Mentha Records calls on the services of Hakim Murphy to rock a record titled Ambidextrous to Amphibious. The four track 12" illustrates Murphy's ability to create different styles, tempos, and textures. The A side begins with 'Sickness', which displays a sparkling synth line that grooves from beginning to end. A2 is a beatdown tune called 'Spaceness' is filled to the brim with texture and harmonic goodness. An acid house banger called 'Merge' starts the flip side that features a bubble acid line and moving percussion. 'Panty Hose Silences' ends the record with its Jazzy influenced tones and flowing arp lines. A release that is good for home, club, and warehouse use.
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French label D3 Elements returns to Chicago for its next EP, this time looking to the assured house talents of Hakim Murphy for three tracks of raw, dense grooves right from the heart of the Windy City. Opener 'Boxbeat' is a curious, freaky jam with bobbing percussive hits, wonky, pixel thin synth lines and free roaming pads that wrap the whole thing in a nice sense of spaced-out serenity. 'Taste o'Rainbow' has a much more firmly planted kick drum that pounds away uninterrupted below a free flowing brew of modulate synth sounds. It's expertly reduced and masterfully reserved and is sure to send dance floors wild as a result. The flipside cut 'Freshness' has pinging drums and a big, frazzled bass line as slithering chords rain down the face. Musical yet jacking, cosmic yet propulsive, it is a perfectly contemporary Chicago house sound that rounds out a fine EP from one of the best in the game. More

More extra-terrestrial, technoid vibrations from the Ill River nucleus. This latest transmission delivered by the one and only Hakim Murphy; and received through biosynthesized artefacts planted on Earth by the higher civilizations during the Great Experiment. Reports of strange noises in the sky have been circulating since 2010, posing many questions as to their origin. Secretly, III Rivers have been communicating with the space beings, securing their place in the interstellar Shangri-la when at last we finally transcend the cosmos. "Smog" is the initial signal to land - beginning with cascading bleeps and sonars before a buzzing sawtooth assumes first contact. Proceeding to encapsulate all Earthlings with its electromagnetic hum - it's no wonder people are rushing to the top of apartment blocks to try and bootleg this shit on their phones. "Vortex" is next, taking us right through the wormhole into the domain of machine-elves and humongous multi-headed entities, all eager to show us the porthole to paradise. A blissful bubble of ricocheting snares, delectable synth rubs and celestial goodness awaits. “Spanking Tables” concludes the set and sees Hakim display his amazing control of percussion and unusual sounds; comfortably easing us in with our new galactic friends. Synthetic toms, drifting pads and sharp hats all converging on our bodies. Beautiful stuff. Maybe the Maya were just a year too early…. More

Instruction is a new label based in Rome The politicy of label is only vinyl(300 ltd press);we want to expand our concept of underground music and for this reason we start this adventure with HAKIM MURPHY. The Quality of the sound is the basis of our project for this we prefer products made with analog machine. "ANALOG SCHEMA" of Hakim Murphy is a trip into industrial Chicago Hyperspace gate(Side A) is a mix of deep and techno chicago sound with space pad and amazing drum. Bumps (b1) is more static ,perfect for a sound dark and full ThrouwUp(mapleAve)B2 has a more minimal sound ,amazing for after-hours psychedelic session ..Good trip with Instruction01. More

Sound Black Recordings is proud to present a 12" from Hakim Murphy called Darkness EP. This three track experience dives deep into the Chicago ethos, specifically made for underground jocks who like to bang jack tracks. Shouts to all the jacks who like to jack in the dark.

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Yeah, coming through the NYC pipeline via Plan B Recordings, Murphy continues to materialize tunes straight from dreams into realities with a 4 track EP of Acid, Deep House, and Ambient tunes that signifies samples from his inner music self. Listen to Murphy's unconscious moments rising to the top of himself, straight from the underground for the underground.
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All music written, produced and arranged by Spider Recorded in Web Lab Studios, Jersey City, NJ Shout out to the entire Vanguard Crew! More

Vanguard Sound! returns with it's first full EP by a Vanguard Crew Member other than Chris or Amir. G. Marcell's Model Music EP is a special tribute to the Legendary Chicago Artist named Paul Johnson who has been both a friend and mentor to G. for quite some time. 4 tracks of Modern Chicago house music with that classic vibe, G flips beats, chops samples, and flexes synths to keep dance floors moving from opening to peak-time, as well as late late night/after hours closing sets. Special Words from artist himself....."It was an honor to create a project for such a musically creative pioneer in the house industry. I thank him for his seal of approval to create this release and it’s great that he enjoys this release". - G.Marcell
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Vanguard Sound follows up on Guerilla Soul’s self-titled EP with label co-head Chris Mitchell delivering Feng Shui Flow. Feng Shui Flow is an exploration into deep harmonic textures in the form of three distinct offerings. A1 Primordial Gravitational Waves- As the name suggests, inspired by the possible discovery of gravitational waves believed to be reverberations of the big bang. Staccato Bass and drums provide the heavy background for a pulsing bass wave, accented by synths and chords conjuring up visions of interplanetary manifestation. B1 Eurínome- Melancholic and intensely emotive chords and bass layered with intricate drums to paint this impression of the mysterious water goddess. B2 4th Density- A synth heavy offering with several layers of bass, string like patches, and a sprinkling of choral sounds driven by a pair of kick drums Into a plane of telepathy, harmony and ascension.

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A project that began in late 2002 as a way in which the artist could wage a personal Guerrilla War on the wicked and dark forces that inhabit the music industry. Using Deep House as a cover in which to work thier abstract sonic alchemy, Guerrilla Soul! shall conduct a covert series of raids on dance floors world wide. Lurking in the shadows and dancing in dark corners, on the trains, in the planes, behind the wheel or in the streets...... Into The Woods - Inspired by the musical based on an adult version of Little Red Riding Hood and The Big Bad Wolf. Lilith of The Night - Chronicals the Story of Lilith. Adam's first wife who was also made from the earth at the same time. She would not make herself subservient to Adam so God banished her and created Eve. Fallen Angel - is a re-edit. Deep House Male vocal track about the remorse felt after hurting one's lover. Ray of Sunshine - an abtract start-stop tension and release melodic drum work out. *(Lyrics for Into The Woods written and Performed by Cecilia Bruun Hansen (Clara Stjärna) Co-written by Guerrilla Soul!* More

Following up on the success of Amir Alexander’s Idiot Savant Masterpieces, Vanguard Sound continues the struggle onward with Snakes, Heat and Concrete by Chris Mitchell. Raw, underground and forward continues to be the direction.



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Idiot Savant Masterpieces is the 3rd release and the first full solo EP by Amir Alexander on the Vanguard Sound record label. On display is Amir's somewhat off kilter take on U.S. dance music. An approach so different that one critic described the work of Amir and his crew as Idiot Savant Masterpieces. All bases are covered, acid, deep, big room, and banging techno with a little hip house thrown in for good measure. Vanguard Sound is quickly establishing itself as a label to watch so serious collectors should buy this one on sight! The Realest of the Real! - An acid/ hip house hybrid banger that draws influence from the classic acid and hip house vibes. With vocals written and performed by Amir himself, this track combines 303 808 and 909 sounds with Amir's "street chants" to create a vibe that looks back to classic Chicago while pushing it forward and into the future. Sonic Weaponry! - An insidious techno groove that grabs you by the neck on the first note, and never lets go. Tough banging drums combine with a staccato analog synth passage that charges like an advancing army. The rubbery bass line joins the fray to incite utter madness as this deceptively minimalistic track whips the floor into a mad frenzy. Rebel Music (Version One)! - A big room Banger lead by a phrenetic sine wave bass line that never lets up. Deliberate, yet, stuttering percussion anchors the track. The accompanying synth ostinato continuously shifts as huge lush chords blow through like gale force winds. Black Panther's H. Rap Brown and Stokely Carmichael drop science about the nature of rebellion in the U.S. Who are You? - The "Deepest" track of the four opens with a beautiful ascending/ descending flute like synth passage that instantly sets the soul adrift. The hard and jumpy kicks interplay with a throbbing rhythmic bass that bubbles like a boiling cauldron. About halfway in a driving synth ostinato comes in to push the track forward. In the middle there is a dreamy break where Malcolm X comes through to ask "who are you"? More

Vanguard Sound is back with it's newest record. Chris Mitchell's Phrenetic EP! is Vanguard Sound's second release. Coming on the heels of the wildly popular Vanguard Sound vol. 3, this EP continues to uphold the aesthetic created with the first release, while simultaneously expanding it. The Phrenetic EP features four tracks from the mind and studio of a quickly rising North American talent that all walk the fine line between house and techno. All are very complex rhythmically, with both banging drums, and lush tones. A perfect 3 way marriage of classic Chicago, Detroit, and New York vibrations, the record contains set peaks, as well as transitional tracks that allow DJ's to traverse from house to techno and back. Already receiving massive amounts of positive feedback, this EP is proving to be a more than worthy follow up to VS001.
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