The Unlimiters "The Unlimiters"
The eclectic legacy of Jamaican music has continued to create a wide variety of new musical impulses over the last five decades. Whether Ska, Reggae, Dub or Dancehall – the small Caribbean island has continually produced entirely new genres of music that reflect the struggles, successes and great ingenuity of its people. Inspired by new production technologies and cultural shifts, Jamaican music never ceases to bear new fruits.
With their debut album,The Unlimiters have taken up this tradition with the aim of forging new paths. The eight-piece set from Berlin is largely inspired by early Ska, a style of music created at the beginning of the 1960s when Calypso merged with Jazz and Rhythm in Blues to form a unique and home-grown Jamaican sound that is still exemplified by unforgettable artists such as The Skatalites and Prince Buster.
Another ingredient in the sound of The Unlimiters is the British Ska reissue, file under “Two-Tone” – with the likes of The Specials, The Selecter or The Beat – dating from the end of the 1970s and blending the raw energy of punk and new wave into Jamaican grooves. The vibrant mix of dance tunes, smart clothing, good humor and anti-rascist politics was a top ten mainstay for years.
The Unlimiters direct their dancing shoes to the path of the forefathers of Rocksteady and Ska, and they’re up to continue the enterprise. Driving rhythms meet soulful harmonies meet instrumentals downtown, uptown and on a grand scale – flavored with a touch of surf and beat – all in the name of a rude and unlimited lifestyle.
Cat.No.: HSCORE012, Release: Oct 15 2010
The Unlimiters "Hard Times"
Hard Times” is the opening track of the The Unlimiters debut album coming October 15 2010 on Highscore – reflecting difficult times in a cheerful fashion, because the “hard times gonna pass you by”.
The eight-piece set from Berlin is largely inspired by early Ska, a style of music created at the beginning of the 1960s when Calypso merged with Jazz and Rhythm in Blues to form a unique and home-grown Jamaican sound that is still exemplified by unforgettable artists such as The Skatalites and Prince Buster.
The Unlimiters: eight people, eight-and-a-half instruments – teamed up in Berlin’s underground to unleash their smart and bouncing beats and harmonies to the dancefloor – probably right in your neighbourhood, so watch out!
Cat.No.: HSCORE011, Release: Sep 24 2010
Dutch Rhythm Combo "Alerta"
Highscore Publishing is happy to announce the release of “Alerta feat. Isa GT“, the first single release of the long awaited debut album by Dutch Rhythm Combo. Isa GT from Colombia has been living in London for the last few years djing, singing, producing music, putting on parties and writing her own lyrics.
Felix met Isa during one of her gigs in Berlin 2009 and was highly impressed of her presence on stage – thatʼs where the idea of a feature came up. The next day they went to the studio and recorded “Alerta”. In this midtempo groover Disco and Latin elements meet up to build a tropical disco club slammer. Mads Krabbe from Copenhagen on Bass and Berlin based Boris Meinhold on guitar.
The full length album “The Imaginary Band” by Dutch Rhythm Combo is released on Highscore Publishing April 19 2010, both on CD and digital.
Cat.No.: HSCORE010, Release: Mar 29 2010
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Dutch Rhythm Combo "The Imaginary Band"
“The Imaginary Band” is the debut album of Dutch Rhythm Combo. Conceived as an imaginary band, the sound of can’t be precisely categorized. One can roughly locate it in a sound spectrum that spans dub, disco or tropical which get freshly flavoured with an acoustic twist.
The music has a proper live feeling and emerged out of long jam sessions with a wide range of musicians from all over the globe: Colombia, Germany, Brasil, Denmark, USA and New Zealand.
In total 17 musicians from 7 different countries are involved in this album – a worldwide affair: Colombian Isa GT from London, Edu K the former singer and front man of a Brazilian punk band from the late 1980’s, Joe Dukie from New Zealand’s hot reggae-soul outfit Fat Freddys Drop or grammy nominated singer and multi-instrumentalist Luke Reynolds from Los Angeles who released a wide range of acoustic driven records.
Cat.No.: HSCORE009, Release: April 19 2010
Dutch Rhythm Combo "Sounds Of The Caribbean Remixed"
"Que ritmo rico!" - Dutch Rhythm Combo returns with a stunning new remix EP, which features two tracks of his acclaimed
"Sounds Of The Carribean" reworked by Ray Mang and Dubben.
Ray Mang, one of London’s most prolific disco dub vanguards, kicks off the "Sounds Of The Carribean Remixes" with an epic reinterpretation of Dutch Rhythm Combo's "Cartagenera". In his 8 minute plus version, Ray Mang extends the track to a spiritual, deep journey, that breathes the spirit of Balearic in a 21st
century shape. If clubs like Baia D’Angeli, the mothership of Cosmic Disco, would still be running today, the Ray Mang remix of "Cartagenera" would be a current peak time tune.
The dub outfit Dubben, who rose to prominence with their rework of Juca Chavez’ "Take Me Back To Piaui" (which was used in a global ad for Adidas), remixed "Disco Tropical". The Dubben Mix feat.
Edu K comes in their trademark original rockers style. Adding horns, a skanking disco shuffle, their remix resembles Joe Gibb’s
dub efforts in disco.
Cat.No.: HSCORE008, Release: Oct 20 2008
Dutch Rhythm Combo "Sounds Of The Caribbean"
The EP’s title „Sounds Of The Caribbean“ was chosen as it features a variety of musical styles that include Dub, Cumbia, Reggaeton and hispanic music influences. The guitar in all songs is played
by New York’s Zeb Visini from Wonderwheel Recordings – recorded in his studio in Brooklyn on one of NY’s hottest summer days.
An atmosphere of buzzing heat and tropical feeling is embodied in the opener to the EP, „Cartagenera“, which is influenced by the Cartagenera, a folkloristic musical style from the Flamenco
family, rooted in Southern Spain. Combined with a skanking rhythm guitar, this track is surely a summer embracing dancefloor filler.
„Disco Tropical“ is a funky stomper featuring Brazilian MC legend EDU K on the microphone. Recorded in his studio in Porto Alegre, Brazil, EDU K bigs up the tropical disco flavour of Dutch Ryhthm Combo. On bass guitar is Mads Krabbe, bass player in
the "Roots Harmonics Band" from Copenhagen, the most heavyweight Scandinavian reggae rockers.
The third song in the EP, „Tune“, is a deep roots-dub track. Entirely played live, it’s the dubbed out side of Dutch Rhythm
Combo, reminiscing the first release on Highscore „Soulmap“ by Melasse.
Also available on vinyl.
Cat.No.: HSCORE007, Release: Jun 23 2008
Dutch Rhythm Combo "Bonaire Remixes"
Bonaire was originally released on the „Antilles EP“ on Pulver Records in 2004. Featured on the B- Side of the EP, the track didn’t receive an instant spotlight recognition. But slowly, „Bonaire“ grew into a secret club hit. Its piano chords, a solid midtempo disco beat, beautiful guitar licks and the irresistible horns of Fat Freddy’s Drop horn section created a timeless boogie track, that those in the know would praise and play.
When the polish keyboard master and upcoming super talent Maximilian Skiba heard „Bonaire“ for the first time, he thought of „Bonaire“ as a track from the early 1980s. When he found out it was a recent composition, he contacted Dutch Rhythm Combo through Warsaw disco king Artur 8, and suggested a Maximilian Skiba remix for „Bonaire“. A few months later, the Maximilian Skiba remix was done. He kept the basic feeling of the track and added a very particular musical note to the track, stretching it to an epic length, the Maximilian Skiba Remix can easily be called a 21st century disco boogie masterpiece.
The Blackjoy remix of „Bonaire“ came into being when Dutch Rhythm Combo heard Blackjoys „Moustache“ track on Yellow and was impressed by the song’s live feeling, arrangement and sound aesthetic. He heard sonic relations to his own track and asked Blackjoy to remix „Bonaire“. Employing four live musicians, Blackjoy created a live interpretation, which barely resembles the orginal, yet kept the special atmosphere of „Bonaire“.
When Al Usher (a mate of Ewan Pearson) heard „Bonaire“ for the first time, he immediately wanted to remix the track. Fascinated by „Bonaires“ modest, but irresistible 111 BPM, he saw the track’s tempo in a similar vain like his own compositions and remixes - Al Usher’s production trademark handwriting is the mid tempo range. For his reworking of „Bonaire“, Usher used a few subtle sounds, which steadily build up to a sexy dance floor track in which the original track’s horns and piano-chords finalize the remix on a magic, higher level of music.
Last but not least, the Soul Village mix presents a 100% live cover version of „Bonaire“. When hearing Soul Village’s cover version of Roy Ayers’ “Everybody Loves The Sunshine“ in 2004, Dutch Rhythm Combo knew whom to ask for a vibeful, live sounding version. Paris based Soul Village delivered what was expected and played all instruments by himself: drums, rhodes, bass, percussions, horns and solina strings! The flipside of the 7“ single presents a Dutch Rhythm Combo live mix of „Bonaire“.
Four wonderful remixes of a underground classic – an anthem gets the treatment it deserves.
Cat.No.: HSCORE003-D, Release: Sep 17 2007