Azimute - Control (CRM134)

Introducing a fresh electronic pairing as AZIMUTE, Crosstown Rebels gets set to present a glowing debut EP comprising three original cuts of pure and understated class. Lead track ‘Control’ pulses with robotic sex appeal as creepy sluggish grooves and low end swing collide with hypnotic percussion and rumbling bass. ‘Always’ by contrast begins life as a more skittish affair, until an unexpected and powerful bluesy soul vocal and undercurrent of UK bass pervades this ever evolving sonic framework. Closing the package,‘Where Is The Magic’ shows AZIMUTE at their most frenetic and energetic, where the pacey percussion and propulsive groove is interjected with a dose of weirdness. AZIMUTE’s statement of intent is a bold and playful one, conveying the raw talents of two of electronic music’s true heads and masters.

AZIMUTE is a new musical project combining the energies of rising techno DJ­-producer Cesare Marchese and veteran DJ­-musician Quenum. They became close when working together via Serialism on Quenum’s latest artist album ‘Face To Face’ and quickly realised they share a common musical vision and way of life. With this debut release on Crosstown Rebels and another forthcoming EP due to drop on Derrick May’s Transmat Records, it’s clear the duo are about to set techno hearts racing.

   Cesare Marchese (aka Cesare vs Disorder) is the freshman in the band, but no newcomer to electronic music. His productions have been released on top labels such as BPitch Control, Vakant, Dumb Unit and Get Physical. He was named “Beatport’s Ones to Watch” in 2009 and plays regularly at top events and festivals worldwide. His experience stretches to all aspects of the techno universe; he’s been running his label Serialism since 2007 and promotes label nights at Watergate in Berlin and other top clubs in Europe.

   Quenum is also well known in the scene and well respected for his longevity and quality contributions. He started his first label Access 58 in London in the mid 90´s and later co­ founded Cadenza Records with Luciano, composing with him the techno anthem Orange Mistake. His discography stretches over decades and continents, and includes top labels such as Soma, Crosstown Rebels and NovaMute among many others

• Label: Crosstown Rebels
• Cat no: CRM134
• Web: www.crosstownrebels.com
• Distribution: !K7 / Above Board
• Released: Mon Nov 3rd, 2014

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Damian Lazarus & The Ancient Moons - Lovers' Eyes (Mohe Pi Ki Najariya) Remixes (CRM133)

Damian Lazarus and the Ancient Moons entered our orbit earlier in the summer with the stomping and mystically brilliant ‘Lovers´ Eyes (Mohe Pi Ki Najariya)’. Now the highly anticipated remix package is upon us - featuring a souped up re-edit from man of the year Dixon that and a driving remix from Swiss/Spanish underground star Mendo.

“I had a feeling Dixon would be into Lovers Eyes but I didn’t expect him to request to remix the track. Talk about kudos! The edit he has delivered pushes all the right buttons for the dancefloor and the drop is one of the biggest you will see all year. To compliment this we took a more rollin’ approach with the excellent Mendo remix, who cuts up the spirit of the track into a peak time killer.” - Damian Lazarus

The single ´Lovers´ Eyes (Mohe Pi Ki Najariya)´ was the first release from Lazarus´s new collaborative artist project, which will build towards an album and live shows in early 2015. Joined at the production controls by James Ford (Simian Mobile Disco, Arctic Monkeys, Florence), for this track Lazarus completed album recording sessions in Mexico in February. Ancient Moons brings together a wide assortment of vocalists, collaborators and players, from around the world, with more details of this heady mix to be released in the near future. 

Already one of the year´s more unique and distinctive electronic music releases named both Pete Tong’s Essential New Tune and Mixmag’s Big Tune of the month, Lovers’ Eyes was inspired by Lazarus´s more leftfield Lazpod tendencies, the Get Lost events and Day Zero festival in Mexico. It’s music for deserts, jungles and sunrises. Featuring the vocalists Fareed Ayaz, Abu Muhammad and Hamza Akram - Pakistan´s leading Qawwali singers, here they sing of cosmic love, and the four eyes of the lovers becoming one, set against Lazarus and Ford´s incendiary techno production. Qawwali takes the form of a series of thematically and formally linked verses, and is steeped in a tradition that can be traced back to the 13th Century. Lazarus first encountered Fareed Ayaz and co. performing in the film ´Reluctant Fundamentalist´, starring Riz Ahmed. Riz, who also records for Crosstown Rebels, made the necessary introductions, and the unique collaboration was born.

• Label: Crosstown Rebels
• Cat no: CRM133
• Web: www.crosstownrebels.com
• Distribution: !K7 / Above Board
• Released: Mon Oct 6th, 2014

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Ibellini - Wide Soul (RBL020)

For his debut release, Ibellini delivers an impressively polished EP, ‘Wide Soul’, on Crosstown Rebels´ off­shoot RebelLion. The title track, ‘Wide Soul’, captures an intensely mystifying mood with a deep funky bass line, a wobbly lead synth and a warm, uplifting ambience. ‘I Dream Of Funk’ steps up the fantasy with its epic sweeping textures, layered melodies and a sprinkle of shimmery ear candy. On the B­side, Desolat favourite Guti remixes ‘Wide Soul’, turning it into a deeper and roaring techno thumper for the early hours of the morning. Rounding off the EP, ‘Milk & Honey’ is the perfect journey for sunrise moments, its resonating organic tones creating a feeling of strong elation.


Ibellini has been a staple on the London DJ scene since the tender age of 14. The trust he’s built with London music lovers has enabled him to play alongside the most vibrant and forward thinking artists in the business, such as Damian Lazarus, Jamie Jones, Guy Gerber, Matthew Dear and Martin Buttrich.

Ibellini set out to put his stamp on the scene, creating the ´Peculiar´ parties, which are held at anomalous London spots, cultivating a loyal following and featuring the most talked about artists in the industry.

This year Ibellini has played at the BPM Festival in Mexico and at Miami WMC with rave reviews from Rolling Stone.

Ibellini has built relationships with established figureheads over the last few years, his unreleased tracks are regularly played at festivals around the world, DC10 Ibiza and Boiler Room sets such as The Martinez Brothers this passed Summer. Upcoming releases are receiving a lot of enthusiastic feedback from both artists and clubbers.

• Label: Rebellion
• Cat no: RBL020
• Web: www.crosstownrebels.com
• Distribution: Above Board
• Released: Mon Oct 20th, 2014

Tracklist:

- Wide Soul

- I Dream Of Funk

- Wide Soul (Guti Remix)

- Milk & Honey

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Him_Self_Her - Love You Like I Used To (CRM132)

Dynamic UK duo Him_Self_Her are back on the essential Crosstown Rebels with another bumping deep house burner ‘Love You Like I Used To’ once again featuring the distinctive vocal chops of Kieran Fowkes who also appeared on previous Crosstown hit ‘Gone Too Long’ (which spent 11 weeks at the top of the Beatport chart). Featuring a tough and distorted remix from hot property Francesca Lombardo and the driving cosmic force of UK disco darlings Psychemagik on the flip, this is a house track for the peak season of al fresco hands ­in ­the­ air dancefloors.

BACKGROUND

Claire and Leon aka Him_Self_Her have been producing together since 2012 when they hit it off on amusical level during their formative time on the local house scene in Leicester. All that it took was one studio session to realise the potency of their union and their genre blending productions showcase a range of deep grooves and disco infused techno with a human heart. With their breakthrough release ‘Gone Too Long’ sparking the attention of none other than Pete Tong, he promptly made it his Essential New Tune and support followed from heavyweight DJs such as Jamie Jones. Next releases came on Elite Records and OFF Recordings.

The classically trained, multi­ talented Francesca Lombardo is one of the most successful artists of this era on Crosstown Rebels and with several shimmering releases for the label including ‘What To Do’ and the ‘Changes EP’, Francesca has amassed a sizable global following, entranced by her live instrumentation and vocal performances alongside the Rebels at events such as Get Lost and Day Zero, as well as the worlds dance music meccas DC10, fabric and Panorama Bar.

Undoubtedly two of the biggest stars of 2012, Danny McLewin and Tom Coveney aka Psychemagik are partly known for their prolific output of remixes but first appeared on Crosstown Rebels with a killer original release ‘Black Noir Schwarz’back in March. Avid vinyl collectors and masters of the re-­edit, the duo has released an impressive array of highly acclaimed releases as well as highly­lauded compilations, such as the self­released ‘Diabolical Synthetic Fantasia’ and last years superb ‘Magik Sunrise’.

• Label: Crosstown Rebels
• Cat no: CRM132
• Web: www.crosstownrebels.com
• Distribution: !K7 / Above Board
• Released: Mon Sep 22nd, 2014

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Fur Coat - U Turn EP (CRM131)

Venezuelan wonder producers Fur Coat step up for a triumphant return to their spiritual home of Crosstown Rebels armed with a solid stack of weapons to vamp up the dancefloor. Showcasing the duo’s most thoughtful and restrained material to date, the ‘U Turn EP’ is a deep and moody tour de force, technically on point and awash with hypnotic bleeps, dramatic tension and shards of vintage techno. Damian Lazarus has consistently hammered all 4 cuts of late and ‘U Turn’ has been a staple in the sets of the mighty Tale Of us for 4 months, debuting at Time Warp in Mannheim to heated speculation. Stylistically more heads down with not a hint of vocal, these are darkroom killers with the artistic essence of Fur Coat in tact.

“It’s very rare during a set that I have the choice of four absolute killer tracks from a forthcoming release and can’t decide which one is the best to play, so I play them all. This is one of those times.”

 - Damian Lazarus

 Fur Coat is one of the most hard-working and passionate duos in the business. On an endless quest for an original groove, irresistible hook and utmost production quality, their wildly successful releases for the likes of Hot Creations, Bpitch Control and of course Crosstown Rebels has ensured that the duo a weighty touring schedule and loyal following. Unearthed and championed by original Rebel Damian Lazarus, the duo released their impressive debut album ‘Mind Over Matter’ in 2012 on Crosstown Rebels

Since the album dropped, the pair have been called upon to sprinkle the unmistakable Fur Coat magic to reworks of legends such as Timo Maas & Robert Owens as well as hot newcomers Kidnap Kid & Joy Wellboy. April 2014 saw another landmark as the guys released their first original material since Mind Over Matter. 'Theres No Time EP' came out on the much hyped Hot Creations imprint from Jamie Jones & Lee Foss and is still getting hammered by some of the biggest players in the game today. Hot on its heels came 'The Right Move EP' for Ellen Allien's legendary Berlin imprint Bpitch Control, and featured the vocal talents of Jaw from DOP, again cementing Fur Coat’s name at the top of the industry.

TRACK LISTING

1. A1. Fur Coat - U Turn
2. B1. Fur Coat - Borsch
3. B2. Fur Coat - Mumbata

• Label: Crosstown Rebels
• Cat no: CRM131
• Web: www.crosstownrebels.com
• Distribution: !K7 / Above Board
• Released: Mon Sep 8th, 2014
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Get Lost VII Mixed By Craig Richards (CRMCD027)

There aren’t many DJs you would choose to Get Lost with... However Craig Richards is certainly one. Following on from timeless Get Lost episodes from Acid Pauli and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Craig Richards is renowned for his role as resident and musical director at London’s fabric over the last 15 years. This is a rare insight into the aficionado and musical maverick’s all time favourite records from his 40 year old collection. The result is an extraordinary adventure named ‘Get Lost VII’ and a contender for mix of the year.

This is Craig’s eighth DJ Mix album, but this is his most personal to date, spanning the sonic landscape from the late 1980’s to the present day. The two discs pack as much as you would expect and more, with forward­thinking choices that are instantly gratifying but largely unrecognisable. Disc one is one for the serious music lovers and puts Mr Richard’s wealth of experience and vast influences into the spotlight, whilst disc two takes a darker ride through the late night abyss. The collection heeds hard to find rare gems such as Backroom Productions, Black Rascals, 2House and Kenny Larkin, as well as modern vinyl only treats by Mike Ozone, Ruf Dug, STL and Velvet Season & The Hearts of Gold. It also features tracks from Craig’s own ground­breaking label: The Nothing Special, with tracks from Trevino, Calibre, dBridge, Keith Tenniswood, Billy Nasty and Craig himself.

An avid collector of vinyl, Craig Richards spent his early years saving to buy records through takings from his own barbershop within a vintage clothing store before moving to New York and LA during the birth of house music. In 1987 he landed a place at St. Martins School of Art in London, just as acid house fever descended on the Capital. These early experiences fashioned a deep passion and broad knowledge of music that led him, a somewhat private and reflective character, to become a true cult figure for a generational movement.

His fifteen year residency at London’s fabric is an unparalleled success and his role as musical director has enabled him to steer the path of the capital’s musical trajectory over the past decade. A true creative, his other projects include Tyrant, alongside Lee Burridge that held infamous residencies at The End in London and The Bomb in Nottingham, as well as an avid interest in painting, poetry and animation that leaks into other projects including the Nothing Special, a curated series of events and record label. His latest record label is run in conjunction with close friend Seth Troxler.

Craig undertook the first episode of the fabric mixes (voted no 12 best compilations of the decade by Resident Advisor) and this is only the eighth studio mix he has let see the light of day. His sharp vision and acute attention to detail means any output is diligently exercised and becomes a timeless project that is worshipped for years to come.

Tracklist :
CD 1 :
01. JTC – Through The Looking Glass
02. Black Rascals – Blaze Theme Track
03. Trans Mania -­ Boing, Boom, Jack (Alexander Robotnick Remix)
04. Untitled – Untitled (Thorny Hill Edit)
05. Raiders Of The Lost ARP ­- On And On (Patrice Scott Sistrum Remix)
06. Zsou Vs Velvet Season & The Hearts Of Gold – Fantasy Princess
07. Calibre – Getter Go
08. 2 House ­- Go Techno (Tony Humphries Dub Mix)
09. Trevino – Revolve
10. Steve Bug – Big Cheese From Wisconsin
11. The Model -­ Dungeon Man
12. Lerosa – Blinkerskate (Her Mix)
13. Backroom Productions -­ Definition Of A Track
14. dBRm – Darnley
15. Mark A Brook – Sound Barrier
16. Kenny Larkin ­- Groove
17. Ruf Dug – 1 4 Ron
18. Michael Ozone – Perfect Systems (Steve Summers Remix)
19. This Side Up ­- Love Starts With An L

CD 2 :
01. Spesimen ­- Calibus
02. Pametex ­- Reflectie
03. ERP ­- Lodestone (Ideograma Bsas Mix)
04. Klorex 55 -­ Mystisk
05. Amfibian ­- Pa Relax (Jark & Prongo Remix)
06. Craig Richards – Sleeping Rough
07. DMX Krew – Undesirable Element
08. Neil Landstrumm – Keep Up
09. Arpanet – Wireframe Images
10. STL – Something Is Raw
11. Unknown – Untitled (Jonny Rock Edit)
12. The Parallax Corporation -­ Anti Social Tendencies
13. Redshape – Finizh
14. Joey Anderson ­- Musical Tentacles
15. Samuel L. Session – Givin You Part 3
16. Brooks Mosher – Encroachment
17. Radio Nasty – Radio 1
18. Bangkok Impact – Junge Dame Mit Freundliche Telefonstimme

• Label: Crosstown Rebels
• Cat no: CRMCD027
• Web: www.crosstownrebels.com
• Distribution: !K7 / Above Board
• Released: Mon Sep 22nd, 2014
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Raw District - Ragged Star EP (CRM130)

With a decade of presenting exciting new talent behind them, Crosstown Rebels press on, signing up Belgian duo Raw District for their impressive debut on the label after a storming sophomore release on Defected sub label DFTD put them firmly on the radar. The ‘Ragged Star EP’ featuring live vocalists Ellipsis and Giorgia Angiuli is two compelling original cuts combining hypnotic, swinging grooves in the languidly deep Detroit ­laced‘Ragged Star’ and contrasting textures and tempos and ethereal voice in‘Turn Away’. Throw in stone cold killer tech ‘Rethinks’ by house music demi­god Josh Wink and you have more than enough bangers for your buck.

 Vernon Bara and Massimo DaCosta aka Raw District are Homecoming Music label owners and producers that between them have released music on labels such as OM Records, AMA Rec, Robsoul, Aroma, OFF Recordings, Icon and Doubledown, and delivered remixes for the likes of Brett Johnson, Fred Everything, Style of Eye, Miguel Migs and JT Donaldson. Earlier this year they launched the Raw District project with the mission statement “Raw District tracks will feature fewer samples and more organic influences. However, the trademark soul, funk and disco influences will still be evident, mixed up with the fresh European sounds coming from Berlin.” With more vocal collaborations in the pipeline, expect to hear more infectiously deep and characterful club sounds in the not too distant future.


Josh Wink needs little or no introduction. As the owner of long­standing benchmark label Ovum Recordings and a DJ/producer since the dawn of the 90s, Wink has helped soundtrack the clubbing life of a generation. Forming Ovum in 1994 with partner King Britt and releasing anthem ‘High State of Consciousness’ in 1995, Wink (under many different monikers) has continued with countless game changing releases, touring the globe extensively and entering the house music hall of fame as one of Philadelphia’s most prolific exports.

• Label: Crosstown Rebels
• Cat no: CRM130
• Web: www.crosstownrebels.com
• Distribution: !K7 / Above Board
• Released: Mon Aug 11th, 2014face
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LINK TO THE TRACKS