A couple of years back, UK-based House DJ Jerry Frempong’s wife Katie was doing a spring clean at the family home. At the bottom of the garden, amongst a pile of rusty garden tools, she discovered a couple of mysterious bin-bags. She was about to assign them to the skip with everything else, but a sixth sense persuaded her to check the contents. It was a huge pile of rare soul, funk, disco, boogie and- yes – Ghana Highlife records. Katie brought this to the attention of Jerry, who immediately understood the significance of the treasure trove.

Jerry’s Father, Anthony Roberts Frempong, who had passed away in 2011, was the founder of one of the most significant Ghanaian record and music companies anywhere in the world: Asona Records. Asona was founded in the mid-80s, with little fanfare, in Peckham, South East London. It was a label with a firm mission: Burger Highlife. No, not a swanky fast-food chain, nor a 5-star German hotel chain, but a record label devoted to the new African dance music genre that was sweeping Europe, North America and West Africa at the time – Electric Highlife.

BBE Music owner Pete Adarkwah caught wind of the serendipitous discovery and approached Jerry to discuss the reissue of this historic catalogue. Before long a catalogue deal was hammered out: and here you have it!

BURGER HIGHLIFE AND THE ‘DIASPORA LOOP’.

So: why Burger? Like many music stories, it started with money- or the shortage thereof. Classic Ghana Highlife has a star-studded history dating back to the early 1920s, with 20-plus piece orchestras playing nightly at hotels and ballrooms across the country. By the 60s, American soul, funk and pop records had become available in small quantities, and their electric-based sound started to inspire Ghanaian musicians of every stripe. As with the history of Afro Cuban music, here was African music doing its transatlantic ‘loop’- African rhythms go across the sea, inspire others, and return to Africa some years later, to be rebuilt and tweaked anew by African musicians.

This came to wide general public attention on March 6 1971, when a group of African American and Ghanaian musicians came together for a memorable concert in Accra’s Black Star Square. Tina Turner, Wilson Pickett, Carlos Santana and other African American artists performed head-to-head with the likes of Ghana jazz pioneer Guy Warren and funky highlife Basa Basa Soundz co-founder Amoah Azangeo.

Soon, Ghana Highlife spread across Europe and North America. But the honeymoon would soon be cut short. By the end of the 70s, Jerry Rawlings’ military government, desperate for funds in a sinking economy, imposed a 160% tax on imported musical instruments and equipment. The inevitable result was that artists and bands couldn’t make ends meet and had to go elsewhere: in this case, especially to North America, the UK- and Germany.

It’s generally accepted that the first major funky electronic disco/boogie Highlife tune was George Darko’s 1983 Hamburg-recorded Akoo Te Brofo – so, Burger Highlife – or sometimes, Borga Highlife. But the artists included in BBE’s Asona reissue series together span a panorama of Ghana’s music history, right back to the late 60s. It may be called Burger, but it’s also classic Highlife seen through a different lens: the lens of the Diaspora.

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Yet another album of musical excellence compiled by If Music's Jean-Claude for the excellent and massively collectible 'You Need This' series. This release marks the 4th volume in the A Journey Into Deep Jazz portfolio in the If Music cannon released on BBE and will be available on a double vinyl LP and as a digital release.

Deep Jazz volume 4 continues to meet the high quality bar set by the previous releases in the series and the If Music presents... catalogue. Its global diversity of artists is represented in the tracklisting. This nine track offering ranges from the slow, lush Bobby Hutchersonesque, never repressed 'Process of a Cloud' from Japanese Drummer George Hirota to Oakland artist Phavia Kujichagulia's Congolese themed, black consciousness Fancy Footwork and the mighty combination of Ginger Baker and Ransome Kuti on their co-written N'Kon Kini N'Kon N'Kon, a chunky, Lo-Slung Afro-Beat celebration of Fela Kuti's Kalakuta Republic.

Jean-Claude's excellent track record of creating and curating compilation albums and rediscovering rare gems and private presses for re-issue follows a philosophy of cross- genre music appreciation that can be traced even further back than to his time as one half of the innovative, genre bending, DJ and production duo The Amalgamation of Soundz. Jean- Claude has been a mainstay of London's Black Music scene for some four decades with his record shop, his shows on NTS and Soho Radio, his excellent 'In Conversation with...' series of chat shows, his Djing and curation of event stages at Across the Tracks Festival and, of course, his excellent compilations.

Deep Jazz volume 4 will be released on BBE Music as a digital and a double vinyl LP and will add to any serious collector and music head's record racks.

1. Eero Koivistoinen, UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra - Kaamos
2. Ginger Baker - N'Kon Kini N'Kon N'Kon 03:58
3. Eko Kuango - Na Mawaso
4. Lonnie Smith - All In My Mind
5. Phavia Kujichagulia - Fancy Footwork
6. Kan Digor - Croonardise
7. Five Times Six - Five Times Six
8. Sathima Bea Benjamin - Africa
9. George Hirota - Process of Cloud

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The late ‘70s were such a creatively fertile period for Roy Ayers and his associates that many of his finest recordings never made it onto the official releases. Ayers kept the master tapes in storage until Peter Adarkwah of BBE Records in London got wind of them, at which point they were collected on the aptly named Virgin Ubiquity. The songs feature all the different permutations of Roy Ayers’ band, which maintained a core philosophy through shifting rhythm sections and vocalists. The underappreciated Merry Clayton brings a husky edge to “Oh What A Lonely Feeling,” “I Really Love You” and “What’s the T?” her earthy voice contrasting with the liquid textures of Ayers’ arrangement. Carla Vaughn was another of Ayers’ singing vixens, her sensual presence blending seamlessly into “Boogie Down,” “Mystic Voyage” and “Together Forever.” Although performances here rich with detail, it is a pleasure to hear “I Just Wanna Give It Up,” an uncharacteristically spare arrangement that allows us to study the inner dynamics of the Ayers machine.

“Since his 1963 debut, Ayers has worked with everyone from Herbie Mann and Guru to Fela Kuti and Erykah Badu, and his shimmering sound has foreshadowed acid jazz and fueled hip-hop, as well as gracing contemporary R&B.; Though Virgin Ubiquity is billed as a collection of thirteen never-before-released tracks, it’s far more than a mere scrap heap of outtakes, as each of its “from the vault” cuts luxuriate on the comfortable musical bed that Ayers mastered from ’76 through ’81.” – Pitchfork Review



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Paul Hillery has once again handpicked a must-have compilation of little-known and high- quality tracks for his ongoing Folk Funk and Trippy Troubadours series. This third volume, the first on BBE Music, is an essential companion to Paul's Children Of The Sun trilogy, also released on BBE Music.

Featuring an array of funky folk, jazzy AOR grooves, fuzzed-out lo-fi dub, DIY folktronica, private-press grails and previously unreleased material, Folk Funk and Trippy Troubadours Volume 3 has 22 tracks over triple vinyl and comes with extensive sleeve notes. Includes such gems as the ethereal sound of Sheila Chandra, the euphoric groove of Tim Green, the infectious bass-heavy folk of Dave Smith & Judy Dinning, dreamy Alaskan soft-rock from Soapstone and a West Coast call to enlightened celebration by Rhythm & Bliss. This compilation could soundtrack a cross-continental journey with the music lover sat on a Greyhound bus with earphones on and a battered copy of Kerouac's On The Road.

Paul Hillery has curated releases by Will & James Ragar, Forest, and Monica Rypma for BBE Music. Described as an 'enlightened heathen' Paul has shared music via his highly influential Folk Funk and Trippy Troubadours persona on social media for over a decade, cultivating an unerring knack for uncovering rare and lost sounds.

Released on triple vinyl LP, CD and digital - Folk Funk and Trippy Troubadours Volume 3 is a must-have compilation.

1. Sheila Chandra - One 04:36
2. Tim Green - Got More Love
3. Stephen Whynott - What Have You Seen
4. February Montaine - Seven Letters
5. Gil De Ray - Something About Nothing
6. Robin Frederick - Night Blooming Thing
7. Bobbi Keith - Give Me Time
8. Jeff Putterman - Beside You
9. Kirk Edwards - Provincetown
10. Soapstone - You Brighten Up My Day
11. Jerry Thomas - Love Strain
12. Janelle Richey - Rainy Day Dreams
13. Dave Smith, Judy Dinning - Sail Far
14. Dwight Druick - Joshua
15. Franciscus Henri - Friendship
16. Tom Wasinger - Montse’gur
17. Charmer - Movin' On
18. Dennis Siren - Take It If You Try
19. Rhythm & Bliss - Love Is The Sun
20. Robert Carlton - Going All The Way
21. Roger Ekman - Motivationen Måste Vara Stor 02:38
22. Heaven & Earth - Feel The Spirit

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The story of percussionist, band leader, teacher, club owner Ginger Johnson and his African Party album is a fascinating tale that is only now being recognised for its significance. Born George Folurunsho Johnson in Nigeria,1916, of a Yoruba background, by the late 1940s Ginger was living in London and made an immediate impact playing live and recording with British jazz legends Ronnie Scott, drummers Phil Seaman and Tony Crombie, pianist Victor Feldman, and Kenny Graham’s Afro-Cubists.

In the 1950s he was the featured percussionist for the Edmundo Ros Orchestra, and also released several of his own 78s and 45s for Melodisc which were among the first examples of African music recorded and released in Britain. From his base in Pimlico, Ginger became the lynchpin of the African and West Indian expat musical community, including being mentor to a young Fela Kuti when he first came to London in 1957. By the mid-1960s Ginger was the highest profile Afro Cuban percussionist in Europe, with the ‘talking drum’ being his speciality, this led him to feature on all styles of recording sessions, from pop to jazz, also appearing in films, children’s television shows and live at The Royal Variety Performance and he was also instrumental in helping establish and expand the Notting Hill Carnival.

In March 1967 Ginger and his group entered Sound Techniques Studio, in Chelsea, to record the African Party album. The multi-layered drum patterns combined with jazz horn lines and vocals sung in the Yoruba dialect, the recordings were unlike anything else of the time and still sparkle with energy and vitality that remains undiminished almost 60 years later. The album is often cited as the foundation of Afrobeat – and his African Messengers group functioned as the finishing school for highly renowned musicians like Michael “Bami” Rose, as well as members of Osibisa and Cymande.

Ginger and his group continued to blaze a genre defying trail through contemporary music – recording and playing live with the likes of Art Blakey, with psychedelic rock outfits Pink Floyd and Soft Machine at the International Times 14 Hour Technicolour Dream – and most famously with The Rolling Stones in Hyde Park, in front of a crowd estimated to be well over 250,000.

Besides the 50’s Melodisc recordings and African Party album, it was thought that there were few other recordings, however in 2018 Uchenna Ikonne, a renowned African music collector discovered one battered original copy of a 45 single, released in the early 70s on the ‘Afrodesia’ label. These two bonus tracks have been given the best audio restoration possible and are included on this expanded, double vinyl LP version of ‘African Party’, providing a wider perspective on this significant musician’s career.

Some who were already aware of Johnson’s vital influence include:
– Mike Rose, Steve Scipio and Patrick Patterson of Cymande who recall playing with Johnson “was a unique experience, always enjoyable and always uplifting”.
– The late Afrobeat drum legend Tony Allen said “Ginger was the pioneer, the trailblazer for all of us, I loved everything he did, even before I met him’.
– DJ Louie Vega; “Masters At Work, Nuyorican Soul and Elements Of Life have all been inspired by his work; it is time for the world to see how the music is timeless”.
– Writer / musician David Toop; “Ginger Johnson was one of the great forgotten in British African music, but in the 60s, it was essential in jazz, R & B and especially the psyche scene.

He added a festive atmosphere at all events to which he attended, reminding his audience of his African roots“.
This deluxe version of African Party sheds further light on the trailblazing life and career of this pivotal yet underappreciated figure.

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Impressive Collective & BBE Music announce an exclusive vinyl 45 single by Omar Lyefook MBE to celebrate signing the legendary UK soul star.

This new partnership continues Omar’s long standing collaboration with Impressive Collective’s Greg Boraman, which began in 2013 on Freestyle Records with the critically acclaimed ‘The Man’ album and continued with ‘Love In Beats’ and ‘The Omar Anthology’. To mark this auspicious news, we proudly announce the release of this limited-edition vinyl single featuring 2 tracks that is only available on this exclusive 45.

A side – ‘Lovey Dovey’ is box fresh but also classic Omar, and features his trademark assured vocal delivery over a bumping rhythm and synths provided by The Scratch Professor. The flip ‘This Thing Called Life’ is an opulent and epic instrumental piece, featuring swooping cinematic strings, over a funk laden arrangement that is part film soundtrack, part dancefloor filler.

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Jessica Lauren has been a lynchpin of the UK scene for decades whose keyboard skills have augmented the live performances and studio recordings of all manner of legendary names, from Jean Carne, Tom Browne, Dexter Wansel, through to modern day heroes The Heliocentrics and she’s also a core member of Nick Woodmansey’s space jazz outfit Emanative.

Film is the latest and very welcome release by keyboard player, composer and producer Jessica Lauren, the long-time friend and collaborator of IMPRESS!VE Collective’s Greg Boraman. After assuming A&R control of Freestyle Records, Boraman’s first signing was ‘Jessica Lauren Four’ (2012) and also released ‘Almeria’ (2018). Both albums exhibited her minimalist approach: Jessica’s music is always sophisticated and complex but also accessible and listenable.

‘FILM’ has a fascinating backstory, inasmuch as it was originally recorded in 1997 and saw a CD only release in 1999 via the MELT 2000 label. That CD had been a firm favourite of Greg Boraman’s since then, and he recalls ‘I had it loaded onto my iPod and each time a track from Film came up on shuffle I thought just how much I thought it should be re-issued and given the attention it deserves’.

Jessica had also harboured plans to do something with this project, even treating the recordings to a 24 bit analog remastering by Guy Davie at Electric, but it remained on the shelf – until now.

In 2024, this 27-year-old album is quite remarkable in that it sounds simply and stunningly contemporary, and fits seamlessly with the current soundscape of explorative, genre bending 21st century jazz music.

Blending modal jazz, electronica, library music, field recordings and more, it melds acoustic and electric pianos, harpsichord with synthesisers, electronica and digital techniques as though it’s the most natural combination in the world.

Film cements Jessica’s reputation as a pioneering, far sighted artist who was years ahead of the crowd.



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Audrey Powne's eagerly anticipated debut album has been met with widespread acclaim from a host of tastemakers and musicians. Garnering over 500 plays on UK radio, her music has reached an audience exceeding 2 million listeners. Many have touted her work as a strong contender for Jazz Album of the Year—a remarkable achievement for a debut release.

This exceptional remix pack features a soulful interpretation from the illustrious DJ and producer Joe Claussell, profoundly inspired by the album cut "Souled Out." Claussell unveils three exquisite and spiritual remixes, each highlighting unique elements of Audrey's original production. Joaquin's Deep Version is quintessential Claussell, merging the bassy textures of a vintage King Tubby dub with vibrant percussion and dance-inducing beats. The "Sacred Rhythm Mix" is an essential for the dancefloor, weaving a seamless progression of expertly crafted sonic layers that culminate in a boogie-style crescendo, destined to be a summer anthem for DJs. The Souled The Cosmic Arts Interpretation mix completes the trinity expertly with an enchanting downtempo mix expertly seasoned with orchestral and percussive elements which breathes even more magic into Audrey’s incredible vocal display on this track. True to Claussell's renowned craftsmanship, these remixes speak for themselves— listen and be transported.

Adding to the allure of this remix pack are the superb renditions of "Feed The Fire'' by the legendary deep house producer Atjazz and the dynamic New York duo musclecars. Both remixes have garnered critical acclaim, elevating this package to an unprecedented level of excellence. Available for the first time on vinyl, these mixes are presented by BBE Music in a double pack, ensuring unparalleled sound quality that is spread out for maximum audio fidelity—a must-have for discerning DJs and vinyl aficionados who prize top-tier music pressed on wax.

This release is not just a collection of tracks but a treasure trove of sonic brilliance, making it indispensable for enthusiasts of high-quality, heartfelt music.

A1. Souled Out - The Cosmic Arts Interpretation Mix (08:17)
B1. Souled Out - Joaquin's Sacred Rhythm Version (13:53)
C1. Souled Out - Joaquin's Deep Version (08:20)
C2. Feed The Fire - Atjazz Remix (05:26)
D1. Feed The Fire - musclecars Dream Dub (09:05)

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Releasing in the autumn of 2024 Andy Smith's curation of the 3rd volume in his Reach Up – Disco Wonderland series brings us more carefully selected music from the Discosphere. With tracks from artists as far ranging as Buscrates, Trailer Limon and Rena Scott included in this 16 track killer compilation Andy has also included excellent edits and remixes from such stellar names as Full Intention, Yam Who and Skratch Bastid. Indeed, the CD and digital versions of the release also include a fully continuous Skratch Bastid mix of all 16 tracks. Reach Up-Disco Wonderland vol. 3 was curated during the lockdown periods of the pandemic after a series of virtual 'nights out' viewing DJs such as Skratch Bastid, The Nextmen, Chris Wheatley and others performing sets on the Twitch platform. Andy is now playing out in the real world with some of the DJs he 'met' online so now the time is right to drop this compilation on BBE Music. Andy Smith's pedigree in sourcing and mixing tracks from across eras and genres goes back to his debut compilation release The Document in 1998, he was the explorer and provider of samples and breaks for the first two Portishead albums and played as the band's international tour DJ. His compilation track record of some fifteen plus releases since 1998 has covered New Orleans Funk, Northern Soul, Reggae, the mixed genre follow ups to the The Document and, of course, the now three volumes of the Reach Up-Disco Wonderland series on BBE Music. Pressed as a triple vinyl LP, along with the aforementioned double CD and digital versions, not only is Reach Up-Disco Wonderland vol. 3 a delight for the DJ consul and the dance floor, but also an audiophile's dream on vinyl with all tracks mastered at the renowned and Grammy nominated Carvery Studios.

A1. Losers & Fools (DJ Andy Smith Reach Up Disco Wonderland Re-Edit) - Weekend Sun
A2. Body Work (Nick Reach Up Remix) - Hot Streak
A3. Lovin' You (Smoove Disco Dub) - The Honeyshotz
B1. I Like Funky Music (Skratch Bastid Turntable Mix) - Uncle Louie
B2. Beyond The Clouds - Quartz
B3. Five Days - Buscrates feat DJ Epik
C1. Please Don’t Break My Heart (DJ Andy Smith Reach Up Disco Wonderland Re-Edit) - The Affair feat Alyson Williams
C2. Change - Platinum City
D1. You're So Far Away (DJ Andy Smith Reach Up Disco Wonderland Re-Edit) - Rena Scott
D2. Free Yourself (Full Intention Extended Remix) - Birdee & Nick Reach Up feat Barbara Tucker
D3. Love Don't Pay The Bills - Trailer Limon
E1. Black Water Gold Part 2 (DJ Andy Smith Reach Up Disco Wonderland Extended Mix) - The Sunshine Band
E2. The Big Throwdown - Get To Know
E3. Make It Alright - BB Soul feat Laura Jackson
F1. Disco Hi-Life - Orlando Julius
F2. Bad Times (Yam Who Extended Vocal Remix) - Risk Assessment

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Tamil Rogeon, the Melbourne based multifaceted jazz, classical and electronic violin & viola player firmly cemented his reputation with the critical success of his 2021 album Son Of Nyx which was released on Soul Bank Music, Impressive Collective head honcho Greg Boraman's previous label. Lauded as a modal and spiritual jazz fusion opus, Son Of Nyx found favour with Gilles Peterson, Laurent Garnier, Rebecca Vasmant, BBC6 Music's' Cerys Matthews and Deb Grant, was a Jazz FM’ Album of the Week. Building upon that highly original sound concept, Wave Theory draws from the jazz fusion movements of the 70s and 80s and conjures up textured soundscapes rich with cosmic synths, soaring vocals and deep jazz funk, and sees Tamil once again joining forces with Son of Nyx contributors Rita Satch and Daniel Mougerman, plus new collaborators and special guests including Lance Ferguson and celebrated trumpeter, friend Audrey Powne. Listeners can expect the same modal experiments, driving percussion and cosmic synths of Son of Nyx as well as new and exhilarating experiments in electric string instrumentation. Across all 6 tracks the highlights are numerous, but of particular note are the album opener "Ascend it!"; a fusion masterpiece that seamlessly blends psychedelic elements, funk grooves, intricate melodies, and improvisation. When "Doom Date" takes flight we are transported to Mahavishnu Orchestra-like territory, before finishing with an angular melody that is pure jazz-fusion inventiveness. The irresistibly funky 'Gift Of The Gab” is built upon a hypnotic bass line over drum and percussion. Laden with synth and retro keyboards reminiscent of the deep funk of Herbie Hancock’s late 70s period. "Mountain Bug' alternates between minor and major keys, a hallucinatory violin solo is followed by a dazzling trumpet improvisation. A restatement of the melody accompanied by the gunfire of the drum set and percussion. Tamil says of Wave Theory “Sometimes themes reveal themselves through creative encounters and through life experience. I wrote and recorded the album in six months. A lot happened to me and my friends during that time so, for me, ‘Wave Theory’ is like a musical snapshot of life’s relentless ebbs and flows. It’s about the sadness and thrills of endless transformation and the power of creative connection".


Tracklisting

1. Beneath Her
2. Ascend It
3. Mountain Bug
4. Doom Date
5. Gift Of The Gab
6. Axe To Grind

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Originally released in 1979 on the Orion label 'Music For Complete Jazz Dance Class With Lea Darwin' is an absolute double vinyl treasure vault of tracks composed by percussionist and multi-instrumentalist Rick Panzer. Re-discovered by Klinkhamer Record shop boss Michel Veenstra it is now being reissued on BBE Music as part of the Klinkhamer series. Michel Veenstra first heard the album in the early 2000s and spent years trawling through German phone directories to find the correct Rick Panzer to get his blessings to once again release the album to a music loving public. The album itself heralded the track 'Pre-Stretch Warm-up' which featured on the Klinkhamer Volume 2' compilation to great acclaim and airplay from broadcasters and DJs. Originally conceived as music for a Jazz Ballet or Jazz Dance theatre piece the album is a masterpiece of Jazz composition and musicianship. Starting with 'Pre-Stretch Warm-Up', which builds on a bedrock of amazing drum breaks and warm fender Rhodes interweaving with superb vocals from Paula Eastwood, the album takes the listener, and dancer, on a ride that captures deep Jazz-Funk grooves and heavy percussion as well as laidback grooves. 'Music For Complete Jazz Dance Class' is an album for the dance floor, for listening at home or in the car and one that adds to any discerning music lover's collection of vinyl must-haves.

Vinyl Tracklist:
A1. Pre-stretch Warm Up (16:18)
B1. Floor Stretch Warm Up (05:01)
B2. Adagio 04:03)
C1. Plies (09:04)
C2. Tendus 04:32)
C3. Attitude, Leg Swings And Developes (04:40)
C4. Isolations (03:59)
D1. Bar Stretch (04:12)
D2. Jazz Walks (04:52)
D3. Jazz Turns (05:48)
D4. Jazz Leaps (05:28)

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This BBE released compilation is seriously a must have in any Black Music lover's collection. Compiled by the London DJ and promoter duo of husband and wife team, the Handson Family, as part of the massively important If Music presents: You Need This series and released on the UK's foremost independent Black Music label, An Introduction to the Handson Family has Black Music heritage coursing through its tracks. With a tracklist that includes music from Emanative, the much missed genius of south London's Ty, Cecilia Statin, Xantone Blacq and more, the album that Cyndi and Christian have put together is one that sheds light on the high quality and considered variety of selections in their DJ sets (Including Cross the Tracks, Southport Weekender and We Out Here), their hugely influential Off The Shelf radio show on Soho Radio and their south London residencies. If you are looking for knowledge in what is the sounds and styles of Black Music genres in recent years then this is a compilation that will be an education in absolute brilliance, if you are aware of these artists and tracks then this is a release that brings them together in a DJ set style of the highest order and if you are so far unaware of the Handson Family and their undoubted influence on south London place in the capital's (and the Uk's) club culture then here is their calling card. Releasing as both digital and a double vinyl LP, If Music presents You Need This: An Introduction to the Handson Family is simply superb and is unapologetically Black Music selected by Black DJs for everybody.

Viny Track List
A1. We Travel The Spacebeats - Emanative (05:10)
A2. Dreams - Ty (04:49)
A3. Sundown - MckNasty (feat. The MAC SiStars) (04:46)
B1. CPW - Cecilia Stalín (05:20)
B2. Hangers On - The Nabatean (06:00)
B3. Bologna - Jazz Chronicles (06:24)
C1. Dancing on Holiday - Souled (06:59)
C2. Bring Me to Your Life - One51 (feat. Heidi Vogel) (05:37)
C3. Illusions - Tommy Rawson (05:20)
D1. Staring at the Sun - P'taah (05:41)
D2. Search for the Sun (Platinum Remix) - Xantoné Blacq (05:23)
D3. Love Beams - Ian O'Brien (04:47)

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For 'The Ones', Chicago House and Disco producer, Rahaan has pulled together a plethora of musicians and vocalists to create a smokestack of soul fuelled excellence on this ten track album. From the amazing vocals courtesy of Marcus J. Austin and Nancy Clayton on the opener, 'We Are The Ones', through the amazing instrumental City Rain Supreme and the vocals of Spike Rebel on the anthemic 'Forever', this album absolutely excels. The promise made on the original three track EP released on BBE Music in the Summer of 2023 is well and truly delivered on. Working with live musicians throughout the recording process has added layers of finesse and genuinely unfeigned authenticity in the overall sound of this album. Carnell Newbill's basslines and keys, Todd Swope's Afrobeat inspired guitar licks and the horns of Ohio Players legend Kenny Anderson all blend organically with the aforementioned vocalists to create an album of sublime music befitting the best traditions of the Chicago House canon. Rahaan Young is a DJ and producer who has been DJing since playing at parties in his native Chicago the 1980s. As a DJ he's enjoyed residencies at both The Spot and Buddha Lounge as well as entertaining and moving dance floors around the globe with DJ sets that show his music knowledge and exquisite taste. The Ones is mastered at the Grammy nominated Carvery Studios and will be released on vinyl and digital on BBE Music, adding to the catalogue of innovative and highly pertinent releases from artists, musicians and producers from across the world.

Tracklisting

Disc: 1
1. What You Are To Me
2. We Are The Ones (Interlude)
3. We Are The Ones
4. Star Seed
5. City Rain Supreme

Disc: 2
1. Toy Boy
2. Promised Land
3. Manifest Into Movement
4. Forever
5. Fire

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After the highly anticipated debut album "Sugar Honey Iced Tea!," the dynamic NYC duo strikes once more with a double pack of alternate versions and remixes. Craig Handfield and Brandon Weems, better known as musclecars, have unveiled a dance music masterpiece, now graced by the touch of house music legends Louie Vega and Maurice Fulton.

This double pack showcases multiple versions of "Tonight," remixed by dance music maestro Louie Vega, who momentarily stepped away from his Masters At Work ventures to infuse this project with his magic. The main remix unfolds like an epic journey adorned with orchestral elegance, while the dub versions range from festival anthems (NV South Jersey Mix) to tracks that echo the early Masters At Work essence (Louie Vega’s Bronx Dub).

Additionally, we are gifted a new version of "Hello?" reimagined by Maurice Fulton. In this version, Maurice's signature live bass lines intertwine with exuberant, hard-hitting percussion, casting a whimsical light on the deep, introspective original.

Complementing the remixes from musclecars' esteemed inspirations, we encounter two new versions of "Ha Ya! (Eternal Life)" and "Water," both stripped of percussion to reveal the stunning arrangements, textures, and harmonies. These renditions are accompanied by a full side of musclecars’ dance odyssey "I Don’t Remember The Last Time I Saw Stars."

The Double Honey Pack is a tour de force. It’s a rarity to witness two legends unite to elevate an already stellar project, yet Vega and Fulton achieve just that. Meanwhile, Weems and Handfield meticulously peel back the layers, allowing the intricate details to shine. This promises to be the release of the summer!

A1. Tonight (05:55)
A2. Tonight (Louie Vega Bronx Dub) (05:50)
B1. Tonight (Louie Vega Remix) (08:22)
C1. Hello? (Maurice Fulton Remix) (06:44)
C2. Ha Ya! (Eternal Life)(Planetarium Mix) (07:38)
D1. I Don’t Remember The Last Time I Saw Stars (11:10)

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Introducing “The Architecture of Oppression Part 2” – the highly anticipated follow-up to Jake Ferguson’s critically acclaimed debut album – Part 1. Ferguson is recognised as the ‘other half’ of The Heliocentrics, producing his solo work under the moniker, The Brkn Record. Effortlessly merging the realms of music and activism, he has created a groundbreaking album, which is set to be one of the most important bodies of work that illustrate ongoing systemic racism this side of the millennium.

Ferguson takes the listener to a world where artistry and social consciousness intersect. Crafting an array of captivating soundscapes and themes. This album showcases the vocal talents of both established artists and hidden gems discovered through Ferguson’s day-job as a former charity CEO and community activist.

While Part 1 served as a rallying cry to dismantle oppressive systems, Part 2 offers a compelling soundtrack of a Pro-Black world reclaiming its destiny. This thought-provoking art piece invites listeners to envision alternative paths while avoiding the pitfalls of past paradigms.

Unlike a broken record, this The Brkn Record album keeps pushing boundaries—

By enlisting the voices of The Global Majority, The Brkn Record creates a platform for genuine expression through sound. Renowned for his production skills, Ferguson has captured the admiration of industry heavyweights including Nas, Madlib and Kanye West. However, rather than seeking popular features, he chooses to amplify the authentic perspectives of the talented youth he collaborates with in Hackney.
One such initiative supported by Ferguson, Account Hackney, introduced him to two gifted artists showcased on this album – Great Okosun and Yolanda Lear.

‘This album serves as a visceral demonstration of my anger at the racially founded status quo in this country and globally. The continued oppression of people on the basis of their race is beyond evil, it’s common place and needs to end. Simple as.’
The album also sees Ferguson joining forces with award winning laureate Anthony Joseph and legendary hip-hop MC Percee P – their dynamic and thought-provoking lyrics seamlessly intertwine with expertly produced musical landscapes.

“The Architecture of Oppression Part 2” is not just an album; it is a transformative journey that challenges the listener and wants you to ‘feel’. It’s Art. A musical experience that inspires, compels, and empowers. Over to you!

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BBE Music is thrilled to present J Jazz: Free and Modern Jazz From Japan 1954-1988, a remarkable large-format book covering some of the deepest, rarest, and most innovative jazz music released anywhere in the post-war era. Compiled by Tony Higgins and Mike Peden, co-curators of BBE Music's acclaimed J Jazz Masterclass Series, the book also features a foreword by Japanese jazz icon, Terumasa Hino.

This is the first time a book of this type has been has been published outside of Japan and the first anywhere of this size and scale. It is a unique collection of over 500 albums of free and modern jazz recorded and released in Japan during a period of radical transformation and constant reinvention. An era that saw Japan return from the ravages of World War Two to become a global economic power and emerge as both a technological leader and an international cultural force.

Through a unique gallery of albums, J Jazz charts the development of jazz in Japan from the first stirrings of the modern jazz scene in the mid to late 1950s and on through the hard bop and modal jazz of the 1960s. It steers the reader into the radical directions of the 1970s when free jazz, fusion, post-bop, and jazz-funk opened up a growing number of Japanese jazz artists to a new global audience before consolidating in the mid to late 1980s with a musical scene that laid the path for the contemporary jazz generation to follow.

Over 500 full-colour sleeves from many of the leading names in Japanese jazz sit alongside rare and private pressings that tell a story of constant change and musical exploration. J Jazz includes profiles of several leading record labels such as East Wind, Frasco, King Records, and Nippon Columbia as well as critical independents such as Three Blind Mice, ALM, and Aketa’s Disk. J Jazz includes interviews with celebrated jazz photographer Tadayuki Naito, and pianist Tohru Aizawa, bandleader on the totemic spiritual jazz album, Tachibana Vol 1, as well as free-jazz record collector and jazz musician Mats Gustafsson.

The book also features a chapter on albums by non-Japanese artists that only received a Japanese release, with collectible, rare, and obscure releases by figures such as Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Mal Waldron, Steve Lacy, and Art Blakey. J Jazz includes Japanese jazz charts from some of the world's leading jazz DJs including Gilles Peterson, Toshio Matsuura, Paul Murphy, and Shuya and Yoshihiro Okino. Among the specialist content is a feature on obi strips by record dealer and Japanese jazz expert, Yusuke Ogawa, plus a special article on Japanese Blue Note albums.

Across its 300-plus pages, J Jazz includes a detailed introduction contextualising the music, tracing the story of Japan's fascination with jazz back before the war. It also features biographical information on many of the key artists involved in shaping the post- war Japanese jazz scene including Sadao Watanabe, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Masabumi Kikuchi, Masahiko Togashi, Terumasa Hino, Yosuke Yamashita, Fumio Itabashi, Masayuki Takayanagi, Takeo Moriyama, Isao Suzuki, and many more.

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BBE Music continues its highly acclaimed J Jazz Masterclass Series with Kemo Sabe, the debut album from pianist Masao Nakajima. Recorded in 1979 on Yupiteru Records, it’s an elusive beast in the field of J Jazz and balances delicate and refined playing with power and vigour.


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RAWAX proudly presents the 3rd release by Gerald Mitchell
on his own RAWAX MOTOR CITY - series.
This time we have the honor to present him under his Los Hermanos alias! "Remember Detroit" is a beautiful piece of Music which makes you feel the pulse of this City.

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After selling out the first edition more quickly than we could have imagined we have reprinted the book with a new foreword by David and Stephen Dewaele, better known as Soulwax and 2manydjs. Daft Punk featured often in the formative years of Jockey Slut magazine (including their first front cover). This tribute to the duo collates all the interviews and photos from the seminal magazine covering their early days on Soma up to the release of Discovery. Further articles cover the rest of their tenure as one of the globe’s most furtive, influential electronic acts right up to their unexpected split in February 2021.

? Their first ever interview, for Jockey Slut in 1994.
? Oral histories on their early years on Soma and the making of Homework and Discovery.
? Their first unmasked cover shot and interview for Jockey Slut in 1996.
? A Fax interview from Jockey Slut in 1995 including their doodles and handwriting.
? Long reads on Human After All, Random Access Memories and their Coachella performance.
? Vintage features from writers including Alexis Petridis, Calvin Bush and Ben Cardew.
? A History of Roule records and the duos' extra curricular activities.
? Exclusive Interview with Tony Gardner, the man behind the robots.
? Daft Punk in film: Interstella 5555, Electroma and Tron.
? Daft Punk was playing in my house - an exclusive interview with LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy.
? An exclusive interview with Pedro ‘Busy P’ Winter and Together’s DJ Falcon.
? Daft Punk superfans.

And much, much more!

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2024 Repress

Everyone has their own imagination about outer space, and each one us gets to daydream about what exactly floats or exists there. ‘Fortune Goodies’ is Minami Deutsch’s long-awaited 3rd studio album and an encyclopaedia of Krautrock, as band leader Kyotaro Miula describes it. While not all the songs on the record function as straightforward Krautrock this time around, they still manage to capture the spirit and heart of the genre. After relocating from Tokyo to Berlin, Miula’s musical vocabulary has greatly expanded, thus resulting in this ultimate Japanese take on cosmic music in 2022.

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Book!

Dark Entries again shines a spotlight on bathhouse disco don Patrick Cowley with a newly remastered release of Kickin’ In. Although Cowley tragically passed from AIDS-related illness in 1982, he left an extensive archive of unreleased tapes, many of which Dark Entries has had the honor of releasing. While working as a lighting technician at The City, SF’s disco cabaret, Cowley saw rising star Frank Loverde perform. Cowley asked Loverde to contribute vocals to some material in progress, and Frank, Linda Imperial, and Peggy Gibbons joined Cowley in the studio. The resulting songs included “Kickin’ In,” a 9-minute cybernetic disco stormer that taps into the essence of Cowley’s hi-NRG sound: equal parts spaced out and zoned in on the dancefloor. In May 1978 Cowley joined Loverde on stage at The City to perform “Kickin’ In” as they opened for disco diva Sylvester.

“Kickin’ In” was initially released in 2015 via Honey Soundsystem who found the tapes in the basement of Megatone Records owner John Hedges. This newly remastered version was made possible due to the discovery of the original multi-track recordings of "Kickin’ In," allowing for a fresh mixdown by Jim Hopkins as well as the creation of a new instrumental version. Also included are two impeccably sleazy Cowley jams recorded in 1980, “Thief of Love” and “Make It Come Loose.” Cowley narrates excerpts from his erotic journals on these raunchy slow-burners, capturing the vibe of SF’s leather bars and backrooms. “Thief of Love” features frequent Cowley collaborator Paul Parker on background vocals. This reissue of Kickin’ In includes features an illustration by Gwenaël Rattke that originally appeared Cowley’s erotic journal, Mechanical Fantasy Box, as well as a postcard with lyrics. “Patrick parted the veil and entered a dark world of forbidden vices, wondrous musical panoramas and bold, strident, hopeful possibilities. Patrick brought the future to us and laid it at our feet.” – David Diebold, Tribal Rites

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Repress!

Tracklist:
Big Shot
Surfside Sex
Hot Beach
The Runner
Furlough
One Hot Afternoon
Leather Bound
Bore & Stroke
Cycle Tuff
Jungle Orchids
Take A Little Trip
Love Come Set Me Free

Dark Entries and Honey Soundsystem Records have teamed up once more to release the final volume of gay porn soundtracks by San Francisco-based musician and producer, Patrick Cowley. One of the most revolutionary and influential figures in the canon of disco, Cowley created his own brand of Hi-NRG dance music, “The San Francisco Sound.” Born in Buffalo, NY on October 19, 1950, Patrick moved to San Francisco in 1971 to study at the City College of San Francisco. He founded the Electronic Music Lab at the school, where he would make experimental soundtracks by blending various types of music and adapting them to the synthesizer.

By the mid-70’s, Patrick’s synthesis techniques landed him a job composing and producing songs for disco superstar Sylvester, including hits like “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)”, “Dance Disco Heat” and “Stars.” This helped Patrick obtain more work as a remixer and producer. His 18-minute long remix of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” and his production work with edgy New Wave band Indoor Life were both of particular note. By 1981, Patrick had released a string of dance 12" singles, like “Menergy” and “Megatron Man”. He also had founded Megatone Records, the label upon which he released his debut album, “Menergy”. Around this time Patrick was hospitalized and diagnosed with an unknown illness: that which would later be called AIDS. Throughout 1982, he recorded two more Hi-NRG hits, “Do You Wanna Funk” for Sylvester, and “Right On Target” for Paul Parker, as well as a second solo album “Mind Warp”. On November 12, 1982, he passed away.

In 1979 Patrick was contacted by John Coletti, owner of famed gay porn company Fox Studio in Los Angeles. Patrick jumped on this offer and sent reels of his college compositions from the 70s to John in LA. Coletti then used a variable speed oscillator to adjust the pitch and speed of Patrick’s songs in-sync with the film scenes. The result was the VHS collections “Muscle Up” and “School Daze” released in 1979 and 1980. “Afternooners” is the third collection of Cowley’s instrumental songs, recorded in May 1982. These recordings were culled from two 23-minute reels in the Fox Studio vaults. All songs were originally untitled, so we’ve used the titles from Fox Studio’s 8mm film loops. This compilation also includes three bonus tracks found in the archives of fellow Megatone Records recording artist Paul Parker and the attic of teenage friend Lily Bartels. Influenced by Tomita, Wendy Carlos, and Giorgio Moroder, Patrick crafted a singular sound from his collection of synthesizers, percussion, modified guitars, and hand-built equipment. The listener enters a world of forbidden vices, evocative of Patrick’s time spent in the bathhouses of San Francisco. The songs on “Afternooners” reflect the advances of the equipment available at the onset of the 1980s. Cowley's unadulterated electronic forms are stripped down and dubbed up. Lush electronic percussion, soaring synthesizer riffs and low slung funk grooves comingle on these magnificent soundscapes.

Featuring 70 minutes of music never before released on vinyl. All songs have been remastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, CA. The vinyl is housed in a gatefold jacket designed by Berlin-based artist Gwenael Rattke, featuring black and white photos of Patrick in his studio that opens to a full color array of x-rated scenes from the Fox Studio vaults. Included is a fold-out poster featuring a handmade collage using photography and xeroxed graphics of classic gay porn imagery and an essay from Drew Daniel of Matmos. For Patrick’s 67th birthday, Dark Entries and Honey Soundsystem Records present a glimpse into the futuristic world of a young genius. These recordings shed a new light on the experimental side of a disco legend who was taken too soon.

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Cybernetic disco maestro Patrick Cowley returns to Dark Entries with From Behind, a collection of grooving and ecstatic covers of 60s garage and soul cuts. Best known for his chart-topping disco anthems, Cowley left us with an incredible body of work before his tragic death in 1982 due to AIDS-related illness. Since 2009, Dark Entries has been working with Cowley’s friends and family to uncover the singular artist’s lesser-known sides, including his soundtracks for films on compilation albums School Daze, Muscle Up, and Afternooners. From Behind reveals yet another facet of Cowley’s myriad influences; garage and soul. As a tripped-out teenage music freak who arrived in 60’s San Francisco, it should come as no surprise that these psychedelic sounds, both heady and visceral, infuse Cowley’s oeuvre. Recorded during Cowley’s most productive period, ‘80-’82, these tracks show the master flexing his virtuosity while paying loving tribute to the songs that shaped him. A rough draft of Loverde’s “Iko Iko” contorts the jaunty Dixie Cups classic into a slithering, monstrous bathhouse groover, the song’s signature claps draped in cavernous reverb. An unexpected hi-NRG cover of The Doors’ “20th Century Fox” has Paul Parker on vocals, ironically twisting the original’s overt heterosexuality. Via Cowley’s vocoder, The Who’s “Shakin’ All Over” is transformed into a haunting meditation on the loss of bodily autonomy that AIDS inflicts, while the Moody Blues’ “Ride My See Saw” appears in instrumental, amped up and synthesized for dancefloor impact. We’re also graced with instrumental demo versions of The Seeds’ “Pushin’ Too Hard” and The Electric Prunes’ “Too Much To Dream (Last Night),” which later appeared on Paul Parker releases. Things close out with a swinging version of the Four Tops’ Motown classic “Baby I Need Your Loving”, Cowley later reimagined for R&B artist Carl Carlton. The record comes housed in a sleeve designed by Gwenaël Rattke and includes an insert with photos and liner notes written by Louis Niebur. Arriving on October 19th in celebration of what would have been Cowley’s 74th birthday, From Behind gives us yet another glimpse into Cowley’s world: iconic, erotic, and more than a little cheeky.

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The fifth Flaoting Points album Cascade is a culmination of creative evolution. In late 2022, Shepherd found himself in the California desert, crafting a new sonic journey via his acclaimed Promises, where he ventured into airy dreamscapes with saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and the London Symphony Orchestra, earning a Mercury Prize nomination and a sold-out Hollywood Bowl show in 2023. With Cascade, Shepherd returns to his electronic roots, craving the pulse-racing communion of the dancefloor. This album serves as a sequel to Crush, diving deeper into ravey, experimental realms, unexplored due to lockdown cancellations. Tracks draw inspiration from Manchester's record shops and California's desert landscapes, blending Buchla rhythms and glitching melodies. Shepherd's journey, from orchestral collaborations to laptop productions, underscores his relentless pursuit of innovation.

TRACKLISTING 2LP:

Side A
A1. Vocoder [Club Mix]
A2. Key103

Side B
B1. Birth4000
B2. Del Oro

Side C
C1. Fast Forward
C2. Ocotillo

Side D
D1. Afflecks Palace
D2. Tilt Shift / Ablaze

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Repress!
The follow up to the highly acclaimed reissue of the first volume Ethiopian Hit Parade. This 2nd volume features 'Ethiopian Hits' from 1972 to 1975. The track layout is Identical reissue to the original vinyl

"After releasing around fifty 45 rpm singles and his first 33 rpm album (Ethiopian Modern Instrumental Hits AELP 10, re-released by Heavenly Sweetness HS092VL), Amha Esthèté set about compiling his best 45s on a series of now legendary albums (the originals are impossible to find) in 1972. The first four volumes of Ethiopian Hit Parade were released in September and October 1972, with the fifth volume appearing in January 1973. You are the proud owner of Volume 2.

It is worth reminding ourselves that when Amha Esthèté set up his Amha Records label in 1968-69, it was in defiance of a state monopoly designed to regulate the imports and production of records by an imperial decree of July 1948. This extravagant state privilege had produced only 78s of traditional music , which though thrilling, excluded anything at all modern. To the best of our knowledge, only sixty-seven of these prehistoric discs were pressed in Great Britain between 1955 and 1961 and released by His Master’s Voice. They were supposed to be part of celebrations of Emperor Haile Selassie’s silver jubilee . . . even though 33s and 45s had existed since 1948 and 1949 respectively! Such incompetence and servility, combined with a rejection of an effervescent contemporary music scene, were symptomatic of the decadence surrounding the end of an era.

An audacious, funky outlaw, a music lover and an entrepreneur in tune with the baby-boomer generation, young Amha Esthèté (he was only twenty-four when he launched his label) will be remembered as the instigator of a peaceful revolution thick with soul and rock’n’roll.

After the acclaimed reissue of the first volume Ethiopian Hit Parade. Here is the second volume that include all the greatest Ethiopian Hits from 1972 to 1975. Identical reissue to the original vinyl which is extremely rare and expensive.

The opening track of the compilation is the song Tezeta Slow and Fast by GETACHEW KASSA were featured on the album Ethiopiques, Vol. 10: Ethiopian Blues & Ballads. and originally released on 1972. The other tracks on this second volume celebrate such pioneers of modern Ethiopian groove as Abayneh Degene, Tèshomè Meteku, Menelik Wossenachew Mulatu Astatqe and Muluken Melesse, alongside “tradi-modern” singers representing Amhara and Oromo culture, so rich and so long marginalized."

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- 2023 repress -

printed slipcase / incl. dl code / inserts

Tracklisting:
A1 Fractions - Zero Ground
A2 DIMI - Drive Me Up
B1 Hadone - Hope Reminds Me of Her
B2 Tellurian - Big Bad City (Dax J Mix)
C1 VTSS - Atlantyda
C2 LDS - Algorithmic Reality
D1 Buried Secrets - Distant Voices
D2 UVB - God Knows You're A Cunt
D3 Zanias - Holocene
E1 Dax J - Zephyr
E2 Aahan feat. The Dag - Venting
F1 Vladimir Dubyshkin - Lorry
F2 Knarz - Kind Der Nacht
F3 Hive - Devious Methods

Sales Info:
To celebrate its landmark 20th release, Monnom Black invites you to enter The World of Monnom Black II - a return trip to techno's most uncompromising landscape. The triple vinyl release features 14 hand-picked contributions from the label's trusted collaborators alongside cutting-edge artists new to the roster; making this compilation one of the label's most varied and innovative collections yet.

On The World of Monnom Black II, new artists including VTSS, DIMI (AnD), Vladimir Dubyshkin, Hadone, Fractions, LDS, Aahan and Buried Secrets all throw down tracks which fuse tight machine rhythms with intricate detail. There's also a return for many establish- 2023 repress -ed label favourites such as UVB, Dax J, Zanias and Thomas P. Heckmann as Knarz.

To round out the compilation there's a re-release of the timeless 1998 hip hop cut, "Devious Methods", from legendary drum and bass producer, Hive, and Tellurian's hardcore classic, "Big Bad City", gets a new mix from Dax J.

This release further confirms Monnom Black's reputation for representing raw analogue music and cements the label's place as the home of some of the roughest and classiest contemporary sounds in techno.

Welcome to the world of Monnom Black.

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- 2023 repress -

Tracklisting:
A1 Miss Kittin & The Hacker - Life on MTV
A2 Miss Kittin & The Hacker - Frank Sinatra
A3 Miss Kittin & The Hacker - Walk On By
A4 Miss Kittin & The Hacker - 1982
B1 Miss Kittin & The Hacker - Stock Exchange
B2 Miss Kittin & The Hacker - You and Us
B3 Miss Kittin & The Hacker - Flexibility
C1 Miss Kittin & The Hacker - L'Homme dans l'Ombre
C2 Miss Kittin & The Hacker - Slow Track
C3 Miss Kittin & The Hacker - Nurse
C4 Miss Kittin & The Hacker - Stripper
D1 Miss Kittin & The Hacker - DJ Song
D2 Miss Kittin & The Hacker - Walking in the Sunshine
D3 Miss Kittin & The Hacker - Frank Sinatra 2001
D4 Miss Kittin & The Hacker - The Beach - Bonus track

Sales Note
The first ever full length repress of an all time classic.

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