Various - Shapes 11:01 - Compiled by Robert Luis
(2CD/LP with 2CD) Tru Thoughts TRUCD/LP239, 2011-10-10

The new bi-annual Shapes compilation from Tru Thoughts Recordings is coming out in october and once again it's full of classic tracks, new signatures and exlusives for a very cheap price tag. The first CD is a nice selection of horizontal grooves, songs & electronica from the vast palette of style from the label's recent output. Among the discoveries : new signings Anchorsong from Japan, and his trippy live downtempo music, Lossy from East London, a duo of jazz-infused electronica, groovy, soulful and uplifting trip hop, a new track from songstress Kinny, the kind of perfect sweetness for the ears to rub yourself into, the glorious reggae interpretation of the Dr Who Theme by the Smerins Anti-Social Club (only available on a strictly limited 45 for record store day before) and of the Dr. Dre hit Nuthin' But A 'G' Thing cover in cumbia mode by Quantic Y Su Conjunto Los Miticos Del Ritmo (only available on a limited Serato 12 inch before). The second disc is a more clubby, uptempo affair, with a tendancy towards crunchy or bassy speed-ambient. Among the notable new stuff are the afro-wobbly remix by Débruit of Saravah Soul is killer bouncy electro deconstructivism, Hint bringing hard to describe, crazy & addictive dance thingies to the table, and label honcho Rob Luis alias Nirobi who's also there with his heavy bass and percussive dancefloor beats to rock the roof off. Djouls - Paris DJs

Stateless - I'm On Fire
(Digital Single) Ninja Tune ZENDNLS290, 2011-09-19

Stateless return with the 3rd EP from their sophomore album, Matilda. In the summer of 2008 Stateless were doing a TV show in Manchester when they happened across the amazing talent of Shara Worden, who was promoting her latest My Brightest Diamond project. Quick to spot her potential, Stateless mainman Chris James subsequently jumped on a plane for Brooklyn to record a duet he'd written especially for her. After a brief series of face to face, live takes, it became apparent that they had stumbled across something magical. The song was transfixing, with the kind of pace and emotional pitch that cuts to the nerve. As a part of the Damian Taylor "Matilda" sessions the track was given some electro resonance, Gillian Wood's strings added a lushness. The band's Kidkanevil sculpted the arrangement into the climactic piece we release today. The EP comes with the type of progressive electronic mixes we have come to expect from Stateless courtesy of Blue Daisy and new Ninja signee Slugabed as well as a wholly new track...

Various - Label Love Vol.3
(Free Digital Compilation) Label Love, 2011-08-01

Label Love is an eclectic yet unified bundle of unique sounds compiled simply for the love of sharing them with the universe - each track plucked and presented by label heads from Decon Records, Fat Beats, One-Handed Music, Stones Throw, Tru Thoughts, Wah Wah 45s, and Wax Poetics. Each label evokes its own signature giving this collection a diversified and interesting flow of genres. Label Love consists of nostalgic classics, unreleased gems, and exclusive selections with the goal of expanding minds to new musical styles. Feel free to blog, play, tweet, blast, post, etc. Please share the love!

Go download on labelloveworldwide.bandcamp.com

PS Aja West & Cheeba from The Mackrosoft remixing Chico Mann from Antibalas…

Stateless - Matilda
(CD/LP/Download) Ninja Tune ZENCD157/ZEN157/ZENDNL157, 2011-02-21

It's easy to talk about the "epic" quality of this or that record, its "cinematic" feel. And how many artists have you heard say, as Chris James, lead singer of Stateless, does that "I wanted the record to be like a journey"? But sometimes it's true. Sometimes it just is true. Sometimes you have to hold up your hands and admit it. Welcome to Matilda, then, an eleven track, fifty minute follow-up to 2007's eponymous debut, which takes all of those easy words and makes something concrete out of them. Working with Bjork producer/programmer Damian Taylor, Matilda ties together classic songwriting with rhythmic drive, slatherings of sub-bass and enough electronic interference to satisfy the most anal of glitch-nerds. The results are spectacular...

Stateless - Assassinations
(Download) Ninja Tune ZENDNLS279, 2011-02-14

Stateless return with the second single from their forthcoming album, Matilda, with the aid of Bjork producer Damian Taylor. The result on Assassinations is a tune which sounds like Timbaland producing Pink Floyd - big, bold and beautfiul, the kind of sound the Klaxons were searching for on their second album and never quite found. The first remix comes from Jim Coles aka Om Unit, who gives the vocals a little more room to breathe and indulges us in some slowed-down, widescreen house, a kind of rave through the k-hole. NYC’s Falty DL (Drew Lustman to his mum), meanwhile, deconstructs the tune into a fractured, atmospheric mix of unfeasible bass, Pinky and Perky torture and latinate riddim business. Assassinations shows Stateless to be a band at the height of their powers.

Belleruche - Fuzz Face
(Digital single) Tru Thoughts TRUDD017, 2010-12-06

Heavy-hitting, reverb-toting album opener Fuzz Face is the second single from Belleruche's acclaimed third album, 270 Stories, and will be out digitally on 6th December. Fuzz Face sees the London trio continuing the march towards widespread recognition with a punchy and highly original mix of smouldering vocals, rough, blues-inspired guitar and tough contemporary beats and turntablism. The aesthetically arresting promo video uses a mix of hi and lo tech (the 'lo' end involving 4,500 photocopies of the Belleruche members' faces and various newsagents and copy shops in London's Bethnal Green) to 'fuzz' their faces for an exciting, fresh - and slightly disturbing - visual take on this song, which has garnered huge internet buzz and acclaim including a premiere on The Arts Desk and over 10,000 YouTube views in its first week. As well as the lead track, the Fuzz Face single also includes an essential, brand new and exclusive remix, by current up-and-comer Kidkanevil, of the classic Belleruche track Backyard.
Go Download the exclusive DJ MODEST mix

Stateless - Ariel
(Promo CD/Download) Ninja Tune ZENCDS271P /ZENDNLS271 2010-11-22

Stateless return with the first single from their forthcoming album Matilda (their first for Ninja Tune). Working with producer Damian Taylor (Bjork, The Prodigy), Stateless have taken a more electronic line for the new album and it shows on opener Ariel. While the quality of songwriting remains intact and Chris James' voice has never sounded better, Ariel finds him laying out the melody over West African guitar lines, crunching snare snaps and thunderous kicks, dubstep sub-bass splatters and glitchtronic interference. It's an utterly compelling combination, classic songwriting rendered completely new. The feel of a new direction is reinforced by a series of fantastic remixes. Rustie gives the original an even more glistening electronic feel and a certain aqua-crunk magnificence. Up-and-coming dubsteppers Dark Sky speed things up for a garage-influenced dancefloor number that keeps building and changing right to the end. Meanwhile, the Midlands Inflight remix, locks into a Voodoo Ray-ish dub-house groove that emphasises the melancholy of the original. With Matilda due for release in February, Ariel shows a group willing to push at the boundaries and reap the rewards of their bravery. Fasten your seatbelts…

Natural Self - My Heart Beats, Remixes And Versions EP
(Digital single) Tru Thoughts TRUDD016, 2010-08-16

Natural Self follows on from the release of his LP My Heart Beats Like A Drum with a single collecting some great remixes of tracks from the album and one exclusive cover version. First up, , who has been making waves with his authentic but modern reggae and dub project, puts Midnight Sun through his mixing deck to give two versions (including a heavily dubbed out mixdown). Pure sunshine vibes, with Prince Fatty drafting in his crew of veteran players to turn out a brand new piece of music. Next is a version of Radiohead's Street Spirit...

Various - Heavenly Sweetness - Label Compilation #1
(2xCD/12"/Download) Heavenly Sweetness, 2010-03-15

Heavenly Sweetness is THE French JAzz label today. It's quite easy since there isn't much competition... but praise should be given anyway to Antoine Rajon and Franck Descollonges for an incredible series of releases and reissues during the recent years, among which were shining the John Betsch Society and the Anthony Joseph and the Spasm Band LPs.

Along the way of releasing fantastic albums and re-releasing superb jazz LPs, they've also regularly fed Parisian record dealers of all sorts with limited edition 45s, 10 inches and free MP3s... all collected here in this double compilation, along with many tasteful spiritual Jazz, Afro, and even Reggae pieces. I couldn't recommend a better introduction to this Jazz label.

Paris DJs Soundsystem - Block Party Vol.4 (MP3 Podcast on www.ParisDJs.com) 2009-10-18 This mix was aired on Total Kiss FM in the UK on Ali B's show, on September 21st, 2009. You might have already heard (and downloaded) some of the tracks in our Virtual Releases section of free tracks, but all the others are unplayed here yet. Enjoy this Block Party and don't forget to check on our friend Ali B's page on myspace.com/alibuk! [comment faire?/how to?] Tracklisting : 01. Michael Jackson - Rockin' Robin (Grant Phabao Remix) (from Paris DJs Virtual Release #35, 2009 / Paris DJs) » more info on...