Rhythm Section International Vinyl & CDs

Review: Boulderhead's I Need Space to Dance EP marks a significant expansion of his sonic horizons, taking in everything from contemplative dub moments to glistening rollers and a psychedelic tour-de-force. Tracks like 'I Need Space' featuring Overnite Oates and 'Dance and Dance Again' deliver shuffly spoken-word tech vibes, sure to become club favourites. Unified yet diverse, the EP appeals to fans of tech-house, prog, broken beat, and minimal techno alike, while Boulderhead, aka Henry James, exhibits the kind of top-tier production skills that hint at the potential for a full-length album.

Review: Stones Throw alumni Rejoicer hooks up with longtime collaborator and Apifera bandmate Nitai Hershkovits as Cinema Royal for a new self-titled album that is refined yet bold and quietly commands attention. Rooted in modern classical, it blends ambient, jazz and global orchestration with piano-led compositions intertwined with synths, Afrobeat drums, East Asian zithers and Ethio-jazz keys. This global sound is effortlessly fused and inspired by film scores that evoke Fellini's moody cinematic excellence. Despite its complexity, the music feels light and playful here and is driven by improvisation. Cinema Royal thrives on deep creative flow and is enriched by contributions from close collaborators.

Review: Simeon Jones and Nathanael Williams impressed with their 2017 debut on Breaker Breaker, so hopes are high for their first full-length excursion on Rhythm Section International. There's a loose concept behind it - it was inspired by the idea that "all black people are from Mars" - but this only seems to exist as an excuse for the pair to utilize spacey analogue synths, nods towards 1970s space funk and an overall afro-futurist flex that draws together a variety of interconnected styles (think spacey hip-hop, jazz-funk, organic deep house and far-sighted electronica). It's a quietly Impressive set all told, with the pair making great use of a string of high-profile (and hugely talented) guest performers, including sticks-man Yussef Dayes, Andrew Ashong and Yazmin Lacey.

Review: Following a couple of low-key EPs and mini-albums on tiny independent labels, Cousin Kula's debut full-length has been snapped up by Rhythm Section International. It was a shrewd move by boss man Bradley Zero, because Double Dinners is undeniably lovely. Lusciously executed and pleasingly laidback, it sees the Bristol band effortlessly join the dots between horizontal, soft-focus jazz-rock, shuffling downtempo grooves and dewy-eyed soul. It's a far more warming, comforting and meditative affair that some of their more raucous and upbeat output, something that band puts down to composing it during lockdown, when meditative music was a necessity. Even as society begins to open up, it still feels essential - a sign of the album's timeless class.

Review: Ecuadorian maestro Nicolas Cruz is back on Rhythm Seciton to follow up his last EP Subtropique which proved a big hit. "I'm always trying to re-interpret this Afro-Caribbean feeling, and trying to figure out how I could humanize this through the machines," he says of his approach and it certain is the case here. He mixes up some worlds rhythms with twitchy techno drums and electronic synths to make for something totally new on all of the tracks. The heavy, skipping kicks of 'Residual Heat' is a real favourite while 'Self Oscillation' is a catering percussive jam to pack the floor. Another great outing.

Review: Bradley Zero's ever hard to pin down but always excellent Rhythm Section International comes through with some deep house excellence here. Far from standard sounds, though, these tunes are infused with all manner of mystic referees. 'Individuality Riddim' is tinny and percussive, empty yet compelling. 'Subtropique' pairs aquatic sound design with shimmering rhythms that seem to owe a debt to djembe rhythms while 'What Now' is astral house with cosmic vibes to spare. There are also two darker, more percussive tunes to close out this fantastically expressive and adventurous EP.

Review: Davon Bryant-Mason aka Dreamcastmoe finally makes his vinyl debut on Rhythm Section, years after the label first encountered him and his genre-smudging sound. Though it's the first official release between the artist and the Peckham imprint, their connection runs deep, stretching all the way back to a string of early underground pool hall sets at the now nonexistent Canavan's in South London. Introduced to RS founder Bradley Zero by DMV tastemakers Beautiful Swimmers, Dreamcastmoe's characteristic blend of hip house, lo-fi electronica and an echo of the DC go-go scene stood out to the gregariously locked tastemaker profusely. Now, in a full-circle moment, 'The Lost Tape Vol 3; surfaces as yet another end yield of years' worth of mutual admiration between label and artist, flaunting such affectively zoned bumps as 'At Molly's Request' and 'Flowers' with Nappynappa.

Review: Rhythm Section's latest favourite, (Oliver) Gallegos, evidences his mastery over the art of what we like to call the "speech tune" - a format almost as old as time. Think Rum & Black's 'Slaves' or Underground Resistance's 'Transition'; the formula is as such; a slow-built dance beat, at least over 110BPM by our estimation, over which a rousing historical speech plays out throughout the track. Though this form lends well to a 90s rave aesthetic, Gallegos finds himself at a post-comedown period of history, indeed in which "rave" is often bittersweetly thought to be anachronistic; and in which house music often reigns supremer. So, then, does he bring a record-breaking, body-moving homily vocal sample to an incredibly arranged set of house arpeggiations and medley-style sample cut-ups, working in a sort of auditory bricolage but nonetheless bringing them together under a seriously reflective memorial dance-dome.

Review: Fresh from delivering a solid three-tracker on Drum Chums, Hidden Spheres returns to Rhythm Section International with what could be his most expansive and hard-to-pigeonhole EP to date. The Manchester producer excels on the A-side with 'Tanzen', a pleasingly nostalgic, warehouse-ready affair available in two distinctive forms: the breezy piano-sporting, summery, analogue-rich deep house gem that is the spine-tingling club mix, and the sweat-soaked, sub-heavy jack-track that is the 'Mate mix'. Elsewhere, he opts for weighty sub-bass, looped stabs and vintage turn-of-the-90s deep house vibes on 'Mind Over Mate' and reaches for sparse electro-not-electro beats on the late '80s early morning brilliance of 'Not Of This World'. To round off the EP, Paula Tape opts for hands-raised acid house nostalgia on her fine revision of 'Tanzen'.

Review: Having already caused a stir with their various solo releases, old friends Klein Zage (real name Sage Redman) and Joey G (Joe Gillick) have decided to join forces on an EP inspired by their time living together in South London. While the EP is musically varied, there's a sonic coherence to the three original tracks thanks to the presence of Redman's spoken word vocals throughout. We're particularly enjoying the deep, emotive beauty of 'A Little Dissonance', though punchy, shuffling and spacey opener 'Folks Not Guys' pushes it close. Over on the flip we're treated to a trio of remixes: Ariel Zetina's intense, trippy and high-tempo take on 'Folks Not Guys', Local Artist's warming and rolling, Rhodes-sporting 'Disco Dub' of the same track, and DJ Python's pleasingly weird, mind-mangling version of 'A Little Dissonance'.

Review: After years spent working alongside a talented pool of jazz musicians as the Neue Grafik Ensemble, Fred N'Thepe has decided to go solo for the first time this decade. Dalston Tapes Vol 1 is, according to Rhythm Section International, a conscious attempt by the artists to return to his beat-making roots. It's an album, then, rooted in hip-hop mixtape culture, where vocal numbers featuring guest MCs sit side by side with rap-free "beats" - lusciously and impeccably crafted instrumentals in which warming bass guitar lines, deep electronic sub-bass, sparkling electronic motifs and choice samples cluster around loosely swung, MPC-driven beat patterns. It's a great collection all told, with nods towards club-ready broken beat and deep house sitting side by side with Dilla-esque workouts and references towards London's vibrant hip-hop and grime underground.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***


This mini album from Saul, a collaboration-loving duo comprised of Jack Stephenson-Oliver (keys player with Vels Trio) and producer Barney Whittaker AKA Footshooter, could well be one of the most summery-sounding releases of 2022. A gorgeously warm, dreamy and tactile affair that effortlessly joins the dots between classy dancefloor dynamics, laidback electronics, freewheeling jazz musicianship and soulful vocal flavours, it's a genuinely brilliant and highly entertaining affair. Our picks of an extremely strong bunch include the broken beat/electro-boogie fusion of 'Coalesce (featuring Natty Wylah)', the gently two-step influenced deep house soul of Allysha Joy hook-up 'The Light' and the Balearic ambient meets post-dubstep bass music flex of 'Lifted'.

Review: This mini album from Saul, a collaboration-loving duo comprised of Jack Stephenson-Oliver (keys player with Vels Trio) and producer Barney Whittaker AKA Footshooter, could well be one of the most summery-sounding releases of 2022. A gorgeously warm, dreamy and tactile affair that effortlessly joins the dots between classy dancefloor dynamics, laidback electronics, freewheeling jazz musicianship and soulful vocal flavours, it's a genuinely brilliant and highly entertaining affair. Our picks of an extremely strong bunch include the broken beat/electro-boogie fusion of 'Coalesce (featuring Natty Wylah)', the gently two-step influenced deep house soul of Allysha Joy hook-up 'The Light' and the Balearic ambient meets post-dubstep bass music flex of 'Lifted'.

Review: Rhythm Section International turns ten this yearia whole decade since Bradley Zero started what seemed like a modest project, spinning out of those infamous Peckham pool hall parties. But modest it was not. In those ten years, Rhythm Section became more than just a label. It became a pulseia defining force in London's music landscape, rippling out across the globe. To celebrate the milestone, Rhythm Section has pulled together something that's as much a reflection as it is a bold step forward: a three-part compilation titled PAST, RE-IMAGINED AND FUTURE. Six discs, 30 tracks, spanning the label's evolution while pointing toward its next era. The first two discs? A dive into history, with one track from each year since 2014ia walk through the archives that pulls out deep cuts and forgotten classics. Then we get into the RE-IMAGINED part, where artists from the label like Ruf Dug, Session Victim, and Private Joy reinterpret past tracks in their own styles. No gimmicksijust raw, playful creativity that breathes new life into the old. And finally, the FUTURE: two discs of brand-new material for 2024. Artists like RONI, Gayance, and Jordan Rakei under his Frank Liin alias step forward to show where the label's heading, blending genres and moods seamlessly. What's special about this release is that it never feels like it's trying too hardiit's a reflection of the organic growth that's made Rhythm Section what it is today. Ten years in, and the label's as forward-thinking, alternative and grounded as ever.

Review: Rhythm Section returns to what they do best: sectioning off the best rhythms and leasing them to a needy house-loving consumer base. Wallace's 'Ripples' cordons off six blossomy, city-slicker house heaters, representing the darker and harder-hitting side of the label. Wallace is known as something of a recluse, but his own Tartan imprint and official releases on the likes of Lobster Theremin and Banoffee Pies have proven this kind of reticence to be irrelevant for success, in hi case. Classic sampledelic house ('Whirl') moves into totally unique future house stompers ('Room 1') and atmospheric rainsoakers ('Shanghai Street') on this limited release, seeming to represent at least two sides of one musical coin.

Review: After an impressive outing on this label last time out with 'Ripples,' the enigmatic Wallace is back with a red hot follow up, 'Papertrip.' This one has club hit written all over it once more and previous tunes of his have been much the same with big plays from the likes of Gilles Peterson, Palms Trax and Hunee. The title track opens up with an ascending lead synth line and old school Chicago house drums. 'Bb' then brings a little infectious garage skip to the dancefloor and on the flip, 'The Function' pairs it back to deft drum loops and smeared pads and an infectious rhythm. 'Backwaters' closes down with some dubby out and float beats run through with fuzzy dub chords and some molten synth melodies.