3.3.2010 von mk.

Tim Simenon is back with a new album whose accomplished songwriting and sonic scope belie the spontaneity with which it came together. The title says it all: Back to Light. The dusky atmosphere of Future Chaos has given way to a more radiant sound, buoyed by waves of synthesizers and propelled by clean-lined grooves. Raising the tempo, Simenon takes inspiration from classic techno, while vocal contributions from Richard Davis, Kelley Polar, The Battle of Land and Sea, and Paul Conboy bring Bomb the Bass into newfound melodic focus. It’s a brighter, more immediate sound than before; warmer, too, with the singers’ voices positively glowing inside intricately woven electronic nests.

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13.2.2010 von mk.

With “Fiction Jar” the duo offers a joyful fusion of sophisticated soul, urban beats, future jazz and sweet R’n'B harmonies to die for. Guest features include rhyme spitter Capitol A, UK Garage master Zed Bias and Ras T-Weed from the legendary Rockers HiFi (UK).

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3.2.2010 von mk.

After the successful EP, Sonar Kollektiv releases the featured artist LP of Soulphiction. Following on from his 2006 album State Of Euphoria (SK080CD/LP), SOULPHICTION aka JACKMATE, and part of MANMADESCIENCE aka Stuttgart man MICHEL BAUMANN brings us a fresh new album on Sonar Kollektiv. As well as having had releases on Sonar Kollektiv and his own labels Philpot and Phil E, SOULPHICTION has also put stuff out through Perlon, Playhouse, Moon Harbour, Liebe/Detail, DIY, Mule, Resopal and Freude am Tanzen and has remixed DJ KOZE, INTERNATIONAL PONY, DAPAYK & PADBERG, EGOEXPRESS, MOVE D, SOLOMUN and EVA BE amongst others. SOULPHICTION was represented on the recent Sonar Kollektiv anniversary compilation Ten Years Who Cares (SK150CD) and this album continues his friendship with the Berlin label. The album opens with some gently plucked harp strings and the luscious voice of SUZANA ROZKOSNY on Chevy Estate who also sang throughout the last SOULPHICTION album State Of Euphoria. Her voice has such a distinctive soulful sound it really brings a tune alive. Ghana Wadada is a dark dance-floor romp complete with haunting flute melodies and ethnic vocals. This is a nice lounge tune ideal for building up at the start of a set. Ghana Wadada and the funky number Prison Song are also available as 12″ (SK179/elektrish). Prison Song features MARCIN ÖZ aka Berlin’s DJ HIGHFISH who also plays bass for the mighty WHITEST BOY ALIVE. The track mingles lots of live bass combined with a shaker giving this tune its groove but the beat is the rhythm of a genuine chain gang. The stomper Velveteens is a great dance number and can also be found on the 12″. The sound is lovely and raw - a long way from a lot of the over-polished productions one hears played out in clubs these days.

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19.1.2010 von mk.

Das Warten hat ein Ende! Frisch aus dem Presswerk liegt sie zur Feier des zehnjährigen Label-Bestehens auf dem Tisch: Die neue Vienna Scientists V. Voll warmem Soul, kickendem Funk, freshen Discobeats und entspanntem Jazz. Dancefloor- und songorientiert statt totgesampelt, dazu ein Faible für Tiefe und Wärme – so glut- und gleichzeitig gefühlvoll, mit mehr Vocals denn je zuvor präsentiert sich das Wiener Label im Jahre 2009.

Elektrifizierende und mitreißende Tunes sind das Ergebnis, das sich in jedem der zwölf neuen, so fein wie geschmackvoll ausgewählten, Titel niederschlägt. Vienna Scientists V gibt einen Überblick über die zeitgenössische Wiener Musik- und Clubkultur.

Auf der Jubiläums-CD versammelt sind langjährige Eckpfeiler des Scientists-Sounds wie Dub-Master Stefan Obermaier, die Kosmopoliten von Madrid de Los Austrias, Legenden der Marke Makossa & Megablast sowie natürlich Gernot Ebenlechners und Jürgen Drimals eigenem künstlerischen Ventil Freedom Satellite, mit dem die Label-Historie einst begann.

Aber auch vergleichsweise neue Projekte stellen sich vor: der Bassist Stefan Fallmann aka Flaer oder die Jazzer von Scheckter. Schließlich überrascht das Album mit Genre-Größen wie dem Innsbrucker Ed Royal oder dem US-Kollektiv Fort Knox Five, wenn auch der Wahl-Wiener Rodney Hunter hier ordentlich Hand angelegt hat. Nur die Optik bleibt beim Alten, das Cover stammt wie gewohnt von Wiener Maler Mario Huber und sorgt für den entsprechenden Wiedererkennungswert.

Track Infos

01 Freedom Satellite — Astro Black (The Big Wow Mix) [3:48] *

Mit hypnotischer Bassline, schiebendem Beat und Flächen, bei denen man am liebsten abheben würde, nimmt die neue Freedom-Satellite-Nummer gleich zu Beginn des Albums gefangen. Jürgen Drimal und Gernot Ebenlechner haben sich hier den Vocals des Jazz-Klassikers „Astro Black“ des Jazz-Avantgardisten Sun Ra angenommen und einen Tune geschaffen, der nicht mehr loslässt. Der Rhythmus fesselt und gibt die Marschroute der Compilation vor: Ab in den Club!

02 BOOGIEWOOD — Guy Le Arch [4:47] *

Ganz in der dubbigen Labeltradition steht der Titel „Guy Le Arch“ des im Jahre 2003 gegründeten Wiener Boogiewood-Projekts. Gerald Tomez und Wolfgang „Jesse“ Linhart garnieren diese Roots mit einem jazzigen, easy vor sich hinpluckernden Groove. Das wirkt samt Gitarren und Flöte so entspannt wie lässig.

03 THE FORT KNOX FIVE — Uptown Tricks (Rodney Hunter Remake) [4:05]

Das Tempo zieht mit Album-Nummer 3 leicht an: Rodney Hunter treibt die soulige Vorlage „Uptown Tricks“ des sich in kein Genre pressen lassenden US-Kollektivs Fort Knox Five eindeutig in Richtung Discokugel. Dieses unwiderstehliche Remake würde selbst John Travolta noch heute auf die Tanzfläche locken.

04 ED ROYAL — Hiphop To Funk feat. BadKat & Lady Daisey [3:35]

Der Innsbrucker Breakbeat/ Nu-Funk-Produzent Ed Royal setzt da an, wo die vorige Nummer aufhört: Old School HipHop meets Funk, angetrieben durch die fetten Lyrics der Rapperin BadKat und dem smoothen Scat von Lady Daisey. Es lebe die „Four on the Floor“.

05 MAKOSSA & MEGABLAST — Mama feat. 3gga [4:51]

Die Wiener Legenden Makossa & Megablast halten die musikalischen Wurzeln hoch und steuern eine deepe, dubbige Nummer mit treibendem elektronischem Offbeat bei. Veredelt wird sie durch die afrikanischen Vocals des in Wien lebenden Reggae-Sänger aus Lagos 3gga aka Michael Osayande.

06 KARUAN — Reflections Of A Poem feat. Oddateee [5:10]

Karuan aka Karwan Marouf, in Wien geborener Sohn kurdischer Eltern, liefert mit „Reflections of a Poem“ einen geschmeidigen Funk-Knaller mit orientalischen Elementen und eingängiger Gitarren-Hook. Auch hier fehlen nicht die rotzigen Raps, hier vom US-HipHopper Oddateee.

07 MADRID DE LOS AUSTRIAS — Don’t Tell Everybody [5:18] *

Sunshine-Mann Heinz Tronigger und Soundtüftler und Nigel-Hayes-Produzent Michael „Pogo“ Kreiner krönen die Vienna Scientists V unter ihrem Moniker Madrid de los Austrias (MDLA) mit einer neuen, dezenten Clubnummer und ziehen damit das Tempo deutlich an. Der Bass macht unmissverständlich klar, worum es hier geht: Tanz. Baby!

08 RODNEY HUNTER — Faith [7:40] **

Titel Nummer 8 ist vom Wahl-Wiener Rodney Hunter himself. Der Titel „Faith“ aus seiner gerade erst erschienenen „Dedications EP“ baut sich schön behutsam zu einer, von treibenden Percussions gepushten Tanznummer auf, die man ohne Schamesröte im Gesicht dem weitläufigen Genre „House“ zuordnen kann. Die Gitarre funkt lässig durch die Tanzflur.

09 FLAER — Dynamic [4:07] *

In bester P-Funk-Manier behandelt Stefan Fallmann aka Flaer seinen Bass im mit 121 Beats per Minute schnellsten Titel auf der Compilation: “Dynamic” heißt der lässige Hüftwackler mit angenehmer Frauenstimme, authentischen Streichern und genretypischer Flöte. Es lebe der Disco-Sound!

10 STEFAN OBERMAIER — Bah Mea [5:14] *

Stefan Obermaier weiß, wie Downbeat funktioniert: “Bah Mea” aus seiner soeben digital erschienenen Drifter EP (das 19. Vienna-Scientists-Release) startet mit flächig-atmosphärischem Intro. Schön spannt Obermaier den Spannungsbogen, bis die dubbig elektifizierten Latinrhythmen mit halligen Samples losbrechen und es kein Halten mehr gibt.

11 MOSQUITO FACTORY — Do It Right feat. Hubert Tubbs [6:28]

Wärme und purer Soul in der zurückgenommenen, geradezu fragilen Stimme des Ex Tower-of-Power Sängers Hubert Tubbs veredlen die vorletzte Nummer “Do it Right”. Mosquito Factory um Robert Rehak und Gregor Nezval ist eine Funk-Combo mit Musikern, die ihre Instrumente noch beherrschen und tatsächlich auch einspielen. Und Förster Funk schlendert hier gaaaaanz gemütlich durch den Wald.

12 SCHECKTER — Some Kind Of Moanin’ [5:08] *

Die Vienna Scientists V endet mit lupenreinem, entspanntem Jazz eines Projekts des munter improvisierenden Grazer Pianisten Peter “PJ” Josel und seinem musikalischen Partner Roman Träxler. Der Titel “Kind of Moanin’” markiert einen dramaturgisch exzellenten Abschluss, wie er geschmackvoller nicht sein könnte.

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4.1.2010 von mk.

… Neo Disco Voltage compiled & mixed by Michael Reinboth

This is the fourth in the series of Compost xxxxx Selection called Compost Disco Selection “Astro Boogie” , Neo Disco Voltage compiled and mixed by Compost’s head honcho Michael Reinboth. By the way, Michael’s life-course showing he compiled more than 25 compilations in his long term career, his first one was Germany’s first ever Hip Hop sampler called “Krauts With Attitude” in 1988, as well as he compiled two comps for Sleeping Bag Records (released on German label Intercord) with classics from Arthur Russell, Weekend, Konk, Class Action, Todd Terry a.m.o., including linernotes by Michael Reinboth.
“Actually this genre called nu disco or neo disco, is the stuff recently I prefer to play in my sets at clubs and radio, so it was time to proof that Compost has nice bits to offer in this sub-genre.” (Michael Reinboth)
A 2nd Disco Selection is scheduled later in 2010. Perhaps worth to mention is the last track “Superglued” by Moon Machine, which is a brainchild and production made and released 1999 by Michael Reinboth and Jan Krause (together founder of Beanfield) on Compost’s subsidiary Compose, while this track recently fetched fans again in the Nu Disco world.

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6.12.2009 von mk.

Dust My Grains shows the Nuremburg duo Florian Seyberth and Peter Heider’s productions in all their possible languid, dance and soul colours and variations. Drawing on their love of modern electronica, reggae rhythms and classic folk-pop songwriting as inspiration, each remixer has created a unique musical identity for every track that is stamped by a timeless sound encompassing genres across the spectrum.

Based between Vienna and Hamburg, Austria’s premiere old-school hip-hop DJ DSL provides one of his extremely rare remixes, stripping down Sign into a vintage piece of Studio One-style dub reggae with a lovely, lilting, lover’s rock feel. The Stuttgart studio quartet Dublex Inc., prolific DJ crew and Pulver label bosses, also give the track a muscular electronic makeover, transforming it into a magnificent modern dub-soul anthem that features Mr. Day, of the French reggae connoisseurs The Dynamics, on vocal duties.

Seiji´s remix of Take It Slow is a dancefloor killer that speeds up the vocals, adds a powerful bass and puts it all into a futurist uptempo dancehall groove, while the Mousse T remix of the track adds strings and horns, creating a downtempo, classic Burt Bacharach vibe. However it’s still the silky voice of Joe Dukie from New Zealand’s cult reggae band Fat Freddy’s Drop who steals the show on both tracks.

A song of bittersweet beauty and rich musical heritage, Same Sun was the first single to be released from Boozoo Bajou’s magnificent new album Grains. It features a the hauntingly beautiful guest vocalist and young British singer-songwriter Rumer. The three wildly varied remixes take Same Sun on an epic journey from sparkling dancefloor celebration to moody dubstep deconstruction. Norway’s royal ruler of psychedelic disco, Prins Thomas, expands the original into two super-sized transformations: first with 12 minutes of bliss-filled beats and dreamy vocals on the mighty Diskomiks, then a further 10 minutes of throbbing acid basslines and trippy sound effects on the hypnotic Karaoke Versjon. And Germany’s underground techno minimalist Quantec strips Same Sun down to a powerful dub symphony, full of dark shadows and spaced-out reverb.

The Killer remixes by King Britt and the Funky Lowlives provide additional turntable rotation. With an electronic bassline and a soca beat, the Funky Lowlives conjure up a hot hip-shaker while Philadelphia´s King Britt fuses broken beats and dub effects.

Dust My Grains is a collection of extremely different mixes that dig deep into the vaults of Dust My Broom and Grains but which all stay true to the broad-minded and progressive spirit of Boozoo Bajou. By blending 21st century studio technology with organic instruments and guest vocals this album presents a sophisticated musical tapestry of acoustic and electronic textures.

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25.11.2009 von mk.

Swept off their feet by having created typhoons on stage with nothing but vocals, rhodes, brass, MPC and synth the trio set about a new album. They loaded their giant turtle (acquired as a bargain after the Copernicus disaster) with musicians, fruit and a box of instant emotion, to ride up to Holger on the mountain. While he prepared the finest German food for the band they found the recipe for their album: keys (white and black ones in the ratio of 2 to 11 divided by f), a lovely distant voice, the twitter of gryphons (temperature depending the tunes needed to be adjusted by 19 to 21 per cent), purring basslines, transformer drums, milk, a wood-fired oven, brass angled by 3 degrees east and a bit of lunar dust. Over the course of the last 525,601 minutes Malik and Panthera took turns in counting backwards while Spunk lived in disguise with a bird family next to the sports ground. They found glowing mountains of remixes from Solomun over Trus’Me to Douglas Greed, smilingly recorded lots of beats and painted their soundscapes at guest performances from Amsterdam to Olganitz, from the Fusion to the SonneMondSterne festivals.

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13.11.2009 von mk.

DIGITALISM, THE JUAN MACLEAN, SHAZAM, JAMES MURPHY, CUT COPY….finally all the big hit remixes of MUNK come out together on a digital compilation. “Germanys coolest Freakdisco band” as London’s NME described MUNK will come out with a own new single this October, followed by the new album in Spring 2010. In the meantime you can get this collection of crazy disco and balearic remixes that have been featured on the playlist of Ed Banger, DFA and Disco DJs all over the world this year…

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28.10.2009 von mk.

Sonar Kollektiv brings out another compilation of fourteen tracks. As the title already describes it, the tracks have been carefully selected from the early days of Sonar Kollektiv. We wanted to bring together the beginning artists of our label to see who is still in the game and how we developed our styles in finding new talents. Enjoy with us the “Early Days” with Benny Sings, Slope, Clara Hill and many more.

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13.10.2009 von mk.

“Dirty soul meets a clean positive groove, ruff with the smoove, dark and light, all the opposites are in harmony: this is the sound of ‘Scrambled Negg’…”
(E.A.S.E., Nightmares On Wax)
Finally Dan Ward aka NEGGHEAD delivers “Scrambled Negg”, a stunning fusion of future bound funk beats and refined stand out tunes way beyond the ordinary…. from a space in time where musicianship meets dj attitude, where the essence of HipHop, Soul and Jazz is (still) what’s making people dance (and smile of course) - and where therefor the beats come a tiny bit larger than usually.

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