LESKY - Mink Coats & Ladas

German-born, Tbilisi-based producer LESKY returns with new EP “Mink Coats & Ladas”. Packing his renowned recipe of crisp drums and spacey synths, LESKY once again creates a unique soundscape of laid-back beats and refined melodies, that is rich in engaging detail. With a little help from some friends – namely German producers The Breed and MAS as well as British guitarist Waywell – LESKY sonically solidifies the Tbilisi lifestyle into a 7-track-EP. The artwork comes from Parisian illustrator MC Blue Matter.

LESKY was born in Leipzig and after a short intermezzo in Cologne moved to Georgia in beginning of 2021 to pursue music full-time. Since 2019, he has dropped several EPs and two full-length albums (both released on LP) on Melting Pot Music and has worked with well-known labels like Blue Note Records/Astralwerks and Lofi Girl.

His music is a canvas of diverse influences, seamlessly blending the sophisticated harmonies and textures of the Soulquarians's Neo Soul movement, the deep grooves of Hip Hop, and the multifaceted futuristic visions of electronic music. With a discerning ear for details and a strong, high speed work ethic, LESKY creates tracks that feel rooted in the moment of their creation yet thought-through.

LESKY's tracks have garnered widespread acclaim, cementing his status as one of the most promising producers of his genre and securing his place as a regular in the biggest editorial playlists of the Lofi phenomenon.

Tracklist:
1. Puff Puff
2. Alto Peak (feat. Waywell)
3. Bijou
4. Potion (feat. Mas)
5. Relax & Recline (feat. Breed)
6. Kahuna (feat. Waywell)
7. Cupholder Flip

Suff Daddy - Hair Of The Dog

Berlin based beat powerhouse Suff Daddy is finally back. With "Hair Of The Dog" he has created what may be his best album ever, arriving via Berlin’s notorious Jakarta Records. Suff Daddy (578k monthly listeners on Spotify), is one of the legendary beatmakers who shaped a whole era of bedroom producers. His unique approach and musical understanding sets him apart from all the other fish in the pond. He has released countless genre-defining albums and EP’s over the past 15 years building a loyal fanbase. Suff Daddy's songs have previously been featured in many editorial playlists including Spotify's "Jazz Vibes", "BUTTER", "Sweet Soul Chillout" and many more. Introducing "Hair Of The Dog," Suff Daddys musical journey that blends instrumental hip-hop, electronic, and dance genres. This captivating album, produced with his own Suff Style invites listeners to unwind From start to finish. Once again a Suff Daddy album thrives on the pure brilliance of his own way to create music. The album's cover art, masterfully crafted by the renowned painter Mitch, adds an intriguing visual dimension to the experience. Both artists have known each other for a long time and are currently preparing their audiovisual release- event for August 18th in Berlin. Bringing their art together as a unique experience for their audience. The phrase "Hair of the dog that bit you" commonly denotes consuming alcohol as a remedy for a hangover, aiming to alleviate its effects. Suff Daddy plans to introduce his own hangover solution, which will be plant-based and devoid of alcohol. Through all of his career he frequently played with alcohol references and now it's the perfect timing to release his own hangover cure. Additionally, this endeavor will serve as a social media catalyst for the entire project.

Tracklist:
1. Daddy 4 Eva
2. El Pimpi In Palermo
3. Gang Sign
4. Psycho Mantis
5. Donte Sip
6. Bootsy Call
7. Actually Definitely Yeah
8. Bonatti Syndrome
9. First Aid Beat
10. Clam Guy
11. Palazzo de Hachazo
12. The Bitter End

Slowe - Where The Mind Wanders

‘Where The Mind Wanders’ is the debut album from Bristol-based producer, multi-instrumentalist, artist and songwriter, Slowe.

This project is a window into Slowe’s mind, with each song reflecting a different aspect of her inner world. With a musical landscape that ebbs and flows, Slowe poetically addresses the struggles of self-doubt and the beauty of fulfilment and joy. These themes are perfectly embodied in “A Simple Act” as she explores uncertainty, wanting to push herself, but faltering at times with a lack of confidence. Led by the cyclical urge to push yourself and subsequent hesitancy, the lyrics move through sparkling R&B Rhodes and celesta that nod to her love of neo-soul and a loose beat played by Conor Harrington, bopping between Sam Fox’s smooth bassline.

The tracks showcase the versatility in Slowe’s production, with different expressions mirroring the furthest corners of her mind, “both introspective and immersive, each track is a dive into the depths of the human psyche, exploring the intricacies of emotions and thoughts that often go unspoken” she explains.

‘Where The Mind Wanders’ features previous singles “WLYTK”, Slowe’s avant-soul exploration of withheld feelings, the retro-tinged slow jam “Superego”, and the urban jazz-hop groove “Fix Me Up’” featuring Rachai. Speaking of seeking balance, certainty and clarity when moving forward it “perfectly summarises the themes on the album and what I was going through when making these songs” Slowe adds.

‘Feel’ features a team of local, Bristolian musicians: Eli Jitsuto from Snazzback plays the guitar, Sam Fox adds the melodic bass riff, Conor Harrington is on drums and Laurence Fazakerly Buglass brings his effortless keys into the mix. As they dance in a sultry, sparse arrangement the focus shifts between two imperfect people navigating bad habits in a relationship, where they are ultimately overcome by unconditional love. Embedded in the album is the J Dilla inspired instrumental gem, “Inertia”, through which Slowe’s production takes mainstage with the captivating, improvised saxophone from Oli Morris. ‘Stay Right Here’ celebrates a 10-year milestone in her relationship, “it's quite a beautiful thing to know someone that well and to have shared so much together” Slowe reflects, embracing her contentment. Aiming for a classic, 70’s soul feel, Slowe and the co-producer Laurence composed a string section by layering each player and recreated a gritty, vintage quality with pedal effects. “Solar” captures a feeling of seasons moving past you, whilst feeling stuck in winter, which comes through in the raw, acoustic feel. In response to this tension, the following track “Lunar” reassures with a success story of breaking free from the anxiety that holds you back and prevents you from reaching your full potential. The final, psychedelia-tinged track “Calibrate” closes the album.

Following continued support from resident DJ James Threlfall, BBC Introducing have shared a short, exclusive, live rendition of “Superego”. The project has also garnered support from Robert Elms (BBC Radio London), Don Letts (BBC Radio 6 Music), BBC Radio 6 Music’s Focus Beats, Valida and Scott Dallavo (KCRW), Boba Fatt and Tom Pickford (Soho Radio), Marshmello (NTS), Neil Bopperson and General Public (Balamii), Stereofox and Dummy Mag, among others.

Slowe’s DIY approach is reminiscent of lo-fi beat-making; delicately layering together session recordings, and repurposing techniques akin to those of J Dilla and Madlib. The result is both nostalgic and fiercely contemporary, with sparkling Rhodes, vintage drum lines, and buttery vocals. The combination of Slowe’s radiant lilts and introspective lyricism atop the fuzzy, analogue warmth makes for swooning escapism. 

Tracklist:
1. WYLTK
2. Superego
3. Fix Me Up
4. Feel
5. A Simple Act
6. Inertia
7. Stay Right Here
8. Solar
9. Lunar
10. Calibrate

Fredfades & Sraw - Double Density

SP-1200 beats made using postal service. Fredfades and Sraw collaborate through post, exchanging dusty beats for an experimental Hip Hop record. The process of sending floppy discs back and forth, where each producer added element over element on their own SP-1200, has been on-going for almost 10 years, slowly building a collaborative body of work.

The result is Double Density, an LP that oozes with the character of that infamous instrument which laid much of the foundation for the earliest Hip Hop artists and still manages to evoke those raw and visceral sounds of that era. Reinforcing those sounds are the voices of Planet Asia, Pink Siifu and Blue November, who deliver lyrics from US coasts to Scandanavia’s fjords.

The duos collaborative effort swims in a sea of eclectic influences where Jazz, Soul and Hip-Hop thrive in the construct of this unique instrument. The drum machine pops, crackles and hisses on a bed of big bass lines through 13 tracks that go from short instrumentals to fully arranged songs.

Taking Hip-Hop back to its origins, everything is stripped bare to its essentials and for every vocal track, there’s its antithesis in the form of an instrumental break. It’s a record that plays with the archetypes of Hip Hop and Rap as something that we’ve lost over the years that begs for revocation. Double Density sounds exotic in the world of today’s gleaming beats.

Tracklist:
1. Double Density
2. Smoggy
3. Playing With Time
4. Mobbin’ For A Hobby (feat. Planet Asia & Waz)
5. Closer
6. Trapped (Feat. Pink Siifu)
7. Intermezzo
8. 2night
9. Rings Around Saturn
10. The Maxi-Single (feat. Planet Asia)
11. Omnichord
12. Spark Lah (feat. Blue November)
13. Outro

Rumtum - Arcadian Daze

Denver producer and visual artist John T. Hastings aka RUMTUM returns to Bastard Jazz for his second album on the label, “Arcadian Daze”. The album is a contemplative drive down a nostalgic highway, reflecting on a period of his late adolescence growing up in Ohio, spending time at Arcadia Beach on Lake Erie and discovering the likes DJ Shadow, Madlib, Fila Brazilla, early Four Tet, the original Ninja Tune roster and more. Revisiting these coming of age memories, John purchased an older MPC 2000XL and set out to musically capture the excitement of putting his first nascent loops together, inspired by this pivotal era of electronic music that has since birthed movements like such as Lo-Fi/Chillhop, Vaporwave, LA’s mid-2000s Beat Scene / Low End Theory, etc.

The end result of “Arcadian Daze” is indeed filled with that nostalgic spirit paying homage to those aforementioned sounds, but also presents a forward thinking musical palate that’s very much grounded in RUMTUM’s sensibilities as a producer and time spent learning to program new & vintage outboard gear. The album moves away from the warm, dreamy sounds of last year’s “Isles in Indigo” LP, and touches more into a mystical, pensive vibe with elements of darkness and light.

Tracklist:
1. No Drugs Needed
2. Echo Drift
3. Arcadian Daze
4. Utopia Dock Lab 1986
5. Bike Race to Nowhere
6. Under 1000 Clouds
7. Pier Light
8. Vapor Sun
9. DaBrye Squared
10. Life in Reverse
11. Sand Spirit

Wun Two - Fruta Dorada

After releasing the singles ‘gonzo’ and ‘dorada’, Wun Two is finally revealing his EP ‘fruta dorada’. Wrapped in chill hip hop beats with subtle synths notes from time to time, the atmosphere of this new project could hardly be described as simply relaxing: it is also mysterious and, somehow, unexpected.

Tracklist:
1. dorada
2. gonzo
3. moldi
4. cadaverin
5. zement

VA - A Change Gonn' Come

This year's compilation is dedicated to Mahsa Amini and the protest movement her tragic death has caused. We mean to make a contribution to support the situation of women in Iran by donating all revenues to the 'Center For Human Rigts In Iran' (www.iranhumanrights.org)

The works of long-familiar label associates as well as fresh fellows of Blaq Numbers from all over the globe compile yet another grand collection of sounds covering a broad spectrum from laidback jazzy vibes to glowing house and italo vibes. This one is spiked with 4-to-the-floor crackers and electro disco sensations.

Massive thanks go out to all the artists contributing their music ♡

Tracklist:
1. Poly Poly – Manigod (feat Valentina Oefele)
2. George John – Pillow Fort
3. F.D.M – One Way (feat Postnegative)
4. Vicmari – Circus
5. Albert Vogt – Pack It Up (Produced By Steve Martin)
6. Karya – Don't Stop
7. Local DJ – Yo Ha Han
8. Moff & Tarkin – Tupperware
9. Funken Wavetropi – Trippin' On Cheese
10. Real Velour – Look What You've Done
11. The Chord Memory Club – Kohlrabi Bells
12. Lydia Eisenblatter – Sign
13. DJ Detox – Verdant Dawn
14. Scruscru & Mike Fot – Aloe

Oh No - Good Vibes

Oh No deconstructs the music of Roy Ayers (part one).

Tracklist:
1. The Good Vibes Intro
2. Penthouse Elevators
3. Nature At Work
4. Jungle Developments
5. Ice Cold Coolers
6. Bounce Keepers
7. Another Two4
8. Smoked Cookouts
9. Bands Jukes

Wun Two - Snow Vol. 7

Tracklist:
1. Weiss
2. Folks on the Hill
3. Swhite
4. Grand Snow Hotel
5. Blosso
6. Kiss Me Twice
7. Tangerine
8. Goodcold
9. Winter Honey
10. Snoirrel
11. Three Men in the Snow
12. Smoods
13. Ophiu
14. Whenusleep
15. Caramello
16. Ourlastdancetogether

Mr. Käfer - Inner Mirrors

Tracklist:
1. What Now
2. Counting Days
3. 9 to 5
4. From Above
5. Reflected
6. Blurred

Koralle - Inhale, Exhale, Repeat

‘Inhale, Exhale, Repeat’ is the brand new EP produced by the Italian, Bologna-based lofi producer Koralle. After already releasing three singles to promote it, this new project will definitely seduce thousands of listeners as it is an invitation to let go and to simply relax.

Tracklist:
1. Vibrations
2. One-Eyed Daruma
3. Red Wine
4. No
5. Coloring Book
6. Landing

Shatter Hands - Alive On Arrival

Alive on Arrival is the new album by Danish producer Shatter Hands. The album was made over the course of 2022 when Johan got together in intervals with a few of his musician friends to collaborate in its creation. Each track was a specific shared moment between the artists and has a special meaning. While inspired by Electronica, Jazz and House music the foundations of the album are built with new techniques compared to Shatter Hands former works. Making „Alive on Arrival“ a brand new chapter in the producer’s musical career. The album originals are 7 impactful songs that are complimented by 4 remixes each as meaningful as the others. The project all together explores a lot of different genres that complement each other very well. Ranging from Hip Hop, R&B, Jazz, Electronica, Disco and House music, the listen flows in a very pleasant and familiar way. A lovely experience from start to finish with the touch of a talented bunch and their respective styles and vibes that were all masterfully curated and produced/mixed by Shatter Hands. The result is simply put delightful.

Tracklist:
1. Seizure Investigation
2. Shatter Hands, Nanna.B & Jonas Cook – Go
3. Roadkill Badger Stew
4. Shatter Hands & Yellow Spoon – Hen's Teeth
5. Shatter Hands, DUMMY THICC & Martin Stapnes – Gingerlude
6. Alive On Arrival
7. Shatter Hands & Oddbj?rn – A Klinkvort Orange
8. Shatter Hands & Jonas Cook – Go (Moo Latte remix)
9. Roadkill Badger Stew (Dolenz remix)
10. Shatter Hands & Yellow Spoon – Hen's Teeth (Bluestaeb remix)
11. Shatter Hands & Oddbj?rn – A Klinkvort Orange (Shield remix)
12. Shatter Hands & Jonas Cook – Go (instrumental)