US

A mix of vocal and instrumental cuts by Detroit's Javonnte!

Dedicated in memory of Alekos Patsifas.Originally released in 1985 on Lyra Records.Each copy includes a two-sided lavender 11”x11” insert with lyrics, photos and liner notes by Lena, filmmaker Antonis Boskoitis and fellow Greek musician Vassilikos.

Solar Shield kicked off the Austin Boogie Crew Records discography with a bang in 2014 with his "Reesis" 45 -- so much so that the labelhad to press it 3 times to meet demand. Now , Austin boogie Crew present his much anticipated selftitled LP with 9 tracks of laid back modern funk!Austin, TX, musician Chris McDowell is a wonder on the keys. Under his Solar Shield moniker Texas producer Chris McDowell creates exuberant compositions that elegantly walk a tightrope between modern funk and electronic beat music. This quality nine track release features songs created between 2011 and 2013, settling into the modern funk cannon of 2018 with ease.

Chances are if you are reading this, you are probably already familiar with Dinosaur L's “Go Bang” and danced countless times to Loose Joints' "It's All Over My Face". A prolific musician, Arthur Russell produced an abundant amount of recordings over the course of his career. Although a classically trained cellist, he released a number of successful underground dance hits under various monikers and collaborations. As a solo artist however, his inability to complete projects resulted in a limited amount of official releases, World of Echo (1986) being his only full-length solo effort to see release in his lifetime. After releasing a number of Club singles on labels like West End & Sire, Russell went on to form Sleeping Bag Records with Will Socolov as an outlet for a sound not as restrictive as his "disco" material. The initial concept was that Russell would provide the musical direction while Socolov handled the business side. The label had huge success early on with Class Action’s “Weekend” remixed by Larry Levan, and Russell’s seminal “Go Bang,” credited to Dinosaur L and remixed by Francois Kevorkian. Although Russell and Socolov shared a lot of musical common ground, the difference in vision began to show. Russell’s avant-garde sensibilities and perfectionism were not compatible with an industry standard to release singles in quick succession, and his "work in progress" approach began to be financially draining, ultimately resulting in the dissolution of their partnership around 1983. With Arthur's departure, Sleeping Bag moved away from the experimental and towards a successful hip-hop route with the growing involvement of Kurtis Mantronik and leading to propel the careers of artists like Todd Terry, Just-Ice and EPMD.By the mid-80s, Russell’s health began to deteriorate after contracting HIV. Although the business partnership did not work out, Socolov and Russell maintained their friendship. Aware of the time he had left, Russell reached out to Socolov to record what was to become Indian Ocean, his last release on Sleeping Bag and the last great collaboration between Arthur and his old friend Walter Gibbons.Unlike the rest of Russell's Dance collaborations, “School Bell/Treehouse” is very intimate composition, putting to the forefront all the elements that defined him musically, with his own voice and cello as the anchors to a piece that keeps growing in intensity, melding the tribal rhythms of Mustafa Ahmed’s conga with percussions that sound like distorted drum machines. There is a lot of beauty in this piece, with Peter Zummo's melancholic trombone lines and Arthur's keyboard playing. Adequately "mixed with love" by Walter Gibbons, "School Bell/Treehouse" really synthesizes the energy and soundscapes of Arthur's dancefloor.

Beats by Samiyam. Cover by Samiyam. This is Sam's second album on Stones Throw.Advancing the unfolding legacy of instrumental hip-hop at Stones Throw is Samiyam’s Pizza Party: 24 minutes of off-kilter mobster music mixed with a warm soul sound that is unmistakably L.A. producer and beatmaker Samiyam. Praised by his collaborators Action Bronson, Earl Sweatshirt, The Alchemist, and Flying Lotus, Sam’s independent beat tape ventures and instrumental albums are revered by rappers, respected by producers. Pizza Party is free of samples from the characteristically dusty vinyl grooves and warped tapes of past recordings. Instead, we have originally- played synthesizer and FX in unison with the off-the-grid drum patterns and aesthetic sonic swagger that Samiyam owns. The last track, “What Can I Do,” features co-production with Jonwayne.Samiyam grew up Sam Baker in Michigan. He was among a network of post-Donuts producers focusing on instrumental hip-hop beat as the finished work, who found themselves migrating west and huddling in the scene around Low End Theory in east Los Angeles. That’s where Flying Lotus met Sam and released Rap Beats Vol. 1 as the debut on Brainfeeder in 2008.Three other albums followed – Sam Baker’s Album (Brainfeeder, 2011), Wish You Were Here (Leaving, 2013), and Animals Have Feelings (Stones Throw, 2016) – along with production work for Earl Sweatshirt, Captain Murphy, and Pharoahe Monch.

Fat Beats Records is proud to present Baker’s Dozen, an exclusive series that shines a light on the best minds of instrumental hip-hop, ambient, and electronic music. Each installment gives one artist carte blanche to capture their signature sound.Every volume’s limited vinyl pressing features one artist and twelve tracks, and comes equipped with a 5x7” postcard insert that features a photo of the artist’s workspace along with the equipment used in their music-making process. Visually cohesive and packaged with the utmost attention to detail, Baker’s Dozen is a series that speaks up for artists whose craft renders voices superfluous, whose instrumentals alone suffice to make a statement.Volume eight highlights LA producer Exile, who breaks down his creative process below:“Making music from nothing, pre-internet you had to teach yourself or make homies with the local legend to drop gems on their process of making beats. Now you can take classes on how to make beats. It doesn’t matter if you use a Roland MS1 or MPC 2000XL, sampling records or sampling yourself playing the keys... get lost in the music, stay thankful, and remember the feeling of why you do this. That is my process. ”- Exile