Rocksteady Disco‘s newest recruit is Eddie Logix. He’s been at the heart of the Detroit underground for over 15 years, most recently with his Technically Yeah live hardware nights, a grip of ambient and hip-hop releases, engineering for Assemble Sound. He’s one half of left-field funk-hop duo Mega Powers with Pig Pen, and of BLKSHRK alongside Blair French, who first appeared on Rocksteady Disco back in 2016 on …For Todd.

Placebo Palace is Eddie’s first solo dance EP, combining all of this experience into a diverse offering for discerning dance floors. The EP leads with “Que Locos”, a tropical house banger driven by brass and Latin-Jazz piano. “Baby Girl” rounds out the A side, with a dusty R&B vocal sample coupled with a massive and unexpected bassline. The B side is darker and deeper, starting with the frantic Afro-Jazz-Deep House “Sunday Palaver” that we have featured today. Closing the EP is “Bottle Rocket”, a psychedelic surf rock-tinged disco-not-disco chugger, with live guitar by Daniel Monk and electric bass by stphn-b.

It appears that copies of this EP are flying fast! Placebo Palace is set to hit stores January 14th and you can pre-order the record via bandcamp.

Cet article Eddie Logix – Sunday Palaver [Rocksteady Disco] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Igor

Cet article Vagabundo Club Social – Pambele [Lovedancing] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Tel Aviv-based producer Nenor (fka Obas Nenor) released one of his first solo EPs in 2015 with DC’s Sol Power Sound. Four years later–after a run of successful drops on the likes of Heist, Whiskey Disco and his own Nenorion Music imprint– he makes his return to the afrolatin-leaning label with Future Ancestor. The record sits nicely within the SPS vein; uptempo afro jams layered with smacking percussion. It has an almost meaner texture than his Color Sound EP from 2015.

The lead track, “Tike Ye Ya Kende” is a trademark Sol Power Sound cut; percussive, vocal and driving. On the same side, our premiere, “Nova Man” takes things into a higher gear. Beefy drums bang away and get laced with eerie pads and filtered vocals. Meanwhile, big, chugging bassline gives the tune a tense, peak-time feel. The B-side continues the aesthetic, with heavy afro hitters driven by organic drums and instrumentation as well as hardware.

It’s a nice reintroduction for a producer we haven’t heard much solo work from in the calendar year. Nenor’s strength is in his ability to blend samples, nasty percussion and hardware and instrumentation skills into an incredibly playable afro-inspired format. The Future Ancestor EP is out next week, so grab it for your summer outings.

Pre-order on Juno

Cet article Nenor – Nova Man [Sol Power Sound] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Loya’s critically acclaimed 2018 album Corail gathered wide support from the press (XLR8R, Les Inrocks, Nova, RFI) and was celebrated as one of the best electronic records of 2018 by Trax Magazine. Now, Loya and Mawimbi Records are proud to present the remixed version of the album, featuring cuts from Dengue Dengue Dengue, Africaine 808, Alma Negra, Pigmaliao, Roscius, Pouvoir Magique, Tim Karbon and Loâzo.

For context, Loya is a project by La Réunion-native Sébastien Lejeune dedicated to unearthing musical traditions from the Indian Ocean (séga, maloya and tsapiky) and combining them with contemporary electronic music.

The remix package is quite diverse. A few of the remixers remained faithful to Loya’s triple time beats and emotional synth motifs, some made forays into slow-motion acid house, others seemed to take influence from UK techno and dancehall, and the rest being tasteful reworks or straight up bangers.

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/premiere-loya-amba-pigmaliao-remix” /] Pigmaliao’s remix of “Amba” takes a less experimental approach than the original, putting forth a more easily danceable groove. As the drums chug along, distorted keys, chopped vocals, and a bubbling acid line evoke a trippy calm, one that might seem familiar for anyone who’s come down from an LSD or mushroom trip. For the DJs, this one is well suited for warm-up sets or for more esoteric radio play. However you choose to use it, it’s certainly one to have in the arsenal.

Grab your copy now from Mawimbi’s Bandcamp.

Cet article Loya – Amba (Pigmaliao Remix) [Mawimbi Records] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Parisian Afro imprint Mawimbi‘s latest release in collaboration with Wormfood Records comes from Ghanian project ONIPA. In packaging four originals with three remixes, the EP covers a lot of ground, with West African stylings manifested in hip-hop, disco and house formats and beyond. This feat should come as no surprise to followers of the label, however, as the Paris crew has long managed to tastefully blend African music forms with electronic dance sensibilities.

Our premiere comes via London duo Krywald & Farrer‘s remix of the A1 track, “Woza”. Known lately for their scorching hot Persies series, here the talented editors modify the frenzied, afrofuturistic original into a chilled deep house affair. Where the original is percussive, and intensely jovial, the remix is more subdued. Synth pads and basslines create a new texture for the track, while drum and vocal samples from the original are layered in to maintain some of the original flavor. It’s ultimately a fairly climactic affair, too, with everything building towards a bittersweet combination of chords.

The rest of the record, meanwhile, has variety on offer. A range of tempos and styles are explored by ONIPA to showcase their fusion of African music with contemporary electronic formats. The wax and full digital release for the record is coming up soon, too, with the drop scheduled for September 7th (it can be preordered here).

Martín

Cet article Onipa – Woza [Krywald & Ferrer Remix] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Clinical. A word best used to describe the latest “Shapes & Spaces” EP from Tommy Tickle AKA Meles Meles. Separating his time between both London & Manchester, the young man’s been on a writing roll of late, churning out some svelte recordings. When asked about this next slice, Tommy is quick to tell us the release encapsulates feelings of healing, catharsis and escapism. This one’s a strange beast with a ream of flavours. You can hear nods to the likes of St Germain, UKG and early Leon Vynehall.

As one quarter of jazz troupe A Broken Camarilla, Tommy uses his side project to explore his love of all things house, disco, garage and funk. And boy are we happy he does so! It is with great pleasure that we premiere Goldrush, the third track off his latest escapade thanks to Ad Hoc Records.

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/premiere-tommy-tickle-goldrush” /]

Goldrush screams carnival, streamers and colour. Imagine being a part of a dancing street procession with this blaring from the speakers. Elated horns and one very neat kick are the spectacle here. Throw in some jubilant vocal cries and it really does start to feel like we’ve legitimately struck Gold!

“Shapes & Spaces” is Tommy’s debut release via Ad Hoc, a label who push any Manchester sounds they vibe. A quote unquote ‘post anything mentality’. Ad Hoc spread their arms far and wide in search of tunes that carry their imprint. No prejudices on language, ethnicity or socio-economic background. What an amazing ethos it is! There’s enough division in our world as it stands, let dance bring us all closer together. You can pre-order yours directly from the label’s Bandcamp.

Will

Cet article Tommy Tickle – Goldrush [Ad Hoc Records] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Martinique: a tranquil destination in the heart of the Caribbean, known for its all-year-round beautiful climate and picturesque scenery, a place that was once home to music and spoken word legend, Eugène Mona. His exotic surroundings, politically expressive voice and exposure to traditional Martiniquan rhythms form ‘Lizo’, where fiery lyrics and vivacious vibrations run wild all over the track. Thanks to the ears of the Sol Power Sound guys out of DC, we’re being re-introduced to this gem, which was originally out in 1990.

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/premiere-eugene-mona-lizo-kiko-navarro-afroterraneo-mix” /]
This summer, Kiko Navarro (Local Talk/Yoruba) remixes the track, exposing its emotion and groove, introducing a catchy Afro funk/house music twist, where you bear witness to the fusion of both Navarro’s and Mona’s soulful, chilled living, sun drenched lifestyles. Following Navarro’s 2018 release, “I Can Show You The Way”, we hear him generating soulful, funky, yet hard-hitting tribal rhythms. Real party music which brings us to ‘Lizo‘. His momentum this year is running high and this remix is another giant indicator of this! Throughout his illustrious career, the Mallorca native has always provided listeners with a unique sounding type of Chicago acid house, blended effortlessly with high quality, jazz infused, Afro-Latin inspired grooves that really do just make you want to move. ‘Lizo‘ is a 7 minute summer vibe all in its own right. We salute you Kiko!

The Sol Power Sound guys consistently dig up raw talent and invite fantastic producers to showcase their sound within the confines of their label, be it original material, remixes or edits. We got to have a quick chat with them about this forthcoming release, influences and more.

INTERVIEW

So I was just clicking through Juno Records, lo and behold — Sol Power Sound currently hold second place in the international best selling record chart this week! The release is fresh so clearly the label and its artists are doing something very right. How does an achievement like this make you feel?

It’s actually number 1 at this very moment! We’ve been building the Sol Power brand incrementally for almost ten years, first as a party, then through our own productions, until finally forming the label in 2015. We like to focus on consistency and quality and have gradually built awareness of our output. We now have a really strong body of work that we are very proud of, so it’s affirming that more folks are paying attention. The slow burn is better than the quick blow up. It’s more sustainable.

Organization, having a routine and some rituals helps determine how the day’s success will pan out. Is there a magic formula or schedule in use by the record label? Are there any practices that you and your artists swear by?

If there’s a magic formula, we haven’t found it! Both of us just try to do the things that play to our strengths. One bit of advice is to delegate or outsource things that aren’t in your wheelhouse. If someone else can do it better than you, don’t be afraid to ask. That can be an additional expense but you get what you pay for.

The latest EP, Tambours de Martinique, is just that, with sounds and vibes from the Caribbean. Do you have connections, be they musical, physical, or experiences in this part of the world? What is the label’s inspiration and drive behind forming such a culturally strong Record?

Our drive is the process of discovery, musical and cultural. The world is big and there are a lot of jams. It’s fun as well as gratifying to find them and share them. If you look at our back catalog, we’ve touched many corners of the globe, either through inspiration, direct licensing, or collaboration with artists. Perhaps it is driven by our digging backgrounds, but it is the curiosity and learning that keeps us inspired.

Three tracks from outside of your label that you’re currently rinsing?

Childish Gambino – This Is America (Salah Ananse Edit)

Jakki – Fun Sun Fun (Applejac Edit)

Osage – Guanguan Riddim

Bonus beat: Hallex M – Oggun feat. Carlos Mena

Are there any other current artists or labels that are really inspiring you that perhaps aren’t getting the recognition they deserve?

At the moment we are big fans of Applejac (out of Atlanta), Osage / LilDave (out of Philly) and XOA (out of the UK). They are all putting out quality work that may go under the radar. Regarding labels, Rocksteady Disco out of Detroit seems to be getting more attention these days, but their output and ethos are definitely inspiring.

Lastly, we’d love to know what is next for the label?

More jams. Deliberately and finely curated. We don’t release often, but we try to make sure that every single release is truly unique and will stand out from the clutter. We can say that we have a nearly completed Sol Power All-Stars EP plus a  bunch of other things in various stages of development. Stay in touch with us to catch them when they drop!

Olivia

Cet article Eugène Mona – Lizo (Kiko Navarro Afroterraneo Mix) [Sol Power Sound] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

After last year’s phenomenal “Standing Still is an Illusion“ release on Rocksteady Disco that brought Blair French (soundcloud) to our attention, he’s continued to impress us. His follow-up release was put out as one half of Cosmic Handshakes with Todd Modes, entitled “In The Mist“, on Going Good Records. A medley of afro, world and experimental influences, the Detroit natives served up some ear candy with serious replay value. Now, he’s back and once again it’s on the Motor City’s budding Rocksteady Disco. Headed by Peter Croce, the label has shined a light on some fantastic talent, the vast majority of which is local. This is impressive, as not too many labels are focusing on homegrown talent these days and, of those that are, very few seem to be as successful.

The EP had a limited advance run of 70 test pressings, each custom spray painted by Blair and Peter which has already sold out. Not to fear though, the official release of Public Park is set to come next week and you should be able to get your hands on a copy directly from the label’s Bandcamp.

Igor

Cet article Blair French – Public Park [Rocksteady Disco] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

For those that missed the first instalment, our unsigned series looks to build a bridge between some under the radar talent and the various industry influencers that keep up with our content. Our goal is to help budding producers, who we handpick, to be able to find exposure and possibly a home for their yet unreleased productions. Instead of us writing about the producers, we’ve decided to get them to introduce themselves, so without further ado here’s the second in our unsigned series:

Nala – Lamuka

I’m Nala. I started producing and playing in the house party scene in Leeds and Manchester, back in 2010. I’m Massively influenced by the music of Northern and Western Africa, and I’ve always been obsessed with finding those dusty hidden gems. I love using those rhythm heavy, uplifting finds as ammunition to create something new and dance floor ready. I now have a wide array of original material, remixes and edits in the holsters. This years been a mad one so far, playing along side some great names in some great countries from the UK all the way to Ghana! I can’t wait to see whats gonna come next, keep your ears to the ground.
This tune is a remix of the mad experimental 80s track Lamuka by Zazou Bikaye + CY1. I wanted to take the amazing horns and crazy out of its time bassline forward to make something pretty different, something that doesn’t let off, a real stomper.

Cet article UNSIGNED 002 : Nala – Lamuka est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Initially starting as a solo EP idea in 2015, willed into existence by Finnish producer Herman Prime aka Jon Thureson, Maajo (soundcloud) later expanded to include a whole troupe of musicians (five of them to be exact). The following year, their debut full length album, “Tropical of Tulli”, was released to great fanfare. Their sound can be described as a mesh of afro, disco and dub, intricately managing to weave their organic instruments into a mesh with electronic elements, neither one overpowering the other. One more turn around the sun and the remixes, which you just knew had to come, were released with contributions from some diverse, yet highly sought-after sources; namely Call Super, Luke Vibert and Dengue Dengue Dengue. We were anxiously awaiting some fresh material from the group and we were really excited to get our hands on the next EP from Maajo, once again being released on the mysterious Queen Nanny Records, a label named after the Jamaican national hero which launched alongside the band’s debut LP.

Defo is the title and is also the lead track which we are premiering today. Bringing back their signature afrodisco sound, Maajo take a slightly deeper turn while still retaining their unique identity. At times the polyrhythmic track seems to be building in a more upbeat sounding direction led by the climbing bass, groovy percussion and guitar stabs but then the dub-techno-like chords bubble to the surface, a contradiction that you think shouldn’t work but in actuality is pulled off brilliantly. All the other usual suspects are present too, with plenty of tropical sounding instruments, vocals and atmospherics, as well as the make you want to dance rhythm that is pulled off so effortlessly.

We’re hoping this little EP is just a sampler of another full length album that’s on the horizon. Don’t forget to check the other two tracks on the EP, one a Trevor Deep Jr reconstruction (and how deep it is), as well as the lengthy and trippy B side Mansaba. Set those Juno release reminders!

Igor

Cet article Maajo – Defo [Queen Nanny] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.