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LAB US EXCLUSIVO. Adam Kesher follow up their outstanding debut EP on Disque Primeur with this loaded single, featuring four new tracks and four remixes from all over the place. This EP also marks the remix debut of the Lab's very own...
expand review Snack & C'mish! "P-Katherine(1)" is hype enough on its own (think Franz Ferdinand, but better), but Snack & C'mish get so funky with it(2) and turn it into an absolute dancefloor bomb. Fine work, dudes. Paris' premier ghettotech DJs, Goon & Koyote, get their hands on Kesher's first single, "Modern Times(3)," and Strip Steve puts down a HEAVY remix of "Irene(4)" - check the original(5), too. Also includes "Let The Earth Rejoice" and the original and Yuksek versions of "Feel You In My Arm." Recommended. -Chris Lemon-Red
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LAB EXCLUSIVO. The long out of print debut EP from Adam Kesher gets a special repressing! This CD sold out immediately upon initial release and these tracks are only found on this EP (no vinyl was ever made). Turntable Lab is the...
expand review exclusive US distributor of this release - you won't find it anywhere else.
Y'all might remember Adam Kesher's first appearance at the Lab from their rock cover of Para One's rave anthem "Dun-Dudun" on Institubes, but this EP is actually the band's first release from '06. Think post-punk meets electro-rock with a bit of Factory Records. Take a listen and you'll find these French rockers got more going for them than the usual rave-banger sounds that their countrymen have blown up so hard lately. "Modern Times(1)" sets the whole thing off like a flaming kick in the ass. Frantic, fast paced drums, screeching guitars, and nasty low end synths make things real hot and sweaty (it's no wonder this track set off a slew of hype remixes). Next check "160(2)" for more on this driving, high energy tip (really reminds me of Gang Of 4 on this one). "You Make Me Feel Immortal(3)" and "Voyage Interieur(4)" aren't bad either, but feature a more mellowed out melancholy vibe. An impressive debut with 5 tracks total. -snackmaster
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Super deluxe 10th anniversary edition of AIR's first proper album from '98. You might've listened to this back when it first came out, but it's definitely worth a revisit. I know my ears were a little more biased a decade ago and...
expand review weren't really in tune with the Frenchies, but in '08 I'm pretty sure we're all much more familiar with the "French Style" and can really appreciate what these dudes were doing. Nicolas and JB (aka AIR) were definitely ahead of their time, combining elements from Burt Bacharach and Serge Gainsbourg, ambient, lounge, new wave, disco and lots of synthesizers, into one unique musical style paving the way for similar-minded artists like Sebastien Tellier. Just take a listen the masterfully crafted chill moods -"La Femme D'Argent(1)," "Talisman(2)," "All I Need(3)," and "Sexy Boy(4)," "Le Voyage De Penelope(5)," and "Remember(6)." The whole album really goes down real easy - it's that smooth. This limited edition set also contains a bonus CD loaded with rarities, remixes, demo versions, and radio sessions as well as a DVD with an hour long documentary on the band entitled "Eating, Sleeping, Waiting and Playing" by none other than Mike Mills. All this in a fancy 12- page hard cover booklet with full liner notes, lyrics, and original artwork. Recommended. -snackmaster
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This is the expanded CD version of the Come To Daddy single with 4 additional tracks not found on the 12" (they were released as a separate remixed promo 12" and rare CD single). Of these 4 extra tracks, it's worth it...
expand review alone for "Iz-Us(1)" as Richard James executes a stunning breakbeat track without any strings attached, it's feelgood all the way. Also includes: "Come To Daddy Mummy Mix(2), Funny Little Man(3)," and "To Cure A Weakling Child(4)." As for the rest of the EP, here's what we said about the 12": The Come To Daddy single from 1997, again featuring a twisted Chris Cunningham cover, is one of my favorite Aphex singles released on Warp (the Rephlex ones are still the best). A funhouse of styles and emotional responses here, first with the potent adrenaline rush of "Pappy Mix(5)" juxtaposed with the gorgeousness of "Flim(6)" and polished off with the incredible breakbeat-possessed child track "Bucephalus Bouncing Ball(7)." This is why Mr. James is sweated. -the mgmnt
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Not for the easily offended! (But you could tell that from the cover.) It's the debut EP from Bangers & Cash, the new project from MC Spank Rock and producer Benny Blanco, and it's about as dirty as you'd expect a Spank...
expand review Rock tribute to 2 Live Crew to be. The live show favorite "Shake That(1)" sounds just as good on record, but how could a track that samples 2 Live's "Fuck Shop" and Splack Pack's "Shake That Ass Bitch" not be? "B-O-O-T-A-Y(2)" pulls sources from no less than three different tracks, but guest vocals from Santi of Santogold really makes the track; same goes for the hoodrat track "Loose(3)" and the guest spot from Amanda Blank, who just sounds better every time she gets on the mic. "Pu$$y(4)" gets a little too dumb for my taste, but "Bitch!(5)" overcomes its subject matter with an epic beat from Benny and a sample from NWA. And if you think the cover is nasty, you should see the back and inside. -Larri Byrd
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Amongst 12" buyers, Beatfanatic has become a brand name. Most every 12" this guy puts out is an automatic lock for 50-plus copies here at Lab, a pretty high standard for someone from Sweden. But his output is undeniable, mixing disco, afrobeat,...
expand review jazz, and breakbeats, all with an authentic 70s touch. This is the follow-up to the Lab-classic Adventures album, and features 15 new tracks. That's quite a bit of material, for a sampling checkout: "Mighty Love(1), Like a Sound(2), African Love(3), Blow My Mind(4), Holdin Out(5), Doin' Fine(6)." As for some feel. here's what Sabo says: "You cannot go wrong with this album if you're a fan of disco, funk or soul. Every track is packed with both live sounding instrumentation and recognizable samples, all without sounding over done. You could mix these tracks right in and out of the classics and no one would ever know the difference. This is one that will be in my record bag for a long time, right next to this Swede's first album. Highly recommended to keep the crowd moving and smiling." This is also the limited edition first pressing which features an 8 track bonus disc for the CD and a 5 track bonus 12" for the vinyl version, both featuring b-sides and unreleased tracks. -the mgmnt
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LAB EXCLUSIVO: Purchase the debut CD from Black Spade and receive an exclusive promo-only CD EP featuring a remix from Waajeed (Platinum Pied Pipers) and three unreleased tracks.
Freshman effort from this St. Louis producer/MC, already getting a lot of love in underground...
expand review circles and earning comparisons to SA-RA & Aloe Blacc. Plus, our man Josh Re:Up did the artwork! Black Spade's got wide ranging tastes in music (he namechecks Prince and Dilla, among many others, on "The Genius In You(1)") and it really shows in his varied and skillful beatmaking. "She's The One(2)" is Spade in a jazzy '20s nightclub update, "Actioneer(3)" is a slice of uplifting futuristic soul and "Revolutionary Bullshit(4)" starts with a misleading upbeat funk sample before it turns into a nasty trunk rattler. The man has some great lines, too; I like the part about "2-steppin' on the White House lawn." More listening: "Tale of 32(5)," "Her Perfume She Wore(6)," "Evil Love(7)." 19 tracks; 70 minutes. -Chris Lemon-Red
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Even though I know it, I always forget just how absolutely huge electronic music really is in Europe, and the rest of the world for that matter. It's just pop music there y'all! This tour DVD that comes with the re-release of...
expand review Booka Shade's very solid 2006 long player is major. It follows them to North America, Australia and their native European continent, riding in helicopters, jamming in front of jumping crowds and giving interviews along with their publicist and tour manager in front of lit candelabras! Also, includes live visuals, raw live performances and a grip of remixes, including two by Hot Chip, only playable ON the DVD (no iTunes unfortunately). But really, the magic lies in the album. If you haven't heard the album in its entirety and you've been at all interested in this German two piece, you should definitely pick this up. From major worldwide minimal electro house club bangers "Mandarine Girl(1)," "In White Rooms(2)" and and "Body Language(3)" to funky tech'd out sleeper tracks that are just as strong, like "Darko(4)," Booka Shade are forward thinking and consistent, with a strong grasp for hook and melody. They even slow it down and get slightly emotional on the Boards Of Canada like, "Lost High(5)." And, unlike most German club all stars' full lengths, this album comes complete with great sequencing and cohesive LP feel. Get with it if you haven't already. Recommended. -Rezound
When one of our friends who works at Vice is emailing us raving about a CD, you know it's gotta be be good. (Those guys hate everything!) Boyd Pro comes out swinging on this new album/mixtape, featuring 27 instrumentals that range from...
expand review hip-hop to downtempo to psych to dance. To be honest, I'd never heard of Boyd before we got this CD, but after ONE listen I was like "Why isn't this dude on Stones Throw??" The whole vibe is very similar to Madlib's quick beat sketch albums or Dilla's Donuts. Take a chance on this one. Recommended. -Larri Byrd
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After winning a couple Grammy's for "Push The Button", Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons (aka the Chemical Brothers) return with their latest full length effort - "We Are The Night." Rather than strictly sticking to the big beat sound they have mastered,...
expand review the Chemicals have decided to blend it up with ample doses of ambient, psyche, pop, dirty electro-house and breaks. The result is an experimental and eclectic album that may not be as ground-breaking as "Exit Planet Dust" or "Dig Your Own Hole," but contains many high moments and is very listenable from beginning to end. Check out "Saturate(1),""Das Spiegel(2)," and "Burst Generator(3)" to hear the Chemicals flipping a euphoric hybrid of minimal funky house and breaks styles. "Do It Again(4)" is probably the most pop-friendly track on the album featuring Ali Love's falsetto vocals over a stripped down dirty house beat a la JTimberlake - it is not a cover of the Steely Dan classic (though I'd be into hearing what they would do with it). Other notable tracks/collaborations include the electro-rock hype of "All Rights Reversed(5)" with the Klaxons, the hilarious "Salmon Dance(6)" with Fatlip of the Pharcyde, and the downtempo folk goodness of "The Pills Won't Help You Know(7)" with Texan prog rockers Midlake. 12 tracks total. -snackmaster
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While giving this new Chimp Beams album a first listen, I found myself floating in a world of Twin Peaks dialogue, Lost in Translation imagery, and gut-wrenching Six Feet Under montages. Yes, it's that good. This electronic dub trio has...
expand review been repping Brooklyn via Japan for a while now, and they do it with respect and consistency. Among the band members' side hustles is those fancy Concent accessories (type "Concent" in search) that you all love to buy from us. They also host great dub parties at BPM Studio, one of Williamsburg's best kept secrets. In between all that they make songs like "Menina(1)" which could easily have been too uplifting in the wrong hands, but damn if this nugget of joy doesn't make me want to walk through a garden in the rain with someone I love. If he had only had a boombox instead of a torch, I feel like Short Round could've used this song on Indy in the Temple of Doom to break him out of his evil spell. "11217(2)" already had me cradled as it was my first zip code in Brooklyn. The gritty pretty vibe has me open right now. You didn't know the slope was real like that, son! The somewhat sloppy dubs kill it in this one. They give me the same feeling in my stomach as I get walking down 5th Ave looking in the windows of coffee shops and restaurants at faces of people I will never know. I just read a line in a bell hooks book that says: "We do not know the truth that to be seen and not known is the ultimate abandonment." Welcome to New York City, baby. These Beams are really good at capturing the NY merging of endless possibility and bountiful potential for incredible lonliness. The mixture makes for really beautiful music and a really depressing review. It should be noted that I just watched a lot of "Sex in the City" and I have a stomach virus, a fever and a bumping headache right now. It's not that I retract anything I've said, but you may want to determine the depth on your own. Listen to the heavy happy of "Brooklyn Dub(3)", "Winter Song(4)", and "Dubzillian(5)" for a more complete taste. The cd and vinyl versions have different tracks but don't worry, you can buy them both. -Telekinetic Kat
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Dave1 and P-Thugg return to the album game after a few years of live shows and mixtapes, and they're sounding fresh as ever, proving why they’re the shiny superheroes of the Vice roster. (These guys have funk laced in their bones like...
expand review Wolvie does adamantium.) Right off the bat, the intro tells you what you're getting into as some sassy females chant "CHRO-ME-OH! OHHH-OH!" like the guards in Wizard of Oz. Then they hit you with the one-two punch of the heavily vocodered "Tenderoni(1)" and "Fancy Footwork(2)," both filled with unfadeable melodies and tons of squiggly synth. Digging deeper, you should check the amazingly retro "Opening Up(3)," "Call Me Up(4)" and "Outta Sight(5)." Did I mention that the album was mixed by Zdar and exec-produced by Tiga? Well it was. Also, the artwork is perfect. Nice and quick, too - at 11 tracks and 40 minutes, it only leaves you wanting more. Recommended. -Chris Lemon-Red
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Longtime Ninja Tune band Cinematic Orchestra have released this their fourth album on Domino. With the move, it looks as if the band is trying to broaden their audience. Their sound has progressed from "classical beathead" to more of an Air-type vibe...
expand review with abstract arrangements and guest vocalists. I'm definitely feeling this move, you gotta move on sometimes. Checkout "Familiar Ground(1), Ma Fleur(2), Time And Space(3), As The Stars Fall(4)" (the track most like their old material), and "To Build A Home(5)." 10 tracks in all. -the mgmnt
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Deluxe 2CD reissue of Claude VonStroke's debut album; the additional CD features TEN remixes from the likes of Diplo(1), DJ Assault(2), Audion, Sebastien Leger, John Tejada, Aston Shuffle and more. Here's what we said back then: "About seventy percent of all the...
expand review dance music released is awful. Trust me, I listen to just about all of it on distributor websites and stupid ass blogs. Basically I got a boner when I found out we were carrying this Claude Von Stroke CD. I acquired a copy of "Deep Throat(3)" about two years ago on promo. This was a secret heater with me for the longest time. Those dirty mouth noises are great. I thought this would have been the only good track on this unmixed CD but no I was wrong; I've already listened to everything on here a few times already. I listen to a lot of music so this is pretty much a big feat in itself. I especially like "Chimps(4)" and "Beware of the Bird(5)." This shit is really banging. Do you have any taste when it comes to dance music? You'll agree with me then when I say that "The Whistler(6)" and "Who's Afraid of Detroit(7)" are both the icing on the cake of this CD. Some ladies from the design firm next door just brought us some beer. They're having a party. I'm considering if I want to take a jacket from our clothing room and go holler at this one girl who I've been sweating for months. I mean this CD is really good and everything but I really need to get laid for real. "The Seven Deadly Strokes(8)" is the second lead single off of this album and it's banging as well. We have the twelve-inch too. Holler." -David Pitts
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I was pretty lucky to stumble upon this record. It was a late shift at the Lab store in LA, already played everything on the wall, so I grabbed this home-made looking record under the DJ booth, and damn, it was probably...
expand review the best thing I heard since I got there. Not sure who comprises Clutchy Hopkins, but they're a live downtempo band that sounds like they should be backing Portishead or releasing cult 7"s (but damn, an entire album!), it's really that good. None of the tracks have titles, but track two(1) is an incredible flute-led heater that will get you hooked. The thing that gets me here is the finesse, check track one(2) and four(3). They can go weirdo too, check Track 6(4), with its eastern-influenced guitar and dribbling piano licks. It sounds like something you'd hear on Doom's Special Herbs, but deeper. Or what about straight buttery smooth, check tracks 8(5) and 9(6), like some glistening oil on a beautiful french lady's skin in the Riviera. I won't ruin the entire surprise, there's 12 tracks in all. Recommended. -the mgmnt
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Cut Chemist dropped a solo LP? Yup, in case you haven't heard Cut has got his own Warner Brothers deal (I don't know about J5, is he still with them?) and dude is out to break the DJ album jinx. Judging...
expand review from the sampler cd that we got (yours free with purchase, it includes a couple instrumental versions not on the full album), this is gonna be Cut Chemist being Cut Chemist. No crossover attempts, no new "surprise" styles or any of that. Just sample + turntable based music that takes it's cues from a long ass time of record collecting, party rocking, mixtape making and cut n paste put togethering (he is certifiably "one of the best" at all of these things). Feeling that lead track "The Garden(1)," working with a bunch of Brazilian stuff. Guest MCs are on here, but we're talking Mr Lif and Edan on "Storm,(2)" and somebody named Hymnal on "What's The Altitude(3);" not BEP and The Game or something. I'm actually kinda shocked Warner Brothers went through with this. Kudos! -the mgmnt
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LAB US EXCLUSIVO. New album from French rap supastar Dabaaz featuring production from some of Disque Primeur / Institubes' most trusted names. A-Trak scratches all over an obscure Clipse sample for "Regardes Les(1)," Drixxxe tinkles the ivories on the jaunty, piano-driven "En...
expand review Plein Effet(2)," and Para One puts down a nasty, squelchy beat on "Le Da(3)." If you slept on Dabaaz's "Open Bar" single last year, you get the remix(4), just another of many dope Drixxxe productions here. (Feeling the "Whisper Song" update on "La Plus Belle Ce Soir(5)" - pretty sure I heard him say "Durex.") I can't understand a word this dude is saying and I still dig this album. Check the samples. 12 tracks; 46 minutes. -Chris Lemon-Red
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If you haven't figured out that Daft Punk is one of the strongest artistic forces in universe, you need this. CD and DVD special edition set (not to be confused with simultaneous single CD release) of Daft Punk singles, rarities, remixes, and...
expand review videos. The CD features 14 tracks, everything from early hits like "Da Funk(1), Musique(2), Around The World(3), Harder Better Faster Stronger(4)" and "One More Time(5)," all the way to current favorites like "Robot Rock(6), Technologic(7)," and "Human After All(8)." The CD also includes three Daft Punk remixes for artists Gabrielle, Scott Grooves, and Ian Pooley. While you are listening, flip through the booklet for all the album and singles covers (totally underrated for design vision). The DVD disc is equally robust with 12 videos including all the classics and two unreleased videos exclusive to the set. Daft Punk videos are as vibrant as their songs, so expect a potent visual overload and overall pleasant feeling of warmth. Recommended. -the mgmnt
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Environ CD reissue of Daniel Wang`s 2000 debut solo album. If you are not familiar with this guy, he's making moves in the underground dance world, similar to how labelmates Metro Area blew up a couple years back. Founder of his own...
expand review Balihu label, Wang utilizes vintage instruments for unique sound suitable for the headphones or the progressive club. The original tracklist has been modified with new versions of "All Flowers Must Fade(1)" and "Misty(2)." "Black Boots and Sine Waves(3)" and "Glimmer In His Eyes(4)," twin cult classics from the Nocturnes 12" have also been added as bonus tracks. Lookout for the massive "Rings of Saturn(5)," originally a 150 copy white label release. Limited edition. -the mgmnt
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Back in print! The debut album from Department of Eagles (featuring members of Grizzly Bear), now with 4 bonus tracks - "Dinner For Two(1)" and "Day School/Rooster(2)" - plus exclusive notes and new artwork. Here's what we said when it came out:...
expand review Lots of music flows through the Lab, it's like Rolex perpetual motion. Occasionally, a release comes through that sounds so different (minus your Beans release), it's a mini-office event. That's what happened when we got our first Whitey on the Moon 7". The combination of indy rock lyrics, downtempo beats, musical awareness, and uncanny creativity was a refreshing blast among the vinyl stacks. So much so that we tracked down this NYC based duo to do a single for our Money Studies label. In the meantime, they've released this full length, 12 tracks that come together as one of our favorite listening albums of the year. "Sailing By the Night(3)" is the prime example of the Whitey sound, melodic rock bred with excellent downtempo production. That's an amazing song, but when it's sandwiched between instrumentals like "On Glaze(4)" and "Noam Chomsky(5)," it's not normal. You'll find yourself swaying to the guitar tracks like "Piano In Your Bathtub(6)" and stuttering to experimental beat tracks like "Origin of Love(7)." You realize Whitey has you under control. Back to indy rock? OK, checkout the acoustical "Family Romance(8)" for a nice outtro. For an album so diverse, it really congeals, weaved together by the sheer blast of creativity. Recommended. -the mgmnt
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After a long string of successful 12"s on Kitsune, Jens "Jence Moelle and Ismail "Isi" Tuefekci (aka Digitalism) have finally put together a full LP of beautifully distorted electro-rock bangers. If you're not familiar, the sound is crunchy, funky and totally addicting...
expand review - something like listening to Daft Punk with the gain too high in outer space. You might already know many of their proven dancefloor fillers like "Idealistic(1)" (the title track and their first official single from 2004), "Zdarlight(2)," "Jupiter Room(3)," the white label only "Digitalism in Cairo(4)" and the recent smash "Pogo(5)," but the album contains even more unheard gems to get the fists pumpin' and the booty's shakin'. Checkout "Homezone(6)" with it's hard-as-f*ck electro drums (no 4 x 4 here!) and hilarious self-promoting lyrics. Riotous stuff, but "Apollo-gize(7)" proves the have a soft side as well. The perfect kind of track to play when the party is dying down and the sun is coming up. 15 tracks total - a solid album from beginning to end. -snackmaster
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LAB SEMI-EXCLUSIVO! This is a super-limited (2,000 copies worldwide) CD-only EP featuring the finest Bay Area rappers over Shadow beats. The majority of these tracks - the Droop-E remix of "3 Freaks(1)," "Turf Dancing(2)," "Dats My Part(3)" with E-40 and "Keep 'Em...
expand review Close(4)" with Nump - were featured on Shadow's The Outsider album, but of course you're copping this for the pair that weren't. "Purple Grapes(5)" is a drum programming masterpiece with the Team, sounding way more like a wild hyphy beat from Traxamillion than something you'd expect Mr. Davis to make. And speaking of Traxamillion, he provides the other bonus track here with his remix of "Turf Dancing(6)." Surprisingly, the remix sounds like something straight out the ATL, but it's infinitely more playable than the heavy-as-shit original. Why am I talking about playing this shit out? You're just gonna keep it in the plastic and sell it on eBay during the hyphy revival of 2035. 7 tracks; 25 minutes. Extremely limited stock. -Chris Lemon-Red
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Wow, official MoWax CD compilation featuring an indelible selection of DJ Shadow 12" tracks. They've really dug deep here, including both the big name tracks like "Influx" 12" version(1), plus all the remixes, b-sides, and true obscurities like the soundtrack song "Dark...
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