Session Victim need little by way of introduction having been releasing on Delusions consistently for the last 10 years and becoming the undisputed poster boys for the label in the process. Despite their regular appearance however, it’s always a real treat to announce a new record from the German duo and we have to say, the Screen Off EP may well find them in their finest form to date! Coming hot off their latest downtempo LP entitled Low Key, Low Pressure for Night Time Stories, you can tell Hauke and Matthias were ready to take things back to the dance-floor and have delivered an EP which looks set to become a future classic and no doubt big in the box of discerning DJ’s the world over. Screen Off is really it’s own thing, living somewhere on the long and winding road between the Bar Kays and the Bad Brains, suffice to say that what it lacks in easily definable attributes it makes up for in sheer energy and raw attitude. Hauke and Matthias re-invite Jamaican poet and vocalist Ras Stimulant, who contemplates our screen addictions and urges us to disconnect and be present in the moment. Matthias’ rolling bassline provides the backbone, whilst hints of crunchy Moog and chopped guitar samples all bring a sense of urgency to the track. Light The Way acts as an antidote, bringing a sense of calm melancholia in contrast to the title track’s low-end, funked-up fervour. A soft focus and almost distant drum groove draws us in whilst arpeggiating synths add a sense of optimism, reinforcing the tracks title. Closing out the release we have Session Victim’s studio partner, good friend and all-round top producer Iron Curtis in for a remix of Light The Way. Johannes takes an interesting approach for his Illuminati interpretation, enhancing the breakbeat feel and mixing up chopped samples with classic 808 drums. A muscular bassline adds extra weight to his remix but without losing the subtle musicality and positive vibe of the original. Being the vinyl purists they are, Session Victim and Iron Curtis top up the physical 12“ EP with the exclusive Screen Off Acapella and an additional Iron Curtis Remix Reprise. More

This June Session Victim return to Jimpster's ' Delusions Of Grandeur' imprint with a third studio album. 'Listen To Your Heart' is the result of a year of cross-continental scripting, started in their Hamburg studio and wrapped up stateside in San Francisco's Room G Studios where the duo had worked on their 2014 LP 'See you When You Get There'. Sampling still remains an ever present backbone throughout the album. Session Victim have dug deep for sounds, resulting in a richly detailed and organic sound collage that goes hand-in-hand with their live instrumentation, this time enhanced through several guest musician appearances, most notably Carsten "Erobique" Meyer (ex-International Pony). Smooth guitar samples are built up on 'Over and Over' while on 'Moons & Flowers' the live instrumentals that Session Victim do so well come to the fore. The treasure trove of San Francisco's record shops proved to be a hard bait to resist and the pair spent a large part of their Californian time hunting for records to sample. Three new tracks emerged from these digging sessions, with the sweeping disco string arrangements on 'Shadows' standing out as a prime ode to days spent combing through bargain bins. Listen To Your Heart is equally a product of the road. While heavy touring is often cited as a hindrance to the creativity of artists, Session Victim see their live shows as a catalyst to their creativity. Two US tours in 2016 gave the Hamburg duo the opportunity to take track sketches and fragments on the road to incorporate into their live shows and then digest them back in the studio. The playful funk soaked groove of 'Matching Half' captures the sense of movement present throughout Listen To Your Heart and the LP mix of 'Up To Rise', which caused heavy ripples when it dropped as part of 2016's Matching Half EP is an extension of the upbeat and euphoric groove that permeates the album. More

Session Victim’s 5th studio album ‘LOW KEY, LOW PRESSURE’ feels like an anathema to today’s fast paced, industry driven musical landscape – and for all the right reasons.

Having released two intense, dancefloor-focused 12“s on Rhythm Section and Delusions Of Grandeur over the past year, their return to NIGHT TIME STORIES brings out their trippy, headsy side once again.

And despite the pandemic downtime being over, Hauke and Matthias remain holed up in the studio, jamming, head nodding to drum breaks and churning out records like the one in front of you.

Spanning 10 tunes – 12 if you count the limited bonus 7“ that comes with the first pressing – the LP is undiluted Session Victim, with their occasional trio partner Carsten “Erobique“ Meyer as the sole musical guest on the library-esque SOFT LANDING, a tune reminiscent of something the boys would try to hunt down on one of their compulsive record store rummages to feed it to their Akais.
You’ll also find the sequel to one of their cornerstone tracks from their 2020 album NEEDLEDROP, Jazzbeat 07. (It’s JAZZBEAT 08, in case you were wondering.)

Having acquired a taste for the occasional cover version over the years, the duo closes the album out with their rendition of Instra:mental’s PHOTOGRAPH. Tackling such a classic is a daunting task which they approach in a gentle way, not swaying too far from the original, subtly reimagining the rhythmical foundation and exchanging the distinctive playground sounds from the original with field recordings of the locals populating the gritty area around their Neukölln studio.

Being long time fans of Swedish organ player Bo Hansson, Hauke and Matthias tried to reach out to the people responsible for his cover artwork - who today are in their late 80ies and have not answered ever since. Things came together in the most fortunate way when the pair were introduced to French artist Xavier d’espinay Saint Luc and his enchanting pencil wizardry. The outstanding result is what you’re holding in your hands right now.

But what do you really need to know? This is ‘low key, low pressure’. It’s got pristine drum chops to zoom in, hazy melodies to zone out, and all the texture you need to lose yourself in the details.
Including download codes for the unmixed tracks and original DJ mix in MP3 / FLAC / WAV formats.

- For fans of: DJ Shadow, AIR, HNNY, Cinematic Orchestra and RJD2

Tracklisting:
a1 enlightenment
a2 soft landing
a3 jazzbeat 08
a4 the hidden trail
a5 porchless
b1 mycelium dub
b2 walk in the park
b3 assembler
b4 one trick ponies
b5 photograph More

Repress!

“Session Victim debut on Rhythm Section Intl with an EP of understated but highly effective jazzy house rollers“

Having cemented themselves as firm favourites on the Rhythm Section dance-floor over the years, the German duo step forward to present their debut EP on the South London label: “ Basic Instinct”.

Known for their unparalleled energy when performing live or DJing, Hauke and Matthias fly the flag for sample based, soulful house music and a commitment to the art of vinyl DJing. With the never- ending search for the perfect beat at the core of what they do, it was no surprise they found a deep affinity with Rhythm Section INTL over years of playing for each other, jamming in the studio and crossing paths at festivals and airports around the world. In short, this record was an inevitable culmination of two passionate, like minded groups, a match made in Heaven and a long time coming!

Despite hailing from the techno meccas of Berlin and Hamburg, Session Victim are direct descendants of the German Jazzy House masters, tracing inspiration from the likes of Jazzanova, Soulphiction & Compost Records - the likes of which have gone on to inspire a renaissance of this more soulful sound in German clubs, spearheaded by labels like Tartelet and Toy Tonics - the latter of which the duo recently released an EP with.

This latest effort on Rhythm Section INTL is a masterclass in restraint, demonstrating a deep understanding of dancefloor dynamics, putting the maxim ‘less is more’ to great effect. The
opening track, ‘Trying To Make it Home’ is the most immediately engaging cut: a double bass riff drives along a Kerri Chandler-esque filtered piano pattern which gives way to a soaring Gospel

Vocal , allowing the groove to take control as flutes, strings and occasional guitar licks meander in and out of the mix to create a real ‘heads down, arms up’ moment for the dancefloor. More

Time to welcome Session Victim back to Delusions Of Grandeur following some heavyweight releases on Toytonics and Rhythm Section International. The German duo show absolutely no signs of slowing down continuing to impress with their unique sound which combines organic live elements, fat, floor-filling beats and a deep, musical approach. Here on The Intangibles EP we’re treated to three original tracks spanning high energy jazz disco meets techno, soulful uplifting house and downtempo blunted beats. Opener Motivation features spoken word from Ras Stimulant backed by urgent looping Rhodes stabs and an uptempo disco groove. An instant Session Victim dance-floor shaker if ever there was one, the energy cranked up to the maximum without losing sight of that all important groove. Next up we have Dromedary Twist which keeps up the pace but goes deeper on the jazzy organ chords and lays down a heavy syncopated bass- line which ensures the funk factor remains present and correct. Rounding out the EP in fine style, Green Run drops the BPM’s as we head into lazy, hazy, blissed-out jazzed-up beats territory. Lush strings and layers of analogue synths come together on this simple yet enchanting little tune which compliments the other tracks perfectly and will appeal to fans of SV’s more home-listening output from their 2020 LP Needledrop. More

Session Victim have become something of a phenomenon since their inception a little over 12 years ago. They bring a sense of fun and unrivalled energy to their live shows and DJ sets which instantly connects with any crowd in front of them and their charming disregard for musical boundaries ensures that you never know quite what to expect or where they’re heading next. When not feeding their addiction to pinball machines, the duo of Hauke Freer and Matthias Reiling are constantly creating, keeping things fresh by forming labels such as Retreat run by Hauke and Quarion, Pen & Paper run by the duo themselves and Hauke’s new baby Save The Books. Last year’s Needledrop LP for Night Time Stories saw them step away from the dance floor and head into deep, downtempo mode to great effect, and now we’re proud to welcome Session Victim back to Delusions Of Grandeur for the release of Two Crowns which sees them edging back towards clubbier sounds, albeit with their trademark live instrumentation and highly musical approach. The EP gives us three original tracks which move smoothly from the low-slung funky wobble of the title track with it’s stabbing analogue synths and house not house live drum groove, through to the lush, expansive sounds of Village Youth. Once again, Session Victim have created a collection of tracks which give us a sense of nostalgia for early 90’s Fila Brazilia/Solid Doctor records on the influential Porky label. A world where trippy spoken word samples, cut up breakbeats, deep pads and sine wave basslines live in perfect harmony and a sense of optimism flows through every note. Let’s face it, we can all do with some of that right now! More

A1 Needledrop (Laurence Guy Remix)
A2 Still High (Jackmate's Juke Rework)
B1 Isle of Taste (Patrice Scott Remix)
B2 Jazzbeat 7 (Dday One Remix)
B3 No Sky, Blue Sound (Panoram Rework)
Expanding upon their recently released album Needledrop, which has
received support from the likes of CRACK, Dummy, Mixmag, DJ Mag,
Resident Advisor, XLR8R and more, the Remixed EP invites some of the
pairs favourite artists for a deeper exploration of the album.
With a blend of jazz, electronic and downtempo, each of the remixers
instill their own production styles to reimagine one of underground
music’s most intriguing and genre-crossing acts into a new listening
experience. From Laurence Guy’s melodic yet driving remix of
‘Needledrop’, to Jackmate’s transformation of ‘Still High’ into 5-minute,
experimental rework, the ‘Needledrop’ remix EP continues to reaffirm
the original album as Session Victim’s most eclectic LP to date.
Patrice Scott 90’s influenced take on ‘Isle Of Taste’ is a longer and more
contemporary offering, whilst Dday One’s remix of ‘Jazz Beat’ adds a
sinuous saxophone solo to fully embrace the experimental spirit of the
original. The neo-jazz feel of ‘No Sky, Blue Sound’ is flipped to a slower
tempo by Panoram, yet retains the explorative guitar solo heard on the
album. More

The 11-track album titled “Needledrop” provides a suite of both uplifting and easy-listening moments, refined and understated individually yet cohesively crafted with the honest musicianship and inarguable credentials that we know of production duo Session Victim.
More

This June Session Victim returned to Delusions Of Grandeur imprint with their third studio album.Listen To Your Heart is the result of a year of cross-continental scripting, started in their Hamburg studio and wrapped up stateside in San Francisco’s Room G Studios where the duo had worked on their 2014 LP See You When You Get There. Here we present the third of three LP samplers containing four tracks each, cut nice and loud for the vinyl crew. We kick things off with Almost Midnight, another uplifting summer jam loaded with trademark Session Victim energy and positive vibrations. Next up we have Castle For Sale which drops the bpm’s for a dub influenced, spaced out jam session sounding like King Tubby and Nightmares On Wax getting stuck in the proverbial lift with a large bong for company. Flipping over we have a Head Over Heels, which goes heavy on the lush orchestral strings and a brilliant bouncing Moog bassline bringing a deft touch. Finally we’re treated to Thermal Explorer, which incorporates some wonderful Larry Heard-esque keyboards for a perfect wind-down track to close the release. An impeccable demonstration of retro-inspired yet forward thinking house and downtempo music,Listen To Your Heartsees Session Victim at the top of their game. More

This June Session Victim return to Delusions Of Grandeur imprint with their third studio album. Listen To Your Heart is the result of a year of cross-continental scripting, started in their Hamburg studio and wrapped up stateside in San Francisco’s Room G Studios where the duo had worked on their 2014 LP See You When You Get There. Here we present the second of three LP samplers containing four tracks each, cut nice and loud for the vinyl crew. Shadows gets things rolling with a classic Session Victim housey groove, looped up pads and hooky spoken vocal samples. Filtered string stabs bring a warm and soulful edge whilst dub delay touches add a floaty element to get lost in. Next up we have Unchained which drops the bpm’s for a widescreen, slo-mo jam clouded in a smokey haze with jazzy touches, recalling the halcyon days of Pork Recordings. Flipping over we have a brand new LP version of previous single Up To Rise, another sublime slice of blissed-out house music with a wonderful organic and live sound palette. Echoing Rhodes licks join the lead guitar tune for a Balearic beauty which will be stuck in your head long after the sun sets. Closing this second sampler we have Over And Over, which winds things down somewhat for an inspired, bass-led roller. An impeccable demonstration of retro-inspired yet forward thinking house and downtempo music, Listen To Your Heart sees Session Victim at the top of their game. More

New 2017 Album CD!
Session Victim return to Jimpster's ' Delusions Of Grandeur' imprint with a third studio album. 'Listen To Your Heart' is the result of a year of cross-continental scripting, started in their Hamburg studio and wrapped up stateside in San Francisco's Room G Studios where the duo had worked on their 2014 LP 'See you When You Get There'.
Tracklisting:
1. Over and Over
2. Bring It Back
3. Moons and Flowers
4. The Hatch
5. Shadows
6. Matching Half
7. Unchained
8. If We Can Make It Here
9. Almost Midnight
10. Castle for Sale
11. Up to Rise (LP Mix)
12. Head over Heels
13. Thermal Explorer

Sampling still remains an ever present backbone throughout the album. Session Victim have dug deep for sounds, resulting in a richly detailed and organic sound collage that goes hand-in-hand with their live instrumentation, this time enhanced through several guest musician appearances, most notably Carsten "Erobique" Meyer (ex-International Pony). Smooth guitar samples are built up on 'Over and Over' while on 'Moons & Flowers' the live instrumentals that Session Victim do so well come to the fore.

The treasure trove of San Francisco's record shops proved to be a hard bait to resist and the pair spent a large part of their Californian time hunting for records to sample. Three new tracks emerged from these digging sessions, with the sweeping disco string arrangements on 'Shadows' standing out as a prime ode to days spent combing through bargain bins.

Listen To Your Heart is equally a product of the road. While heavy touring is often cited as a hindrance to the creativity of artists, Session Victim see their live shows as a catalyst to their creativity. Two US tours in 2016 gave the Hamburg duo the opportunity to take track sketches and fragments on the road to incorporate into their live shows and then digest them back in the studio. The playful funk soaked groove of 'Matching Half' captures the sense of movement present throughout Listen To Your Heart and the LP mix of 'Up To Rise', which caused heavy ripples when it dropped as part of 2016's Matching Half EP is an extension of the upbeat and euphoric groove that permeates the album.
More

City To City: Johannesburg is the first in a new series of V/A releases which will shine a light on exciting producers from a different city for each edition. What better place to start than The City Of Gold, somewhere synonymous with deep and soulful house and whose scene and artists have finally begun to get global recognition despite the relative geographical isolation. Labels such as Kid Fonque’s Stay True Sounds have been an important platform for South African artists and who can deny the incredible journey of Black Coffee. Deep house really is a way of life for many young people growing up in often challenging conditions and it’s been exciting to see many becoming known outside of their own country and starting to gig internationally.

Here on the debut City To City we showcase 6 tracks from 6 different artists hailing from Johannesburg, relative newcomers rubbing shoulders with more established names. Kicking off the release we have one such producer who has been slowly but surely stamping his mark over the last 10 years: KaySoul. With output having appeared on labels such as Shall Not Fade, Dirt Crew, Lazy Days and Tribe KaySoul is definitely making waves with his soulful take on the South African deep sound. Icey Baby featuring Mr Beale keeps things raw and minimal, letting the vocal stay front and centre, a naivety and playfulness giving an almost demo-feel to the production.

Sculpturedmusic steps up next with Midnight Talk. Another SA artist who has earned his stripes with some huge tracks including Sad To Think which deservedly became a substantial hit, Sculpturedmusic’s contribution to the release keeps things deep, percussive and rolling with an African vocal sample backed up by pensive piano chords.

With just a handful of releases on his own Herbal Soundz label as well as the much lauded vinyl label Adeen, SizLeCaude is one of the exciting up and coming artists worthy of attention. Taking a classic early 00’s deep house approach on Far Apart he reminds us of the output Ben Watt’s Buzzin’ Fly sounding both timeless and contemporary with buckets of warmth and soul.

Flipping over we have Love (Kinda Thing) from Radic The Myth whose harmonically rich take on house music brings a floating yet punchy feel to the release.

Persie Botta joins forces with Jade Nickels on the next track entitled They Never Loved Us. The duo deliver a sublime slice of true Joburg-style deep house with lush layers of pads, reverb-soaked pads, snaking sub bass and a powerful, low slung groove.

Last but not least we close out the release with Thabang Baloyi who joins fresh from releases on established SA labels Just Move and Basement Art. Lost In goes in DEEP with a syncopated snare groove and simple, repeating vocal line. More

Repress. full colour sleeve / gold + white marbled vinyl

A foray into deep, organic, cinematic dance music. Subterranean bass, intercepted alien transmissions, and stripped down dance-beats meld with sheets of sounds that roll over the listener like waves lapping up on the shore. Shimmering, watery, brain hemisphere synchronization tones caress and melt stress away. Dance floor friendly tracks that work equally well in one s private listening space. Immersive music with a distinctive aquatic quality. Inspired by Detroit & Berlin s dance genres, but tempered by more ambience / atmosphere than one would expect from those genres. Music without harshness or rough edges. Fuzzy, out-of-focus, soft-sounds that slip in and out of the listener's consciousness. Uniquely melds current dance rhythms with lushness and spirituality. Synesthetic sounds that trigger sensory experiences in cognitive pathways other than hearing smells of perfumes, thoughts of colours, and altered perception of time and space. Psychoacoustic, cerebral, electronic listening music for those wanting a different experience than the current harsher, darker dance trends are offering. Responsibly made gentle music designed from the ground-up to have a positive effect on the nervous system and leave the listener invigorated and recharged. Chi-building sonic balm. Timeless, exotic dance tracks for a new school of electronic music enthusiasts who are searching for beautiful sounds, crafted with a higher purpose in mind. More

Louie Vega continues to expand the musical boundaries of house music with his unique ability to combine the essence of classic disco, soul and funk with the percussive energy that is the driving force of dancefloors worldwide. His new work is a second preview into the epic and forthcoming Expansions In The NYC album. This album will include selections that represent the many musical movements on which the House Music genre has evolved right up to the current time. Louie has a few special guests in mind to join him on the album as well, all of which will create unique collaborations that will launch the project into an area of worldwide interest. As one of the world’s longest independent dance labels, Nervous is well suited to present this momentous project. It’s often said that great talent is in the DNA, and that’s most certainly the case with the Vega family. The A side of this 12” is “How He Works,” a blast of gospel – laced dancefloor energy that includes a stellar featured co-production with Nico Vega. The track has been buzzing buzzing massively ever since Louie debuted it at one of his sold out Expansions In The NYC events in New York. The 12” features two dubs, and fans will have to wait for the album to get the full club version. The AA side include the peak hour gem “Can’t Slow Down” and the inspired “Vince Montana Tribute.” “Can’t Slow Down” shows Louie’s creative abilities at their best as he re-shapes a vocal from a Nervous Records classic house jam “Rushing” by Loni Clark, and with full approval and appreciation from the original producers Mood II Swing, re-creates something that will absolutely blow up dancefloors today. The “Vince Montana Tribute” (Louie Vega and Rick Wilhite from Detroit Rework) is a heartfelt and equally impactful production in which Louie demonstrates his appreciation for the disco sounds that he grew up on in the iconoc borough of Bronx, NYC. A1. Louie Vega Featuring Nico Vega – How He Works (Nico Funki Dub 2), A2. Louie Vega Featuring Nico Vega – How He Works (Nico Funki Dub 1), AA1. Louie Vega – Can’t Slow Down, AA2. Louie Vega – Vince Montana Tribute (Louie Vega & Rick Wilhite Rework)
More

We are delighted to offer a very limited hand-stamped repress of Black Loops’ debut EP, 7 Hills on FreerangeThe Italian producer who splits his time between Berlin and his native country has had a solid few years rising through the house music ranks through releases on respected labels such as Shall Not Fade, Pets, Toytonics, Aterral, Gruuv & Neovinyl.His broad-ranging influences taking in funk, soul, disco and 90’s NY house inform a depth, warmth and musicality to his productions which has seen him in demand DJing around the world and makes him an obvious fit for us here on Freerange.This EP, produced almost exclusively during an extended tour in Australia opens with title track 7Hills, the area where he stayed and worked on this release. The trademark Black Loops swinging groove, smooth Rhodes stabs/ keys licks courtesy of Nikos Haropoulos and a deep, rolling bassline all come together to form the perfect warm up track - uplifting, understate and with a subtle sense of anticipation.Next up we have Parisian producer Mad Rey getting stuck into 7Hills for a raw, bumping interpretation which jacks things up a notch taking it into heavier peak-time territory. Mad Rey has been responsible for some brilliant releases on French label D.Ko, Rekids and most recently Mamie’s Records and alongside label mates Flabaire and Paul Cut he has helped reestablish Paris as a hotbed of fresh, musical talent.Flipping over we have two more Black Loops originals. King Paul takes an old soul vocal sample and works it to great effect over crisp 909 beats and sun-soaked keys whilst a vinyl-only bonus track Linda38 treads a similar path but with a punchier groove and warm pads rounding off this EP in fine style. More