SEALED

After a two year hiatus, the Hi-Ht Club returns with volume 7 of the Melting Pot Music producer series. The Hi-Hat Club layed the foundation of the German beatmaker scene of today and kicked off the careers of artits like Twit-One, Suff Daddy, Dexter, Brenk Sinatra and Full Crate. Back in 2009 MPM hooked-up with photographer Robert Winter with the mission to give the burgeoning a platform and a good look too.Fast forward to 2015.

BACK IN STOCK !!!Happiness is something you either have or don't at any point in time. Looking at the grim line-up of the Finnish old-school graveyard creeping funksters, The Soul Investigators, one would assume these times might be at short supply. That or the album title of the latest Nicole Willis LP would be at least a tad ironic. When the needle drops on the instrumental version of the "Happiness In Every Style" album, these preconceptions melt right away. The opening guitar riff of "One In a Million" sinks the listener straight to the fuzzy warmths of joyful instrumentals not far from the best offerings of The TSU Toronadoes. Darker shades of soul are naturally explored as well in tunes such as "Bad Viberations" and "Vulture's Prayer", where Jimi Tenor takes to his axe of choice, the flute. Things are finished with the hypnotic balearic disco of "Hot Sauce", now also available on Timmion's first 12" single. Letting these compositions breathe without vocals is a luxury, which can be afforded by anyone with a lust for vinyl and a few coins to spend. As usual, the package comes in a thick deluxe tip-on sleeve. The small vinyl only pressing runs out quickly so we encourage jumping on it with haste. Comes in heavy tip-on sleeve!

"Synthi Time" is perhaps one of the most suitable albums - within Umiliani's incredibly vast discography - to fully appreciate the composing and experimental genius of the Maestro. For once away from the classic soundtracks that made him popular, this project veers away also from refined works of library music such as "Genti e paesi del mondo" (People and countries of the world) or "Problemi d'oggi" (Today's issues), released under the moniker of Zalla. In this case, we like to imagine him absorbed in his Sound Work Shop studio, experimenting with synthesizers with the same enthusiasm of a newbie in search of the perfect sound. Without renouncing to pop(ular) elements, Umiliani seems almost to anticipate (or at least to be fully consistent with) the sound research that will characterize the careers of musicians such as Roedelius and Moebius in Germany.As the same subtitle reveals, this was 'a new way of making music' through the use of the electronic synthesizer - this happening in 1971 - with occasional interventions by the spinet and the Hammond organ. And, with the exception of other little masterpieces such as "Il mondo dei Romani and Tra scienza e fantascienza", the most 'avant-garde' Umiliani can be found here, among tracks such as "Synthi grottesco", the outstanding "Synthetic Water", "Synthi pianola" and "Synthi pastorale", excellent examples of a Maestro exploring new sounds and the future of the music. Often forgotten and overlooked even by those self-proclaimed Umiliani lovers and fans, "Synthi Time" is actually one of his best works.This was 'a new way of making music' through the use of the electronic synthesizer - this happening in 1971 - with occasional interventions by the spinet and the Hammond organ. The most 'avant-garde' Umiliani can be found here, with excellent examples of a Maestro exploring new sounds and the future of the music.

Originally released on Fermata (Brazil) in 1970, this brilliant - incredibly lengthy titled - album contains incidental songs from three soap operas: 'Assim na Terra Como No Céu', 'Passo dos Ventos' and the most well known 'Irmãos Coragem'.The album contains elements not dissimilar to Incredible Bongo Band, Nico Gomez, classic Blaxploitation OST's and lost library gems. Originals are nigh on impossible to find and we are very proud to be able to reissue it, with replica original artwork and packaging, on Mr Bongo.This is the second Waltel Branco album we have released, the first was 'Meu Balanco', recorded in 1965, released in 1975.

FloFilz, connecting musical worlds on "Speakthru". FloFilz has been one of our favorite producers for a while. Heading from the small town Aachen in the far west of Germany he's been mastering the sound of sample based hip hop productions for some time now. At the same time he's a professional orchestral musician & violin player. Being limited to one type of music just ain't his thing.Over the course of the last couple of years he has gained a very strong following. Nearly 40.000 people are following his soundcloud channel & majestic.com has posted a handful of his productions.Speakthru, his first album on Jakarta Records, is a testament to the connective power of music. Transcending musical boundaries, Flo managed to bring together a wide range of MCs to feature on his tracks such as LA's own Blu and Co$$ up to Norway's Ivan Ave and London's Barney Artist, including a half-dozen of powerful instrumentals sprinkled in between."Basement Jazz" the first single off the album has been featured on a wide selection of blogs suchs as okayplayer.com, 2dopeboyz.com, egotripland.com, pigeonsandplanes.com, juice.de and many, many more.Look out for the video for "The Verb" feat. Barney Artist too which was recently shoot in London.https://soundcloud.com/jakarta-records/flofilz-basement-jazz-feat-blu

Bluestaeb is one of the key figures of the new generation of up and coming beat producers from Germany. Equally influenced by Pete Rock, J Dilla and Kaytranada, he shouldn't be labelled. Neither as "future" nor as "oldschool", since he maneuvers in between those sounds effortlessly. His production is an unusual display of versatility, ranging from classic BoomBap to synth to 808-based beats.The 24-year-old was born and raised in Berlin and started making his own music at a very young age. Ironically, a birthday present his dad received dragged him into producing instrumental HipHop: Madlib's "Shades Of Blue". Soon after, the entire catalogue by the L.A.-legend and naturally Dilla, too, had formed his idea of aesthetics and grooves. Aside, he spent years studying African drum techniques such as Djembé and Daruka. Gradually, he found his sound identity and began to release his music plus producing beats for various MCs, such as Juju Rogers or Teknical Development. After forming Oldschool Future Tribe collective alongside his mentor Figub Brazlevic and a group of international producers, he released his debut LP "1991 Extraterrestrial" in 2013. This year, he dropped his experimental EP "B.L.U.E. Friday", a song series featuring a broader scale of styles. On November 6th, Bluestaeb releases his sophomore album "Rodalquilar" via Jakarta Records, still carrying his distinctive concept of diversity. The work is dedicated to a Spanish village going by the same name, where Bluestaeb spent most of his summers since early childhood. In his parent's summer cottage, he was enabled to evolve and concentrate on his music, mostly influenced by surrounding nature and light. "Rodalquilar" LP aims to embrace this atmosphere by including sound drafts, samples and ideas collected throughout last summer's stay in Rodalquilar. The vinyl version comes with a photo booklet including the complementing visuals to the said journey that initially began in the mid 90s.

Tala AM (or Tala Andre Marie to give him his full and proper name) was born in Bandjoun in Cameroun in 1950. Talas life initially wasn't easy, he becomes blind at an early age and has lost both his mother and father by the age of 12. He then went on to make his first guitar by hand and form his first band "The Rock Boys" by the age of 17. Shortly after he meets the powerhouse of Camerounian music at the time Manu Dibango, a pivotal moment. With help, he re-locates to Paris and signs a contract with Fiesta Records. The first fruit of those labours is his debut album "Hot Koki".The lead track (and highlight of this compilation) is "Hot Koki" it is a powerhouse of funk guitar, soul and infectious afro rhythms. Fast forward to 1974 and the famous "Rumble In The Jungle" fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. The story goes a little something like this... At an accompanying musical event we find James Brown and Tala AM. JB Hears Hot Koki and creates a remarkably similar sounding track "The Hustle" (check it out side by side if you have the time).Fast forward another 40 years. Time to take a look back on the funkier moments of Tala. This is not a "best of" Tala, that has already been done. Want to get into Tala's famous Tchamassi sound or do some "bend skin" beats... well check out the other compilations. Here at Africa Seven (and in this case) we are headed for destination funk. The musical topic inevitably leads us to the 70's and we borrow our super slick source material mainly from the albums Tala made for Fiesta Records from 1973 to 1978.We open up the bombastic brass, swinging basslines and all out groove of Hot Koki (well after a little intro ditty gem). Then its on to the one of the highlights of "Arabia" album "Black Gold". This track swoons groove. Layers of picked and choppy guitar and on point drumming. "Sugar Lump" is next which sticks to the formula of the previous track but adds in catchy vocals.Mining into the cave of delights that is the 1978 "Black Woman" album we then follow up with the driving afro beat grooves and stabby brass of "Gotam" and the boogie flowing grooves of "Black Woman" and the frenetic and driving grooves of "Ma Ka La". We round things off with the stabby clavi-funk of "Nom Te Ma" and the ultimate groovy funk-riff closer (and ear worm) Tcham Tcham.So there you some slices of pure funk from a master. Tala's role of awards and achievements is long and impressive (check his Wikipedia), Knight of Valour of Cameroun, SACEM awards and his opening of a music school in Douala... However.. we feel these musical masterpieces are right up there with his finest achievements.. A true man of music.