Cosmic Tiger Presents: Messages Volume One

Singapore-based producer Intriguant combines a flair for the conceptual with a distinctly ethereal sound. The refined studio craftsman recently released his third album 'Spirits', and the powerfully immersive music contained within is extended into his potent contribution here. Meditative waves lap over precise drums and deeply weighted bass, as the profoundly moving track effortlessly rises and dissipates. Vividly conjuring otherworldly panoramas and haze-infused dreamscapes, there was only ever one choice of track to close this delightfully varied compilation.

Intriguant - Option

DJ and producer Maarten is a brightly burning member of the kaleidoscopic Bangkok underground. Co-founder of the Sabai Sabai Soundsystem, he fuses all of his decades-long digging expertise into this bass-heavy, speaker rocking funk workout. Rolling percussion, freaky synth work and powerfully projecting bass combine over this dance-ready arrangement, making sure this sleazy jam is destined to carve up floors in the months and years ahead.

Maarten - Tell Me

Musician, producer, vocalist, and DJ, Isaac Aesili's very being brims with creative energy. A fully-fledged member of Lord Echo's live band, the Bangkok-based Maori artist released his acclaimed solo album Hidden Truths via Bastard Jazz last year. Here, the talented songwriter arrives with a soul-infused backroom jam. Sparse, hypnotic, and alive with a palpable sense of seduction, the intoxicating track levitates over speaker-shaking bass and crisply driving rhythms. Pure quality.

Isaac Aesili - Love Slave

Also arriving from the More Rice camp are minimal master DOTT alongside supreme psychedelic selector, Elaheh. Prolific producer DOTT has been steadily winning fans across continents with his twisted brand of stripped techno and house. Meanwhile, Thai-Iranian DJ Elaheh is masterfully living up to her reputation as one to watch as she emerges from the Asian underground on her very own terms. Their track is a paranoid warehouse bump that pops from the speakers powerfully as subtle textures rise over earth-shaking rhythms.

DOTT & Elaheh - Amorn's Shady Deal

We love Ryota. A vibrant being who exudes light, his music is as full of electricity as the man himself. Based in Tokyo, the seasoned record collector and DJ makes inspired music formed straight from the heart. This epic interpretation of Cat Boys' 'Stardust' blends raw production with indelible funk, as the thick bass, psychedelic vocoder and heavenly chords drive the track deep into delay-laden dub territory.

Ryota OPP - Stardust

Fauve Records frontman Romain FX has been steadily making his indelible mark on the world stage in recent years. Having made glorious noise via the Fauve Radio airwaves, the French Dj and producer quickly became a figurehead of the Hong Kong scene, and his productions are now routinely finding their way into the sets of discerning selectors worldwide. The infectious mid-tempo groove of 'Fly' sees him take to the mic for the first time on his compositions, with the results proving irresistible. The bass rolls and the synths soar as Mr FX invites us all to take flight.

Romain FX - Fly

Bandung-based Munir has been creating a near endless stream of captivating music in recent years and was always an artist we hoped to include in the roster. Also known for his work recorded as Midnight Runners, the talented producer skips through genres with ease as he consistently arrives with infectious sounds and textures. Here he delivers a gorgeous, Italo-inspired disco hybrid, infused with star-gazing musicality as well as ample dance-focused weight.

Munir - Cosmic Hearts

Meditative Balearic bliss from a true master of the sound. Impeccable production, imaginative chord progressions, and an overwhelming ocean-side aesthetic combine majestically on this glorious composition. Yokohama-based musician, producer and DJ Max Essa is one of our favourite cosmically-charmed creators, and we're thrilled to include his inspired work on the compilation.

Max Essa - Water Wheels

DC Promo Tracks #891: "Elevator" by Scott Hess is part of the release "Messages Volume One" on Cosmic Tiger @cosmictigermusic  

Buy Now: https://thecosmictiger.bandcamp.com/releases 

More Promo Tracks: https://www.dreamchimney.com/promo

DC Promo Tracks #891: Scott Hess "Elevator"

Exquisite guest mix from Hell Yeah! Records and Buena Onda brothers in arms, Marco Gallerani and Gallo.

Tracklist: 
Kayroy & GREETINGS - Imagine (Gallo's Tropical Hinterhof Remix)
Dust-e-1 - Enthusion
Tonarunur - Flotholt
Mushrooms Project - Sun Up
Gallo - Abysso (Calm's Mellow Mellow Acid Dub)
Stonehenge - Free (instrumental mix)
Reverso 68 - Journey to the East
Tonica & Dominante - Gennarino 'O Sioux (Leo Mas & Fabrice Vocal Dub)
Aura Safari feat. Villy - Lagos Connect (Extended Mix)
Relative - The Healing Place
Malcolm - Soviet (Acid Mix)
Bruise - When Piano Attack

Marco Gallerani & Gallo - Buena Onda X Cosmic Tiger

MERCH >> bit.ly/3a1Jnwv << T-shirts, hats, hoodies & more!

Artists: Rocco Universal
Title: Sleepwalking In Silom
Label: Cosmic Tiger
Release Date: 2021-11-26

PURCHASE >> bit.ly/30Xy6hu <<

MORE MI4L PREMIERES >> bit.ly/2QKq6FX <<

Stay connected w/ Music is 4 Lovers:
Shop: bit.ly/3a1Jnwv
Mag: bit.ly/2SHJojc
SoundCloud: @Musicis4Lovers
Label SoundCloud: @MI4L
Beatport: bit.ly/2rEu9fi
Traxsource: bit.ly/2Lf0aTq
Spotify: spoti.fi/2I67rDE
Facebook: bit.ly/2DNnG2y
Twitter: bit.ly/2pwjUoY
Instagram: bit.ly/2G5Pelu
YouTube: bit.ly/2DLXS73

>> PURCHASE <<

Rocco Universal - Sleepwalking In Silom [Cosmic Tiger] [MI4L.com]

Cosmic Tiger present the first in a series of various artist compilations designed to shine a light on far-flung musical scenes while raising money for good causes. Kicking things off close to home in our Asian base, 'Messages Volume One' welcomes a varied lineup of creators from disparate musical backgrounds – including revered masters of the craft alongside irresistibly emerging talent. The sounds may differ in style and tone, but what unites each of the artists involved is the sincerity of their respective approaches to making music, and the indefinable magic embedded in their sounds.
From Japan to Korea, Thailand to Indonesia, Singapore to Hong Kong: the far-reaching compilation takes in original compositions featuring blissful Balearic wonder, life-affirming disco, late-night house, seductive neo-soul, and a good deal more as it glides through the 
evolving skies of the vast Asian continent.
While shining a light on the effervescent talent that exists in Asia's growing underground community, we felt a strong desire to spread some positivity. We wanted to do what we could to help some of those whose lives have been thrown into turmoil by the bizarre times we're all currently living through. All profits generated from sales will be split between Bangkok Community Help Foundation and The Sweet Potato Project – charities based in Thailand and Indonesia respectively that are helping to support those who have been worst affected by pandemic enforced lockdowns. It's worth noting, too, that musicians and performing artists were among the first to see their 
incomes diminished by the worldwide closure of venues, festivals and events, and in many cases are among the last to be able to return to work. With that in mind, the generosity of the contributing artists here is even more profound, as each of them has seen their livelihoods dented by ongoing venue closures and performance restrictions. This is our attempt to pour some love into the world via music and collaboration. This is our message, and these are sounds plucked directly from the vibrant Asian underground.

PREMIERE : Gold Suite - Tabernas Yacht Club

Rocco Universal - Assuage

Rocco Universal - Planetarium

Rocco Universal - Sleepwalking In Silom

Early morning vibrations via Headstream Radio. Recroded live in the studio at Desa Potato Head, Bali

Rocco Universal live at Headstream Radio - Desa Potato Head

Mixtape of sunset inspired beats, recorded live on a pair of turntables. Just in time for Autumn...

Paddy's Balearic Slow Jam by Patrizio Cavaliere

Mix recorded live for Cosmic Tiger at The Back Room, Bali. Rocco Universal and Adrian Giordano back to back.

Live at The Back Room with Rocco Universal & Adrian Giordano

We’re big fans of Scott. His non-discriminatory approach to djing and music in general are why we love his sound - you’re just as likely to hear him drop proto-punk records as heavy electro, deep disco, or jazz-funk, and far, far beyond.

Raised in Detroit, his music has taken him on a wild ride that’s included stints in Germany and China, and now finds him a proud and enthusiastic resident of the crazy city of Bangkok. Listening to his sound, an intriguing story always unfolds, but his strong motor-city roots are never too difficult to detect.

Scott keeps up a fairly exhausting gig schedule - which leads us to another thing we dig about him - he spends way more time performing than he does self-promoting, which definitely puts him in a minority of contemporary DJs. In fact, DJing was never what he set out to do as a career, starting out as a bass player, before graduating to hip-hop producer - initially only spinning tunes as a means to showcase his productions and backing tracks for MCs to rhyme over. However, his talent on the turntables naturally evolved, and his broad and genre-defying repertoire led to ever-expanding bookings, and he continues skillfully riding the wave.

Red Light Bangkok vinyl jam by Scott Hess

Tokyo based Ryota began his dj career back in 1999 spinning obscure hip-hop, house, and breakbeat oddities. His musical odyssey led him to delve deeper into the roots of the experimental sounds that inspired him. Over the years he's amassed a wildly eclectic record collection, aided by his time spent as a vinyl buyer at Coconuts Disk in Ekoda - an Aladin's cave of wax treasures. His magnetic energy behind the decks - coupled with his light-emitting personality and diverse track selection - make him a wonderfully entertaining dj. He's released his own compositions on UK label Meda Fury, and has performed internationally at a number of esoteric events, at venues including Brilliant Corners in London, and 12x12 here in Bangkok..

We are so happy to present to you this live mix he recorded at Cheeky in Tokyo. He weaves rare and little known sounds from deep in his vaults, taking us on a road-trip through his musical mind.

Live at Cheeky in Tokyo by Ryota OPP

This one was our second mixtape instalment, and we were as thrilled then as we are now to bring you a set recorded by one of our favourite producers, dear friend, and all round creative dynamo, Andy Ash. He’s released music on countless high quality labels, including Dessous, Quintessentials, Kolour, Whiskey Disco, and Fly by Night, with a varied sound that skilfully incorporates influences from disco, boogie, Detroit techno, Chicago house and beyond. A quick browse through Discogs reminds us just how prolific his output is at times, and happily, we know for a fact that he’s been busy in the studio recently, so hopefully we won’t have to wait too long for more of his funky shit. Until then, press play and enjoy the hot mix!

Vinyl Jam for Cosmic Tiger by Andy Ash

For someone who’s back-catalogue is as broad and extensive as his, Pitto has been fairly quiet in the studio of late — preferring, as he does, to focus on quality before quantity. Here, he presents his second EP on Detroit Swindle’s Heist Recordings, following on from 2018’s magnificent psych-house excursion, ‘Late Night Studio Moves’. This time out, he delivers three varied original grooves alongside a remix from our friend and disco sage, Pete Herbert.

Probably the most immediate track from the record, it’s ‘Sammie’ that gets the remix treatment, too. Here, Pete takes the energy level up a notch or two while retaining the essence of the original, and the result is a hands-in-the-air slice of Balearic gold. Feel-good, driving, and endowed with an Italo-house aura, this one has future classic written all over it. As soon as we can start raving again, this one is on the decks.

Preview - Pitto 'Sammie' Pete Herbert Remix (clip)

Determined to do our bit to help everyone get through these crazy time, we continue our Lockdown mix series with one of Hong Kong's very finest, Arun R. 

Over ten years deep in the scene, Arun has a cultured ear for eclectic soundscapes. A regular on the Asian gig circuit, he's graced the turntables at all the right spots, including Wonderfruit(Thailand), Sonar (Hong Kong), The Lighthouse (Vietnam, Potato Head (Singapore) and many more. Apart from that, he's an excellent fellow, and we're happy to host his sound here.

While he refuses to be pigeonholed by genres, for this mix he displays his deep love and knowledge of the various shades of quality house music. Dubby, nuanced, and ever so slightly dirty, this is the kind of house music we can fully dig.

Arun R Lockdown mix

Preview - Sirs 'Turkish Folk' (clip)

Preview - Rocco Universal 'Water Flows' (clip)

Preview - B.J. Smith 'Keep On

Here we launch with the first of our regular shows on the excellent Baliaric.fm station, broadcasting around the world from our spiritual home of Bali. We start things off with some new releases, promos, and a few of our favourites from the last six months or so. The vibe is eclectic and warm, with an emphasis on feel good because the world and all of humanity is in definite need of love and togetherness right now and always. Universal oneness is all there really is.

Cosmic Tiger Show w/ Rocco Universal - Baliaric FM

We've not seen or heard too much from Glasgow man Ali 'OOFT!' Herron in a little while, so we were happy to lay eyes on this, his forthcoming EP for the Clandestino crew.

Having released a steady stream of high-grade underground club sounds – ranging in style and tone from slow-motion disco to organic sounding house – OOFT! first came to our attention over a decade ago, with outings on Delusions of Grandeur and Instruments of Rapture, as well as the L.E.S.S. Productions label he ran with The Revenge. He's also graced the rosters of labels including Wolf Music and Quintessentials, Midnight Riot, and his own FOTO imprint.

He has a knack for capturing an infectious hook and has turned-out a selection of essential edits over the years, but here he delves deep into realms of emotive, classic-sounding house with a delicately varied EP.

There's a distinctively retrospective essence to the entire EP, which wouldn't have sounded out of place in the '90s golden era, alongside the output of Pacific Records and the like. Opener 'Reclaim Landscape' is a blissful sunrise jam, it's staccato acid line providing the steady core around which emotive pads soar and hypnotic spoken-word vocal permeates. 'Obligatory Consumption' retains the lush atmospheric texture but has a more urgent feel, upping the tempo and adding a Detroit-influenced chord progression to take it further into club territory.

El Clinico Magnifico' is the most mellow of all the original versions here, gently chugging along as ethereal waves swell and subside. On '21 Processes' the emotive feel continues, rich but melancholy pads rise over a rubber band bass and crisp drum programming, with snappy snares adding energy over the evolving melodies.

Balearic leaning housers Clandestino complete the package by offering up a pair of lovingly crafted remixes of 'Reclaim Landscape'. The first version stays true to the essence of the original, unfolding over a lively arrangement adding a respectable rave break and organ stabs to the repurposed acid part. The 'Beach Version' drops the tempo and pulls the drums right back to deliver a super-chilled ambient excursion, introducing the track into purely horizontal realms.

Preview: OOFT! 'Reclaim Landscape' clip

We're big fans of the work of Yokohama-based musician, producer and DJ, Max Essa, and we're over the moon to present to you this wonderful mix he recorded especially for Cosmic Tiger.

With a finely-tuned sound and an ear for cosmic-charmed soundscapes, Max's music regularly finds its way into our sets. From sun-kissed ocean-side introspections to psychedelic backroom bombs, his releases on Bear Funk, Hell Yeah! Not An Animal, his own Jansen Jardin imprint, and many other fine labels are always refined, imaginative and effective. He carries these sensibilities into his DJ selections too, with an all-encompassing sound that takes in blissful melody, expansive world rhythms, tripped-out dub and murky late-night textures.

We love this mix, and we think you will too. Big love to Max Essa.

Max Essa Cosmic Tiger Mix Summer 2020

Franz Scala - "Sabrina" (short version)
Anatolian Weapons - "Ela" (AW Slight edit)
Furor Exotica - "Fat Training"
Ondata - "Kolossos"

Committed party starters and NTS Radio regulars Feel the Drive push the pedal to the metal on the next leg of their logical musical progression, with this, their first outing as a record label. 

The brains behind the operation, Szymek Lawik and Martin Lefteri have curated a no-nonsense ensemble line-up that represents a fitting embodiment of their colourful sound. Incorporating a massive dose of Italo gold washed down with a twist of new beat and electronic body music, their debut offering offers much to enjoy and signals their vinyl arrival in suitable style. The EP races out of the grid with Berlin-based Italian producer Franz Scala's 'Sabrina'. A veteran of ultra credible labels Bordello a Parigi, Tusk Wax and Bahnsteig 23 among others, Franz serves up a bass-propelled groove which provides the bed as energetic horn stabs, guitar licks and kitsch 'sexy girl' vocals rise and fall over an engaging, floor-friendly arrangement.Next, we're transported to mysterious foreign lands by Athenian producer Aggelos Baltas under his Anatolian Weapons guise. The downtempo chug, dextrous instrumentation and seductive eastern melodies of 'Ela' hypnotise us into some kind of transcendent fog, as subtle acid bubbles and voices wail in the shadowy distance. We're then treated to a lively soundtrack to a boxercise class or in-rave / at-home workout on Furor Exotica's aptly titled 'Fat Training'. The sultry 'work it' vocal assumes the role of personal trainer as the intoxicating arps, stabs and hooky synth work builds to a sweat-inducing frenzy. The clubs are just about open here in Bangkok, we road-tested this one last night and can confirm it does serious dance-floor damage.

Finishing things off, new label bosses Szymek and Martin get together in the lab as production outfit Ondata to bring us 'Kolossos'. Probably the most stripped-back and experimental sounding track on the record, the pulsing bass sits deep under sparse drums, as robotic voices and delay feedbacks echo in the distance. The groove builds as fierce staccato hits increase the energy, endowing the track with a dark but subtle industrial feel.

By putting together this hugely enjoyable collection Feel The Drive show their digging credentials are matched by a skillful sense of curation. We're hopeful that this will be the beginning of a long and joyful road trip for the bright young label.

Preview - Feel the Drive teasers

Just a month or two ago, I received a pair of promos of music by Sheri Vari from separate channels. One of which was the fantastic new record she has forthcoming on Percebes, and the other an inclusion on the recent Integrity Records compilation. The excellent, ostensibly Detroit-inspired sound resonated with me massively and left me wanting to learn more. I dug a little deeper and discovered some previous work, but other than that, I came to the conclusion that perhaps Sheri Vari was someone who avoids the limelight. In a musical world that apparently values endless social media posts above the quality of product, this was something I found hugely refreshing. I decided to reach out to her for an interview because I was curious to know more, and on the strength of her sound, I felt that hers was a story that deserved to be heard.

Her music is exceptionally good. Freeform machine funk with an organic feel, and with a finely poised balance between rawness and harmonic intricacy. Frankly, I wouldn’t have been at all surprised if I’d found out that she was based in the motor city, but in fact, we tracked her down to her home in Lisbon, and she delivered a hugely entertaining and most insightful interview. On top of that, she’s furnished Cosmic Tiger with an expansive four-hour joy-ride of a DJ mix that ticks all the right boxes. For reference, my pick from her brilliant forthcoming ‘Flagrante Delirio’ record, ‘Luv101’, comes in at around 1’31’', and the equally good ‘SoInLuv’ collaboration with Javonntte follows at 1’55’’

Check www.thecosmictiger.com for the full interview

Sheri Vari Cosmic Tiger DJ Mix

The latest instalment of our regular show on Baliaric.fm broadcast monthly from the heavenly island of Bali.

This week's show includes new and forthcoming music from Quiroga, Kisk, Jarc,  The Orielles, Alma Negra, Kuniyuki, James Bright, Sheri Vari, Rocco Universal, Anoraak, Mytron, Ofofo, Harry Mosco, Theus Mago and Chicken Lips. 

Mixed live and with love by Rocco Universal.

Cosmic Tiger Show w/ Rocco Universal #4 - Baliaric.fm

Apparel Music continue their noble quest to nourish our ears and souls with their latest offering, KX9000's 'Plaisance Food EP'. Hot on the heels of label boss Kisk's excellent and suitably titled 'Jazzyness' album, here they continue to offer a glimpse of life through their organic house-tinted lens – serving up a selection of tunes that are as suited to nourishing the soul as moving one's feet.

Though London-based, the Apparel crew have been busily scouting for talent via the French underground, understandably so considering what fertile ground this has long proven itself to be. This time out, they present work from DJ, producer and multi-instrumentalist, KX9000, following on from his previous releases on labels including Pont Neuf and Better Listen. The result is a warm and varied EP of cuts which combine cleverly-crafted musicianship with an aptitude for groove, and just enough deviance to satisfy grubby sensibilities.

The low-slung feel of opening track 'Millenium Civic' is a gentle intro to proceedings. Emotive chords evolve under delicate top-lines as synth stabs and motifs glide in and out to create a lucid dream state. 'Unusual Lines' is one of the highlights, combining atmospheric chords, an urgent tempo, and – most importantly – a bastard acid line to full heads-down dance effect. Vocal chops, discrete percussion and hidden layers add energy and mystery in equal measure, and the purposeful spoken word sample completes the sonic landscape. Paul Cut's remix of 'Unusual Lines' endows the music with something of a classic US deep house feel, dare I say shades of Boo Williams or Glenn Underground here as the sub-bass powers over snappy beats and jazzy vibes solos.

I've opted to play you Ground Plane Aerial's remix of 'Millenium Civic'. While locked down there has understandably been a tendency to gravitate toward gentle tempos and horizontal sonic-soothing, so after pushing play on this one the allegro rhythm jumped out at me like some kind of charging disco rhinoceros. Utilising the original instrumentation while beefing things up quite considerably, GPA's version is effectively dance-floor dynamite. The well-programmed drums fills and drops give the track a manic live feel, while the dramatic arrangement and musical flourishes add fuel to the fire. The roof is well and truly off when the freaky lead synths eventually pop in, leading to uniform fist-pumping and pogo dancing.*

* I can certify this with more than a degree of certainty, the clubs are (for now) open in these ends, and both the 'Millenium Civic' remix and 'Unusual Lines' have been thoroughly road-tested and Cosmic Tiger approved.

Preview - KX9000 Millenium Civic (Ground Plane Aerial remix)clip

Magazine and record label spreading love and freaky vibrations through music. Based in Bangkok but with a whole world view

Cosmic Tiger

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks