Collection: New Releases

Tucked away in a corner of northwestern Europe and so small you could drive through it in minutes without noticing you were ever there, Luxembourg is often overlooked. This is also true for Luxembourg’s music scene, and even more so in the early 1980s. Aside from a string of victories at the annual Eurovision song contest or the mighty Radio Luxembourg that had for decades been blasting jazz, rock and other modern music into stolid Western European ears, very little else seemed to be going on. But even in a country of barely 350,000 people, musical adventurers had picked up on the spaced-out jazz-funk of bands like Return to Forever, Herbie Hancock’s Mwandishi, Weather Report, George Duke, and the electric Miles Davis. Under the leadership of trumpet player Gast Waltzing, a handful of them put together a band called “Atmosphere” and used the sound of their inspirations as a launchpad for their own musical exploration. What you hold in your hands is a “best of” the Atmosphere band, which released two albums and a 7” single between 1981 and 1986. Privately pressed and long out of print, with original copies very hard to come by even in their country of origin, these records have for years been unheard by anyone outside hardcore collector circles. With no master tapes available, it was a real labor of love to track down the best quality vinyl copies and to reissue a selection of our favorite tracks in professionally remastered form. Editions de Lux is a new label dedicated to unearthing and releasing records we love and believe deserve more attention, with a focus on Luxembourg and the surrounding countries. We are just the latest in a long line of immigrants who have come to work in Luxembourg and who are trying to find our own path into the heart of this mysterious little country that has much more to it than dark forests, medieval castles, rusting steel mills, and shadowy banks.

Dead Sound is a collaborative project of Marco Sterk (aka Young Marco) and Berlin-based pop-auteur John Moods. Both artists are no strangers to the label; Sterk forms one third of the trio Gaussian Curve, while Moods released the 2022 album ‘Hidden Gem’ with The Zenmenn. Their collaboration was both planned and spontaneous; Sterk initially reached out in 2022 expressing his desire to work with Moods. The pair finally got together in 2024 to produce ‘Into The Void’, an album that burst into life over the course of a few creatively charged days in each other’s company. Moods’ dream-like, emotionally charged music wears its heart on its sleeve; its very human vulnerability makes it a perfect match for Sterk’s strong sense of melody and textural sonic visions. ‘Into The Void’ carries these psychedelic traits in its DNA, but they exist layered deep amongst the shadows. Painting on a wide canvas that effortlessly skips between genres, the pair weave anything that inspires them into a truly unique tapestry; a bold attempt to touch at the beyond. Exploring the space between perception (level of the mind) and the nature of the universe (actual level of reality) seems traditionally like an impossible task. But there’s gotta be a time and a space for the profound and this album invites the listener to go deep, letting go of concepts such as love and opening oneself up to one’s own authentic journey. This transformative force of healing is a central theme of ‘Into The Void’, a path that is lined with light and darkness in equal measure. But, as Moods says, “do not skip the darkness, let that door open and swallow you. And maybe you’ll find, it's not as dark as you perceived at first." Sleeve art by Michael Willis.

Amsterdam-based flutist Han Litz returns with another genre-bending release where he teamed up with long-time collaborator Kid Sublime. Together they know how to add sincere soulfulness to the dance floor, ranging from house to broken beat-inspired rhythms with Han's captivating flute playing telling the stories. Including stellar remixes by original Bugz In The Attic broken beat icon Daz-I-Kue and rising Dutch talent, Kofi The Unknown.

This release marks the first complete album reissue on Canopy. Originally released in Nigeria in 1987, “Oppressor” was executive produced by Myke Moul himself and distributed domestically by EMI Nigeria & Tropic Records. “Oppressor”, the album, finds the sweet spot between synth reggae, boogie, and euphoric Balearic island vibes. Written by Myke Moul and arranged in collaboration with reggae star Majek Fashek in Nigeria, it was later re-crafted and recorded in France with a host of French musicians. Most notably the contribution of multi instrumentalist Pierre de St Front added engaging synthesiser parts and electronic drums. Unfortunately the pressing of the album suffered from inherent technical flaws which adversely affected the sound quality and therefore even those lucky enough to find a copy, will not be able to enjoy it without considerable sonic defects. Therefore this remastered reissue will prove welcome to both collectors and new discoverers. The titular track “Oppressor” stands out as a mid-tempo synth-reggae-boogie jam espousing the turbulent political times in Nigeria that were present in the late 80s. Elsewhere “Shadows in the Rain” is an instrumental cut displaying a jazz-funk sensibility which was unusual for a Nigerian artist at that time, and reflects Myke’s influences outside his home country. “Heading for the Top” is a boogie dance floor gem that shows the popularity of this genre at the time, as evidenced in many Nigerian releases and still sounds just as vital today. “Rescue us. O! Lord” shows Myke’s great song writing and Pierre’s fine musical skills working in tandem to create a reggae boogie tune, displaying the reggae & ska tendencies that were present in pop music in this era, from artists such as Grace Jones, Sly & Robbie or The Police. All in all, the album demonstrates something fresh & exciting for Nigerian album reissues, touching down in a reggae fusion direction, with some fuller sounding production aesthetics, making the dynamics full and crisp on sound systems while also well suited to home listening.

Fabio Monesi teamed up with Tom Carruthers for a solid EP of pure house music.

Washington, D.C. label People's Potential Unlimited (PPU) snub the usual boundaries put upon most entities in dance music, attesting instead to the limitlessness of human musical potential. Here they set another example of such accumulative panache with 'Turn It Out', the very latest vinyl EP from roster producer Bravuda, hailing from the Russian Federation. 'Turn It Out' is Bravuda's re-recording of a demo also recorded for PPU by Terry Patton and Robbie M, entitled 'Tri-Fire'; Bravuda's version is a slimy, windowlicking electro-funk Janus mask, as 'Turn It Out' and its underside '1984' both bring almost equally grumbly and wily sleights of hand, their tiny room reverbs and crushed, sculpted piano chords being of special note.

No Return! Soul Quest Records, one of the most exciting new labels to emerge from the soulful end of the deep house spectrum recently, proudly announces the release of ‘Quest One’ its first-ever vinyl-only compilation. This limited-edition vinyl release brings together five of the most popular tracks from the label’s impressive catalogue, offering a must-have collector's item for deep house enthusiasts. Since its inception just 18 months ago, Soul Quest Records has made waves with a string of eight successful releases, capturing the hearts of fans and tastemaker DJs such as Gilles Peterson, Antal, Danny Krivit, Glenn Underground, Laurent Garnier & Kai Alce with its signature blend of deep, soulful, and sexy sounds. Now, ‘Quest One’ spotlights that winning formula with tracks from standout artists such as 2fox, KingCrowney, Zoe Kypri, as well as two of the label's co-founders, Slxm Sol and Max Sinàl. The release cements Soul Quest Records' reputation for curating quality music that resonates deeply within the house community. The attention to detail and passion that has defined Soul Quest’s journey is encapsulated in this exclusive release, making it a must-have for vinyl collectors and house music aficionados. .

Berlin's Disco Disco give us disco not once, but twice. This homespun label attests to its artisanship by limiting each of its releases to short 500-ish runs, and hand-stamping each and every one of them. The latest of its type is this new one from ethereal disco-house artist Ube, offering a new three-track sex-lixir. We reach a mellow precipice on 'On The Edge', reining in our impulse to let loose through skilfully withheld chords and jutting, yet still attenuated and hazy backing elements. 'Corsica Deep' and 'Heatwave' offer two further divesuited and snorkeled visions of the deep, their fluttery surround elements and murmurations suggesting the presence of sunken ghosts.

ALVARO delivers a standout four-track EP, showcasing his expertise in blending disco, Latin, jazz and funk. With a history of working with iconic NYC 90s label Maxi Records and collaborating with legends like Wayne Gardiner (Logic and Classic Man) from Strictly Rhythm and Nervous Records, ALVARO brings a fresh yet nostalgic vibe to this limited pressing. The EP features a variety of disco-infused styles, with heavy grooves and colourful rhythms that are sure to light up the dancefloor.

Yann Polewka and Raw Soul, that was always a big thing. Mutual respect and support today are more important than ever, so we are happy to do our part to bring some light into the darkness in these difficult days: we are proud to welcome Yann on board. He contributes four fresh and energetic tracks, including a super deep remix by Sebastian Gummersbach. Mastering by DJ Steaw! Yann is a young Dj and talented producer from Rennes, he has been sharing his passion for a few years in Western France and in Paris thanks to his diverse mixture of the sounds of yesterday, today and tomorrow. He's also the co-founder of the so called Texture association, where he organizes parties allowing him to combine his passions of music and art, all in unusual places.

US label Nu Groove and UK veteran Bushwacka! are two names that will forever be synonymous with underground dance music. To have them come together for a fresh new 12" is like catnip for the real house. This faults four tracker kicks off with the dark and menacing, stripped-back house sounds of the title track before 'Dance All Night Long' picks up the pace with some hefty kicks and woodpecker bass lines. 'Sometimes I Feel' is a jazzy one with busy chords and keys and a 90s bassline and 'How To House' shuts down with a more party-starting, playful vibe featuring chunky drums and myriad voices adding some atmosphere.

Rimshot-packed comedown house from Marcus Paulson on Quintessentials, amounting to a four-track cochlear purgation and cleansing. The sonic equivalents an aloe scented exfoliants with notes of hibiscus and azalea, 'MP' and 'Keep On' serve to anoint then massage the ears by way of expertly panned FMs, pressed reverb rumpuses, and chord-string dances. And though its name gets at a theme of purity, the EP's 'House Music' retains still the only reserve of dirt (hydroponic gardens still need soil) left over on the entire record, though it's still sprayed over by anthro exhalations and "huh" sounds, in lieu of a crop duster. The titular 'Pure' is the final highlight, offering the listener an ascendancy of wafty cloud synthetics and tickly claves, among other perc sounds.

Crackazat's 'In The Sky' EP offers a dynamic blend of jazzy and future house elements, delivering an engaging experience for both the dancefloor and the soul. The title track, 'In The Sky', is an uplifting tune driven by infectious piano breakdowns and jazzy undertones, creating a perfect mood for a carefree night out. It's a track designed to elevate, with its airy vibes and feel-good energy. On Side-2, 'Burnin'' brings a surge of 90s-inspired energy, with a high-octane piano banger that channels classic New York house vibes. The track is a nod to the genre's roots, brimming with nostalgic energy while still feeling fresh and relevant. The closing track, 'Dark', shifts to a deeper, hypnotic groove with rich bass notes and tribal influences. Its deep, pulsing rhythm creates a captivating atmosphere with Crackazat's versatility and range within the deep house spectrum showing brightly. With its compelling mix of energy and soul, this EP is going to be a much needed dancefloor go to.

Four decades on and Azymuth has reached legendary status amongst fans worldwide and across the music industry thanks to the trio's pioneering blend of traditional Brazilian jazz and proto funk fusion from the early 70's right through to the present day. In 1979 the band's first Milestone Records release, 'Light As A Feather' quickly became one of the best-selling LPs of the year. Featuring the worldwide disco/fusion hit single 'Jazz Carnival' and going on to sell more than half a million copies internationally, the album stayed in the UK Top 20 for eight straight weeks. An incredibly well thought out album both in pace, song selection and musicality, 'Light As A Feather' marked a maturing of the band as they began to rightfully utilise the studio as an instrument itself, embracing numerous mixing and recording techniques not yet common for the time as well as pioneering the use of the Big Muff and Dolby System to great effect. The end result is an album that endures to this day as a samba/jazz-funk masterpiece. Now Far Out presents this seminal recording re-mastered from the original 16-track tapes, which were given to Joe Davis by Azymuth, lovingly reproduced on heavy weight vinyl. This definitive edition of Azymuth's breakthrough LP is a must-have for connoisseurs and an invaluable introduction to the Azymuth sound for the uninitiated.

While many have imitated, no one has ever really come close to crafting the sort of spiritually affective deep house that Ron Trent kicks out with apparent ease. 'Black Magic Woman' is a prime example - an ode to the power of the feminine form with vocals from Harry Dennis, most known for his previous work with Larry Heard. The original is a deep house epic with jazzy chords and organic drums, lashing of bass and spoken word musings from Dennis. The Joaquin edit & Overdubs version is more intense and bright and the Coflo remix is more soft, mellifluous and warm. Epic stuff with great artwork, too.