Even though the first volume of our celebration of Factory Records' dance catalog was a full double album worth of music, we couldn't help feeling that the legendary label's dance-leaning output was still fertile ground for exploration. One look at the track list for Fac. Dance 02 should show that there is still plenty A-list material to be collected. In addition to indisputable classics from groups like ESG and A Certain Ratio, we've also gathered some wonderful oddities, including Cheba Fadela’s Algerian rai blast, “N’Sel Fik”and the heavy dub and reggae stylings of The Wake, X-O-Dus and ACR alter ego Sir Horatio. Fac. Dance 02 will be out September 18th, with detailed track notes by Factory biographer James Nice, together with rare photos. The digital version of the album features five tracks not featured on the physical formats.

Track List

1. A CERTAIN RATIO – THE FOX 3.47
2. ESG – MOODY 2.46
3. MINNY POPS – BLUE ROSES 2.33
4. THICK PIGEON – BABCOCK + WILCOX 3.44
5. BITING TONGUES – MEAT MASK SEPARATIST 4.57
6. SIR HORATIO – SOMMADUB 7.18
7. X-O-DUS – SOCIETY 4.20
8. THE DURUTTI COLUMN – SELF PORTRAIT 4.40
9. SECTION 25 – KNEW NOISE 4.43
10. SHARK VEGAS – YOU HURT ME 6.59
11. FADELA – N’SEL FIK 7.06
12. KALIMA – LAND OF DREAMS 6.47


1. 52nd STREET – CAN’T AFFORD (Unorganised mix) 10.02
2. NYAM NYAM – FATE 8.06
3. A CERTAIN RATIO – LUCINDA 3.53
4. ESG – YOU’RE NO GOOD 3.09
5. SWAMP CHILDREN – SOFTLY SAYING GOODBYE 4.09
6. QUANDO QUANGO – GO EXCITING (12” mix) 5.57
7. SURPRIZE – IN MOVIMENTO 5.33
8. ANNA DOMINO – TAKE THAT 4.13
9. THE WAKE – HOST 7.57
10. ROYAL FAMILY AND THE POOR – VANEIGEM MIX 6.22
11. SECTION 25 – SAKURA 3.58
12. AD INFINITUM – TELSTAR 3.13

We're going straight to the dance floor with this one! The midwestern American origins of House music have been widely celebrated, but there's something about the period when UK producers first started responding to the sounds making their way over from American shores that we find very special. On This Ain't Chicago, Richard Sen (of Bronx Dogs and Padded Cell fame) collects key tracks from the early rave days when acid house was starting to be heard clubs like Shoom, Spectrum, The Hacienda, The Jungle and others. Classics and should-be classics are featured on this two disc collection (due for international release on June 25th, July 10th in the US), which will also feature extensive liner notes, and a deeper look at some of the clubs, DJs and producers that pushed the UK deep into Acid territory.

Tracklist:

CD1

1. BANG THE PARTY - BANG BANG YOU'RE MINE (Full Vocal remix)
2. WINDOW SMASHERS - FREE TO BE
3. JULIAN JONAH - JEALOUSY AND LIES
4. BABY FORD - CRASHING
5. MAN WITH NO NAME - FROM WITHIN THE MIND OF MY 909
6. RIO RHYTHM BAND - CUBA JAKKIN'
7. PLAYTIME TOONS - SHAKER SONG
8. JAIL BREAK - MENTALITY
9. EXOCET - SAFETY ZONE
10. RETURN OF THE LIVING ACID - TWIN TUB
11. CXX - THE COMFORT OF STRANGERS (Mix by Rhythm Doctor – Richard Sen Edit)
12. JULIE STAPLETON - WHERE'S THE LOVE GONE (remix)
13. ROHAN DELANO - INFLIGHT

CD2

1. SLY AND LOVECHILD - THE WORLD ACCORDING TO SLY & LOVECHILD (Andrew Weatherall Soul Of Europe mix)
2. ABILITY II - PRESSURE DUB
3. STATIC - IRON ORBIT (J. Saul Kane mix)
4. M. D. EMM - 1666 (Pyro-Maniac mix)
5. COLM III - TAKE ME HIGH (Mansion mix)
6. S.L.F. - SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT
7. PAUL RUTHERFORD - GET REAL (Happy House mix)
8. BIZZARE INC - TECHNOLOGICAL
9. US - BORN IN THE NORTH
10. ANNETTE - DREAM 17

Digital only:
A GUY CALLED GERALD – SPECIFIC HATE
THIS AIN’T CHICAGO – RIDE THE RHYTHM

Ebo Taylor is a towering figure in the field of African music. The fact that, well into his 70s, he continues to tour and record speaks loudly to his dedication to his craft, and to the worldwide excitement over his music. Appia Kwa Bridge will be the second new studio album of his since 2010, recorded again with Berlin's Afrobeat Academy.


On the new record, Ebo takes a personal approach, both in the subject matter, and the musical inspiration. “I wanted to go back to a highlife feeling with this album,” he explains. “The songs are very personal and it is an important part of my music to keep alive many traditional Fante songs, war chants and children’s rhymes.”


We're honored to be able to share new music with you from a man and musician of Ebo's stature. Appia Kwa Bridge will be released in April, and Mr. Taylor will be performing internationally this Spring.

Here at Strut, we're pretty huge fans of Factory Records, which should come as no surprise. Factory staples such as Quando Quango's "Love Tempo" have been compiled on our 'Disco Not Disco' series, and music from Factory's vast catalog has long been heavily featured in our DJ sets and general listening. For 'Fac. Dance' we decided to focus on some of the label's early output, narrowing in on some key dance floor cuts that comprise some of our favorite 12 inches and late night classics. We were lucky enough to have involvement from some of the label's key participants, including iconic designer and cover artist Peter Saville. Our friend Bill Brewster of DJHistory.com assembled the compilation and contributes the liner notes. Check the track list below, & look for the album at the end of October.


CD 1
1. SECTION 25 – LOOKING FROM A HILLTOP (Megamix)
2. A CERTAIN RATIO – WILD PARTY
3. QUANDO QUANGO – LOVE TEMPO
4. 52nd STREET – EXPRESS
5. SWAMP CHILDREN – LITTLE VOICES
6. BITING TONGUES – BOSS TOYOTA TROUBLE
7. THE DURUTTI COLUMN – FOR BELGIAN FRIENDS
8. ROYAL FAMILY AND THE POOR – ART ON 45
9. A CERTAIN RATIO – KNIFE SLITS WATER (12” mix)
10. SECTION 25 – DIRTY DISCO
11. BLURT – PUPPETEER
12. X-O-DUS – SEE THEM A’COME


CD 2
01. SHARK VEGAS – PRETENDERS OF LOVE
02. 52nd STREET – COOL AS ICE (Restructured by John “Jellybean” Benitez)
03. STREETLIFE – ACT ON INSTINCT (Hot Swedish mix)
04. THE HOOD – SALVATION! (Nitromix)
05. ABECEDARIANS – SMILING MONARCHS
06. MINNY POPS – TIME
07. QUANDO QUANGO – ATOM ROCK (New York remix)
08. MARCEL KING – REACH FOR LOVE (New York remix)
09. 52nd STREET – LOOK INTO MY EYES
10. QUANDO QUANGO – GENIUS
11. SWAMP CHILDREN – YOU’VE GOT ME BEAT
12. THE DURUTTI COLUMN – MADELEINE


Vinyl

A1: SECTION 25 – LOOKING FROM A HILLTOP (Megamix)
A2: A CERTAIN RATIO – WILD PARTY
A3: ROYAL FAMILY AND THE POOR – ART ON 45
B1: QUANDO QUANGO – ATOM ROCK (New York remix)
B2: 52nd STREET – COOL AS ICE (Restructured by John “Jellybean” Benitez)
B3: BLURT – PUPPETEER
C1: SWAMP CHILDREN – YOU’VE GOT ME BEAT
C2: X-O-DUS – SEE THEM A’COME
C3: THE DURUTTI COLUMN – FOR BELGIAN FRIENDS
D1: SHARK VEGAS – PRETENDERS OF LOVE
D2: MARCEL KING – REACH FOR LOVE (New York remix)
D3: ABECEDARIANS – SMILING MONARCHS

Digital only
Minny Pops – Time
Kalima – Black Water
Royal Family & The Poor – Motherland

Our favorite rowdy disco experts are back with a new mix project, with a couple of twists. For one thing, this is the first time they've included contemporary productions and edits in their mix albums. So look forward to amazing music from the likes of Harvey, Yam Who?, Todd Terje, the boys themselves & others on the 1st disc, which represents their 'peak time' selections. The 2nd disc features a long-overdue exploration of the after hours 'sleaze' disco sub-genre, featuring mid-tempo master cuts from the likes of Sylvester, Two Tons of Fun, Idris Muhammad & more. Liner notes this time come courtesy of Daniel Wang, so expect something special. Horse Meat Disco III will be out early July, and of course the crew will be up to their usual globe trotting, so make sure the catch them when they come through your down. Full tracklist below!


CD 1

1. JIMMY BRISCOE AND THE BEAVERS – INTO THE MILKY WAY (Felix Dickinson Edit)
2. LEFTSIDE WOBBLE – GRAPEVINE BOOGIE (Leftside Wobble Edit)
3. CLAUDJA BARRY – SWEET DYNAMITE (Todd Terje Edit)
4. FUZZ AGAINST JUNK – BORN UNDER PUNCHES (Harvey remix)
5. MUNGOLIAN JETSET – MOON JOCKS ‘N’ PROG ROCKS (Full Length version)
6. DIMITRI FROM PARIS & DJ ROCCA present ERODISCOTIQUE - DOWNTOWN
7. SUZY Q – I CAN’T GIVE YOU MORE (DC Edit)
8. BILLIE RAY MARTIN – SWEET SUBURBAN DISCO (Severino Dub remix)
9. AVA CHERRY – YOU NEVER LOVED ME
10. FIRST CLASS – LET NO MAN PUT ASUNDER (Ron Hardy ‘Baby, Baby, Baby Aw Shucks’ Edit)
11. WILD GEESE – MACHO DISCO MASTER
12. TOM TRAGO – SHUTTERS (Extended 12” mix)
13. YAM WHO? – I’M IN LOVE
14. RAPHAEL CAMERON – TOGETHER (Stupid Human Edit)


CD 2

1. IDRIS MUHAMMAD – FOR YOUR LOVE
2. SYLVESTER – GIVE IT UP
3. FEVER – TOLD YOU NOT TO MESS WITH HIM
4. SALSOUL ORCHESTRA feat. LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY - SECONDS
5. TAMBI – YOU DON’T KNOW
6. MARCEL KING – REACH FOR LOVE (Mark Kamins remix)
7. BAISER – SUMMER BREEZE
8. MIQUEL BROWN – CLOSE TO PERFECTION
9. WHAM - LOVEMAKER
10. T.S. MONK – CANDIDATE FOR LOVE
11. ROSE LAURENS – AMERICAN LOVE
12. B.L.T. – TIGHTEN IT UP
13. GENE CHANDLER – I’LL MAKE THE LIVING IF YOU MAKE THE LOVING
14. TWO TONS OF FUN – JUST US

Not long ago, in a wrap up of his favorite reissues for NPR, Now Again's Egon Alapatt expressed regret that a long awaited retrospective of Ghanaian music legend and possible candidate for coolest man alive, Ebo Taylor, didn't see a 2010 release. He's right that a comprehensive collection is long overdue, but we think you'll agree that "Life Stories" is worth the wait.


We dug deep to assemble not only solo material, but also side projects like The Apagya Show Band and short-lived Taylor-led combos Assase Ase, Super Sounds Namba and The Pelikans. We're also including a real gem in the form of CK Mann's "Etui," which Taylor wrote and produced. Liner notes come courtesy of the ever knowledgeable Miles Cleret, whose Ghana Soundz compilation deserves much credit for introducing Ebo Taylor's music to an international audience. And of course you can expect rare photos and original album art.


"Life Stories" will be out April 12th, with tour dates backed by Afrobeat Academy scheduled in select (and lucky!) of the globe. We'll have some music and video footage for you soon!

We're launching a new series called Disconnect, which encourages DJs to dig deep into their record stash and serve up some of their favorite rare tracks and personal favorites from the darker side of their collection. Maybe get in to some records that they love, but don't get to play out all that often. We can't think of a better way to launch the series than with Leo Zero's amazing mix. Covering everything from Disco to Kraut rock to Afro - Punk, it's an amazingly cohesive and dance-able mix considering how much ground it covers. Check out the tracklist below for an idea of where it's headed, and look for more info soon at http://www.leozero-disconnect.com/. Leo's mix will be out November 22nd.

1. DESMOND & THE TUTUS – KISS YOU ON THE CHEEK
2. RITUAL – SORE LIP
3. KABBALA – ASHEWO ARA
4. THE PIRANHAS – VI GELA GELA
5. ESSENTIAL LOGIC – BRUTE FURY
6. BASEMENT 5 – SILICON CHIP (Extended Edit)
7. THE DREAD FLIMSTONE SOUND – GHETTO LIFE
8. WUNMI – MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
9. CHRIS & COSEY – EXOTICA (1988 remix)
10. PROPAGANDA – FROZEN FACES (12” mix)
11. INDAMBINIGI – ZIMBA
12. THE UNKNOWN CASES – MASIMBA BELE
13. GEORGE G – HOT LOVERS
14. CAN - HALLELUWAH
15. RICHY B MELODIA – KEEP IT MOVING ON
16. BRIAN ENO & JOHN CALE – SPINNING AWAY
17. THE COUNTACH – MY OASIS
TRAKS – WILD SAFARI (digital only)