Freestyle Records compile a killer overview of rare & undersung UK street soul & boogie tracks from across the 80s and early 90s, selected from the creme of the label's recent 12" reissue programme. Features an exclusive mid-90s cut from Manchester street soul act Gold In The Shade, along with photography from Andrew Holligan and notes from Kevin Le Gendre. "The sleeve of this album has faces that tell a thousand stories. In Hackney, east London, where photographer Andrew Holligan created a series of inspired pictures, every day people developed a vibrant culture, enlivening a part of the capital that was much maligned during the Thatcher years. The street was a lounge, a place to meet, talk, laugh, and, generally, hang. This was also the golden age of the house party. At the dawn of the 80s the sound of black popular music that these good folk were listening to was in the grip of change. For the most part bands with horn sections were scaling down and the 8-10 piece unit gave way to much smaller ensembles with a less orchestral sound, as saxophonists, trumpeters and trombonists who provided finely shaded harmonies and counter-melodies were being replaced by keyboard players. Indeed the rainbow of colours fashioned by an arsenal of synthesizers, from Prophets and Korgs to Rolands and Yamahas, brought preen and sheen to soul, which, with a lower tempo and heavy bouncing bass lines, was being referred to as boogie. Needless to say the new sub-genre caught on in the UK and became another form of vocabulary for audiences to embrace in the slipstream of the Brit-funk movement of the mid '70s, which was spearheaded by groups of mostly young Britons of West Indian heritage. During this transitional period, which also saw the emergence of lovers rock, there was a certain amount of movement between genres, and a cursory glance at the total output of black British music reveals the presence of female vocalists recording in several styles. Lines were crossed. Furthermore, there was an increase in the amount of one-off studio projects, in which a producer-composer wrote a track, played keys and called in a singer and some additional sessioneers to add finishing touches. This is one of the main reasons why the era is so fascinating, and is still the subject of the extensive research that has led to an album such as The Way U Make Me Feel. Rather than being a scene that was centred around several marquee bands, boogie Brit-Funk was more disparate and fragmented, and therefore far harder to pin down and document. The other term that was coined for the slew of releases was Street Soul, which also resonated with a certain spirit of independence, as the bulk of the artists who stood under this umbrella were releasing their work on small labels that did not have the reach of the majors. It meant that they were often consigned to obscurity, for the most part. The story is all too familiar. But low key can be high grade. Big labels and large venues serve a purpose but the real good times are to be had at house parties on the street where people live. The Boogie is always funkier when it drops in the basement."

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15 years after it's original release, Freestyle Records serve up reissue for The Apples' Kings LP - fully remastered with a fresh new cut, it's sounding better than ever! In a musical first for the band, they wrote, arranged and recorded Kings with specific collaborators in mind. They held sessions with two of their heroes; a congregation with two musical and spiritual father figures from opposite ends of The Apples rich spectrum: Fred Wesley (pioneer of funk trombone in particular and funk horn arranging in general with James Brown, The JBs) Shlomo Bar (vocalist, percussionist, godfather of Israeli world music). The exciting process of these recordings exposed the band's many roots and influences; elements of The JB's funky foundations, cut 'n paste, soul, middle eastern and dub are all clearly displayed - strained through the band's unique decks-horns-sfx-bass-drums lineup. This release signified the next step in The Apples ever thickening groove stew, primed for festival and club stages with a relentless live set filled with runaway grooves, countless twists and turns, dizzying transitions, spontaneous arrangements, the occasional reworking of early 90's alt-rock fist shakers - plus the basic jump-up-and-down crazyness for which The Apples are known across dancefloors, soundsystems, playlists, films, televisions, cars and ears worldwide.

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Freestyle Records drop another UK boogie 12" rarity from Eddie Capone's Treatment, this time the previously white label-only "Only You Know What I Like" from 1985. Limited to 300 copies worldwide.A mainstay of the UK's reggae, soul, funk & rock circuits since the early 1970s, Eddie Capone has played with a diverse and revered collection of acts; Chairmen of the Board, The Foundations, Black Velvet, The Elgins, Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come, Arthur Lee's Love, Billy Preston and Edwin Starr to name but a few. Eddie was also part of short-lived group Casablanca, with David Costa & Barry Clarke of early 70's folk-rockers Trees, signed to Elton John's Rocket Record Company.

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Fronted by former South London lovers rock vocal harmony group, Alpha (sisters Jackie & Jean Heron and Marlene Richardson), Take Three was the brain-child of writer/producer trio "S.H.E." - Steve Sinclair, Peter Hinds & Kevin Ellis. Meeting each other at The Factory community centre in Paddington (now known as the Yaa Asantewa centre and in the last few years, The Yaa Centre) Steve & Kevin began a partnership writing and directing their own theatre productions as part of The Black Theatre Co-Op, which called the centre home at the time. When a song they had written together for one of their productions received praise and plaudits, the path toward writing and producing records began, bringing in more seasoned hand Peter Hinds - formerly a member of key brit funk groups Light of the World and Beggar & Co, and player with Incognito, Imagination & Loose Ends - to complete the circle. Take Three represented the first project for a creative partnership that would spawn multiple projects/aliases spanning the UK soul, funk & dance scenes, and still continues to this day. With this compilation we showcase for the first time the group's combined output as Take Three, complete with previously unreleased material.

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Freestyle Records drop a killer UK soul/early street soul reissue LP from 1988, in the form of Rick Clarke's hard to come by 'Time Keeps Moving On' album.
Originally appearing on the Raven label in 1988, Time Keeps Moving On constituted Rick Clarke's first LP following his work in the earlier eighties as part of brit-funk groups Potion and Side On, and solo output including Love with a Stranger (released on The Specials' Ghost Town's producer John Collins' Local Records imprint) and a few singles for RCA. Largely co-written and co-produced with Peter Hinds (Take Three, Atmosfear, Light of the World) and a guest turn from Master T aka Toyin Agbetu - this is foundational street soul that appeared at a time when the likes of Loose Ends were starting to break through to the US, and Soul II Soul just emerging.

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Freestyle comes correct again with a killer slice of 1987 UK Street Soul from Purely Fizzycal, originally issued on the duo's own Pure Impact Productions label.

North Londoner Trish Langley met South Londoner Ash Kamat initially in the the mid 1980s on Tin Pan Alley, while Ash was working at Rod Argent's keyboard shop and running UK soul-focussed zine Soul Trade, and the quickly began working together. Handling the programming and production, Ash says his inspiration came from a mixture of London pirate radio sounds and the US-based sounds of Kashief, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis etc. While Trisha's vocals and melodies were influenced by growing up listening to her parents reggae records, plus her brother's taste for the likes of Brothers Johnson, Maze, Isley Brothers, and a little lovers rock such as Janet Kay - which, together with Ash's raw drum machine sounds, bears all the hallmarks for this uniquely UK take on soul.credits

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Roy Hamilton, Cosmo Bowen and Dennis Palmer go back a long way to the early 80's when they were members of a 9 piece funk outfit called Breeze - playing regularly Upstairs at Ronnie Scott's along with bands like Hi Tension and Gonzalez. In 1984 they linked up for this one and only 12" on their own HBS imprint - a laid-back stomper that has become in-demand on the UK soul/funk collectors scene - now given a fresh new cut & press thanks to Freestyle Records' 12" reissue initiative!

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Freestyle drop a much needed and fully licensed 12" repro from 1984, in the form of Midnight Energy's Front Line b/w Saving All My Love originally released on Wal-Brooks Records. Two slamming sides of spenny electro-boogiefunk from out of New Jersey, written and produced by Tony McLachlan of the Fresh Band (of 'Come Back Lover' fame) - dig in!

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Following it's inclusion on Athens of the North's fabulous new compilation of underground UK soul Just A Touch, Freestyle Records drop a sorely needed 12" reissue of Sonja Ryshard's Step Back - mastered direct from the 1/2 tape, and served with the killer dub on the flip. Grab it quick!

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Freestyle Records presents the greatest hits and rare grooves from legendary UK lovers group, The Investigators. First issued in 1991, this compilation collects together the groups late 1970s to mid-1980s recordings.

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Freestyle Records proudly present a reissue of Gloria Weems' ace 1983 long-player "Lovelight" - previously only available on a rare South African pressing, and featuring the single "Wanna Dance With You" (licensed for a 12" on storied NYC label Prelude in the same year). The record was written and produced by Jim Duncombe and Chris Palmer - owner of London's legendary Groove Records and also the man behind UK funk/disco label Groove Production (Surface Noise, Linda Taylor, Caché etc). Chris & Jim had met earlier in the year at the Midem music conference in Cannes, and started writing together shortly after. The initial recording sessions were completed at Duncombe's Powerplay Recording Studios in Switzerland, with American vocalist Gloria Weems (then on a club tour of Switzerland) brought in on vocal duties. Palmer then added additional recordings and mixed the record down at Groove Production's London base. Criminally it was only ever picked up for release in super limited numbers through the South African label CCP Records - though Chris, through an ongoing licensing relationship via his Groove Production label, managed to license "Wanna Dance With You" and it's dubbed-out b-side "Wanna Version" to the legendary NYC label Prelude. Nevertheless the Lovelight LP represents a lost classic and a rare example of a transatlantic disco-boogie project in the era's golden period, in it's linking up of UK, European and American elements.

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Australian 9-piece Spiritual Jazz group Menagerie announce their highly anticipated fourth album 'The Shores Of Infinity' - representing the 3rd LP to be released by Freestyle Records from the Melbourne-based Jazz ensemble, founded by producer, songwriter, guitarist, DJ and recording artist Lance Ferguson (The Bamboos, Lanu, Rare Groove Spectrum, Machines Always Win). Menagerie released their debut album They Shall Inherit in 2012 via Tru Thoughts, before releasing The Arrow Of Time on Freestyle in 2018 followed by the critically acclaimed 'Many Worlds in 2021. Inspired by both the post-Coltrane generation of the 70's and the current "New Wave Of Jazz", Menagerie have made serious waves internationally, being championed on Worldwide FM, Jazz FM and Jazzwise. They were nominated in the Best Jazz Act category of the 2021 Music Victoria Awards, and in 2022 performed as part of the esteemed Melbourne International Jazz Festival. Now, two years on from their last full length album, Menagerie are back with The Shores Of Infinity, further expanding their sound out into the music universe - a forward-looking, rhythm-heavy expression of contemporary Jazz that is steeped in the tradition but somehow also defies genre pigeonholing.

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Freestyle Records presents Albert "Alchemist" Thompson's Promise Land, an EP featuring vocals from reggae & dancehall greats Frankie Paul, Joseph Cotton, Prince Malachi & Anthony John, representing a musical collection that has gradually evolved, matured & marinated over the course of the past 32 years - now finally seeing it's first ever release. Albert Thompson (brother to the great Peter Chemist) was chief engineer at the storied I&I Sound Recording Studio after it moved it's base from Los Angeles to Jamaica in 1989, working with a wide range of heavyweight artists such as Dennis Brown, Bunny Wailer, Mighty Diamonds, Gregory Isaacs & many many more. During some studio downtime in early 1991, Albert laid down the rhythm track (itself a take on Aswad's Love Fire riddim, made most famous by Dennis Brown's iconic Promised land vocal track) with musical assistance from Tony Thomas. 16 years and a move to London later, Albert had founded his Alchemist Recording Studio on Brixton's Acre Lane in a space above the legendary Supertone Records - recording dubplates with talented local artists and touring Jamaican artists alike. Digging out the Promise Land tape, he proceeded to cut these 4 vocals on the version during the course of 2007. Another 16 years gone, and after hearing the tracks following a chance encounter with Albert in South East London, we felt they were finally ready to see release!

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Zach Phillips & Olia Eichenbaum met online in late 2018 and quickly began collaborating remotely, and in France and Brooklyn. First working together under the name the Pearly Gates, they toured western Europe together in 2019 with a common band shared between Olia's project Œ & Zach and Ma Clément's group Fievel Is Glauque. After taking a year off, it was during the early months of the pandemic that they started sending music and lyrics back and forth. Before they knew it, the entire Perfect Angels album was written and recorded in under a month, with Olia & guests' remote overdubs taking a bit more time. It was recorded entirely to Tascam 388 1/4" 8-track tape with computers intervening only during guest overdubs, mixing & mastering.

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Freestyle Records are proud to reissue Ambiance II Fusion's mid-80s fusion rarity "Come Touch Tomorrow" - originally recorded in Hollywood CA October/November 1984 and released in 1985. Following a yearly run of 4 albums self-released between 1979 and 1982, Nigerian-born saxophonist, flutist, and clarinettist Daoud Abubakar Balewa then took a few years off before returning with 1985's "Come Touch Tomorrow", the first of two albums issued under the updated name of Ambiance II Fusion. Combining the afro-spiritual jazz & be-bop inflected fusion of his earlier work as Ambiance, this record took the project into more modern & distinctly cosmic planes with the introduction of spacey pads and drum machines working alongside somewhat tighter arrangements and solid rhythm sectons. Of particular note here is the B1 track "Boy What a Joy" on which a sublimely funky synth & drum machine throwdown is presented in prophetically lo-fi fashion - recalling recent stylistic approaches from the likes of Dâm-Funk among others.

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Fronted by former South London lovers rock vocal harmony group, Alpha (sisters Jackie & Jean Heron and Marlene Richardson), Take Three was the brain-child of writer/producer trio "S.H.E." - Steve Sinclair, Peter Hinds & Kevin Ellis. Meeting each other at The Factory community centre in Paddington (now known as the Yaa Asantewa centre and in the last few years, The Yaa Centre) Steve & Kevin began a partnership writing and directing their own theatre productions as part of The Black Theatre Co-Op, which called the centre home at the time. When a song they had written together for one of their productions received praise and plaudits, the path toward writing and producing records began, bringing in more seasoned hand Peter Hinds - formerly a member of key brit funk groups Light of the World and Beggar & Co, and player with Incognito, Imagination & Loose Ends - to complete the circle. Following on from Freestyle's reissue of the group's first single around this time last year, in the form of 1983's Tonight's the Night, we decided to drop another killer 12" from the Take Three vaults - this time it's their last single released as Take Three in 1985. Can't Get Enough (of Your Love) was originally licensed out to, and released by Andy Sojka's seminal Elite label. It features two super extended mixes - the A side's "Soul mix" showcases the girls's harmonies pinned down by a big & heavy synth bass groove before moving into boogie-dub territory, while the B side "Reggae mix" introduces an ofbeat skank heightening the vocal stylings' lovers-esque tendancies.

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Two big 12" drops this week on Freestyle Records, in the form of both impossibily rare singles recorded by early UK street soul act Pause. Dating from the late 80s these 12"s represent some of the finest music to come out of this period of british soul music, and represent the entirity of the trio's known output! Pause was a boogie/soul side-project born out of popular lovers rock group The Administrators - who recorded a multitude of sides for the foundational Harlesden producer/imprint Cha Cha before going on to found the Groove & A Quarter label recording a series of hits on the lovers scene during the latter part of the decade. Pause's Hugh Pomells recalls a desire to take the music in a new direction as being the driving force behind the project, with the group also counting vocalist Sinclair in it's ranks (who would go on to record a series of hit singles for the Dome label in the early-to-mid 1990s). Alongside the seminal electro-boogie of 1987's "It's Just Amazing" came this, the smooth space-age soul jam "Got to Know" in 1988 - an absolutely killer jam, I'm sure you'll agree, and really quite ahead of it's time production-wise. As the only two singles ever recorded by the group, originally self-relesed in very small quantities, they have gone on to command massively inflated prices on the secondhand market. The first ever officially licensed reissues of these lost british soul classics will not hang about for long, so grab them quick!!!

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Pause was a boogie/soul side-project born out of popular lovers rock group The Administrators - who recorded a multitude of sides for the foundational Harlesden producer/imprint Cha Cha before going on to found the Groove & A Quarter label recording a series of hits on the lovers scene during the latter part of the decade. Pause's Hugh Pomells recalls a desire to take the music in a new direction as being the driving force behind the project, with the group also counting vocalist Sinclair in it's ranks (who would go on to record a series of hit singles for the Dome label in the early-to-mid 1990s). cPreceding the smooth space-age soul of 1988's "Got to Know" was this, 1987's seminal electro-boogie jam "It's Just Amazing". As the only two singles ever recorded by the group, originally self-relesed in very small quantities, they have gone on to command massively inflated prices on the secondhand market. The first ever officially licensed reissues of these lost british soul classics will not hang about for long, so grab them quick!!!

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Originally stated to be released sometime during the year 2019 here you have what was originally planned to be the last of an iconic series of unofficial edits & overdubs produced and performed by Joaquin Joe Claussell. This release will also mark the end of a concept that has garnered massive interest and till this day highly sought after, but also the beginning of what’s coming next.
Stay Tuned

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Black Truffle is back with a delicious new EP, "Gourmet Edits", which takes you on a four-course adventure through the vintage disco territory, blending Jazz-Funk and Latin elements.
Black Truffle's distinctive style is characterised by skilful reinterpretations of hidden treasures from the 70's with a passionate focus on preserving the essence of the original material...

'Disco Meringue' is a crispy piano-driven appetiser with Latin flavour. Its syncopated piano riffs imbue it with a jazzy vibe that makes it a great tool to seamlessly transition between disco, Latin, and modern deep house in your set.

'Drum Tartar' is a percussive tour de force that oscillates between groovy Jazz-Funk and spicy Bossa-Nova, culminating in a thundering drum break that continues for an impressive third of the track.
'Consomme' is the EP's bread and butter for the dance floor layering pulsing percussion, wailing organ riffs, crunchy guitars, curious vocoders and many sax and organ solos that keep on taking it higher and higher resulting in a sizzling high-energy banger.
For dessert, we have 'Souffle', a fluffy big-band Jazz number with a funky Disco beat that gradually develops into an ecstatic culmination with a choir.

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With output on Ubiquity, Wonderwheel and Razor-N-Tape, London’s Tigerbalm has truly come into her own production voice recently, bringing forth a colorful vision of tropical influences filtered through modern club sounds. With the Profunda Alma EP, the Tiger focusses her attention on Brazil, coaxing out two gorgeous original songs that pay homage to the sizable impact the country has had on her musical sensibilities. Profunda Alma features the vocalist Joy Tyson (who appeared on Tigerbalm’s earlier Nina EP), and creates an atmosphere of deep emotional mystique through driving percussion, an insistent bassline and dramatic guitar stabs. Vem Ca goes for a more bouncey retro samba vibe and features the incredible vocals of Joao Selva, who delivers a hook that feels almost canonical, as if we’ve known it forever. Ever consistent French producer Yuksek takes Vem Ca straight to the club with his remix, and London upstarts Make-A-Dance deliver two trippy dancefloor takes on the title track to make this record a powerful 5-tracker!

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King Street Sounds is on a mission to reintroduce timeless house classics to the dancefloor with another iconic release. Their aim, to educate a new generation about the sounds of the old school while also offering fresh remixes for everyone to enjoy.

Kerri Chandler's 'Bar A Thym' is back on 12-inch vinyl, featuring the full original 7:24 mix. This track builds, keeping listeners at the brink of euphoria and inviting them to dance. It’s THE perfect groove.

The original track is accompanied by a new version via South African producer Themba who adds his signature afro sound to the mix, infusing the song with swing, extra percussion, and heightened anticipation around the various drops.

Then the classic Foremost Poet's version, which was a great alternative to the timeless bomb. If you’re a house head, you need this in your life.

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Emotional Response is proud to welcome renowned multi-instrumentalist Alan Briand aka Shelter, to the label with a striking new EP that delves deep into the realms of modern Digi-Dub.

Over a myriad of releases Shelter’s dextrous ability to straddle genres, from ambient, Balearic, improvisation and most recently a series of acid ragas, releasing on an impressive roster of today’s electronic labels including Antinote, Growing Bin, International Feel, Séance Centre and his own Protopost imprint.

After making waves on Emotional Response's All Trades compilations with his standout track "The Four Knights Dub," Briand returns to further explore his passion for digital dub and UK roots. Across four tracks, all recorded live, he merges sound design, found sounds, and world music with seismic basslines, creating a truly immersive sonic experience.

The rise of Digital Dub is often traced to the groundbreaking "Under Me Sleng Teng" by Prince Jammy / Wayne Smith, but it was the UK's later reversioning – adding electronic drums to roots and steppers rhythms – that gave birth to the unique sound of Digi-Dub.

Shelter pays homage to this tradition, drawing inspiration from the likes of Alpha & Omega, Bush Chemist, and Jonah Dan. His process is as raw as it is innovative: building an analog setup with a MIDI sequencer, DCO synth, live vocals, and sound effects fed through Boss pedals. Digital drums from the KPR77 and DD10 are layered in, with everything mixed live to tape, no overdubs, capturing the raw, live energy of the performance.

This EP must be experienced as a whole – a continuous live set of steppers 4/4 rhythms, cryptic titles (a nod to chess tactics) that acts as rewinds, paying tribute to dub classics of the past.

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In 2012, Army of God released a cult cut of cold wave: “Salvation”. This was the only EP by the partnership of Aroy Dee and Miss Jagroe, the only EP until now that is. Army of God are back, after more than a decade the duo return with Endless Skies. Analogue warmth is sliced by surgical synth stabs and bittersweet strings, Jagroe’s unmistakable voice echoes into the distance with the beseeching mantra of “until the music dies”. Aroy Dee’s edit of the title piece fortifies drums for the floor, emotion is further stripped from the already deadpan lyrics as melodies bleed into distorted wonder. The black streak that characterises Army of God turns a shade darker for the flip. A throbbing bass is inked by off-kilter keys, clusters of claps piercing the thicket of static and chilling chorus of “Fear the Night”. Venturing ever deeper into the night, the darker version will set speaker cones shaking and shivering. Juddering and trembling, basslines are bolstered with vocals invoking the very darkest regions of the dancefloor.

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For "Daughter of a Temple", ganavya invited over 30 artists from various disciplines to a ritual gathering in Houston. Consequently, the album features numerous contributors, including renowned musicians such as esperanza spalding, Vijay Iyer, Shabaka Hutchings, Immanuel Wilkins, and Peter Sellars. The results—an innovative and deeply moving blend of spiritual jazz and South Asian devotional music—were initially recorded by Ryan Renteria and then further edited and mixed by Nils Frahm at LEITER's studio in Berlin in 2024.

All music produced by Ganavya Doraiswamy. Additional production by esperanza spalding, Rajna Swaminathan, Ryan Renteria, Nils Frahm and Felix Grimm. Mixed by Ryan Renteria, additional mixing by esperanza spalding and Nils Frahm. Recorded by Ryan Renteria at Moore’s Opera House, Houston, Texas. Mastered by Zino Mikorey, vinyl cut by Andreas Kauffelt at Schnittstelle.

Tracks 1, 2, 6, 8, 9: Licensed courtesy of Jowcol Music / Universal Music Publishing. Tracks 2, 6 by Swamini Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda. Tracks 1, 8, 9 by John Coltrane. All other tracks published by Manners McDade Music Publishing Ltd. esperanza spalding appears courtesy of Concord Records. Shabaka Hutchings appears courtesy of Impulse! Immanuel Wilkins appears courtesy of Blue Note Records.

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Tracklisting
A1
Marumo - Khomo Tsaka Deile Kae (Ben Gomori's Family Affair Edit)

A2
Black Truth Band - Umbala (Ben Gomori's M'Bala Edit)

B1
Emmanuel Kahe Et Jeanette Kemogne - Ye Medjuie (Ben Gomori's Open Goal Edit)

B2
Peter Britto - I Want You Love (Ben Gomori's Festival Romance Edit)

Sales Note
"Killer edits!" - Gilles Peterson

Monologues boss Ben Gomori has found acclaim far and wide with his official edits of African gems for labels like Sterns Music and Analog Africa (for artists including Orchestra Baobab, Amadou Balake, Oby Onyioha). Here he rounds up four of his reworks of tasty tracks from artists across the Afro-Caribbean spectrum on four edits licensed from the good folk at Mr. Bongo, Soundway Records and Analog Africa.

South African legends Marumo's joyous 'Khomo Tsaka Deile Kae' gets a good juicing, full of triumphant energy, while Black Truth Band's infectious 'Umbala' is stripped back to a slinky, bumping disco groove. An exuberant slice of 1980s Camerooon comes from Emmanuel Kahe Et Jeanette Kemogne on 'Ye Medjuie', where rousing trumpet refrains meet undulating bass funk. Peter Britto's gorgeous lo-fi soca anthem 'I Want Your Love' rounds off the package, its sweet melancholy given an extra bit of energy for maximum dancefloor effect.

Support comes from the likes of Gilles Peterson, The Blessed Madonna, Make A Dance and Tigerbalm.

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Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Detroit's stalwart Kyle Hall is back on Apnea Records with "Crimson Clouds," his second release for the label following the acclaimed "Cosmic Touch." This acid-infused record is a tribute to Detroit's electronic legacy, drawing inspiration from the 90s sound of labels like Matrix and Underground Resistance, all while injecting Hall's unmistakable modern flair. Tracks like "Acid Tea" showcase Hall's acid-driven approach, delivering a dancefloor twister that's pure bliss. Meanwhile, "Nimbus" stands out with its syncopated rhythms and soulful synth lines, and "Told Them Before" brings raw, head-spinning techno energy to the forefront. With "Crimson Clouds," Kyle Hall delivers another essential record that bridges classic Detroit sounds with his unique modern twist. A must.

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

Repress!

Forest Jams continues the journey into the great beyond with Mori Ra’s Mantra–an EP composed of four edits created for any inquisitive earthling and forest wanderer. Mori Ra is a DJ based in Osaka, Japan his sets are a witches brew composed of balearic, cosmic, and electronic disco ingredients. He has released on other labels such as Rotating Souls, Macadam Mambo, Berceuse Heroique, MM Discos and more. In Mantra, Mori Ra acts as a mysterious wanderer who has stumbled upon the doors of our minds in the middle of the night. When we answer the door he is bearing gifts of creative glory and all we need to do is provide shelter in return. We invite him in so that he can rest, recharge, and continue his journey. During his visit in our minds Mori Ra shares “Mantra” the secrets of the universe disguised as parables packaged neatly into four tracks. Catharsis begins the journey and immediately throws us into a sound that feels like we are driving a spaceship in Gran Turismo 37, the spaceship simulator. Now that we have successfully crossed the plane and have entered the digital unknown, Seinn O! becomes the story of communication. Seinn O! gave the smoke leaving my mouth color and the shamanistic chants placed me in an atmospheric state with the ability to cross over and communicate in the digital space. Then comes ??? the Grandson Traveler, which embodies the story of the simulation. Imagine the sound of a bustling dystopian city in the matrix–neon signs, dancing billboards, talking vending machines, radioactive wildlife, and overgrown foliage leaking in from the jungle the city is carved into. Mori Ra seems to have melded all of those sounds together to create the soundtrack of the big city where everyone is lost. Finally, before leaving our minds Mori Ra offers the final parable, ??? That Star. Which becomes the story of realization, the journey back home from the exploration of the mind. That Star brought me into a cave and I could see the opening at the end of it, all I had to do was walk towards it. However, I couldn’t walk. I could only galumph forward, while bouncing up and down to the beat. My arms slivered and guided my body forward as the vocals came in. As I moved forward the opening, the clearing, the destination remained the same distance away. The endless tunnel of the mind gave me a feeling of comfort because I did not want this journey to end. The EP ends and we will never know who visited our minds that night, but we know we loved the journey. Mori Ra is the steward of our journey through consciousness, and the vessel is “Mantra”.

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