Crucial Material – Best Releases Of The Week (November 30th, 2018)

Is it new music you are looking for?

Even with the end of the year approaching faster and faster, new and excellent release are still popping up all over the place. So, like every week we’ve listened to billions and billions of new things and distilled it down. Here we go!

NEW ALBUMS & EPs

Andres “D Atlien EP”

Genres: Latin / House / Disco
Label: NDATL Muzik
Purchase

Detroit DJ/Drummer/Producer Dez Andres drops 5-track EP on Kai Alce’s NDATL imprint. The A side of the D Atlien EP offers deeper insight into Dez’s masterful MPC skills with 2 Afro-Latin-house workouts sure to ignite any dance floor. On the flip, Dez eases back into the sound he’s known for: rough, raw and rockin’ sample-laden beats and killer grooves.
-Selected by Jake Stellarwell

The Egyptian Lover “1985”

Genres: Hip Hop / Electro
Label: Egyptian Empire
Purchase

The 808 slangin’ legend follows up his 2015 release “1984” with the aptly titled “1985”, and it’s of course it’s amazing. If you ever get the chance to see him live, do not think twice! One of the best shows I’ve ever been to hands down, (or up… or sideways like a helicopter).
-Selected by Mike Jones

V/A “Gradients 2”

Genres: Drum & Bass / Dubstep / Dub / Bass
Label: Astrophonica
Purchase

Some pretty gritty stuff right here! Everything from slow and stoney Dub to rippin Acid-soaked Jungle from some major players in the club sphere. Gotta say that the one from Sully here is me fave! In a weird way it reminds me of a Jungled out version of Yung Lean’s ‘Kyoto’.
-Selected by Mike Jones

Illa J “John Yancey”

Genres: Hip Hop / R&B
Label: Jakarta Records
Purchase

As always Illa J combines both singing and rapping in his signature positive and soulful style. “For so long in my career I felt like I was trying to be me and my brother, and I’m finally at peace, like I’m not J Dilla’s younger brother Illa J, I’m James’ younger brother John.”
-Selected by Mike Jones

Kamaal Williams “Catch The Loop”

Genres: Jazz / Broken Beat / Wu-Funk
Label: Black Focus
Purchase

K15 A Side: Chopped up elements from The Return blended with other Kamaal Williams material K15 found online to build a sense of the album’s context and intentions. Kamaal Williams B Side: NTS Live Session – Live performance at Flesh and Bone Studios in July 2018 for NTS featuring Kamaal Williams, Dexter Hercules and Pete Martin.

Moonshine Collective “SMS For Location II”

Genre: Global Rhythms
Label: Moonshine
Purchase

Montreal’s Moonshine collective celebrates their 4th year anniversary with the “SMS FOR LOCATION VOL.II” mixtape. They’ve also teamed up with Off The Hook to present a range of exclusive products!

Earl Sweatshirt “Some Rap Songs”

Genre: Hip Hop
Label: Columbia Records
Listen

Newwww recoooooord! Off the cuff rap jams from the insightful and street-smart Early Man. “A lotta blood to let, peace to make, give a f*** about a cheque”.

Lunch Money “Living 3000”

Genre: Electronic / DIY / Experimental / Dancehall
Label: Lunch Money
Purchase

Written on Garageband and re-recorded by the band at Total Refreshment Centre, Living 3000 attempts to answer the question: “can we take robot music, and play it live?”, raising further questions and ignoring musical boxes. Experimental dancehall outfit Equiknoxx have one answer, stripping it down to a wild dutty riddim.
-Selected by Oli Brunetti (Colectivo Futuro)

Liberez “Way Through Vulnerability”

Genre: Industrial / Noise / Ambient / Minimal / Experimental / Avant Garde
Label: ALTER
Purchase

Now with new members, Reay, Saunders and Ugarteburu, Liberez further extend their industrial minimalism, with intricate sound design, flamenco rhythms, clapping, spoken word in Basque, Hungarian dialect and ancient Russian, creating an absorbing, incredibly eerie soundscape to sink into completely. Turn off the lights and crank up the volume.
-Selected by Oliver Brunetti (Colectivo Futuro)

Planet Battagon “Battagon Symphony”

Genre: Jazz / Electronic / Experimental
Label: On The Corner
Purchase

An exhilarating ride through improvised jazz with electronics, here termed as “droid jazz”, not a million miles away from Miles Davis Bitches Brew era but with a more modern day like approach and technology. Excellent work from this ensemble led by the Basement-Jaxx-affiliated Lord Battagon.
-Selected by Oli Brunetti

Reissues & Archival Releases

Don Rendell Quintet “Space Walk”

Genre: Jazz
Label: Aartrud
Purchase

Originally released in 1972, Don Rendell Quintet’s Space Walk is reissued for the first time. Released on Columbia UK’s legendary “Landsdowne Series,” this album mixes together Modal Jazz with spacey vibes and funky grooves. An essential recording that helped form the foundations of progressive modern Jazz in Britain during the 1970s.
-Selected by TJ Gorton

Jon K / Pat Thomas “Asafo / Enye Woa”

Genre: Ghanaian Highlife / African Funk
Label: Soundway
Purchase

The first release in a new 12” series by Soundway includes two obscure late-eighties Ghanaian Highlife gems, primed perfectly for the dancefloor. The A-side features Jon K’s version of ‘Asafo’, a Highlife classic made famous by C.K.Mann. On the flip, Pat Thomas teams up again with longtime collaborator Ebo Taylor in the dancefloor-heavy cut ‘Enye Woa’.
-Selected by TJ Gorton

Various Artists “Tropical Tricks – Cree Records Remixed”

Genres: Disco / Soul / Boogie
Label: Cree Records
Purchase

If you were to buy each of the 4 tracks featured on Cree Records latest remix EP, ‘Tropical Tricks’, you’d have to drop over a grand. That’s just silly. Wise up and save yourself about $930 by grabbing a copy of this nice little remix compilation featuring reworks of rare tropical disco bangers. Remixes by Waxist, Nomad, Al Kent and Keshav.
-Selected by Jake Stellarwell

Various Artists “Life & Death On A New York Dance Floor – Part 1”

Genres: Post-Disco / Post-Punk / No-Wave
Label: Reappearing Records
Purchase

Tim Lawrence follows-up his book of the same name with a two-part double disc vinyl compilation series – ‘Life & Death On A New York Dance Floor’. Part 1 features seminal recordings from the NY club scene of the early 80’s. Disco-Not-Disco is the name of the game here, a sound originated and made famous in New York City. Part 2 will feature more of the same and is due out in January.
-Selected by Jake Stellarwell