2017

Long Beach serial chiller Ahwlee is a beat vet who delivers smooth buttery samples with a nostalgic vibe. 1991 is a cult classic cassette now issued for the first time on vinyl. These tracks are dusty, mellow and easy-going. Don’t mistake mellow for boring, however, because Ahwlee’s production is nuanced and intricate underneath the minimalist overtones. There’s jazzed-up Rhodes all over the place, and the percussion work masterfully includes a ton of negative space in between perfectly chopped breaks. They’ll get your head nodding.

Aptly titled, “1996 Beat Tape Vol. 1”, DJ Spinna’s latest instrumental album features 18 original beats all produced on the EMU-SP1200 & Akai S950 circa 1996. With over 25 years in business, the Brooklyn native is tied to nothing short of greatness and a legacy of diverse extensions since his beginnings as a house DJ in the late 80s. Many know Spinna for being in the elite group of seasoned party rockers where his resume includes collaborations with Stevie Wonder, Spike Lee, Michael Jackson & Prince (Soul Slam) tribute parties and several US/international bookings a month. Others regard him as one of house music’s best for his well orchestrated dance tracks that blend jazz, soul & funk, caribbean and latin themes into his trademark, “Intergalactic Soul”. Producing in the mid 90s with his underground duo, the Jigmastas, Spinna acquired national recognition for remixing Das Efx’s, Microphone Master single. He would gain larger recognition for his classic remix of De La Soul’s, Stakes Iz High single originally produced by the legendary Jay Dee aka J Dilla who became a friend in addition to being a contemporary. After a deal with Rawkus Records and producing some of Eminem’s early official appearances, Spinna achieved placements as a go to beat maker for legends, veterans and new MC’s. Though DJ Spinna has found continued success away from his roots, he has always satisfed his core audience whether producing for Homeboy Sandman, Phonte, The Jigmastas or his own solo projects.”1996 Beat Tape Vol. 1” is a rare peek into his deep archive. Much of the material was sourced directly from aged dat tapes and ?oppy disks from the year 1996. Don’t let the 20 year lapse mislead that these compositions are primitive to today’s standards. The 18 track fully instrumental LP proves the advanced production techniques and sampling ideas Spinna employed are still ahead of it’s time long before much of the resurgence of 90s revivalist themes from today’s artists. The “1996 beat Tape” is the “Real McCoy”. All music was produced before computers, before accessible home studios and before instrumental hip-hop was a category. Many of the beats were made with vocalists in mind. Constructed on turntables, the EMU-SP1200 and the Akai S950, historians will appreciate the album cover designed by Joe Buck which depicts intimate photos of Spinna in his studio with the actual gear used to create the album’s contents. This is only the frst volume and the debut venture between Redefnition Records and Spinna’s own Correct Technique Records. With 2 plus decades of unreleased material, who knows what the future holds, but history shows that when DJ Spinna releases an instrumental album, they sell fast.- LP pressed on orange vinyl- Limited edition vintage instrumental collection from legendary producer, DJ Spinna- Will be supported by video content of Spinna in his studio, discussing his career and production techniques

A Safe Place to Be Naked is S. Fidelity's debut longawaited debut record via Jakarta Records. "A Safe Place to Be Naked" is S. Fidelity's debut album, which will be released on May 5th via Jakarta Records. It features 12 tracks, capturing the producer’s quest for a fresh sound, which he elaborated over the last two years, locked in his tiny basement studio in Berlin. Evolving from there the he has also released an EP with Feelin Music in 2014, and “Sidekicks”, a joint project with long-term friend and collaborator Bluestaeb in 2016.By working with artists like Tru Thoughts singer Harleighblu and label mate JuJu Rogers as well as fellow producers Bluestaeb and Shuffle Jack, his LP “A Safe Place to Be Naked” plays with sampled vocals and even his own voice – often distorted, but still present.S. Fidelity was born in St. Gallen, Switzerland, mainly works in Berlin and currently resides in London. As a producer he developed a unique and always driving sound, combining sampling techniques and classic beat making with unusual drum patterns, modern synth and atmospheric sound effects. S. Fidelity’s laid-back eclecticism is marked by a deep knowledge and fascination for Pop culture as a whole. His idea of fresh HipHop references to various genres, including Jazz, Ambient, Disco and Electronica.The LP contains an A2 poster & metall sticker.

Odion Livingstone present another essential reissue of a rare gem from the Nigerian archives, Grotto’s lost Afrorock classic from 1977, ‘At Last’.Formed at “Greg’s” (St Gregory’s college in Ikoyi, Lagos), Grotto came up at the same time as several other in?uential student bands based there, including Ofege. “As Grotto, we played a rock/funk fusion. We were probably aged 15, 16 or thereabouts and we were heavily into music, we listened to Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana and lots of rock bands,” explains lead guitarist Soga Benson.Their debut album is a heavyweight trip, drifting from psychedelic workouts to crunching breaks and funkier directions. “Odion Iruoje was the A&R manager at EMI at the time and he auditioned us, liked the material and signed us. He also produced our recordings,” continues Benson. “Most of us were boarders and the school encouraged music and had instruments so we had time to jam and really gel together. The group still continued after we left Gregs. We had to juggle A-Levels with gigs and we used to skip school whenever we had a show, rehearsal or a recording date.”While many Nigerian student bands were studio-based projects, Grotto was an active live unit during the ‘70s. “We played at The Shrine with Fela, with Tee Mac at Batakoto, with Sonny Okosun at Kakadu, Segun Bucknor at Granada Hotel.”This frst international reissue of Grotto’s debut album comes with a full interview with Soga Benson and producer Odion Iruoje + a selection of rare and previously unseen photos of the band. The album is fully remastered by The Carvery.

The denitive collection of funk beats from Nassau's The Beginning Of The End, this set is a comprehensive look at the family band's tight take on sizzling, sibling grooves soaked in Bahama night life, circa 1969. Includes the hit "Funky Nassau", plus 8 more cuts.

Molotov’ represents the best elements of its creators, Brooklyn rapper, Saga and Chicago producer, Thelonious Martin. The rhymes are potent and powerful, taking down everyone from cynics to haters, wack emcees, and inner demons. And the instrumentals serve to bring those words to life by way of head-nodding percussion, and slick sample flips.Because it was crafted by one rapper and one producer, ‘Molotov’ is especially effective, and have made it clear why their approach works so well, especially as a duo. The 12 tracks move in and out of each other seamlessly, while tackling a variety of sounds and subject matter, all with an effective supporting cast of notable features. Like the one-two punch of the straight-up banger “Karma,” which features a fired-up Freddie Gibbs, and the Fashawn-assisted lead single, “Yesterday.”“With Molotov, it was about maintaining the level of quality I'm known for,” the producer says, noting that it all started with the two sending tracks back and forth. “As the project was coming along, we started building the proper chemistry to make this special.”Saga agreed, calling the project’s conception “organic." It was that unrestrained vibe that he says “allowed me to be free with my thought process, and write for the moment.” As a result, he was able to explore new and intriguing ideas, like how “chaos is the end result of a long process of inner discontent within our own lives.” And you can hear him eloquently rhyme about this subject on "Misunderstood," his favorite cut on the 12 track LP.And the music doesn’t stop with ‘Molotov’’s release in February. The album will also be available on vinyl in April, courtesy of Coalmine Records. This falls prior to the duo’s departure for Europe, where they will embark on a multi-city tour in promotion for the LP, in late May/early June.

The mark that the late producer J Dilla left upon hip-hop during the 90s and early-to-mid 00s is undeniable, and his work with De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, The Pharcyde, and many more has long been cemented in the annals of hip-hop history. It was during his time as a member of seminal Detroit group Slum Village however that ranks as among his greatest. His work with rappers Baatin and T3 would be a strong influence upon modern rappers like Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar, and earn widespread critical praise, and comparisons to other legendary groups like A Tribe Called Quest. In speaking retrospectively on their most famous album "Fan-Tas-Tic Vol. 1", The Roots' drummer Questlove has said of the release that it "single-handedly birthed neo-soul." J Dilla has been gone for over 10 years now, and Slum Village has moved on from their time with the legendary beatsmith, recruiting new members along the way. Despite this, new Dilla compositions are still being discovered, and his legacy continues to be shared and celebrated with a modern hip-hop audience. Ne'Astra Music Group now presents a new compilation of rare Dilla material: Vol. 0. Ten tracks featuring the classic Slum Village lineup of Dilla on vocals and production, with Baatin & T3 also on the mic, collected by modern SV member Young RJ from unreleased material and demos recorded between 1994 and 1997. The knowledgable hip-hop head may recognize key tracks from the circulated EPHCY Sessions, while others have never seen the light of day. A piece of hip-hop history that would have otherwise wallowed in obscurity, until now.

Limited hand-numbered 7"Silver print on petroleum coloured label comes in handnumbered silkscreen company sleeveThis killer 45 spotlights Vassilis Vassiliadis, the underdog from Athens who's now ranked as number one in Greek psychedelic laiko and tsiftetelli. The great flipside was not a difficult choice. A super rare and highly sought after anti-mod anthem

After a long hiatus the Fasaan Recordings crew finally emerges from their basement to break out a second volume of their Chalice imprint.Functioning as a looser side vehicle to Fasaan, Chalice is a home for rawer and more uncompromising side projects of the Fasaan crew and their extended family. Honing in on a murky zone of cheap-sounding machine rhythms and punchy boogie-influenced proto-house sounds, the Chalice style is in your face and then out the door "just like that": take it or leave it.As the title "Import/Export" suggests, the contributions for this installment have been gathered from such foreign places as Copenhagen, Bandung, Tallinn, Manchester and Dublin.But starting off the EP is Malmo-based Fullstondiga Rottigheter and the deranged digital guitar strumming of "1988".Representing Manchester is self-confessed cyber-punk and genre defyer Ruf Dug with the dreamy cut "Cassette Boogie 1" which as the title suggests is steeped in lo-fi tape hiss and bounces along to a b-boy beat and some tightly squeezed Prelude-style synth lines.Representing Tallinn is minimal funk composer Ruutu Poiss of skate crew Haigla who lets his limping drum machine lead us on a wonky trip full of tempo shifts and ambient interludes.Copenhagen-based PRAAH pitches in with a brooding bass heavy 808 jam made under mysterious astral circumstances.Fachrur Riaz Hasbullah slides in from Bandung, Indonesia to deliver the ridiculously smooth stepper "Muram"

Sadar Bahar & Ben 'Cosmic Force' team up and come correct with these two direct disco jams ... Artwork by Cosmo Knex.The two tracker arose after Sadar Bahar discovered Ben's Utrecht based studio (housing 60 synths!). Electro fiend Ben was charmed by the electronic elements in Sadar's funk and Sadar loved Ben's ideas. Nuff said, a new NL based project was born. Nothing sampled for these tracks... only stabbing guitar, bass, sax and pounding drum programming for dance floor heat!