Vick Lavender returns to Cataleya Music with the sensational Chicago Blue Line. This is a magical key led jam with a deep reaching melody. The first half has an acidic bassline, whilst the second features a free flowing flute and a strong bass guitar. Remixes come from two legendary producers. First up is Spiritual House pioneer Antonio Ocasio. The Tribal Winds boss provides a glorious star gazing effort with 'Lofty' key work and flexing sax. The equally esteemed Kai Alcé takes the track in a different direction. His remix starts as an energetic dancefloor winner with unrelenting percussion and an instep bassline. Three minutes later, the mood changes with freeform jazz piano, live percussion and pointed trumpeting. Chicago Blue Line is another high quality release from Sweden's Cataleya Music. More

Cataleya Music follow up their debut from Vick Lavender with Let Me Show You from Zephan aka Cool Affair. The Johannesburg based producer has been making music since 2006. The Prince of Broken Beats has a Jazz background, evident in his music released as Cool Affair and Zephan. Let Me Show You has a magical melody, icy chords and textured percussion. Cool Affair’s vocals add an extra dimension. Alongside the original, we get a ‘Galactic Soul Remix’ from the legendary DJ Spinna. The Brooklyn born producer needs little introduction, at home with Hip Hop, House and everything in between. On this remix, Spinna opts for swaying synths and flips the keys. This remix complements Zephan’s original perfectly. After only two releases, Sweden’s Cataleya Music show they are an imprint to watch. More

Cataleya Music debuts with a bright effort from Chicago’?s Vick Lavender entitled No One’?s Going To Love You. Here, the Sophisticado Recordings boss drops his uptempo reimagination of a time honoured Soul classic. With a Balearic tinged guitar, a fat bassline and buoyant synths, Lavender has created a real beauty. Remixes come courtesy of Californian rising star Coflo. His Remix deploys a mysterious vocal over questioning keys and steadfast percussion. The Remix offers expressive rhodes passages and glorious guitars, whilst Coflo’?s Dub Tool is a driving finale. Cataleya Music is a new label from Sweden, dedicated to Deep and Soulful House music. The imprint has many more exciting releases lined up for 2024. More

Tiger Stripes debuts on Rekids with ‘I Heard It Through the Bassline’.

Stockholm’s Tiger Stripes appears on Matt Edwards’ Rekids for the first time with the ‘I Heard It Through The Bassline’ two-tracker. The EP starts with the aptly named title track, defined by its deeply infectious bass, which propels forward along tight house grooves and classy gospel vocals. ‘I Heard It Through the Bassline’ is followed by Tiger Stripes’ ‘Everybody’s Doing It’, a stylish, low-slung people mover with the air of a vibey, dim-lit establishment or introspective late-night journey through the city.

Strange Idols label founder Tiger Stripes is a prolific producer, remixer, and DJ who has been active since the early 2000s. He’s collaborated with artists like Kerri Chandler and Jerome Sydenham and released music via heavyweight underground imprints, including Hot Creations, Get Physical, and Sydenham’s Ibadan. Now, he moves the needle again with the ‘I Heard It Through the Bassline’ EP on Rekids. More

Long awaited reissue of the the first LP by Mystic Jungle. Originally published in 2018, minimalistic funk and experimental boogie jams with a massive use of FM synthesis made by Periodica Records foreman. More

Repress!

Here is the debut, self-titled album from a.s.o., singer/songwriter Alia Seror-O'Neill, and producer Lewie Day. 'a.s.o.' is a thematic consolidation of the previous three singles and an impressive artistic progression. Day and Seror-O'Neill show they've mastered the format of the radio-friendly pop song and found how to subvert it completely. Across eleven songs, they have built a rich and compelling body of work.

We know where we are now, emotionally complex, trip-hop torch songs for club freaks. But the palette has broadened to encompass ethereal dream pop à la Cocteau Twins, slow-burning AOR-soul, and dubwise stylings. As a result, 'a.s.o.' is a satisfyingly coherent listen but never a musical monoculture. Variously there are nods toward Julee Cruise, Fleetwood Mac, and the uneasy listening of Portishead. It's an album that wears its influences lightly, is never weighed down by them, and always sure of its own identity.

It's anchored by Alia's unique voice. Her words speak of restraint and release, taking us from the elegiac to the euphoric. This elegantly crafted, perfect pop music sounds like it has had enough of your shit. And Day's music is the perfect foil; deep, slightly menacing, restrained, and powerful. The album has a cinematic texture, as with David Lynch; the seemingly familiar becomes uncanny and strange the closer we look. a.s.o. take our emotions for a joyride before leaving us floating in space.

'a.s.o.' is a journey; by its end, we all are changed.
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VICK LAVENDER produced collaboration finally sees the light of day featuring FRANKIE KNUCKLES favorite ELBERT PHILLIPS, who's made some noise recently with his remake of "TEARS", a DEFMIX classic. A major pairing from house SOPHISTICADO! Don't sleep these will go fast. On colored vinyl. More