2025

Nicola Conte once again expands the boundaries of his creativity through a joint venture created with fellow Bari-based and rising to international fame producer Nico Lahs. A connection rooted in an artistic synergy melting leftfield dance music and live organic sounds. This new project is set to make waves in 2025.Stylistically, Tema Due is defined by a sophisticated, elegant approach to dance music, tailor-made for discerning club environments. Anchored in Afro-jazz percussion, the sound naturally evolves into electronic territory through an irresistible groove. The compositions are richly layered yet deceptively simple: on “Macumba De Oxalá” - whose title alone evokes trance-like states and cathartic release - voices and instruments gradually emerge, each at their own pace, building toward an increasingly hypnotic and immersive crescendo.“La Danse de l’Esprit” unfolds in a similar fashion and features four special guests who bring an exotic, textured feel to the track: Dario Bassolino on electric piano, Magnus Lindgren on flute, Abdissa Assefa on percussion, and Lalin St. Juste on vocals.This “EP1” is just the beginning. A second 12” and a full-length double LP are set to follow by autumn-glistening gems for lovers of the most refined electronic Afro-jazz for the dancefloor.

Ella and the Bossa Beat is a project by the young and talented Ella Borges (vocals and piano) and her father Magrus (drums and percussion), Brazilian from Belém and American by adoption, that combines Latin, soul and bossa nova sounds with jazz music; from the encounter with Toco, a long-time Schema Records artist, a collaboration immediately started, resulting in the singles “Areia” and “Amanhecer” released in 2023, followed by “Quem Me Dera” the following year. With “Amare”, a refreshing and radiant track where Brazil meets Italy, Ella and the Bossa Beat with Toco debut on a Schema 7” release, with an original track conceived almost by chance in the Milanese label recording studios: a composition where vocal jazz and bossa nova are tinged with a Mediterranean flavour. Robson Barros also plays the electric bass, while Gianluca Petrella, who arranges the horns and plays the trombone, sketches an exotic frame around a cheerful and amusing tune. The B-side of this release features a remix by Gerardo Frisina, who enhanced the rhythmic and percussive elements of “Amare” and transformed the song to make it his own.

Betino Records has released a new record by Parisian band The Big Hustle, "The Tokyo EP". This is the result of a meeting in Tokyo between of French bass player, composer, producer Sébastien Levanneur and Japanese musicians. It's an ambitious work that incorporates a wide variety of musical styles, as well as plenty of Japanese elements, elevating it to pop. Several Japanese top musicians are guests on the record, trumpet player/vocalist jazz legend Toku, the modern city pop singers Junk Fujiyama, Michael Kaneko.The selection offers various grooves from classic city pop to funky instrumental, AOR with lush strings and synths, airy ballad spiced with some koto added on top. If you never been to Japan here's your easy way to get a glimpse of it.

Pleasure of Love reissue imprint, New Islands, is back with another stunning restoration of a sought-after 12” gem. Originally produced by Paul Robb of Information Society in 1987, Venus II emerged as an otherworldly girl group in the Minneapolis scene. The mysterious duo wrote, programmed/sequenced, and performed everything live in the studio and on stage, including their local hit “Oh Boy.” Over the years, balearic heads have come to know and love this rare 12”. Now New Islands, sourcing from the original multi-track tapes, delivers a wicked, lush reissue of the original songs along with a pair of Justin Strauss remixes. Recommended if you like Nu Shooz, Tom Tom Club, and Torch Song.