Alexander IV is the latest moniker of Dutch man for all seasons, Joris Feiertag. Largely known for his dance floor facing work, this multi-talented artist from the culturally rich city of Utrecht can also be found behind the drum kit for forward thinking funk & soul outfit Kraak & Smaak, and has worked in several pockets of the electronic music scene, under numerous pseudonyms, for over a decade. 

In his latest incarnation, Joris uses the Macedonian monarch’s title to dig deep into the noble influences and roots of his musical output - namely hip-hop, jazz, funk and soul. 

Working with an extended family of renowned musicians (Tessa Rose Jackson on vocals), What Moves Me, the debut single from this new project, combines boom-bap beats, wordless vocals, enchanting piano loops, filters and synth stabs to create a perfectly jubilant yet understated soulful summertime jam.

Alexander IV - What Moves Me

Joris Feiertag is a Dutch producer and live-act from the historic and culturally rich city of Utrecht. Having signed to Sonar Kollektiv in 2018, he has released two albums on the label so far - his debut, vocal led and uplifting long-playing record Time To Recover, as well as its subsequent remixes, and last year the more sonorous and personal Dive. Before embarking on album three, and discovering whichever side of Feiertag’s multi-faceted personality and talents that will explore, Joris has taken a moment to deliver a couple of one-off pieces just to cleanse our musical palettes.

Earlier in the autumn he unleashed Kojin - a long time, visceral secret weapon in his sets that just oozes unabated energy. Now he brings us When She Leaves - still very much a dance floor record, but one with a greater sense of balance between the mind and the feet. Swirling synths and tender keys make way for nostalgic breakbeats and vocal snippets, but it soon becomes clear that there‘s some serious songwriting involved in the making of this track. Vocal hooks come to the fore and the audience is left with the feeling that they’re listening to something that might be described as ‘emotionally intelligent dance music’. It’s certainly a piece that Joris himself is looking forward to playing in his live shows.

Whether it’s life affirming vocals, more profound intimate pieces, club bangers or a little bit of everything, it’s clear that with a label as open-minded as the Berlin imprint, this restless musical soul has found the freedom he needs and also the perfect home.

When She Leaves [Sonar Kollektiv]

Feiertag - When She Leaves

And stars don’t come much brighter than the stellar production outfit, and founders of Sonar Kollektiv, Jazzanova. If selecting a track of your own is a tough task, then imagine trying to do so with a back cata- logue as deep and diverse as theirs. The production collective’s work ranges from early dance floor facing club anthems to their more recent focus on performing as a live band, and it’s from their more current material that Joy Road was selected. The track is lifted from their fresh collaboration with DJ Amir, 180 Proof Records and UK label BBE to celebrate the output of Detroit based label Strata Records. Despite its title, Joy Road is a melancholic piece played by the Jazzanova live band and very much conjures up the feel of what it must have been like to be in late ‘60s Detroit at a time of huge decline and subsequent civil unrest. It’s a contemplative cut that sits perfectly at the heart of this compilation.

05 Jazzanova - Joy Road

The Westbound EP is the debut beat tape by Alexander IV - the latest pseudonym of eclectic Dutch producer, multi-instrumentalist and illustrious tunesmith, Joris Feiertag. As a music maker largely known for his club friendly offerings, Joris uses the Macedonian monarch’s title to delve into the more rootsical side of his sonic output - taking in hip-hop, jazz, funk and soul influences along the way.

The scene is set with the melancholic 1988 - a track which combines boom-bap drums, ethereal vocal samples, loose guitars, strident percussion and haunting synths with dubbed out horns and atmospheric spoken word to take you back to what was surely a simpler time.

This is followed by Rue, which continues where 1988 leaves off with more sleepy guitars, sunny keys, hip hop beats and somewhat incoherent yet celestial voices. The piece then takes a sharp left turn to deliver more of a dub flavour, complete with heavily treated percussive stabs and a plethora of echoes and effects.

What Moves Me is a much sunnier and life affirming cut, as hefty beats trade blows with buoyant chants and expectant piano; whereas The One takes a far more lugubrious and wistful turn, filled with regret emphasized by sombre keys and moody vocals.
Finally, having run a gamut of emotions, the EP comes to a close with That Blew My Mind, which sees the producer return to his love of all things reggae. The track kicks off in sprightly mode with a skanking beat making way for a weighty bassline and assured vocal samples. Add to that heavyweight horn lines and you’ve got a rocksteady offering that’ll prepare you perfectly for brighter days to come.

Alexander IV’s music fuses organic and electronic elements with ease, which isn’t surprising given the artist’s experience not only as a consummate dance music maker, but also as drummer of choice for Dutch superstars Kraak & Smaak. Add to that an extended family of gifted musicians, and you’ve got something brand new yet retro; uncomplicated yet masterful.

Alexander IV - The One

Joris Feiertag is a Dutch producer and live-act from Utrecht in the Netherlands who makes music that is a finely balanced combination of organic and synthesised elements, often using ingenious syncopated rhythms combined with instruments such as the harp and kalimba.
In 2023 he will release Roots, his third album on Sonar Kollektiv. Having concentrated his attention on catchy hooks and a number of guest voices on his first, and deeper breakbeat workouts on his second, Joris felt it was time to deliver something that sat comfortably in a space somewhere between the two.

The LP features a plethora of vocalists from across the globe including Berlin based Noah Slee; Rotterdam’s Robin Kester; Guinea born Falle Nioke; young spoken word artist from London, Nego True; Afro-futuristic U.S. hip hop outfit OSHUN, and Canadian singer, songwriter and producer Rhi, who appears here on Queen & King, the second single to be taken from the album.

Joris came across Rhi, as he has done with many of his collaborators, via Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlists. Already a fan of soulful UK independent imprint Tru Thoughts, to whom Rhi is signed, her voice was soon a regular fixture on the Feiertag studio speakers - in particular the very sultry favorite Plain Jane. It wasn‘t long before the producer got in touch with the London based artist, and soon the duo found the perfect pairing within the murky yet mighty Queen & King.

It’s a song that took quite a convoluted journey to get to what you hear today - starting off as a straight up hip-hop track, albeit with leftfield, quirky vocal samples. Over the course of a year though, and with Rhi’s vital input, it was transformed into a nebulous yet compelling tale of striving for independence and the understanding of self worth. With its shades of Tricky and Massive Attack, it’s one of the most powerful, and at the same time intimate, pieces of music on the album. 

It’s also a very personal one, as Rhi describes: „Queen & King is about being content on your own, putting yourself first and not settling for anyone unless they enrich your life.“

Once again, Joris creates new challenges for himself by working with artists outside of his immediate musical sphere. His seemingly endless search to shine a light on new and exciting talent, as well as his tireless work to discover the old and reinvent the new will surely see him break new ground and gain new followers for years to come.

 Feiertag – Roots out October 2023.

Feiertag - Queen & King feat. Rhi

Marseille Movement is a 5-minute Latin Jazz jam follow-on from 'Okra'. Full of energy and spirit, It was recorded over in London in September 2022 with a bunch of AUS and UK based musicians.

From David: "After figuring out some basic sections and lead lines we did just one take of the recording and then the track was chopped up a few months later back at home. There’s so much joy in this song for me, it really captures the excitement of playing together and collaborating in a different part of the world. After the studio sessions some friends and I spent a bit of time in Marseille, South France where a lot of the ideas came from just listening to the recording over and over again while walking around the city".

Available 03/03/2023
Listen/buy: http://lasaperecords.com/dv-mm

David Versace

La Sape Records

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[PREMIERE] David Versace - Marseille Movement (La Sape Records)

Joris Feiertag is a Dutch producer and live-act from Utrecht in the Netherlands who makes music that is a finely balanced combination of organic and synthesized elements, often using ingenious syncopated rhythms combined with instruments such as the harp and kalimba.

This autumn he will release Roots, his third album on revered German imprint Sonar Kollektiv. Having concentrated his attention on catchy hooks and a number of guest voices on his first, and deeper breakbeat workouts on his second, Joris felt it was time to deliver something that sat comfortably in a space somewhere between the two. The LP features a plethora of vocalists from across the globe including Afro-futuristic U.S. hip hop outfit OSHUN; Berlin based Noah Slee; Rotterdam’s Robin Kester; Guinea born Falle Nioke; Tru Thoughts recording artist Rhi, and young spoken word artist from London, Nego True, who features on the new single, Feel Me.

More than just a rapper, he’s a true poet as exemplified on this single. Feel Me is one of the most personal tracks on the album as Nego opens up on a close relationship in his unmistakable tones. Encouraged by Joris with his personal situation taking the next step, here Nego writes and raps about moving in with his partner and his ambitions to raise a family.

Once again, Joris creates new challenges for himself by working with artists outside of his immediate musical sphere. His seemingly endless search to shine a light on new and exciting talent, as well as his tireless work to discover the old and reinvent the new will surely see him break new ground and gain new followers for years to come.

New album 'Roots' out October 2023.

Feiertag - Feel Me feat. Nego True

Stream 'Floating Lands' everywhere : https://tell.fanlink.to/floating-lands

After delivering promising releases, house producer Tell – also known as Miel de Montagne, his indie alter ego –, is back with the release of his single ‘Floating Lands’. As he garnered millions of streams on streaming platforms, the producer keeps impressing by his musical aesthetics. As its name suggests, ‘Floating Lands’ is a floating lofi/deep house track with its trippy synths, groovy bass and catchy drums. A creative soundscape worth listening to on repeat !

Chambre Noire, Vol. 1

Floating Lands

Tell - Floating Lands

Space For Love / A Path To You is the third chapter of FOXTROTT’s series of musical diptychs, started last Spring.

Through the two new pieces, FOXTROTT reaffirms her distinct sound and creates a sonic universe oozing with warmth, refined production and soulfulness. FOXTROTT pursues her quest to blur the lines between electronic and organic, masculine and feminine.  Space For Love is a radiant, forward-moving declaration of love. “I come to you with nothing but space for love. Here, close to you, growing in a place of enough.” The second piece, A Path To You,  is a highly meditative instrumental track, luminous and entrancing –  a perfect Spring companion.

About the series of diptychs:

With her new series of independently released double-singles, FOXTROTT throws away the rulebook and wants to take us along on her journey. “I love the short form of the diptych in music, where one piece resonates with the other, in a dialogue. It’s a mini-universe of its own. After a few years navigating the music industry with its ups and downs, I wanted to reconnect with spontaneity, ease and the joy of sharing music. By moving away from more rigid structures, I feel a renewed enthusiasm. Honestly, I feel like I am just getting started.” 

About FOXTROTT:

MH Delorme, also known as FOXTROTT, is a producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist born and raised in Montreal. Her genre-defying, unique experimental pop has been making heads turn since the release of her first EP “Shields” in 2013. With her Polaris Music Prize nominated LP “A Taller Us” (2015) and her trilogy “Meditations I-II-III” (2018), both released on esteemed UK imprint One Little Independent Records, Delorme has worked on building a musical universe of her own, pairing intricate, raw yet elegant productions with a strong sense of melody and commanding, soulful vocals. In 2022, she releases the first two iterations of a series of diptychs. The independently released The Motion / Looking For Your Love and Take it Back / Go for Joy, has garnered support from Benji B on his BBC Radio1 show, and tastemakers across the globe (Lefto, Le Mellotron, CBC radio, etc.), as well as significant playlisting support on streaming platforms. In the last years, her work has garnered support from the likes of the BBC 1 & BBC 6 (Lauren Laverne, Annie Mac, Jamz Supernova, Don Letts and more), international press (I.D, Dazed, The Fader, Line of Best Fit, Nowness, etc) and has taken her to perform in London, New York, Paris, Berlin, Tokyo and beyond. 

She has also worked with Redbull Music Academy as a studio mentor, is currently teaching production classes for Women on Ableton Live. In 2021, she participated in BBE Records’s critically acclaimed tribute album to David Bowie, “Modern Love” with her version of “Chant of the ever circling skeletal family”. Over the last few years she has applied her skills as a film composer, scoring multiple short and feature films.She recently won “Best Original Music” at the Canadian Screen Award for her work on “Sugar Daddy” (Dir. Wendy Morgan, 2021). Her most recent scoring work is on the feature film “Mà Sai Gon” by director Khoa Le, premiered at Visions du Réel in April 23. 

Throughout her own releases and in her work as a film composer, producer and collaborator (Ouri, Jean-Michel Blais, Cadenza, Pierre kwenders and more), FOXTROTT flows effortlessly through different musical worlds without ever losing her distinct signature, at once accessible and deeply insular. The answer seems to lie in the way she relates to music: “I try to forget about it all, I aim to hear something I haven’t quite heard before. I am not really interested in copying codes. My relationship with music is inside out rather than outside in.”

Buy on Bandcamp

Exclusive Premiere:  FOXTROTT "Space For Love"

Buy now: https://orcd.co/afterdarkvespertine

Title: Late Night Tales presents ‘After Dark: Vespertine'
Label: Late Night Tales
Formats: 2LP 180g Pressed Vinyl 
Release: 4 Aug 2023
Genre: Electronica

This July, the esteemed scribe, proper DJ, and discreetly deft twiddler Bill Brewster, drops the latest installment in his ‘After Dark’ series, for Late Night Tales.  

A throbbing, louche and leisurely affair, groove is very much at the heart of this freestyle selection, a vibe which Bill describes as “a basement, a red light and a sound system. Or, as the Beastie’s once rapped, slow and low, that is the tempo”. 

There’s Hawaiian drum machine bossa balearica from Island Band, percussive afro post-punk from Czech jazz singer Jana Koubkova, and breathy-bubbling-dubwise-slap-bass-soul from Debbe & The Code.  

There’s also sultry deep house mood music from Lanowa, infectious bouncy jazz funk breaks from Canada High, and Nail’s life-affirming re-edit of singer-songwriter Gilbert O Sullivan’s electro-pop gem ‘So What’. 

Bill’s own studio skills are present and correct too, featuring an undulating bassy version of country troubadour Jeb Loy Nichols, reworked along Alex Tepper under their Hotel Motel moniker, and a chugged-up squelchy disco take on Khruangbin, this time paired with Raj Gupta, as Mang Dynasty. 

Chock full of exclusives, tracks are either completely brand new or available digitally for the first time, whilst others are wallet-rinsing rarities if purchased elsewhere. Whichever way you slice it though, every tune is a highlight, working equally well as standalone nuggets, or within Bill’s fluidly cohesive mix.  

01 Toe – ‘Infinite Consciousness’ 
02 Island Band – ‘Idle Hours’ 
03 Jana Koubkova – ‘Nijana’ 
04 Dan Wainwright – ‘Come Home’ 
05 Jeb Loy Nichols – ‘Don't Drop Me’ (Hotel Motel Remix) 
06 Nick Munday – ‘Drum Lock’ 
07 Khruangbin – ‘So We Won't Forget’ (Mang Dynasty Forgotten Dub) 
08 Matt Rhythm – ‘We Were Made To Be Artists’ 
09 Debbe & The Code – ‘Code Of Love’ 
10 Lanowa – ‘Burning Up’ 
11 Gilbert O Sullivan – ‘So What’ (Nail Edit) 
12 Canada High – ‘Le Chiffre’ 
13 Smashed Atoms And Backdoor Man – ‘Hey Dreamer’ 
14 Patina – ‘Arphicelago’ 
15 Fernando Pulichino – ‘1998’ 
16 IPG – ‘Open Space’ (Hot Toddy Mix) 
17 Carl Finlow – ‘Hyperkagome’ 
18 Rheinzand – ‘Kills & Kisses’ (Scorpio Twins Remix) 
19 Chaz Jankel – ‘Manon Manon’

Khruangbin - So We Won't Forget (Mang Dynasty Irreverent Dub) [From After Dark: Vespertine]

Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you!

And Isaac dwelt in Gerar:

Sonar Kollektiv was founded in 1997 by Jazzanova. Designed as a platform for own releases it soon attracted numerous new discoveries and like-minded musicians to lead their trumps right here. Still it was never the intention of Sonar Kollektiv to pursue one specific sound or provide an already existing scene. Each and every release on the label (450 and counting) was at all times meant to illustrate the musical taste of the collective, its flavourful development and recollection of past sounds. The various compilations and label showcases played a big part of it. From the renowed „Secret Love“ compilation (No. 6 will be released these days), the „Computer Incarnations For World Peace“ edition, the  „...Boadcasting“ and „....Mixing“-series to the „Romanian Jazz“ label showcase Sonar Kollektiv continuously cares about broadening its own and the horizon of any type of music lovers. How broad this horizon can be expanded showed the release of Âme’s „Rej“ in 2005. Shorthandly minimal techno was redifined and at the same time the sublabel Innervisions (runned by Dixon) was leveraged to worldwide fame. Other milestones in the eventful history of Sonar Kolletiv were the discovery of the New Zealand reggae soul combo Fat Freddy’s Drop (2005), the debuts by Micatone (2003), Benny Sings (2005), Clara Hill (2003) and Eva Be (2004), the first releases by Dimlite (2003), Tricksi (2006), Christian Prommer’s Drumlesson (2007), as well as Georg Levin (2005) and his collaborative project with Dixon, Wahoo (2004). Also for some of today’s legends of more sophisticated electronic music, like Ulrich Schnauss, Ben Klock and Marcin Kozlowski (now a member of Whitest Boy Alive) Sonar Kollektiv offered a stepping stone to their international careers. And in 2003 a certain Eric Wahlforss released his first record here, just before founding Soundcloud.

When at the end of 2009 the rate of fire ceased some thought the label is running on empty or lost touch to contemporary sounds. But the releases of this year so far should prove doubters wrong. The remix album „Jazzanova Upside Down“ (released in January) gathers the who’s who of the currenty most happening and game-changing DJs and producers (Henrik Schwarz, Motor City Drum Ensemble, Filippo Moscatello, Manuel Tur, Mark E, and more) to catapult Jazzanova classics into the future. By signing Phil Gerus from Moscow, the new project Hot Coins out of the UK, EnaWadan from South Africa and the pan-Geman duo Paskal & Urban Absolutes four of the most promising new acts slantingly offside the dancefloor have been added to the already impressive roster. And once again all true pop aficionados with an addiction for soul and a genuine craft in songwriting are pierced to the heart with the brand new albums by FETSUM („The Colors Of Hope“) and Micatone („Wish I Was Here“).

But what is the formula of success of the Berlin based label? A dance music imprint that – with a few exceptions – actually doesn’t release club music? Is it even after all exactly this? Delievering music for prior to, succeeding and one day after a club night?

There’s no other German record label that can boast such an adventurous range of styles: reggae, folk, electronica, jazz, funk, calypso, house, techno and now also chillwave, dubstep, dream pop, and so on. At Sonar Kollektiv there’s somehow room for everything. Still, all of the 250 and counting releases have one common denominator: It’s music made out of passion - without any financial aim or attemps of ingratiation. From and for music lovers.

Alexander IV - What Moves Me

Sonar Kollektiv

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