(Emotional) Especial 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: REPRESS ALERT: Travelling both space and time with his constructions, Alphonse Rozel makes a welcome return on [Emotional] Especial after the Same For Me EP released last year. The incisive hit of the disco beat on "Smokey" is hard to ignore, while the booming toms and African chant lines feed into a perfect slice of dancefloor dynamite from an unspecified era. Meanwhile The Pilotwings take to the track with glee, whipping out some crisp breaks to drop over the proceedings in a pleasingly early '90s manner. "Glint AM" is quite the foil to the A side, leaning on some uplifting synth chords to provide the magic around the crafty drum programming.

Review: Kris Baha had a big year in 2019 with the release of his debut album on CockTail d'Amore and an EP on Pinkman, and now the Australian body music man in Berlin is back with a high-pressure heater for [Emotional] Especial. "Barely Alive" is the kind of sinewy proto-industrial cut that will appeal to fans of Ministry's earlier work, when the synths reigned supreme and there was pop to match the noir. Especial then call on a cast of remixers to interpret the track in different ways, from Timothy J Fairplay amping up the dystopian disco tropes to Das Ding creating a sleek electro-funk twist with the original's gothic undertones intact.

Review: The second release from the new "protoid" focussed Emotional Especial sees the welcome return of Baris K. The Turkish DJ and record digger is notable for many things (not least his BIS appearance that engendered an apoplectic response from Victor From Washington Heights) and his appearance on EE comes in the shape of "200" licensed from the killer Nation compilation The Modern Electronic Element Serie 2 released back in 2011. Romanian duo Kidja line the A Side with the rather poignant original whilst Weatherall and Fairplay don their Asphodells gear for two renditions on the flip

Review: After releases for Discos Capablanca and Moon Glyth, Minneapolis collective Food Pyramid align with Especial for a remix EP based around "Oh Mercy", a track from their 2012 album Mango Sunrise. Apparently a long term favourite of label boss Stuart Leath, the warped breakbeat jam-fusion of the original is ripe for reinvention and gets the remix treatment from Especial in-house team Apophenia, Inhalt and Jamie Paton. It's the full on italo pumper remix from San Francisco's Inhalt that really impresses too, with Especial right to compare it to Timmy Regisford classic remix of "Rules To Survive" by NOIA.

Review: Phil Gerus is a rising talent that fits right into the (Emotional) Especial mould with his sharply realised 80s bombast and dynamic electro funk production style. Treating body-popping club tracks as a vessel for heartfelt expression, these tracks have it all from Linn Drum boogie to fully capable instrumental chops, all shot through with Gerus' choice new wave vocals. Lauer hops on board for a seductive remix of "Still Blind" that ups the sensual intensity of the track while keeping the club foremost in his mind, before Jamie Paton steps up on the flip with a couple of freakier turns that dub the original out into deadly, spooky jams for more adventurous party people to get loose to.

Review: Stuart Leath flexes his contacts book with an all-star cast of producers and respected scalpel artists called on to rework cuts from the recent Never Seen The Dunes EP by Khidja. Any 12" featuring the collective talents of Discodromo, In Flagranti, Red Axes and Selvy on mixing desk duties should get you excited and this crew bring the disco heat. "Never Seen The Dunes" is given the Discodromo treatment, adding pulsating bass, driving arpeggio, all while allowing the bump of the original to keeping pushing things on. This is followed by In Flagranti's inspired 'Autobahn' retake of the deeper vibes of "Aura" which is apparently a huge favourite of the label. A matured cruiser that keeps the swing, it all leads to those strings and Eastern flavours gliding over for the perfect finale. Things head darker on the reverse, with Tel Aviv's shinning stars Red Axes, manning the controls for the scatter bounce of "Indecis" for the stand out remix. Twisted vocals, brooding FX and reversed guitar all atop a mesmeric kick, things just keeps going higher and higher. Finally "The Quiet Before The Red Stop" is tweaked by Selvy of The Very Polish Cut Outs and Transatlantyk fame, adding some club bump to Khidja's Balearic original.

Review: After a couple of releases for the label, including many notable remixes, plus an excellent recent 7" for Hoga Nord Rekords, Jamie returns to the warm glow of Especial for a collective vinyl only EP of 4 'unreleased' remixes brought together for limited release.

Opening is his dark, brooding rework of See You In The Dark from Sexy Merlin's 2012 release Heater. Taking the 2mins + plus original and feeding it through modular and space echo environs, this long form remix has been alighting dance floors whenever aired. Throbbing bass and phased, twisted vocals pull the track deeper, all with that neu-wave touch that has become Jamie's hallmark - whether sought or not!

Next Jamie turns to the Eastern melodies of Guy Schalom. The drummer and percussionist first came in to Paton's orbit via his partnership within Cage & Aviary and his remix here strips the original to his affinity with dub and bass. Horns rise and fall, driven by snare and dabuka in a unique reversion of a version in the truest (es)sense. Roots and vulture y'all.

The B-side heads back deep with his wonderful remix of Gatos Negros's Overdrive. Taken from the bands 7th Life album on Spain's Rotten City, the interplay with arpeggio, bass and vocals shows why Jamie has his own unique following.

Closing the EP sees a return to a relationship first seen via Cage & Aviary's remixes of Blancmange in 2014. A mutual admiration achieved, the band requested a special remix of their rerecorded 1982 classic Feel Me. Jamie rebuilds the track with a nod to it's past, his own sound and also, as a final homage to nights remembered at the Brixton HQ years of World Unknown, where the original was such a highlight. Here comes a love song...

Review: With the Bizarre Feeling EP laying the sound for the subsequent fist year of the label, it is right Jamie returns with EP#2 to move things forward with another twisted take on his unique mutoid-protoid-machine-funk-groove. Starting with Mad Obsession you would be forgiven for thinking you'll have Bizarre Feeling Part 2, with warped vocals - taken from late night, half asleep scribbled notes - and space echo haze, but let the percussion work-out trip you up and the stars in and before you know it things start going leftfild and then deeper with the Free Party Sound System bass line shuffl of Time Nearly Time. What he is on (about), no one knows. It is on the flp however that things take a darker turn. Beyond the confession booth, down sharp stairs and dripping ceiling to a red light lit room of latter day late night blues.

Review: Jamie Paton has been a regular fixture on [Emotional] Especial since the label first came to light, conjuring up a seductive blend of leftfield dance music with a broad range of influences. This time around he's turning out some of his remixes, leading in with the sweaty, dense throb of Sexy Merlin's "See You In The Dark". Guy Schlalom's "Habibi" by way of contrast becomes a lighter confection peppered with bubbly synth lines and an almost poppy persuasion. Blancmange's "Feel Me" has a more cosmic lilt in its voluminous tones, and "Overdrive" by Gatos Negros drifts out on an off-kilter kind of boogie for all manner of deviant dancers to get head-nodding to.

Review: [Emotional] Especial looks back at the first 9 releases since its inception to provide a
selection or "Eleccio" via a special dubbed out DJ meets studio mix from label stalwart
Jamie Paton. Ever since the first white labels appeared at the end of Summer 2013, [Emotional] Especial
has been busy putting out music that are their own warped take on club music. Mixing the
influences of dub, electro, disco, proto-house, house and techno, a sound appeared without any preordained plan. To celebrate the end of the first series of releases come EES10CD - a DJ meets studio
compilation mix created by label artist, remixer and even in-house designer, Jamie Paton. Freaturing tracks from every EP, including two unreleased remixes are the tight productions
of Richard Sen; the wiggle of Scott Fraser; deep, chugging Cage & Aviary dubs; the Eastern
influences of Baris K and newcomers Khidja; the quirky discoid wonk of Maurice & Charles and finally not forgetting of course, the stand out Timothy J Fairplay touches. Whether
alongside Mr Weatherall, Andy Blake or in solo remix mode, young "Junior"s skills (and name)
grows and grows.
All this is perfectly put together by Jamie Paton, the man who launched the label with his
Bizarre Feeling EP. As well as the inclusion of several unreleased cuts, Jamie has edited the
"selection", adding live studio dubbing, FX and the odd mega-mix to make it truly (E)special.

Review: Originally operating in the 80s industrial scene, Plus Instruments have recently found a new lease of life. (Emotional) Especial are just the kind of label to jump on such deviant club fare, and on this package "Love Is Enough" gets a variety of remixes that all embrace the groups seedy ambience. Richard Sen brings a muscular thrust to the track, while Khidja takes a more delicate approach. Luke Solomon meanwhile casts his years of experience in oddball house on his steady grooving version, and then Jamie Paton taps into the industrial vein to finish the package off in fine style.

Review: Previously spotted on Emotional [Especial] with the fantastic Love Is Enough 12", Plus Instruments get the remix treatment in a classic '80s style with the Dub Is Enough single. The producers tasked with delivering versions vary wildly, but they make for a strong combination. Jamie Paton's "Cloudy Dub-Out" is masterful, simmering the elements down to a sensual bassline and delicate ripples on top, while Luke Solomon brings his bumpy, off-kilter house style to the table. Khidja has a more dramatic, synth laden approach and Alphonse creates a dusty, funky roller out of that killer bassline groove.

Review: The pairing of Jeffrey Sfire with Samuel Long (aka PC Music producer Sophie) produced some discoid synth-pop manna for the CockTail d'Amore label when it first appeared back in 2013. Now the duo have been handed over to [Emotional] Especial, who have tasked two choice remixers with turning out some fresh versions of the tracks from the original EP. Timothy J. Fairplay keeps the wave dark and cold on his remix of "Sfire 2", using noirish synth lines to interplay with Sfire's on-point vocal. Meanwhile Willie Burns ramps up the atmospherics with some heavyweight pads on his first remix of "Sfire 3" before turning the original into a cheeky peak time burner for his second.

Review: Emotional Especial and Cocktail d'Amore Music enter 'cahoot-mode' once again with a second round of Sfire remixes that take proceedings down a deeper, more stripped-back path courtesy of the inimitable Timothy J Fairplay and Willie Burns. Two artists who need little introduction offer up two remixes each that take the unique original to new dance floor extremes. Timothy steps up first with his take on "Sfire 2" via differing vocal and instrumental versions. His trademark, echo laden rolling percussion and John Carpenter-style key lines take the original Synth-pop homage to the dark room. Adding Arps, a lifting, hedonistic breakdown and the scatter-stepper drums and claps found on the Instrumental version and this is pure COTF territory and the better for it. Mr Willie Burns meanwhile has long followed his own path for his take on "Sfire 3", offering one of his deepest remixes to date. Thudding kick, brooding pads and dark strings force the vocals to go down, way down for examination. The distorted vocals of Remix 1 are countered by Remix 2 letting the track shine via a seemingly endless 4/4 beat. Psychedelic, trance inducing, pulsating, this is an ever growing mind expanse.

Review: To accompany the upcoming second [Emotional] Especial compilation, this Sampler 12" again focuses on some unreleased gems, unheard versions and a special remix. We start with a remix from Khidja and their own take on the very special "Masimbabele". Upon hearing a Remix EP was in the works, the duo begged for a go and rightly so, as here is possibly the best remix, with a dubby groover. This is followed by an unreleased cut by another, but not forgotten, combo. While C&A are M.I.A, here then is an extended rework of a stand out pop-ode taken from their underrated Migration album. On the flip is new member, Alphonse, taking his proto-rave-poem deep in to the echo chamber to create a unique dub that is very much for the smokers. Finally, Khidja offer the 'original' version of "Looki". An ambient version appeared in early 2015, but here, finally, with kick, bass and some wiggle, is their balearic masterpiece. Gracias Discos Especials !!