As well as a good friend of ours, Toby Tobias is a producer based in London with a 20+ year career, he’s been coming to the shop for nearly as long! Releasing on a number of labels across the globe most notably Rekids, Delusions Of Grandeur, ESP Institute, appearing on Klasse Wrecks and Emotional Especial under his rave alias Alphonse. Currently running his Voice Notes label, and being a DJ of great repute, Toby and Phonica held down a monthly residency round the corner from the shop at the tragically much missed House Of St.Barnabas, which was one of the country’s oldest charities and counted Gilles Peterson, Andrew Weatherall and Jarvis Cocker as Patrons. Toby’s eclectic fresh DJ style dips and dives from balearic and dub, to rave, hardcore, afro, disco and techno.
With his latest label cassette release just dropping, a compilation of various artists called: A Collection Of Works Part 2: 1990-2025, we reached out to find out about a few of the records he’s unearthed in recent months.
Wino E – Wino E (Wah Wah Wino)
Was excited to see a new album by this lot – last one was very out there – had a kind of tracky dubby Arthur Russell feel – – and actually the new album is like this but more so – and even more tracky which is good by me.
Snplo – The Cocaines (PIN)
New one from PLO man and DJ Spence – I had to search hard and far to get hold of this as it sold out super quick ( as did the Wino E ) – just very nice analogue tripped out deep techno – that needs to be heard in a big rig – double ep on white ten inch vinyl too!
Mighty Zaf & Linkwood – Yokai
Have to give props to two legends in the game – Zaf and Nick Linkwood – a fantastic meeting of minds – they took a decent disco/new wave edit and made it into a monster party track – that I’m sure has been ending many nights in clubland.
Will Long / DJ Sprinkles – Acid trax 2 (ACID TRAX)
Three of these came out in quick succession – but this was the one that grabbed me the most – though I am maybe regretting not getting all three – but this is classic low slung and sleazy but beautifully produced Sprinkles business, I’m talking about the remix here. The original is great, but the remix for me is the one – deep soulful acid.
EOD – Utrecht
Being a massive fan of CN – Stellar awakening(a modern classic) has closed many a party for me and friends so I have always had my eye on what else he had done. This one was something I kept meaning to get hold of and finally revisited it recently and procured. It’s very much in the same world as ‘Stellar’ but possibly a bit more driving, but definltely another magical moment.
