Repress!

One of Stockholm’s finest exports, Elfenberg arrive at Bordello with four slices of synthesizer goodness. The duo open with “Forever Alone”. A cruising arpeggiator steers its way through glistening snares, rolling kicks and classic italo vocals. Night falls in the jungle “Conga Coronation”. The treetops bristle with birdsong, thickets of bongos, toms and rain sticks lead a path to dawning melodies. A wonderfully textured percussive piece, the track is intricately carved and demonstrates the diversity and depth of Elfenberg. The disco dipped futurism of “Sphere Of Missing Out” follows. Echoes of “Conga Coronation” rhythms are countered by beaming synth bars and vocoder lyrics with the Swedish pair pushing for the floor. “Cosmic Tribune” is the curtain close. Astral chords, spiralling key shifts and incising drums coalesce in this space inspired finale. A truly stunning debut from this talented partnership. More

Barcelona’s Anbau (Aspecto Humano) debuts on Bordello with a Giro d’Italia themed EP. Dedicated to its heroic riders and specifically the late Marco Pantani. He broke through in 1994, winning one of the hardest Giro climbs with an incredible time record; the Passo del Mortirolo. He eventually became second in the final rankings of this legendary tour of Italy.

The release will be out on the 4th of May, kicking off the 108th edition of La Corsa Rosa. Every copy comes in a limited edition sleeve with a unique and rare original Merlin collector’s sticker of the 78th Giro from ’95.

Riposa in pace, Il Pirata. More

Four years ago, Francesco Strippoli debuted on Bordello A Parigi with Universal Oneness followed by the analogue rich Prison Planet EP. Once again, donning his Armonics alias, the Bari based producer returns with four tracks for Future Echoes. The synthesizer warmth that has characterised past releases is immediately present. At the heart of “Floating High” is Strippoli’s keyboard work. Beats are crisp and understated as waves of melodic murmuration bob and weave to perfectly complement each other. A steady kick introduces the textured title work. Warbling notes give way to bolder chords, chords that are blurred by shimmering arpeggios as layers of harmony expand and unfold. Nostalgia meets the needle on the flip. “Retrospectiva” blends subtle shades with brassy extravagance, the sun and romance of southern Italy radiating in tempered brilliance. The energy of “Music and Lights” closes. Throbbing keys are further fortified by swirling synth stabs, the intensity being ratchetted up to boiling point in this dancefloor delight. Quality through and through. More

Matteo Mussoni and Nicola Zucchi were raised on the disco romance of the 1970s and early 80s. Channelling their shared love of music machines and mirrorballs, the duo founded Sparkling Attitude. Their debut EP draws on the magic of italo disco, the synthesizer soundtracks of the silverscreen and the open stretches of the Italian coastline. “Dov’eri Sabato Sera” recounts the tale of unrequited love; youth, possibility and dashed hopes play out to a crisp rhythm and wistful melodies. Those heart-strained notes then take the limelight for the instrumental version, analogue strings soaring to impassioned heights. The flames keep burning on the flip with “Melodico Romantico”. Disco infused, bold and brazen beats are made-up in dark rouges and effervescent greens as breathy vocals whisper. Mussoni and Zucchi dive deep into their machines for the curtain close. Inspired by Japanese culture, made in Italy, daring key stabs and astral echoes are draped in a late-night groove for this glittering finale. Joyous sounds from a Sparkling Attitude. More

Here at Bordello, the hot season has already arrived. Championing this warmth is Italy’s very own Hey Cabrera! The Turin based dynamo melds elements of electro disco, italo and house to create a uniquely aromatic blend of dancefloor joy. Clean drum patterns, claps and hi-hats are at the foundation of “Italo Void”. From these percussion points, a bold and ensnaring melody takes flight; glimmering synthlines shining from beginning to end. Fellow Bordello mainstay, Lauer arrives to bring his own analogue sound to the title piece. Accentuating that irrepressible tune, piano keys give extra ballast with a touch of late evening romance as we wait for the sun to come up. The flip transports us to Scandinavia for some unrequited love. Although “Forelskelse” may mean unexplored passions, this track is brimming with emotions. Burning with a smouldering energy, ingredients from disco to house combine to produce a wonderfully uplifting work. David Bay, of Zissou Records fame, closes with his interpretation of “Forelskelse”. A measured introduction gives way to those addictive notes of the original, Bay stripping back the samples to allow the instruments to sing. A soundtrack to see us into a magical summer. More

Montreal. 1983. In the studio, Denis and Denyse LePage once again marry their musical ability to produce a romance streaked electro disco gem. Fast forward three decades and the husband-wife partnership of Lime may be forgotten by some, but not by all. Odessa pays homage and treats you to a Private Disco Show. Synth lines are buffed and allowed to shine once again. Vocals take a back seat as glittering notes are given centre stage. Bright beaming bars, cascading chords and heady harmonies bob and weave in this refreshing of a true classic. More

Few artists have done as much as Heinrich Dressel to rekindle the genre of soundtracks. Even fewer are as capable as the Italian at writing such silver screen scores. Yet, Valerio Lombardozzi is much more than just one style. He has shown this time and time again, doing so once more with The Obscure Cities. Works of fiction, rather than film, are the fount of inspiration with tracks drawing on the likes of J.G. Ballard, Francois Schuiten, Benoit Peeters and Valerio Mattioli. The listener is transported to worlds of Dressel’s own making, landscapes of melody, textures of bass punctuated by drums. “Galatograd” opens. From understated beginnings, the track expands into a symphony of strings as columns of warmth descend. Tempos rise for “Eden Olympia”. A different tone is set. Juddering arpeggios and clean snares are elevated by bright and hopeful keys that sparkle with an enthusiasm and innocence. Deep unctuous bass gives way to gliding notes for “Remoria”. A piece where melodies and memories melt in the morning dawn. “Mylos” is the last visit of the EP. Delicate, almost fragile, notes are buttressed by drum patterns in this hazy dreamlike finale. More

Voodoos and Taboos first appeared in 2019. A mysterious outfit, their melting pot sound immediately caught the ears of the faithful; acid cut with house, electro beats shot through with a punk D.I.Y. attitude. Their escapades didn’t miss us here at Bordello. Reversible Dreams collects four examples of this chameleon club style that Voodoos and Taboos have cultivated, the EP opening with the title piece. Cascading chords and whispered samples give way to rich bass strings as a playful piano melody transforms into squirming acid beams. Claps and neat notes introduce “Unconditional Love”, vocoder lyrics mingling with spoken word and juddering space TB303 squawk. The flip adopts a darker hue. Off-kilter bars and stern beats introduce “Animae”, alien electro melodies descend as a fizzing late night energy takes hold. BPMs drop for “Destino Lontano.” Warm basslines and Eastern scented synth-play weave their way through the piece, delicate strings and dawn sunshine leading to a close. More

Vacanze di Natale! Four party jams by Alberto Melloni, Luca Bacchetti and Modula feat. Carmen Lubrano from Italy and Red Woodchuck, the Dutch cherry on top. Every record comes with a different sticker sleeve. More

For more than thirty years, Ruud Lekx has been corrupting hearts and minds with his unmistakable brand of synthesizer music. Under his Rude 66 mask, this titan of electronics returns to Bordello A Parigi with twelve darkened tracks for Conditioning Consciousness. Tempos glide low in the opening incantations. From the breathy murmurings of “Magick Angels’ Invocations”, the listener is brought into Rude’s world. Shauna Lekx’s signature vocoder lyrics and blackened subject matter are central tenets, as are hauntingly delicate melodies. “The Riddler In Me” is a deep psychological journey through cable and circuit, an unsettling monologue accompanied by liquid analogue lines. BPMs are allowed to rise for the shimmering warmth of “In Exile” and in the reverb soaked “The Chariot”. But these are the outliers. Across the collection, percussion drives without ever being a central force. Instead, the focus is the bewitching and brooding compositions. Take the drugged low slung groove of “The Talisman of Algol” or the loose modulations of “Le Sagittaire”, here the listener is brought into the heart of the machines and the musician. The curtain close, “The Five Swords Of Venus In Aquarius” gathers a spread of influences, bringing them together into one piece. Synth. Soundtrack. Strings. All culminate in this superb climax, a climax to an album that broaches the boundaries between terrifying and terrific. More

We’re very proud to welcome Rome’s Andy Romano to the Bordello family with his long-awaited debut release! These tracks were shelved for more than 10 years and floating around between a handful of DJ’s after Andrea Confrancesco chose a different path in his creative career by becoming a professional illustrator.

The A-side makes space for the almost 10 minutes long monster anthem “Monday”. A killer composition in typical Romano fashion and on repeat at the Bordello HQ for many years. The flipside starts with the very catchy love ballad “Loredane” featuring the master himself on vocals, followed by the galactic journey “Cyber Black Spaceship”. Grandioso. More

Having featured on the Diamonds in the Night series with the epic “Midnight Opera”, it was only a matter of time before Lukas Zeringis, better known as Zakmina, had his own 12” on Bordello A Parigi. Following appearances on Correspondant, Future Boogie and XXX, the Lithuanian born musician arrives with two tracks that break the mould. A speeding rhythm sees “For U” race out of the stocks. Bright strings arc before a generous break and this old-school rave anthem reveals itself in all of its brazen glory. Glowsticks at the ready for this seven minute romp into sweaty ecstasy. The flip is inhabited by a completely different animal. “Take Me Back” comes to life with blissful notes before rasping rhythms give way to a rumbling arpeggiator. Sailing strings are countered by squalid acid undercurrents as Zeringis finds a sweet spot between braindance bleep and soulful electronics. A seriously strong debut. More

Repress!

After the success of Bollywood infused edit of Koi Jaye and the Three Eyes remix, Tjade is back on Bordello A Parigi with a four tracker of varied delights. A clear enthusiasm for bright melodies and bending bars of trance runs through his Voyager EP. The title track judders to life on rumbling arpeggio lines, while the leads are crisp and beats racing fast as an anthem for dancing till sunrise dawns. “In Contact” offers corkscrew acid key shifts and sentimental chiptune melodies, while broken beats and the devil-may-care chords characterise “Shut Out”. Tjade provides music to help cares float away and bring people together. To top it all off, the master of all things modern rave Marlon Hoffstadt dons his DJ Daddy Trance moniker to rework the title piece. The BPMs rise, the breaks extend and drops fall from great height. More

Rees landed on Bordello A Parigi with a bang. His “Three Eyes” track left dancefloors slippy and listeners wanting more. Thankfully, the Middlesborough musician only too glad to comply. Dream Wave collects three tracks that are emblematic of Rees’ enviable ability. A serial cross pollinator, genre lines are blurred before being rewritten. “A Dream Wave” melts rich basslines and muscled percussion with a daringly upbeat counter melody. Kick drums usher in “The New Beat”. Flourishes float above the thump before Rees lets loose. Acid barbs, rave shouts and Eastern echoes coalesce in this unique work. Keeping bodies moving until the very end, Rees delivers “Electric Body”. Guitar strings and incising snares collide with a hypnotic synthline that adopts elements of synth pop and full bodied techno. A record that perfectly illustrates the versatility of this style shifting artist. More

2023 Repress!

Daniel Monaco is a musician who defies definition. An artist who is as comfortable strumming a bass as he is bending waveforms on his synths, this is a creative that guarantees something unique. Tu Sei Pazza more than meets that guarantee. The title track is an instant classic. Soft burbling basslines float around a steady kick before daring brass sections are punctuated by scaling xylophone lines. Somewhere between late 70s lounge music and strikingly modern disco, this piece will put a smile on any face. Whodamanny lands on the flip and takes the original to moonbase five via Studio 54. Tempos are reduced as a path of cosmic laser-funk is taken by the amazingly versatile Naples producer. A cracking close to a 7” that packs a real punch. More

Since 2014, Silas Schletterer has been part of the Bordello A Parigi family. Under his Machinegewehr guise, the Rotterdam artist released three show-stopping synth centred records. 2023 sees him put out his fourth, Life. Burbling arpeggios, a signature of his sound, are present for “Sans.” Clever inviting melodies, another feature of Schletterer’s style, mix beautifully with clean percussion and samples for a definite dancefloor favourite. The title work follows. Measured and meditative, “Life” employs a familiar sound palette with very different outcomes. The pulsations, the throb, of Machinegewehr is there, but there is a considered melancholy that brins a bittersweet balance to the piece. Steady kicks and vocal snippets introduce “Pills.” Shifting melodies, piano stabs, driving rhythms and spoken word come together to create a heady brew of sheer pleasure. Vocals are central in the closer. “Neurons” narrates a fantastical story of subdued sci-fi sorrows and wistful yearning, all to a silken synth-pop soundtrack. A welcome return from a multifaceted musician. More

Alan Strani returns to Bordello with a remix package of his album title track ‘Apocalypso’ featuring I:Cube, Lauer, In Flagranti and himself on remix duties! More

Being somewhat of a conceptual experiment. All the artists on this album were asked to imagine fusing Acid and House with the Virtualsex LP which was released on Buzz in 1993. A 303 sound would be welcomed but not essential with an emphasis on soulful emotion and melody.

Each record comes with a individual digital download code More

There’s a time for everything. To fill in another piece of the puzzle. To make the matrix make sense. Trying not to hide it, trying not to fight it. Just trying to recognize it and keep on going.

This four-tracker, the first release on Sansibar’s 'Sin Sistema' imprint, borrows the best elements of formulas we love, and for a good reason.

‘We Rise’ a spiraling, mesmerizing infusion of yearning pads and a twisting acidic wormhole that leaves no room for doubt: this is Sans on form, and we have lift-off.

‘Elastic’ continues the lysergic theme, turning the dials towards a more sinister entity. Growing, realizing one’s power, and using it.

And on to the B-side, joining forces with Denzel, becoming ‘Sonic Minds’, getting into Techy territory. This is strictly festival business. Tried and tested throughout summer ’23 to devastating effect. Call an ambulance.

The final track ‘2k’ ups the Tech ante and sprinkles some murky UK Garage dust on top: skippy drums, a bouncy bass section, and dubby atmospheric More

Tracklisting
A1 DJ Sommer - Darling I Pray
A2 DJ Sommer - All My Love
B1 DJ Sommer - Heartbeat
B2 DJ Sommer - So Happy

More

Detroit's Filthiest closes his past (private stock) present (prime cuts) and future (premium content) trilogy, celebrating 20 years of Motor City Electro Company's excellence together with Casa Voyager presenting his outstanding electro funk works. More

Wonderful and utterly nuts home studio genius...with artwork to boot (includes printed inner sleeve). A gem. BIG TIP!

" A pop star who turned his back to show business to become an independent
artist, steered by the revolutionary ideas of his wife Jacqueline in
1960's France; these are the outlines of Henri Salvador's unusual
musical career. It made him into a star then led him to entirely
dissociate from the record industry, preferring to make music in his
living room with his guitars. At 50, Salvador starts experimenting with
synths and drum machine, multi-track recorders and altered voice
collages. He takes up editing and mixing, and solitarily makes songs for
young and old from his home in Paris' Place Vendôme.

"Unfortunately, it's not beautiful songs that make an amazing
career. These are songs that will exist after I die." (1969)

How can one even begin to tell the story of Salvador? Seventy years of
music, a thousand of creations of all styles. He has known each and
every genre and trend, appropriated some and invented yet new ones.
Sometimes associated to ye-ye singers, he's also known to have brought
rock to France (in 1956, with Boris Vian). Yet he's 26 years older
than Johnny Hallyday. He's 47 when _Zorro est arrivé_ is released in
1964... and 83 at the release of _Jardin d'hiver_. Seen with today's
eyes it's all very dizzying. You never know whether he's young or
old, or under which label to file him: jazzman, crooner, entertainer,
composer, guitar player, children song singer...

As a kid he picks up the guitar without any theoretical basics and
becomes so talented he plays with Django Reinhardt. He learns to sing
and compose on his own. The 30s are the years of his training; the 40s
of his emancipation within musical ensembles which are to see his
talents flourish. He finds his public and perfects his tricks: laughter
and seduction. In the 50s he rediscovers the songs of the islands where
he grew up, revisits jazz, swing, blues and sings for children. It's
the years of his unforgettable "sweet song", and his voice changes.
His cheeky humour makes way for a multifaceted talent, he fills up
venues, surrounds himself with serious lyricists and accumulates
classics: _Le blues du dentiste, Dans mon île,_ _Syracuse._

"My wife has come to understand me so well that she can now think in
my place. When she has an idea it's, so to speak, my own idea!"
(Télé Magazine, 1972)

Jacqueline shapes and emancipates him. When they marry in 1950, she's
a quiet and cultivated young lady who's to progressively take charge
of his career. She enforces her views and frantic pace. A spectator in
the world of show business, Jacqueline realises that the artists, left
out of professional conversations, often get cheated. Henri undoes the
chains binding him to Philps, Vogue, Barclay, his editor, his manager
and his impresario, and becomes independent. The Salvadors get to know
the inner workings of production, edition, record pressing, distribution
and promotion. They always have material to record a demo at hand. Their
apartment is full of recorders: one at the bed end for the guitar, yet
another in Henri's office for the Steinway. He's on all fronts; he
accumulates hits, invents, mocks, adapts, and produces.

Place Vendôme sees the birth of the label Rigolo. Why Rigolo (French
for "funny")? "Because it's funny", he used to answer.
Homemade clips are broadcasted in TV shows they self-produce: Salves
d'Or (a play on words sounding like "Salvador" meaning "bursts
of gold") and Dimanche Salvador. Their approach turns out to be
profitable. The Salvador couple enters the 70s with confidence.

At times, Henri takes out the cabriolet along with his colporteurs on
record shop tours. Meanwhile Jacqueline is a formidable businesswoman.
Disney threatens to sue the singer over his use of the name Zorro: she
turns the situation to her advantage and cashes in on a Disney-Salvador
contract. The decade will see them release five records: _Les
Aristochats ("The Aristocats")_, _Blanche-Neige ("Snow White")_,
_Le petit Poucet ("Hop-o'-My-Thumb")_, _Robin des Bois ("Robin
Hood")_ and _Pinocchio_. Ever reinventing themselves, the Salvadors
intend to do without studios, engineers, producers and musicians
altogether.
"I started working with just a tiny recorder. Now I've gotten to
sixteen tracks. I have electronic drums and my instruments. I can give
the impression of a full orchestra. It's amazing, I have as many
musicians as I want at my disposal, at whichever time of day and
night" (1972)

They install a high-end recording studio in their living room they
nickname the PAM – referring to the name of their company, Productions
Artistiques et Musicales. Louis Chedid remembers, "there was a huge
mixer, custom made I believe, a 3M tape recorder. They must have had the
very first drum machines, the ones that accompanied organs for example,
inspired by the Ace Tone; they came with pre-recorded beats like 'samba'
or 'biguine' [pressing two keys simultaneously you could combine them].
Plus there were quite a few guitars. What I do remember very well is his
guitar playing. He was seen as an entertainer but, really, he was a
virtuoso."

Using his mixer and reels, Henri endlessly multiplies and harmonises his
voice. Everything is done hastily though with care. He plays around with
the offbeat sounds of the synths, has a blast with the drum machines. He
uses all of the pre-recorded beats, loops the "fillers" to generate
more beats, fiddles with the speeds, programs his own, sometimes goofy
rhythms. This creative shift changes his musical groove. Salvador
invented a mechanical jazz for himself, one that gathered its swing from
the guitars and its energy from the vocals. He worked around his
weakness on the bass with his strings and Moog keyboard. To get his
public used to this new style, the PAM first produces a few singles'
B-sides – _On n'est plus chez nous_, which recounts the story of two
scat-men interrupted by a passerby looking for Place de l'Opéra in
Paris. Then an A-side: _Ah ce qu'on est bien quand on est dans son
bain_, (which could be translated as "Oh how nice it feels to
bathe"), which was recorded straight from the bathroom and became
1970's Christmas hit. And finally the first self-released album: _Les
Aristochats_, rewarded by the Charles Cros Academy in 1971. Many things
are in Jacqueline's hands: the lead, the books, and even the keys of
the studio: at times Henri would get locked in to compose, let out only
to work on his TV shows.

Under his contract with Disney, he's required to produce
family-friendly records. Along with his authors he creates songs about
Uncle Scrooge, Sneezy and Mickey. He combines them to other, very
peculiar, pieces: _Les voisins_ ("The neighbours"), an old hater
complains about the noise; _Petit Lapin_ ("Little Bunny"), a city
man advises a rodent not to settle in town; _Voilactus_, (from "voie
lactée", French for the Milky Way) an alien mocks our banking system;
_J'ai envie de Lucie_, in which the narrator explains how he's
always longing for Lucie; _Maman Papa_, a spoiler for kids on how to
hate theirs parents later on in life; but also _Le temps des cons
_("The time of the jerks"), a harsh commentary on French society.
"I make kids laugh. I love to belong to this audience, the most
righteous and the most severe. If they like you, they tell you; if they
don't like you, they tell you, too." (Télé-Star, 1977)

These LPs are also full of tender songs, dance floor baits and
environmentalist vignettes - a hodgepodge less well regarded than his
sixties period. And yet it's a boisterous collection of gems, with a
peculiar signature and many fresh ideas. _Siffler en travaillant_
("Whistle While You Work") is a brilliant reinterpretation of one of
_Snow White_'s theme song, which a young Salvador had already
performed with Ray Ventura's Orchestra in the 40s; _Hello Mickey_, a
catchy, spirited ska_; J'aime tes g'noux_, a great cover of Shirly
and Co's _Shame shame shame_; on _Un jour mon prince viendra_, he
makes a beat borrowed from Suicide and a Les Paul solo collide.

Meanwhile Rigolo also releases less family-oriented singles. After all,
Salvador's in for a bit of fun. He takes up eroticism, the financial
crisis, and the negotiations between the US and Vietnam. He writes some
luminous ballads such as _Marjorie_ and catchy classics like _Pauvre
Jésus Christ_. Some tracks are the result of unbridled experimentation,
like _Sex Man_ – particularly innovative – or _Et des mandolines_,
an ode to cool eyeing on the side of Lucio Battisti. He makes the score
of a messy film, _L'explosion_. The soundtrack was only released in
Canada though it's full of wonderful material like _Thème du bateau_
or the depressing though dazzling _Le bilan_, written by his friend, the
drummer Moustache.

Should he have kept recording in his living room beyond 1975, where
would have Salvador ended up? Would he have been found to be one of the
pioneers of rap or techno? In 1975 Jacqueline is diagnosed with a
cancer. As she manages, decides and initiates everything, Rigolo starts
idling. The year's only release, _Pinocchio_, is finished in a rush
and poorly distributed. The Salvadors accumulate medical consultations
but the following year Jacqueline passes away. It's the end of an era,
the end of the home studio. Weary and beat, Henri doesn't feel like
playing in his empty house anymore. He lets all of their projects die
out: the TV show, the label, the musical editions, the PAM. It's a
free-for-all; the labels and editors scramble at his door. He's robbed
and pressed for more Disney albums. _Peter Pan_ is on the way, _Bernard
et Bianca_ ("The Rescuers") and _Mary Poppins_ should be next, but
nothing comes out. His old impresario Marouani helps him back on his
feet and takes him to the other side of the globe to drown his sorrows.
Henri had never gotten on a plane before.
"He's my man, my child, my baby and my islands' memories. I'm
his shadow and alter ego. I live for him." (Jacqueline Salvador, 1973)

Back in line, he records _Salvador 77_ with a handful of producers. He
slips in two oldies from his home-studio period: _Rock star_, a Johnny
Hallyday parody made for their TV show at the time and _L'amour, va,
ça va_, made in his crooner style. The latter is an outsider with its
sloppy arrangements. The synth is so saturated on the record it seems
the speakers might just blow up. In 1978, for RCA still, he records _On
l'a dans l'baba_ in the studio. It resembles a typical electronic
track with a Vocoder – the beat though doesn't emanate from a drum
machine but from a flesh-and-blood drummer. Here again however the irony
didn't bother Salvador. And neither us – we included the song as the
closing-track of our compilation.

In 1980, he handwrites _"Si vous ne l'aimez pas, allez vous faire
foutre"_ (literally, _"If you don't like it, go fuck
yourselves"_) on the sleeve of his latest album. We'll never know
whether it was meant for the journalists or his label. He records the
same hits again, releases dull singles. All the same, he remains a great
performer who can get the whole of Paris dancing, as well as a champion
for the youth (_Emilie Jolie, La petite sirène_). The 90s may prove to
be artistically poor, they are emotionally rich for Salvador: he meets
his last wife, Catherine. Lifted and lit up once again, he makes his
comeback in the 2000s with _Chambre avec vue_.
"In the 60s, the artists were getting ripped off with ridiculous
rates. In the 80s, the lawyers got involved. The economy changed and
non-recoverable advance payments emerged. Labels started financing
artists so they wouldn't end up doing like Salvador did." (Louis
Chedid)

Together with Jacqueline, Henri Salvador should've set an example for
other artists: one of independence against an unfair and unyielding
system. An inspiration not to end up enslaved by contracts signed too
early, or to feed a bunch of comatose owners clenching onto millions of
publishing rights. Be glad, music-consumer friends: tonight a pen-pusher
will offer himself an entrecote thanks to the money you kindly invested
in this compilation. Happy listening. More

Made by Mark Imperial & Vinnie Devine as Laurent X, "Machines" was conceived in a 16 track studio with an unquestionable Roland TB-303, but also a TR-808, TR-909, a Juno 106, some FX and a bucket of rib tips. According to Mark Imperial, he and his friends (specially Vinnie Devine) had a mad fun playing with gear. "I was DJing Italo imports since 1980, and as a regular on the Chicago DJ scene, naturally I became involved in DJ International Records from the beginning", says Mark about how the whole thing started. It was what we call a 'thinktank', and these young producers all experimented with gear. Mark Imperial's exposure to the acid sounds of TB-303 came from his dear friend Adonis (the one responsible for "No Way Back"), and Mark's exposure to the Juno 106 from Dane Roewade. About the equipment he made use at that time, Mark also stated: "I visited Detroit and was exposed to the Yamaha DX-100, a mere toy that was a staple to the Detroit sound at the time" (Derrick May, for example, did several of his early tunes' basslines with it, and Kenny Larkin confessed it was the equipment through which he made the etheral pianos of 'Yennek - Serena X' classic). Mark Imperial continued: "Although I didn't visit Detroit until 1989, Derrick May showed admiration for my track "Jason's Revenge" which I did in 1986", a fact that made Mark believe he was making "Techno" at its very early days. "Machines" was very, very influential tune as well. In 1988, he thought they were making "Acid", but it also became a quintessential masterpiece to other kinds of House music that appeared since then... More

Djs is a label focused on releasing original material from timeless artists. our releases will be only for djs / limited edition,for our 6th release, we bring you the best of the best & obviously the rarest 12 inches around again !Amazing 3 tracks ep from 1990 feat. one of the original deep house creators VINCENT FLOYD.A side comes up with the fantastic “cruising” (long ride), we guess the words deep has been created for records like this. A rare chance to get this in your dj bag for a decent price, close to EUR 100 on ebay. A cornerstone for today’s timeless djs.Then, on B1 we have isolation & silent noise, those tracks are so modern in terms of production that it still fit in any techno or house dj set without a doubt.

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Fast-rising Dutch DJ/producer BELLA becomes the first new artist signing to Sally C’s Big Saldo’s Chunkers imprint, with the inspiring ‘Note to Self’ EP – her debut production.

Relationships are key for Sally C. Since the inception of Big Saldo’s Chunkers in 2020, she’s released three carefully chosen EPs, all from her own studio. When she met BELLA while playing a festival in Amsterdam during summer 2022, the click was instantaneous, with the pair going on to play an impromptu b2b that day. Vibing both musically and energetically, they kept in touch, with BELLA sending Sally her maiden productions ‘Note To Self’ and ‘Orchestra Spring’. Sally connected so deeply with the tracks that they’d form the backbone of her debut artist EP on Big Saldo’s Chunkers.

One listen to the final EP and it’s not hard to see why Sally wanted to emboss them as Chunkers. Three fresh originals taking in influence from ‘90s house, acid, electro and prog, all with a unique hard-to-pin-down energy that makes them hit with a special swing.

The title track – also the first production made for the EP - sees BELLA lay down a sonic blueprint – both for her own sound and the full body of work. “This set the vibe and guided me through the creative process. I was really trying to make something that felt my own, that was also unique and not something I’ve heard before,” she shares. ‘Note to Self’ is heavy on attitude and bounce, driven by banging old skool drums, a rapid-fire grime-style vocal and a duo of synth lines – one uplifting, the other mining a slick ‘80s sheen, and the results are memorable. An absolute tune that Sally’s delighted to add to the Chunker catalogue.

‘Orchestra Spring’ is the perky sequel, a wicked one-two punch of kaleidoscopic groovy house with lashings of attitude that loves to scribble outside the lines with lots of retro samples and trippy energy. ‘Odd Symphony’ completes the trio, a blazing late-night cut driven by a gurgling acid underbelly, gritty drums and warm chords, giving the EP a brilliant afterglow.

Olsvangèr – one of Sally’s favourite producers – steps up for remix duties of ‘Odd Symphony’, and delivers a dynamic re-rub that begins in upbeat house territory, before taking an interlude in perkier rave realms.

“I'm over the moon to be releasing this EP on Sally’s label. It’s really special to have someone who I look up to release my music. She has given me tremendous support and guidance over the last two years, always ready to chat or give me some advice. It was a big surprise and honour when she suggested releasing the tracks on her label. It feels like a perfect fit. It’s super sweet to share this journey with her.” – BELLA

"I’m so excited to welcome BELLA to the label for her debut EP. It was time to take this next step and open the Chunkers door to new artists. I couldn’t think of a better one than BELLA to debut her fresh Chunkers on the label. Three banging originals by an extremely talented artist which I’ve been playing ever since she sent me the tracks. Polished with an Olsvangèr remix, it’s a really strong four track EP." – SALLY C More