Now-Again Records

Paternoster – The Remixes

German label Heart Working Class presents an album of German and Austrian beat makers reimagining Paternoster’s incredible psych-rock opus.

Listen to more at Heart Working Class’s Soundcloud

Berlin-based label owner, journalist and all-around music enthusiast Stephan Szillus, associate producer of our Paternoster reissue – the first issue in our Now-Again Reserve subscription series – has just issued a remix album of our favorite 70s, underground Austrian album, featuring some of Austria and Germany’s underground beat-making heroes. As he writes:

“In 2015 I embarked on a journey to find the remaining members of the short-lived Vienna underground band Paternoster, because my friend Eothen “Egon” Alapatt of Now-Again Records wanted to re-issue their first and only record, one of Euro prog rock’s holy grails. I met Franz Wippel, the band’s mastermind and songwriter, and Paternoster was re-released as part of the Now-Again Reserve subscription service in April 2016. Around the same time I sent the master files to a few of my beatmaking friends from Germany and Austria, resulting in this collection of remixes and versions. From underground trap to throwback boom-bap and afro house — Paternoster still sounds very much alive, even 44 years after its release.”

Announcing Johnny! Ghanaian Afro-Rock From JJ Whitefield.

ON SALE AND SHIPPING AT OUR RAPPCATS WEBSTORE – JOHNNY! 3 x 7″ COLLECTION

Introducing: Johnny! Ghanaian Afro-Rock from German producer/composer JJ Whitefield and an international cast of top shelf musicians.

Limited edition of 1000. Not to be repressed. Each 7″ comes with a download card for wav files. Die-cut dress jacket and resealable “Japanese-style” sleeve. Specially priced bundle available at our webstore at Rappcats

Whitefield, who in the early ‘90s revived the gritty, analogue Funk sounds of the ‘60s and ‘70s with his Poets Of Rhythm, has been working with Now-Again Records for almost a decade, releasing a flock of acclaimed projects with Karl Hector & The Malcouns, Whitefield Brothers, Rodinia and the Original Raw Soul III anthology.

He first started exploring African rhythms with the Whitefield Brothers in the late ‘90s, continuing in the ‘00s with Karl Hector & The Malcouns. He’s been instrumental in launching Ghanaian Afro Beat/Funk legend Ebo Taylor´s international career, decades after the maestro recorded the landmark albums that have inspired thousands. Whitefield recorded two new studio albums with Taylor and toured in his band between 2009 and 2013, where he met Taylor’s son Henry and percussionist/Singer Eric Owusu.

The trio now front the Johnny! band and find inspiration not only in Ghana’s hypnotic grooves, but also the full frontal fuzz guitar assault heard on the legion of 70s Zambian Zamrock albums recently reissued by Now-Again. Indeed, Whitefield credits his tours with Zamrock godfathers Rikki Ililonga and WITCH’s Jagari Chanda as instrumental in creating the Johnny’s sonic backdrop. The band is rounded out by Turkish drummer Bernd Oezsevim (Woima Collective, Rodinia) and Indonesian bassist/multi instrumentalist Tomi Simatupang (Whitefield Brothers).

This is Dance Rock at the core with the possibilities to stretch out and go into psychedelic realms. The results, spread out over three 7” singles and pressed in a run of 1000 units each, speak for themselves. Every record comes with a download card for WAV files of all six tracks (vocals and instrumentals from each release) and point at a new direction for the music inspired by the Great Continent. One that takes a direction once mocked as derivative and asserts its importance on the globe’s current musical stage.

Announcing – Maker Vs. Now-Again V. 3

Drums and funk – Maker dives deeper into the Now-Again catalog for another entry in Now-Again’s Music Library series.

ON SALE AND SHIPPING NOW VIA OUR WEBSTORE AT RAPPCATS

Chicago-area beatsmith Maker’s two entries into Now-Again’s Music Library series showcase the verve with which this underground Chicago hip-hop producer undertook an exercise in boom-bap era aesthetics: he dug deep into the Now-Again catalog and found dusty drum breaks to underscore two bar loops. Maker Vs. Now-Again made the case that hip hop didn’t necessarily have to fly into a dub-step inflected future if it was still having fun in its funky past. Maker Vs. Now-Again V. 2 expanded beyond the American funk, soul and jazz that Now-Again was founded upon and included worldly grooves from far-flung locales like Nigeria, Brazil and Zambia flipped up by this hip hop classicist.

With his latest, Maker Vs. Now-Again V. 3, we find that the producer grabbing from the best of both worlds, from the riches of the ever-expanding Now-Again catalog. This limited edition is CD is packaged in a gatefold eco-wallet package and is available in limited quantities. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

This is the 8th album in the Now-Again Music Library Series. Previous entries have included albums by Oh No and Cook Classics. Listen to “New Breed,” based on the Universouls’ “New Generation,” below.

Mr. Bongo’s Global Grooves And An Arthur Verocai Celebration At Rappcats

Friday, October 28, 7-10PM: Arthur Verocai reissue celebration with Egon, Mr. Bongo and other collectors playing their favorite Brasilian and global groove cuts. FREE, 21+ RSVP REQUIRED

Saturday, October 29, 12-7PM: Mr. Bongo’s global record collection sale. Open to the public.

RAPPCATS
5636 York Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90042

Dave ‘Mr Bongo’ Buttle began digging in Venezuela 30 years ago; filling up suitcases with amazing latin records to bring back to Europe. It has continued ever since – in warehouses in the US, to dusty back street shops in South America, houses and garages in Africa, and lesser known spots in Europe and Asia. This led to several successful record shops in central London, plus one in the heart of Shibuya, Tokyo. Now the shops are gone, the label lives on, releasing & reissuing the finest funky music from around the world. Mr,. Bongo are currently issuing a marvelously restored version of Arthur Verocai’s self-titled masterpiece of Brasilian 70s music, with blessing from the man himself. It’s the closest one can get to listening to the original Continental Brasil pressing without dropping thousands of dollars.

Mr Bongo is coming to LA for a special pop up at Rappcats – a celebration of the Arthur Verocai reissue with Egon, Mr. Bongo himself and a host of other collectors spinning Brasilian and global grooves on Friday October 28th and a pop up shop focusing on hundreds of choice records Mr. Bongo culled over 37 years of collecting on Saturday October 29th.

If you’re a frequent visitor to this site, you know that we think Arthur Verocai’s album is one of the pinnacles of modern music. But if you’d like to read more, check out Egon’s Funk Archaeology piece at NPR.