Something new for July as we reach the fourth issue in our series - an original production from Sam Wilhoit, aka Atlanta's trippy & experimental electronic producer @moistghost.

A previous fringe member of Tuff Wax' extended global family, 2013 has seen Sam contribute a remix to our first release of the year (TWX-011, @bonesandmoney’s ‘Black Diamond’ Remix EP) and collaborate with @lockah for the ‘Higher Learning’ EP released on @activia-benz under the guise of @tastetester, his club-orientated alter-ego. 

We’ve been big fans of Sam’s work since his appearance on @astronautico’s Atlantics Vol.2 compilation, and we highly recommend a download of ‘Big Game Hunter’ his debut album released last year on the Brooklyn label. Fans should also stay tuned for news on our next release, featuring the man himself.


TTX-004: Moist Ghost - Foamy

So, 6 months of TUFF TRAX has passed and we find ourselves once again revisiting some unheard @Lockah related material from the vaults. A longtime fan of the Moscow-based musician, graphic designer, soundscape artist & @hyperboloid label owner, Lockah began collaborating with @pixelord in late 2012, creating music together under the now-shelved 404boyz name. 'Aloe Дива' saw a meeting of the minds from Aberdeen and Moscow and sounds like Planetarium music shoehorned into the club, where UFOs and LFOs alike battle against a backdrop of futuristic & industrial garage rhythms. 

https://soundcloud.com/pixelord
https://soundcloud.com/hyperboloid
https://soundcloud.com/lockah
https://soundcloud.com/tuffwax

TTX-006: Pixelord & Lockah - Aloe Дива

Better late than never for volume 7 in the TUFF TRAX series! Keeping it in the close family this month, we deliver a hot new jawn from one of our most talented friends, Jamie Ferguson aka @zubuntu. 

We first introduced Zubuntu's dark, stripped-down club mutations with the free single 'High Skool/Ruff Stuff' (still available here: https://soundcloud.com/tuffwax/twx-008-zubuntu). Since then Jamie's honed his craft, earning him DJ mix requests from the likes of @liminalsoundsmusic, bookings in Berlin and a reputation as an intense live act - most recently demonstrated during residency sets at Bake Haus, a monthly night run alongside fellow Aberdeen Truth-speaker @yoin. 

'Los Alamos Wolves' is more club heat from the rave cave with a nod to Bristolian bass, drenched in @zubuntu's signature trippy vocal drones & clocked with metronome-precise thug snaps.

TTX-007: Zubuntu - Los Alamos Wolves

Rounding off the year in style, December's TUFF TRAX sees @Grobbie rework a classic grime anthem for 2013 - file under 'bootlegs', file under 'bangers'.

We'll be releasing more goodness from big G in 2014, but for now take a swing over to his Soundcloud & Bandcamp pages and take a look at the prolific producer's seemingly endless output!

http://grobbie.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/grobbie/

TTX-008: Treble Clef - Ghetto Kyote (Grobbie Remix)

TUFF TRAX returns with a classic cut from the vaults courtesy of label co-owners @bonesandmoney - 'Merrick' is pure raw Aberdeen Truth 1.0, filled with rugged claps, daring donks & a snarling bassline that rather belies their soft & caring nature.

The club godz @bonesandmoney have run all tings @tuffwax alongside @lockah since early 2011, and have a wealth of material in store for 2014. 

www.bonesandmoney.com



TTX-009: Bones & Money - Merrick

Tuff Trax reaches double figures with an explosive and exclusive cut from Chicago stalwart Chrissy Murderbot (@chrissymurderbot). A celebrated DJ, producer and club music historian, Chris Shively has released music on Planet Mu, Hypercolour and his own Loose Squares imprint, home of the infamous ‘Escape From Chicago’ compilations whose 2nd volume features music by Tuff Wax bosses Bones & Money (@bonesandmoney). After providing us with a huge rework of the gruesome twosome’s 'Black Diamond’ in early 2013, Lockah (@lockah) returned the favour and contributed his own take on ‘Bay Bay’ to Shively's Hyperboloid EP, ‘All Right’.

Aside from racking up an impressive discography under his Murderbot moniker including remixes and collaborations with the likes of Machinedrum, DJ Spinn, DJ Rashad, Teki Latex, Pixelord and others, he also recently explored house & disco leanings under the ‘Chris E Pants’ side project - establishing the Brooklyn-based Nite Owl Diner imprint along the way with friend Alex Burkat.

Away from his productions, Chrissy’s a feared & respected spinner too - perhaps best known for his insane ‘Year Of Mixtapes’ during which time he recorded and blogged a weekly new DJ mix to the world, spanning different themes, genres and eras in each one.  

‘Acid’ is the definition of club ready and - of course - straddles a multitude of styles with typical Chrissy confidence. Thunderous drums, dancehall hooks, hoovers and reeses and everything else, juked up and ruff for the jungle. Enjoy!

http://yearofmixtapes.blogspot.co.uk/

http://www.soundcloud.com/chrissymurderbot

TTX-010: Chrissy Murderbot - Acid

TUFF WAX makes a long awaited return to the 7” format on June 30th for a split release between Atlanta’s MOIST GHOST (ASTRO NAUTICO, TUFF WAX) and Providence’s THE RANGE (DONKY PITCH, ASTRO NAUTICO). Perfectly curated for our ‘black label’ 7”, both tracks run comfortably below the 4 minute mark, eschewing hard-hitting club production in favour of accessible, atmospheric styles. An accompanying digital release features the original cuts backed by 2 additional club-ready remixes from the international TUFF WAX squad.

MOIST GHOST’s ‘Call Me Up’ showcases Sam Wilhoit’s ear for eerie, brooding synthscapes with a stoned 4/4 shuffle. Tense, stormy and etherial, much like his earlier remixes for TUFF WAX and the acclaimed ‘Big Game Hunter’ LP for ASTRO NAUTICO in 2012. 

THE RANGE’s ‘Over You’ may be a cut from the vaults, but James Hinton’s unmistakeable production DNA runs right through it - familiar to all those who followed his massive debut LP ‘Nonfiction’ for DONKY PITCH. Almost devoid of drums, an army of moods and percussive breaks slowly swell around a bootleg Ashanti acappella, taking all of 2 minutes to reach its stunning crescendo. What is a girl to do?  

JAW JAM’s deep, off-balance remix of ‘Call Me Up’ follows from last year’s remarkable laser-etched 12” for TUFF WAX and a subsequent EP for LA’s SYMBOLS imprint. Aberdeen man & TUFF WAX in-house engineer GROBBIE contributes a spaceous, grime-tinged rework of ‘Over You’, hot on the heels of his first 10” for Utrecht’s SLAPFUNK. 

Track listing:

1. Moist Ghost - Call Me Up
2. The Range - Over You
3. Moist Ghost - Call Me Up (Jaw Jam Remix)*
4. The Range - Over You (Grobbie Remix)*

*Digital exclusive

Please direct feedback & requests to label@tuffwaxrecords.com

The Range - Over You (Grobbie Remix) (Digital Exclusive)

Moist Ghost - Call Me Up (Jaw Jam Remix) (Digital Exclusive)

The Range - Over You

Moist Ghost - Call Me Up

TWX-015

Tuff Wax Records’ 15th release hits the shelves on September 8th, courtesy of Adelaide’s Jon Santos, AKA Strict Face. ‘Marble Isles’ showcases some of the young Australian’s most promising and daring work yet, seemingly influenced in equal amounts by the thump of UK Grime, the exuberant, unabashed pop sheen of New Wave and the power & nuance of 80s Asian cinema soundtracks.

Opener ‘Slow Fields’ leads, sounding like the work of a dysfunctional string ensemble. ‘Arpeggius’, ‘In Evergreen’ and ‘New Moonlight’ are club-ready and perfectly executed - full to the brim of Neptunes-esque bounce, grimy shuffles and Santos’ remarkable ear for melody. Less devil mix and more OST epic, the smouldering 'Mountain Falls’ takes the EP to its striking conclusion with no discernible time signature or percussive drive. 

Artwork by Ross J Platt - www.twitter.com/rossjplatt

Strict Face - In Evergreen

Strict Face - Slow Fields

Strict Face - Arpeggius

Strict Face - Mountain Falls

Casual  Look -  Katey Siren feat. Katey Red  & Jesse Slayter

Casual Look - Katey Siren (Instrumental)

Tuff Wax gets that little bit more Tuff for 2015, inviting Aberdeen’s own T_A_M back for his home-team follow up to debut single 'Midgar/Roze'. Since its release way back in the Summer of 2013, producer Thomas Emslie has crafted, grafted and refined his art, impressing the likes of Plastician, DJ Haus and Mumdance enough for public shoutouts and too many Rinse.FM spins to recall. Enter TWX-017, ‘Damned If I Do’.

The EP’s eponymous lead launches straight into pounding breaks and organic percussion, and the mile-a-minute drums continue in ‘Don’t Force It’. ‘Northwood Sad Clown’s an underwater Werehouse jam peppered by cheeky samples and ‘Salaam’ might be the weirdest tune you find yourself whistling this year. A ‘Polymath Man Tuff Wax Bonus Dub’ bookends the whole affair with a analogue, tape-squashed dub of Emslie’s opener.

‘Damned If I Do’ is released on March 9th.

https://tuffwaxrecords.bandcamp.com/album/twx-017-damned-if-i-do

T_A_M - Northwood Sad Clown

Tuff Wax gets that little bit more Tuff for 2015; inviting Aberdeen’s own T_A_M back for his home-team follow up to debut single 'Midgar/Roze'. Since its release way back in the Summer of 2013, producer Thomas Emslie has crafted, grafted and refined his art, impressing the likes of Plastician, DJ Haus and Mumdance enough for public shoutouts and too many Rinse FM spins to recall. Enter TWX-017, ‘Damned If I Do’. 

The EP’s eponymous lead launches straight into pounding breaks and organic percussion, and the mile-a-minute drums continue in ‘Don’t Force It’. ‘Northwood Sad Clown’s an underwater Werehouse jam peppered by cheeky samples and ‘Salaam’ might be the weirdest tune you find yourself whistling this year. A ‘Polymath Man Tuff Wax Bonus Dub’ bookends the whole affair with a analogue, tape-squashed dub of Emslie’s opener. 

‘Damned If I Do’ is released on March 9th.

T_A_M - Don't Force It

Tuff Wax gets that little bit more Tuff for 2015; inviting Aberdeen’s own T_A_M back for his home-team follow up to debut single 'Midgar/Roze'. Since its release way back in the Summer of 2013, producer Thomas Emslie has crafted, grafted and refined his art, impressing the likes of Plastician, DJ Haus and Mumdance enough for public shoutouts and too many Rinse FM spins to recall. Enter TWX-017, ‘Damned If I Do’. 

The EP’s eponymous lead launches straight into pounding breaks and organic percussion, and the mile-a-minute drums continue in ‘Don’t Force It’. ‘Northwood Sad Clown’s an underwater Werehouse jam peppered by cheeky samples and ‘Salaam’ might be the weirdest tune you find yourself whistling this year. A ‘Polymath Man Tuff Wax Bonus Dub’ bookends the whole affair with a analogue, tape-squashed dub of Emslie’s opener. 

‘Damned If I Do’ is released on March 9th.

https://tuffwaxrecords.bandcamp.com/album/twx-017-damned-if-i-do

T_A_M - Salaam

T_A_M - Damned If I Do (Polymath Man Tuff Wax Bonus Dub)

Teaser clip of the second in our new 7" series, following a new wave of underground electronic producers in Aberdeen. On YOIN’s offering, 'Martial Status’ wastes no time in kicking things off with neck-snapping intergalactic juke vibes, bold synths & ghostly pitched-down vocal samples from the get-go. On 'Wrong To Feel This Way', synth stabs crash nervously around YOIN's complex 808 rhythms while his filtered vocal loops keep you grounded. 

Pressed onto clear orange heavyweight 7" vinyl, hand numbered & limited to 200 copies.

http://tuffwaxrecords.bandcamp.com/album/twx-004-aberdeen-truth-vol-2-yoin-7

TWX-004: Aberdeen Truth Vol.2 - YOIN

FREE DOWNLOAD

TWX-008: Zubuntu - High Skool/Ruff Stuff

http://www.soundcloud.com/bonesandmoney

Marbled white & green 7" vinyl out September 10th.

Pre-order now : http://tuffwaxrecords.bandcamp.com/album/twx-010-aberdeen-truth-vol-4-bones-money-7

TWX​-​010: Aberdeen Truth Vol. 4 - BONES & MONEY

Available March 11th: http://tuffwaxrecords.bandcamp.com/album/twx-011-black-diamond-remix-ep

Featured: http://www.earmilk.com/2013/02/13/bones-money-black-diamond-rewrote-remix-premiere/

Bones & Money - Black Diamond (Rewrote Remix)

Available March 11th

Featured: http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/code/1551178/coder-crews-picks-of-the-week-little-freaky-things-iggy-azealia-and

Bones & Money - Black Diamond (Chrissy Murderbot Remix)

**UPDATE**

Vinyl available from TRY Industries:
http://tryindustries.bigcartel.com/product/jaw-jam-the-truth-12-ep-twxtry001

Digital available here:
http://tuffwaxrecords.bandcamp.com/album/twx-012-jaw-jam-the-truth

On May 6th, New Jersey producer / DJ Jaw Jam will release The Truth EP, Tuff Wax Records’ eleventh release and first 12” pressing. The three tracks explore Jaw Jam's signature style; soft sine synth-work, unorthodox structures and elusive vocal samples that strike a balance between a deep reference to the club atmosphere and the producer’s engagement in jazz and improvisatory music. 

Released on a single-sided pressing with a stunning laser etched design on the flip, packaged in hand-screened recycled card sleeves, backed with a digi-EP featuring a freestyle inspired electro-pop remix with all the melody you'd expect from label honcho Lockah, and completed with a screwed opium-house rework from fellow rising Aberdonian Yoin.

Jaw Jam - The Truth (from TWX-012)

TUFF WAX is proud to announce the launch of TUFF TRAX - our new free singles club with a 'white label' vibe, bringing you rarities, bootlegs, odds and sods and more on a monthly basis. 

First up, a special piece of music which for a long time I wasn't sure what to do with. Here's an incredible remix that our friend Ewan Robertson aka Offshore did for me last year. This was originally planned to be included on 'When U Stop Feeling Like A Weirdo & Become A Threat' along with the original. We had spoken back and forth about putting it online but never found the time to just master it and get it out there. After Ewan's sad passing & having spoken to his brother Neil, it just seemed like the right thing to do to give it away for all to enjoy.

Ewan was a real inspiration to us from day one, being a local guy who was a real success story in music and the arts. Despite us barely knowing each other when we first started chatting, he was so approachable and always took time out of his schedule to give us feedback and advice on our sometimes iffy early productions. We loved to hang out with him when he came home to visit his folks and we all miss him a lot. RIP mate.

- Lockah

TTX-001: Lockah - Now U Wanna (Offshore Remix)

Next up on TUFF TRAX - @jaw-jam gives away another classic-cut-in-the-making to celebrate his epic laser-etched vinyl release earlier in May. The EP marked a milestone for TUFF WAX as we moved into 12" territory for the first time and saw our music being stocked by some of the biggest specialist stores in underground music. This one's on the house though - enjoy!

www.tuffwaxrecords.com
https://www.facebook.com/JawJamMusic
http://www.soundcloud.com/jaw-jam
https://twitter.com/JAWJAMZ


TTX-002: Jaw Jam - Work It Out

'Close/Anxious' caused a bit of a stir in early 2012 when it was released, resulting in unheard-of coverage for our then miniscule label and marking an explosive entrance onto the scene for Tuff Wax co-owners, @bonesandmoney.

The duo have since racked up an impressive list of releases and features, including their first 7" for Tuff Wax, a subsequent remix EP in which their material was tackled by the likes of @chrissymurderbot and TUFF WAX founder @lockah, and standout mixes for @truants & @liminalsoundsmusic.

@grobbie's dreamy, percussive remix was well known, but this previously unheard alternative rework remained a secret DJ weapon amongst the TUFF WAX fam. In the continued spirit of TUFF TRAX, we offer you this fine rarity. Enjoy! 

TTX-003: Bones & Money - Close (Grobbie Remix)

Release date: 03/07/13

@T_A_M

FREE DOWNLOAD - http://tuffwaxrecords.bandcamp.com/album/twx-013-t-a-m-midgar-roze

TWX-013: T_A_M - Midgar/Roze

Independent record label run by @Lockah and @BonesandMoney. 

Founded in the tail end of 2009 in Aberdeen as a boutique label aiming to revive interest in high quality vinyl, catalogue emerging scenes in the UK and release niche, collectable low-run pressings.

Tuff Wax Records

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