Claremont 56 continues to champion new, previously unheard talent with “Ready To Die”, the stunningly beautiful and catchy debut from Bel AKA Charlie Bell – a young, Liverpool based singer-songwriter, musician and producer who has a huge future ahead of him. “Ready To Die” is an emotion-rich chunk of catchy, loved-up Balearic pop with heart-aching, gut-wrenching lyrics about unrequited love, Bell’s debut is as catchy, infectious and heartfelt as anything the label has released to date – as proved by Lauren Laverne’s decision to champion the record on her BBC 6 Music show.

Such was his love for the song, Murphy decided to remix it for release, completing extended vocal and instrumental versions that enhance the track’s sun-kissed, glassy-eyed appeal. Both mixes are magical, with the vocal version in particular capable of making the hairs on the back of your neck stand to attention. Bell’s impassioned vocal and breezy acoustic guitar playing naturally takes centre stage, with the track’s sweeping synth-strings, toasty bass and a few trademark Murphy flourishes – think well placed delays and fluid electronics – on hand to amplify the song’s bittersweet mood. The beautiful and beguiling quality of Bell’s musicianship and Murphy’s subtle remix comes to the fore on the equally beautiful instrumental version.

Claremont 56’s latest beguiling two-tracker is as picturesque, sun-kissed and humid as they come. It may surprise some, though, to find that the artist behind these intoxicating tracks is not an experienced creator of wide-eyed Balearic fare, but rather a little-known but fast-rising producer from Moscow. Alterleo is the production alias of Denis Leonovich, a television sound producer who has spent his spare time making music for the best part of ten years.

He released a handful of dancefloor-focused EPs (mostly on local label National Techno) at the dawn of the decade, before retreating to the shadows to experiment further in order to develop his own trademark sound. Last year he resurfaced via a track on a two-part vinyl compilation It’s this exotic new direction – inspired, Denis says, by his desire to join the dots between psychedelic disco, Balearica and tribal rhythms – that’s showcased on the producer’s Claremont 56 debut, which also marks his first solo vinyl excursion. Both tracks are underpinned by gentle, undulating tribal rhythms, and include sounds and melodies crafted by the producer on kalimba, vargan and some of the small native instruments that form part of his growing collection of such items.

A-side “Sunset Sparks” is a thing of rare beauty: a dreamy, humid and tropical excursion in which fluttering flute melodies and delay-laden African vocals gently rise above slowly-shifting chords, psychedelic electronics and a synth bassline so squeezable that you could use it as a stress ball. Denis’s love of bold synth basslines is also evident on flipside cut “Boma”, a slightly bolder and more polyrhythmic excursion whose sparkling melodies, fuzzy guitar motifs, Jew’s Harp lines and foreboding aural textures create a quietly trippy mood. Some may note the influence of Jan Schulte’s Wolf Muller project, but Denis has crafted a mesmerizing signature sound all of his own.

STAFF COMMENTS

Sil says: Slo-mo beats, gentle atmospheres, nature samples everywhere, chuggy reverb. It is all very clean, very neat. It is also incredibly relaxing and hypnotic. And yes, it is Claremont 56 doing what they do best. In one word, essential. You need this future classic.

Claremont 56 boss Paul Murphy fell in love with Pan Electric's 2004 cut "Sweet as Rain" after hearing it in Japan a few years ago. Since it has never previously been released on vinyl, he decided to license it from its creator, veteran producer Matt Coldrick. As sublime piece of next-level downtempo bliss rich in Marimba style melodies, calming acoustic guitars and traditional Ethiopian vocals, "Sweet as Rain" is near perfect in every way. Brilliantly, Coldrick has also provided a recently reworked "Album version" which stretches out enticingly for 10 minutes across all of side B. Slower to build and laden with mesmerizing musical elements, it's even better than the magical original mix.

Big big big new release on the nation's favourite Balearic imprint, Claremont 56! We've come a long way since Paul Mudd kicked things off in 2007, and I'm happy to say I've made the journey with him. Thankfully the aesthetic of the label hasn't changed - we get nice artwork, 'proper' musical offerings and a decent vinyl press. Paradisical, blissed-out and Balearic are all over used superlatives to describe this music, but encapsulating the listener in a bubble that's a million miles away (or not) from their current environment always seems to be the guiding message. 

Hear & Now are Marco Radicioni and Riccardo Luchini which unless you're speaking in tongues, HAVE be Italian. Infact, they've both had a flurry of success in the house music genre, Ricky L more so than Marco R. Anyway, here they collaborate across eight tracks perfectly suited for the Claremont 56 stage. Languid and relaxed, with cantering arps gentle lapping over searing synthlines or gentle picked guitar motifs. Drums plod, usually at a sub 110BPM pace but set within a steady 4/4 structure. It's Balearic music as we know and love it, but when it's done by a pair of Italians with such a keen ear as this, it's darnright BEAUTIFUL! A sure fire hit for this well established label and.... what's that?... just in time for the August and September jaunts around the holiday isles... Pack a swimsuit! 

Enigmatic producer Waxwood has a genuinely global outlook. Born in Russia, resident in Brooklyn and a regular visitor to Los Angeles, he can often be found jetting off to far-flung parts of the world in order to make field recordings and immerse himself in different musical cultures. You can hear these disparate global influences and inspirations in Waxwood’s first single for Claremont 56, which comes on the back of a near legendary 2015 cassette for NYC’s Styles/

Upon Styles, "Sahasraha", which magically fused tropical hand percussion and densely layered field recordings with lilting ambient chords, hypnotic electronic rhythms and all manner of intoxicating aural flourishes.

“Kama” is a slightly different beast from its’ predecessor, with a sunny disposition and laidback breeziness throughout. Although underpinned by a sturdy kick-drum pattern, its chiming melodies and metallic percussion flourishes - reminiscent of indigenous music from far-flung nations such as Malaysia and Indonesia - combine with gentle acoustic guitar motifs and waves of acid-esque electronics to create a beguiling and life-affirming mood. It offers more proof that Waxwood is a producer with a unique musical vision.

The track’s inherent gentle breeziness is explored in greater detail on the accompanying remix, which has been provided by Phantom Island regulars Fuga Ronto (AKA Swiss musicians / producers Ron Shiller and Tobi Schweizer). Riffing on Waxwood’s original, they’ve added superb new vocals and instrumentation - think dreamy harmonies, tumbling synthesizer melodies and mesmerizing guitar parts - to create a sunset-friendly Balearic revision that’s both stunningly beautiful and dazzlingly sun-kissed.

The Idjut Boys and Laj (one of Raj Gupta’s lesser-known aliases) were once regular studio partners, laying down a series of now legendary dubbed-out disco and deep house releases on the former’s U-Star label during the mid-to-late-90s. Now one of the trio’s lesser-known gems is returning to record stores for the first time since 2002, courtesy of Claremont 56. “Slateo” first appeared on the 2002 Session Recordings label compilation "Solidsession Vol. 2", the CD version of which was mixed by the Idjuts and also contained a fine cut from Akwaaba, a band whose members included future Claremont 56 founder Paul 'Mudd' Murphy.

Built around undulating bongo beats, fireside-warm dub bass, outer-space chords, delay-laden guitar flourishes and spacey jazz-funk synth solos by regular collaborator Pete Z, “Slateo” sits somewhere between warm-up gold, late night bliss and early morning release. In true Idjuts and Laj fashion, it boasts epic amounts of reverb and dub delay, as well as the kind of enveloping production that’s always been a hallmark of their collaborative work.

16 years after the track first slipped out, it's back, on single-sided 12” single and pressed to gorgeous green and white vinyl. With only 350 copies available worldwide you'd better get them skates on! 

FORMAT INFORMATION

12" Info: half white half orange vinyl with transparent sleeve

Bonus cuts from the Claremont 56 Box Set featuring tracks and mixes not featured on the original release. Chicago legend Larry Heard is joined by UK mainstay Andy Meecham in his EMperor Machine alias as they remix the amazing Paqua and Jack Cutter. First up, "Serpent Strutt" by Jack Cutter gets a spacious and soulful rerub by Mr. Fingers who emphasizes the relaxed nature of the track through a beachy, waves lapping at your ankles kinda vibe that really resonates with the OG whilst simultaneiously shining a light on Larry's unique, effortless style.On the flip, EM takes Paqua's "Ruby Running Faker" into squelchy new disco territory complete with boogie bass, dubbed out delays and echo laden hand claps. Rock solid but with a bit of give around the hips, this'll make ideal warm up tackle... Super limited and really quite good - you know what to do! 

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Nice Brucey bonus for fans of the ultimate Balearic collection. Larry Heard and Emperor Machine's remix never made the boxset, but they're more than worthy additions to this most pretigious collection. Super limited too so don't dilly dally.

Benjamin Smith and Paul "Mudd" Murphy rarely disappoint, as those who copped 2016 album Gorthleck will confirm. "Janet 50" marks the experienced duo's first new material since (though we have it on good authority that a fresh full-length is also on the way). The track is typical of their work, with sumptuous, jazzy guitars, deep space effects and rich electric piano parts reclining over a blazed, Balearic disco groove. It's a sublime piece of music, all told, which is arguably made even better by B-side remixer I:Cube. The Parisian veteran thrillingly re-casts the track as a spacey, synthesizer-heavy treat rich in bleep techno inspired bass, Kelley Polar synths, gentle acid lines and Ben Smith's brilliant guitar improvisations. In other words, it's out-of-this-world good.

With the label’s 10th anniversary celebrations now done and dusted, Claremont 56 returns to action with something rather special: a magical debut single from a previously unknown talent. There’s not much we can tell you about Ferdi Schuster, other than that he is a talented young producer from Augsburg in Germany. As Claremont 56 is one of his favourite labels, he speculatively submitted some tracks for consideration. Label founder Paul Murphy was astonished by what he heard and believes the two tracks showcased on this 12” are amongst the best things the label has released for some time. A-side “Little River” is breathtakingly good. Opening with the sound of a babbling brook, it sees Schuster wrap plucked, sun-kissed acoustic guitar licks and jaunty vintage synthesizer motifs around a languid, samba-influenced groove. As the track progresses, further magical musical elements come to the fore, including blissful electric piano solos and more mazy synthesizer solos, seemingly played on battered old equipment from the turn of the ‘80s. Schuster’s love of the acoustic guitar is explored further on similarly impressive B-side “Befreit”. Here, gently strummed chords and fluid Spanish guitar motifs catch the ear, as hushed cymbals and gentle hand percussion lap at your feet like the sea at sunrise. The German producer adds atmosphere through a combination of leisurely Hammond organ solos and a touch of Jew’s Harp. When all of these immaculate elements combine, the results are little less than spellbinding. Schuster may be taking his first steps into releasing music, but his compositional, playing and production skills are already finely tuned. We can surely expect to hear more inspired music from him in the years to come.

STAFF COMMENTS

Patrick says: Just making it out of the pressing plant pile-up before 2018, Claremont's latest serving of mellow magic comes from German newcomer Ferdi. The A-side's a bossa beauty, the flip's pastoral and pretty. Very nice!

In the spring of 2007, musician and producer Paul ‘Mudd’ Murphy decided to launch his own label. Named after the house he grew up in, Claremont 56 would release beautiful music by friends, associates, collaborators and like-minded musicians. In the 10 years that have passed since, Claremont 56 has more than surpassed Murphy’s modest expectations. It has built up a cult following around the world, with listeners responding positively to the label’s combination of magical music, beautiful artwork, and impeccable packaging. To mark the label’s first decade, Murphy has put together a sumptuous vinyl box set of previously unheard material, produced and presented with the same attention to detail that listeners have come to expect. Each copy of Claremont 56: 10 Years contains five weighty slabs of wax and a bespoke info sheet, housed in a specially designed, hand-numbered box with debossed logos on the front and rear. However impressive the packaging, it’s the music that makes Claremont 56: 10 Years stand out. Featuring a mixture of unreleased tracks and brand new remixes of vintage label releases, the highlights come thick and fast. As you’d expect, some of the most impressive contributions come from those artists you could describe as “legendary”, including Chicago deep house originators Larry Heard and Ron Trent. Can legend Holger Czukay kindly contributes one of the standout moments, the eccentric ‘Music To Be Murdered By’, from his own unreleased catalogue, while Afro-cosmic pioneer Daniele Baldelli joins forces with Marco Dionigi to deliver a typically spacey remix of Bison’s ‘Familiar Stranger’. There’s also an epic, Afro-tinged dub disco remix of Smith & Mudd’s ‘Nether’ by Norwegian scene founder Bjorn Torske. Elsewhere, Good Timin’ man Jex Opolis turns an overlooked track by Paraiso into a samba-boogie killer, Sean P dubs out Zee Erf’s beautiful cover of ‘Southern Freeez’, and Phil Mison turns FreshRo’s laidback electrofunk cut ‘Pacific State’ into a breezy, Balearic gem. Look out too, for the emotion-rich beauty of Statues’ ‘River Darkness’ – a track arguably worth the cost of the box set on its own – and the deep space explorations of Almunia’s Leo Ceccanti. We could go on, but we’re running out of space. Suffice to say, Claremont 56: 10 Years is a lovingly compiled, curated and presented celebration of the label’s first decade.

FORMAT INFORMATION

5x12" Box Set Info: Debossed black foil logo design box front
C56 logo de-embossed box rear, hand numbered
Info credit sheet
5 x vinyl
Pantone coloured spined sleeves

As Claremont 56 speeds towards its’ ten-year anniversary, label founder Paul Murphy continues to champion little known producers and previously unheard artists. Over the past 12 months, the label has showcased material from rising talents such as Bella Figura, Simon Peter, Paraiso and Oma & Amberflame. Now, Claremont 56 is adding another new name to the roster: Statues. Essex-based trio Bradley Lucke (production / bass / percussion / keys), Mark Crooks (keys / production) and Grant Carruthers (vocals / guitar) has been making music on-and-off together since they were teenagers, and last year decided to come together under the Statues alias. They submitted a number of demos to Paul Murphy, who was so impressed by what he heard that he offered to help produce and write an album with them. As debut singles go, “Alaula” is stunning. Reminiscent of many softly spun moments from the Claremont 56 back catalogue, it builds slowly and breezily via subtle waves of organic and electronic instrumentation. Carruthers’ impassioned vocals pop in and out of the mix at opportune moments, peeping above alluring acoustic guitar, bass, synthesizer and Rhodes parts. Throw in tumbling, life-affirming piano lines and swelling cello parts – both provided by friend-of- the-family Robin Lee of Faze Action – and you’ve got another nearperfect chunk of sunset-friendly, horizontal brilliance. On the flip, Murphy dons his familiar Mudd alias to provide a superb Piano Dub. Building the action around a sparse, delay-laden percussion track, Murphy teases out the track’s most potent moments, in the process creating something that lingers even longer in the memory. Lee’s superb piano and cello work naturally takes pride of place, as Murphy expertly emphasizes the track’s impeccably atmospheric nature.

STAFF COMMENTS

Patrick says: How good is this? Newcomers Statues touch down on the inimitable Claremont 56 with a steady grooving Balearic beauty alive with frazzled guitars, delicate piano and jazzy synth licks. On the flipside, Claremont kingpin Paul Murphy dons his Mudd alias for a humid dub mix with plenty of piano and tumbling tropical percussion.

Some believe that the environment in which you make music - from the studio space, to the location itself - has a profound effect on the creative process. Immerse yourself in the world around you, the theory goes, and it will shape the music you make.

Listen to 'Gorthleck', the third album from veteran downtempo alchemists Benjamin Smith and Paul ‘Mudd’ Murphy, and you can almost visualise the craggy, windswept and breathtakingly beautiful environment in which it was made.

Reconvening after a near seven-year hiatus last summer, the duo headed up to the Scottish Highlands to spend a week recording in the surrounds of Gorthleck House, nestled on the shore of Loch Mhor in Inverness-shire. Earlier this year, they returned to the same venue, with its’ stunning views of the tranquil loch and rocky, wooded hills rising in the distance, to complete the nine-track set.

Certainly, the immersive environment and famously changeable weather seems to have inspired the longtime friends and studio partners. The album’s epic centrepiece, the nine-minute “Mhor”, sounds like an emotional love letter to the body of water they strolled alongside every day. Its undulating synthesizer line - reminiscent of classic Tangerine Dream and the Orb’s “A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain” - mimics the slow ebb and flow of water across the loch, while Smith’s shimmering guitar lines mimic the glint of sunlight reflecting off the surface.

Elsewhere, the audio references are a little more subtle, but no less relevant. The hazy jazz guitars, twinkling pianos, rich grooves and fluttering clarinets of “Nether” sound like the perfect accompaniment to a single malt whisky-fuelled sunset session at the water’s edge, while the quietly foreboding aural textures, layered guitars and urgent electric violin of “Enos” evoke memories of watching storm clouds gathering behind distant Highland mountains.

The same could be said of “Mr Coats” - a track arranged in steamy Mexico, and blessed with all the humidity you’d expect from such an excursion - while you can hear gale force winds whistling around the rafters on “Dogwood”. As for “Errogie”, it’s as bracing as a crystal clear morning in the Highlands; chilly, but hugely life affirming.

The duo’s previous two albums, 2007’s 'Blue River' and its 2009 follow-up, 'Le Suivant', were both hugely evocative, but neither captured a distinct a sense of time and place quite like 'Gorthleck'. Listen carefully, and you could almost be there with them, watching the sunrise and sunset.

FORMAT INFORMATION

CD Info: Limited edition - individually numbered.

Simon Peter makes his Claremont 56 debut with a joyous slice of languid, organic Balearica entitled "Arc Of Lark". The young musician made his debut in February 2014 with the "Double Up EP" on Silhouette Music, which contained the shimmering nu-Balearic disco of “Espacio Temporal”. While that was laden with sun-kissed synthesizers, “Arc of Lark” is a much more organic affair. Blissful electric piano keys, hazy guitars and fluttering flutes cascade over an undulating live bassline and shuffling, bongo-laden beats. Warm and humid, it’s a slice of audible sunshine to brighten up the grim winter months.Long-time friends of the family 40 Thieves handle remix duties, turning Simon Peter’s picturesque original into an effects-laden chunk of slo-mo dub disco goodness. 40 Thieves member Layne Fox loved the track so much that he’s also contributed an additional remix that focues the action around a loose, languid, dub reggae influenced groove, spiralling electronics and Peter’s mesmerizing flute line. It’s a fitting conclusion to a magical label debut.

You'd be forgiven for not knowing the newest addition to the slowly expanding Claremont 56 roster. You see, there’s been no recorded output from German combo Bambi Davidson since the release of their largely overlooked “minimal post-rock” debut album, 'El Faco', in 2000. Until now, that is. Following the release of their debut set, founder members Robin van Velzen (guitar / vocals) and Hans Christian Fuss (drums) became frustrated with their lot. Bored with “rocking out” as a two-piece, they decided to start inviting other musicians to join them on stage. That meant that each performance was unique, with new tunes - often improvised on the spot - being developed for, or at, every gig. It’s an approach that frequently paid dividends. One particular collaborative gig, with Frank Mollena (most famous for his involvement with fellow German rock outfit Mountaineer) and Sofia Fuss, went so well that both were asked to become permanent members of the band.

It was at this point that the newly expanded four piece Bambi Davidson finally headed back into the studio to record a new album, some 15 years after they’d recorded their debut. As you’d expect with a new line-up, things are a bit different this time round. Whereas 'El Flaco' was a stripped-back affair with most tracks featuring just guitar, drums and vocals, Bambi Davidson features additional bass, electronics and keys provided by Frank and Sophia. The result is an expansive but atmospheric album built around sensual, undulating grooves, gentle sun-kissed melodies, lilting pedal steel and woozy, dub-influenced production. Often magical and always immersive, the six tracks that make up 'Brunswick' are delightfully contrary. While pleasingly accessible and capable of inducing broad smiles on the first listen, each carefully considered, drawn-out composition reveals more intricate layers on each listen. This is particularly true of “Foxhunting” - reminiscent of fellow Claremont 56 act Bison, and as a result of similar sonic influences - and opener "Brunswick". Arguably the album's high point, the latter offers a 13 minute-long shuffle through Balearic post-rock territory with Van Velzen’s weary, emotional vocals riding a wave of vibrant colours. Hazy, intoxicating and evocative, it sounds like a horizontal anthem in the making. There are plenty of other highlights, too, from the hypnotic, pitched-down dub-disco-meets-Balearic rock shuffle of "Cattle", to the low-slung krautrock revivalism of "Artist", and the touchy-feely rhythms and stargazing chords of “Hubble”, the four-piece’s most intergalactic cut yet. Give it time, and we guarantee that you’ll fall in love with Bambi Davidson as much as we have.

Having always done well with Claremont 56 releases, label boss Paul 'Mudd' Murphy's idea of a series of CD compilations from lesser known, perhaps more underground and unsung DJs seemed like an inspired idea here at Piccadilly Records. Especially as the whole shebang would kick off with a selection from the coveted record bags of local Balearic (bæliˈærɨk) reprobates Moonboots and Balearic Mike (he's so Balearic they named a Spanish archipelago after him...).

Since that 2008 opener Paul has hit us with comps from Mark Seven, Sean P, Matthew Burgess & Jolyon Green, Felix Dickinson, Phil Mison, Rong Music, Lexx, Yozo and Alex From Tokyo. All the DJs involved have dug deep in their collections, bringing us a diverse range of music loosely covered by the catch-all Balearic umbrella; disco, boogie, bossa nova, psyh-rock, jazz-funk, new age, house, downbeat, cosmic, pop... All have become Piccadilly favourites, being played on the shop CD player for the few weeks we still have copies (each release has sold out faster than the proverbial hot cake), and having us nerdy spotters checking Discogs for originals of the tracks, only to decide, after clocking the prices, that a CD compilation will do just fine thank-you very much.

Now we get the 'Originals 2008-2013 - Vinyl Box Set', which features two of the best tracks from each CD release - 20 in all (yep, even I can do the math), quelling the need to empty our Paypal accounts chasing vintage 12"s. Needless to say Claremont 56 have gone to town on the packaging of this box set, with five colour-coded gatefold sleeves housing each 12" (featuring new writing from each participating 'Originals' selector), and the whole lot in an embossed outer heavyweight BLACK cardboard slipcase. Mmm, nice.

We've already sold over 100 copies of this box set (which is all gone at Claremont 56 already), so you'll need to get your skates on if you want one.

FORMAT INFORMATION

12" Box Set Info: 5x12" box set. 5 12"s in gatefold sleeves housed in a black thick card box with a hot foil Originals logo embossed on the front. 1000 copies only.

Out of the cultural milieu that thrived and survived in downtown Manhattan circa 1980 came a musical group whose aesthetic was fun, funky, bold and smart. Female fronted, of its time but out of time, technically adept, purposely naive, conscious but not self-conscious. Dog Eat Dog embodied the best of what came out of that particular time and place along with fellow travellers; DNA, ESG, Liquid Liquid and Sonic Youth - they embraced a sound that was uniquely their own without apologies or regrets but most importantly without pretension or calculation. Writing songs and performing for only three years the band never released a record but still they produced some of the most vital & representational studio and live recordings from this period. That’s why after almost 30 years Dog Eat Dog’s music not only stands the test of time but also instructs the next generation of performers in a brighter, deeper approach to making music.

FORMAT INFORMATION

LP Info: Limited white vinyl pressing featuring original Keith Haring artwork printed on 350gsm card sleeve. All hand-numbered. 500 copies only.

CD Info: CD includes three bonus tracks.

This is a little clear vinyl 7" beauty from Claremont 56 - a quick Balearic snifter before the summer vanishes. The first side features LA-based FreshRo! (Rong Music) who presents us with the drifting synth / violin-led summer gem "Pacific State" (no, not that one) that is reminiscent of Loggins & Messina. The flip side sees Apiento & Co (Paul Bryne from the Test pressing blog) layering up guitars in a Steve Reich / Manuel Gottsching style which will sure get the goosebumps going. "Under Open Skies" has such a light, ephemeral feel to it that's hard to believe the track has actually been captured and put on wax. Catch it while you can!