Fudge Fingas, Linkwood, House Of Traps, Linkwood Family, The Complainers, Denaji ... and friends!!!
Influences
“The future influences the present just as much as the past.” - Friedrich Nietzsche
Sounds Like
"Some records are good, some records are great, and some records are 'how fucking good is that??!!'. One such record of the latter persuasion is the new Firecracker 10" EP, which became an instant favourite as soon as it arrived on Friday afternoon, flying off the shelves all weekend, heading into the bags of Saturday shopping DJs and mailorder customers alike. Think Moodymann producing Donald Byrd, in Stereolab's studio and you are somewhere close to the psychediscojazz bomb that is on the A Side of this EP, Linkwood Family's "Piece Of Mind" features an astral choir, Byrd-esque bassline, Love Unlimited strings and dubby Moodymann bassline, add in the ridiculously good edits (deck stops, backwards bits, skewed vocals), and you have THE underground hit of the summer, there will not be a club this won't work in, absolutely ACE. Over on Side-B Linkwood gives us "Hear The Sun" is a beatdown house thing in a similar vein to Theo or KDJ a deep sparse spiritual house workout that puts me in mind of Sun Ra's 'Angels & Demons'. Lastly there is Fudge Fingas & His Fidgety Friends "Aksman" a nifty little reggae tinged outro, that'll serve well at the end of your mix tape." Piccadilly Records, Manchester
An unassuming 10” EP that houses the most addictive re-edit affair you’re likely to hear in a long while. Male harmonies, butter-like disco strings, rough percussive elements and a b-line that just keeps on and on - may not seem like anything out of the ordinary, but coupled with cleverly placed ‘real’ tape edits, it comes together to create one of the most uplifting dance floor experiences in a long while. All the cuts on this EP are more than worth your time but it’s “Piece Of Mind” that’s going to be one of the sounds of 2007, hands down. 5 out of 5. Update Magazine
Finally, the long-awaited repress of the very first Firecracker release. A true event - and by that we mean the whole package is an event; the music, the artwork, the heaviness of the vinyl - it's the complete package and no mistake. The initial run was only 500 and since then copies have been shifting for silly money - if you could even find them to buy - but now the rest of us can get down to three more of the deepest, warmest house and jazz-influenced grooves around with the profoundly-talented Linkwood and Fudge Fingas at the helm. Those Scots have got it going on... Sublime. Phonica
A much needed reissue of this ace little 10" from Edinburgh's Firecracker crew originally released back in '04. Linkwood family head up the A-side with a wicked Moodymann styled slack soul heads cut for the floor with 'Miles Away', a superbly velveteen homage to detroit beatdown styles with deliciously burnished horns and lights-down-low soul vox from Compost rec's Joseph Malik, butter stuff. Family friend Fudge Fingas contributes the irresistible vibes of 'Gettin' together' on the flip, a slow burning floor trak strictly for the heads with some perfectly studied classic soul edits woven into a loving homage to the Motor city more soulful side. Linkwood does the solo thing on final track 'fate' with a heady swirl of piquant keys and patchworked rhythms lending a fresh and psychedelic twist to the proceedings, brilliant stuff. Boomkat
At long last we've managed to procure some copies of this cracking wee ten inch from the Firecracker Recordings crew over in Edinburgh. Usually we wouldn't even utter the words cracking and Edinburgh in the same sentence but the Firecracker guys have been carving out a reputation for producing some of the sickest Detroit style house out there. Think Theo Parrish on opiates, slow motion jazz and disco infected house music with a bizarre psychedelic twist. The sleeve art looks fresh and it's all impeccably produced. Expect to hear more from these guys in 2008! Rubadub, Glasgow
Finally repressed the second release on the frankly awesome Firecracker label straight outta Scotland. Once again it's that man Linkwood who steals the show with the jazz house stepper 'What's Up With The Underground' which is a killer in its original and beats forms, but don't overlook Fudge Fingas's 'Escape' which more than holds its own (as do all his tracks on the three Firecracker releases to date). Bristolian-voxed fuzz funk finishes the whole thing off on The Complainers' 'Bacon Rolls'. Stunning artwork, real attention to detail, great music = one of the best labels around. Release number four now, please... Phonica
Pick. The first Firecracker re-issue flew out of here (and even warranted its own blog post). This is the equally in-demand second EP, reissued with the same incredible sleeve (seriously, this some of the nicest cover art I've seen come through the Lab), and the music to match. Championed by such bigwigs as Gilles Peterson, Domu, Danny Krivit, Derrick May, Ron Trent (who all had to get their copies at London's Vinyl Junkies shop, the only place that had them), this record explodes with creativity and energy. Highly recommended. Turntable Lab
Succumbing to massive demand, Firecracker records have repressed their legendary second EP, a part of the highly sought after 10" trilogy. Between the three artists involved here, Linkwood, Fudge Fingas and The Complainers, are enough ideas, samples and restless dancefloor energy to fuel a small city if only someone could work out a way to harness such a thing. If you've heard the other two 10"s in the series you'll know what to expect, if not, it's probably the most potent brew of funk, soul, disco, house and even electro this side of Moodymann and has rightfully found a spot in the box of everyone from Gilles Peterson to Derrick May since it's initial release in 2005. Boomkat
"All dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity, but the dreamers of the day are dangerous, for they may act on their dream with open eyes, to make it possible." - T.E. Lawrence (Seven Pillars of Wisdom)
Firecracker Recordings is a label and collective based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Coming with soulful dirt since 2003. Distributing in the underground and played in the underground with support from Derrick May, Osunlade, Mike Clark, Mike Grant, Carl Craig, Danny Krivit, Ron Trent, Stacey Pullen, JazzySport djs, DJ Spinna, Theo Parrish, Joe Claussell, Jazzanova, Shelter Djs, Lindstrom, Recloose, Idjut Boys, Moodymann and more ....
For UK distribution enquiries please contact HERE
Rubadub / Blackhole handle all EXPORT distribution. Please contact them HERE
For bookings within UK or abroad please click HERE
PROPER!!!
This is a short film about bespoke vinyl...documenting the process of hand screen-printing 1000 vinyl record sleeves in an art studio in Edinburgh, Scotland during April 2009 for Firecracker Records. Directed & produced by Jony Lyle for Goosepimple Productions 2009.
01. AFMB - AFRONTPB 02. 6TH BOROUGH PROJECT - NIGHTS OVER MEMPHIS (THE REVENGE DUB) 03. EDDIE C. - MY WOMAN 04. SOULPHICTION - WHAT WAS COMING 05. FUDGE FINGAS - GETTIN TOGETHA 06. ATMOSFEAR - DANCING IN OUTER SPACE (THE REVENGE REWORK) 07. MARVIN GAYE - LET'S GET IT ON 08. FUDGE FINGAS - SITUATION DIMINISHED 09. SOULPHICTION - LOVE THANG FEAT. SUZANA ROZKOSNY 10. LINKWOOD&HOUSE OF TRAPS - BARELY EAGLE 11. MOLE - CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PAST 12. AFMB - HERE&THERE (SUNSHINE&RAIN LIVE) 13. RONDENION - THE BEAUTIFUL MEMORY 14. NINA KRAVIZ - HOTTER THAN JULY 15. SOULPHICTION PRES. MISSING LINKX - SHORT HISTORY OF... 16. MOTOR CITY DRUM ENSEMBLE - RAW CUTS #5 17. SOULPHICTION PRES. MISSING LINKX - WHO TO CALL 18. OMAR S. - BUSARU BEATS 19. REGGIE DOKES - I WEAR THE MASK 20. TIM TOH - FOUR 21. EFDEMIN -SUN 22. FUDGE FINGAS - DINDINS4DADA
Cheers man, that's much appreciated. Was good to see ya too, hope all is well in what looked like record heaven. Nice to see someone posting a message on myspace that isn't just a page and a half of glorious self-promotion.
Will be up in London in Dec maybe in Nov so I'll give you a bell then, see what your up to.
The new Ibex EP on Juicy Lucy Records, "Until I leave Detroit," is inspired by Ibex's relentless quest for new and provocative sounds. The four songs have very different feelings behind them, but all have that recognizable Ibex vibe… Enjoy!