Artists

Grammophon is producing high quality downtempo music for Tune Monkey Recordings, including the Jazz-Funk Deep House hit ‘It Is What It Is’. This track has been a bit hit in Japan, where it was used to launch a phone by Sony-Ericsson.‘It Is What It Is’ starts with a film noir feel, with Mancini vibes and lush Rhodes chords, before bringing in a cut up jazz drum track, which builds with percussion until reaching a four on the floor deep house vibe, via a massively mutated filtered breakdown.Grammophon’s first release on Tune Monkey Recordings is the ‘Hotel Nacional EP’ (November 2006). Grammophon’s main love is to create a large spacious sound field, which is apparent in the huge dubscape of ‘Hotel Nacional’, inspired by a stay in Havana’s monument of faded glory. This track was championed by London DJ and Label Manager of Black Vinyl recordings, Alan Russell. Hotel Nacional is also currently a big hit in the Japanese mobile download market.‘Hotel Nacional’ has bossa beats underneath a spacious dub atmosphere of long rhythmic delays, and a speaker destroying bassline.As well as ‘Hotel Nacional’ and ‘It Is What It Is’, the EP features ‘Spatial’. The track opens with enormous, filtered voices positioned in a seemingly infinite sound field, which continue to float over a massive bass line and dub drums.The music benefits from his training, and work, as a sound engineer, and the high production values of the music reflects this. Grammophon is also a classically trained pianist, and now also part time music teacher of the guitar to children in East London.The artists main influences are Thievery Corporation, Kruder and Dorfmeister, dZihan & Kamien, and 60s film noir soundtracks.Grammophon is currently working on creating deep, spacious cinematic sound fields for enhancing atmospheric conditions in living spaces, commercial spaces and art installations, using cutting edge computer software.

Tape Deck is a London based DJ who produces high quality US Deep House, with a strong Jazz Funk influence. Tape Deck’s mission is to capture “that vibe” which makes him say “that’s a tune”, sometimes glimpsed in the gritty jazz funk workouts of Soulfuric recordings, amongst others.Tape Deck’s first release on Tune Monkey Recordings is the ‘Change EP’ (December 2006).The love of Rhodes piano and killer real baselines can be heard in “Change”, which features a killer Rhodes Piano hook and male vocals. It’s a well structured house tune with two superb break downs, and plenty of pay off. This is the sound which has been ever popular in London and New York with the smarter party crowd, and continues to be loved.‘Deep Inside’ features a sparse, deep bass line under fresh female vocals echoing off into space. There are two powerful breakdowns.‘Arp’ is minimal tech house, using real analogue drums and synths. The production is crystal clear, with the kick drum kicking the right spot, and interlocking arpeggiated analogue synth lines swapping positions and creating a very compelling atmosphere. This track mixes well with just about anything.Tape Deck was resident DJ at West London’s legendary ‘Beats TV’ nights, where delighted Londoners danced on the bar to rave groove classics they thought they would never hear again, alongside Tape Decks own tracks, including the banging “Deep Inside”, which has a massive bass line and massive, cool soundscape. Influences are Soulfuric Records, Naked Music NYC, Wave Music, Francois K, Miguel Migs, 70s Jazz Funk.Tape Deck is currently working on new work, refining and redeveloping the jazz funk house sound, alongside continuing DJing bookings. Tape Deck will be appearing on a forthcoming regular podcast for Tune Monkey Recordings.