14th December 2016
The latest release on Going Good records brings you a live performance by The Mystic Jungle Tribe. Recorded at the Semmai Factory in Naples back in 2015, this was the first ever live performance of the tribe. The group used a host of fabled electronic instruments, jamming live in a setting that led them to embrace their ambient side.
We are happy to make the most of our Brixton connection to bring you an exclusive stream of closing track 'Los Tigres De Annam'. Tune in and bliss out:
Our entire back catalogue of premieres is also available to listen to on our soundcloud page:
13th December 2016
6th December 2016
Jesse Futerman steps up for the latest Church. Jesse is part of a wave of artists hailing from Toronto that are really starting to hit their stride. His tracks are inspired by hip hop and turntablism, as well as rare groove, jazz, funk and soul. The Toronto vibe is then put through a South London filter as Hidden Spheres reworks the original with his take on Motor City atmospherics. Pre-order your copy ahead of release right here.
Check it out exclusively here:
Our entire back catalogue of premieres is also available to listen to on our soundcloud page:
6th December 2016
The San Francisco based collective consist of residents Jacob Sperber (aka Jackie House), Jason Kendig, Josh Cheon, and Robert Yang (aka Robot Hustle / Beziér). Honey has been instrumental in the formation of three record labels: Dark Entries, Discaire, and Honey Soundsystem Records (HNYTRX) - their flagship label for special one-off releases and dance twelve inches.
Formed in late 2006, the group is most known for its 5 year weekly Sunday night weekly party in San Francisco which saw hundreds of distinguished guests offering a take on dance music in direct opposition to what was blaring on mainstream club speakers.
Through years of dedication and hard work, Honey Soundsystem have become a real institution of the West Coast underground electronic music scene, it's a pleasure to present you this mix.
Tracklist and full interview below. As usual, the full archive of the Phonica Mix Series is available for playback right here and don't forget to subscribe!
First of all, thank you for a wonderful contribution to our mix series. What kind of vibe were you feeling when you recorded the mix?
As much as we love digging into the past we wanted to showcase some more recent favorites by a few artist and friends that we love and respect.
Do you think that the place and equipment used matters?
The equipment might not directly influence the music but environment will always influence the direction of a mix. When performing in a live setting you're creating a dialog with the crowd responding to their energy and guiding the night. When making a mix for home listening the entire arc and end result has been thought through. For the Honey Soundsystem mixes we usually discuss what we think the vibe of the mix will be and then compile an assortment of selections and then one of us will sort through the tracks and find a way to make the mix flow cohesively.
Tell us, how did the Honey Soundsystem project came together?
As we approach the 10 year mark of this project it's interesting to look back at how much has changed and evolved in San Francisco and beyond. At the time when we were just getting started I think we were looking for a way to present the music that we were excited about and nerding out on since it wasn't really reflected in the venues and parties that we were attending. (Particularly in the gay scene.)
The realization came that to do so would require creating our own platform. If it weren't for the teamwork involved I don't think any of us could have individually maintained the momentum through the years.
Your ethos is somewhat politicized and a reaction to mainstream dance culture. How do you think Trump’s election is going to affect culture in general and electronic music in particular?
The shock of the election results is still really wearing off on artists and musicians. The irony of the music industry in America, is that it's already as out of reach from the independent producer as it could be. Radio waves are in the most part owned by behemoth corporations and rarely does a college radio station get to hold it's own place on the dial. Long before Trump we have watched as venues struggled to maintain capacity against weekend music festivals and the growing EDM commercial rave scene. Now, obviously for anything to get worse could be crippling to the small business owner, but the underground has built its way around all of this already. In many ways we are prepared for further obstruction to the process, it is already so difficult to work with to begin with.
What is in the pipeline for the crew and the labels in its orbit?
There will be a forthcoming Octo Octa album coming in the new year via our in house label, HNYTRX.
Josh Cheon has a steady stream of releases forthcoming on Dark Entries.
Bezier has a split release with Fort Romeau that's out on Cin Cin.
Jackie House has a remix out now on The Night Owl Diner of Chrissy & Hawley.
Jason Kendig has a remix out on Roam Recordings of Heretic & Buran and a forthcoming release on The Night Owl Diner with Nackt. (Sadly we are still reeling from his untimely passing during the Oakland fire tragedy over this past weekend as well as the loss of many others that were integral to the Bay Area music community.)
As we are coming up to the end of the year, it’s list season! What were your standout records of the year and why?
It would be a really long list to include favorites from all four of us but here are a handful that have found repeated plays on the dance floor:
Savile - Share Power ep
The Pilotwings - Molitor 71 ep
Avalon Emerson - Frontier ep
Beesmunt Soundsystem - Afterglow ep
Jack Murphy - Knowing Something ep
Club Lonely - Real Wild Tracks ep
01. Ital & Halal - From The Brink
02. Jozef K, Tin Man, Winter Son - Fates Unknown (Erika Remix)
03. Shanti Celeste - Dolphin Chant
05. Doc Sleep - Cooper’s Trilogy
06. Avalon Emerson - Dystopian Daddy
07. Kim Ann Foxman & Shaun J Wright - Destination
08. Doms & Deykers - Faye’s Slide
09. Octo Octa - On Your Lips
10. Jayda G - Fathom Five
If you enjoyed this mix please consider a donation to the relief fund for the Oakland Ghostship fire.
5th December 2016
A couple of weeks ago the guys from Varia Instruments came down to the shop for a demonstration of their RDM20 rotary DJ mixer. Simon and Marcel spent the evening at the shop showcasing this amazing piece of gear and giving thorough explanations to anyone who wanted to discover more about the boutique rotary mixer world.
Playing on the machine was an interesting experience as many customers had the opportunity to try this type of mixer for the first time. Most people have become used to the industry standard fader controlled mixers. Using rotary knobs to blend signals surprised those who tested it and pretty much everyone left with excellent impressions. The isolators sounded lush!
It was great to chat with the creators too, the pair are two music lovers that crossed paths by pure coincidence. Simon was on the look out for the right mixer and Marcel had already created a prototype years ago. Sharing the same ideology – reduction to the essentials and high-end quality – made the decision to create their own brand easy, and Varia Instruments was born.
Our friends from FACT magazine also came down to record a video feature on the young Swiss brand. Check the video below:
Thanks to everyone who made it to the in-store and to Simon and Marcel for flying over with two of their very limited mixers - and for the tasty Swiss chocolate!
29th November 2016
Great news for vinyl lovers and record diggers all over the world, Marcus Maack has made the painstaking effort of mapping the most up to date information available on the world's record shops. Recordstores.love is an incredibly handy resource when travelling or looking to explore your own city for those who appreciate the experience of physical record shops.
The site was built with very modest resources but an enormous amount of passion, so we invite you to support the hardwork!
