Zed Bias - Night Lovers feat. Sam Frank
(Digital Single) Tru Thoughts Recordings TRUDD039, 2011-12-12

A stunning slice of wonky vocoder funk, the edgy, woozy and downright irresistible Night Lovers featuring Sam Frank (out digitally on 12th December) is the second single from Zed Bias' highly acclaimed Biasonic Hotsauce - Birth Of The Nanocloud album on Tru Thoughts. One of the standout songs on an LP brimming with heavy-hitters, Night Lovers is as pristine and darkly alluring a cut as you'd expect from the combination of revered producer Zed Bias and wunderkind Sam Frank (whose Skream/Magnetic Man collaborations have seen him take over the airwaves of late). At once timeless and futuristic, a honed and classic pop song shines up through the layers of heavily plied effects, giving this instantly arresting ear-worm a real and lasting charm that will see it gracing playlists aplenty. The single release brings a killer selection of new remixes from Greenmoney, Scratcha (Hyperdub/Rinse/DVA), C.R.S.T. (Well Rounded/No Hats No Hoods) and Heavy Feet, twisting the song for new dancefloors; plus the original and Dub mixes of uptempo album track Yagga feat. Serocee (Basement Jaxx/MJ Cole) as a B-side.

Between his releases under the Nostalgia 77 name (with a fourth album released earlier this year on Tru Thoughts Recordings, The Sleepwalking Society), collaborative projects such as the afro-jazz of Skeletons, the Afro-Latin of The Rhythmagic Orchestra, or the Funk-Rock of The Broken Keys, producing music for Alice Russell, Lizzy Parks, his own UK jazz label Impossible Ark Records… and a plethora of remixes, Benedic Lamdin just seems unstoppable. He's at the forefront of today's Jazz musicians in the UK while always exploring new styles. His new album is empowered with overtones of blues and...

Anchorsong - Chapters
(CD/Digital) Tru ThoughtsTRUCD242, 2011-11-28

Tru Thoughts are delighted to have signed talented Japanese multi-instrumentalist and beatsmith, Anchorsong, whose debut full album, Chapters, is to be released in November. Please spread the word, as this is the start of something very special indeed... Since relocating to Europe in late 2007, Anchorsong (aka Tokyo-born Masaaki Yoshida) has supported Bonobo, Prefuse 73, DJ Krush, Daedelus, Gonjasufi, Jaga Jazzist and more. He has become globally recognised for his unique live shows, which many people have described as "like watching a painter drawing on a white canvas", as he creates electronic music completely live, right in front of the audience, bringing the vibrant energy and spontaneity of live band performance to electronic music. He has garnered an international following on YouTube, with videos of his performances having been viewed more than 300,000 times. Having also self-released a handful of successful EPs (three in Japan, one worldwide), Anchorsong is eager to take things to the next level... A unique and addictive listen with layer up on layer to explore, the Chapters album fuses influences including rock, hip hop and electronica, with every note - from beats right through to strings - played by accomplished multi-instrumentalist Yoshida himself. [Sorry haven't received this one yet so no review it's all press release info]

Various - When Shapes Mix Together - Compiled and mixed by Rob Luis
(Mixed CD/Digital) Tru Thoughts Recordings TRUCD244, 2011-11-21

Produced as a giveaway mix for the huge Tru Thoughts night at Koko in London, this mix was so good they had to offer it for general sale. This mix shows the future direction of the label, with new signings alongside the long-standing Tru Thoughts family. It opens with a hip hop influence: Hint goes space-age hip hop with rapper T Fly; Quantic's Cumbia project covers Missy Elliot; and London legend Rodney P drops a track with a positive message (which we released after the UK riots in 2011) featuring Mighty Moe and other big hitters in the scene. Anchorsong takes us into slow disco/boogie territory before Beta Hector roughs it up with his psychedelic bass basher (helped by an Alice Russell classic scream) followed by Nirobi dropping the Bollywood beats. Sleepin' Giantz is a heavyweight project from Zed Bias, Rodney P and Fallacy, and the track you hear in this DJ mix has been a huge anthem in club sets for the DJs who have managed to get hold of an advance copy. The album it is taken from is one of the best hip hop albums you will hear! Zed Bias is then joined by Mark Pritchard (Warp / Harmonic 313 / Global Communications) for a bass anthem before we move into Debruit taking the Brazilian groove of Saravah Soul down a heavy club route. Hint shows his versatile production styles with his remix of Lanu before we hit drum & bass territory with A Sides' remix of Mark de Clive-Lowe. The set finishes off with the more mellow side of Tru Thoughts. Ambassadeurs take Nostalgia 77 through some synths and basslines; Kinny shows her powerful voice to full effect, and then Belleruche unveil their new style. I just had to include a snippet of the title track off the Quantic & Alice Russell album (you need to check the full version to appreciate those strings) and we finish off with a classic from Maddslinky's influential first LP. Please make sure you check out the other releases by any artists whose tracks you are particularly into on this DJ mix, as there is plenty more good music to be heard from them all." (Rob Luis)

Mark de Clive-Lowe - Renegades
(CD/Digital) Tru Thoughts TRUCD240, 2011-11-21

Currently based in LA after a decade entrenched in London, Mark de Clive-Lowe's new album, Renegades, has guest appearances from Sheila E (Prince), Omar, Tawiah, Pino Palladino (D'Angelo/The Who), and Nia Andrews. The new LP features club classics flavored from soul and funk, to tech-Afrobeat and Latin twists, all orchestrated by MdCL: a revolutionary Quincy Jones for a new generation, armed with the ability to meld the science of beat-making with composed music.

Nostalgia 77 - Sleepwalker
(Digital Single) Tru Thoughts TRUDD035, 2011-11-21

The bluesy, catchy and downright addictive Sleepwalker, out digitally on 21st November, is the third single to be taken from Nostalgia 77’s highly acclaimed fourth solo album The Sleepwalking Society, which came out in March on Tru Thoughts. The lead track on this digital package is joined by a diverse selection of hot new remixes from label-mates Mark de Clive-Lowe and Lanu, and AmbassadeursJalapeño Records). The ramshackle, bluesy Tom Waits-esque rhythm section stomp on Sleepwalker is paired with horn textures reminiscent of Duke Ellington and the incredible vocals of the album’s secret weapon, German chanteuse Josa Peit. On this song, a co-write with Nostalgia 77 main man Ben Lamdin, Peit’s rich, soulfelt timbre rings out as clear as a bell, imparting some simple truths with a wryly playful overtone. At once catchy and with a lasting, solid appeal, this track has become one of the most popular on the LP.

The Bamboos - Wilhelm Scream / Eel Oil
(10th Anniversary Limited Edition 7") Tru Thoughts Recordings TRU7243, 2011-11-21

Maybe the best Australian funk outfit ever, The Bamboos, will be celebrating in november the 10-year anniversary of the release of their first 7 inch, Eel Oil. This monster piece of deep funk, as the 'genre' is now called, is still as potent today as hashish buried in Egyptian pyramids, and it's quite easy to understand how the band managed to sell out their 500 copies pressing themselves at the time, how they came to be signed on Brighton's finest Tru Thoughts Recordings, and how they became the greatest funk band to come out from Australia ever. The exclusive James Blake cover on the A side, though, is pop/soul for the masses, in comparison. All nice, soulful and beautiful, but nothing to really get excited over. Thankfully, with this new 7 inch comes the announcement of a new Bamboos album (the fifth one) to be released on Tru Thoughts in 2012! And that is GREAT news. (Djouls / Paris DJS)

Omar - It's So...
(Digital Single) Tru Thoughts Recordings TRUDD037, 2011-11-14

It's So... is the second single from Omar's Sing If You Want It album, which was re-issued to much fanfare on Tru Thoughts in July. The single is released on 14th November, the same day as Omar embarks on a major UK tour with Beverley Knight, taking in venues including the Royal Albert Hall - guaranteed to be a real treat for fans of real soul. In addition to the lead track, this single package brings new music in the form of It's So... (Scratch Professer Retwist) and Your Mess (Mark de Clive-Lowe Remix) as well as the Zed Bias rework of the lead track, which has been going down a storm in clubs and on the radio.

Hidden Orchestra - Flight EP
(Digital Single) Tru Thoughts TRUDD032, 2011-11-07

The Flight EP, out digitally on 7th November, is the second single from Edinburgh based quartet Hidden Orchestra, who released their stunning debut album Night Walks on Tru Thoughts in September 2010, and have seen their star continue to rise in the intervening year with an ever-growing media and word-of-mouth buzz. Highly in demand as a live act, their touring schedule this year alone has taken in 20 countries as their incredible music has worked its way into hearts and minds the World over. This EP brings eagerly anticipated new material and remixes.

"The deep, spiritual and sensual folk-jazz with electronica touches of Hidden Orchestra is the one of the major discoveries of the recent months. Their album is a masterpiece, their mixes for Paris DJs are as much incredible as they are intensively addictive, and this new single is a cinematic lounge jazz monster. Remixes are trippy too but I keep on coming back to the tense & dreamy 'Flight' track again and again." (Djouls/Paris DJs)

Anchorsong - Ghost Touch / Plum Rain
(Digital Single) Tru Thoughts TRUDD033, 2011-10-24

Ghost Touch/Plum Rain, out on 24th October, is the new digital single by the hotly tipped Japanese multi-instrumentalist and producer Anchorsong, on Tru Thoughts. This double A-side provides a taste of the captivating debut album, Chapters, which follows in November. Originally from Tokyo, Anchorsong - aka Masaaki Yoshida - moved to London in 2007, via a stint in New York. He has amassed a worldwide following for his hook-laden, idiosyncratic and energetic music, built from multiple layers of live instrumentation and electronic production; and his ability to translate this into a thrilling live spectacle further sets him apart. Formerly a guitarist in a rock band before embarking on his solo journey, he has always thrived on the atmosphere of live performance and he brings that frisson, warmth and sense of occasion to the world of electronic music.