DJ Support: Soul Clap, Walla P (Voyage Funktastique)

Nearly a decade after the first 'Tap Water,' XL Middleton delivers the sequel to what many consider a true classic of the modern funk genre. Weaving between singing, rapping, and the robotic refrains of vocoder, XL's vocals glide over his synth-drenched production, which manages to be simultaneously polished yet grimy. It's a perfect meeting ground for those steeped in the raw, underground approach to hip hop production and the cleaner, more organized ethos of dance music. Whether your jam is 80's boogie, 90's g-funk, or R&B-flavored dance music of any generation, 'Tap Water II' is sure to keep your glass full. More

Modern funk meets house on Moniquea's 'Red Light,' produced by XL Middleton. Bouncy synth bass and leads give this one a recognizably west coast feel, but the pulsating house beat and detuned chords give this one appeal for dance floors everywhere. The '97 Remix on the b-side nods to Moniquea's g-funk roots while the bonus Applejac remix of 'Hate To See It blends dance-oriented sensibilities with thick synth strings that hearken back to peak-era Neptunes productions from the 2000's.
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Japanese vocalist Q.i & producer Hair Kid, originally from New Jersey and now also based in Japan, are the duo known as Milk Talk. Their off-kilter brand of synth funk sits somewhere between modern funk & city pop but is sure to please fans of vaporwave, future funk, disco & deep house as well. Their recently-released album is still an elusive find outside of Japan but “Wagamama Riso,” a digital-only loosie released during the early days of the pandemic, has now been unleashed in physical form on Los Angeles-based MoFunk Records. MoFunk's head, XL Middleton, remixes the track and adds his own retro-electro/R&B flair to the leftfield boogie feel of the original version. Both versions on a single 7” make this a top choice for anyone who loves their funk loaded with analog synthesizer action.DJ support:- DJ Notoya (Tokyo Condition)- Walla P (Voyage Funktastique)- Soul ClapMilk Talk's self-titled debut album was released recently in Japan and has added greatly to the buzz surrounding the group. However, the difficulty of procuring physical copies of their LP outside of Japan will surely make this 7” a desirable piece of add to any DJ or record collector's stash. Milk Talk was also recently featured on the Soul Clap Records compilation “New Directions In Funk Vol. 1,” curated by XL Middleton. More

Moniquea's Yes No Maybe is an album that is steeped in the synthesizer-heavy aesthetics of 1980's R&B funk (often referred to as "boogie") but is modern enough to move past the "retro" label into something that builds a fresh sound upon the blueprints created by seminal 80's acts such as Prince, Midnight Star, or Evelyn "Champagne" King. YNM was released at the height of the 'modern funk' movement, as championed by Dam Funk & carried on by a small but dedicated cadre of artists such as Moniquea herself, & album producer XL Middleton. Having been out of print and growing evermore scarce in the second hand market, a reissue was all but inevitable.

- Coverage at album's release including video premiere on Vice plus interviews & mentions on Complex, OkayPlayer & others.
- Hosts monthly Dublab radio show called “Jammin' Croquettes”
- Moniquea has continuously toured the US & internationally throughout Europe, Japan, & Canada.

DJ support from:
- Dam Funk
- Peanut Butter Wolf
- Soul Clap
- J Rocc
- Tim Zawada (Star Creature, Numero Group)
- Walla P (Voyage Funktastique)
- WeFunk Radio More

It's the collaboration that the modern funk world has been waiting for - Blue Blade Piranha is basically a Zackey Force Funk album, produced in its entirety by XL Middleton. You've already heard the first single "Jam Likely," originally released pre-covid, and the subsequent previews "Commando" & "Tie Me Up." Now, get ready for the full-length, which takes the journey from the streets to the stars.

"Glide Through Galaxy" has been remixed in the way it was originally intended to be - a miscommunication led to the track being released on Zackey's "4x4 Scorpion" album before it could be fully fleshed out. It's hitting harder than ever now! ZFF & XL even take their brand of modern funk & blend it with house on "Rude Sensation." ZFF's first stepper (read: a more mellow, easy going take on funk) appears in the form of "Don't Be Late"; we get a vaporwavey, slow motion, thick-as-molasses cruiser on "Girls And Gangsters," and the duo even take it to minimal wave territory on "Cocaine Cream."

DJ support from:
- J Rocc
- Anthony Valadez & Novena Carmel (KCRW 89.9 FM Los Angeles morning show)
- Walla P (Voyage Funktastique)
- Soul Clap - Funk Freaks
- WeFunk Radio

Collectively Zackey Force Funk & XL Middleton have toured continuously throughout the US & internationally all over Europe, as well as Canada, Japan, China, Australia, & New Zealand More

Considered an underground classic by many, XL Middleton's “Tap Water” was released at the height of the fervor over 'modern funk' music, brought to life by Dam Funk & carried on by a small but dedicated cadre of artists including Middleton. Always in demand, “Tap Water” has become scarce in the aftermarket and demands collector-level prices when it does sell; thus a reissue was inevitable.

Mentions in LA Weekly, The Wire (UK), Washington Post

DJ support from: - J Rocc
- Soul Clap
- Dam Funk
- Walla P (Voyage Funktastique)
- Tim Zawada (Star Creature, Numero Group)
- WeFunk Radio

XL Middleton has continuously toured the US and internationally throughout Europe, as well as Japan, China, & Canada. More

It's hard to keep up with the hugely prolific output of UK don Burnski and his several different labels these days but one thing is for sure - Pilot keeps on serving up the goods. For its 15th release, the tech and minimal focussed label welcomes Robin Graham who opens up with the lively and colourful synths of bustling groover 'Check Me Out'. 'Spark Plug' is more business-like - the dry drums and hits overlaid with retro chord stabs that amp up the crowd and 'For You' then gets loose and funky with some twisted and sugar synths over garage-flecked beats and 'What's That' (Refix) offers a jumbled percussive sound full of dynamism. More

The third in a series of self-released Liquid Earth Physical Records, “Three Dimensional Rocker” is a sonic cheese plate for the dedicated dancer.

The 12” navigates through four robust club tunes, surely an expected outcome from the seasoned Californian producer. From Aside titles’ full throttle funkery to the equally nauseating floor fillers on the flip, LEP003 is one big kahuna. More

The Oyster Cult’s Naarm continent grows larger with the addition of Ebbs N Flow. The unholy alliance of Dashiell and Will Holden of Hybrid Man touching down with some precision-tooled tech house variants, and considering their only previous collab came on an Animalia compilation back in 2022, this has been long in the making.

OYSTER56 marks the first full release from this lesser spotted project. The handiwork of two producers, both accomplished in their own right but transcending their respective styles for a 4-track dose of late nite propulsion. Seductively stripped-back and engineered for optimum impact.

Flexing a deftness of touch, and a far cry from the smudged, dubby FX Holden tends to deploy under the Hybrid Man banner, these tracks set the duo’s stall out as purveyors of the nocturnal and club-ready. Sultry, sleek, and sumptuous like only the dankest cuts can sound.

It’s fitting that a track with the title 'Deeper Dream' might feature on a release feeling like a transmission from the other side; a parallel dimension where the after-hours never end. More

For their 9th release, AGT Records is happy to present a highly sought after two-tracker from Eric Spire. Originally released in 2003 on his own Silver Pearl Records, the ‘Big Brother’ EP provided the perfect blend of tech house, acid and progressive house that took the US scene by storm.

Each side has its own time and place at the party. The A Side is a peak time percussive workout, with drums and acid lines flying around the constant pulse of a big old bassline. The B Side is designed for the more horizontal after-hours, with a psychedelic melody and groove that keeps on swirling round and round and round.

AGT Records is excited to get this one back onto turntables, all in good time. More

Tracklisting
A1 Chech - Eternal Youth
A2 Chech - Regular Guy
B1 Chech - Regular Guy (Reboot remix)
B2 Chech - Eternal Youth (Niko Maxen remix)

Sales Note
We warmly welcome Chech to the label, he is delivering our next only vinyl imprint. This Ep features two originals "Regular Guy" and "Eternal Youth". A1 "Eternal Youth" shows an appealing sound based on eternal youth, with percussive sounds and vocal effects, which together with snares, atmospheres and the play of highs, generate this entire movement with an underground and vivid essence. A2 "Regular Guy", the sound of this track is with a powerful bass that tries to add suspense and consistency to the message, giving the result of the minimal sound transporting you to the moment, taking a journey through emotions. B side comes with two stunning remixers, Reboot & Niko Maxen. More

Naya Beat continues to champion South Asian musical heritage with the aptly titled Bhangra House Xtc EP featuring music from the late great Manjeet Kondal with remixes from Mr. Scruff and new tracks from label heads Filip Nikolic and Raghav Mani aka Turbotito & Ragz. It celebrates the overlooked influence of late 80s dance and dub music on Bhangra and comes complete with over-the-top artwork, an ode to Bhangra sleeves from the era.

This EP pays homage to a special and relatively untold time when Asian and Western producers collaborated to bridge musical cultures on the dance floor and when British Asian youths were finding their own space at daytime raves. It is in part a tribute to Bhangra innovator Manjeet Kondal, who passed away late last year, and part a tribute to the forgotten yet scintillating confluence of acid house and dub music with late 80s and early 90s Bhangra, now highly sought after as long out of print 12”s.
Kondal, a founding member and percussionist of the legendary band Alaap, left to pursue his solo career as a vocalist. He helped broaden the Bhangra sound by incorporating elements of dub and house into Punjabi folk and traditional instrumentation. His first album, Holle Holle became a household hit, and it is from there that the originals for this package are taken.

The famously deep digging and eclectic selector that is Manchester's Ninja Tune regular Mr. Scruff remixes Kondal’s proto-house banger Ishkaan De Mamle. He first became a fan of Turbotito & Ragz after their label’s superb Naya Beat Volume 1 release and doesn’t disappoint here with a sublime acid house-inspired take with the most infectious and bounciest of basslines. He also serves up an Instrumental Dub and Vocal Strip Down that twists the original into subtly different moods.

Next up, Turbotito & Ragz deliver a dub tribute that works with Kondal’s vocal stems from an assortment of tracks from his album ‘Holle Holle’. It's a compelling and vibrant sound with exotic instrumentals and dubbed-out low ends, all held together by hooky Punjabi vocals. It also comes as a Lovey Dubby Dub version.
With dance music now coming full circle and South Asian DJs increasingly regular faces on the mainstream festival, club, and underground circuit, this release is a fitting and timely modern tribute to the pioneers that came before.

A1 - Ishkaan De Mamle (Mr. Scruff Remix)
A2 - Pyaar
B1 - Ishkaan De Mamle (Mr. Scruff Instrumental Dub)
B2 - Pyaar (Lovey Dubby Dub) More

Underground hero and label boss DJ Steaw makes his Nu Groove debut with ‘Seascape EP’, a four-track odyssey of deep, soulful house. With over 12 years of experience, the revered DJ and producer is known for his arresting sets appearing on famed stages including Berlin's Tresor, London's fabric, Amsterdam's Shelter and all over his home nation of France. As an electronic tastemaker spanning multiple genres and influences, DJ Steaw has launched House Puff Records, Steaward and Rutilance Records, the latter of which he co-founded with crate digger Gunnter. Having already received support from tastemaker Chris Stussy, this four-track package is a perfect fit for the cult NYC label. Opening with the powerful stabs of ‘Take It There’, ‘Seascape EP’ explores the producer’s signature, bass-heavy sound as well as the myriad of influences from further afield. The title track ‘Seascape’ contrasts breathy pads with bright, dynamic percussion, as ‘Close To You’ and ‘Exotica’ further demonstrate a recognisable, nostalgic aesthetic that is both club-ready and dreamlike in quality. More

With Echoes of Ego, the debut 12” on fleet.dreams’ newly formed Vinezza Records, the aim was to create an eclectic tapestry of magnetic rhythms that satisfied the listener equally in the club, a mix or at home. Insisting on sacrificing the mentality that dance music must follow a certain formula to be well received & instead pushing the envelope to challenge conventional notions of genre.

Semioptila sets the stage with a distinctively layered, percussive discussion. A repetitious rhythm is tethered loosely by a breathy, calmative vocal before introducing a lucid soft synth that shifts the narrative into a deep & tranquilizing sonic progression. Tan Gallant follows suit with a feverish, conga driven conversation. Intoxicatingly narrated by a meditative mantra & a stutterstepping, trance inducing melody that lines the velvet fabric with an effervescently galloping bass.

B side opener Deep Respire initiates a new chapter in this aural odyssey defined by dub adjacent mixing and instrumentation. Vaporous chords strike and drift across an ethereal landscape of hand drums and scattered hi hats, materializing in a lush and delirious environment. Title track, Echoes of Ego, bestows a celestial assemblage of kaleidoscopic textures with a rolling sub bass that pulsates in perpetual fervency. Gaining momentum at a meticulously calculated pace, wind chimes crescendo, making way for a sensual and spiritual harmonic consummation.

In a world of musical conformity, fleet.dreams stands as a beacon of creativity and a testament to the boundless possibilities of electronic music, ensuring that listeners remain captivated and curious. Written & inspired while traveling Mexico in the summer of 2023, Echoes of Ego is an introspective reflection of self via hypnotic percussive rhythms, resulting in a seductive ballad of tech meditation.



Early support from: Paurro, 2Lanes, Amelia Holt & Scott Zacharias More

Undoubtedly one of the finest disco songs ever created, “Dance Reaction” emerged as a sensation from Holland, representing a true ‘one-hit wonder.’ The distinguished ‘Siamese’ label in the US and Carrere in Europe both recognized its potential and took it under their wings. This track, clearly inspired by dan Hartman’s “Vertigo”, swiftly climbed the charts across the continent in the spring of 1982.

On the A-Side, listeners are treated to the captivating and sensuous sounds of the Martin Boer version. This interpretation unequivocally showcases Martin’s innate connection with disco, evident in his captivating electro-disco masterpiece. Notably, Martin Boer holds the distinction of being a founding member of “2 Brothers on the 4th Floor,” a Eurodance phenomenon that dominated the 90s, amassing millions of record sales globally. Intriguingly, this release marks his return to remixing records, after a 15-year hiatus; incidentally, Martin embarked on his journey with High Fashion Music in 1990.

Flipping over to the AA-side, Croatian legendary DJ Pucko presents a remix that encapsulates the unique essence of the former Eastern bloc sound. This rendition exudes a raw and forceful energy, characteristic of that regional style. At the behest of High Fashion, the components of his mix were extracted and meticulously reworked and refined through the mastering process. The objective was to preserve the core while polishing the rough edges, culminating in an essential vinyl record that retro and disco DJs alike must acquire to elevate their dance floors. More