2012 was a busy year for Man Recordings boss Daniel Haaksman. First, he started his own weekly radio show „Luso FM“, focussing on eletronic dance music from the Portugese speaking world, i.e. countries like Angola, Brasil, Mozambique or Portugal on German public radio „Funkhaus Europa“.

Parallely, Daniel produced remixes for Kry Wolf, Lord Nelson, So Shifty, Makina Del Karibe and Bonde Do Rolê, and also released his “Rambazamba Remixed” album, plus his much acclaimed compilation of Brasilian Tecno Brega. In between, Daniel travelled the globe DJing, including Angola to play at “União Electronica” festival. While out clubbing in Angola ́s capitol Luanda, Daniel instantly fell in love with the city ́s local house sound.

The Luanda house sound is called Ku House (a mixture of Kuduro and House). The „Ku“ in „Kuduro“ (literally meaning „hard ass“) stands for booty. Besides, Angolan house is in dialogue with local music styles as well as the South African style of house music. Far from the raging, raved up vibes of current European ghetto club music, Angolan house tunes add a subtle form of deepness, mixed with frantic beats and hypnotic Portugese vocals.

Thus for his brand new single, Daniel teamed up with Angolan singer and culture impressario Coréon Dú and produced “Lemba”, originally a Semba tune on a lavish woman named Lemba. Coréon Dú is the brains behind the popular Angolan reality-style dance competition programme „Bounce“, also running „Os Kuduristas“, an internationally travelling roadshow programme promoting Angola’s unique kuduro style of rapping and dancing.

CORÉON DÚ

„Lemba“ is a unique Berlin-Luanda cooperation of Afro house made with a minimalist Berlin twist. Featuring a plain, percussive beat, a speaker busting sub-bass, a subtle arpeggio and the beautiful voice of Coréon Dú, this stripped down track has all it takes to become the big cross-culture club tune of spring 2013. This is a tune that could easily be played both at Berlin ́s Berghain club and Berlin ́s street carnival, the “Carneval Of Cultures”. Yes, it ́s both for house heads and barefoot dancers.

But then that ́s what Daniel Haaksman ́s music is always about: Establishing cultural bridges and sonic exchanges, incorporating the legacy of European bass music, while keeping a keen eye on the dancefloor. Drop “Lemba” and you ́ll feel Daniel Haaksman ́s vision.

Listen to it here:

DJ Feedback:

Laurent Garnier: “Great stuff!”
Riva Starr : “Bravo, Daniel”
Sinden: “Love Haaksman stuff”
Roundtable Knights: “First time I hear about Ku House and I love it!”
Foamo : “Whoa, love this!”
Oliver $: “This is a hit!”
Acid Washed: “Beautiful, this is big!”
Toshio Matsuura (UFO, Tokyo) : “Nice step!”
Shirkhan (Exploited): “Hot stuff, will play this!”
Schlachthofbronx: “Yeah, Haaksman in house!”
So Shifty : “Lemba goes hard, great vocals!”
Isa GT: “Amazing direction, Daniel. Tired of noisey stuff. This is both stylish and heavy!”
Scottie B: “Great!”
Bert On Beats: „Love it!“
Wildlife!: “Dope!”

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Banda Westfalica is from the city Bünde in the German area North-Rhine-Westphalia. “Banda” means “group” in Spanish and Portuguese, and it’s Latin rhythms that this nine-headed student percussion ensemble is dedicated to. “Westfalica” is the ancient Latin word for the area of “Westphalia”, located in the far Western part of Germany (where the famous German DJ WestBam also stems from thus calling himself “Westfalica Bambaataa”).

Each Monday afternoon, the Banda meets up for class at Bünde’s music school. The students aged fourteen to nineteen come together to learn to play percussion instruments such as marimba, bongos, cajón, cowbell and cachichi amongst others.

One of the classes students, Sönke Oberschmidt, aged fifteen, has been a huge fan of Man Recordings for a while, and when his music school teacher asked for student’s suggestions of preferred songs, Sönke came up with „Carimbo“ by Schlachthofbronx. The song was rehearsed various times and peformed live on a field trip of the music school. When the mobile phone video of the high street performance made it to Youtube, Schlachthofbronx soon found out about it and were enthusiastic.

Banda Westfalica with Daniel Haaksman

Shortly after, Man Recordings label boss Daniel Haaksman got in contact with Sönke and asked whether they’d be up for covering further songs from Man Recordings. Sönke and his ensemble rehearsed for weeks and eventually mastered to play live percussion versions of their favourite Man Recordings songs such as El Dusty’s „K Le Pasa“ (in the So Shifty version), Schlachthofbronx’ “Tulum“ (and of course „Carimbo), „Hands Up“ by Daniel Haaksman, Beware & Motorpitch‘ “El Toro“ (also in So Shifty’s version) and last but not least „Cartagenera“ by Dutch Rhythm Combo, the solo-project of Daniel Haakman’s younger brother Felix.

In autumn 2012 Daniel and Felix drove to Bünde to record the songs with a mobile studio set up. Now the mixdowns of the recording weekend are finished and we are proud to present the debut EP by Banda Westfalica „Versions“.

Since Tropical Bass is music often associated with heavy bass, rampant sampling, simplicist melodies and sexist lyrics, it is actually often very musical, as these fine cover versions display in a very fascinating way.

So sit down and relax and enjoy the vibrant grooves and sounds of Banda Westfalica!

FREE DOWNLOAD
Man Recordings gives you Banda Westfalica’s Carimbo as a free download, grab it here:

Watch the mini documentary about the making of “Versions” EP:

Banda Westfalica – Versions from Man Recordings on Vimeo.

DJ FEEDBACK

Round Table Knights: “Yeah, love it”

Riton: “Great Project!”

Untold: “Respect – Sounds great and a wonderful story”

Chrissy Murderbot: “I love this”

DJ Feadz: “I like it! Cool concept”

Boogalo: “Ta muita bom! We love it”

Poirier: “Good job, it’s quite an unusual project! You got my full support.”

Bert On Beats: “Perfect sunny-sunday-listening. Very cool interpretations!

DJ Sabo: “Loving this! Super vibes on here, cant wait to hear the electronic remixes of the band versions of the electronic songs!”

DJ Orion: “Amazing work”

Isa GT: “Awesome! good work guys!”

Eastenders: “Cool!”

DJ Crabbe (Bazzerk): “Nice and unusual release!”

Flore: “Fantastic, will play it on the radio”

Makossa: “Great music”

Buy the full release at these fine shops:

After a series of heavy low-end remixes for the likes of Buraka Som Sistema, Gotan Project, Vybz Cartel and Daniel Haaksman and a collaboration with New Jersey don DJ Sliink, Bert On Beats returns to Man Recordings with a club-ready Salsa banger. For “Piano Loco“, the badboy from Tallinn, Estonia, combines spicey Latin percussion and a bubbly Salsa piano with stomping Samba drums and heavy basslines.

Bert On Beats

Zombies For Money from Lisboa create a monstrous remix by putting the percussion through a meat grinder and serving it on massive beats with a Bmore twist.

Ackeejuice Rockers from Italy give “Piano Loco” a massive Moombahton makeover with deep bass, chopped up synth madness and everything the Tropicalista’s heart could wish for.

Chong X

Czech-Peruvian talent Chong X slows things down with his dubby version, only to freak you out with an insane drum-drop at the end.

Montreal tropical legend Poirier finally gives “Piano Loco” a smooth and driving vibe, focussing on flowing percussion and mesmerizing synth bleeps.

Listen to Bert On Beats Piano Loco Minimix here:

DJ FEEDBACK

Crookers: “Feelin ZFM remix!”
Drop The Lime “Full support, ZFM remix is crazy!”
Poirier “Original mix is big!”
Toy Selectah “Ackeejuice rockers remix is nice for carnaval season!”
Salva “ZFM remix = psycho!”
So Shifty “Full fuckin force, love the original but all remixes are dope as well!”

DJ Sabo: “Solid Ep, feeling all the mixes!”
Big Dope P “Full support”
Acid Washed “The original makes us dance & happy!”
DJ Yoda “Love this!”
Wildlife! “Awesomeness! Original goes straight into the crate, Poirier mix is super dope too!”
Chong X: “Original version rocks!”
DJ Rob 3 “The original is fire!”

Buy the full release at these fine stores:

Canadian badman Poirier returns with a remix EP of his banger “Gal U Good” feat. Natalie Storm as contained on his 2012 Man Recordings release “Alert Riddim” EP.

Natalie Storm

U.S. Bass-maestro Astronomar lets Natalie Storm spit fire on a twisted 4/4 ghetto House groove on his dazzling remix. Estonian low-end don Bert On Beats delivers his next club banger with his fuzzy bassed-out version.

Astronomar

Peruvian-Czech Moombahton phenomenon Chong X slows down “Gal U Good”in his trademark mid-tempo fashion. And finally, originator Poirier himself gives the “Hotalie” anthem a brand new treatment which will fill any bashment floor in a finger snap.

Four pipin´ hot remixes – Gal U Good, Poirier U Good!

Poirier

DJ FEEDBACK:

Crookers: “Will play Astronomar remix!”
Toddla T: “Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaah”
Schlachthofbronx: “Uwee! Bert On Beats remix for us!”
Sinden: Astronomar remix is great! Mad Tune”
Oliver $: “Astronomar remix is wicked!”
MIXHELL: “Fuck Yeahhh!”
DJ Chernobyl: “Great”
Wildlife!: “Huge!Absolutely love the Astronomar remix!”
BeatauCue: “Astronomar remix roxx!”
Boris Dlugosch: Astronomar remix it is for me! DOPE!”
DJ Beware: “Baaangin!”
DJ Tuco: “Loving it all!”
Flore: “Every tune goes directly in my sets”
Chief Boima: “Poirier is king!”

Listen to Poirier’s “Gal U Good” Remix EP promo mix here:

Gal U Good Remix EP (Promo Mix) by Poirier

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Here´s our newest release ready to rumble your Serato, memory stick or CD wallet: Uproot Andy´s “Fock Me Avontade” feat. MC Gringo & MC Nem.

UPROOT ANDY

MC GRINGO

Originally recorded in Rio De Janeiro in 2009 and already released in a version by Bavarian bass bulldozers Schlachthofbronx, the acappella of MC Gringo & MC Nem now sees a new release in the production of Uproot Andy. The Brooklyn based DJ and producer has been a long time favourite of Man Recordings. His amazing remixes for Chief Boima, Group Naidy, Frikstailers amongst others, as well as his high-class edits of Antony Santos and Toto La Momposina – to name the most known – have been steady DJ staples for years.

We are happy to now re-release “Fock Me Avontade” in the Uproot Andy version. Call this baile house or tropical 4/4. With the chants of MC Gringo – the German born MC, known as the only foreigner in the highly competitive baile funk game of Rio De Janeiro – and MC Nem on fidelity and lust in love relationships, this saucy track will fill any dancefloor in the blink of an eye.

Remixes come from Lithuania´s Moombathon wunderkind Boyfriend and Italy´s Milangeles crew, who cultivated freestyle rhythm science between trap and ghetto house in their remix. As bonus comes the original Schlachthofbronx version of the track.

BOYFRIEND

MILANGELES

DJ FEEDBACK:

Schlachthofbronx: “Yeah!”
Toddla T: “Solid!”
So Shifty: “Ace stuff! 10/10. Played the original mix in Vienna the other day and the crowd just loved it… remixes sounding great too”
Poirier: “Love Uproot Andy! Need more from him. Pleaseconvince him :)”
Bert On Beats: “Boyfriend is a winner here!”
Sinden: “Instrumental for me!”
Toy Selectah: “Very excited to see an Uproot Andy release on Man Rec, Instrumental and BOyfriend remixes for me!”
Mumdance: “Yeah feeling this for sure! Big!”
DJ Sabo: “Great orginal tune, Boyfriend remix for me!”
Max Le Daron: “Milangeles is definietly someone to look at in 2013!”
DJ Beware: “Good stuff!”
Etienne Tron/Secousse: “Holy shit a track from Uproot Andy actually getting released? Doesnt happen everyday… quality as always, full support from me and the Secousse fam!”
Isa GT: “Great Ep, full support!”
Big Dope P: “Man Rec Run Dis Shit”
Vamanos/Ghetto Bassquake: “Best tropical track I´ve heard all year!”
DJ Orion “Classic ass Andy! This is awesome Daniel, we’ve all been patiently waiting on another Uproot Andy joint! Happy its with Man Recordings!”
DJ Passion: “Dope”
Flore: “Top Release!”
Nickodemus: “Nice remixes of this tune, thanks!”
DJ Umb: “Luv The Boyfriend remix!”

Download the Boyfriend Moombathon remix for free from here:

Buy the full release at these fine stores: