Toy Tonics welcome one of the US’ absolute legends in the game on their roster - Kai Alcé! One of the original masters of jazzy house, Kai is a prime example, someone who witnessed the genesis of Detroit’s electronic musical landscape and strives to keep that spirit alive. Being of Haitian descent laid the foundation for his musical ear starting with his childhood in Queens, New York. Some of his earliest musical influences included his mother’s penchant for soca music and the distinct Caribbean rhythms of his culture. An appreciation of jazz would be further guided by his father’s expanding audiophile home system. During the 1970s the kindling of hip-hop and the heyday of disco perked the ear of a young Kai while they were living in NYC. The Big Apple would remain a constant throughout his musical journey as the years went on, but it was the move to Michigan that ultimately shaped his artistic vision.

On this 5 track EP Kai once again makes it all feel so easy! Deeply musical, yet also instantly effective on the dancefloor, tracks like "New Life Livin" and "Slide It In" come with an ease that shows why he’s shaped the game for decades.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Toy Tonics continues its unrelenting dominance of new disco and deep house with the utter legend that is Kai Alce signing five tracks for the label. Silky smooth with an impeccably constructed palette, these are high end, late night burners that'll transport you to basements, a red light and a feeling!

TRACK LISTING

A1. Slide It In
A2. Space Skat N Dat
B1. New Life Livin
B2. Rough Sands
B3. Strollin Thru Barcelona

It’s all about Y2K, punk-funk and indie disco!

Toy Tonics brings a collection of tracks originally released on the German label, Gomma between 2001 and 2010. Gomma was one of the key labels of the Y2K indie dance wave along with labels like James Murphy’s DFA and Trevor Jackson’s OUTPUT Records. And as the 90s revival that dominated the last years in fashion and electronic music reached its peak, the Toy Tonics gang thought it’s a good moment to re-visit some of these early 2000’s tracks that connected a more raw, indie disco and punky funk vibe. Gomma was happening in Berlin's off-location clubs like Scala and Rio, London’s Trash or 333 partys and Paris' Kill The DJ clubs.

Those Y2K clubs and the Gomma label brought together 80ies inspired Indie rock artists like Nick McCarthy of Franz Ferdinand (who’s was producing records on Gomma before getting world-famous) and electro punk princess Peaches (who did a whole disco album on Gomma records and is featured on this compilation with a cover of "Maniac" from the Flashdance movie soundtrack). Italian disco legends like Baldelli or Robotnick were poppping up in those times after years of silence (before getting hype again later) as well as Gomma’s own discoveries like WhoMadeWho (their first 2 albums where quite punk-funk and produced by Gomma’s head honcho Mathias Modica), Italian disco punkster Rodion, Parisian nasty funk dude Golden Bug, London’s mysterious prince of new wave prince Midnight Mike (who started in Gomma and later ended up on Ed Banger records) and Gomma’s main act Munk. And yes there is even DJ Severino who did an proto house remix for the label in the early Horse Meat Disco days.

That raw and nasty Gomma sound that mixed up many genres and made its own sexy, in your face music melange that was very in demand in those days from 2000 - 2010 and inspired many artists. Not just music people like James Murphy, who did music with Gomma before starting his own LCD Soundsystem or bands like Chromeo, New Young Pony Club or Soulwax who started later with a similar vibe; but also art, graphic and fashion people took inspiration from the Gomma world: Gomma’s edgy album cover designs, their poster fanzine, their colourful t-shirt designs and the whole style that the bands, DJs and people at their worldwide parties were rocking became a gloval trend. In the early 2000’s it was just art students from London’s Central St. Martins or Berlin’s UDK school that played that sound at their parties, later magazine like VICE or i - D invited Munk and the Gomma acts to their parties and later it was fashion brands like Prada, Margiela, Karl Lagerfeld and Hedi Slimane who used Gomma artists to make music at their fashion shows or events.

Gomma then in 2015 finally closed. Gomma’s head honcho and main inventor Mathias Modica stopped the whole thing, changed the name and started something new: Toy Tonics records. Yes! Toy Toy Tonics came out of Gomma and that’s why now it’s time to remember the old inspirational days.

TRACK LISTING

A1) Moullinex & Peaches – Maniac
A2) Munk - Disco Clown (Midnight Mike Version)
A3) Whomadewho - Flat Beat

B1) Golden Bug - Bisco
B2) Headman - It Rough (Chicken Lips Remix)

C1) Baldelli - Atlantide
C2) Trans Mania - Boing Boom Jack (Robotnick Remix)
C3) Leroy Hanghofer - Bathroomboogie

D1) Severino Horse Meat Disco - Bounce
D2) Rodion - Atala Ride
D3) Munk – Androgyn

Piccadilly favourites Toy Tonics resurrect Kapote's "What It Is" from 2019; reworked and re-edited with 2 new tracks!

House music, but with a hefty disco and Brazlian influence. Think Lumberjacks In Hell or MCDE, but with more playing and less sampling. A big favourite with Harvey, Gerd Janson, Blessed Madonna, Kenny Dope and, incidently, the aforementioned Danilo Plessow (MCDE).

Slick, full fat production bolster the picked guitar lines, weighted bass guitar, flailing congas and sunshine keys perfectly. A natural successor to late 70s Lofty disco that'll keep dancers moving for decades to come... Recommended! 

TRACK LISTING

A1 Jaas Func Haus
A2 The Body Move (Album Version)
B1 Brasiliko
B2 The Nose (Album Version)
C1 Salvation (Album Version)
C2 Fuck Music (Album Version)
D1 Fusion 79
D2 Get Down Brother (Album Version)
D3 L.O.V.E. (Album Version)

New record by Gome with fat remixes by Mike Dunn and Telephones. "Television" is instantly infectious with its picked guitar lines, disco bass and vocodered vocal sections. "Elevator Man" is a deeper beast, with hints of broken beat flavour oozing through the darting keyboard licks and low, punctuated bass.

Telephones turn the latter track into a thumping M1-organ guided mainroomer while Mike Dunn throws down a straight up house tweak - building energy through a variety of mellifluous elements before a big bass drops achieves maximum peak. Top stuff from the ever-reliable Toy Tonics - your non-stop-shop for new disco and soulful house flavours. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Another Toy Tonics to add to your collection. Gome's 4th record for the new disco powerhouse and with Mike Dunn and Telephone enlisted for remix duties, it'll satisfy your early evening house troupe as well.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Elevator Man
A2. Television
B1. Elevator Man (Mike Dunn BlackBall Remix)
B2. Elevator Man (Telephones Remix)

COEO are back on Toy Tonics! After uninterrupted touring around the globe, followed by a short creative break the guys come back with an even stronger sound. With the new EP they go more underground again. Its addressed to the clubs and night owls out there, who turn night into day and won't stop dancing!

The sound is based on classic house patterns and includes a lot of cool saxophones, big piano stabs & rhythmic piano solos. They even go tribal, use arpeggios and switch into breakbeat heaven. The four Originals are a great next step in the COEO evolution. The unique warm, catchy atmosphere of the tracks can create that special COEO euphoria which made them a lot of fans. From Moodymann to Disclosure, Mall Grab to Kenny Dope, the list is long.

It's fantastic to see how popular they became over the last couple of years. The last COEO vinyl sold over 2500 copies and some of their tracks have millions of Spotify plays. It's DJ FOOD. Pure bliss!

TRACK LISTING

1. Sorry For The Late Reply
2. Hyperactive
3. I Can Never Be Yours
4. Bliss

New York vocalist Kosmo Kint joined the Toy Tonics crew. Born in Trinidad and raised in New York City, Kosmo has been part of the recent Brooklyn scene, singing in several projects in NYC before moving to Berlin two years ago. To find like minded people to create new lyrics driven dancemusic.

In Berlin he teamed up with the Toy Tonics boys and now TT boss Kapote and the crew are working with him in Berlin Kreuzberg to find a new R&B & Disco influenced style of electronic dance music.
The first release is a collabo between french talent Mangabey and Kosmo Kint - produced by Kapote.
The 2 songs have a chilled L.A. G Funk Vibe that makes you think about certain Dr. Dre productions from the 90ies combined with some broken beats and 4 to the floor house vibes.
The song might remember some french touch tracks too and some might think about that West London early 2000 "Dego" Vibe maybe. Anyway, its new and there is not a name yet for that style. Let's see where the TT crew will bring Kosmo Kint sonically over the next years.

STAFF COMMENTS

Millie says: New to the Toy Tonics label Kosmo Kint, alongside Mangabey have dipped into all the genres going - Disco, House, R&B, Broken Beat, Funk, Electronic and created two tracks of pure dance music hits. TT bringing the vibes to Piccadilly!

TRACK LISTING

1. Time No More
2. Time No More (Instrumental)
3. Get Lost
4. Get Lost (Instrumental) 

You know Munk probably from the songs he did with James Murphy, Peaches, Asia Argento or one of many other indie disco tracks he released on his former label Gomma. Gomma now is sleeping and since Mathias Munk Modica started the Toy Tonics label with his friends Manu Kim & Mo Butschek he hasn't released many things under that name. Instead has been playing keyboards, bass and drums on many tracks of other artists on the TT label. And of course has been building up the TT imprint from his new home in Berlin. Now it's summer and it felt right to put out a few balearic remixes reworks of Munk tracks. Beach party and daytime disco vibe. So here u get reworks of Munk's friends Severino from Horse Meat Disco, Lauer, and Kai Alce from Detroit. Right for this summer.

TRACK LISTING

1. Misterio (Severino Horse Meat Disco Remix)
2. Happiness Juice (Extended Version)
3. The Oboe Onyx (Lauer Remix)
4. Hot Medusa (Kai Alce Remix)