B2 Lycropolis

B1 Paranormal Detective

A2 Gone Is Yesterday (Xan Xoda Remix)

A1 X(osar) Files

ensemble is dedicated to togetherness and deep, timeless house music. It was initiated by Brussels based djs Gratts and Kong. Each time, the pair invite a carefully chosen ensemble of artists over that form a unique musical bond lasting all night long, but one night only. Thus far ensemble has brought the talents of Xosar (L.I.ES.), moomin (Smallville), Gerd (Clone), Fred P (Soul People Music), San Soda (We Play House), Young Marco (ESP Institute) and Oracy (Mojuba) to a selection of venues in the Belgian capital.

The latter, Oracy aka Don Williams, was ensemble's main guest at our intimate boat party this summer. The Berlin-based DJ and producer (real name Thomas Wendel), who runs Mojuba Records as well as its sublabels a.r.t.less and Wandering, knows a thing or two about timeless house music. Since "Family Day" heralded the producer’s debut for Mojuba back in 2006, only a handful of Oracy records have appeared and all have been rapturously received by house connoisseurs worldwide. With only a maximum allowance of 200 people on the ensemble boat, Oracy's Belgian debut  did not go unnoticed. After his exciting but somewhat exclusive performance it felt only right to ask the Panorama Bar regular to kick off our new ensemble podcast series. We are proud to present you this exclusive Oracy mix.

This November, ensemble will also release its very first 12inch record coming out of Xosar's studio. The EP named "Retreat 2 Rapture" will include a Xan Xoda (a certain WPH producer) remix.

ensemblebxl@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/ensemblebxl
www.facebook.com/gratts.dj
www.facebook.com/kong.dj
www.mojubarecords.com

Ensemble Podcast 1 - Oracy

Hi Scores is extremely proud to present its inaugural release, the solo debut by Liège based DJ and producer Larson. 

Pre-order: https://larson-sounds.bandcamp.com/album/interlace-joy-motions

A true love letter to house music, Larson presents his account of the ubiquitous dance music genre diving deep into its origins. Connecting the dots with some of the genre’s most beloved innovators such as Larry Heard, Boo Williams, Ron Trent, Chez Damier or Chris Brann, the Belgian producer pays tribute by adding his own emphases. Setting a bright mood, at times aiming for the dance floor, at others comforting the listener into a casual vibe, Larson is not seeking, but spontaneously drawing attention with his graceful sounds, stripped to the bone and built on an intuitive factor.

Larson hails from Liège, the South Belgian city known for its meat balls and the mighty river La Meuse, and works as a sound editor in movie production. Recognised by those-who-know as one of the most quintessential figures of Liège’s burgeoning underground nightlife scene, the time is now for Larson to step forward. His 2x12” debut release dubbed ‘Interlace Joy Motions’ is one for the house heads, shifting between 121 and 130 BPM and showcasing the diverse sounds the producer has in store.

Opening track Our Inner Sun has smiles written all over. A simple yet effective piano loop, warm strings and a delicately running acid baseline are all Larson needs to set the standard for the beauty that is yet to come. Effortlessly entertaining for close to seven minutes, here is the essence of timeless house music at work.   

Pushing up the speed up to 129 BPM, A2 brings the brand new label’s title track, Larson’s take on the many meanings the name may represent. Designed for jubilant dance floor action, Hi Scores is punchy and elegant at the same time. The track comes with a witty animated 3D video by Lewi Moors, based on a figure designed by Léonard Dufois, where the viewer enters the fantasy world of a computer game character on the outlook for his Hi Scores.  

On the flip side, Slack Breeze is an eleven-minutes-long breezy electro trip paying homage to Detroit music pioneer Juan Atkins and offers two mixes, nicely manufactured as one auditive whole on the vinyl record with a useful visual marker in between. Be aware of the slight tempo drop between the bold Club mix and the more laid back Sensual mix.

In a cultured and charming manner, Lethal Dance opens the second 12”. Driven by a fab bassline and soft as silk string arrangements, here is a slow burner for moments lost track of time. High Jazz Travel on C2 continues this trip to lofty spaces, speeding up the pace but holding on to Larson’s well crafted dream universe, with its mellow aura almost turning into a debonair lullaby for grown-ups. 

Adding another layer to the cake is Chris ‘Funk’ Ferreira, the C12 resident DJ and ½ Senga Ferreira. Also active as the mixing engineer of this double 12”, on the D1 the Brussels based producer takes up the role as remixer with his stomping and energy building ‘Magic Force’ version of Hi Scores, contributing the single vocal sample to the EP. Things come to an end with Souvenir d’Enfance, a playful and innocent conga driven house track, cherished as a safe and sound childhood memory, forever in our hearts just as this excellent debut by Larson.

Souvenir D'Enfance

Hi Scores (Chris Ferreira’s Magic Force Remix)

High Jazz Travel

Lethal Dance

Slack Breeze (Sensual Mix)

Slack Breeze (Club Mix)

Hi Scores

Our Inner Sun

Hi Scores and Crammed Discs present SSR Records: In Retrospect, nine tracks from the vast SSR catalog originally created between 1990 and 1996 and now remastered for today’s dance floors. Released on premium gatefold sleeve 2x12” with extensive liner notes and through all digital platforms.

Compiled by: Koen Galle aka Kong DJ
Remastered by: Wouter Brandenburg
Graphic design by: Léo Fouan
Distribution by: Newsdistribution.be & EPM Music
Thanks to: Marc Hollander, Samy Birnbach, Sofia Rasquin, Hanna Gorjaczkowska

Hi Scores is beyond excited to present SSR Records: In Retrospect. This 2x12” compilation album presented in a beautiful gatefold sleeve and through all digital platforms, wishes to highlight the immense and hard to grasp legacy of the Brussels based label. SSR Records was founded in 1988 by Marc Hollander as a sub label of his Crammed Discs and spanned the nascent years of house, acid, rave, trance, new beat, hip-hop, future jazz and broken beat, collaborating internationally and racking up close to 200 releases until it was put to sleep in 2002. Far ahead of their time, SSR Records released music of both European and North American artists that hadn’t broken through yet, such as those collected on this compilation: Move D, Nu Era, Gemini, Bjørn Torske, Glenn Underground or Matthew Herbert. 

SSR Records was run by Crammed Discs chief Marc Hollander and Minimal Compact singer Samy Birnbach aka DJ Morpheus. SSR Records: In Retrospect comes with extended liner notes, exploring the pivotal milestones in the history of the adventurous label and zooming in on the origins of all records featured on the compilation. 

All nine tracks on SSR Records: In Retrospect were selected by Hi Scores’s head honcho Kong DJ and have been remastered. Created between 1990 and 1996 and in the at the time pioneering spheres of house, breakbeat, electro and trance music, these treasures from the vast SSR catalog today stand as a stunning testimony to a truly remarkable and timeless musical legacy.  Kong DJ: ‘While collaborating with Crammed Discs on the releases of Aksak Maboul in 2016 and Zazou / Bikaye in 2018 on Ensemble, I began to grasp the impressive catalog of the label and its sub labels, including SSR. Surprised by the tiny footprint SSR had left on the world wide web - often the case for labels ceased before the internet revolution - I wrote an article for British website The Vinyl Factory. This would later prove to be the first step towards this compilation album, collecting favorites from the label as a kid in a giant candy store.’

Hector Zazou & Harold Budd - The Light Gave Us Away (House Mix By Herbert) (snippet)

Hans G - Anything You Like (B2) (snippet)

Hi Scores and Crammed Discs present SSR Records: In Retrospect, nine tracks from the vast SSR catalog originally created between 1990 and 1996 and now remastered for today’s dance floors. Released on premium gatefold sleeve 2x12” with extensive liner notes and through all digital platforms.

Compiled by: Koen Galle aka Kong DJ
Remastered by: Wouter Brandenburg
Graphic design by: Léo Fouan
Distribution by: Newsdistribution.be & EPM Music
Thanks to: Marc Hollander, Samy Birnbach, Sofia Rasquin, Hanna Gorjaczkowska

Hi Scores is beyond excited to present SSR Records: In Retrospect. This 2x12” compilation album presented in a beautiful gatefold sleeve and through all digital platforms, wishes to highlight the immense and hard to grasp legacy of the Brussels based label. SSR Records was founded in 1988 by Marc Hollander as a sub label of his Crammed Discs and spanned the nascent years of house, acid, rave, trance, new beat, hip-hop, future jazz and broken beat, collaborating internationally and racking up close to 200 releases until it was put to sleep in 2002. Far ahead of their time, SSR Records released music of both European and North American artists that hadn’t broken through yet, such as those collected on this compilation: Move D, Nu Era, Gemini, Bjørn Torske, Glenn Underground or Matthew Herbert.

SSR Records was run by Crammed Discs chief Marc Hollander and Minimal Compact singer Samy Birnbach aka DJ Morpheus. SSR Records: In Retrospect comes with extended liner notes, exploring the pivotal milestones in the history of the adventurous label and zooming in on the origins of all records featured on the compilation.

All nine tracks on SSR Records: In Retrospect were selected by Hi Scores’s head honcho Kong DJ and have been remastered. Created between 1990 and 1996 and in the at the time pioneering spheres of house, breakbeat, electro and trance music, these treasures from the vast SSR catalog today stand as a stunning testimony to a truly remarkable and timeless musical legacy. Kong DJ: ‘While collaborating with Crammed Discs on the releases of Aksak Maboul in 2016 and Zazou / Bikaye in 2018 on Ensemble, I began to grasp the impressive catalog of the label and its sub labels, including SSR. Surprised by the tiny footprint SSR had left on the world wide web - often the case for labels ceased before the internet revolution - I wrote an article for British website The Vinyl Factory. This would later prove to be the first step towards this compilation album, collecting favorites from the label as a kid in a giant candy store.’

Avalon - Linked (Move D Remix) (snippet)

Solar Quest - Acid Nation (snippet)

Alegria - Danger (It's For Real) (Alien Remake) (snippet)

Buy vinyl/digital & support: https://lescyclades.bandcamp.com/album/glika

Venturing between Yser, Mystère and the mystical Island of Patmos, Les Cyclades fuse electronics, wind instrumentation, and the allure of found sounds. Expect proto-balearism, saxophone techno and Olive Oil Dub.

Glika

PAME!

Niko

DRAM

Parc Fou

glika

Épigone

Short Hero

Alocasia

Yser Mystère

Les Cyclades - Glika LP - liner notes

Vinyl release: 25/09/2017 (distributed by Rush Hour)
Digital release: 06/11/2017

Deep side (picture)
1. Mythic Dance 
2. Levitate

Deeper side (info)
1. Footsteps
2. Try To Impress
3. Hibernation

The sixth ensemble release is the debut artist EP of Rhythm Mind, a young Leefdaal raised dissident hiding in the Belgian capital. He delivers a solid five tracker that will as likely move feet on a peaktime dancefloor as nourish ears during early morning afterhour home listens.

All tracks were written and produced at Studio Bontinck in the last two years using the Akai MPC2000 XL, Tascam 464, Roland Juno-106, Roland JX-8P, Kawai K1, Roland TR-626, Roland TR-707. On the deep side, dreamy opener Mythic Dance’s power lies in the pairing of a well crafted, hypnotic machine groove with sweet, spirited melodies. Next up, the percussion led Levitate gently manoeuvres into the room, tip-toes through the dance floor and quietly exits, but not before the humming bassline has crawled into your head and hips. The deeper side kicks off with Footsteps. Reminiscent of Vincent Floyd’s early works, its elegant bass, soft spoken choir and dreamy strings play hide and seek with a rolling acid line, ultimately making way for it to step into the limelight. Unlike its title suggests, Try To Impress steadily bounces along, impressing by underachieving. A bold and physical drum track, it jacks and grooves like a potent Herbert workout. Rhythm Mind bids us farewell with Hibernation, a deep rhythmic electro cut from outer space.

Rhythm Mind: https://www.facebook.com/rhythmind
Pre-order: www.rushhour.nl/store_detailed.php?item=98077

Rhythm Mind - 'Footsteps' (ENS006)

The second episode of our podcast series is finally here. Ensemble boss Kong himself steps up and delivers a strong mix of personal favorites never leaving his recordbag and new records straight from the shops. It is particularly built around one record.
 
In his own words: "I wanted to create a mix around our new ensemble release, the debut EP of Rhythm Mind. He is a Brussels bloke of 20 years old I strongly believe in. I have included the A2 from his Footsteps EP, a track called Levitate. It's a percussion led tune that gently manoeuvres into the room, tip-toes through the dance floor and quietly exits, but not before the humming bassline has crawled into your head and hips. The whole mix is an accompaniment to this track and the vibe of the EP. I'm mixing it in during the 25th minute and it last for about 4 minutes and a half. The full podcast contains 18 tracks."

When & where was it recorded? A Friday afternoon in September at home in Schaarbeek
Technical set-up? 2x Technics SL1200 + Pioneer DJM300

Rhythm Mind - Footsteps: https://soundcloud.com/ensemblebxl/rhythm-mind-footsteps-ens006
https://www.facebook.com/kong.dj

Ensemble Podcast 2 - Kong

An insatiable record collector for the last 15 years and resident for the renowned warehouse parties of Play It Down in Manchester, Seelie has been carving away a solid reputation as one of the best resident DJs in the UK with his distinct timeless sound. Possessing a deep interest in black music and house from the last three decades, Seelie manages to blend his record collection effortlessly and with purpose, always creating the perfect vibe for that given moment. After learning his craft warming up for artists such as Chez Damier, Derrick Carter and Move D, he has performed across Europe and South East Asia, from Sonar Festival to clubbing institutions such as The Observatory in Saigon and Beam, Bangkok. As a producer, Seelie released his debut solo release “Soulocation” on UK powerhouse ONE Records as well as producing remixes for various artists. His Chicago, Detroit and New York inspired sound captivates and makes you move. Here, Seelie delivers a no-nonsense mix featuring the likes of Drexciya, Glenn Underground, Marcellus Pittman and a couple of italo tracks thrown in for good measure.

Ensemble Podcast 10 - Seelie

“It’s all about the new beat”, Mo Disko whispered in our ears, still sweaty from his great Rheinzand gig in Brussels - his new band that’s already got Harvey’s stamp of approval. The Belgian veteran has been a staple of Belgium’s rich nightlife since the eighties. A real eclectic selector avant la lettre, a dj’s dj, Mo is the incarnation of Ghent’s nightlife whose style has always been about connecting dots, whether as a solo artist or together with his The Glimmers" buddy Benoeli. After first discovering new beat in the eighties, Mo & Benoeli were at the forefront of the first school of truly eclectic jocks in the nineties, much acclaimed for their adventurous selections and subsequently responsible for countless lauded mix compilations (for Belgian flagship Eskimo Recordings, Fabric London and even Blue Note, among others). While these days it’s barely frowned upon when a dj shifts from funk to EBM in the same set, this eclectic dj’ing style might well have been invented on (and for) Ghent’s adventurous dance floors. It goes without saying that we’re extremely honoured to have him on board for this next podcast offering, showcasing what “might be played at Boccaccio this weekend if the iconic Destelbergen discotheque would still be open today”!

Ensemble Podcast 13 - Mo Disko

One of Berlin’s most promising djs Dama behind the controls for this week’s podcast instalment. The friendly Italian is, quite simply, never not looking for records. One of the most passionate diggers you’ll meet, this youngster always brings an impeccable selection to the table, no matter what dj-booth you can find him in. ⅓ of Oscillator (with Budino and Trent) and resident and co-founder of the Dancing For Mental Health parties at Sameheads, Dama is also a regular at the infamous Cocktail D’Amore parties in the Griessmuehle Garten. Furthermore he’s half of Double Wave (with Budino), whose extended edit of Psycho Killer (Italian new wave band Politrio’s version mind you, not the Talking Heads original) will see the light of day on Emotional Rescue soon. The duo’s take allows the instrumental parts extra shine before venturing into the well known chorus. This recording, an expertly blended cocktail d’amour, was mixed live on Dama’s old Formula Sound mixer, its warm analogue sound adding real life and breath to his already amazing selection.

Ensemble Podcast 16 - Dama

Ensemble co-founder Kong first met Gurl when interviewing her for his 'Brusseleir Digger' exhibition in March 2018. He immediately came to like her pure and passionate approach to electronic music. Gurl constructs DJ sets like constellations, bringing together styles and genres to create a unique microcosm every time she takes to the decks. As a passionate digger and record collector, the Luxembourg native now settled in Brussels has fine-tuned a hypersensitive approach to electronic music, which translates into a cosmic journey embarked upon by listeners.
For ensemble she made 'The Comedown Podcast': "As a stormy summer is moving on and the clocks are ticking faster (and sometimes slower), it is time to put a musical mark on what has passed and on what keeps on repeating itself. Cyclic patterns are standing out and define life to its fullest: every stargrasping is followed by a comedown. Either positive or negative, which eventually does not matter, the comedown is only (but still) a product and witness of the here and now."

https://www.facebook.com/deepseadwellerrr/

Ensemble Podcast 19 - Gurl

Ask anyone in Sydney about Simon Caldwell and they’ll be sure to tell you he’s the real deal. Playing since the early nineties to beer drinkers, bum shakers and radio listeners alike, he has managed to avoid the stifling classification so many other djs trap themselves into, keeping himself free to draw on his varied loves of deep, soulful house, techno, funk, jazz, electro, booty, hip hop and anything else which catches his ear. Simon's weekly Monday Sunset show on FBI Radio is a testament to his free tune selecting spirit. His Mad Racket nights, then, are the stuff of legend: a Sydney underground party institution running since 1998, they were responsible for the first ever appearances of Moodymann, Herbert, Charles Webster and many others down under. (For the next instalment, they’ve got Larry Heard billed for a live!) Gratts and Simon teamed up for a b2b at Harpoon Harry’s in Sydney last December, so of course we had to ask him for a mix. Much like his radio show, he recorded this one in one take, designed more as a listen than a club mix. Spoiler alert: Simon was so kind to include a cut off the new ensemble009 release by Fader.

@dj-simon-caldwell

Ensemble Podcast 24 - Simon Caldwell

All tracks* written, arranged and mixed by Mark Buning at Tenth Floor Studio (Rotterdam, NL) between 2014 and 2018 (*‘Rubato Alle Tribù Del Sud’ not so much written but mainly compiled from borrowed sounds from the south). 
Mastered & cut at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin. 
Sleeve design & graphics by StudioSpass. 
Vinyl by intakt! Distribution by Rush Hour. 
Vinyl out 13/05/2019 - digital out 20/05/2019
ⓒ ensemble 2019

Fader - Dirty Detox

All tracks* written, arranged and mixed by Mark Buning at Tenth Floor Studio (Rotterdam, NL) between 2014 and 2018 (*‘Rubato Alle Tribù Del Sud’ not so much written but mainly compiled from borrowed sounds from the south).

A1. Rubato Alle Tribù Del Sud 06:15
A2. Dirty Detox 05:47
B1. Echt Hé 04:35
B2. Suzan Caught On Tape 05:55

The latest ensemble outing comes courtesy of Fader, who runs his own Borneo imprint and has recently released on the newly established Bar Rotterdam label. The Dutchman delivers four different shades of powerful house music, all of them crafted within the walls of his Tenth Floor Studio somewhere between 2014 and 2018. The package kicks off with “Rubato Alle Tribù Del Sud”, a tribute (as well as a nudge) to the hedonistic Italian nineties but injected with a dose of edgy NY tribal house - an emotional yet uplifting ride that will get any dancefloor hooked. Up next comes “Dirty Detox”, a timeless affair consisting of a rolling Vermona Mono Lancet bass line, TR-909 drums, a touch of 303 and a mangled Casio CZ having a party while everyone’s asleep. “Echt Hè” is the classy deephouse track of the bunch. Its moody bass line and magical melodies are the result of a Boss DR 660 drum machine’s pairing with a few singing eurorack modules. The grittiest workout is aptly kept for the B2: “Suzan Caught On Tape” was the first piece of music production Fader ever finished in the city of Rotterdam. After running it through his old Mackie desk, throwing cheap reverb and delay effects on top, he bounced the whole thing straight to cassette tape. Finito, as they say.

Mastered & cut at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin. 
Sleeve design & graphics by StudioSpass. 
Vinyl by intakt! Distribution by Rush Hour. 
Vinyl out 27/05/2019 - digital out 03/06/2019
ⓒ ensemble 2019

Fader - Rubato (ensemble 009 - previews)

Luv*Jam is the production and artist name of Andrew Cole, who has released his signature deephouse sound on labels such as We Play House, Phonica White, Throne Of Blood, Housewax, Cocktail D'Amore Music and many more. A proper dj of many moons, Andy has played many of the leading parties, events, festivals and radio shows across the globe. He was a resident with We Love Space for 12 years, is a stalwart at one of the UK’s leading festivals Bestival and a regular at London’s Rhythm Section as well as Berlin’s infamous Cocktail D’Amore to only name a few. Apart from that, he also runs his own much revered vinyl arts and historic based projects Blind Jacks Journey, Crow Castle Cuts and Nip7. His newly launched project “The Legend Of Gelert” is scheduled to have 16 releases over a 4 years period. 
We couldn’t be more happy to have Andy on board for an ensemble poddy. This live vinyl mix comes just off the back of his first Australia / China tour and sees him exploring deep, spaced out sounds for mind and body.
@luvjam
https://www.instagram.com/luv_nipp/

Ensemble Podcast 26 - Luv*Jam

Founded by Kong DJ in 2022.
The follow-up to Ensemble (2013-2022).

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