After a little hiatus (during which they threw a great party at Wire with their friends from across the Pennines, Eastern Bloc) the Tribe Records boys are back on the blog. A whole load of new records have been piling into shop on Kirkgate; here’s just a few of the most notable ones, selected by Alex T and Mike G.
Kris Baha – Can’t Keep The Fact [Pinkman]
Alex: “The EBM / chug / wave / post punk sound is really coming to the fore at the moment, especially with it becoming more in demand in the UK, and two of the most prominent names in this scene are Kris Baha and Pinkman Records. This is Baha’s first outing on the Rotterdam based imprint, perfectly slotting into their weighty chugging EBM ethos with a heavy hitting EP. ‘Notion of Dismay’ and ‘Flashback’ are peak time weapons utilising rough baselines alongside apocalyptic instrumentation and vocals, and even the lighter offerings on the release still feel extremely dense in nature. A great release for both in the club and at home, it’ll sure to take you on a trip into this burgeoning scene that is coming out of northern Europe”
Carl Finlow – A Selection of Works Part. 2 [For Those That Knoe]
Alex: “Finlow’s back catalogue is full of endless gems, I’m pretty sure there are still loads I’m waiting to uncover, but for now these excellent compilations on For Those That Knoe will keep me happy. Label boss Ben Boe has picked out a selection of Carl’s work ranging from some of his most well known tracks to some little known gems buried in his discogs. Where the first compilation was much more dancefloor orientated, this one focusses on his more introspective electro trips, with tracks like ‘Moment’ and ‘Evaluation’ displaying his softer side. However, there’s still some peak time business in here with one of Finlows best tech house tracks – ‘Islands’, nestled in the release. Absolutely essential for any techno or electro fan!”
V/A – Back To Basics Rare Classics Vol. 2 [Basic Vision]
Alex: “Leeds’ fine house music heritage is on display here with a wonderful selection of highly sought after cuts that were rinsed at Basics back in the day. The second of a 4 part series curated by Ralph Lawson, this is definitely the strongest so far, with Mood II Swing’s hypnotic remix of ‘Flame’ on the A side, and the US deep house classic ‘Paper Moon’ by 51 Days on the B side accompanied by a jackin’ cut from Terrence FM. Great value for money on this record considering the originals would set you back up to 30 quid each.”
Talking Drums – Speaking Rhythm [Talking Drums]
Mike: “Talking Drums drop their debut release and it’s a fantastic wonky reedit for the dancefloor. Patrick at Piccadilly Records in Manchester, Stuart Fear and Katy Bee are the musical minds behind the label. They are a trio of impeccable tastes as DJs and collectors and so whatever comes next for the label is eagerly anticipated by all. This record has been flying out thanks to their Leeds connections and you are advised to pick one up soon as the run is limited.”
Basa Basa – High Life Music LP [Vintage Voudou]
Mike: “Amsterdam based label and shop, Vintage Voudou, reissue a major wantslister with Basa Basa’s ‘High Life Music’ LP. This masterpiece from 1979 by the Ghanaian group – in a unique collaboration with Themba ‘T Fire’ Matebese – sounds way way more diverse than the name suggests, as they masterfully fuse cosmic synths and traditional music looking forward into the next decade. This post-afrobeat rarity holds the leftfield/Balearic gem ‘Black Light’ and the dance floor bomb ‘African Soul Power”