CRACKI Vinyl & CDs

Review: Clara and Armand are the two producers behind the new Agar Agar project, and the French duo clearly intend to take electropop back to its golden days... we have absolutely no problems with that. This is their first release, and it comes courtesy of the Cracki label, a Parisian collective formed in 2010 that has been putting out nothing but fire since its birth; moreover, the imprint has scouted a lot of new talent from the streets. We would dub this sort of music disco-not-disco, a slow and mellow blend of slo-mo dance moves that often verge towards the utterly abstract. Most importantly, these are tunes that will be enjoyed by indie fans, and they should certainly not be looked at as mere 'dance' tracks. There is plenty to explore in here, and Agar Agar will surely pop back up on our radars very soon. Recommended!

Review: Parisian label Cracki Records has once again collaborated with Hong Kong's Fauve Records, which is headed up by producer and DJ Romain FX, for another fine edition of the Make Italo Disco Great Again series. This is volume four and it comes after artists like COEO, Arash & Quasar and Mangabey made their amir in the past. This new one continues to showcase global talent and has artists from Ireland, Korea, Mexico, Germany and beyond each sharing their unique take on Italo disco. This volume includes dazzlers by Mystery Affair, Shubostar, Sara Miller, COLE, Maltitz and Romain FX who all impress.

Review: This 2020 mega-nu-disco gem gets reissued for 2022 in a fully-fledged vinyl edition. Cycling through funk, disco and hip-hop, the band lyrically contemplate goddesses, image culture and melancholy through a psychic lens of instrumental slickness. 'Manege Express' and 'Le Baron Rouge' in particular are masterclasses in pinning down electric feeling via watery clavichord. This one's timed well for a summer release, too!

Review: Celebrating two years in the electronica game, this Parisian label remind us of the elephant's incredible memory power with this six track collection of gems past, present and future. Ranging from the lush filtered liquid funk of "1998" to the trembling falsetto soul of Larcier's "Sometimes I See", it expresses the label's remit with a well measured sense of fun, sentiment and eclecticism. Other highlights include the Jim Morrison style spoken word sample on "Seems So Long" and the warm plucks and gravelly vocals on the post-punk struts of "Supernova". You won't forget this one in a hurry.

Review: Two years on from his limited debut single on Red Laser, doctor by day and musician by night LeonxLeon returns to action with an expansive, five-track EP on French record label Cracki Records. The cheery and glassy-eyed title track sets the tone, with giddy, interwoven electronic melodies and gentle TB-303 style acid lines clustering around a zouk-influenced synthesizer groove. There's a funkier but no less sun-kissed feel to humid dancefloor shuffler "Formant Sweep", while "Jungle Juice" is a dizzying rush of funky basslines, loved-up chords and whistling mid-80s synthesizer riffs. Over on side B, the Frenchman dances down the "Red Footpath" to the accompaniment of "Actually"-era Pet Shop Boys bass and fluttering synthesized flute solos, before emphasizing his emotion-rich Balearic nu-disco credentials via the rush-inducing "Horizon".

Review: Amid the fervour of new singles and their debut album Australia part III, Cracki remind us where Manchester pop trio Menage A Trois come from with this timely reissue of their last substantial EP two years ago. Sitting somewhere in the hazy soulful space between Vondelpark, The xx and Delphic, the vibes are light but cleverly layered, atmospheric and rich in emotion. From the moments the lilting choir of the Balearic gem "Byron Bay" hits you right through the final shimmering echo of the upbeat "Be Right Back", this is a beautiful, touching and immersive trip that sets us up perfectly for the final chapter of their Antipodean odyssey.

Review: Rewind and relax as Menage A Trois continue to take us back. Following the third part of their deep down under series, comes a timely reissue of the inaugural part from 2015. Silky, restrained, shimmering and delicate, all the sandy-toed elements are in place. Swooning sunbaked chords on "Unconditional Love", the soothing aftersun synth cream and somnambulant vocals of "Message In A Bottle", the gentle ebb and flow of "Same Deep Water As Us", it's the ultimate shoreside experience without moving from your comfiest chair. Reissue bliss.

Review: In a week where Rondenion has finally dropped his debut album, the excellent Luster Grand Hotel, the Japanese producer offers another example of his prowess for the 12" format, sharing space with Frenchman Kicks on this killer plate for the fledgling Cracki Vahana series. Both contribute 3 tracks with Rondenion calling shotgun and laying down excellent Raw Cuts style house across the A Side - "Searching For Your Love" is a real standout here, looping up a killer disco bassline with thumping drums and slickly edited samples that duck and weave with the sort of momentum that immediately grabs a dancefloor. Schooled in the art of deep house after falling under the spell of Kerri Chandler's productions, it's little surprise that Kicks trades in the raw approach of Rondenion for a crisper, classicist take on the sound which is no less impressively produced. Killer sleeve art from Cracki too!