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Record of the Week
International Anthem announces the digital release (June 17th) and forthcoming LP/CD release (July 11th) of Gilles Peterson presents International Anthem, a double-LP-length compilation of tracks from the Chicago-born record label curated by legendary London-based radio host, DJ, label head, and cultural impresario Gilles Peterson.
The twenty-nine tracks on Gilles Peterson presents International Anthem chronicle Peterson’s long-standing affinity for and connection to International Anthem’s expansive creative music community, and were chosen by an extensive review of playlists from his broadcasts on BBC 6 Music, Worldwide FM, and various syndicated radio programs. The compilation includes a previously unreleased track recorded by Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti & Frank Rosaly at Peterson’s Brownswood Basement studio in London. It also includes several unreleased introductions from a January 2020 Worldwide FM broadcast at Chicago’s Co-Prosperity (the site of the album cover photo, taken by Carolina Sanchez), where Peterson gave International Anthem “Label of the Year” as part of his 2020 Worldwide Awards.
In his liner notes for the album, Peterson says: “From the get go I could see it. I could see that International Anthem was the real deal. I could hear it too - more importantly. A record label with the vision and care that places it in the pantheon of labels where you can pick up any release without knowing what it is and be certain the quality will be there… International Anthem is more than a record label though. It’s a community that is built on the city’s history but has, over the years, championed the spirit of creative music and pushed it forward with an outlook that reaches out to like minded souls regardless of time and space. Throughout the 10 years of their existence we have crossed paths many times. From being in Chicago to celebrate them as label of the year in January 2020 just before the world shut down, to hanging with the crew in London, to playing so much of the label’s output on both on my radio shows and in my DJ sets. So it is my pleasure to honour our friendship with a selection of tracks that have soundtracked the journey, so far…”
Gilles Peterson presents International Anthem is released via International Anthem as part of their IA11 series of releases and events, celebrating the label’s eleventh year of operation.
Impressive Collective & BBE Music announce Brighter The Days – the 9th studio album by Omar - the world renowned UK soul star. This new album continues Omar's long-standing collaboration with Impressive Collective’s Greg Boraman, which began in 2013 on Freestyle Records with the critically acclaimed 'The Man' album and continued with 'Love In Beats' and 'The Omar Anthology'.
Omar Lyefook MBE, singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist, solidifies his legendary status with his latest album, Brighter The Days. Over three decades, he has been a defining force in modern Black music, crafting a sound that seamlessly blends soul, funk, jazz, salsa, dub, and hip-hop, with roots in classical music. As he puts it,“Each album is an evolution, if you will. But I’d like to think this is my magnum opus.
”A dynamic collection, Brighter The Days builds upon Omar’s distinctive style with fresh inspiration. His warm, unmistakable voice—tinged with the richness of his Caribbean heritage—is complemented by lush arrangements. Organic drums, bass, brass, keys, and guitars meet the mechanical edge of samples and beats, creating a soundscape that is both timeless and innovative. Sweeping strings, inspired by his early training in orchestral music, add grandeur.“There’s nothing quite like that feeling of hearing all those strings play together,” he says, explaining their recurring presence in his work.
As always, Omar has gathered a stellar line up of collaborators. British legends like Paul Weller, arranger Chris Cameron, rapper Giggs and guitarist Tony Remy join forces with American icons including singers India Arie, Ledisi, Eric Roberson and Raheem DeVaughn, organist Ronnie Foster, and rapper Jeru The Damaja. The result is music that is ambitious in conception and flawless in execution.
The electric styles and highlights include There’s Much Love In The World, a hopeful anthem celebrating unity, Research featuring Honey Larochelle, a sexy and funky dance floor heater, and This Thing Called Life, which captures the album’s essence of optimism amidst challenges. Omar explains, “It’s a specific amount of time we have on this earth, so why waste it arguing and fighting? There are so many more things that connect us as opposed to driving us apart.”
In Brighter The Days, Omar reminds us that music and life are about finding light in the darkness. “Music is what I live for, but so too are my children. Brighter The Days just means something better is coming for all of us.
The official soundtrack to Jean-Cosme Delaloye's documentary about the life and career of Detroit techno pioneer Carl Craig, 'Desire: The Carl Craig Story' is set for digital release on June 20th 2025, with 2x12” Vinyl and CD editions to follow on July 18th 2025.
The collection, coming via his prolific and seminal Planet E Communications, features music from across Craig’s vast catalog, including several tracks that have never previously seen full digital release. Its selections span his many aliases and projects, offering a rare glimpse into the full scope of his groundbreaking career.
Among the rare and remastered tracks featured is No More Words - originally released in 1991, newly reissued on vinyl and available digitally for the first time. A foundational track in the Detroit techno canon, No More Words captures the emotive synths and tight grooves of Craig’s sound that would soon resonate across dance floors worldwide. Its reissue marks a moment of reflection on the genre’s roots and evolution.
Another remastered track from Craig’s extensive archive is The Truth, a deep cut from Craig’s discography under his Designer Music alias, now widely available for the first time a quarter-century after its original release. The film’s end credits are scored by the contemplative Meditation 4, an ambient production previously only available on Craig's 2013 Masterpiece compilation CD for Ministry of Sound.
Iconic remixes such as his Grammy-nominated rework of Junior Boys’ Like A Child is included alongside lesser-known but equally epic remixes such as his sublime 2012 mix of Slam’s Azure, which is employed for the film’s title credits and had previously only seen a limited release. Also featured across the soundtrack’s multiple formats are iconic Carl Craig productions under his 69, Psyche/BFC and Innerzone Orchestra aliases, and collaborations with Moritz von Oswald and Francesco Tristano.
The soundtrack serves as a companion to the new documentary directed by Jean-Cosme Delaloye and produced by Sovereign Films, which follows Carl’s journey from Detroit’s middle-class roots to global stardom, set against the city’s decline and recovery. The film explores his work at the intersection of music, art, and culture, from his collaborations with Bottega Veneta to his Party/After-Party installation, acquired by the Detroit Institute of Arts and exhibited at MOCA Los Angeles.
Featuring interviews with Gilles Peterson, Roni Size, Laurent Garnier, DJ Minx, Kenny Larkin, Moritz von Oswald, and James Lavelle, Desire highlights Carl’s championing of Detroit’s Black creative excellence and the often-overlooked African-American roots of electronic music.
'Neurotica' is Faltydl's new album. with a suprising switch in his sound, just released.
It’s been ten years since Drew Lustman aka FaltyDL last released on Planet Mu. In the meantime he's been running his own label Blueberry Records, been in-house producer for Mykki Blanco and has become a dad.
The best things come out of play and it was Drew’s relationship with his young daughter that switched on this playful side of his music. The album in question, ‘Neurotica,’ expresses Drew’s fun in creating such energetic pieces people will want to move to. It's a dizzying sugar-rush at a high-speed bounce; the music is fresh and inviting and most important of all, joyful.
"Summer of ’24, we were in Catalonia. My girl, our young daughter, the old folks. Days by the village pool, afternoons on the dirtbike. At night, I made salads. Simple things. Good things. One afternoon, lying back, phone in hand, I saw a friend post a GRWM. The music behind it stopped me. A song grabbed hold. The track was ‘Secret’ by Mietze Conte, which is fast-paced euro-pop dance music, like soft fluffy gabber with childlike vocals. I hunted down the full version. Played it again. And again. Twenty times over the next few days. It unlocked something. The best music does that. Like the first time I heard Burial. Had to know what was happening under the surface. That time, it led to ‘Love Is A Liability’ in 2009. This time, it led to ‘Neurotica.’“
“I started to record, getting down fast, bright, sugar-rush sounds. 185 to 200 BPM. I wrote them quick—half a day per track. In between, I slowed things down. Gave space for breath. Mike Paradinas helped shape the album, his ear guiding the flow. I tested the tracks. Played them for kids barely out of diapers and grown folks who still move like they are. It worked, on all ages. I kept it simple. Only two rules: keep it moving and don’t look at my phone. Cut the vocals like I used to.”
‘Neurotica’ is FaltyDL with his mojo refreshed, a new life squared, do yourself a favour, crack a smile and feel the joy.
Enrico Sangiuliano - The Techno Code
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Pioneering, uncompromising, yet frequent chart-stormer, sound designer/producer/performer Enrico Sangiuliano releases a remix EP of his seminal, startling ‘The Techno Code’. The techno manifesto dropped in April, also on his countdown imprint NINETOZERO, as part of VA EP ‘Discipline’, since when it’s won multiple plays and plaudits on dancefloors, radio and streaming platforms.
Remixes accompanying the original on the new digital EP are by Kevin de Vries & SLVR; Charlotte de Witte; Avalon & Tristan, plus a bonus DJ tool edit.
The Techno Code (Original Mix) is at once a spoken ‘how to’ of techno and a celebration of the genre, in portentous US tones reminiscent of 50s Atom bomb warning films and of Faithless’ ‘This is my church…’ as Sangiuliano builds the track according to ‘my rules – the Techno Code’ – the hi-hats, the main theme, the touch of acid…as the Voice narrates their effect on listener and raver.
‘The Techno Code (Kevin de Vries & SLVR Remix)’: starts slower, looser and stealthier, until fleshed out with ‘plucked string’ melody overlay, while a siren-like ultra-high note joins in. They’ve also darkened the bass elements while chopping, but maintaining the centrality and clarity of the spoken words.
‘The Techno Code (Charlotte de Witte’s Acid Code)’: adds hoover swoops, spacey stabs, and a brain-invading beeping backbeat. As per de Witte’s remix title, the ‘little acid’ of the original becomes a fizzing main theme. Reordering/cutting the words gives more emphasis to the ‘journey’ motif and builds on the ‘tension/anticipation’.
‘The Techno Code (Avalon & Tristan Remix)’ (Digital Exclusive): the spoken word is stripped back to a powerful intro and brief interjections, all processed with echo, robotic effects, distortion... and all about the anticipation - what you are about to hear, here it comes… The acid is raised to sulphuric levels by a pulsing tooth-tingling synth in a fast psy-trance ride.
Giobbi - You Are (Cercle)
Acclaimed producer, DJ, and pianist LP Giobbi returns with her latest single, "You Are," a radiant summer house anthem crafted for the first edition of the Cercle Odyssey tour. Featuring ethereal, hypnotic vocals layered over vibrant, sun-soaked production, "You Are" perfectly captures the essence of summer with its infectious melody and driving rhythm.
“You Are” is a reminder that our true power lies in both lifting ourselves up and supporting one another.” - LP Giobbi
Blending sophisticated electronic craftsmanship with an irresistible feel-good energy, "You Are" bridges the gap between LP Giobbi’s signature organic house sound and accessible summer vibes, making it ideal for both dedicated electronic music fans and casual listeners alike.
Following the success of her critically acclaimed sophomore album, Dotr—released in October 2024 via Ninja Tune's Counter Records—LP Giobbi continues to explore themes of love, reconciliation, and self-discovery through her music. With over 340 million streams across platforms and celebrated performances at festivals such as Coachella, Tomorrowland, Electric Forest, and Lollapalooza, LP Giobbi has firmly established herself as one of electronic music’s most innovative voices.
In addition to her musical achievements, LP Giobbi is a fierce advocate for gender equity in electronic music. She is the founder of Femme House, a non-profit providing education and mentorship to underrepresented artists, and she heads the Yes Yes Yes label, an imprint of Defected Records.
"You Are" will be featured during LP Giobbi’s opening performance for Jungle and The Blaze at Cercle Odyssey Mexico on April 25, 2025, introducing the vibrant anthem to an international audience.
Cercle Odyssey (tickets here), the world’s first large-scale 360-degree nomadic concert experience, has announced their extraordinary roster of global talent for its 2025 debut. Redefining the boundaries of music and visual storytelling, this live performance series brings together artists known for their ability to merge sound and visuals into deeply immersive experiences, marking a significant evolution in the Cercle journey. Cercle Odyssey is conceived and directed by Cercle’s Founder and Creative Director, Derek Barbolla. This nomadic experience will unfold across three global capitals - Mexico City, Los Angeles and Paris - transforming each location into a transformative audiovisual environment. Over five days in each city, two concerts will take place per day, welcoming up to 5,000 attendees per show. Set against a monumental 2,300m2 canvas screen, the performances offer a fully immersive experience. Each performance is a collaborative creative endeavour between Cercle and the artist, merging music, narrative, and visuals to craft an unparalleled experience. Unlike traditional festivals or concerts, Cercle Odyssey transports audiences into an otherworldly journey where sound, storytelling, and scenography unite in a seamless, cohesive vision.
British singer with international focus, Holly Holden, is set to release the 8-track album “al andar” on 11th July 2025. The album launch concert will take place at Folklore in London on 17th July 2025. This Spanish and English album includes collaborations with some of the absolute top musicians from London’s Latin American music scene: Greg Sanders (Teotima), Luzmira Zerpa (Family Atlántica), Nando Arias (Carlos Vives), Yelfris Valdés (Chucho Valdés), Ernesto Marichales (Jordan Rakei), Fabio De Olivera (Babo Moreno) and Will Fry (Jungle).
Album title, “al andar” symbolically translates as “on our way” / “while walking” / “in motion”. Inspired by the rich musical landscape of Latin America, the songs chart a trail of self-discovery by English musician Holly Holden. Although her roots are English, her heart belongs to Latin America. In Holly’s words,
“The music is a collage of sonic references which pays tribute to sounds that have inspired and informed my songwriting including Cuban son, Peruvian festejo, Mexican son jarocho, Colombian Vallenato and Brazilian samba.”
The original songs were written by Holly during her nomadic music-making years travelling Latin America. She was gifted a 4 -string cuatro during her first trip to Colombia. The cuatro became her companion and the instrument on which the songs on this album were created. Each song tells a story of Holly’s transformation, both as a person and musician.
Drama on the Corner - Dzatsu
Drama On The Corner return with a killer live version of ‘Dzatsu’ from their new ‘Orixa EP’, the muscular Lonnie Liston Smith-inspired groove showcasing the Parisian outfit’s compositional and production chops to full effect. A compelling, jazzier counterpoint to the vocal version featuring Ghanaian artist K.O.G - the lifelong connection between keys wizard Adrien de Araujo and drummer Gérald Portocallis can be heard in their intuitive, vamping interplay. Melding 70s’ jazz-funk influences with a contemporary attitude, a driving rhythmic organ is joined by Mandrill-esque cloud-burst synths, supertumbles of glissando Rhodes and broken beat-influenced drums that pulsate with urgency and inspiration.
Leon Raum is a prolific German producer, drummer, DJ, multi-instrumentalist and creative who has worked with several live bands and music projects across a number of different genres. These include instrumental electronic outfit Bokoya, whose style ranges from ambient to drum & bass and dub, as well as hip hop duo Wyl, a downtempo collaboration with DJ and producer Felix Fleer, and soul jazz project Wukan.
Indeed, it’s jazz that’s very much at the heart of Leon Raum’s music. The way the genre encompasses all of the technical intricacies of the instruments themselves is central to his production remit. Leon’s father was a huge influence in this world, mentoring him in the basics of
playing and also helping him with the skills of multi-track recordings.
Having worked as a multiinstrumentalist in several bands and projects for over a decade, Leon now finally feels that the time is right to step out of the shadows and into the light to showcase his own solo productions.
“There are so many influences and impulses that don’t find actualization when in a collaborative setting, that I feel it's so enriching to establish oneself as a solo artist, not being bound to expectation or compromise even in the creation of music. I aim to spread my musical love and creative vulnerability with this project. Of course, I hope to reach people with it, but my priority is really to be transparent and creative in making music. ”
Leon’s debut EP offers up snapshots of different periods of the producer’s process. Its title, Basement Meditation, comes from the fact that these tracks were made alone in the studio, where the emerging loops often created a trance-like meditative state. The loops are a mixture of analog instruments and synthetic sounds, and whilst the music is very much an independent, individual project, the artwork that accompanies it is drawn by Leon’s own sister, Penelope.
Finding a label to release this deep, introspective and very personal collection of beats was an important task, but happily Leon feels that joining forces with Sonar Kollektiv was the right choice for him:
“Collaborating with Sonar Kollektiv has enabled me to unveil this raw, unfiltered sound that resonates with the core of my natural being.”
The opening track on the EP is the laid back and low slung Cascade. Leon describes the track as “classic basement meditation with keyboard sounds and rhythmic arpeggios” and indeed, the track does have the feel of an instant classic, complete with multiple ambient layers and, of course, those boom-bap drums.
“For years, this was my favourite beat on my hard drive, especially because of the transition from the ‘calm arpeggio’ to the higher more ‘aggressive arpeggio’ ”.
As a drummer, Leon comes very much from the hip hop side of things - hugely influenced by the beats of J Dilla and Questlove. This sound is particularly strong in For QnD, the second track on the EP . The piece is very much a tribute to the pioneering pair, who have such an impact on Leon’s work, as he explains further:
“Questlove and J Dilla are my two biggest long-term sources of inspiration and role models. I learned the basics of drumming from these two. The beat is how I imagine baseball college vibes in the U.S.!”
Champloo is another classic Basement Meditation and one that found its source of inspiration from Japanese anime series Samurai Champloo, as well as its theme tune performed by Japanese producer Nujabes. Insistent piano stabs and swinging drums build tension throughout the track as Leon explains:
“I was watching a lot of Samurai Champloo, and I visualised a hectic yet collected sword fight scene while making this.”
Finally on the EP , All Night raises the tempo and is the only Basement Meditation that developed into an all-night dance with a pure, four to-the-floor early 2000s house sound.
“The recording process took about 10 minutes, during which the entire studio was wired up, and the spirit made no compromises for a moment.”
This four track EP is a very special collection of sonic reveries, crafted from moments of solitary creation. Within these tracks lies the essence of meditative studio sessions, where loops emerged to captivate and enthral. Fusing predominantly analog instrumentation with delicate synthetic nuances, Basement Meditation invites listeners on a journey of introspection and exploration, where every note tells a story of solitude and serenity. Who knows where the journey will take us next….
Multi-instrumentalist and synth wizard Paul White readies his third album for R&S Records, offering up a cinematic journey on ‘Peace In Chaos’ that captures the current mood with its shadowy electronic prowess.
With an unabashed love of 80s synth music and film scores, the South London based producer presents an album of perhaps his most pop leaning tracks yet, following on from 2018’s ‘Rejuvenate’ and 2014’s ‘Shaker Notes’. Across eleven tracks, White delves into a world of esoteric electronic pop, as waves of melodic synths wash over towering drum patterns and majestic bass, with White adding his own enigmatic vocals to many of the productions.
Paul explains the themes he was looking to capture when producing ‘Peace In Chaos’ I"ve always heard music in a very visual way. I'd like to put this album out here as film, or game scenes, and it’s a movie or game about trying to find peace in a chaotic world.“
Having previously written & produced for many artists, including Danny Brown, Sudan Archives and Jessy Lanza, White puts himself centre stage on ‘Peace In Chaos’, writing, performing, producing and recording entirely on his own, flexing his prodigious studio skills and keen ear for a powerful and engaging tune. None more exemplified than on this new album.
Nigerian-born, North Carolina-raised musician Uwade will release her long-awaited debut album Florilegium next month via Thirty Tigers, and today she shares another preview of the forthcoming album with “Harmattan.” Uwade grew up steeped in the sounds of hymnal choral music and Nigerian Highlife on her late-father’s car radio. “Harmattan” in particular emerged from a period where she was immersed in West African music, specifically afrobeats and string instruments that she found bordered on medieval European harpsichords. While tracking the drum solo for the track, she shared with percussionist Jason Burger videos of an Esan dance masquerade called Egbabonelimhin that was performed during her father’s burial for reference; during his first few takes she got the chills. The resulting track is an album standout. We meet a new side of her musical aesthetic here too, more true-blue pop earworm.
On the new single, Uwade shares "For a long time, this song was a giant puzzle. I couldn’t figure out lyrics, a compelling arrangement, or how to transform it from the earliest stages of the demo to what it is now. Somehow the song’s creative cycle is reflected in the subject matter–lots of questions, few answers, and being forced to find comfort in the chaos. It turned out that every new phase of experimentation unlocked another element of the song that I loved. As Harmattan went from demo to studio to demo to studio, I refined my vision and the song became exactly what I wanted. ‘Will you sway with me when my voice gives out?’ Is one of my favorite lyrics on Florilegium. Writing it helped me to unravel a huge knot of anxiety around being a musician that I’d been dealing with for some time. I don’t think there’s an answer, but I’m ok with that for now."