Trevor Jackson, known for his work as Playgroup and the incredibly influential Output Recordings, has the kind of crates that even hard core collectors envy. So when he came to us with the idea of collecting some of his favorite rarities from the under-explored world of 80s industrial & post-punk dance floor material, we couldn't say no. Having already gotten into the groove with our Fac Dance collection of material from the legendary Factory label, we knew this would be something special. The two-disc collection covers recognized masters such as Cabaret Voltaire & Nitzer Ebb as well as names that we know are going to be new to quite a few listeners. If the term EBM (Electronic Body Music, coined by Kraftwerk's Ralf Hütter) means anything to you, you're in for a treat. If not, there's a world waiting to be discovered...

Tracklist *Updated*:

CD 1

1. The Bubblemen – The Bubblemen Are Coming
2. 400 Blows – Pressure (Club Pressure)
3. Cabaret Voltaire – Seconds Too Late
4. Neon – Voices
5. Pete Shelley – Witness The Change (Dub version)
6. Shock - Dream Games
7. Executive Slacks – The Bus (EP version)
8. Analysis - Surface Tension
9. Nitzer Ebb – Control I’m Here (Clouston’s Controlled Edit)
10. DAF – Brothers (Mix Gabi)
11. Portion Control – The Great Divide (Dub)
12. Stanton Miranda – Wheels Over Indian Trails (Dub)
13. Jah Wobble – Invaders Of The Heart (Exotic Decadent Disco mix)
14. SPK – Metal Dance
15. Fini Tribe – De Testimony (Collapsing Edit)


CD 2

1. Alien Sex Fiend – Under The Thunder (Ignore The Dub)
2. Hard Corps – Je Suis Passee (Dub)
3. Naked Lunch – Slipping Again
4. Secession – Touch (Part 4)
5. Severed Heads – Dead Eyes Opened
6. The Cage feat. Nona Hendryx – Do What Ya Wanna Do (Dub version)
7. Yello – You Gotta Say Yes To Another Excess (UK promo mix)
8. Ledernacken – Amok!
9. Nash The Slash - Womble
10. John Carpenter & Alan Howarth – The Duke Arrives – The Barricade / The President At The Train (Extended version)
11. Diseño Corbusier – Golpe De Amistad
12. Schlaflose Nachte - Move
13. 23 Skidoo - Coup (In The Palace)

VINYL
1. Cabaret Voltaire – Seconds Too Late
2. Neon – Voices
3. Diseño Corbusier – Golpe De Amistad
4. Analysis - Surface Tension
5. Hard Corps – Je Suis Passee (Dub)
6. DAF – Brothers (Mix Gabi)
7. Jah Wobble – Invaders Of The Heart (Exotic Decadent Disco mix)
8. Yello – You Gotta Say Yes To Another Excess (UK promo mix)
9. Naked Lunch – Slipping Again
10. SPK – Metal Dance

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

Norman Jay walks his own path as a DJ, a regrettably rare trait these days. His Good Times sound system is a festival mainstay, and an institution at Notting Hill Carnival, where Jay was instrumental in introducing a range of gritty, soulful styles to complement the predominantly reggae-based sound systems. Jay helped spread an appreciation for deep crates and eclectic selections during the rise of Acid Jazz, and was a force behind Shake ‘N’ Fingerpop, High On Hope and the seminal Talkin’ Loud label alongside Gilles Peterson, all of which built his reputation for open-minded soulful selections spanning soul, funk, disco, early house, reggae and hip hop. He is also the first DJ to be presented with the MBE honor. For you non-Brits, that's Member of the Order of the British Empire. Other honorees include, say, The Beatles.

Now, the maestro returns with a special 30th Anniversary collection for Strut, another bumper set of genre-hopping classics and rare Good Times favourites. Tracks include boogie rarity ‘Dreamin’ by short-lived band Zalmac and Fries & Bridges’ ‘Forever This’, a 4x4 belter featuring an early vocal by chart superstar Cee-Lo Green. Jay touches on independent hip hop with Basement Chemist, jazz grooves courtesy of Kira Neris and Attic Tree, skanking reggae from Jacob Miller and doo-wop soul courtesy of Little Anthony & The Imperials. The album is an incredible collection of music from a man whose one-of-a-kind selections have pleased crowds the world over. Look for it in July on CD, LP + digital download, featuring a new interview between Jay and journalist Lloyd Bradley, as well as career-spanning photos.

Tracklist:
1. MARK CAPANNI – I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES
2. AVERY SUNSHINE – I GOT SUNSHINE
3. TED TAYLOR – GHETTO DISCO (Edit)
4. ZALMAC – DREAMIN’
5. TERRI WELLS – WHO’S THAT STRANGER
6. LITTLE ANTHONY & THE IMPERIALS – I DON’T HAVE TIME TO WORRY
7. MARIO BIONDI – MY GIRL
8. JACOB MILLER & INNER CIRCLE – TIRED FE LICK WEED IN A BUSH
9. THE BASEMENT KHEMIST – EVERYBODY (L I F E)
10. J BOOGIE’S DUBTRONIC SCIENCE feat. GOAPELE and CAPITOL A – TRY ME (People Under The Stairs Remix)
11. ATTIC TREE – VOAR
12. CURTIS MAYFIELD – VICTORY
13. DANTE – FREAK IN ME
14. FRIES & BRIDGES – FOREVER THIS
15. THE DETROIT EXPERIMENT – THINK TWICE (Henrik Schwarz Remix)
16. ASHLEY SLATER – PRIVATE SUNSHINE

When we discussed the idea of putting together a mix focusing on Dennis Coffey's immense history in the world of soul, funk, and hip-hop, House Shoes was our clear first choice. Often referred to as "Detroit's musical ambassador," Shoes is intimately acquainted with Dennis' history, and a first rate DJ to boot. On Constellations - The A to Z of Dennis Coffey, he delivered beyond our expectations. Touching on everything from the psychedelic b-boy soul of Coffey's 70's solo material, to classic recordings on which he recorded as a sessions musician, to hip-hop cuts which have sampled his material, and even a couple of sneak peaks at the new album's music, he offers as clear a portrait as any of way Dennis Coffey is beloved by so many music fans of all varieties. His drop game is tough too! We were also happy to hear how comfortably the new material sits next to Coffey's many classics. If that's not the mark of timelessness, I don't know what is! As everyone from Q-Tip to JakeOne to DJ Jazzy Jeff are happy to remind you: Dennis Coffey will be out April 26th.

Constellations - The A to Z of Dennis Coffey:A Mix By House Shoes (mediafire download)

Constellations - The A to Z of Dennis Coffey: A Mix By House Shoes by Strut

Constellations - The A to Z of Dennis Coffey: A Mix By House Shoes
RECORDED AT SOUNDMATIC BY RHETTMATIC

1. Scorpio Intro- (feat Dennis Coffey, Jazzy Jeff, Jake One, and Q-Tip)
2. LL Cool J- Jinglin' Baby
3. Dennis Coffey- Main Theme (Black Belt Jones OST)
4. Dennis Coffey- 7th Galaxy*
5. Dennis Coffey- Ride Sally Ride
6. The Temptations- Cloud Nine
7. Rodriguez- Sugar Man
8. Marvin Gaye- I Want You
9. Dennis Coffey- Garden Of The Moon
10. The Spinners- It's A Shame
11. Dennis Coffey- Never Can Say Goodbye
12. Dennis Coffey- Whole Lotta Love
13. Diamond D- No Wonduh
14. Isley Brothers / Dennis Coffey & Lyman Woodward- It's Your Thing
15. The Floaters- Float On
16. The Dramatics- In The Rain
17. The Dramatics- Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get
18. Dennis Coffey feat. Mick Collins (Dirtbombs) & Rachel Nagy (Detroit Cobras)- I Bet You*
19. Edwin Starr- Easin' In (Hell Up In Harlem) / Digable Planets (Nickle Bags)
20. The Temptations- I Can't Get Next To You
21. The Undisputed Truth- Smiling Faces Sometimes
22. Dennis Coffey feat. Mayer Hawthorne- All Your Goodies Are Gone*
23. Outro


* denotes material from the upcoming Dennis Coffey album


Dennis Coffey At SXSW 2011
Weds. 3/16: (Guest Appearance w/ Adrian Younge) – Wax Poetics Showcase @ Scoot Inn 1308 East 4th Street - 1:00 AM
(w/ Chico Mann, Kendra Morris, Echocentrics)
Sat. 3/19: Hotel San Jose 1316 South Congress Avenue - 6:30 PM
(w/ Black Angels, Black Joe Lewis (Dennis guesting), The Relatives (Dennis guesting))
Sat. 3/19: Beauty Bar: Palm Door 401 Sabine St. 12:00 AM
(w/ Brownout, T. Bird & The Breaks, Diplomats of Solid Sound)

Dennis Coffey will be touring internationally throughout 2011.
Booking agents: Dave Kaplan (dave.kaplan@theagencygroup.com) and Bruce Solar for The Agency Group (N.America), Clementine Bunel at 2 For The Road Productions (clementine@2fortheroadproductions.com) (Europe)
Management: Christian Fuller and Chris Peters (cwap71@yahoo.com) for Bad Data Management

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!

It's not every day that we have the opportunity to say that we're about to release the first NEW music in a number of years from some of the world's greatest living artists. It's actually more like every six months! Kidding of course, though the opportunity to work with Mulatu Astatke and Ebo Taylor on their new albums has spoiled us a bit. Well along those lines, let us tell you how beyond thrilled we are to be releasing new material from Benin's Orchestre Poly-Rythmo.

After a year of illustrious comeback live dates including New York’s Lincoln Center, WOMAD festival and Barbican London, the band will release its first studio album in over twenty years, Cotonou Club, on Strut / Sons D’Ailleurs in March 2011.

Produced in Paris entirely on vintage analogue studio equipment, this new album refreshes Poly-Rythmo classics such as "Gbeti Madjro" (featuring Angelique Kidjo) alongside a firing selection of brand new compositions. The album also features a special bonus track, an exclusive collaboration between Poly Rythmo and Franz Ferdinand’s musicians. The mighty orchestre embark on an album launch tour in Europe during April 2011.

Get ready for some fantastic new sound from some of the best to ever do it.

The gentlemen behind London's Sofrito parties are true crate diggers par excellence, unearthing the finest in Tropical dancefloor fire. Strut is very pleased to have them in the selector's seat for their debut compilation, Sofrito: Tropical Discotheque. Made up of nearly impossible to find vintage floor fillers, brand new edits, and even an exclusive cumbia from Quantic, the music on here is guaranteed to make your winter feel like summer. Check the tracklist below, and be on the lookout for a closer look at Sofrito's amazing flyer artist Lewis Heriz, who did the artwork for the compilation as well, coming soon.

Tracklist:
1. BANDA LOS HIJOS DE LA NINA LUZ – QUIERO AMANACER
2. LES YA TOUPAS DU ZAIRE – JE NE BOIS PAS BEAUCOUP
3. FRENTE CUMBIERO - PITCHITO
4. FAIR NICK STARS – ARRETE MAL PARLE
5. KYEREMATEN STARS – MAYE OBI DEN
6. VICTOR UWAIFO – OHUE (FRANKIE FRANCIS & SIMBAD EDIT)
7. ADOLFO ECHEVERRIA – SABROSO BACALAO
8. EL TIMBA – DESCARGA BONTEMPI
9. MIGHTY SHADOW – DAT SOCA BOAT
10. DANY PLAY – FA’WAKA
11. SAFOHENE DJENI – MAHU WO ASIE
12. TI CELESTE – POPILATION BASSE-TERRIENNE DU ABOIS
13. QUANTIC Y SU CONJUNTO LOS MITICOS DEL RITMO – CUMBIA DE MOCHILLA
14. ROARING LION – CARNIVAL LONG AGO
15. GNONNAS PEDRO – YIRI YIRI BOUM