Taka Noda AKA Mystica Tribe has been releasing deep music on vinyl since 2011 on labels including SD Records, Solar Phenomena, Silent Season, and his own Mystica Tribe Records. Working in the dub/techno continuum, he is one of only a handful of artists who creates brilliant tunes at both ends of the spectrum, from heavy, psychedelic warehouse techno to beautifully orthodox reggae-infused dubwise. For his first ZamZam, he leans hard into the latter. 

Noda describes his approach to these tunes as a “virtual live band,” and while “the only real live instrument is the melodica, I wanted to capture the energy of a live band with this song.”

A master of both melody and rhythm, Noda does exactly that with “Ido” (which means a well for water). The mood hits immediately with a loose & confident groove built from impossibly-live sounding drum work, a perfect orthodox bassline, and achingly beautiful interplay between piano, clav, and melodica. Somehow both melancholy and bright, it captures that moment when winter gives way to the first hint of spring, sun finally breaking through clouds after months of rain and darkness. 

Rather than a simple dub of the A side, the version is a complete rebuild of the tune. “Ido - Renren Version” (which means flowing like tears, or a river) drops the tempo down to 120 but goes harder rhythmically in spite of its slower tempo. Opening with a stark, dark, and menacingly driving bassline and warped dub siren, the vibe is completely transformed from above-ground to below. Hard percussion, new melodica parts, and 4-4 hats & kick take it into that full post-punk dub territory that the world needs more of. Much more!!

Strictly limited to 650 copies for the world. No digital, no repress. Art, design & screen print by Polygon Press. Mastered by Sam at Precise, Pressed at Third Man. Shipping end of February, 2023.

Mystica Tribe "Ido" b/w "Ido" (Renren Version) ZamZam 90 7" vinyl blend

A Talk With Lucid Lucia at We Are Various | 22-10-2023

Ulrich Troyer has been producing music now solidly for over twenty years within a largely genre free framework, but whilst navigating forms such as avant-garde, techno, leftfield, field recording, electronica, glitch and ambient it is the aesthetics of dub that guide his creative direction. Not really recognisable in an orthodox form as remixed versions of roots reggae songs but in the way sonics are manipulated with space, the application and layering of delay, reverb and echo that fixes his output well within the scope of what might be called futurist dub. 

The nearest comparisons to his new album TRANSIT TRIBE can only be established by a synthesis of some of the more adventurous explorations in modern music such as African Head Charge, Jon Hassell, Pole (Stefan Betke), Bill Laswell or even Miles Davis; featuring a diverse selection of artists and friends not only from Vienna and environs but also from around the world, sounds are not so much fused but allowed to float along the continuous flowing tide of warm waves of bass.

Liner notes by Steve Barker 
(DJ, Radio Presenter - On the Wire, BBC 1984 – 2023, now Slack City Radio & reggae/dub columnist and contributor to The Wire)

Credits:
 
Osman Murat Ertel: electric saz & guitar
Didi Kern: drums, percussion
Ulrich Troyer: analog synthesizers, analog drum-machines, e-bass, sampler, dub effects
 
Arranged by Ulrich Troyer 
Written by Osman Murat Ertel & Ulrich Troyer 

Recorded by Ulrich Troyer at 4Bit Studio & 4Bit Bungalow, Vienna - except: electro saz & guitar recorded by Osman Murat Ertel at Saniki Studio, Istanbul 

Mixed by Ulrich Troyer at 4Bit Studio & 4Bit Bungalow, Vienna
Produced by Ulrich Troyer & Osman Murat Ertel / kindly supervised by Diggory Kenrick 
Cover Artwork: Ink drawings & design by Ulrich Troyer / kindly supervised by Eva Kelety
Mastering & Laquer-Cut: Kassian Troyer at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin

Special thanks to Steve Barker, Mamadou Diabate, Osman Murat Ertel, Reinhilde Gamper, Susanna Gartmayer, Eva Kelety, Diggory Kenrick, Didi Kern, Hamidou Koita, Lukas Lauermann, Martin Mallaun, Roland Mitterer, Taka Noda, Wolfgang Pfistermüller, Flip Philipp, Roger Robinson, Kassian Troyer, Kwame Yeboah and Ben Ziel 
 
Kindly supported by: City of Vienna (MA7 - Kultur), Federal Ministry Republic of Austria (Arts, Culture, Civil Service & Sport), SKE-FONDS (AT) & Amt für Kultur, Bolzano/Bozen (IT)

Transit Tribe

07 AVRUPA KÖPRÜSÜ feat. Osman Murat Ertel

We were very proud to release Titus 12’s debut physical release early last year, and we are just as proud to present his second ZamZam.  Longtime host of Ujima 98 FM’s Subsession radio show out of Bristol, and the hand behind new cassette label Limbo Tapes, Pete Hazell is well-known in his city as a purveyor of deep, eclectic, bass-centric music of many hues and shades… his myriad influences alchemically combine into a signature sound that is as unmistakeable as it is difficult to pin down.  In a world of cookie-cutter soundworlds Titus 12 conjures something truly personal and magical and makes it sound effortless.   

“Summon Luxo” opens with raw vinyl archaeology, managing to wed a humid, plaintive, layered vocal chop to a sultry boom bap riddim, with so much swing and space you’ll swoon under its strange power. Titus 12 says, "Summon Luxo came about after falling in love with a recording of an Ethiopian funeral song, and the suggestion that the singer might be summoned to a funeral from many miles away, because of the calibre of his lament." Intertwining synth melodies, sophisticated vocal manipulations, deeply elastic bass and ethereal ragga flavor complete an absolutely unique and captivating tune you’ll want to rewind again and again.

“Silly Youth” fuses distorted french cafe melodica vibes to rugged sound tape boasts and smoked-out 140 swagger with Titus’ signature reverb-filled spaces, 808 bass and aquatic claps for another singular journey through the mind of a true original.  No dibby-dibby sound!!

Released mid-September, 2017.  Limited to 600 7" vinyl copies for the world. Design & screen print by Polygon Press.  Mastered by Sam at Precise.  No repress, no digital. 

Contact zamzamsounds@gmail.com for any information, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to be kept in the loop!

Titus 12 "Summon Luxo" b/w "Silly Youth" ZamZam 56 7" vinyl rip blend

This player previews Arp Frique - Nos Magia (RH-store jams011)
Release: December 4, 2017

PRE-ORDER VINYL: http://www.rushhour.nl/distribution_detailed.php?item=98823
PRE-ORDER DIGITAL: http://rushhourmusic.bandcamp.com

Three dance floor hitters by the Dutch Arp Frique. "Nos Magia" holds collaborations with Nigerian funkster Orlando Julius and Cape-Verdean legend Americo Brito. Surprising new cuts that could easily have been made in the 70ties! Big tip!

Arp Frique is Niels Nieuborg from the city of Rotterdam, who has been actively involved in the Dutch live music scene for years, working with Cape Verdean & Surinamese musicians especially. After all these years, he finally presents his own true musical output. 

"Nos Magia" is a classic sounding, but unheard Cape Verdean funana song featuring the old skool Americo Brito on vocals. The b-side holds two collaborations with afro-beat protagonist Orlando Julius.....enjoy!!

Tracklist:
1 Nos Magia 
2 Kamajo
3 Ijo Ya

ARP FRIQUE - NOS MAGIA (RH-STORE JAMS011)

GET THE 7'' - > https://vegetableorchestra.bandcamp.com/album/transplants-versions

The Vegetable Orchestra teams up with Tokio based Takafumi Noda aka MYSTICA TRIBE (Silent season, SD Records, Mystica Tribe Records) on melodica for this new and remixed version of their evergreen TRANSPLANTS (from their 2010 album ONIONOISE). This 7'' sounds heavy and is the perfect ingredient for organic Club DJ-Sets. The flip holds a subtle dubbed out Version of the original.
credits
released July 3, 2020 

Takafumi Noda aka MYSTICA TRIBE: melodica (A1)  
The Vegetable Orchestra: various amplified vegetable instruments  
Recording of vegetable instruments: Oliver Brunbauer aka Ollmann at Feedbackstudio2, Vienna 
 Recording of melodica: Takafumi Noda, Tokio 
Composed by The Vegetable Orchestra / 
arranged by Takafumi Noda & Ulrich Troyer 
Mixed and dubbed by Ulrich Troyer at 4Bit Studio, Vienna  
Mastered by Kassian Troyer, Berlin 
Lino Cut / Stamp: Ulrich Troyer

TRANSPLANTS (MYSTICA TRIBE VERSION)

1164. SWOUND SOUND Radioshow
Makossa & Sugar B @ Pratersauna Strandklub

playlist: https://fm4.orf.at/radio/stories/2989414/

FM4 Swound Sound #1164

"I'm a big fan of Brazilian music, I find it lifts my mood, as it's so joyous, even though I dont speak Portuguese and as such i've accumulated a lot of Brazilian records over the years. I've always wanted to put some of them in some sort of sequential order, but never really got round to it. These are some of my favourites, and you can even dance to the second half. I hope it brings you sunshine and joy in these weird times." (Ben Morris, 2020)

LF PODCAST 012 - BEN MORRIS

To commemorate Tony Allen's passing last Thursday and celebrate his infectious drums sound, we share today the official solo track of his drums take on @sebastien-tellier cult song "La Ritournelle". 

Tony Allen was a maestro. His torso wouldn’t move when he played the drums. He never hit hard, his speciality was extreme subtlety. He played the drums on "La Ritournelle" in one take, then he had to pick up his kid at school!

Eternal respect.

Available now for free download for all listeners : fans, sample geeks, producers, musicologists...

Sébastien Tellier - La Ritournelle (Tony Allen's Beat Solo Track) [Free DL]

FREE DL (Audio + Video) here:
https://vegetableorchestra.bandcamp.com/album/green-days-audio-video

"Green Days" was recorded by all members in their kitchens during the lockdown in April 2020. Enjoy! 

The download includes the audio track and also the video of the performance.

credits
released June 5, 2020 

The Vegetable Orchestra - Green Days 

Matthias Meinharter: Onion Peels, Feebee, Leekolin, Leek Clap 
Susanna Gartmayer: Water Turnip, Carrot Xylophone & Delay 
Jürgen Berlakovich: Distorted Eggplant 
Ingrid Schlögl: Cucumberidoo, Tubecumberdrum, Carrot-Pepper Trumpet 
Barbara Kaiser: Onion Bristles, Leek-Asparagus Violin 
Ulrich Troyer: Calabash Bass Drum, Dried Nigerian Okra 
Martina Winkler: Dried Beans 
Jörg Piringer: Carrot Plop 

Music & Production: The Vegetable Orchestra 
Video Compositing & Editing: Matthias Meinharter 
Music Arrangement & Mix: Jürgen Berlakovich 
Final Mix & Mastering: Ulrich Troyer

GREEN DAYS

GREEN DAYS (Audio & Video)

It's time to Take a Trip with  @tomfitzgeraldmusic 

T. Fitzgerald is a London based DJ/producer and the head of the minimal house and techno collective and record label, @weareftr. Make sure you check out his debut EP A Formal Introduction. 

Here he has delivered a mix that pushes and pulls you through ambient, downtempo and some more experimental cuts that will keep you engaged throughout. 

So as always, sit back, relax and take a load off. Enjoy.