Versus - Paris DJs Extra Flavor Mix Selected by Donnie Bass, mixed by Jesus Crise (MP3 Podcast on www.ParisDJs.com) 2011-07-19 The Versus French band has only limited a few EPs out right now, but a full-length album is scheduled for this autumn! This band includes some of our long-time friends and collaborators so we're quite proud to have them here as guests. Besides the obvious Herbaliser Band influcences, their music is a real French take on Manchester's mid 90s hip hop/club scene from Grand Central, Ninja Tune, Rob's Records, etc. Here's a snapshot of their vision of today's music, with...

Hidden Orchestra - Outlook Festival Mixtape (MP3 Podcast on www.ParisDJs.com) Tru Thoughts, 2011-07-20 This new and third incredible Hidden Orchestra mix doesn't fit in the same bag as the Footsteps or Night Walks On Vinyl mixtapes previously offered on Paris DJs. It's more of a 140 BPM beats kind of affair cooked especially to announce Hidden Orchestra's upcoming live gig at the Outlook Festival 2011 in Croatia this september, Europe's largest bass music & soundsystem culture festival!! Having shared stages with names like Bonobo, Aim, The Bays and Gilles Peterson it's about time Outlook...

Omar - Sing (If You Want It)
(CD/Digital) Tru Thoughts TRUCD233, 2011-07-18

Omar's Sing (If You Want It) album - featuring collaborators including Stevie Wonder, Estelle, Common and Angie Stone - will be re-released by Tru Thoughts on 18th July 2011 with the addition of two new bonus tracks (one of which, the Zed Bias collaboration Dancing, is currently riding high on the BBC 1Xtra playlist). Omar's sixth album, Sing (If You Want It) is a bona fide soul classic and was all set to tip the UK soul sensation into the pop-star realm, once and for all, on its release in 2005. However, a series of setbacks - not least the sudden collapse of the record label involved, a week after release - severely dented its chances of breakthrough success. Hardly a flop, it impressively still sold over 50,000 copies, but as Tru Thoughts A&R and long-time Omar fan Robert Luis says, "it was so heavily anticipated, and with collabs from the likes of Stevie Wonder...well, everyone knew it could have sold ten times that".

Omar and Zed Bias - Dancing
(Digital single) Tru Thoughts Recordings TRUDD024, 2011-06-27

An infectious summer anthem, Dancing is a collaboration between UK soul legend Omar and UK bass music don Zed Bias (aka Maddslinky), due out on Tru Thoughts as a digital single on 27th June, plus an upfront limited 12" on 9th May for tastemakers and vinyl junkies. Morphing the talents of two heavyweights in their respective musical spheres Dancing manages to be both a catchy, radio-friendly modern soul song and a completely killer club cut. The staccato steel drum hook kicks in like nothing else, grabs you by the lapels and shakes you to your feet. True to its name, it's the ultimate summer dance track, and the mp3 is already making its way into the hands of the world's most high profile DJs, and moving dancefloors across the world. Check the fresh, funky video, which is making its way across the youth and music TV networks. In July, Tru Thoughts will be re-releasing a new version of Omar's much loved Sing album... check the info here.

Benji Boko - Beats, Treats And All Things Unique
(CD/Digital) Tru Thoughts Recordings TRUCD229, 2011-06-20

Benji Boko's fresh, melodic, slightly twisted hip hop-infused style - as much influenced by Beardyman, DJ Yoda and The Neptunes as it is by cartoons, Peter Sellers, Monty Python and fairytales - has won over the likes of Maxi Jazz (Faithless) and Ricky Rankin (Roots Manuva), who both collaborate on the album. He's keeping it real though... you'll also find his 7-year-old cousin on Intro and Outro duties... The first single will be the mesmerising Where My Heart Is featuring Maxi Jazz, out as a free download on 23rd May. For the promo video we will be calling for talented illustrators, graffiti artists and animators to get involved. Based on an ambitious creative premise, the finished vid will then be launched in June... Tru Thoughts are excited to be launching this charismatic up-and-coming artist, the boy from Brighton with the big hair and the split personality (...his alter-ego is a hyperactive purple monkey...) whose larger-than-life stage persona and unbelievable mixing skills are matched by his creative prowess as a producer and beat-maker. Boko's magic touch as a producer was briefly seen in 2009 when his track Jungle VIP became an underground hit, shooting to no. 16 on the iTunes electronic chart, with heavy radio play across the stations. Beats, Treats and All Things Unique will be out 20th June on Tru Thoughts.

Quantic Y Su Conjunto Los Miticos Del Ritmo - Hip Hop En Cumbia EP
(Limited edition coloured 12") Tru Thoughts TRUSERATO002, 2011-06-13

This highly anticipated release is limited to just 2000 copies Worldwide and is pressed on green flecked vinyl. All tracks are previously unreleased and exclusive to this 12. The A side features Quantic paying tribute Cumbia-style to some Hip Hop classics and the B side is a Serato tone control. The idea for this musical project started when Quantic recorded Cumbia de Dilla as a special one-off track, to play at DJ parties, particularly those in LA where Hip Hop and Cumbia have a special place in people's hearts. The queue of eager fans crowding round to ask about the track inspired and set this new project on the road. This EP features covers of KRS One, Dr Dre, Missy Elliot, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, and a an original track, Cuarta Con Cuarta.

Benji Boko - Where My Heart Is feat. Maxi Jazz
(Free Download/Digital Single) Tru Thoughts Recordings TRUDD022, 2011-05-23

In recent years Benji Boko has made a major impression with his 'Can I Mix It?' DJ shows , which he describes as "on the fly, off the cuff, completely improvised live remixing", and counts Rob Da Bank, Zane Lowe and DJ Yoda among his fans. From Bestival to V Festival and Ibiza to Amsterdam – not to mention the New Year's Eve midnight set at the O2, with Calvin Harris and Deadmau5 - Boko's show has been transporting people in their thousands from the 'norm' into a world of pure imagination. Benji Boko's magic touch as a producer was briefly seen in 2009 when his track Jungle VIP gained radio play across the world and shot to no. 16 in the iTunes electronic chart; now, having inked a deal with Tru Thoughts, he is set to unveil his full album. If the hyperactive, livewire DJ is one side of his personality, then Beats, Treats And All Things Unique (out 20th June) reveals another facet of Benji Boko's musical persona. As well as Maxi Jazz, other collaborators on the album include Ricky Rankin (Roots Manuva)... and Boko's seven-year-old cousin, Louis, who you'll hear on Intro and Outro duties. For the video to Where My Heart Is, Benji Boko is calling for talented visual artists to get involved in an ambitious creative project. Version 1 of the promo video, along with full competition details, will be launched on 20th April on the Tru Thoughts YouTube and benjiboko.com. Where My Heart Is feat. Maxi Jazz is a free download on 23rd May on benjiboko.bandcamp.com. It will also be available to buy from all good download stores, including the bonus track, Glider.

Omar and Zed Bias - Dancing
(12") Tru Thoughts Recordings TRU232, 2011-05-09 (limited vinyl)

These tracks are available on vinyl 7 weeks prior to digital release. An infectious summer anthem, Dancing is a collaboration between UK soul legend Omar and UK bass music don Zed Bias (aka Maddslinky), due out on Tru Thoughts as an upfront limited 12" on 9th May (followed by the digital single on 27th June). Morphing the talents of two heavyweights in their respective musical spheres Dancing manages to be both a catchy, radio-friendly modern soul song and a completely killer club cut. The staccato steel drum hook kicks in like nothing else, grabs you by the lapels and shakes you to your feet. True to its name, it's the ultimate summer dance track, and the mp3 is already making its way into the hands of the world's most high profile DJs, and moving dancefloors across the world. Dancing continues an immensely successful partnership: Omar featured on Maddslinky's 2010 single Special, which gained 5 star ‘Top Tune' reviews in Mixmag, iDJ and others, as well as winning a DJ Mag Best Of British 2010 Award and receiving coverage in the likes of Fact, XLR8R and more, plus tastemaker radio play across BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra, Ministry Of Sound Radio, Resonance fm and beyond. Also on this 12" you'll find the killer instrumental cut of Dancing, plus It's So... (Zed Bias Remix), which is exclusive to this single.

Lanu - Shoe Gazing At The Stars
(Free MP3) Tru Thoughts, 2011-05-04

Lance Ferguson comes from Australia and has quite a productive career, with his bands The Bamboos, Cookin' on 3 Burners, or thru his solo career as Lanu. He's just released a new album, Her 12 Faces, and is presenting here a 45 minute mix containing tracks that have influenced and inspired his music, including a selection of Lanu re-edits, remixes and previously un-released & exclusive material created especially for this mix! It's kindly offered by the fine people at Tru Thoughts & Giant Step and you can download it for free here!!

Mr Scruff - Wobble Control
(12"/Digital Single) Ninja Tune ZEN1228/ZENDNLS28, 2011-05-02

Mr. Scruff returns with a synth heavy, low slung 4/4 number featuring a wiggling centipede synth line & unruly bass, scruffed up in his warm & dusty production style... the sound of electronic instruments enjoying themselves! The second track see's Nickodemus & Zeb from Brooklyn's legendary Turntables on the Hudson crew tackle Music Takes Me up, adding a ton of bump & a ladle of synth to Alice Russell's raw vocals.