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DIMENSIONS RECORDINGS

Over the past six years, Dimensions has firmly marked its place as a leading name in the underground, with its festival, International Series, DJ Directory and Dimensions Soundsystem. Now, Dimensions is ready to extend its influence with the start of its label imprint - Dimensions Recordings which launches this July with an eclectic 12-track compilation featuring Byron The Aquarius, Mim Suleiman, Mike Dehnert, Marcos Cabral, Obsolete Music Technology and more. Available from 14th July 2017 across three separately available 12" EPs and a digital compilation the debut reflects the flavours and variety of what's in store. The compilation ties together twelve tracks across the three discs with very different personalities from soul and house through to techno and electro. With contributions from Dimensions friends old and new, breakouts and long-established names, it's a solid-gold offering from the Dimensions Recordings team headed up by Andy Lemay and David Martin.

Part 1 calls upon artists from different corners of the globe who share the similarity of undeniable soul and expression in their music. The EP has an earthy, worldly feel to it. From the Swahili sung harmonies on Mim Suleiman's 'Pole Pole', to the afro influences of Swiss collective Alma Negra's 'Onga', both tracks work raw percussion with just enough swing that either would sit comfortably within late-night UK dance floors or on the sun-kissed beaches of Pula. Then there's the jazz-tinted glow of Istanbul's Kerem Akdag whose 'Getdownsoclose' deep roller makes use of lush pads and rushing snares. Closing is Maryland's James Tillman, who's soulful vocals on 'Wander' sit gracefully over transcendental keys and compellingly loose drumming, rounding off Part 1 with a cleanse of the soul.

Part 2 turns the heat up with more dance floor leaning contributions from four American artists, each delivering something very different but equally powerful. Marcos Cabral's 'Prochainement' is a driving, dubbed out melter with stomping kicks and big-room claps under fuzzy synths, whilst Byron The Aquarius drops his signature dose of funk into 'Full Moon'. One of the standout breakthrough artists of last year, the Atlanta producer has been part of the Dimensions team for some time. Queen of Beatdown, Lady Blacktronika steps up with a timeless, tripped-out house classic for her contribution 'Can We Still Be Friends?', her vocal oozing melancholy. Rounding up is DJ Aakmael with 'Transit'; a raw, flexing cut that we've come to expect via his massively impressive output and his own superb imprint, Unxpozd.

Dimensions Recordings explores its darker side on Part three with intergalactic oddities and twisted techno constructions, the release is definitely one for the late hours. 'Crosstalk' from gear heads London Modular Alliance opens; a squelching, electro, hardware excursion demonstrating a small snippet of what's to come from the talented trio. Next, French artist, Upwellings steps up to demonstrate his purist approach as he unites elements of dub and techno to create the beautifully spacey 'Soft Shadows'. The third offering comes courtesy of Chicago's Steven Tang in his Obsolete Music Technology guise. 'Comb Freq,' a devastatingly powerful mix of acidic, bleeping dance floor energy! To finish the winning release is Fachwerk label boss and prolific techno artist, Mike Dehnert; who presents raw but melodic track in 'Tokio,'which maintains his minimal and stripped back aesthetic beautifully.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Much hyped debut release from the taste-making and scene-defining festival. A beacon of modern electronic dance music that thankfully treads its own path and looks for innovation and evolution rather than relying on the successes of past formulas.

TRACK LISTING

1. Mim Suleiman - Pole Pole
2. Alma Negra - Onga
3. Kerem Akdag - Getdownsoclose
4. James Tillman - Wander

Operating in house music since the mid '80s, Charles Webster is revered as something like the producer's producer, spoken about in the same breath as Larry Heard or Ron Trent amongst the DJ cognoscenti.

Growing up in the Peak District and falling in love with electronic music through a parent's Kraftwerk record, Charles' apprenticeship was with Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson, back when they'd record at Square Dance studio in Nottingham, where Charles worked as a recording engineer. His production work started right at the roots of electronic music in the British Isles, writing tracks for electro/breakdance outfit The Rock City Crew and 1987 UK house cut T-CUT-F. Since then he's released music under 30 different pseudonyms with over 500 remixes.

'Decision Time' is Charles' first major solo record since 2001's 'Born On The 24th July', and features an array of artists from a number of different eras, guises and genres Charles has been involved with over his prolific career.

After moving to San Francisco in the late nineties, he created an album under the alias Presence entitled 'All Systems Gone'. The "pillowy" sound design of this classic is cited as a key influence on the music of Burial. For 'Decision Time', Burial has paid a further tribute here, contributing a rare co-production, 'The Second Spell'. This track featuring the words of Prince muse Ingrid Chavez. who also wrote the spoken word poetry in Madonna's 'Justify My Love'.

Charles was at the forefront of the halcyon years of deep house, working with vocal talents like Robert Owens, Tracey Thorn, Terra Deva (aka Furry Freaks), who features here on 'Wait And See', and Shara Nelson, perhaps best known for her vocals on Massive Attack's 'Blue Lines' album, featuring here on 'This Is Real'.

Charles' influence also spreads to the South African house scene with his Presence single 'Better Day' becoming a huge radio hit there in 1997. Charles later moved to South Africa and immersed himself in the local scene, collaborating with some of the country's most exciting talent, including Sio, Thandi Draai and Sipho – all of whom appear on this project.

With an album of this quality and the 20-year cycles of electronic culture, it feels like this is the perfect moment to celebrate the brilliance of Charles Webster's legacy. From the downtempo soul of 'This Is Real', to the impressionistic words and ethereal two-step on 'The Spell', a new generation of ears are about to discover the influential underground sound of Charles Webster.

TRACK LISTING

1. Burning (feat. Sio)
2. This Is Real (feat. Shara Nelson)
3. We Belong Together (feat. Thandi Draai)
4. Love Lives (feat. Sio)
5. I Wonder Why (feat. Sipho Hotstix Mabuse)
6. Music (feat. Thandi Draai)
7. Wait And See (feat. Terra Deva)
8. Secrets Held (feat. Emilie Chick)
9. The Spell (feat. Ingrid Chavez)
10. The Second Spell (feat. Ingrid Chavez)


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