House

From 4Lux to Ten Thousand Yen, Earl Jeffers has been serving up plenty of upfront good time house music over the past few years, as well as steering the equally on point Chesus alias. Now he sidles over to the new Melange label with Byron The Aquarius in tow, and the sun kissed vibes are positively pouring out of the record grooves. "Eira" is where Byron flexes some on-point melodic input, laying down ludicrously rich keys to ramp up the soul status of this damn fine garage-y bumper. The "Demo Mix" of "Eira" resides on the flip and shows off a more stripped down, raw version that's no less satisfying on the ears.

South African house and synth-funk from the kwaito era by the legendary Senyaka Kekana. The unexpected deep house jam "Bayanyonyoba (1993)" and the illustrious soul song "Don't Judge Me Bad (1987)" are big RH favorites. Original copies are absolutely impossible to find, now released on 12inch for the first time. Beautiful sleeve by Stenze Quo! Esa Williams - "I had the pleasure of performing alongside Senyaka at the Alexander Theatre, Johannesburg back in 2012 which would have probably been his last most iconic gig before his passing in 2015. These two tracks really showcase the sounds of South Africa around the early to late 80’s, the influences from American synth pop and House that would then lead later into many of these records being played at the wrong speed which ultimately became the original Kwaito sound from South Africa."Kwaito is not just a form of house music, it’s also about the way South Africans dress, talk and dance. The lifestyle took shape in Soweto and gained popularity throughout the cities and townships of South Africa during the nineties. In the backdrop of a transforming South Africa, this slow, loud and striking form of house music emerged just before Nelson Mandela took office as the first democratically elected president of South Africa. Kwaai meaning hot, kicking - kwaito is a style in which the sung, rapped and shouted lyrics played a prominent part to mobilise the youth and push for change.The late Senyaka's 1987 album Fuquza (Dance) was years ahead of its time and gave rise to his reputation as a forerunner of the kwaito sound. The album includes "Don't Judge Me Bad" as well as "African Rap" and "Go Away". Later, in 1993, with South Africa on the cusp of democracy and the kwaito movement about to explode into the mainstream, Senyaka cemented his position with the release of his landmark album Ma-Gents, which included the song “Bayanyonyoba”.Regarded as one of the first African rappers, this pioneering artist was best known for his eccentric, controversial lyrics - delivered with a bold and at times funny approach that endeared him to many fans. Outside music, Senyaka also grew in popularity thanks to his roles as an actor, including in the popular homegrown film Moruti wa Tsotsi and the television comedy Ashifa Shabba.The emblematic artist successfully reinvented himself during his career, which led to divergent works. Senyaka’s versatile character shines through in this release as well. “Bayanyonyoba” is a soulful, loud but dreamy South African house gem, whilst “Don’t Judge Me Bad” is a more introverted electronic soul song.

Comprising three sweetly-swung, groove-focused productions coaxed from her beloved MPC3000, it's the perfect summation of Peggy's unique sonic signature."Maktoop is from the Arabic word maktoob meaning 'written' or 'destiny' so the EP title could be interpreted as 'looking for destiny'," explains Peggy. "It's also a reference to two of my best friends: Sik (or 'Seek') and Bada (who taught me this Arabic word). They have always been very supportive of my music and I wanted to acknowledge that somehow."The Korean-born Berlin resident has quickly established herself as a rising star of the underground in 2016 showcasing her production prowess on a pair of 12"s for Matt Edwards Rekids label - "Art Of War" and "Art Of War (Part II)" - and an outing on Phonica's consistently excellent Phonica White imprint. She has been equally impressive as a DJ too, playing alongside the likes of Ben Klock, Moodymann, Move D and KiNK and has found a fan in Jackmaster who has invited her to play at his upcoming Mastermix parties in Glasgow and Dublin.

BACK IN STOCK !!!MCDE Recordings is happy to add a fresh new talent from down under to the label, Harvey Sutherland, who has been releasing some amazing records in the last two years. Danilo has been supporting him since his very first release, and we are proud to put out some of his trademark cosmic boogie biz on this double sider for MCDE. A one-time session player and behind-the-scenes man, analog synthesist Harvey Sutherland emerged from Melbourne’s bubbling underground with a cassette tape in hand. 2013’s Nexus EP on This Thing Records - a trip through lo-fi boogie and Roland house music - was a cult hit amongst dancefloor aficionados, priming listeners for a lauded EP on Echovolt Records and the best-selling ‘Brothers’ on Voyage Recordings. His music has been played and appreciated worldwide, with enthusiastic support from prominent tastemakers and weekend warriors alike.