Germany

STUDIO is Benny's 5th studio album. Not just casually called by its name. No, there is something else happening here. The word 'STUDIO' originates from the Latin word 'studium', which stands for 'studying'. The studio is the place where painters, artists and musicians learn, study and create. It's the place where Benny is most comfortable.Benny's Amsterdam based studio has an amazing view of the canals. STUDIO is an ode to this place, which he built 4 years ago, and everything it has brought him. Because it brought him more than just the music he produced there. It gave him his place in the world and with it so many other things. All of which is to be heard on his new album. You find him exposing true love, follow his search for a home, he opens up about settling down and he speaks of breaking through old patterns in which he found himself being stuck for years.Thanks to the co-operation with the young BEA1991 Benny is introduced to instruments that are new to him, after which he found himself coming out of the warm analogue world of the 70's and 80's and go straight into the icy digital world of the 90's.And with that the album STUDIO is born. The result is interesting. The record is not at all icy. The warm sound of Benny, which we have come accustomed to, is yet again prominent on this album. STUDIO is an album, full of color, beats and melancholy, but with songs that go much deeper than we are used to from Benny. It's remarkable that he has worked with far more people on this album than he did on previous records. Mayer Hawthorne (America's number 1 blue eyed soul singer) sings on one of his tracks, we hear Rick Rubin's protégée GoldLink rapping and we find Stone Throw's golden boys The Stepkids in a surprising role of mixing the album. Even though Benny has been crossing borders with his work for years, he only seems to really get the full effect of it just now. STUDIO is a record with international allur.

Ivan Ave & Fred Fades are back on the map with another Norwegians finest collabo. Ivan Ave can't do wrong. After dropping his critically acclaimed "Low Jams" EP with Mndsgn (Stones Throw), he now is back with another project to hold you over till his solo LP entirely produced by Mndsgn will drop early spring 2016. "Frutiful" though, was entirely produced by his Norwegian partner in crime Fredfades, who has been making noise in his own & has a handful of releases under his belly. Proving norwegian HipHop is cool as Norwegian outdoor temperatur, his versatile sound largely incorporating his incredible collection of rare modern soul and boogie is the perfect backdrop for Ivan Ave's poetic tales about urban life, relationships and daily observations. Just like his project with MNDSGN, Ivan seems to have a gift in finding producers with which he manages to create coherent projects that don't sound thrown together...Follwoing their "Brains" from 2009 & "Breath" EP 2014 by Fred and Ivan, the "Fruitful"LP was a just the next logical step, after Ivan moved to Oslo. The two started to hang out more and started recording new music. Fred took care of the mixing and tried to make a red line sound wise. The combination of these two is so fresh and brings a new, whilst still classic, sound to the game with a little help from guests such as Jakarta's own JuJu Rogers and Fresh Daily. Ivan Ave's solo album, entirely produced by Mndsgn will drop early in 2016.

Olivier St.Louis (the artist formerly known as Olivier Daysoul) releases his Debut EP. Olivier was born in Washington DC of Haitian and Cameroon heritage, but spent most of his childhood studying in the remote countryside of the UK. During his youth Olivier's CD and sometimes cassette collection would range from hip hop, RnB to Garage and British rock. Olivier remained in the Uk and completed a Bio Science Degree in Oxford but could could suppress his real passion for music. After graduation he began a 'Jekyll and Hyde' life. A scientist by day, recording artist by night. He went on to receive significant international attention for his work as a featured singer/songwriter back then still under the name Olivier Daysoul. He worked and toured worldwide with various artists including Oddisee, C2C, Onra and Bibio, Hudson Mohawke as such as other producers from the Warp Records family. Despite all of this, Olivier felt something was missing ... A true reflection of his own voice and sound. A hiatus from feature recordings and some deep introspection found Olivier discovering his love for blues, rock and funk. Many late night guitar sessions resulted in new soundscapes. A new chapter was opening. The former 'Daysoul' moniker exchanged for his original birth name 'St.Louis'. Producing and writing all his own music and playing his own instrumentation, Olivier St.louis was embarking on a new road. The Black Music EP coming out on Jakarta Records gives listeners both old and new a taste of Olivier's true music palate. When asked his thoughts on his artistry he states:"no punches pulled ...no compromises ... Just me".

Box Aus Holz, over the course of a handful of very special releases quietly worked their way into the dancers hearts and the DJ's charts. A steady supply of loose, hook heavy and beautifully crafted sample jams have really set the label apart.We're very happy to see them return, with this, their eighth release.Another Various Artists selection, ranging from typically irresistible Sample-House (from wunderkind Glenn Astro & Joschka Seibt & DJ mettigel) to smoked out, neck snappin' MPC workouts, via deftly crafted Madlib flavours.100% quality cuts all the way.

Spiritual funky house tracks including an Orlando Voorn remix.

Limited Edition, Test Pressing It's already been a strong year for Diego Krause, with releases on Apollonia and Made Fresh Daily picking up nicely where last year left off. This latest release finds Krause back on home turf with the third chapter in the Unison Wax story, providing an ideal platform for exploring all the different shades of groove the Berlin producer loves turning his hand to. "Track 1" marches forth with an uptempo house purpose that sports a perfect balance of deep melodic tones and punchy beats, while "Track 2" gets into a downtempo groove that would sound right at home on Mo Wax. "Track 3" slips back into the upbeat thrust of the dance without losing that wistful lilt in the keys, and then "Track 4" heads into sublime dubbed out house territory.