Blog Archives

New J. Rawls on Push the Fader

We are ECSTATIC to announce our latest release from the legendary Producer that is J. Rawls ( Beastie Boys, Mos Def  & Talib Kweli, Aloe Blacc, Eric Roberson, Liquid Crystal Project and so much more ) !

From the moment we heard #Brazil and I Believe, we knew we had our next record!

Pre-Save I Believe on all digital platforms and grab a copy on limited edition 7″ Vinyl (while they last).

Out 9.16.22, worldwide!

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Pre-Order: Dem Say Ah (Akoya Re-Rub)

Back for the first time in 5 years and with a live remix to boot, the Afrobeat infused scorcher, Dem Say Ah returns, the 7-inch way!

Since it’s original version first dropped, the record has been a secret weapon to DJs like Bobbito Garcia, Nightmares on Wax, Mitsu the Beats and Gilles Peterson, among others!

Fast forward to 2019 and DJ Center returns with Akoya Afrobeat, recording the ‘Re-Rub’ mix straight to 2″ tape at Electric Garden Studios in Brooklyn, NY. The record was mixed by Grammy award winning engineer, Ben Kane ( D’angelo’s Black Messiah ).

Each drum heavy ’45 comes in a ‘one of a kind’ hand stamped sleeve. Grab one before they’re gone and see what dem say!

 

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Sly5thAve X Sade X DJ Center

Pre-order the new dance floor single from Sly5thAve + DJ Center, a cosmic soul version of Sade’s ‘Paradise’, re-imagined with a touch of samba flavor, featuring Rio de Janeiro‘s own, Thalma de Freitas!

This record is the beautiful collaborative effort between artists, including Indie 184, who painted the amazing cover you see.

We couldn’t be more excited for this record drop on November 9th! 200 Limited edition Pink vinyl 7″s are available (while they last) here !

 

 

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See Line Woman (Afrobeat Version)

*photo courtesy of Open Crates

There’s a song that hasn’t left my DJ bag since it was given to me on a CD-R, 14 years ago. That song is the Femm Nameless’ version of See Line Woman (also known as See Line), given to me by my friend Toli Nameless.

Their version of Nina Simone’s classic has burned up my dance floor for years and I always thought it was a bit bittersweet because it was a tune that no one (other than a select few DJs) had access to. AND…it never had a life on vinyl!

So, with some careful planning, my sibling label Kooyman Records decided to press this dance floor monster onto a heavy weight 10″. Black or Red Vinyl? You choose. Living in a digital world? Then, have a listen to the joints at your prefered digital shop.

Revisiting the recording sessions with Toli, I learned that she wrote the b-side Talk Da Shit with Tom Brenneck of the Dapkings and penned Deaf Ears (Instrumental Dub) with Ernesto Abreau, formerly of Antibalas. The entire record was recorded in East Flatbush, Brooklyn by Sydney Mills of Steel Pulse. They truly captured some magic in these sessions and empowered more than a few female musicians along the way!

Still, more than just being incredible music, cut by an all Female band, this record is a time capsule into the Brooklyn Afrobeat scene, 14 years ago. A true piece of NYC history for your ears to now hear…

-DJ Center


 

 

 

 

 

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DJ Center’s Dennis Brown Tribute Mix

DJ Center - Dennis Brown Special

Cover Art: Andres Jimenez (@sieteson)

In celebration of the great Dennis Emmanuel Brown’s 60th Birthday, DJ Center presents some of the tuffest tunes, versions and dubs from the Crown Prince of Reggae!

Cut purely from vinyl, enjoy some of Center’s favorite D.Brown selections, which most likely will be the first in annual tribute series to the legend. One mix simply can not cover the never ending niceness that the man output while he was with us.

Share this mix + spread love in these times!

 

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Sly5thAve X Kendrick Lamar X Major Lazer

Sly5thAve_BDKMV

Brand new and good for you too!

Following the success of their Uptown Funk! vinyl debut,  Sly5thAve and The ClubCasa Chamber Orchestra return with gorgeous brass versions of Kendrick Lamar and Major Lazer classics!

Sly’s version of Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe completely smashed the internet when it dropped, garnering thousands of plays and nods from the likes of Gilles Peterson of the BBC, amongst others. Now available for the first time, mastered and pressed onto thick, beautiful, collectors vinyl, with an unreleased studio version of Major Lazer’s Get Free.

Listen and purchase the limited edition vinyl or digital release from Kooyman Records here.

 

 

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Sly5thAve X Uptown Funk!

Sly5thAve - Uptown Funk

DJ Center and Sly5thAve recently came together in the studio to bring home this dancefloor bomb featuring the ClubCasa Chamber Orchestra! Not new to giving popular songs new lives, Sly5thAve has created incredible orchestral arrangements of Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, J.Cole and Major Lazer numbers, to name a few.

This new version of Mark Ronson & Bruno Mar’s Uptown Funk is an Afro-Latin/Brazilian uptempo bullet aimed straight at any dancefloor worldwide! Don’t believe us, just watch!

Pre-order the limited edition 7″ color vinyl on Kooyman Records here.

 

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Live at the Black Messiah Release Party

Center at Black Messiah Release

Enjoy DJ Center’s set, LIVE from D’angelo’s Black Messiah release party at Converse Rubber Tracks in Brooklyn, NY. Thrown by the people who made the album, for the people who love and support it.

Center’s set was ALL VINYL, 100% Soul. Nothing but D’angelo inspired tunes!

Shouts to Converse, Ben Kane, Russell Elevado, D Prosper, Natasha Diggs, Rashad Smith and everyone who was involved. Special thanks to the good people of Brooklyn who kept dancing and smiling til the lights came on.

Download/Stream via Center’s SoundCloud page-

 

 

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