Collection: Products

Eternal Love

Stelee Up

When it comes to blending contemporary dancefloor sounds with aspects of vintage funk, soul and Afro-Latin music, there are few more adept producers than former Whiskey Barons man BOSQ. He's at it again here on his first 12" of 2020. Afro-funk star Kaleta provides vocals on both A-side tracks, the Afrobeat-influenced disco-funk cheeriness of "Wake Up" (an infectious chunk of sun-soaked goodness) and the Afro-Cuban percussive shuffle of horn-heavy delight "Omo Iya". Elsewhere, Justo Valdez and Evan Laflamme guest on the Afro-Latin breeziness of "Mambue" (all dancing woodwind, Fela sax and layered drums), while "El Carriqi" sees BOSQ add Tito Puente style percussion and tight Fela Kuti style sax blasts to a club-ready Afro-house groove.

Skatt Bros

Chicago producer Ellery Cowles lands on Apnea Records with three tracks that draw from the city's foundational rhythms while reaching for something more devotional. Walking by Faith isn't chasing nostalgia--it's after deeper ground. "Fall of Jericho" kicks things off with syncopated Chicago swing colliding with latin percussion and acid basslines that curl and bite in equal measure. "Fly" builds around a looped vocal fragment, letting raw drum patterns stretch and breathe as the track slowly reveals itself. Closer "Crying of Yahweh" is the most patient of the three--seven minutes of hypnotic techno coiling around latin rhythms, carrying a quiet spiritual weight that lingers long after it fades. Cowles moves between reference points with ease--Chicago house, devotional threads, latin heat--but never forces the connection. The music feels like it's been lived in rather than simply constructed, generous with its time and intentional with its space. Out now on Apnea Records.

Turbojazz

A1 Want A2 Drum Wick B1 I Found The Key B2 Simple Gimmicks

Soma World feat. Falle

Chicago legend K. Alexi returns to Dark Entries with Warehouse Trax, an EP of previously unreleased acid and house mayhem! K’Alexi Shelby’s illustrious career has included releases on legendary labels such as Trax, DJ International, and Transmat, as well as collaborations with high-profile artists like Marshall Jefferson and Pet Shop Boys. But his musical journey began at the young age of 12, when he befriended Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles while frequenting the Music Box and Warehouse. In high school, he began writing songs and honing his poetic craft. “I recognized I had a gift to say what I was thinking. I would study Prince and Marvin Gaye, figure out what they meant and put my spin on it. The power of the word. I was writing love notes for all my boys in high school and making a killing. I would know what to say and what they should do.” Dark Entries previously reissued Shelby’s debut record, Essence of a Dream, which was recorded under the name Risque III in 1987. Warehouse Trax follows with six tracks recorded in Chicago between 1991 and 1994. The material here has all the hallmarks of classic K’Alexi. Salsa-inflected rhythms, emotive basslines, and hip-house vibes are displayed on tracks like the high-octane “Jungle Line” or the low-key tearjerker “Protect and Survive.” There are also some unexpected surprises in store. “Aaaah” comes out of the gate swinging with hard-hitting beats and apocalyptic ravey vocal pads evocative of the edgier material on Saber Records or Djax Up Beats, and the surprisingly contemporary-sounding “Klub Dred” delivers half-time dub with stuttering vocal samples. Warehouse Trax comes in a retro-styled sleeve designed by Eloise Shir-Juen Leigh. This is essential material for devotees of classic house sounds.

Reuben Vaun Smith