Monthly Supply - April
10 FAVOURITE RELEASES FROM THE PAST FEW WEEKS, SELECTED BY THE NOWADAYS MAGAZINE TEAM.
Sexxy Dexx / Delores Galore - What’s It Bout To Be
Sexxy Dexx burst onto the scene in December 2014, igniting stages across New Orleans with their electrifying live performances. Renowned as one of the most captivating and hardworking DIY musicians in town, they've mesmerized audiences with their unparalleled talent. Their music is a thrilling fusion of post-disco, boogie, and electro, enriched by bold experimentation with synth, sampling, and effects. Their sound is not only seductive, paying homage to Prince's iconic Minneapolis sound, but also boldly progressive, reminiscent of the avant-pop excitement of George Clinton's Computer Games and the innovative spirit of Trevor Horn.
DELORES GALORE Dive into the electrifying artistry of Delores Galore! Based in New Orleans, she swiftly stamped her name in the music scene with her debut album in 2019. Drawing inspiration from chic, Robin S, and MBV, Delores Galore blends elements from Electronic, House, and Alternative R&B to create a unique sound that lures you to the dance floor with lush melodies and rhythms. Her EP 'New Growth' garnered overseas success with the UK label Acid Waxa, infusing the hard beats and rhythms of house and freestyle with juicy cascaded soundscapes of new wave and shoegaze.
Sly Boogie - Bushman Slyde
During their search for souvenirs from imaginary cities, Hill Men stumbled upon other curiosities. They are proud to present our new sub label ‘Curio Cabinet’ A series of dub inspired 7-inch records in between the Souvenirs releases.
The first curiosity comes from Mills Boogie's moniker Sly Boogie. He kicks off the series with an Electro infused 130 bpm Dub track that asks to head nod at half speed.
Weird Dust juggles a solid stepper version of the Bushman Slyde track on the flip side. Heavy subs included, perfect Sound System material.
Terrance T - Power
Originally released in 1986 ‘Power’ was the work of Philly producer Derrick Graves and vocalist Terrance T. The machine lead production on ‘Power’ was part of an emerging wave of post disco producers embracing a dub aesthetic that proved to be the precursor to the emergence of house music. The vocal harmonies from Terrance were influenced by Cameo and Prince and combined with the powerful production results in a dancefloor bomb in the Larry Levan style, stripped back and dubby with a strong song at its core. This level of musicality and production was no fluke, Derrick was a seasoned session musician who worked extensively with the likes of Sister Sledge, Dexter Wansel & Donny Hathaway. Derrick had a clear understanding of emerging studio trends “Music production was evolving into a new phase where home studios were developing and it was becoming more possible for real recordings to be made! From there, I eventually enhanced my production skills by learning how to compose using sequencers, computer software (DAWs), and midi instrument implementation in the 80's and 90's. I went from a 4-track to eventually a 24-Track 2" tape machine setup!”.
The fully remastered 12” includes the essential Instrumental mix. A 140 gram pressing in 3mm spine white disco sleeve with sticker designed by Bradley Pinkerton.
VA - 1st Unit: Underpass Records EP
All musical movements require a spark to set them alight; in the case of Japanese house music, that spark was provided by the forward-thinking resident DJs of The Bank in Roppongi, Tokyo. In 1989, to celebrate the ground-breaking club’s first birthday, the venue released a 12” EP featuring first-time productions from three of its DJs, Junichi Soma, Shuji Wada and Strong Katsuya AKS Katsuya Sano.
Widely considered to be one of the first ever EP of house music produced in Japan, 1st Unit was never officially released. Instead, 500 of the 1000 copies pressed were given away at The Bank’s first birthday party, with the rest initially being sold not in local record stores, but rather the venue’s own in-house shop. Three decades on, the 12” is finally set to get its first worldwide release via Rush Hour’s Store JPN Series.
The record has its roots in The Bank’s willingness to give its ever-changing roster of DJs a free hand to play what they liked – at the time a rarity in Tokyo nightclubs, whose musical offerings usually revolved around strictly defined playlists. At The Bank in 1989, it was not only common to hear European body music and the kind of post-disco New York productions associated with Larry Levan’s sets at the Paradise Garage, but also acid house – something not offered at the time by other clubs in the city.
Gesloten Cirkel - I Live In The Midwest EP
Underground electronic artist Gesloten Cirkel lands on Selvamancer. The Barcelona based DIY imprint with Dutch rave roots proudly welcomes him with an exciting new mini album ‘I Live In The Midwest’. It’s a true testament to his producing prowess and extensive musical diversity, and pushes the boundaries of industrial and shamanic sounding breaks, acid and the remarkable pounding electro he’s known for.
The eight track affair immerses listeners into a mesmerizing blend of acidic body music, killer electro, and experimental interludes. It embodies a hate-love relationship with the machine, floating between hypnotic and industrial elements, showcasing Gesloten Cirkel's ability to craft wonky rhythms and haunting melodies. With meticulous attention to detail, Gesloten Cirkel creates atmospheres that we know, love and need right now. He truly reaffirms his status as a visionary artist in todays electronic music scene giving us an exciting listening trip wandering through Gesloten Cirkel’s adventurous machine world.
Bolis Pupul - Letter To Yu
Touching upon some of life’s big themes – memory, loss, family and coming to terms and making peace with all of that – the album is a resounding audio triumph. It reconciles the competing sonic strands that make up Bolis’ aesthetic – his European and Asian roots, alongside the overarching presence of the twin American pillars of Detroit techno and Chicago house – in a manner that is pleasingly familiar and creatively inventive.
Parris - Passionfruit EP
London-born-and-raised DJ and producer Parris has announced his new EP Passionfruit, which is to be released on 22nd March 2024 via his own co-founded label can you feel the sun.
Following his stand-out 2021 album Soaked In Indigo Moonlight, described as a “masterful” take on the pop genre (Crack Magazine), Passionfruit continues Parris’ affinity for polyrhythms and bouncing synths, but diving deeper into his love for clubbing and UK soundsystems, the result is a heady house compilation.
Each track on the EP is in contention with the one before it, a counterpoint to a sonic argument; melodic bubbly pop against heavy drum and bass, morning rays of sunlight against dark and swampy rhythms. Where the title track “Passionfruit” was described by Parris as imagining the “early morning of a set with the sunrise coming through the shutters”, the very next track “Slipping, Falling, Crawling” is much like the title suggests: a sludgy, percussion-heavy track which has fun with creating melody from the beat itself, stripped back and raw intent.
Frank & Tony - Ethos
More about the world has changed than not in the decade since dance production dyad Frank & Tony released their last full-length record, 2014’s You Go Girl. Despite, or perhaps in spite of, this shifting landscape, house music has managed to stay fundamentally reliable (either a bug or its greatest feature, depending on who you ask). Where previously, Frank & Tony have been celebrated for their contemplative, studious approach to the genre, with 2024’s Ethos, the Brooklyn/Biarritz-based duo return amidst metastatic cultural upheaval to prove out those scholarly credentials — with an album that serves to remind listeners why dancefloors and liberatory politics consistently share the language of movements and revolutions.
"House music has always been an expression of political desire as it often was the only safe space for communities to come together in ways that society at large disallowed,” Harris enthuses. “The same energy in the ‘90s could be found in parts of the (punk hardcore scene). Countercultures exist to create temporary autonomous zones of desire outside of dominant narratives that are roadblocks to creation. We have always been inspired by these countercultural movements and the Frank & Tony project is deeply influenced by it."
Lord Tusk - Happy Endings
London based producer & sound curator Lord Tusk fires out two dramatic cuts for Tallinn based MIDA. Always raw & moody – “Happy Endings” relies heavily on Tusk’s signature mystical style.
Y O K O C H O - Paradacid Part. 1
Paradise + acid = Paradacid. Paradacid is a two-part EP that blends the gritty sounds of 303 and 808 machines with the euphoria of warehouse raves and the ambiance of virtual landscapes and Final Fantasy soundtracks.
This EP combines introspective tracks from periods of isolation with uplifting ones from moments of release, offering a diverse sonic experience without pushing a narrative. It's up to the listener to find their own meaning within the vibrant mix of old and new.
The essence of "Paradacid" lies in its name—a blend of paradise and acid, symbolizing the fusion of blissful soundscapes with the sharp, distinctive edges of acid house and electro.