for the epic, Pink Floyd-on-pingers languid space-funk of “Don’t Turn Away (From My Love)”. A gorgeous bassline, warm keys, pulsing synths and smooth drums, all wrapped around yearning, claustrophobic vocals, it’s simply astonishing. The beautiful, faintly creepy synth-prog of “South Beach Sunrise” closes out the first record, with swathes of lush keys and horns. Nods to Tangerine Dream and that melody has a distinctly Angelo Badalamenti/Twin Peaks vibe.

The second record sets out soaring over a space-age island with the synth nexus that is “New Age Of Christ”, a melodic take on soundtrack Italo. The Chromeo-championed “Maybe Tonight” bubbles up through, swirling into a spiralling blast of sun-kissed, feel-good Balearo-pop. Swarming synth melodies, warm vocals and earnest guitar solos, make it one of the album’s most immediate hits. The mysterious “Barbara” graces the enormous power-pop-meets-Italo jam “Love Reaction” before closer “Deco District” luxuriates in what Matt Anniss described as a “grandiose combination of poodle-perm campery and rush-inducing arpeggiated synthesizer lines”. Who are we to disagree?

Steve worked with Be With’s audio engineering ace Simon Francis to remaster Burning Feeling from the original mixes especially for this double vinyl release. Steve says Simon nailed it “with no muss or fuss”. Steve also commissioned new artwork from designer Kane Banner. The results are a fresh take on the original CD cover that goes even deeper on the 80s serial-killer romance novel vibe. Just right for this killer album.

Digging out those original Burning Feeling mixes got Steve well and truly back in the Lovelock mood. As well as knocking out some lockdown remixes for fun, he’s also been working on new material that definitely deserves a vinyl release of its own.


Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More