Die 60ste Ausgabe der renommmierten Serie kommt mit bester Musik die dieser Tage in Jamaika produziert wird.

CD1 präsentiert die Sänger_innen inklusive drei exklusiven Stücken von Tessanne Chin, Richie Spice, Kumar Bent, plus Alaines hervorragende Reggae Version von Lady Gagas Hit “Million Reasons”, Top-Tunes von Busy Signal, Beres Hammond, Raging Fyah und mehr. Die CD2 ist dem Dancehall vorenthalten, u.a. mit dem Exclusive von Noah Powa “No Stress”, Tunes von Vybz Kartel, Alkaline, Masicka, TeeJay, Jahvillani, Chronic Law, Romain Virgo in Kombination mit Christopher Martin. Ein gelungener Überblick mit 25 Szenehits, zehn davon wurden für die LP-Vinyl Edition ausgesucht! 

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A great double CD set presenting the Singers on disc one and the Deejays on disc two, including various sub-genres of contemporary Reggae music with top names and emerging stars in the genre. The 60th edition of “Strictly The Best” has 25 of the best new songs from Jamaica, including exclusive tracks from Tessanne Chin, Richie Spice, Noah Powa (feat. Shams The Producer) and Kumar Bent (the ex-singer in Raging Fyah going solo). The cover art commemorates the VP Records 40th Anniversary Celebration concert at New York’s Central Park Summer Stage on August 10, 2019, the spirit of the event was captured by Japanese illustrator Murasaki. Ten selected tracks have been compiled for the LP-vinyl edition with Singers on side one and the Deejays on side two.

Some video clips:
Alaine – Million Reasons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cEJUu7CBU0
Romain Virgo & Christopher Martin – Glow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvZKSC2Mnoc
Raging Fyah – Better Tomorrow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsrxwAMoXqI
Duane Stephenson – Play That Song (Remix) feat. Agent Sasco
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDas6XzxRVg
Emeterians – Babylon Bridge feat. Kymani Marley (Lyric Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAoumv3_u-E
Alkaline – Dutty Badmind (Original Clip & Lyric Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFoyvwV-ln0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wyxqa-qut90
Jahvillani – Wileside Government
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8suNSp8xTgI
I-Octane – Something To Say
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAP8nyv9g8g

Der Gigant der jüngeren Dancehall-Geschichte mit seinem neuen Album!

Nach einer Wartezeit von über sieben Jahren erscheint endlich der neue Longplayer. Nach “Reggae Music Again” von 2012 folgten mehrere Tracks mit Major Lazer, u.a. die Chart-Hits “Watch Out For This (Bumaye)” und “Jump” (Stichwort Bacardi Werbung), sowie Kollaborationen mit No Doubt, Patrice, OMI, u.v.a.. All die Jahre hat der Künstler genutzt, um seine globale Karriere zu forcieren, und er ist als Botschafter der Fusion von Dancehall und Afro-Beats unterwegs. Dies manifestiert sich auf “Parts Of The Puzzle”, das durch eine bestechende Vielseitigkeit beeindruckt und aufzeigt, wie wichtig Musik für ein erfülltes Leben ist. Seit Anfang 2018 bastelte Reanno “Busy Signal” Gordon mit seinem langjährigen Partner Dameon Gayle an seinem fünften Album, haute mit “Stay So”,“One Way”, “Dolla Van” und “Got To Tell You” via eigenem Videokanal einen starken Tune nach dem anderen raus, und Anfang Oktober ist es endlich soweit: der 17-Track starke Longplayer erscheint mit diversen illustren Gästen!

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Busy Signal is back with his first full-length album since “Reggae Music Again” from 2012. The 17 songs on the album highlight the creative range and hit-making ability of this multi-talented recording artist!

Busy Signal is one of the hottest names in Reggae and Dancehall. He’s a proven hit-maker with a long and growing list of street anthems to his name. Beginning mid-2018 Busy and long-time collaborator Dameon Gayle have been heating things up for “Parts Of The Puzzle” with a consistently strong offering of singles via YouTube. These include recent hits “Stay So”,“One Way”, and “Dolla Van”, each making major impact on the streets of New York, London, Nairobi and Kingston – with the current single “Got To Tell You” hot on the heels. Furthermore there are heavyweight features included like the one with London’s Afrobeats kingpin Afro B on “100%”, plus “Bring Back The Vibes” with veteran Deejay Josey Wales and “Nuh Weh Nuh Safe” alongside Bounty Killer – all good!

The album confirms Busy Signal as one of Jamaica’s most versatile artists, stretching the limits of Jamaican music throughout his career, with unbeatable vocal flow, quick witted lyrics and a gift for melody. He has delivered Dancehall, Roots and One Drop Reggae hits as well as genre bending standouts like “Sports Day (Everybody Move)”, which was featured in a commercial campaign for LG mobile phones. As a ‘side artist’ Busy has distinguished himself on hits like Major Lazer’s “Watch Out For This (Bumaye)” which has further boosted his global audience with millions of monthly streams on the song and video.

“Parts Of The Puzzle” is available as CD-Digipak with additional 12-page booklet, and ten tracks have been choosen for the LP-Vinyl.

For fans of: Dancehall, Vybz Kartel, Popcaan, Major Lazer

Video Clips
“Got To Tell You” https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClNCIJZI3zfnuL7MD_q75Fg
“Stay So” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6DwAox2hF8
“100% feat. Afro B” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu3JWtgVq6A
“Dolla Van” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDTfpx4jdqk
“One Way” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-cK7VZ3Bmo

Greensleeves präsentiert ein spannendes Package für die Fans des Dub-Reggae und der jamaikanischen Deejay-Culture mit Aufnahmen aus dem Jahr 1980. 

CD1 ist der bis dato unveröffentichte Longplayer der Roots Radics mit dem legendären Dub-Maestro Overton “Scientist” Brown am Mischpult. CD2 ist das lang vergriffene Kultallbum von General Echo, der mit expliziter Lyrik die prüden Jamaikaner seinerzeit zu schocken wusste und die Jugend aus den Ghettos in Sexualkunde aufklärte. Ein weiterer Clou bei der Doppel-CD ist, dass beide Alben auf den selben Riddims basieren, seien es viele Henry “Junjo” Lawes Originale oder Studio One Classics wie ‘Vanity’, ‘Real Rock’ oder ‘Why Did You Leave Me’, die auch für Rod Taylor’s Longplayer “Where Is Your Love Mankind” zum Einsatz kamen. Das ganze kommt in einem ansprechenden 6-Panel Digisleeve (= Digipak ohne Plastikhalterung für die CDs), mit weitere Details und ausführliche Infos von diversen Reggae Koryphäen im eingeklebten Booklet.  

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For the very first time on CD is the Roots Radics album “12 Inches Of Dub” mixed by Overton “Scientist” Brown, which saw a limited vinyl only Record Store Day pressing in April 2019. This previously unreleased crucial dub set now makes up disc one of this deluxe 2CD set. Recorded at Channel One, mixed at King Tubby’s and produced by Henry “Junjo” Lawes it is now twinned with the re-mastered original Greensleeves 1980 deejay classic album from General Echo entitled “12” Of Pleasure". A sensational package for all the lovers of dub and deejay culture, including a lot of original Junjo riddims and the three Studio One riddims like Vanity (“Bathroom Sex”), Why Did You Leave Me (“This Is A Lover’s Corner”), Real Rock (“She Have A Pair Of Headlamp Breast”), plus comprehensive sleeve notes by Noel Hawkes!

Further info on the artist

General Echo
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Echo
Roots Radics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roots_Radics

HAPPY BIRTHDAY – 40 Jahre VP Records (in den USA 1979 – 2019)!

Die ultimative Sammlung und ein ausführliches Firmenporträt des Familienunternehmen, das Reggae und Dancehall von Jamaika in die Welt hinaus trug. Streng limitiertes Box-Set mit den gesuchtesten Vinyl-Schätzen und vielen Hits & Höhepunkten der letzten 40 Jahre auf CD, Kunstdrucken und vielem mehr. Als das Ehepaar Vincent “Randy” Chin und Patricia Chin Ende der 70er Jahre in die USA auswanderte, nahmen sie den jeweils ersten Buchstaben ihrer Vornamen und gründeten VP. Es begann das zweite Kapitel einer andauernden Erfolgsgeschichte, nachdem Randy’s in Kingston (seit 1958 mit Schallplattenladen und dem besten Studio der frühen ’70er Jahre) an der renommierten Adresse 17 North Parade bereits Musikgeschichte geschrieben hatte. 

- Limitiertes Deluxe Box-Set in der Größe 33,02 × 33,02 × 5,08 cm – hergestellt in Europa.
- Beinhaltet die gesuchtesten Aufnahmen die der VP Katalog  auf Vinyl zu bieten hat plus sechs Kunstdruck Karten.
- Großformatiges 24-Seiten Booklet mit Diskographie der Hits & Raritäten, Essay zur Firmengeschichte von Reggae Koryphäe Carter Van Pelt.
- Sammlerstück mit 98 Tracks von 101 Künstlern
- Komplett remastered mit den Hits auf vier CDs, und die Raritäten auf vier 12-Inch Maxi Singles und vier 7-Inch Singles

Video mit Carter van Pelt der die Box auspackt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foErouzj85M&feature=youtu.be

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The definitive anthology of the company that helped bring Reggae and Dancehall from Jamaica to the world. Limited edition box-set with most collectible vinyls, a lot of hits, printed art and much more!

“Down In Jamaica: 40 Years of VP Records” is a 98-track, deluxe, multiformat box set with a great large-sized 24 page full colour booklet (in 12-inch size) detailing the hits, the rarities, and the history of the world’s largest reggae label. Featuring 101 different artists, “Down In Jamaica” tells this story in detail through a chronological survey of the key songs that helped define the company from early singles on obscure sublabels to the well-known VP Records brand that brought Beenie Man, Sean Paul, Wayne Wonder, and others into the international mainstream. Curated by Carter Van Pelt, VP Records’ Director Of Catalog Development, the set contains four 7-inch singles, four 12-inch singles, and four CDs – the first configuration of its kind in a box set package. The singles format was the dominant vehicle for Jamaican music from its inception, and the collection tells the story almost entirely from singles. The box-set takes its name from Red Fox and Naturalee’s 1989 single (CD2 Track 4) and is a must for fans of VP Records, Dancehall-Reggae and Reggae history in general!

A few facts / crucial informations:
 - Deluxe packaging of limited edition with strictly 2000 copies worldwide (with 450 for continental Europe)
 - Includes first time re-issues of some of the most collectible vinyl records in the VP catalog
 - 24-page, 12-inch sized, booklet detailing the hits, rarities and the history of the company’s existence in the USA 1979 – 2019
 - All remastered music on four CDs, four 12-inch singles, four 7-inch singles with 98 tracks by 101 artists presenting the variety of Jamaican music of Roots, Rock, Reggae, DeeJay, Dub, Dancehall and Modern Roots
 - Linernotes by Reggae expert Carter Van Pelt
 - Includes six art cards
 - The box size is length 33,02 cm, width 33,02 cm, height 5,08 cm (13 by 13 by 2 inch box set) / Manufactured in Europe

Tracklisting

7-inch Single #1
 A1 The Congos – Fisher Man
 B1 The Upsetters – Fisher Man (Version)

7-inch Single #2
 A1 Freddie McKay – La La By Woman
 B1 Aggrovators – La La By Woman (Version)

7-inch Single #3
 A1 Linval Thompson – Don’t Trouble Trouble
 B1 Revolutionaries – Don’t Trouble Trouble (Version)

7-inch Single #4
 A1 Romain Virgo – Fade Away feat. Agent Sacso
 B1 The Unit Band – Fade Away (Version)

12-inch Single #1
 A1 I Roy – Created By The Father feat. Errol Dunkley 
 B1 Flabba Holt – My Eye Adore You

12-inch Single #2
 A1 Freddie McKay – Fire Is Burning
 B1 Freddie McKay – Lonely Man

12-inch Single #3
 A1 Echo Minott – Girls Mad Over Me
 B1 Echo Minott – Saddest Day

12-inch Single #4
 A1 Junior Reid – What Do You Know
 B1 Tenor Saw – Lots Of Sign

CD1
 1. The Heptones – Party Time
 2. Gregory Isaacs – Slave Master
 3. Dennis Brown – Children Of Israel
 4. Johnny Clarke – Roots Natty Congo
 5. Ranking Joe – River Jordan feat. Barrington Levy
 6. Johnny Osbourne – Ice Cream Love
 7. Wailing Souls – Fire House Rock
 8. Don Carlos – Mr. Sun
 9. Michael Prophet – Gun Man
 10. Frankie Paul – Kushumpeng
 11. Barrington Levy – Prison Oval Rock
 12. Tony Tuff – Come Fe Mash It
 13. Michigan & Smiley – Diseases
 14. Yellowman – Zungguzungguguzungguzeng
 15. Echo Minott – Lazy Body
 16. Leroy Gibbons – This Magic Moment
 17. J.C. Lodge – Telephone Love
 18. Eccleton Jarrett – Turn On The Heat
 19. Krystal & Shabba Ranks – Twice My Age
 20. Foxy Brown – Baby Can I Hold You Tonight
 21. Freddie McGregor – Stop Loving You

CD2
 1. Ini Kamoze – Hot Stepper
 2. Chaka Demus – Original Kuff
 3. Conroy Smith – Dangerous
 4. Red Fox & Naturalee – Down In Jamaica
 5. Reggie Stepper – Drum Pan Sound
 6. Ninja Man – Murder Dem
 7. Admiral Tibet, Shabba Ranks, Ninja Man – Serious Time
 8. Singing Sweet – When I See You Smile
 9. Cutty Ranks – A Who Seh Me Dun
 10. Colin Roach & Galaxy P – Miss Goodie Goodie
 11. Jigsy King – Gi Mi Di Weed
 12. Half Pint – I Am Not A Substitute Lover
 13. Cocoa Tea – Good Life
 14. Garnet Silk – Lord Watch Over Our Shoulders
 15. Richie Stephens – Trying To Get To You
 16. Mikey Spice – Born Again
 17. Glen Washington – Kindness For Weakness
 18. Buju Banton – Destiny
 19. Tanto Metro & Devonte – Everyone Falls In Love
 20. Spragga Benz – She Nuh Ready Yet
 21. Beenie Man – Who Am I

CD3
 1. Sanchez – Never Dis The Man
 2. Singing Melody – Want You Back
 3. Terry Linen – Your Love Is My Love
 4. Capleton – Jah Jah City
 5. VC – By His Deeds
 6. Morgan Heritage – Down By The River
 7. George Nooks – God Is Standing By
 8. Beres Hammond – Rock Away
 9. Junior Kelly – Love So Nice
 10. Wayne Wonder – No Letting Go
 11. Bounty Killer feat. Wayne Marshall – Sufferah
 12. Elephant Man – Pon De River Pon De Bank
 13. Lady Saw – I’ve Got Your Man
 14. Sean Paul & Sasha – I’m Still In Love With You
 15. Sizzla – Just One Of Those Days
 16. I Wayne – Living In Love
 17. Luciano – Give Praise
 18. Warrior King – Can’t Get Me Down
 19. Jah Cure – Longing For
 20. T.O.K. – Footprints

CD4
 1. Tarrus Riley – She’s Royal
 2. Tanya Stephens – It’s A Pity
 3. Richie Spice – Marijuana
 4. Turbulence – Notorious
 5. Shaggy – Church Heathen
 6. Duane Stephenson – August Town
 7. Romain Virgo – Mi Caan Sleep
 8. Busy Signal – One More Night
 9. Etana & Alborosie – Blessing
 10. Queen Ifrica – Lioness On The Rise
 11. Mavado – On The Rock
 12. Gyptian – Hold You
 13. Maxi Priest – Easy To Love
 14. Raging Fyah – Dash Wata
 15. Christopher Martin – I’m A Big Deal
 16. Spice – So Mi Like It
 17. Bunji Garlin – Big Bad Soca
 18. Shenseea – Loodi feat. Vybz Kartel 
 19. Estelle – Love Like Ours feat. Tarrus Riley 
 20. Jah9 – Hardcore (Remix) feat. Chronixx

Dancehall Reggae und ein Konzeptalbum auf Doppel-CD mit geladenen Feature-Gästen – u.a. Jada Kingdom, Kabaka Pyramid, Shuga, Noah Powa, Gramps Morgan – produziert von Errol und Shane Brown, Jermaine Forde, Anju Blaxx, Markus Myrie und Chase & Status!

Der in Insiderkreisen, nicht nur durch seine tiefe & raue Stimme, bereits bekannte jamaikanische Künstler Bugle (gesprochen Bjugel) geht mit einem düsteren “Reality” Dancehall-Reggae Album als dritten Longplayer an den Start. CD1 (Titel: “Picture”) zeigt die zeitgenössische, von traditionellem Reggae inspirierte Seite während CD2 (Titel: “Perfect”) sich verstärkt den Dancehall-Vibes widmet. Die Texte handeln u.a. von benachteiligten Menschen, den Lebensbedingungen verarmter Bauern auf dem Land, tagelöhnenden Handwerkern und rivalisierenden Drogen-Gangs. 

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Bugle gets it ‘Picture Perfect’ with third studio album! – Producer credits and feature guests include the father and son duo Errol and Shane Brown, Chase & Status, Kabaka Pyramid, Morgan Gramps and many more!

BIO
 Amidst a full roster of activities for the summer, reggae luminary Bugle (born Roy Thompson in the parish of Portland, Jamaica) has been immersed in the studio working on his third studio album.

Titled ‘Picture Perfect’ the twenty track anthology will be presented as a double-disc showcasing the musical dichotomy of one of the industry’s most prolific recording artiste and songwriters. Divided into two ten-track sets, disc one titled ‘Picture’ exudes a blend of contemporary and traditional reggae while disc two aptly named ‘Perfect’ adapts that perfect dancehall vibe infused with those heavy drums and bassline as Bugle flexes his thought-provoking lyricism in poetry.

When quizzed as to what fans can expect with this latest body of work, Bugle intimated that

„I’ve spent the last nine months meticulously working on this album with some of the most respected professionals in the business. While I could have recorded the entire album in one week, my reason for the lengthy timeline is, I want when someone download or puts my album into their player they can listen to the entire compilation and appreciate the effort that goes into constructing every song and know their hard-earned money was well spent. I don’t make music only to entertain but also as a tool to educate and inspire, I hope the fans will truly appreciate this latest offering as we strive to preserve the authentic dancehall and reggae culture.”

‘Picture Perfect’ is a masterfully crafted compendium and arguably Bugle’s best work yet in spite of the stellar effort on previous offerings Anointed (2014) and Be Yourself (2017). The project boasts a solid cast featuring Jada Kingdom, Kabaka Pyramid, Little Lion Sound (based in Switzerland) Noah Powa, Shuga, New York-based Alexander and Gramps Morgan. Even more impressive is the plethora of production virtuosos contribution to the compilation among them, Grammy Award-winning father and son duo of Erroll and Shane Brown. Erroll Brown has worked with a cadre of reggae luminaries and was the chief engineer for Bob Marley (1978-1981), while Shane who also boasts an impressive résumé was instrumental in Shaggy’s diamond selling Grammy-winning album Hot Shots.

“I am from the old school but what I’ve heard from Bugle’s album have made me a fan, a lot of positive energy and vibes which hardly exist these days. This album gets an A in my book. Great job.” – Errol Brown said

Similar sentiments were echoed by Shane Brown, “Bugle is an artiste that I’ve admired his unique sound for years but listening to tracks from his new album have shown me how much he has grown and is ready to take his career to another level. This album shows maturity, longevity and all it needs is a chance to be heard. I’m delighted to have been a part this album as it’s one for the Jamaican music history books well-done bro!!”

Other production stalwarts include Jermaine Forde (producer of Black Uhuru’s 2018 Grammy-nominated album ‘As The World Turns’), Anju Blaxx (producer on Junior Gong’s 2018 Grammy-winning album ’Stony Hill), U.K based Chase and Status and Markus Myrie (son of Grammy award-winning reggae superstar Buju Banton).

Sharing executive producer credits with Bugle, Grammy Award winner Gramps Morgan disclosed that he has been a fan of the ‘Rasta Party’ hitmaker for several years,

“I’ve always wanted to work with Bugle his lyrics and his flow are next to none. Many times in our industry a lot of artistes don’t get the attention they are due, I have been such a huge fan for many years watching him write songs for other artistes, watching his performances. Over the past three years, I finally got a chance to tune into him as a person, but more as an artiste, he is truly incredible and the way he flows and puts together words, makes him one of the best in this industry. I am truly proud of this album and how it has turned out. Can’t wait for the world to know who this young man is even more. His history, where he is presently as an artiste, and where he’s going to take this music for the future, to the entire world.”

 Promoanfragen bitte direkt an malte@jakarta-records.de

Issam Hajali is most known as the singer and composer of the Lebanese band Ferkat Al Ard. While they recorded 3 albums only their classic „Oghneya“ saw a vinyl release and is highly sought after in the Lebanese record collector scene (A copy changed hands in Beirut this year for 5000 USD). Before the band came together, he recorded this debut album in Paris in 1977 . This rare album fuses jazz and folk with Arabic and Iranian influences into unique beauty. It was only released in a limited run of 75 cassette tapes and is now officially licensed and reissued by Berlin based Habibi Funk Records.

Issam Hajali might be most known for being the singer and main composer of the Lebanese band Ferkat Al Ard. While they recorded 3 albums only their classic „Oghneya“ release saw a vinyl release and is probably the most in demand record in the Lebanese record collector scene (A copy changed hands in Beirut this year for 5000$). Before the band came together Issam recorded a debut album under his own name called “Mouasalat Ila Jacad El Ard” in 1977 in exile in Paris. It was originally released in a run of less than 100 copies. I do not really remember when exactly I heard the music of Issam Hajali and Ferkat Al Ard for the first time. What I do remember is that I had seen the cover of one of their albums somewhere online and since then it was high up on the list of records I really wanted to hear. The cover of their most widely known second album “Oghneya” which was released on Zida record label shows a man walking in the streets of Beirut. Only later I found out that it’s actually Issam Hajali, the singer of the band, himself on the cover. A couple of months after, I came across a photo of the record somewhere and I finally received a folder of the corresponding MP3s from a friend. I was electrified right away. It was a totally unique blend between traditional Arabic elements, jazz, Brazilian patterns and folk, going hand in hand with poetic yet politically engaged lyrics. I learned that the band was active in the left-wing movement of Lebanon of the time and that they communicated their political ideas through songwriting candidly. To this day I don’t own a vinyl copy of “Oghneya” but ever since I heard the music, I felt the desire to meet the band and to learn more about them. Unfortunately, like many musicians of the 1970s there were not too many traces on the internet and most of my friends in Lebanon did remember their music but had no direct idea how to get in touch with them. In late 2016 I was in Beirut and tried to search for information about the band again and eventually found a recently published interview on a very small blog with Issam Hajali, the band’s singer. The only clue that article gave on the lookout was to mention as a sidenote that Issam would have a shop on Mar Elias Street, Beirut. This sounded to me like a great and precise piece of info, but it became less illuminatingafter I realized that this street is more than one kilometer long and is nothing but small shops. Nevertheless, I went there on a Thursday in early December and started asking people whether they knew where to find Issam Hajali. I ended up having an hour of nice, yet unsuccessful conversations until a tea vendor pointed me to the right place. Meeting Issam was great. He was happy that someone from Germany was very aware of his music and interested to learn more. We spent a long afternoon in his shop where he sells silver jewelry, mostly from his favorite travel destination Nepal. Music and jewelry seem to have both important role in his life, though music always had the upper hand. He told me a lot about how he got into music, the complicated situation in Lebanon at the time and about his musical, cultural and political influences and ideas. He showed me his collection of old photos and press clippings of the band. Most of them were punched with small holes. I asked him what happened, and he told me that one day during the war he had come home to his apartment and when he entered, he saw a reflection of the rifle scope of a sniper. He ducked down, the sniper started shooting at him but luckily the bullets went over his head hitting the shelf behind him and leaving little holes in all of his old photos and press clippings. Issam’s debut album “Mouasalat Ila Jacad El Ard” was recorded in 1977 in Paris, most likely in May or June. Issam Hajali had to leave Lebanon after the Syrian intervention for political reasons and spent one year in exile in France. Within that period of time there he struggled to make ends meet, playing guitar in the subway. He could only afford one studio day to record the whole project together with a band compromised of some musicians from France, one from Algeria, one from Iran and a friend from Beirut called Roger Fahr, whom had left Lebanon around the same time. While you can hear the musical roots of what later became Ferkat Al Ard in “Mouasalat Ila Jacad El Ard”, the album also differs from Issam’s later recordings. “It’s more of just me, whereas the sound of the band was more of a group effort”, he recalls. Melancholic stripped-down, guitar-based folk is followed by jazz-fused breaks and every here and there that unique sound of the santour glistening through. While the music is very accessible, some song structures are rather atypical neglecting the common patterns of verse, hook, verse, hook. The lyrics mostly trace back to the poetic work of Palestinian author Samih El Kasem with one song also written by Issam, who composed the music for all of them. In late 1977 Issam could return to Beirut and took the not yet released album back with him. He could only afford to spend a short time in the studio, just to add little bits and pieces like percussion to finish an album that still felt unfinished to him. Even back in Beirut his economic situation was complicated, and it was impossible to find a label which was still operating under the circumstances of war. So, he started dubbing the tapes himself and producing black and white copies at the corner store. Most of the copies of the album were sold or given to friends. One record shop had them on the shelves on a commission basis. But as the shop owner was no fan of the music, she did little to sell them, hiding the tapes behind other releases. Eventually one of those tapes fell into the hands of Ziad Rahbani, Fairuz’s son and a Lebanese musical institution in his own right. Ziad liked the music a lot and used to play on most of Ferkat Al Ard’s releases. And Issam also played on some of Ziad’s recordings and sessions. Nevertheless, the album was never known outside a very small scene of like-minded individuals and musicians of late 1970s Beirut. Issam is fairly certain that less than 100 copies of the tape were made back then in total and he only managed to hang onto one copy himself, from which this recording was made.

 Promoanfragen bitte direkt an malte@jakarta-records.de

“Please Wait“ (Ta-ku & matt mcwaters) releasing their EP „Black & White“ featuring soon to be mega star Masego and others via 823 & Jakarta Records. 
After releasing last year’s very successful tribute-record “25 Nights for Nujabes” (almost 13 mio. plays on Spotify to this day), Perth-based artist Ta-ku finally returns with brand new music!

Please Wait is the culmination of numerous online exchanges and years of sharing voice memos, stems, musical ideas & TikTok links between Ta-ku and Canadian producer matt mcwaters. Their cathartic approach to this body of work has been more about self-expression than anything else and has culminated in an EP that covers a range of issues and experiences from different times in their lives. 
 While the 1st single features Jamaican-American multi-talent Masego and will also have a video, the 2nd single features up & coming singer/songwriter Alayna. 
 Ta-ku’s 823 label represents the appreciation for the people/ideas/places that inspire and push us forward. The artwork is shot by the artists themselves and each release has an accompanying photo zine that acts as a visual story to compliment the music being showcased.

Ta-ku
https://open.spotify.com/artist/13Kd75NSHSp9lB4CaqPMOV?si=D7VwGGGeQJeatdPhvzsDkQ
https://music.apple.com/de/artist/ta-ku/439909501
https://soundcloud.com/takugotbeats
https://www.instagram.com/takubeats/
https://www.facebook.com/takugotbeats
https://twitter.com/takubeats

matt mcwaters
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3jUCC3z6XfyxBbGir9OcHK?si=c1us030aQZ695rLTjMzwEA
https://music.apple.com/de/artist/matt-mcwaters/1436412381
https://soundcloud.com/mcwtrs
https://www.instagram.com/mcwtrs/
https://twitter.com/mcwtrs

Jakarta
https://www.instagram.com/jakartarecords/
https://soundcloud.com/jakarta-records
https://music.apple.com/de/curator/jakarta-records/1457735645
https://open.spotify.com/user/jakarta_records?si=2O6ntxojSHqmkjg2R48Eig

 Promoanfragen bitte direkt an tobias@mpmsite.com

“The Rain” is the second full-length album by South London jazz rap group Summers Sons. Summers Sons are Turt (vocals) and Slim (production). They are actual brothers, Summers is their surname.
Since signing with Melting Pot Music in 2017, Summers Sons have released a mini-album “Undertones” and their debut album “Uhuru” (a joint venture with pianist and singer C.Tappin). They have been featured on albums by Twit One and Flatpocket, toured with Children of Zeus and played shows with Melodiesinfonie and FloFilz. The latter also remixed one of their songs as did Twit One and Cap Kendricks.
Both Summers Sons projects “Undertones” and “Uhuru” accumulated more than 3 million streams each and the band has build a strong fanbase in UK and Germany.
With the “The Rain” Summers Sons are entering new territory. Musically “The Rain” is the most advanced piece of work the duo has come forward with so far. Slim is breaking away from traditional song structures while keeping his trademark sound intact. The beats on “The Rain” are sparse and ever changing at the same time. Slim creates strong atmospheres and elodies which provides the perfect backdrop for Turt’s introspective and sometimes painfully personal lyrics. One of the album’s main topics is the unexpected death of Turt’s and Slim’s stepfather in November 2018.
„The Rain is a story of loss, love and new beginnings. A Summers Sons album for the Winter." Turt writes in the album liner notes. It provides "Sunshine for grey days. A promise of blue skies when the clouds won’t clear. This is an ode to absent shadows. For anybody that misses somebody. The sun don’t always shine but we need The Rain to grow. The seeds will flower, even out of the darkest cracks in the pavement.”

Tracklist
 1. Lightworks
 2. The Rain Pt. 1
 3. A Moment To Bill It
 4. Space To Breathe
 5. Blue Skies
 6. The Sequel feat. C.Tappin
 7. Just A Drop In The Ocean
 8. The Rain Pt. 2
 9. Orange Moon
 10. Bittersweet feat. Zaya
 11. The Rain Pt. 3

Lyrics written and performed by Turt.
 Produced and mixed by Slim.
 Vocals on “The Sequel” by C.Tappin.
 Keys on “Just A Drop In The Ocean” by C.Tappin.
 Vocals on “Bittersweet” by Zaya.
 Recorded at Lightworks HQ, London.
 Mastered by Roe Beardie at The Brewery, Cologne.
 Artwork by Robert Winter (Photo) and Chicken George (Design)

Bonus Beats
 In 2015 Summer Sons self-released their self-titled first album. You can still get it on Bandcamp.
 In 2016 Summers Sons met Twit One at a DJ gig in Bristol where they lived around the time.
 They stayed in touch and started to work on music together. Some of these songs can be heard on Twit’s album “Hay Luv” from 2017.
 In 2018 Summers Sons released the mini-album “Undertones”. Six original songs plus remixes by FloFilz, Twit One and Cap Kendricks. The cover photo was shot by legendary photographer Schiko, who might be best known for his iconic photos of Dilla’s last European tour in 2005. The Summers Sons official debut album “Uhuru” was recorded with their childhood friend C.Tappin, a singer and pianist. The album reflects on their travels to Tansania where Tappin also worked as a music teacher. It is available on double vinyl and features instrumental versions too. Artwork was done by German-Venezuelan painter Denis Faneites. C.Tappin’s released his first solo-project “Ashes To Ashes” in 2019 including remixes by Slim, Hodini and Reginald Omas Mamode IV. The artwork was created by UK-artist Tilly Mint. Slim has released a string of very sucessful instrumental records and tapes via MPM /KO-OP, Banoffee Pies, Brownswood and Yogocop. The one for KO-OP was a split album with Birmingham beatsmith Joe Corfield. Check out the sick artwork by Berlin-based artist Rahel Süßkind (Money $ex Records).
 Turt is also part of the super-group Twit, Turt & Tappin. They released a single via First Word Records and are currently working on an album titled “Rosy Lee” which will be released on Melting Pot Music in spring 2020.

 Promoanfragen bitte direkt an tobias@mpmsite.com

“Bernie Says” is the debut album from South London producer Jake Milliner. Raised in a musical household and embroiled in golden era richness from a young age, Jake’s spaced out, soul drenched sound has been building him a reputation as “one to watch” amongst core groups of boom bap fans over the past few years (including T-3 from the legendary Slum Village) he’s also received support from the likes of Boiler Room, Clash and Afropunk. Jake has produced tracks for artists like Barney Artist, Hawk House, Bubblerap, Lord Apex, Zilo, Musiq Soulchild and T-3 (of Slum Village). With “Bernie Says” Jake himself steps into the spotlight for the first time. On 13 tracks Jake Milliner makes the transition from beatmaker/producer to fully fledged artist. His boom-bap roots are still intact on “Bernie Says” but the sound spectrum relies on jazz and boogie too with lots of heavy keys – courtesy of Jake himself and Alfa Mist who is guesting on the first single “Reminisce” alongside trumpeter Marcus Tenney. Some other key players from the London jazz scene are making cameos too on the album but have to stay un-credited for contractual reasons. On the vocalside Jake is joined by former Hawkhouse singer/rapper Bubblerap and long-time friend 25. The album enjoys radio-support from some key players on BBC 6 including Marry Anne Hobbs, Tom Ravencroft and Don Letts and has gained various plays on Worldwide FM and NTS. The artwork is based on works by London artist Stuart Ruel. The LP will be released in the beginning of December.

Tracklist
 Side One
 1. Where’s Jozz
 2. Masterlizer
 3. Reminisce feat. Alfa Mist & Marcus Tenney
 4. Jack Jones feat. Bubblerap
 5. Perfect Time To Lie
 6. Last Place feat. Eun
 7. Subject Seven
 Side Two
 8. Love Child No. 3
 9. Mr. Foreplay
 10. Twice
 11. Chauffeur For Some Killers feat. 25
 12. Round Kessler’s House
 13. Addicted

Promoanfragen bitte direkt an tobias@mpmsite.com

High John and Douniah are an alternative R&B / Hip-Hop duo from Hamburg and Berlin. Johns warm, lo-fi beats and Douniahs rich, soul-soaked
voice interact in a very natural way, combining almost organically 90’s urban music with the
timbre und themes of the here and now.

The two first met at the St.Pauli Kreativ Nacht Festival in Hamburg. When High John started
 his beat set, Douniah stepped to the mic and the magic happened. John and Douniah jammed
 for nearly one hour and this session became the stepping stone for their future project.

High John released a split album with Plusma earlier this year titled “High+” and is part of the
 Raw Suppliers collective. Douniah released two dope collaborations this year: “Don’t You Worry” with Fuchy (aka Farhot)
 and “Naked Trees” with Cap Kendricks.

Tracklisting
 1. Dream Baby
 2. Representin’
 3. Like That
 4. Neighbourhood
 5. 90bpm
 6. Get Down (Skit)
 7. Back In (My) Bed
 8. Early Summer
 9. Thinking (Enemies)
 10. I Miss
 11. Smooth With Us

https://www.instagram.com/douniahagenauer/
https://www.instagram.com/itshighjohn/
https://soundcloud.com/high-john
Instagram www.instagram.com/melting_pot_music

https://youtu.be/u4APTF5DYAc
https://youtu.be/_l9TKRKdBlI

Produced & mixed by High John.
 Vocals by Douniah.
 Mastered by Roe Beardie at The Brewery.

 Promoanfragen bitte an promotion@compost-rec.com

Automat – Jochen Arbeit (Einstürzende Neubauten, Die Haut), Achim Färber (Phillip Boa & The Voodooclub, Skip McDonald) and Georg Zeitblom (wittmann/zeitblom) – operates like a well-oiled machine: it buzzes, it whirrs, it follows an unswerving course. Together with modular magician Max Loderbauer and Paul St. Hilaire aka Tikiman, Lydia Lunch and Mika Bajinski on vocal duties, they now present »Modul« their most varied and consistent album, on Compost Records.

Tracklisting
 A1 „Modul 15“ (5:22)
 A2 „Easy Riding“ (5:01)
 B1 „Ghost“ (4:47)
 B2 „Ankaten“ (3:59)
 C1 „Nothing Strange“ (5:08)
 C2 „Who For Eyes“ (4:33)
 D1 „Pavo“ (4:20)
 D2 „Modul 11“ (4:44)

Automat operate like a well-oiled machine: it buzzes, it whirrs, it follows an unswerving course. On its fourth album however, the trio shifts down a gear, further refines its musical approach and partners with other figures from the world of adventurous music. Besides Candy Bomber Studios neighbour Max Loderboder – with whom Jochen Arbeit, Achim Färber and Georg Zeitblom have already worked together in 2015 for an EP – they are joined on the microphone by dub legend Paul St. Hilaire aka Tikiman, the undisputed queen of gutter poetry Lydia Lunch and the newcomer Mika Bajinski. They all contributed to the recordings according to the guiding principle which lends its name to »Modul«: the eight pieces were written collectively based on a building block system that dynamically set the compositional process in motion and evenly divided responsibility between all participants. The result is a musical perpetuum mobile – an album with the steady resting pulse of a dub production that always stays on the move.
 As an album, »Modul« captures a continuous process of transformation that was first to be experienced in the year 2018, when Automat presented an earlier version at the Pop-Kultur festival as part of a commissioned work. Having been invited by the curatorial team, Zeitblom, Färber and Arbeit together with their guests St. Hilaire, Lunch and Gemma Ray created a live set that was resolutely developed in the studio on the basis of single modular elements that were (re)combined according to the principle of a resonance module: it’s a to-and-fro between the individual members, structures morph and the sound incessantly takes on different shapes. It is precisely this approach that necessitates the constant evolution of the pieces which together with producer Ingo Krauss were then moulded into an album that has not lost an iota of its approachable and improvisational character. Compared to the three themeoriented predecessors »Automat« »Plusminus« and »Ostwest« that explicitly dealt with Berlin airports, dub as a genre and the European refugee crisis respectively, »Modul« allows for a thematic permeability that mirrors its musical openness. After »Modul 15« opens the album with deep dub sounds and a rolling bass line, »Easy Riding« increases the speed with gentle riddims that are perfectly in line with St. Hilaire’s wanderlusty lyrics.Already in the next song, »Ghost« Bajinski celebrates her debut with detached vocals on top of a piece dripping of melancholy that is characterised by Loderbauer’s modular sounds. And so the album continues from the interlocked rhythms of »Ankaten« – complemented by the ghostly voices of Lunch and St. Hilaire – to the balladesque »Nothing Strange« with St. Hilaire and the feverish vocoder piece »Who For Eyes« until it finally reaches the last two pieces, »Pavo« and »Modul 11,« which present themselves as a deeply relaxed coda to the previous tracks.
 »Modul« thus passes through a series of moods, timbres and musical ideas that keep on forming evernew formations. The extended artistic approach much like the enlarged personnel makes this album the most varied yet conceptually consistent record in Automat’s discography and presents them as a welloiled machine that buzzes, whirrs, and follows an unswerving course towards new and unheard-of sounds.

About Automat:
 Automat are guitarist Jochen Arbeit (Einstürzende Neubauten, Die Haut, amongst others), drummer Achim Färber (Phillip Boa & The Voodooclub, Skip McDonald amongst others) and bassist Georg Zeitblom (known for his solo work and his collaborations with Fred Frith, John Zorn, Arto Lindsay, J.G. Thirlwell, Pyrolater, as well as others). Since 2014, the trio has released the three studio albums »Automat,« »Plusminus« and »Ostwest« and collaborated with several central figures from the world of experimental music, amongst them Genesis P. Orridge, Schneider TM and Max Loderbauer. For their album »Modul,« released in 2019 through Compost Records, they have again worked together with Loderbauer and invited Paul St. Hilaire aka Tikiman, Lydia Lunch and Mika Bajinski to contribute vocals for the record.

Live gigs/ concerts:
 Automat played a lot of concerts in Germany and Europe, as well as a tournee in Australia and China 2015 und 2016.
 Automat will play live in 2020 (dates t.b.a.)
 Remixes:
 Remixes by Patrick Pulsinger, Ricardo Villalobos & Max Loderbauer, Shahrokh Dini and more are in the pipeline for early 2020 releases.

Video:
 A video for „Easy Riding“ directed by Michael Krautter (www.michaelkrautter.com) is coming soon.
Automat discography:
Sampler ’Who’s that Man – A Tribute to Conny Plank’ Broken Head by Cluster/Eno (Rework by
Automat) – 2013
Automat I – 2014
Bootleg 12" – Schneider ™ & Automat – 2014
Exclusive Record Store Day 12" – Kreidler/Automat – 2014Plusminus – 2015
Exclusive Record Store Day 12" – Camera/Automat – 2015
Selekt 1 12" – Automat feat. Max Loderbauer – 2015
Ostwest – 2016
Soundtrack ‘Desire will set you free’ Contribution – Automat feat. Genesis P-Orridge – 2016

Videos:
 https://youtu.be/FEb8BccjNsQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9azs7r3MSc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNakIONFiGc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCdkO1wqANY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEvpvXk9yHo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l9x55DCCcI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-0nlKUJ5tg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3sNyCpEzA8

Website:
 http://www.automatmusik.de
Facebook address:
https://www.facebook.com/automatberlin

 Promoanfragen bitte an promotion@compost-rec.com

C.O.W. are back. In fact they were never gone. Having released two iconic features with the likes of Alxndr London (UK) and Hatsune Miku (JP) following the success of their previous $hanghai Mone EP, the German-Chinese producer collective finally delivers their long-awaited first album. Being a true child of the digital world, what better name could they have chosen than the one of their very own genre: INTERNET.

But it wouldn?ft be C.O.W. if there wasn?’t a catch to it. A conceptual twist. Something deeper.

The internet is a place of uncountable content, phenomenon and impressions. However, in the worldview of the collective all of these can be comprised into four elements: EPIC, FURY, LOVE and DRUGS. A philosophical concept turned album. Four elements that define our surrounding, our tasteand opinion-makers, our filterbubbles and echo-chambers. We all know and experience them when traveling through that fantastic space.

Like turning from praise to hate, from excitement to sadness within a few clicks, so will the album take you on a journey through all these elements, all those feelings within the collectives mind-blowing productions.

C.O.W. are back, but – like content in the Internet – they’ve always been there, you only needed to look for them.

 Promoanfragen bitte an promotion@compost-rec.com

Co-produced by Jan Weissenfeld from the Poets Of Rhythm / Karl Hector and the Malcouns / Soul-
Saints and with features from AG (DITC), El Da Sensei (Artifacts), Phat Kat and Paws One, comes an
unexpected release of TRIBEZ., who have teamed up with Maniac from the Demograffics to record a
timeless rap record. The band’s inspiration came from Krautrock of the 70s, without losing sight of
the all-important groove that makes up a Hip Hop live band.

The five-member band TRIBEZ. from Munich has long been known as THE HipHop Band out of
 Germany. Acclaimed performances as a live band and productions with Megaloh, Roger Rekless,
 Samy Deluxe, Alex Prince, Afrob, just to mention a few, and various shows at renowned festivals like
 Splash! or Summerjam Festival are included into their biography. Most recently, they were
 celebrated on a sold-out freestyle tour with Samy Deluxe, David Pe and Roger Rekless. „Loop
 Sessions“ their own concert series, ensures full venue, where Beats of international producer icons
 like J Dilla or Madlib are reinterpreted with a love of detail and craftsmanship that is second to none
 in Europe. Therefore, the guest list of the previous “Loop Sessions” reads like a Who is Who of the
 German Hip Hop scene: Afrob, MC Rene, Roger Rekless, David P, Holunder (Blumentopf), Fatoni,
 Damion Davis, Morlock Dilemma & Hiob, Negroman, Dexter, Juse Ju, Edgar Wasser and a whole
 series of other high-profile MCs shared the stage with the TRIBEZ.
 The TRIBEZ are a 5-piece live band: Dam Sick on the drums, Bass & 808 drum machine Monster
 FunkDogg, Ningu Storm on the keys, guitar riffs by Ben T and Rufflow on the turntables.

Maniac, known as the Producer and Rapper of the Demograffics, has established himself one of the
 most sought after Producers and Feature guest within the Bavarian HipHop scene. But not only in
 Bavaria, as an English speaking Rapper he become a well known artist in Germany. When he’s not
 working on new own songs, he supplies his scene with beats. He’s most notible production works
 include records for Roger Rekless, MC Rene, Dexter and many more. In recent times he started
 rapping also in Bavarian language with with new crew Bavarian Squad.

Tracklisting
 A1. Paragon (3:00)
 A2. Fire feat. AG, El Da Sensei & Pawz One (4:34)
 A3. Psych-Out (3:01)
 A4. Dirt feat. Phat Kat (2:47)
 A5. Prog (2:36)
 B1. Paragon (Instrumental) (3:00)
 B2. Fire (Intrumental) (4:34)
 B3. Psych-Out (Intrumental) (3:01)
 B4. Dirt (Intrumental) (2:47)
 B5. Prog (Intrumental) (2:36)

 Promoanfragen bitte an promotion@compost-rec.com

Beats and bees are important ingredients in Edward Sizzerhand’s life! Born in Brooklyn, New York, he became worldwide known in the 90s with the rap crew Square One. After the end of Square One, the DJ, beatmaker and producer engaged in beekeeping and acquired professional skills in honey production for several years. Now, Sizzerhand is not only masterfully working on the controls, but has also acquired the BA master beekeeper at a university of agricultural economics. Sizzerhand loves beats and bees, and this is reflected in his first instrumental project, in which Edward Sizzerhand composed various honeys to beats. 
“A Taste Of Honey” contains spicy beats that can be compared to wildflowers or songs like Chestnut with a bitter finish. Other tracks are as flowery as Phacelia or fresh as Colza. There are 14 honey types on the album altogether.

The revenues of this record are going to be reinvested in Edwards beekeeping. SAVE THE BEES!

Tracklist
 1. Forest (2:20)
 2. Alpinerose (2:22)
 3. Clover (2:18)
 4. Dandelion (2:54)
 5. Phacelia (1:04)
 6. Sunflower (2:21)
 7. Lavender (2:17)
 8. Fennel (1:06)
 9. Colza (2:41)
 10. Wildflower (2:39)
 11. Basswood (2:16)
 12. SilverFir (2:34)
 13. Chestnut (0:55)
 14. Moorland (2:33)

 Promoanfragen bitte an promotion@compost-rec.com

It took Mr Raoul K more than three years of work inside and outside the studio to complete his first album for Compost Records. His first goal was to show all the musical influences he came across during his time in Ivory Coast. Ivorian music has incorporated musical traditions and instruments from East-Africa, West-Africa and from Central Africa – a real musical melting pot. To complete ‘African Paradigm’, Mr Raoul K used lots of the instruments he bought during his trips to Africa – including a Kenyan Mbira and Senegalese talking drums, for example. All instruments you hear on ‘African Paradigm’ were played the old-fashioned analog way – no synthesized sounds. Mr Raoul K teamed up with vocalists Ahmed Sosso, Lady Parul and Sona Diabate to emphasize his message, because sometimes (only sometimes) words speak louder than music. His second goal was to share his view on Africa through his music, making ‘African Paradigm’ a political album as well. Mr Raoul K has always used his music as a means of political expression – ‘Le Karantkatrieme Peul’ dealing with Barack 
Obama’s presidency, for example. The album’s main track, ‘African Paradigm’, was an epic track with a running time of about 50 minutes. Mr Raoul K thinks of the track as a work in progress. Here he releases two finished parts plus an additional intro. The remaining parts are scheduled for a later release. If you listen closely, you can hear Mr Raoul K painting layer after layer after layer of sound until the whole picture finally appears. Showing a beautiful continent, torn apart by foreign powers, independent by law but still suffering from the burden of being colonialized for cheap labour and raw materials and suffering from inner conflicts and civil wars. The music mirrors this picture. You can hear the sense of urgency, the suffering – different kinds of driving drums, haunting percussion, dancing flutes, irie effects lurking in the shadows… But there are contemplation and hope as well – the hope, that there will be a better future for Africa.

About Mr Raoul K
 Now being considered as one of the pioneers of Afro House, Raoul Konan N’Dah Kouassi’s story depicts a series of events and bold decisions that led him to become Mr. Raoul K.  After having left the Ivory Coast and 26 of his siblings, Raoul first set foot on German soil with his twin brother in 1992 and chose Hamburg to be his new home. His biggest dream at the time was to become a professional soccer player, and he made it to the professional level in Germany, but a severe knee injury forced him to let go of that dream and was about to turn his life around, once more.  
  
 Hamburg is also where he first got in touch with the aesthetic vibe of house & techno music that was played at the local clubs, after which he was immediately sold: these nightly experiences resulted in a steep turn in his career. In 1999, Raoul moved to Lubeck, where he would work as a carpenter during the day and develop and refine his musical skills at night. After years of taking double shifts and setting aside every hard-earned penny, he finally had enough money to build his own studio. As a true perfectionist, Mr. Raoul K. was finally ready to share his music with the world. Raoul’s vision was to unite traditional African instruments with modern electronic sounds, which laid a foundation to a new genre that is now considered to be a cornerstone of electronic music: Afro House. 
 But like most dissident and innovating minds, his work was not welcomed at first, and after being turned down by many labels, he released his first 12 "on his own label ‘Baobab Music’ in 2007. The myth has it that the ancient African tree after which Baobab Music was named, is home to the wisest of monkeys. Raoul’s first 12 "’Le Cercle Peul’ received massive acclaim from prominent critics and respected producers like Jerome Sydenham, Josh Deep, and Henrik Schwarz. In 2009 he set up the Baobab Secret Label to put out tracks that do not fit the output schedule of Baobab Music. To achieve his unique vibe, Raoul frequently visits his birthplace to record traditional African instruments – ranging from the Cora to the Balafon – played by local musicians.       
 All this hard work did not go unnoticed, and Raoul quickly gained the attention of his peers for daring to bend the rules of genres and expressing his true musical identity. Raoul’s tenacity truly paid off, as 2017 was the year Innervisions – one of his favorite labels – released a rework of his track “Toukan.”   
 Today Raoul has proven his production and DJ talents throughout the world, having performed at major venues such as the renowned Panorama Bar or the Watergate in Berlin, The Rex Club in Paris, De Marktkantine in Amsterdam, various known festivals or even as a guest to the Boiler Room. Mr. Raoul K.’s music is being played by other prominent artists like Dixon, Âme, Solomun, Joe Claussell, Derrick May, Roman Flügel, Trikk and he remains devoted to his passion – continually renewing the world of music and its definition while staying true to his roots and values. 

Links:

Resident Advisor: https://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/mrraoulk
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/mr-raoul-k
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mr_raoul_k/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MrRaoulK/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ErWVVcMH1io3Au40dTKnG
Quotes about “African Paradigm EP I” (CPT 536-1):

“African Paradigm is celestial. Love that.”
 DJ Spinna

“Wonderful!” 
 Dairmount (Room with A View)

“Very nice!”
 Monika Kruse

“Tamale is among the best tunes of the year for me. Great tune, big support!”
 Musumeci

„Love it!“
 Simbad

„Nice stuff“
 Adam Port (Keinemusik)

„Nice piece of work here”
 Ron Trent

“African Paradigm is pretty!“
 Lars Behrenroth (Deeper Shades of House)

“Nice one!”
 Shir Khan (Exploited)

“Great afro-house tracks, classic but dam well produced! In love with ‘Tamale’ when the break emerges, goosebumps!“
 Ludovic Rambaud (DJ Mag FR)

“Great one!”
 &ME

“Excellent!”
 Kiki

“Fantastic release”
 DJ Rocca

Quotes about “Djougou Yah EP” (CPT 512-1):

“Very nice, liking both mixes“
 Manuel Tur

“Raoul K is a G!“
 Thris Tian (Boiler Room)

“Lovely release, especially the Perc Mix. classy stuff.”
 Jimpster

“Love this !!! Great work!“
 Floyd Lavine

“Excellent music!“ 
 Pablo Fierro

“Big Tune ! Played it to massive response already ! “
 Peter Kruder

Discography
 Album:
 2011 – Introducing My World [Mule Musiq]
 2012 – Mande [Still Music]
 2014 – Still Living In Slavery [Baobab Music]

12”:
 2008 – Jenseits ?(12") [Baobab Music] 
 2008 – Himalaya ?(12") [Baobab Music] 
 2008 – Emotion Du Peul ?(12") [Baobab Music] 
 2008 – Le Cercle Peul ?(12") [Baobab Music] 
 2009 – Moment Psychedelik [Baobab Secret] 
 2009 – Wind Of Goree (12") [Mule Musiq] 
 2009 – Le Karantkatrieme Peul ?(12") [Baobab Music] 
 2009 – Sun Of Gao ?(12") [Fatsouls Records] 
 2010 – Mystic Things ?(12") [Baobab Secret] 
 2010 – The African Government ?(12") [Mule Musiq] 
 2010 – Mr Raoul K feat. Wareika – Le Triangle Peul ?(12") [Baobab Music]
 2011 – Remixed Vol.1 & 2 ?(12"s) [Mule Musiq] 
 2011 – Rainning Love ?(12") [Mule Musiq] 
 2011 – Le Karantkatrieme Peul Remixes ?(12") [Baobab Secret] 
 2011 – Introducing My World ?(12") [Mule Musiq] 
 2011 – The Balafon Teachers ?(12") [Baobab Music] 
 2012 – Mr Raoul K Featuring Atito Kpata – Neo-Evolution [Baobab Music] 
 2012 – Neo-Evolution 01 ?(12") [Baobab Music] 
 2012 – Cazuma / Mr Raoul K – Yume / Envie ?(12") [The Free Spirit Society] 
 2013 – Mr Raoul K Featuring Atito Kpata – Ayoka ?(12") [Baobab Secret] 
 2014 – Still Living In Slavery Part 1-3 ?(12"s) [Baobab Music] 
 2015 – Raoul K & Doungous Degospa – Le Tchadien (Arno E. Mathieu New Versions) ?(12") [Clima Records, Sacred Rhythm Music, Baobab Music] 
 2015 – Break Your Chains And Return To Botswana ?(12") [Baobab Music] 
 2017 – Manoo & Raoul K* Feat. Ahmed Sosso – Toukan EP ?(12", EP) [Innervisions]
 2017 – Just In A Moment To Find A Way To Sun Dance ?(12") [Baobab Music]
 2017 – Raoul K & Timmy Regisford – Neo Evolution EP ?(digital) [Unquantize]
 2018 – African Paradigm EP1 ?(12") [Compost Records]
 2018 – Laolu & Mr Raoul K – Djougou Yah ?(12") [Compost Records]
 2019 – Mr Raoul K & Mapiko Mweya Ft. B’Utiza* – Talking About Woman ?(12") [Baobab Music]