Today's premiere comes from Detroit's John Beltran, one of the most respected figures in electronic music, with a catalogue of key releases spreading across three decades.

The past 3 decades or so have seen many electronic music artists come and go, but one name who has certainly established many spaces within this endless spectrum is Detroit producer John Beltran, and his accomplishments as a music maker and sonic visionary are there for all to see. Beltran’s journey and audial narrative read out beautifully through the records he released, whilsy chapter 1 seeped in the traditions of Detroit Techno, chapter 2 and beyond have seen him operate in a wide variety of musical circles. His sound is one of constant evolution, one that has seen him experiment constantly within differing genres over the years, with his peers and audiences always left dazzled by the sheer scale and intricacies of his works. Alongside this, there is a distinctive harmony between man, machine and instrumentalism within his music, with the soul at the core of it all laid bare as it enriches the minds and hearts of those who come across it - an enchanting embrace that pairs raw undulating rhythm with tear jerking melodies.

Beltran’s musical outputs have come about via a handful of aliases, with his most significant being Placid Angles, the group Indio (which also includes Sam McQueen) and of course, the music released under his own name. The Placid Angles name has seen some extraordinary releases, such as 1997’s iconic ‘The Cry’; 2019’s ‘First Blue Sky’; and 2021’s ‘Touch The Earth’, all of which encapsulate his wide reaching style, with the music touching on Techno, Ambient, Drum’N’Bass, Breakbeat and everything in-between. His work with McQueen as Indio oversaw the release of the timeless 1999 self-titled LP, an Ambient Techno record that has since gone on to be heralded as a classic within the genre. However, his work as John Beltran has seen the most investment and shifts in direction. From the early days releasing on seminal imprints such as R&S, Peacefrog and Apollo (check his first three LPs for reference), through to future jazz and funky leaning efforts on Ubiquity and MotorCity Wine, and some future classics on Delsin, Furthr Electronix and Seventh Sign, there’s so much there to invest and immerse yourself within.

What comes next is always a beautiful surprise within the story of John Beltran, and with his new EP, ‘Para Viajeros’, we are greeted with vibrations that soothe the soul and transport the mind to some very special places. As always there’s a profound deepness to the music, with Beltran’s love for instrumentation laid bare for all to experience here, with flourishing sequences and airy, dreamlike atmospheres found throughout. Striking the perfect balance between sultry and quietly euphoric grooves and equally emphatic yet rhythmically intricate House leaning numbers, there’s something for everyone here and for all times of the day/night.  "A Dança da Manhã" turns the EP towards the hazy mornings of summertime, where the chordal flow reminds us of the sea breeze and the uplifting horn work points towards the world unravelling all around, a fresh tune to begin a new day.

The full EP, 'Para Viajeros' will see release on June 10 on Oath.

Exclusive Premiere: John Beltran "A Dança da Manhã" (Oath)

02 Gettin Started

QUAID 
SHARES NEW TRACK 'INFINITY MODE’
‘THE ALGORITHM DON’T LIKE MY FREAK’ EP
OUT NEXT FRIDAY, 9TH JULY VIA APRON RECORDS

“After the software hallucination of my last record Dreem Static we reboot back into the Metropolis underground: a never-ending computer simulation inhabited by freak machines and rogue algorithms,” says Quaid of his latest release. “Trawling through past and future frequencies to help process today’s hyper-reality.”

Following on from the caramel smooth outing of lead single SHE (feat. Shepherd), Quaid unleashes the sci-funk thriller ‘Infinity Mode’. Picture g-funk era of Dr Dre teaming up with Kaytranada and you’re not far off.

The Algorithm Dont Like My Freek

Quaid - Infinity Mode

SAUL enlist the help of talented friends for their new EP - a feel good, summer-ready soundtrack, bursting with uplifting synths and groove-heavy broken beats

SAUL, is a joint project from the minds of Jack Stephenson-Oliver (keys player of fellow Rhythm Section INTL signee, Vels Trio) and producer Barney Whittaker, aka Footshooter.

With the success of their individual projects - Vels are soon to embark on a tour across the UK and Europe and Footshooter is growing from strength to strength following releases on Astral Black and Dance Regular - it’s exciting to hear what the duo will think up next.
When the two of them get together their jam sessions result in a fusion of jazz and broken beat. Atmospheric keys and synths interweave with programmed drums, laying the perfect ground for the all star cast of featured artists assembled for this record.

Collaboration is a key element to the creative output of SAUL, shining a light over individual and collective talents. Their second release, Mutualism, promises a stellar line-up of musical interaction. In the words of Barney, “the feature performances are all very different, the way they worked on the tracks really brought each one to life in a big way”.
The project starts with the sounds of sunrise. Opening with The Light, is Allysha Joy, a member of another group on Rhythm Section’s roster, 30/70. She crafts uplifting melodies that move gracefully through bouncy Rhodes chords. This track shines with sun-focused energy and up beat grooves that provide the perfect soundtrack for long summer festival days.

On Coalesce, featuring South London MC Natty Wylah, lofty, cloud-like atmospheres are built above classic Moog synths. The hypnotic bass and lead notes are equal parts hopeful, eerie and curious, matching the optimistic promise offered by Wylah’s hook: ‘don’t you want to find somewhere better?’. Subjects flow from party-focused lyrics to poetic streams of consciousness as Natty adopts a dreamy sung delivery by the end of the track.

The Ep comes to a serene close with a feature from ‘aden’ - recipient of the 2021 Fred Perry x Nicholas Daley Music Grant. The early image of sunlight may have faded, but the energetic focus of the project never dies. Swirling synths circle around sharp bass stabs, with a driving bassline taking over into the hook.

Other major features include the unmistakable tone of Lex Amour. During Flowers, her laid back, spoken style is accompanied by a slowed down G-Funk-inspired instrumental. With an illustrious list of collaborators already to her name (such as Kojey Radical, Wulu, George Riley and Ego Ella Mae) and sell out shows across the country, she makes her lyrical prowess evident. Lex effortlessly switches between rhythmical flows to hypnotic layered melodies - elevating the production to another level in the process.
The synergy between producers and vocalists is evident; the collaborations equal far more than the sum of their parts. In ‘Mutualism’ we see Saul’s vision fully come to fruition. The synergy is apparent, the possibilities - endless and the respect - mutual.

Aside from the Vocal guest appearance, Mutualism is also packed with instrumental cameos. SAUL turn to Ezra Collective’s sax player James Mollison on the track Can’t Wait. The seasoned five-piece are set to perform alongside the modern day jazz pioneer Kamasi Washington later this year. Mollison shows his range on this song as energy flows from soaring highs to long sustained lows, allowing a hint of dub influence to come to light.

SAUL’s newest release signals two musicians at the height of their artistic expression, drawing resources and influences from wherever is inspiring them most. This collaborative methodology produces a sound that is constantly evolving, illuminating new faces and sounds with each project that passes.

Mutualism

SAUL - Mutualism EP Preview

We are thrilled to present a first taste of the upcoming album from our talented friend, Toronto-based producer and DJ Korea Town Acid.

Her newest work is titled “Elephant In The Room” and once again explores the boundaries between club and home listening. Spread across 12 tracks, it features collaborations with fellow-Canadian artists Hood Joplin, Zander Miller, Khrono.K and Driftnote helping her navigate through moods, tempos and micro genres.

We asked KTA three questions about her newest album.

Can you tell me about the creative context and process in which the new record was made?

Coming out with a full-length album seems like It’s world building. conceptual, progression, changes of direction, try and error, it’s a whole journey till you eventually let it go.

I built a small modular rack and new laptop last fall and started recording in december thru may. I try to fire everything up and really play by ear and try to capture the organic moments in the studio. It’s unpredictable but that’s what’s exciting about the creative process. believing in one’s machines fullest-potential.

There are many different styles, emotions, tempos spread across the record. Both in your production and DJIng you seem to always want to explore the boundaries…

My assumption is that I have ADHD so my mind wonders, I am also a curious person ,I get easily excited about stuff and get bored of it quickly, I always try to push the boundaries, so I don’t get tired of what I do and keep my interest in different baskets whether that’s productions, DJing or playing live hardware, and use all mediums of music, digital, vinyl, hardware, vsts, etc. I keep these different sources as my stimulation of interest intact in rotation.

What is your unrealized musical dream?

I would like to do work overseas, visit Seoul and do sound scoring for film producers like Bong Joon Ho or Park Chan Wook, and work with rappers like E SENS, Kim Ximya and CL. Also interested in learning and curating “Music Therapy” sessions.

“The Elephant In The Room” drops August 26th, via legendary Canadian imprint URBnet.

Elephant In The Room

Pre-Save Album

Exclusive Premiere: Korea Town Acid "Idiom" (feat. Driftnote)

Omar Santis makes his debut on Karakul with the four track EP ‘A T.D.L.D Joint’.

Karakul is a new label focusing on deeper House cuts from around the world. First up is Chilean born Stockholm dwelling Omar Santis.

Omar first came to our attention through his records on the Woodsmen & Lady Log label, the first of which was a split 12” with Niklas Andersson which he then followed up with his own EP titled simply ‘W&LL003’ a few months later. Two fantastic records featuring his low slung, immersive House production that caught Karakul’s ears immediately.

Omar tells us ‘A T.D.L.D Joint’ is an abbreviation of ‘Ta det lugnt daa’ meaning ‘Take it easy then yeah’ and on this 12” he certainly does, in the best possible way. It’s his most soulful record to date, building upon his detailed signature sound with perfectly placed vocals on ‘Stark Champagne’, melancholic Rhodes on ‘Lulu’s Jam’, tribal percussion and pads on ‘At The Shanzai Hotel’ and finally lowering the pace altogether for the emotional ender ‘Inward’.

Artwork by Callum Mclean.

Stark Champagne

Saige Sounds was live for 2 hours, with a mix of signature soulful house and broken cuts.

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Saige Sounds - November 2022

HM007 - Chances

A1 A Feeling
B1 Second Time's The Charm
B2 Leaning Into It

Pre-order: https://hardmatterrecords.bandcamp.com/album/chances

Mastered by: Dubplates & Mastering
Distributed by: Hardmatter

HM007 // Jenifa Mayanja - Chances

Angela Bofill’s classic meets Big Sean, Makiza, Eko Fresh, and more in this mashup of soul, hip-hop, and rap.

What I am gonna do?

PECERA

Только мой

Rhythm Section - regular dance in South London
Rhythm Section INTL - Record Label run by Bradley Zero 

Bradley Zero -  https://octopus-agents.com/bradley-zero
Mgmt: gs@285.group 
BOOKING:
UK/ROW: matt@octopus-agents.com
Americas: ricky@visionarytalentgroup.com
AUS/ ASIA: sam@dreamcabin.com.au

Label Distributed by RUBADUB GLASGOW

We do not check soundcloud messages: please email us thoughts/demos/promos/feedback info (<.at.>) wearerhythmsection.com

SAUL - Mutualism EP Preview

Rhythm Section INTL

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