2018

Unreleased early Algerian synth electronic by Ahmed Malek, compiled and co-produced by Flako. In the early 1980s, Ahmed Malek was already in his 50s , when he discovered synthesizers and electronic music for himself and started to experiment with sounds. The result was a mixture of ambient synth music, field recordings he made in Cuba and a wide variation of different sound experiments that he also presented as different avanguarde music festivals in Cuba and the US. None of it was ever released but we got a huge box of master tapes from his family and we're happy to present this different side of Ahmed Malek's music. It was compiled and co-produced by Flako, a fan of early electronic and synth music. This is not a remix album though, Flako's aim was to create an album out of 2 hours of material that sounds like it might have if Mr. Malek would have finished it himself before of his death. Fully approved and licensed from the artists family.The album comes with an informative booklet with liner notes, an interview with Flako regarding his approach towards the production and unseen photos. We will also release a third album by Ahmed Malek which will be more in the vein again of the music he is known for and this album will also be previously unreleased.

Al Massrieen: Disco, Funk and modernized Arabic Pop from Egypt! In the beginning of Habibi Funk, our search was focussed on vinyl records. Around a year ago though, we got to the point where we realized that it became substantially harder to discover music, that we enjoyed and hadn't heard before. It became apparent that it was time to start looking for other formats. Cassette tapes were the obvious alternative. These were introduced in the arabic world around the late 1970s.In some countries they took over a bit earlier, in others a bit later, but eventually they pushed the vinyl format out of the market in the 1980s. In Egypt this trend already even started in the late 1970s. Al Massrieen was one of the first bands I learned about once I discovered the tape format for myself. They were really popular in Egypt in the 1970s and the more of their music I found on either tapes or Arabic pirate mp3 sites, the more I was becoming a fan. Only very few bands from the region can match the band’s versatility as well as their strive for innovation. Hany Shenoda is the man behind the Al Massrieen band. He is a reknown figure of the Egyptian music scene and has worked with everyone from Abdel Halim Hafez to Mohamed Mounir. Al Massrieen was his attempt to introduce his ideas of modernizing Egyptian music, heavily encouraged by Naguib Mahfouz (Egypt's only winner of the Nobel Price for literature) after discussing his ideas with him. Al Massrieen's sound goes from lush disco like “Sah” to psych rock like “Horreya” or incredible jazz fused pop on songs such as “Edba Mn Gded”. I was shocked to realize the band seemed to be hardly known outside Egypt, even though I feel they're at least on the same level as Ahmed Fakroun. An relative obscurity which I largely attribute to the fact that their releases never have been pressed on vinyl (apart from a Greece best of LP which wasn’t a strong compilation of the group’s songs). One way or another it felt like this band and especially their composer, band leader and overall brain Hany Shenoda was in need to get some recognition outside of Egypt. The release is fully licensed from the band and comes with an extensive booklet with liner notes, interviews and unseen photos.

The 81-year-old composer, arranger, guitarist and vocalist Ebo Taylor has been a key figure in the evolving afro-funk sound since the Seventies, working with the likes of Apagya Show Band, CK Mann and Pat Thomas. Here he returns with new studio album 'Yen Ara'! . Listen to Yen Ara and you will not only hear the high-energy afrobeat, sweet highlife, jazz and konkoma influences that he’s famous for. There is also a disco pulse and hard-hitting percussive edge to the tracks, which were produced by Justin Adams (Tinariwen, Rachid Taha, Robert Plant) and recorded in the live room at Electric Monkey Studio in Amsterdam. An Ebo Taylor for these times, you might say.His group, the Saltpond City Band, are all handpicked local musicians featuring two of his sons. An appropriate line-up on an album whose titles means “we”. And they are on fine form, ripping through tracks such as ‘Krumandey’ and ‘Mind Your Own Business’ (a simple message delivered over a frenetic drum rhythm).Elsewhere, ‘Aboa Kyirbin’ will please fans of tough afrobeat grooves, while Taylor could well be inciting a riot at his next gig with ‘Mumudey Mumudey’, We hear him calling for ‘preshaaah’ and leading us into a call and response as the trumpet takes us higher. And the lift of those horns on ‘Ankoma'm’ evokes some of his finest work such as ‘Love & Death’ and ‘Come Along’

Following standout 12”s on Rekids, Phonica White and Technicolour, Peggy Gou is poised to release new EP “Once" via Ninja Tune. “I really wanted to represent different styles and moods on this EP, from 'open air' warm-up vibes to ‘proper party’,” she explains. "I tried to draw on all my influences of the last few years, from electro, African music, early 90s house music and also techno, especially Maurice Fulton and DMX Krew.”

First time reissue of this amazing album.. Worth the purchase for ''Mirandolina'' & ''Só Tem Lugar Pra Você'' alone.. Replica with original artwork .The record features Arthur Verocai and Luis Bonfa (composer Octavio Burnier’s uncle) on production/arrangement

Reissue of Djavan's debut LP, one of the milestones in Brazilian music from the post/bossa nova years, originally released in 1976. This wonderful album showcases acoustic samba music in full effect, displaying an array of endearing melodies combined with jazzy arrangements and some delightful funky moments. Presented in facsimile artwork and pressed on 180g vinyl. A 2018 Record Store Day release.

The Colorful World of Arp Frique is the exotic and super funky debut album of Niels Nieuborg. After his surprising, very well received debut release on Rush Hour, Arp Frique continues collaborating with Orlando Julius, Ed Motta, Americo Brito, Ronald Snijders and more! Pulsating NYC style live disco vibes, interwoven with both Caribbean and Cape Verdean sounds, are themes throughout the record with danceability always guaranteed and a healthy finishing touch of weirdness present across most tracks. First single ‘Nos Magia’ was shortlisted for Track of the Year 2017 at Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Awards and has been given airplay by BBC Radio 6 Music, BBC Radio 1 and NTS whilst club DJs Antal and Hunee have all supported the track in their sets.The Arp Frique alter ego is a reference of course to two things Nieuborg clearly appreciates in music: firstly the sound of the Arp synths and secondly, by referring to Chic’s ‘Le Freak’, he is also showing love to the genre of disco. Be sure to know however, that you are not listening to edits of seventies jams. Arp Frique’s music may sound vintage and authentic at times but all tunes are original and made with live instruments. Mind you though, that all compositions are the product of the “insatiable creative urge” of just one man.As part of a wholly different career, Nieuborg once owned a venue and programmed various venues and festivals, like his latest succes; 'Festival Magia' With that knowledge in the back of your mind, the impressive cast on the album - which follows on 2017’s ‘Nos Magia’ EP (Rush Hour) - seems logical. Nevertheless, the status level of the contributors is astonishing. There’s a Cape Verdean funana song featuring legend Americo Brito on vocals, an infectious Brazilian disco funk hit-to-be with Ed Motta, two tracks with Surinam’s famous Ronald Snijders on flute, three collaborations with afro-beat don Orlando Julius and so much more… immerse yourself!