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2LP
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CCS 090LP
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Double LP version. Black Frames is a creation from two major life transitions for Dave Aju, namely the end of a long-term relationship combined with a move away from his hometown of San Francisco. Punctuated with philosophical statements and political punches, the former MC proves he isn't afraid to use his voice and production skills to unite music and passion with his latest album on Circus Company. The outer rhythms of deep-rooted electronic music form the backbone of Black Frames, while its veins are filled with the red-hot attitude of hip-hop, outerspace soul, and forthright lyrical content. A remarkable variety of songs covering topics such as personal relationships, cultural issues and global government actions rock alongside bass-centered dancefloor bombs. Through its body, Aju also tips his hat to '60s psych rock, early '70s fusion, and the soft undertones of blues as can be felt in the magnum opus of "Vins Noirs" with its full choir finale, the wildly fun and uptempo "Bee's Birth," and the reflective close of "When We Drift." With a decade of releases under his belt and remixes for the likes of Nicolas Jaar, JT Donaldson and Herbert, San Francisco Bay Area native Marc Barrite aka Dave Aju is a true maverick of the electronic music scene and Black Frames is a proper follow-up, both a literal nod to the classic '60s/'70s artwork that hung in his home studio, and a bold statement toward that rare place where breaking a sweat and breaking the rules come together. Aju's distinctive voice, a fixture in his production and live performances, has proven to have a life of its own. His formative years added stripes to his coat as an MC in the underground hip-hop scene, paying off in consequent vocal contributions for fellow artists like dOP and Tiefschwarz, and an ongoing collaboration with fellow Circus Company artist Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts as lead vocalist for The Side Effects band. Aju's third album features collaborations with close friends and hometown-heroes of the San Francisco scene, including SF/Chicago masterclass act DJ Tyrel Williams teams up on "Nobody Knows." Once again, Dave Aju takes us on a personal journey set to the groove of a damn good party.
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CD
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CC 015CD
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Black Frames is a creation from two major life transitions for Dave Aju, namely the end of a long-term relationship combined with a move away from his hometown of San Francisco. Punctuated with philosophical statements and political punches, the former MC proves he isn't afraid to use his voice and production skills to unite music and passion with his latest album on Circus Company. The outer rhythms of deep-rooted electronic music form the backbone of Black Frames, while its veins are filled with the red-hot attitude of hip-hop, outerspace soul, and forthright lyrical content. A remarkable variety of songs covering topics such as personal relationships, cultural issues and global government actions rock alongside bass-centered dancefloor bombs. Through its body, Aju also tips his hat to '60s psych rock, early '70s fusion, and the soft undertones of blues as can be felt in the magnum opus of "Vins Noirs" with its full choir finale, the wildly fun and uptempo "Bee's Birth," and the reflective close of "When We Drift." With a decade of releases under his belt and remixes for the likes of Nicolas Jaar, JT Donaldson and Herbert, San Francisco Bay Area native Marc Barrite aka Dave Aju is a true maverick of the electronic music scene and Black Frames is a proper follow-up, both a literal nod to the classic '60s/'70s artwork that hung in his home studio, and a bold statement toward that rare place where breaking a sweat and breaking the rules come together. Aju's distinctive voice, a fixture in his production and live performances, has proven to have a life of its own. His formative years added stripes to his coat as an MC in the underground hip-hop scene, paying off in consequent vocal contributions for fellow artists like dOP and Tiefschwarz, and an ongoing collaboration with fellow Circus Company artist Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts as lead vocalist for The Side Effects band. Aju's third album features collaborations with close friends and hometown-heroes of the San Francisco scene, including SF native sister Qzen, who lends vocals for the back-and-forth duet of "Psylica," while SF/Chicago masterclass act DJ Tyrel Williams teams up on "Nobody Knows." Once again, Dave Aju takes us on a personal journey set to the groove of a damn good party.
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2LP
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CCS 066LP
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Circus Company is delighted to present Dave Aju's sophomore album, Heirlooms. It's always exciting to hear new music from Mr. Aju, as he consistently offers a fresh approach to the usual dance music formulas with an undeniable sense of soul and singular artistry. This is especially true on his new album, where Aju has really outdone himself with his most diverse, expressive, and personal work to date. Crafted with vintage recordings and instruments inherited from his late father, Aju taps into his roots and musical background more than ever on Heirlooms, taking us on a ten-song journey through past and present influences and a variety of moods, from proper heartfelt tributes to spaced-out bliss and straight-up funk. Dave Aju uses his distinctive voice, a fixture in his engaging live performances and DJ sets, in various ways throughout the album -- from inspired songwriting in the uplifting cosmic opener "Rise" and the beautiful end of "Revealing," to memorable character lines in the raw deep house cut "Away Away" and soaring choral notes on the bass-heavy beatdown vibe of "Until Then." Plenty of collaborators also appear on the album, including The Invisible Art Trio, who bring the same p-funk-meets-free-jazz voodoo on the hypnotic "To Be Free" that made their previous track "Be Like The Sun" such a treat. Some fellow Circus freaks also join in as Jaw from dOP finds himself co-conducting vocals on the boogie train of "Caller #7" and Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts lends a hand on the skins for the party-starting ode to tequila "Ms. Reposado." The Sol Percussion Ensemble also make an appearance on the irresistibly warm, Brazilian-flavored jam "Brown & Blue." Heirlooms is a colorful, refreshingly varied departure from the everyday, rich with emotion and as deeply rooted as they come, offering yet another side of Dave Aju's kaleidoscopic musical world to explore.
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CD
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CC 010CD
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Circus Company is delighted to present Dave Aju's sophomore album, Heirlooms. It's always exciting to hear new music from Mr. Aju, as he consistently offers a fresh approach to the usual dance music formulas with an undeniable sense of soul and singular artistry. This is especially true on his new album, where Aju has really outdone himself with his most diverse, expressive, and personal work to date. Crafted with vintage recordings and instruments inherited from his late father, Aju taps into his roots and musical background more than ever on Heirlooms, taking us on a ten-song journey through past and present influences and a variety of moods, from proper heartfelt tributes to spaced-out bliss and straight-up funk. Dave Aju uses his distinctive voice, a fixture in his engaging live performances and DJ sets, in various ways throughout the album -- from inspired songwriting in the uplifting cosmic opener "Rise" and the beautiful end of "Revealing," to memorable character lines in the raw deep house cut "Away Away" and soaring choral notes on the bass-heavy beatdown vibe of "Until Then." Plenty of collaborators also appear on the album, including The Invisible Art Trio, who bring the same p-funk-meets-free-jazz voodoo on the hypnotic "To Be Free" that made their previous track "Be Like The Sun" such a treat. Some fellow Circus freaks also join in as Jaw from dOP finds himself co-conducting vocals on the boogie train of "Caller #7" and Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts lends a hand on the skins for the party-starting ode to tequila "Ms. Reposado." The Sol Percussion Ensemble also make an appearance on the irresistibly warm, Brazilian-flavored jam "Brown & Blue," while the club-approved "All Together Now" shines as a unique tech-disco hybrid. Heirlooms is a colorful, refreshingly varied departure from the everyday, rich with emotion and as deeply rooted as they come, offering yet another side of Dave Aju's kaleidoscopic musical world to explore.
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12"
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CCS 060EP
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This EP introduces Dave Aju's forthcoming album project exploring vintage, inherited recordings as sound sources. "All Together Now" bridges gaps of various kinds, from lo-fi and hi-fi to under water and outer space, with classic-flavored dynamic percussive elements, spiraling futuristic leads and melodic synth work sprinkled with Aju's distinctive voice. Amsterdam's San Proper's remix is a rugged take on the track, complete with cool guitar licks, modular effects, and contrasting additional vocal stylings.
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2x12"
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CCS 032LP
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CD
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CC 005CD
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This is San Francisco producer Dave Aju's debut full-length release, including a bonus remix by Luciano. After three amazing EPs on Circus Company, including the underground hit "Be Like The Sun," he has really outdone himself this time with his most conceptual and personal, yet accessible work to date. The album was made entirely with sounds from his mouth, but it's no novelty affair -- these are all wonderful pieces of music, covering a variety of styles. "Roundabout" starts things off with fat, shuffling drums, an infectious bass line, and a vocal refrain that builds into a "horn-section" crescendo -- straight from Chicago via Aju's mouth. "Bump" is a fun and futuristic approach to hip-hop storytelling with a "bumpity-bump" bass. "Crazy Place" is an homage to disco, pop, and wave styles, but Aju's version takes it to the next level -- pulsing LFOs, "live" mouth percussion, and a chorus and breakdown guaranteed to melt hearts and dancefloors worldwide. Next up is "First Love," a super-deep and soulful house track with spoken word connecting Aju's personal music history, referencing song titles up to this moment -- pure class. "Tapatio" shifts back to his raw party side with huge sub-bass, sick bleepy synth hits, and playful vocal cut-ups. The title track follows, bringing a crazy broken reggaeton-style groove, complete with clattering teeth percussion, squeaky funk synth riffs, and a dark and lovely chorus. "Anyway" is Aju's take on an uplifting house music anthem, recalling Lil'Louis with Sun Ra Arkestra vocals. "With You" closes the album on a slow and sweet note, bubbling over with smooth synths, warm bass, and some of the most tasteful vocoder work around, on a 21st century Roger and Zapp love tip. Open Wide, friends -- Dave Aju has arrived.
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12"
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CCS 030EP
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A taste of Dave Aju's full-length Open Wide, Crazy Place is a deep, extended journey into Aju's vision of slow-burning melodic space disco. The warm vibe, building synth lines, and catchy choruses are guaranteed to please. There's a remix by Luciano, who stretches the track out even further, traveling into the sublime musical territory of his finest work, perfectly complimenting the original. A strong and truly balanced 12″ with "future classic" written all over it.
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12"
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CCS 013EP
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"Dave Aju continues his exploration of unusual sound sources and recording techniques that again results in a uniquely fresh and powerful sound. While the music on his Unorthodoctor EP harnessed a wide variety of external and environmental sounds via field recordings, The Tables Turn is a more focused, internal and personal set, inspired by Aju's American Indian, hip-hop and jazz roots and, most importantly, his undying love for the turntable and vinyl medium. On 'Xibalbanasazi,' track A1, Aju's native roots are very apparent. The relentless percussion and huge bass hits are all derived from recordings of the mechanical components of a Technics 1200, but the track, however, is a very warm, organic, and almost tribal jam punctuated by bits of clay flute and percussive breakdowns that will shake any floor into a frenzy. A2 sees Paris mad scientist Krikor rework 'Xibalbanasazi' into an all-out electro funk storm that compliments the original perfectly. On the flip, 'Runout' is a seriously banging homage to Chicago's finest, complete with jacking drums, sliding minimal keys, and fiercely provocative vocals. The title refers to the runout groove of a record which was used as the sole sound source for the track, while MC 101 flips the term into hilarious rhymes about people who don't support new, cutting edge music until it's trendy and fashionable."
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12"
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CONTEXT 014EP
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"A relatively new face on the international scene, Dave Aju has been an important part of the San Francisco-bay area electronic music community for nearly 10 years, first as a DJ and now as a producer. His debut release appeared recently on the Circus Company label from Paris, and Context is proud to present the second of many. On 'Dive and Lie Wrecked,' Dave excavated his sample bank from a handful of scratched up LPs found at a garage sale for 25 cents each. Realizing that most of them were live recordings, he focused in on the idiosyncrasies of the live environment: stage interjections, crowd noise, and room ambience, looking for the sounds that most listeners would neglect. Out of these elements, he has crafted a multi-faceted six track EP with beautiful noisy textures, edgy percussion, warm bass, and a healthy dose of minimal funk. The two middle tracks will get the dancefloor rumbling, but the six tracks together make for an engaging listening experience from beginning to end."
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