Glad that he took the time out to grow as an artist, he presents us with the first track off of his album, set to be released later this year. The track is called "The First", appropriately, and conjures up sounds influenced by latter-day Bonobo and Massive Attack. The track is intended as a summery "feel good" tune, and includes a shimmering gospel vocal sample, euphoric pianos, beautiful textural strings, a bouncy sax and the classic trip-hop breaks. It's dancey enough to get you moving, but downtempo enough to listen to seated with your eyes closed. "The First" started as a simple piano loop, a piece of audio recorded off of SONLIFE's phone. There was a section in the recording that SONLIFE listened to over and over again, which he pitch-shifted and distorted until it formed the foundations for the track. It's one of the first sounds we hear as the song eases in from ambience. SONLIFE was also assisted by friends who leant their instruments and their playing to the track; Emma Barnaby on strings, Sam Leach on piano and Ed Bernez on percussion. The track is an amalgamation of samples, original composition and live instrumentation. 

The First is available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.

Out now on Chris Coco's DSPPR label - https://chriscoco.bandcamp.com/track/the-first

Artwork by J.G. Marshall - https://www.instagram.com/j.g.marshall/

Me (SONLIFE) - https://www.instagram.com/sonlifeproducer/

The First

Daphni - Mapfumo

É Soul Cultura Vol.1 seemed to land at exactly the right moment. Post-lockdown, optimism was back on the rise and the dance floors swelled again. For many listeners, Manchester based DJ Luke Una’s intriguingly woven pattern of new, old, rare and under-discovered music from around the world became the soundtrack to rejuvenated positivity. Piccadilly Records made the release their top compilation of the year, with Rough Trade placing it as their number two. The enthusiasm from the industry was mirrored by record buyers and demonstrated that in the right hands, moving through genres, tempos and decades can make perfect musical sense. 

It was clear from the get-go that the concept warranted a series, there are many sides to É Soul Cultura and many musical stories to tell. This second volume gives another opportunity for Luke to share his journey of the past four decades of staying up late and getting transcendental whilst listening to holy grail music as the city slept. It follows on from where Vol.1 left off, at times venturing into the deeper, spiritual, soulful, downtempo, experimental aspects of his tastes. From the conscious, street soul fusion gospel of Veronica Mickie's 'Lost Children', to an excursion into Swiss, psych, progressive rock in the form of Pyranha, then onto the classic Indian music-inspired electronic workout of Andi Otto's 'Bangalore Whispers'. Luke hints at his softer side in Avis; a sweet, obscure cover version of Minnie Riperton’s ‘Baby, This Love I Have’, as well as championing local heroes in the shape of Manchester’s Yargo and their driving, obscure, proto-house belter, ‘Marimba’. There’s also Japanese, electronic, slo-mo heaviness from 1979, courtesy of Bach Revolution. House music is integral to the É Soul sound and is represented by Nav Aktah’s deep remix of Mr Scruff, and then there’s Isis ‘In Essense’; a track of such majestic brilliance that it has never left Luke’s record bag. 

The selection is eclectic, global, and plucked from different times and spaces. In theory, perhaps they shouldn't work together, but there is a mysterious link that makes them gel as a whole. That’s what Luke does best. He creates a sort of musical alchemy, unifying the diverse. This isn’t a compilation focussed purely on the rare, even though many tracks featured do fall into that camp. It is best described by Luke himself, “It’s not about showing off, collector rarity, or ego-strutting, it’s all about telling stories, sharing the music, and making life’s journey mean something. In the end, of course, it’s just a compilation of other people’s music, but hopefully it’s more than that, adding something back to the pot.”

Andi Otto - Bangalore Whispers (feat. MD Pallavi)

From the outback of Brazil to the favelas of Adelaide, Xanga hurls bolts of lightning at the people chosen to be his followers, leaving behind imprints of stone axe blades on the Earth's crust. 
With a collection of ambulant drum patterns and raw junk-box rhythms Xanga set the mood for a party. A real party. Forget the deep basslines and moody melodics for a second and put yourself in the hands of these propitious shamans of movement. 
Baile funk saw its rise in the international spotlight around the mid 2000's. It then faded back into the shadows not too long after... what we tend to forget that it still existed and continued to thrive, grow and develop in its homelands and even abroad…. This is where it is at now - the energy is still the same but the ideas are forward thinking whilst still honest to their roots - the roots of the party and the people that built it. 


Rapoiera (Instrumental)

recorded at BPC Studio, Paris

http://www.juno.co.uk/products/baptiste-pierre-colleu-virage/578304-01/

VIRAGE feat. Karim Attoumane

@dandyteru flexes a new alias, flipping a broken beat original by @quietdawn into something resembling South African deep house. 

Taken from a new remix EP on @firstwordrecords. 

Read more & buy: http://www.stampthewax.com/2016/03/28/premiere-quiet-dawn-dusk-garonne-remix/

Listen on Youtube

Quiet Dawn - Dusk (Garonne Remix) (STW Premiere)

The latest single to emerge from Owiny Sigoma Band's third album Nyanza, 'Nairobi (Too Hot)' takes the Kenyan capital as its subject matter. It draws on the positive spirit ingrained in Kenya’s musical heritage as much as it does the country’s uneasy present. 

In ‘Nairobi (Too Hot)’, the country's musical lineage continues to bear an influence. Sun-flecked guitar lines and call-and-response vocals take centre stage, interspersed with 
echoing gunshot fire that’s a reminder of the violent tension in the city experienced by the band while there. The single comes backed by a remix from DJ Khalab, where the oft-Clap! Clap! collaborator has produced an acid-tinged re-rub that retains the bittersweet lilt of the original. 

Pre-order

Owiny Sigoma Band - (Nairobi) Too Hot (DJ Khalab Remix)

C1 Su Su (Excerpt)

Hugo Mendez (Sofrito) and Nico Skliris (Digital Zandoli) profile pan-African Parisian dance music in 80s Paris on a compilation for @nouvelleambiance.

Read more & buy: http://www.stampthewax.com/2018/09/14/premiere-antoinette-konan-macko-remastered/

AMBIANCE 002

Antoinette Konan - M'acko (Remastered)(STW Premiere)

Order here:
https://www.juno.co.uk/products/rare-silk-storm/721537-01/

Be With Records and Emotional Rescue team up to present a special release of US jazz vocal group Rare Silk and their cult song, Storm. 

A diggers cut for many years, more recently it's become an algorithm "hit". Presented here as a stand-alone limited 10" release, the song is backed by a spellbinding echo-drenched remix by New York's exemplary electronic sonic explorer, Arp. 

Originally formed when sisters MaryLynn and Gaile Gillaspie met Marquerite Juenemann in southern California in the late '70s, with the arrival of Todd Buffa the trio quickly expanded to a four-part harmony vocal group. Signed to Polydor, they rose to prominence over the ensuing decade with the release of three albums that gained them multiple Grammy nominations. 

Taken from their 1985 album American Eyes, Storm is based on a Stanley Turrentine song of the same name, from his 1971 album Salt Song. With additional vocals written by MaryLynn, as with much of their music -underpinned as it is by an otherworldly exotica - the artisanal, crafted care of the instrumental and vocal arrangements, featuring lush, rich phrasing, is evident in their exquisite reading of the song. 

When deciding how best of present the song it seemed right to ask a favourite of both labels. Having appeared on Emotional Response in 2017/18, Alexis Georgopoulos returned to his Arp project with last years' much-heralded Zebra album on Mexican Summer. Stripping out the vocals, the remaining instrumental is rearranged, rebuilt and then soaked in heavy tape echo. The result is a discerning dub to act as the perfect accompaniment.

A. Rare Silk - Smooth

D3 - Ariwo - Flameback Dance

Record label. Record shop. Film label. Since 1989.

Andi Otto - Bangalore Whispers (feat. MD Pallavi)

Mr Bongo

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