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Come to the dancefloor, it’s nice.

Got a copy of Kong’s cd ‘Come to the dancefloor, it’s nice’? Were you looking for more info about it? Maybe a download?

Here is a secret link to a non existing digital version of an offline mix. You aren’t telling anyone about it, it’s only for you. It’s nice.

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5 records of our Asia tour

Giraffi Dog - Coololo Toms (Aiwo rec.) 

José Padilla - Lollipop (I-Cube Remix) 

RANGEr feat. Korus - Bazokonwaba 

Caustic 14 - Rising Star 

Rhythm Of Paradise - Age Of White

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Proud to present our next label night in STUK Leuven: Stellar OM Source (FR, live) + Fyoelk (EST, live) + Toby Tobias (UK) + Rhythm Mind + Kong & Gratts! RSVP: Ensemble label night #artefact18

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REPRESS ALERT! After a quick sell out of the first official ensemble004 ‘So Underground It Hurts’ extremely limited 32 copies ‘t-shirt only’ t-shirt, we decided to do a slightly less limited repress of another 66 copies. 

The story behind this unique piece of textile? When we were invited to host our very first Boiler Room at MAS in Antwerp (starring Kong & Gratts and The Pilotwings) in October 2016, we finally realized how underground we really are. Heaps underground, that is. And so we teamed up with designer Brandon Oxendine to present you this limited edition, high quality screen printed tee (B&C 190), as seen on TV (or not)! Want to tell the world exactly how serious and underground you are? Look no further. Available in S, M, L, XL or XLL, pre-order yours now for only €21! We ship worldwide for only €4 (or €6 with tracking number) via ensemblebxl@gmail.com. Please mention your preferred size and whether you wish to pick it up in Brussels (at Crevette Records) or Berlin or shipped onto your doorstep.

Final call, no more represses!

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Kong & Gratts made a chart for our long time buds and distributor of our records: the great Rush Hour in Amsterdam.

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Dj-feedback has been amazing! :)

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ENS005: V/A - So Underground It Hurts IS OUT NOW!!

Get a copy at your favorite record store. 

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Track premieres for our upcoming ensemble005: V/A - So Underground It Hurts !

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20 essential Moodymann tracks selected by Kong & Gratts

Catch Kong & Gratts warming up for KDJ this Saturday at Stereo Club in Brussels. In anticipation, both ensemble residents made a personal Moodymann top 10 for you. Read on below - in no particular order.

KONG

Moodymann is everything I love about house music: soulful, raw, enigmatic, unconventional, from Detroit, … I remember hearing Shades Of Jae for the first time as it was yesterday and when I started listening to his albums, I was completely hooked to his sound and vision. Visiting Detroit a few years ago stimulated my fascination for him (and the complete Detroit scene) even more. In 2014 I was booked to warm up for him for the first time at a Deep In House party in Brussels, in a back to back session with Antwerp’s finest Eklektiker. We were asked to play 3h and the room quickly filled with enthousiast punters. Eventually Moodymann was one hour late, which created an incredible anticipation in the audience. I will never forget the amount of energy that went through the room, definitely one of my highlight sets. Full recording is online by the way.

1. Moodymann - Dem Young Sconies (Planet E)

What a torpedo when you throw this to a dance floor. The power this beast holds is huge. Amazing sampling of the Belgian synth-pop tune ‘That’s The Game’ by Wet by the way. I often play them together in the mix, works well in both directions.

2. Moodymann - Mahogany Brown (Peacefrog Records)

This is the theme tune of his second album Mahogany Brown from 1998. I’m simply in love with this track. It’s so well crafted and designed, I can keep on listening to it. Check his track ‘Black Mahogany’ from 2004. It’s another variation on the same theme, equally good.

3. Larry Heard - Another Night (J.A.N. re-edit) (Track Mode)

When Kenny and Larry, two of my biggest heroes, appear on one release you know magic has happened. Moodymann gives this beautiful Larry Heard tune that little something extra, not much more than a cherry on the cake (some extra Detroitesque details here and there), but nevertheless a very sweet one. 

4. Kenny Dixon Jr. - January (Soul City)

Moodymann released most of his music on his own label KDJ, on Carl Craig’s label Planet E and on Peacefrog. One of my most favourite MM records got released on Soul City though, the red coloured Mike Banks imprint. He only did one release on Soul City, under his real name Kenny Dixon Jr. It holds four classic deep house gems that I often play in my sets. Prices are high for this one, but it’s a good investment that will never lose value.

5. Rick Wilhite - What Do You See? (Moodymann remix) (KDJ)

Fellow Detroiter Rick Wilhite is a good friend of Moodymann and this EP is a good example of the Detroit house scene power. It got released in 1996 on KDJ and has two tracks by Rick Wilhite being remixed by Theo Parrish, Moodymann and Rick himself. I got my copy when Rush Hour re-issued this in 2009, always works on any dance floor.

6. Moodymann - Come 2 Me (KDJ)

From his latest album, released in 2014, with Nikki-O on vocals. A kinda of super sexy slow burner. ‘Take Me By Surprise, Like A Thief In The Night’.

7. Moodymann - Music People (KDJ)

The B-side of ‘I Can’t Kick This Feeling When It Hits’. Particulary love that little funny melody in the intro of the track, before he brings the ‘Welcome To Our World’ sample of Mass Production.

8. Moodymann - Backagainforthefirsttime? (Peacefrog Records)

Had to include a track from ‘Silence In The Secret Garden’, my most favourite Moodymann album (and cover art). The crying baby gives it an uncanny vibe, a recurring mood on this album and an overall quality of his music.

SILENCE IN THE SECRET GARDEN by MOODYMANN

9. Amp Dog Knight's -  I'm Doing Fine (Mahogany Music)

Amp Fiddler on Moodymann’s other label Mahogany Music, with the boss himself on production. Soothing jazzy house. It samples Syl Johnson’s ‘Is It Because I’m Black’, needless to say the African-American roots of house music is a strong subject for him.

10. Dewayne Davis ‎– It Shows (Extended Mix by Kenny Dixon Jr. & Norma Jean Bell) (Pandamonium)

Moodymann’s work with Norma Jean Bell is another highlight in his discography. Wanted to put a lesser known track here, one that is still for sale at a reasonable price and will always perform well on the floor.

GRATTS

Moodymann has been one of my favourite artists since I first discovered him as a young teenager. The mystery, the records, the imagery, the personality, the spoken words, the odd catalogue numbers on his KDJ imprint, the untitled tracks, alternate versions and B-sides… it all fascinated me a lot. For every gig, I seem to be able to dig out a KDJ record that will fit the occasion, his music often makes it into my dj-sets. Arguably a lot has changed since I first heard about Kenny Dixon Jr. I’ve seen him play countless times since, in very different circumstances, and with his rise to fame some of the mystery vanished. But in all honesty, I’ve yet to hear a bad set from the man and he always adds something interesting to the table. I’d choose KDJ in a shit mood over almost any other dj any day. Making a top 10 of Moodymann favourites wasn’t an easy task, but here’s an attempt.

1. Moodymann - Long Hot Sex Nights (Feat. NJB) (KDJ)

First Moodymann I ever possessed. I actually bagged it from the guy that I bought my first pair of Technics decks from. I remember him saying he’d never expected a fifteen year old kid to be into this record. Such an amazing live groove that I will never get sick off. One thing’s for sure, I certainly wasn’t around when the “original version (was) done live 12/3/94 at Jimmie D's Supper Club” in Detroit.

2. Moodymann - Your Sweet Lovin (KDJ)

First heard this track on the Forevernevermore album on Peacefrog, my second ever Moodymann purchase. (I got it from ‘33’ record store on the second floor of my favourite bar Apero in my hometown Leuven.) The whole album is one long trip that made a huge impression on me. I must have listened to it a thousand times. ‘Your Sweet Lovin’ was also released on KDJ 23-A, which is the version that I’ve played out a lot over the years.

3. Moodymann - Me And My Peoples Eyes (Instrumental) (Peacefrog Records)

Probably my most played out Moodymann track of all time. Though I could have easily picked the B-side ‘Don't You Want My Love’, another firm favourite, instead.

4. Moodymann - I Feel Joy (KDJ)

Timeless house music. Those chords, that scat! I have this one the ‘Inspirations From A Small Black Church On The Eastside Of Detroit’ record. (It also includes Theo Parrish’s seminal ‘Lake Shore Drive’ with that clever Tasha Thomas sample.) True story: my copy of this used to be warped as fuck. After reading about it online, I tried straightening it in the oven. IN THE OVEN. Yes that’s right, those people that blindly trust silly online tutorials, they exist. Thank god I managed to track down another copy a few years afterwards. (Although I still couldn’t deal with binning the warped and partly burnt one - it’s probably still lying around the house somewhere (sorry)).

5. Moodymann - Silence in The Secret Garden (Peacefrog Records)

This track goes places. Nearly 10 minutes of KDJ perfection. Takes balls to play this one in all its glory, but when you do, it pays off. Raw as fuck and cheap as chips.

6. Moodymann - Joy Pt. II (KDJ)

Breathtaking jam that truly encapsulates everything that Moodymann stands for to me. And a bit of an epic tune when dropped at the right moment.

7. Moody - It's 2 Late 4 U And Me (KDJ)

Moodymann becomes Moody for the first time for this ‘Ol' Dirty Vinyl’ EP. This one is for all the underground haters who don’t like the more recent, new skool Moodymann output. While I agree that some of it is indeed a bit underwhelming, this one is nothing but lush. It features Amp Fiddler on keys and his brother Thomas on bass. I haven’t found out who’s on vocals, anyone?

8. Norma Jean Bell - Nobody Is Gonna Love You (2 A.M. Instrumental) (Pandamonium)

The 2.A.M. version of ‘Nobody Is Gonna Love You’ (which also appears on NJB’s 2001 Peacefrog album ‘Come Into My Room’ simply as ‘Nobody’) is as vivacious, sexy and high-spirited as they come. With an all-star team like Moodymann, Kelli Hand and Norma Jean Bell behind the production, it comes as no surprise.

9. Moodymann - The Thief That Stole My Sad Days (Ya Blessin Me) (Peacefrog Records)

This version off the Forevernevermore LP is the one I like the most, probably again because of nostalgic reasons. The track has appeared in various incarnations on different releases (see also KDJ 23 for example).

10. Moody - Hello 2morrow (KDJ)

Fabulous, well crafted, almost pop music. This track has been known to stay in my head for days at a time. Now sing it: “hello tomorrow, goodbye yesterday!”.

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Radio mix for Studio Brussel

Kong & Gratts did a radio mix on Belgian national radio Studio Brussel.

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Last summer we bought a disposable camera, photographed our Pukkelpopgig and Recyclart party and forget to develop them. 6 months later, here they are…

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Ever wanted to be on a vinyl record?

Dear Belgian house family. 

At the moment we are busy prepping our next vinyl release that will see the light of day in May. For the front sticker we want a nice family photo, with your faces on the record! 

That’s why next Saturday the 11th of March at 16h, we plan a little photo shoot in Brussels. Photographer Suus Van Laere will be calling the shots.

Feel like joining us? Tell us in an email (ensemblebxl@gmail.com) why you would like to join and how house music is a part of your life. We will get in touch with all the information. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Kong & Gratts

Below some of the pictures that inspired us:

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Legowelt

There is only one Legowelt, who just re-released an old album, with nothing but beautiful bangers on it.

TEAC Life by Legowelt

Love it.

Cheers.

Kong

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An evening with ensemble and Night Tide

This Thursday, ensemble teams up with Berlin’s Casual Vibe and cross-continental label Night Tide for an evening in Berlin.

Apart from both labels’ releases, artworks by Christophe Mauberqué (Night Tide) and Brandon Oxendine (ensemble) will be shown. 

Everyone is also invited to have a first listen to both labels’ new forthcoming releases in premier, respectively Albrecht La'brooy - Emissary EP (Night Tide 003) + So Underground It Hurts EP (ensemble005).

Join us from 7 until 11pm at Exgirlfriend Gallery, Holsteinische Str. 18, 12161 Berlin.

Event photo: Christophe Mauberqué  Flyer design: Brandon Oxendine

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Belgian space music from 1981

We’re all made of star dust, that’s about the only thing I remember from high school education. A simple fact that gets proven again while listening to the music of Jean Hoyoux. It’s beautiful synth music, soulful and delicate, minimalistic but with great effect for the listener. And the best thing: apparently Hoyoux was a doctor who made this music for therapeutic reasons. Wish he was my doctor. More to read about his story here in this interview with Philippe Cortens from Cortizona, who are remastering and releasing the music.

The original vinyl was a very expensive holy grail among collectors, so pleased with this re-issue.

Cheers!!

xx

Kong

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We Went Record Shopping #3

Hi there!

Just got back from Rotterdam. Went to Clone Records and picked up a few amazing new releases:

1. Viola Klein ‎– Exchange

Beautiful release on Belgian label Meakusma, syncing Senegal with Detroit.

Exchange by Viola Klein

2. Dazion ‎– Don't Get Me Wrong

Second Circle is a sublabel of Music From Memory and shows their more house oriented output. The debut of Dutch producer Dazion is stunning, offering a dance floor bomb on 2 slower cuts for both feet and mind.

3. Brian Harden ‎– Chicago To Detroit (Remixes Pt. 1)

This Patrice Scott remix !!

4. Adrienne Tremont - Tremble

All the way from Sweden, a disco house tune for the floor. Somehow cliché but very effective. Philadelphia!

5. Mike Dunn Presents MD III ‎– 88-90 Proto Acid EP

Classic & essential on Clone's own Jack For Daze imprint. Thank you Mike!

Enjoy!!

xx Kong