Whisper it quietly, but Andrew Meecham’s ninth album as The Emperor Machine, Island Boogie, may well be the long-serving producer’s strongest set to date. Of course, all his albums ripple with vintage synth sounds, colourful lead lines, dub-flecked electronic disco and lashings of cosmic intent, but this one just feels a little more special.

Island Boogie is certainly special. Meecham’s “most personal” full-length to date was inspired by his experiences at the Rotation Garden Party – a beloved micro-festival promoted by a group of friends (including sometime Bizarre Inc and Chicken Lips partner Dean Meredith), renowned for the quality of its custom-built Klipschorn soundsystem. “The album’s title sums up the vibe that you get from Rotation,” he explains. “It may be held in a landlocked venue but it gives a wonderful sense of isolation – it is an audiophile paradise.”

Meecham road-tested rough versions of the album’s eight tracks at Rotation 2023, with the feedback and dancefloor reaction guiding the sound and arrangement of the final mixes. Fittingly, Meecham will return to the event to showcase the album at Rotation 2024 this July. Given the inspiration he’s drawn from previous editions of the festival, that will be a very special occasion.

Musically, Island Boogie offers the most fully functioning and expertly constructed expression of The Emperor Machine sound yet, a style Meecham describes as “electronic cosmic disco-boogie”. It’s a sound that takes cues from early ‘80s NYC punk-funk and dub disco, vintage electro, proto-house and left-of-centre synth-boogie, but one that’s instantly recognisable to those who have followed Meecham’s career over the last three decades.

Island Boogie also sees Meecham continue his blossoming working relationship with Séverine Mouletin, whose stylish and distinctive vocals previously graced his popular ‘Dance Par Amour’ and ‘Your Own Style’ singles. Here Mouletin features on four tracks: the acid-flecked retro-futurist wave-boogie of ‘La Cassette’ (featuring additional percussion by Rupert Brown); the infectious, bleep-sporting headiness of recent single ‘Dévoilez-Vous’; and the squelchy analogue synth-funk of ‘Wanna Pop With You’ and ‘Vas-y-Le Chat’.

Meecham also finds space for a cover of Fox’s 1976 pop-rock classic ‘S-s-s-single Bed’, one of the Stafford-based artist’s all-time favourites. His version, featuring lead vocals by Michelle Bee and guitar from Dave Atherton, re-imagines the track as a subtly Chic-influenced slab of infectious electro-pop rich in kaleidoscopic synth sounds, sing-along choruses and shuffling drums.

The instrumental foundations of the classic Emperor Machine sound come to the fore on the album’s three other cuts. There’s the jazz-funk-flecked warmth of the LP-opening title track; the sparse squelches, bleeps, TB-303 style bass and brightly coloured electronics of ‘Walk The Dog’; and the exotic, slow-motion cosmic electronica of ‘Cha Murrah Etem’, a warm but poignant affair dedicated to his late father. Heady and intoxicating, with hints of Balearica and digital reggae, it offers a fittingly beautiful and tactile conclusion to Meecham’s most expressive and accessible album yet.

Island Boogie

LENG SHOP

Emperor Machine - S-S-S-Single Bed feat. Michelle Bee

Super FU are back with the first single from their forthcoming long player 'Physical Sounds', featuring some heavyweight remixes to get things moving.
 
The original is a perfect blend of disco, funk, pop, and acid house. Rock-solid beats, analogue bass, searing strings, and all kinds of synth action blend seamlessly with live instrumentation. Paul Withy and Sarah Lazenby trade melodies as the chorus swoops for a mid-tempo end-of-nighter.

The Dub strips out the pop and instrumentation but ups the psychedelics. Deep, trippy and electronic, it takes a hypnotic journey into a world of dub and balearica.

Next up, Craig Bratley brings the pianos front and centre, working the riff that comes off like Marshall Jefferson on downers. The vocals repeat as the track builds to chug and weave to the acid; cue smoke, strobe and dancefloor mayhem.
   
Finally, Leo Zero dubs the disco and rolls with the funk. Once again, the song shows it's strength is as it blends with the piano for nu-disco heaven!

Dicky Trisco: "Craig Bratley mix bloody rocks!"

Alice Palace: "Absolute quality from Super Fu, have always loved the 12 inch dub, so glad its getting a release into the wild :-) Craig and Leo's remixes are the icing on the cake!"

Fingerman: "Heavy vibes here! Leo Zero's mix and the dub are class!"

Robot 84: :"All sounding good, very hard to pick a winner, Leo and Craig's mixes doing it for me:"

Siren (Craig Bratley Remix)

Buy/Stream

It is the end of a long and dusty road for compilation series, The Wild Army, with Volume 8 the final instalment. Victory can be claimed over, err, something (mediocre music/dance floors/humans).

True to form, it's a global EP with artists from Mexico City, Sydney, Naples, and Hebden Bridge. First up, label favourite La Guardia De La Luz does what he does best, with en epic psychedelic disco mid-tempo chugger. Subtle rhythm guitar, bouncing bass and 80s pads set the scene for strings and stabs as they work their magic.

Next up, Uomo Meccanico takes the red eye for a late night hypnotic slice of electronic house music. Shimmering stabs, trippy pads and filtered vocal sample build into epic deepness. One for the floor as the light creeps in at 6am and everything starts going sideways.

Johnny Deep takes his electronic funk low and slow. Pops, glitches, and burbles provide some serious swing over a bottom end that rides the sub. Slow burning dance floor ignition guaranteed. 

Finally, Flash Atkins brings the soul with a track that is as loose and easy as a Mediterranean summer. Amy Collins sings of an early morning walk home after a loved up encounter on the dance floor as Dan Goldman lays the keys and grooves for some disco love.

Justin Robertson: "Mega release!"

Max Essa: "Very tasty!"

Duncan Grey/Tici Taci: "Another great selection from Paper... particularly enjoying Drift on this one"

Secret Soul Society: "Flash Atkins for the win here!"

Dance Lady Dance

Johnny Deep - Dance Lady Dance

Ivan Fabra & Yuki Tosaya - Under The Snow Moon

Ivan Fabra & Yuki Tosaya - Trappist 303

A dubby Balearic-flavored cover of Bill Wither’s classic from our very own Pepe Link, with vocals from Glen Anthony -- out today!
 
'Lovely Day' →https://linktr.ee/musicfordreams

The track features on the vinyl edition of Pepe Link’s newly released Scenes From My Soul.

Supported by Koda’s Cultural Funds and Musik Forlæggerne.

Connect with Pepe Link
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0dtrB14jr84vF8uePQLl2s
FB : https://www.facebook.com/DjPepeLink/
SC : https://soundcloud.com/pepe-link
IG : https://www.instagram.com/pepelink/

Connect with Music For Dreams
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/musicfordreams
FB : https://www.facebook.com/musicfordreams
SC : https://soundcloud.com/music-for-dreams
YT : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo8HNI0C0QGdOoHWrTqhVWA 
IG : https://www.instagram.com/musicfordreams/
X : https://twitter.com/musicfordreams
BC : https://musicfordreams.bandcamp.com/
Home : https://musicfordreams.dk/

Pepe Link - Lovely Day (ft. Glen Anthony & Ella) - s0785

02. Rayko - Café Olé (Spanish Disco Spresso Re-edit)

Traxsource: www.traxsource.com/label/61340/spa-club
Beatport: www.beatport.com/label/spa-club/100718
JunoDownload: www.junodownload.com/labels/Spa+Club/
Bandcamp: https://spaindisco.bandcamp.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/spaclubrecords
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SpaClubRecords

Buy On Traxsource

[SPC121] ILYA SANTANA - Dancing shoes

Bandcamp: https://spaindisco.bandcamp.com
Junodownload: www.junodownload.com/labels/Boite+Music/
Traxsource: www.traxsource.com/label/53933/boite-music
Beatport: www.beatport.com/label/boite-music/89982
Facebook: www.facebook.com/boitemusicrecords/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/boite_music_records/
Youtube: www.youtube.com/c/spaindiscorecordsfrandeeper
Mastering: master79music@gmail.com

[BM095] FRAN DEEPER - New Studio (Original Mix)

[BM095] RAYKO - Slow Motion link (Original Mix)

This reworks are only available via subscription to my Patreon page here:

www.patreon.com/raykorarewiri

The subscription includes:

Early access to Advanced Promos of every Rare Wiri Records official release (expect 3-4 each month)

3 never before released mastered WAV edits each month!

(Expect edits of Disco / Balearic / Cosmic / Rock / Italo classic tunes)

This will be the only place to get these edits made for DJ's & dance-floors, tried and tested!

+Rayko official remixes promos

+Instant access to 60 back catalog edits

+Mixtapes downloads

*****You can preview some of the exclusive tunes via this playlist on my youtube channel here:

youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9a2…sFdWQPe5u1JRaBEMz-2

Join the Rare Wiri Patreon Crew here:

www.patreon.com/raykorarewiri?

Cheers from Madrid

Subscribe here

Bizarre - Hot Hollywood Nights  (Rayko Club re-edit) [Patreon Exclusive]

Spanish record label founded in 2008 by Rayko. It is focused on Nu Disco, Balearic, Synthwave, Dark Disco and everything between.

Releases by people like Danielle Baldelli, Spirit Catcher, DJ Rocca, Psychemagik, Ilija Rudman, Man Parrish, Ilya Santana, In Flagranti and many more!

Ivan Fabra & Yuki Tosaya - Under The Snow Moon

Rare Wiri Records

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