Hotlane – The EP

Hotlane – the slow house/ indie-pop-duo from Berlin are coming with their first EP. They have been described as sounding like a mixture of Chromatics, Portishead and Nicolas Jaar – and it’s true – they are not far from that.

Agnes’ voice has this fine, slightly Scandinavian filigranity. Something special that you get only in Nordic voices. Jack Tennis’ sometimes raw, often just easy flowing, never pretentious backing tracks reflect this certain melancholy that you get in never-ending, grey, cold Berlin winters. Together they create these shining little Hotlane-pearls.

Stream the EP in full below. Out now on Gomma. Get it here.

Agnes and Jack met in Berlin a few years ago. She came because of a modelling job, stayed because of a love thing and used to work at legendary BROKEN HEARTS CLUB – where Jack was djing. Jack Tennis makes his living by playing vinyl at Berlin off -happenings and insider -clubs like Kingsize, Konzulat and Ritter Butzke. The six songs they recorded over the last 3 years are truly something special. It’s easy to fall in love with Agnes’ and Jack’s wonderful world of whispering sounds.

Video: Munk – Kitchen Call (Daniel Avery Remix)

Long-running German electronic imprint Gomma will celebrate their 15th anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, the label is preparing a compilation entitled Pop Futuro. Ahead of the release of the full compilation later this year, Gomma will deliver a sampler on 17 April, featuring three tracks from Junior & Baumon, Metronomy and British electronic producer Daniel Avery. Below, you can watch the video for Daniel Avery’s rework of label co-founder Munk’s ‘Kitchen Call’.

Pop Futuro Sampler (inc. Metronomy, Daniel Avery, Munk and Junior & Baumon)

Outstanding German label Gomma are to release a compilation of their most cherish and unique gems in celebration of their 15th year as a label. Entitled ‘Pop Futuro’ the compilation will be accompanied by a sampler featuring music from Metronomy, Daniel Avery, Munk, Box Codax and Junior & Baumon.

Some of the tracks have been released before in some form or another but have proved to be enduring hits that get plenty of plays and are often asked about. As such they have been pulled together on this great new compilation and the likes of Hotlane, The Deadstock 33’s, Moullinex, Mercury feat. Robert Owens, Munk, Nancy Whang & Bonar Bradberry will all feature.

Ahead of that, though, comes this tasty sampler which features three key tracks from Pop Futuro. Up first is the Junior & Baumon song ‘Don’t Listen Much’. Junior & Baumon are, depite the name, a trio, made up of American singer songwriter Jan Fisher, French-German musician Fabian Kalker and Swiss producer Simon Baumann. Their creation, ‘Don’t Listen Much’ was only ever released before on a remix compilation and has drawn hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube and Soundcloud so the label is re-releasing it in a new radio mix as well as the extended version. It’s a playful, charming number with aloof vocals, lazy but uplifting drums and lots of organic instrumentals wrapped up within.

Next up is a Metronomy remix of Box Codax vs Metronomy’s ‘Naked Smile’. This is a freaky track of sinewy electronics, plodding drum-funk and great spoken word vocal that adds plenty of off kilter pop charm to the track as various guitar lines unravel all around the groove.

The third cut is the Daniel Avery remix of Munk’s Kitchen Call, it was a previously free download only and hasn’t been officially released before. This one is a somber, textured analogue affair with downbeat chords, heavily filtered robo-vocals and a mid tempo gothic groove underpinning the whole thing.

As the title suggests, this compilation really is all about suggesting different ways that pop music could and should sound in the future and Gomma are most certainly the perfect label to push the message.

Tracklist
1. Junior & Baumon – Don’t Listen Much
2. Box Codax vs Metronomy – Naked Smile (Metronomy Remix)
3. Munk – Kitchen Call (Daniel Avery Remix)
4. Junior & Baumon – Don’t Listen Much

Capri – Moon Magic EP

The new Gomma release once (again) comes from Mexico City. Ariel Aguisky aka Capri has been born in Argentina but now is resident DJ at Mexico’s best underground clubs M. N. Roy, Mono and Rhodesia. He has worked with some of the finest musicians such as Gustavo Cerati, Gus Gus, Zoe, Kinky, Babasonicos, Bajofondo and many others.

On his first EP for the German Gomma label he goes far beyond the current styles of house music. He does fantastic, warm, genius electronic dance music that is far from any categories. Capri is special. Order here.

Video: Munk – Deceiver

Prolific German producer and Gomma Records boss Mathias Modica, aka Munk, has just dropped his new album “Chanson 3000″ and below you can watch the video for the record’s new single “Deceiver”, featuring Lizzie Paige. Video by Proj3ctStudio.

Munk – Chanson 3000 LP

Without question, Gomma is one of today’s leading German electronic labels, constantly coming up with new exciting artists from the worlds of outsider house, new electronica and indie disco. With their great knowledge of and love for music, the label never jumps on bandwagons and always pioneers their own new sounds.

Now they present us with the new full length from Munk, aka label founder, DJ, graphic designer, producer and classically trained pianist Mathias Modica. To ensure it all sounds as good as possible, Mark Ralph (a producer and mixer for Daniel Avery and Franz Ferdinand) and disco legend Ray Mang have lent their skills to the album by mixing and mastering some of the tracks.

After an impressive career that includes highlights like 2011’s full length ‘The Bird and The Beat’, Munk still has plenty of gas in his tank and over the last couple of years has continued to serve up dazzling EPs. Celebrated for his collaborations with Rebolledo from Pachanga Boys, James Murphy from LCD Soundsystem, Mickey Moonlight from Ed Banger and club hits like ‘La Musica’ and ‘Down in L.A.’ (and a recent remix of Lana Del Rey‘s ‘West Coast’, which hit number one spot on the Hypemachine), Munk also co-produced albums by Gomma bands including WhoMadeWho and Moullinex. As such and in light of the fact that before he had had a career in electronic music, he played classical concerts on the piano and the church organ (!) and played sessions with avant garde jazz groups. This is a seriously talented man who has his finger firmly on the pulse.

DJs like Todd Terje, Shit Robot, Tensnake and Disclosure have all been playing the pre-released singles from this new album: ‘Southern Moon’ and ‘Happiness Juice’. The rest of it is likely to be just as popular, given its whimsical charms. ‘Chanson 3000’, recorded in Berlin, is a truly free flowing fusion of myriad styles from experimental disco to nineties electronica, new wave to 80’s pop and even harmonic and melodic influences from the jazz-funk universe. It features vocals from the newly discovered Lizzie Paige from New York and Mona Lazette from London; both now living in Berlin’s vibrant „Neukölln“ scene.

‘Cartoon’ kicks it off in cute style with synthesized lines sitting next to live instrumentation in true harmony. It’s a slow deep disco leaning cut that leads perfectly to the sonically and musically rich ‘Happiness Juice’ with its swelling melodies and lush chords. Mathias calls them “my ironic response to the ‘Get Lucky’/ ‘Happy’ hype of current pop disco”, mindful of the fact that Gomma – along with Lindstrum and Todd Terje – was the first label to release new forms of disco 10 years ago: Munk & James Murphy’s ‘Kick out the Chairs!’ , Cosmic legend Baldelli’s comeback records and many other discoish gems.

From organic, raw sounding afro house jams like ‘The Beat’ to chugging, guitar laced efforts like ‘Misterio’ this album is full of left turns and delightful surprises. They are all held together by a real sense of personality and inventive ability that is inspired by composers like Quincy Jones and Trevor Horn as much as modern greats like Nico Jaar or Metronomy.

There is rich songwriting along the way, too, like the sunny and happy ‘Transient Lover’ with its tooting arps and colourful drums, or the vintage sounding deep slap funk house of ‘What Do You Want From Me’.

This is a compelling album that bristles and brims with ideas, character and color. As such is sure to be one of the finest of the year. Certainly the finest to which Munk has put his name in his already illustrious career. What’s more, the album proves there is more to the Berlin landscape than the usual techno and deep house starlets, with Munk and Gomma very much bringing the music back to German electronics. On that note, look out for the Gomma “Pop Futuro’ compilation which will be dropping later in 2014 with music from the likes of junior & boman, esperanza aka death heat, metronomy, moullinex, daniel avery, banjo & freakout.

Out on Gomma on October 23rd 2014.

Tracklist:
1) Cartoon
2) Happiness Juice
3) The Beat
4) Southern Moon
5) Deceiver
6) Misterio
7) Transient Lover
8) Intimate Stranger
9) What Do U Want From Me?
10) Analogue Attitude
11) Desire To Believe
12) Grande Finale

Caribou – Can’t Do Without You (Munk & The Black Loops Remix)

Here’s the second Caribou remix post of the day. Munk & The Black Loops from Gomma remixed Dan Snaith’s uber hit “Can’t Do Without You“. As well as the Mano Le Tough & Tale Of Us rework a really beautiful track!

The Nancy Whang Casablanca Reworks

Gomma are proud to present a collection of fantastic Nancy Whang reworks of classic disco tracks that come in collaboration with a host of top modern day collaborators. The package also includes a new single with Drop Out Orchestra entitled ‘I Was Made For Loving You’, a cover of the famous Kiss record.

Whang has provided her trademark vocals to tracks by Soulwax, The Juan MacLean and Classixx before now, and after years as a vocalist and keyboard player in James Murphy’s super band LCD Soundsystem is now a revered artist in her own right. Each of the originals here were released on Casablanca – the label that made Giorgio Moroder’s Munich Disco Sound a worldwide trademark – and now have new life breathed into them to make them big hitters once more in 2014.

First is a remake of Dennis Parker’s ‘Like An Eagle’ with AudioJack. It’s a dazzling, uplifting track with plenty of cosmic energy and soaring vocals before next comes ‘Working The Midnight Shift’ with Bonar Bradbury of PBR Streetgang. This one, originally by Donna Summer, is a blissed out bomb with killer arps, tough basslines and plenty of retro disco flair.

Then comes the Nancy and Etienne De Crecy version of ‘Comme Un Aigle’, which is slowed to a seductive tempo, finds Nancy singing in French and is hugely sexy as a result. Following that is the inclusion of the new single in Semi Skimmed mix form (the original is also included), which is a rework of a Kiss classic. ‘I Was Made For Loving You’ is a broody bit of deep disco with Nancy’s killer vocal delivery front and centre and classic strings, plucked guitar funk and bold drums making for great listening all around.

Next is ‘Flashlight,’ originally by Parliament, which sees Nancy pair off with modern disco king pin The Revenge. It’s a trippy track with super deep kicks, a patient build up of tension and lots of bubbling synths that come at you from below.

This is a sizzling disco package once again from Gomma – both the new single and the collected previous reworks are essential tunes as we hit the height of summer.

Tracklist:
1. Nancy Whang & Audiojack – Like An Eagle

2. Nancy Whang & Bonar Bradberry – Working The Midnight Shift (Disco Version)
3. Nancy Whang & Etienne de Crecy – Comme Un Aigle
4. Nancy Whang & Drop Out Orchestra – I Was Made For Loving You (Semi Skimmed Version)
5. Nancy Whang & The Revenge – Flashlight
6. Nancy Whang & Bonar Bradberry – Working The Midnight Shift

Moullinex – Love Magnetic EP

Following the huge success of Moullinex remix for Royksopp & Robyn’ “Do It Again”, he’s back with a brand new single “Love Magnetic”, on Gomma. It is the producer’s first new material since the “Flora” album at the end of 2012, whilst his next artist album is also in the making.

Moullinex is a DJ and producer from Portugal, who has been closely related to Gomma for the past four years. He has an innate ability to fuse together myriad musical influences and that lends his productions a rich vein of musicality and originality. He is also the co-owner of the much lauded Discotexas label.

First up, ‘Love Magnetic’ is a summer party anthem that will be enjoyed by everybody who hasn’t fallen or already fell in love with the Moullinex sound. A heavy bassline. A straight beat. Some jazz chords and Luis Clara Gomes’ inimitable sweet and deep singing… what more could you need to make for a huge summer smash? Nothing, that’s what.

The flipside ‘Time and Tide’ is disco going psychedelic. Made up of nicely roughshod percussive rattles and cute little synth blasts to start, it soon gets beefed up by some heavy kicks. Grubby synth lines then come in from down low, as melodies begin to shine up top. After an epic and spine tingling breakdown at the mid point, complete with 80s sounding tinkles on the Casio, things drop once more and surge off into dazzling disco territory.

These are two straight up jams that more than whet the appetite for the forthcoming Moullinex album and will surely win the man many more fans in the process.

Out now on Gomma. Get it here.

Moullinex – Love Magnetic

Next up on definitive indie dance and freestyle electronic music label Gomma is a two tracker by album artist Moullinex. It is the producer’s first new material since the Flora album at the end of 2012 and comes just ahead of him remixing for Royksopp & Robyn and The Penelopes, whilst his next artist album is also in the making.

Moullinex is a producer & DJ based in Lisbon, Portugal who has been closely related to this label for the past four years. He has an innate ability to fuse together myriad musical influences and that lends his productions a rich vein of musicality and originality. He is also the co-owner of the much lauded Discotexas label.

First up, ‘Love Magnetic’ is a summer party anthem that will be enjoyed by everybody who hasn’t fallen or already fell in love with the Moullinex sound. A heavy bassline. A straight beat. Some jazz chords and Luis Clara Gomes’ inimitable sweet and deep singing… what more could you need to make for a huge summer smash? Nothing, that’s what.

The flipside ‘Time and Tide’ is disco going psychedelic. Made up of nicely roughshod percussive rattles and cute little synth blasts to start, it soon gets beefed up by some heavy kicks. Grubby synth lines then come in from down low, as melodies begin to shine up top. After an epic and spine tingling breakdown at the mid point, complete with 80s sounding tinkles on the Casio, things drop once more and surge off into dazzling disco territory.

These are two straight up jams that more than whet the appetite for the forthcoming Moullinex album and will surely win the man many more fans in the process.

Out on May 16. Preview it above.