{"title":"Alan Hawkshaw and Brian Bennett","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"synthesis-the-kpm-reissues","title":"Synthesis (The KPM Reissues)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe “vivid contemporary sounds for a fresh visual image” make up the now canonised \u003ci\u003eSynthesis\u003c\/i\u003e from Alan Hawkshaw and Brian Bennett. These two greats go deeper than usual on this collection, and the end result is a synth concept record of sorts. Released in 1974, it’s an essential companion piece to their Synthesizer and Percussion LP, released on Themes International Music in the same year.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLike most of the favourite library records, \u003ci\u003eSynthesis\u003c\/i\u003e has that gloriously funky, “weird electronic music” vibe without ever being inaccessible. With the awesome ARP Odyssey at the fore, Hawkshaw and Bennett have created a blissed-out soundscape that, whilst laid back in all the right places, somehow remains heavy on the funk. It’s a sort of throbbing, proto-G Funk sound and you can find it on many of these low-lit basement workouts.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTake the ice-cool \u003ci\u003eAlto Glide\u003c\/i\u003e. It’s a sunset-funk highlight with an electro-flute refrain that conjures those dreamier Dre \/ DJ Quick instrumentals from ’91 to ’92. Stereolab, Koushik (again) and all those Ghost Box artists were clearly listening very closely in the years since. The equally relaxed \u003ci\u003eMermaid \u003c\/i\u003eglides effortlessly with soft, shimmering piano, understated percussion and kaleidoscopic synths. It’s a really beautiful piece. With these two soft-focus closing tracks allowing the LP to float away over the horizon, the preceding ten tracks have a more insistent, neck-snapping rhythm section to back the synth overload. Highlights include the head-nod funk of \u003ci\u003eGetting It Together \u003c\/i\u003eand the synth break in \u003ci\u003eThe Executive\u003c\/i\u003e, which informed classic video game soundtracks.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs with all ten re-issues, the audio for \u003ci\u003eSynthesis\u003c\/i\u003e comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. The same care has been taken with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM’s brand identity\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLP - Remastered 180 Gram Vinyl.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Be With Records","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":50406197199179,"sku":"1049857","price":28.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/4760b8e3-1772-416c-bdb7-b9b942f4181b_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726584394"},{"product_id":"synthesizer-and-percussion-themes-reissues","title":"Synthesizer and Percussion (Themes Reissues)","description":"\u003cp\u003eReleased in the same year as \u003ci\u003eSynthesis \u003c\/i\u003eover on KPM, 1974's \u003ci\u003eSynthesizer and Percussion\u003c\/i\u003e is its essential companion piece. “This record features the many distinctive sounds of the ARP Synthesizer plus percussion in various moods and tempos” is the even more underwhelming than usual library record sales pitch for Alan Hawkshaw and Brian Bennett’s second collection of what is basically minimal G-funk, with overtones of primitive acid house. This is ridiculously good. This is one of Hawkshaw and Bennett’s wilder joints and aeons ahead of its time. Bennett’s tough drums provide the underpinnings for the prominent bass, keys and bubbling synths high up in the mix, alongside Hawkshaw’s deranged clavinet-funk-rock. There are heavenly break loops galore.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOpener \u003ci\u003eMon Amour\u003c\/i\u003e is ultra-smooth funk, all inter-weaving melodic lines whilst the seminal \u003ci\u003eOddball\u003c\/i\u003e is an incredible hard electro strut with a knocking break. \u003ci\u003eMile High Swinger\u003c\/i\u003e is a tranquil Spaghetti Western whistling theme over double tempo rhythmic movement and the pulsating \u003ci\u003eAuto Pilot\u003c\/i\u003e has a percussive groove elevated by electric piano and synthesizer. Check \u003ci\u003eDriving Force, Home Run\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003ePacesetter\u003c\/i\u003e for electroid prog-funk dripped in acid squelch. All five final tracks are beatless synth workouts, because they can.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs with all ten re-issues, the audio for \u003ci\u003eSynthesizer and Percussion \u003c\/i\u003ecomes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. The same care has been taken with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM’s brand identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLP - Remastered 180 Gram Vinyl.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Be With Records","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50472012480843,"sku":"1049865","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/fba0ae07-0410-4996-a343-f86818c19401_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727415058"},{"product_id":"full-circle-6","title":"Full Circle","description":"\u003cp\u003eTheir new album, in full, iconic KPM cover is a return to the laidback jazz-funk that helped \u003cstrong\u003eAlan\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eBrian\u003c\/strong\u003e demonstrate their library chops. The album is classic \u003cem\u003eHawkshaw \/ Bennett\u003c\/em\u003e. It swings, it grooves, moves and thrills with a flair these two have perfected over years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLP - 180 Gram Vinyl.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Be With Records","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50472015069515,"sku":"1049700","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/4407066e-ee24-458b-9e1b-7831e77968d9_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727415209"},{"product_id":"voyage-a-journey-into-discoid-funk","title":"Voyage - A Journey Into Discoid Funk","description":"\u003cp\u003eIsle Of Jura's first LP reissue, the highly sought after \u003ci\u003eVoyage\u003c\/i\u003e. A Journey Into Discoid Funk by Brian Bennett originally released in 1978. A cosmic disco classic completely re-mastered from the original master tapes by Matt Colton. Bootlegged badly in the past, re-issued with love now, the sound quality s top notch! TIP.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Isle Of Jura","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50520570691915,"sku":"1146077","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/573d7b62-2571-41da-ab1e-33733338c235_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727985007"}],"url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/de\/collections\/alan-hawkshaw-and-brian-bennett.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}