Matt Edwards’ Pyramids of Mars label is ready to unleash a fifth release, this time featuring three subtle but high impact slo-disco tracks from the boss himself under his Rekid moniker.
By now Edwards is rightly acclaimed for many different things: the stewardship of his tastemaking labels, his own elongated club cuts for the likes Classic & Rekids and his more experimental collaborations, not to mention his critically acclaimed LP on the legendary Soul Jazz label. Here he showcases his fun and functional side with a trio of tantalising tracks aimed squarely at the rump. The title cut opens things up in playful, mid tempo fashion. It has heavyweight, fat bottomed drums trudging below, booty shaking hits in the middle and a subtly funky guitar riff rolling over and over up top: all the necessary parts to tease dance floors into raptures, then. The brilliant ‘Mars’ is even slower, and has a mischievous feel to the low slung bass, the filtered vocal cries and jazzy hats. It’s a cut that is full of Detroit beatdown vibes and will surely percolate through any crowd and leave them desperate for more. Sublime last cut ‘Wave’ is a mechanical, grinding groove that slowly sweeps you up with its raw hits, slapping drums and cacophony of distant vocals. It’s a fine bit of work that will liven up any DJ set. Each of the three excellent cuts here provides more than amble weaponry for disco loving, crowd baiting DJs everywhere. More

Fresh from releasing a special, limited edition boxset of The Machine’s debut album, fully reinterpreted and re-recorded by Joaquin Claussell (each personally hand-painted by Australian artist Misha Holenbach), the Pyramids Of Mars imprint is set to drop its first official single. Again, as with the Machine boxset, the label is set to collaborate with Dalston’s LN-CC store to exclusively stock this special leather (yes, leather) sleeved vinyl. So who is worthy of such an opulent package? Step forward Rouge Mécanique – a 25-year-old Parisian armed with a Telecaster and a fresh approach to dance music, whose fashion designer friend Aurelia Paumelle designed the unique sleeve. The title track ‘Witches’ sees rock’n’roll guitar slashes slowed down to a sexual disco groove, while swirls of psychedelic noise come from all angles. It’s got the grind and the groove in a way not heard since The Skatt Brothers, conjuring up images of New York’s sleazy meat-packing district of yesteryear. On the B-side ‘Stingray’ is even more offbeat, a tripped-out hip hop groove originally composed to accompany the models on a catwalk – like Ry Cooder, Didier Marouani and Andrew Weatherall left the party at 5am to hit the studio to make a blues record like nothing you’ve ever heard before. Citing the realm of fashion as a strong influence on his music, this impressive debut is the perfect marriage of both those worlds – keep your eyes peeled for Rouge Mécanique’s debut album due for release on Pyramids Of Mars later this year. More

The Rekids-affiliated Pyramids Of Mars imprint is set to really take off in 2013, with a string of unique releases already in the pipeline. For this special remix package, label bosses Matt Edwards and James Masters have brought in NYC house legend Joaquin 'Joe' Claussell to re-imagine The Machine's debut album 'RedHead' from 2010. But make no mistake, this isn't any ordinary remix project - All the tracks have been reproduced, rewritten, dubbed, performed and mixed by Joe, with the help of a group of musicians.
On 'Contintental Drift', Claussell maintains the mystical, hypnotic atmosphere of the original, adding in piano flourishes before the track transforms into a jazz fusion jam. Opening Ceremony (Fuse) channels the spirit of Herbie Hancock with a funky jazz organ rock-out backed by a mechanical broken beat. Leopard Skin is a much more percussion-driven affair, with handclaps, cowbells and chants all underpinned by a 909 Kick to make a highly danceable track. On Spell Bound, Claussell slows the tempo down to a trippy 3/4 time signature, creating a psychedelic collage of broken beats and wailing electric guitars that sounds like the bastard child of a Massive Attack / Jimi Hendrix collaboration. Fans of Claussell's soulful, uplifting house records will feel more at home with his take on Talking Dolls - a mixture of tribal, ethnic percussion and feel-good keyboards, while Root People is a surreal mixture of rolling drum solos and blues harmonica.
Tracklisting:
1. Continental Drift (Joe Claussell Re-interpretation)
2. Opening Ceremony (Fuse) (Joe Claussell Re-interpretation)
3. Leopard Skin (Joe Claussell Re-interpretation)
4. Spell Bound (Joe Claussell Re-interpretation)
5. Talking Dolls (Joe Claussell Re-interpretation)
6. Root People (Joe Claussell Re-interpretation)


More

The Rekids-affiliated Pyramids Of Mars imprint is set to really take off in 2013, with a string of unique releases already in the pipeline. For this special remix package, label bosses Matt Edwards and James Masters have brought in NYC house legend Joaquin ‘Joe’ Claussell to re-imagine The Machine’s debut album ‘RedHead’ from 2010. But make no mistake, this isn’t any ordinary remix project – All the tracks have been reproduced, rewritten, dubbed, performed and mixed by Joe, with the help of a group of musicians On ‘Contintental Drift’, Claussell maintains the mystical, hypnotic atmosphere of the original, adding in piano flourishes before the track transforms into a jazz fusion jam. Opening Ceremony (Fuse) channels the spirit of Herbie Hancock with a funky jazz organ rock-out backed by a mechanical broken beat. Leopard Skin is a much more percussion-driven affair, with handclaps, cowbells and chants all underpinned by a 909 Kick to make a highly danceable track. On Spell Bound, Claussell slows the tempo down to a trippy 3/4 time signature, creating a psychedelic collage of broken beats and wailing electric guitars that sounds like the bastard child of a Massive Attack / Jimi Hendrix collaboration. Fans of Claussell’s soulful, uplifting house records will feel more at home with his take on Talking Dolls – a mixture of tribal, ethnic percussion and feel-good keyboards, while Root People is a surreal mixture of rolling drum solos and blues harmonica. More

Once in a while, something comes along that really grabs your attention, makes you take notice and after a time you grow to love it. Very rarely does something come along that you can call a Masterpiece. 2013 will see the release of Vincent I. Watson’s 8th studio album on Pyramids of Mars, entitled ‚Serene‘. Matt Edwards aka Radio Slave‘s selected this Album to be the follow up to „Maxxi & Zues - Quiet Village Remixes: Too High to Move“ on his new imprint dedicated to the cutting edge of audio and visual art. This brings the birth of a new species in Watson’s enigmatic and versatile producers career, and one which announces the arrival of music for TV and Film under his full name: Vincent I. Watson. With classical training at the Royal Academy for Art, Music and Drama in Glasgow, Vincent mastered the Piano before electronic and ambient music grabbed his attention. These influences are all clear in his productions which are elegant and seductive with emotional ambiences generated by his skills of manipulating a keyboard, to bring complex multi-chords and dense yet fully melodic patches to contemporary electronic music. Many will compare this work to the likes of Steve Reich, Philip Glass or even Hans Zimmer at times, which is no small credentials to gain, but there is also something elegantly modern and unique about the unavoidable journey it takes you on. A mature, deep, jaw-droppingly inspiring, spine tingling LP – many words will be used to describe this piece of music, superlatives will be among them, but “Masterpiece“ is rarely so fitting as it is here.

More

Since their highly anticipated and widely acclaimed 2008 debut album 'Silent Movie', Quiet Village, aka Matt Edwards and Joel Martin have been exploring other music avenues under their Maxxi & Zeus moniker. Now they are back, with 'Too High To Move' a compilation of their most inspiring and sought after remixes to date, stitched together with love by Maxxi & Zeus.
Quiet Village is the infamous duo comprising of Matt Edwards AKA Radio Slave and Joel Martin (Velvet Season & the Hearts of Gold). Their debut album on !K7 was a Balearic masterpiece proving one of the quintessential albums of 2008. This new compilation comprises of a selection of their finest and most sought after remixes to date
The Compilation takes a number of twists and turns of action and suspense until the closing moments from Black Devil Disco Club. Their adventures begin with a cruising speed of around 50mph taking in French new wave heroes Allez Allez and the spellbinding enigma Mudd, before pushing the foot down for some raw 4/4 heroes in the form of Francois K and Mark E. Featuring cameos from Grandad Bob, Bubble Club, Ronny & Renzo and Rekids' own lovechild Toby Tobias.
Quiet Village have recently done remixes for the likes of Gorillaz, Bryan Ferry, Massive Attack and Jonathan Jeremiah and 'Too High To Move' is a testament to their skill in the remix and production process. This exquisite compilation is the perfect soundtrack for sundrenched summer evenings or by the Balearic poolside shenanigans. Enjoy the journey!
TRACKLISTING CD:
01. Allez Allez - African Queen (Quiet Village Dub)
02. Mudd - Speilplatz (Quiet Village Unreleased Instrumental Remix)
03. Francois K - The Road Of Life (Quiet Village Unreleased Dub)
04. Ronny & Renzo - Uniqorns (Quiet Village Remix)
05. Luger E-Go - A Trader In Furs (Quiet Village Remix)
06. Mark E & Dragon - Good Times (Quiet Village Remix)
07. Toby Tobias - Dave's Sex Bits (Quiet Village Remix)
08. Grandad Bob - Pictures (Quiet Village Remix)
09. Bubble Club - The Goddess (Quiet Village Remix)
10. Black Devil Disco Club - I Regret The Flower Power (Quiet Village Remix)
More