driven by a vicious and visceral soul, the buttshakers are known for their fierce and fiery music. yet after nearly a decade of touring and recording, it was with a different musical vision that they approached sweet rewards, their first collaboration with underdog records. accustomed to the raw, primitive sounds of 60s garage rock and the crude sexuality of premotown soul music, a sound they could have continued to dig into again and again. instead, they decided to take another route: a creative shift, a return to a style of soul music that no longer has to rely on pure energy alone. exceeding the limitations imposed by their tight yet powerful six person lineup, they opened up this studio session to fully accommodate their ideas and concretize their musical ambitions: a larger horn section creates a richer, scintillating sonority, a touch of slide-guitar opens their creative universe to the open spaces of the far west, the organ vacillates between psychedelic drapery and heartfelt gospel tones, all of this supported by the wicked groove of a percussionist driving the beat on. their sultry and soulful frontwoman, ciara thompson, is here for the first time supported by backing vocalist. an occasion for her to indulge in a few call and- response chorales, a reverence to a gospel background instilled in her from her native st louis (missouri), a still vibrant heritage from the city that cradled jazz, blues, country and folk music. ideal for a sound that never lets down yet remains intuitive to the gradual rise of emotion each song demands. with each new listening, sweet rewards reveals something new to the listener: another dimension, a hidden layer.

welcome to ‘magic maze’ a guided meditation from oslo’s helene rickard. over two sides of a c60 cassette, the norwegian dj curates an immersive journey through imaginary landscapes and possible musics, marrying the organic and synthetic into a deep tissue massage of healing frequencies. showing infinite patience, the camp cosmic regular gradually oscillates between fourth world exotica and pastoral new age, at once opening our minds with the celestial splendour of crystalline chimes connecting us all with future primitive hymns. as we float along under helene’s benevolent gaze we encounter each of the elements, oceanic reverb, vaporous reeds, earthy drones and smouldering tones, each imparting its own ancient wisdom as we pass.
but enlightenment seldom comes without adversity and the mixtape’s most divine moments often appear in the wake of disorienting intensity. fortune favours the brave, and if you free your mind, open your heart and follow the twists and turns of the ‘magic maze’, your rewards with be both earthly and divine.

2018 reissue

magic wand is a label you can count on to deliver the disco edits and original productions you never knew you needed, calling on a strong cast of remixers and editors with the knowledge they offer up truly fresh propositions for your party delectation. jc salinas has been previously clocked on is it balearic? and now steps up with a summery slice of island boogie from an undisclosed geographical location. salso picantes gotham- is a motorik beast of a track with plenty of 80s stylings and funk where it counts, while 1-800 coolguy gets into teaser and rewards the faithful listener with a huge sound and splashed with colour and hair spray. the rare cuts edit of think like a lover closes this excellent slab of wax out with a smooth, seductive roller for those more tender moments.

this hampshire & foat project should not come as too much of a surprise to those familiar withgreg& warren s music, influenced heavily by not just jazz but the library sound of the 60s and 70s along with film soundtracks from the same golden era.greg& warren are avid collectors of this music,gregsends me links night and day to lps he has picked up digging on his travels. this constant search sends him down new musical pathways and often sparks a whole new concepts for projects. warren andgregare both fiercely creative talented individuals which means we have to keep them working, a challenge for us all, but the music rewards the effort many times over. we had talked for a long time about doing a library style lp (somethinggregis very passionate about) so during different recording sessionsgreg& warren started laying down various tracks with a view to the lp we have here. side one is 5 tracks in very distinct styles, musical paintings for the big screen. the vast sound of the japanese influenced jasmine, the spaghetti western melancholy of mariposa lily, the call to action that is antonio s theme, the breezy vintage sports car in the sun that coastal drivepaints, and lost in nostalgia, a late night poirotesk piece. side 2 is a classic library suite, whichgregdescribes as a detective s theme with different variations on the motifs.

one can imagine, listening to kontravoid’s latest release, an alternate reality in which the cold-war played out to the background of drum machines and spectrographs, sinister audio technology manipulating a hidden frequency of the world’s unfoldings. cameron findlay returns to his masked alias for the first kontravoid release since his debut self-titled album, years in the studio reap their rewards as the production on ‘undone’ effortlessly cuts its way through hypnotic dance floor compositions.

double vinyl edition of 300 copies w/ download code and etched d-side.
breaching is the debut album from leeds-based, 6-piece, post-metallers hundred year old man. hot on the heels of recent ep rei, breaching emitsthe same heaving intensity and unforgiving, wall of sound approach. dense and billowing riffs are intertwined with field recordings and spoken word passages to form an unyielding, sprawling piece of work that delivers the bands artistic vision perfectly. the more ambient, drone sections of the record compliment and allow the real songs to take flight. debut single black fire is reworked to give the track a new lease of life, whilst the other heavy hitters here, the forest, long wall, disconnect and ascension are a continuation of the excellent work found on the rei ep. breaching contains masses of atmosphere and is a ferocious and immersive listening experience. an epic, monolithic voyage full of texture, depth, aggression and emotion. this is an album that should be approached as a whole, with patience and attention. the rewards will deliver a unique, crushing and quite simply superb record.

following their much acclaimed surprise debut, vermonts sophomore longplayer presented another set that rewards deep listening (allmusic) and a mix of simplicity and richness whose result is a feeling of spaciousness and a thrilling sense of weightlessness (xlr8r). stripping away even more percussion than on its predecessor, ii saw marcus worgull and danilo plessow zooming in on ambience, texture and sonic cohesiveness, allowing each electronic voice to come into focus (pitchfork). now, ii remixes puts the beat back into the mix, thanks to iconic artists dixon, i:cube and wassermann who each develop their own irresistible groove out of the immersive source material. as one of the albums most highlighted cuts, dschuna gets the royal treatment by innervisions head and internationally revered selector dixon who proves his strong command of the dance floor with a hypnotic ride that surrounds the soaring sounds of the original with tribal esque vocals. the instrumental version drops the chants, but retains the enchantment, all elegant rhythm and gorgeous strings. versatiles i:cube, legendary producer and dj in its own right, brings a distinctly parisian touch to the spectral skorbut, whose sci-fi-imbued widescreen aura gets reimagined as laser-gun-wielding space funk machine. meanwhile, wolfgang voigt aka wassermann condenses paradigma’s roaming synths into pulsating trance swells on his stomping krautramatrik mix.

the days are longer and lighter already and that can only mean one thing. summer is on its way… lee burridge and lost desert return with sunshine days in mind on their ‘loopyness’ ep. an apt description indeed for the title track. its infectious groove rolls forward, making you want to get up and wiggle your hips, this track has funk. a live guitar lifts the track halfway through, as stuttered vocals and string-like synth lines take you away to other worlds. over on the other side of the vinyl (or track two for digital fans) is ‘botanic’. another summer daze, groovy, light and airy with a slinky fat bassline and a warm breakdown. music to close your eyes and drift away to, this track has been a firm favourite on all day i dream dance floors since last summer. the ep comes to a close with ‘12cc’ featuring junior. a dubbier groove underpins the whole affair while glass-like melodies and laid back synths sway back and forth. it’s a patient groover that rewards those who take the ride.

after a few years spent in quiet reflection during his introduction to the wonders of fatherhood, in relationen emerges as both a refined and mature comeback, as well as a distinct new beginning for the long-time berlin producer. the pensive character, delicate emotional undertones, and careful lines drawn with precise tension across restrained arrangements may sound familiar to fans of his earlier work, but there is now a greater sense of calm, an openness that rewards listeners both on and off the dance-floor. as contemplative as it may be, in relationen still rocks, particularly on the title track, where a frontal psychedelic guitar line gently weeps across a haunting, hypnotic field of rhythm. the krautrock influence runs deep, not in a superficial way but in the depths of the music: atop the rolling, pastoral grooves, the vibe of a bright german mind reorganizing itself to a new framework, re-aligning to a fresh phase of life, finding deeper communion with the world through the discovered balance of inner peace

after a year from his debut ep on rlgn the artist that hides behind the srndr acronym has again something to say. “forward from past lives” is his last exploration into the conscious, memories and mind. dark, visceral and uncompromising as usual the track takes the pulsating elements already present in his frst work to a next level, stimulating a sort of hypnosis in the audience. juho kusti take over the b-side this time with a stunning personal reinterpretation of the title track that rewards the patient listener.
comes with handstamped a4 insert.

maeve 09 is a special record. it welcomes the return of one of the founding members of the label, baikal. although the dutchman has had somewhat of a hiatus from releasing music, his hard work and struggle with the process of creating forward thinking electronic music has always continued. “pelican’s flight” reaps the rewards of this carefully nurtured process and proves most definitely it was worth the wait. the title track “pelican’s flight” is a mesmerizing ten-minute techno trip. a throbbing kick drum is decorated with sparkling synth lines all moving on their own orbit creating a trance like effect on the dance floor. the pinnacle of the trip hears rasping chords blast through the swell in a glorious moment of elation, in short this is a bomb. the b-side “all forces occur in pairs” goes deeper again, drawing the listener into a similar hypnotic state. various sonic ideas breathe in and out of the foreground creating a swirl of expectancy and excitement. this track will cause you to close your eyes and be carried away to another dimension… maeve are honored to add this record to their repertoire.

the anticipated second release from los angeles/seattle imprint slumdiscs comes in the form of a 12 inch from two artists who have each had a prolific year, refining their respective takes on dark electronics. side a features three tracks from italian producer morkebla (where to now?/reckno). he utilizes ethereal synths to create vast, mind expanding soundscapes just as suited for club use as they are for deep meditation. side b is provided by portland artist best available technology (astro:dynamics/working nights). contained within is an experiment in variations and reductions that rewards close listeners with a glimpse into the slow decay of self-contained sonic ecosystems. *go slumming* marks the first full length collaboration between the two artists and showcases the best of their respective styles.

in part 2 of the laffer ep marco bernardi is going head down, straight ahead and striving for energy. attack of the dessert stormers is an overload of dark electro power, six minutes of squirming bassline-driven movement with surges of intensity from analogue bleeps and subtle drum pattern shifts. theres no let up on the flip side where two sliders brings equal force but in a more techno style. right from the start youll be grabbed by the bassline, but this one rewards extended listening as the track develops progressively with new melodies and metallic touches taking you deeper and deeper.

the british columbia based label silent season properly issue pacifica, the fourth studio lp from compatriot jordan sauer ka segue - an album that seems destined to become this year s voices from the lake. released originally in a highly limited cdr pressing earlier this year, pacifica now arrives in a deluxe 2lp format that really does the vivid cover art justice! adopting a pace that is immediately soothing, pacificas nine tracks are made all the more welcoming by the rich sense of melody that floats throughout, ensuring that the album has a sense of consistency that rewards the senses many times over.

out of the blue follows the recent success of the self titled vester koza ep, which gained support from djs such as ben ufo, even tuell, lowtec, giles smith, efdemin, alland byallo, lee gamble, braiden, and madteo. his brand of deep house and techno was recently compared to both kassem mosse and levon vincent by juno, whilst resident advisor noted ìa confident artist employing a level of patience and discipline that rewards repeated listens. as with the first release, this sequel is made up from a batch of demo recordings that circualted late last year. the works were written and recorded by vester koza in east london and have been mastered by helmut erler at dubplates and mastering berlin.

simone burrini (frequenza, orion muzik) debuts for sphera and shares the record with remixer oscar l (stereo productions, beatfreak) who also rewards us with two of his famous original tracks.

self defence returns in full effect with new yorks one and only dj dukes (of sex trax / power music fame) >summer madness ep<. dj duke had retired from the music front for a while, after he had about 300 records emerged after his >blow your whistle< blew up in 1993 and during the past few years. with releases dating back to 1990, you know the mans got skills aplenty, and they once again get a killer workout on this ep. each of the tracks shows a different side of his music-making and rewards ones time and attention, demonstrating that duke plays in his own league of house music. a bit of curry flavour seeps into >summer blast< by way of a sinuous string melody, adding an exotic tinge to the breeziness that otherwise infuses the cut. a funky, vibes-like motif and analog synth streams bring additional colour to the scene while a crisp, pumping groove locks everything solidly in place

triple vinyl-pack from phaze records, containing the first 3 eps on this fine label. includes tracks by carlos sanchez & dj ray, mario aureo and francisco allendes. remixes coming from daniel sanchez & e-contact, someone else, mihalis safras and dejonka.

the third and final installment of spectral sounds document 12inch series offers four choice cuts from our era-defining, ryan elliott-curated label comp. kassem mosses remix of lawrences >divided< is a fiendishly tight slow-burner, fitting its ricky-ticky hi-hats and sharp-edged snares together like cogs in a swiss watch. the german producer twists parts around, testing various permutations, and rewards his patient listeners with a dusting of synthesized bliss at the end. heiroglyphic beings rust-flecked >got no place to go< traffics in humid ambience and smoggy gestures, evoking a post-apocalyptic dawn, distant bird calls and all. on the flip, spectral newcomer gadi mizrahis masterful >she only looks at you< hints at krautrock and tech-house while a thoughtful organ hums in the background, and kate simkos buoyant >zhivago< plays ping-pong with a bucket of electronic toms while a crowd-revving synth swell makes itself useful at just the right moment.

after marios massive debut ep >talking drums< on bouq records the berlin based rookie is back with another groovy & funky ep. includes remix by mihalis safras (trapez, greatstuff, soma, material).
support: brett johnson, brothers vibe, technasia, x-press 2, silicone soul, butch, gregor tresher, tiger stripes, deetron, mihai popoviciu, alex niggemann, masomenos, daniele papini, matthias meyer, jay bliss, h.o.s.h., federico grazzini, arnaud le texier, &me, alex neri, superlounge, sebastian lutz and many more

volume two from mcedits shows a slight expansion of his concept, but mostly hews true to the rows he hoed on volume one. his method is basically to take lovely ballads and slow jams and add a little house heat. its really remarkable how such a simple methodology can produce such effective results but the proof is in the grooves so drop the needle on these for some rich rewards.

one of ibizas top summer of 2007 songs, revered dennis ferrers >touched the sky< is served up three different ways here. managing to make its gospel house chorus sound almost scary yet distinctly house, joe claussells remixes defiantly add something new to this song. multi-layered and complex, the song rewards listeners with finding something new about the track every time its spun on the dance floor. and the deep, diva style vocals from mia tuttavilla are warped in >joes dub beats< into static-y notes that fit perfectly inside the hidden pockets of this remix. this is perfect music for after-hours. and in the same vein, >yass dubstrumental< adds another layer of something fresh andstraight out of left field on this massive hit from ferrer

chrysanthemum ep is the first new recording from kelley polar since his hugely successful debut album released in 2005, love songs of the hanging gardens. the seeds of chrysanthemum are described by mr. polar himself as a confluence of the apocalyptic fear that permeated all cold war childhoods, comic book illustrations of blood and violence abstracted into flora and a b grade science fiction novels portraying two teens in the final throes of lovemaking as the world is destroyed in nuclear apocalypse. yet despite this decidedly dark and unique approach, the song is nevertheless pure pop catchy and indelible once heard. rosenband is lighter in subject matter yet just as deep musically, filled with synthetic layers and rhythms that reveal themselves slowly on subsequent listens. despite the immediacy of the melodies, there is a detail that permeates all of kelley polars work and rewards the attentive listener. a completely reworked instrumental version of rosenband is stretched across the b side and is dare we say it a dancefloor killer, with a long, mix friendly intro building to an incredible crescendo. the track is arranged and mixed by morgan geist and was done so with djs in mind!