NOW Yearbook 1986
Various Artists
NOW Music is proud to present the next instalment in our ongoing ‘Yearbook’series, NOW – Yearbook 1986; 43 tracks on a 3LP set pressed on translucent purple vinyl - from a fantastic year in pop!Opening with two stellar #1s, ‘A Different Corner’ from George Michael and ‘The Sun Always Shines On T.V.’ from a-ha, before leading into huge hits from Duran Duran (‘Notorious’), ‘Thorn In My Side’ from Eurythmics, and the #1 ‘Rock Me Amadeus’ from Falco. Kate Bush’s ‘Hounds Of Love’ starts the flip side before timeless radio friendly Pop from the Pretenders, and the lead single from one of the year’s biggest albums (‘Graceland’) from Paul Simon with ‘You Can Call Me Al’, along with two of the year’s most enduring ballads from Simply Red and Spandau Ballet.Side 1 of LP2 is all about Pop-Dance energy – kicking off with Wham!’s final hit and #1 ‘The Edge Of Heaven’ and 1986’s biggest seller ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’ from The Communards with Sarah Jane Morris. Bananarama scored a huge hit (and a US #1) with ‘Venus’, as did Kim Wilde with ‘You Keep Me Hangin’ On’. There’s also the debut from Nick Kamen, the sublime ‘Breakout’ from Swing Out Sister and the #1 ‘I Want To Wake Up With You’ from Boris Gardiner.Alternative Pop takes the spotlight on the other side of LP2, with 1986 a vintage year for the sheer diversity of its chart music. The Smiths peerless ‘Panic’ opens, and is joined by Big Audio Dynamite, Furniture, and the landmark ‘Life’s What You Make It’ from Talk Talk. More timeless Pop from Red Box and The Bangles leads toward the well-chosen #1 cover of ‘Spirit In The Sky’ from Doctor & The Medics.LP3 starts in epic cinematic style with the iconic #1 ‘Take My Breath Away’ (taken from the film ‘Top Gun’) by Berlin, with huge global Rock smashes from Bon Jovi ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’, and one of the best ever collaborations between Run DMC and Aerosmith on ‘Walk This Way’. Robert Palmer’s ‘Addicted To Love’ would become a timeless radio staple, and the year saw new hits from Simple Minds, The Rolling Stones, and a new version of a classic from The Police.The final side is all about sophisticated Dance-Pop, opening with the Jam & Lewis produced ‘Human’ from The Human League, and a further US #1 from Steve Winwood with ‘Higher Love’. Massive tracks from Level 42 and Five Star are up next and are followed by two of the year’s biggest floor-fillers: ‘We Don’t Have To…’ from Jermaine Stewart and Lionel Richie’s international smash ‘Dancing On The Ceiling’, before closing with one of 1986’s greatest vocals from Whitney Houston on her defining cover of ‘Greatest Love Of All’.
NOW
CD | LP
Now / Various Artists
NOW That's What I Call Pop Gold
NOW Music is proud to present NOW That’s What I Call Pop Gold – a celebration of the very best of Pop with 48 massive hits on 3-LPs - pressed in fabulous neon pink, orange and yellow.LP1 starts with a run of huge 80s Pop smashes from legendary artists; opening with the first #1 for Wham! ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’ and the signature anthem ‘I’m Still Standing’ from Elton John. Billy Joel, Kim Wilde, Duran Duran and a-ha follow and Side 1 is completed by two soundtrack smashes from Deniece Williams and Ray Parker Jr.Flip over to the other side for Pop magic from the global icons Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, plus incredible groups – the Spice Girls, Girls Aloud, S Club, One Direction and Little Mix, before finishing this LP with Aqua’s effervescent classic ‘Barbie Girl’.Led by massive party anthems from Justin Timberlake, and the #1 collaboration from David Guetta and Bebe Rexha, LP2 features modern Pop gems from The Weeknd, P!nk and the huge ‘Unholy’ from Sam Smith & Kim Petras – alongside classic party-Pop from The B-52s, Roxette and the 5-week #1 ‘The One And Only’ from Chesney Hawkes. The second side includes non-stop-pure-Pop from Deuce, Dollar, Bananarama, Limahl and closes with Nena’s #1 ’99 Red Balloons’.The final LP kicks off with ‘Better The Devil You Know’, from legendary Pop icon Kylie Minogue, followed by Lady Gaga’s Electro-Pop classic ‘Bad Romance’. Katy Perry and Lizzo are up next before Gnarls Barkley and Scissor Sisters with their giant hits ‘Crazy’ and ‘I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’’. The final side opens with Eurovision-Pop from Sam Ryder with ‘SPACE MAN’, and the #1 collaboration between Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber ‘I Don’t Care’. Pop royalty Take That feat. Lulu with ‘Relight My Fire’, and Steps with ‘Tragedy’ lead into the final two tracks from Donna Summer and Jason Donovan with Stock, Aitken and Waterman-produced Pop gold.
NOW
CD | LP
NOW Yearbook 1985
Various Artists
NOW Music is proud to present the newest edition to our ‘Yearbook’ family: NOW – Yearbook 1985, the 6th addition to our Yearbook 80s series and 7th addition including NOW – Yearbook 1979.1985 was a huge year for Queen, including a career-defining performance at ‘Live Aid’ and Disc One opens with ‘One Vision’ – and is followed with three of the year’s #1s from Eurythmics with ‘There Must Be An Angel’ and two collaborations: UB40 & Chrissie Hynde on ‘I Got You Babe’, and Philip Bailey & Phil Collins with ‘Easy Lover’. The first single from Sting’s debut solo album is included alongside massive trans-Atlantic hits from Tears For Fears, Simple Minds, The Power Station and Tina Turner – plus some of the decades’ most iconic hits including a-ha with ‘Take On Me’ and Dead Or Alive delivering the first #1 for producers Stock, Aitken and Waterman. Sophisticated Ballads from Bryan Ferry, Elton John, Paul Young and the #1 ‘Move Closer’ from Phyllis Nelson feature before the disc closes with the epic ‘The Unforgettable Fire’ from U2.Disc 2 begins with 1985’s Power Ballads and Soft Rock hits. Kicking off with the #1 from Foreigner ‘I Want To Know What Love Is’, and Marillion’s ‘Kayleigh’ before huge radio friendly Rock-Pop from ZZ Top, Pat Benatar and Billy Idol and massive movie-theme smashes from Huey Lewis & The News, Bonnie Tyler, John Parr, Dan Hartman, Maria Vidal and DeBarge. The second half of the disc celebrates the year’s Soul driven line-up including Ashford & Simpson with ‘Solid’, Princess with ‘Say I’m Your Number One’, ‘Hangin’ On A String’ from Loose Ends, along with classic slow-dance Ballads from Kool & The Gang, Lionel Richie and the debut #1 ‘Saving All My Love For You’ from Whitney Houston.The third disc opens with the breath-taking ‘Cloudbusting’ from Kate Bush, and Indie anthem ‘How Soon Is Now?’ from The Smiths – setting the tone for a run of ‘Alternative’ hits including The Cure with ‘Close To Me’, ‘Duel’ from Propaganda, and ‘She Sells Sanctuary’ from The Cult. Mid-1980s Synth and Pop from Howard Jones, Nik Kershaw, Red Box, Scritti Politti and Stephen Duffy follow – as does the debut ‘Election Day’ from Duran Duran side project Arcadia. More chart debuts from King, Simply Red, Fine Young Cannibals, and The Dream Academy lead toward the disc’s closing track from Strawberry Switchblade with the Pop classic ‘Since Yesterday’.The final disc gets underway with massive Electro-Pop hits from Paul Hardcastle with #1 ‘19’, Harold Faltermeyer with ‘Axel F’ and Colonel Abrams ‘Trapped’ before floor-filling HI-NRG from Bronski Beat with Marc Almond and Divine. A trio of beautiful tracks from Dee C Lee, Sade and Alison Moyet are featured leading into the #1 ‘A Good Heart’ from Feargal Sharkey before a run of upbeat Pop classics from Katrina & The Waves, Sheila E, Level 42, Billy Ocean, Five Star, and the #1 ‘Frankie’ from Sister Sledge. Three #1s close out this Yearbook: Elaine Paige & Barbara Dickson’s ‘I Know Him So Well’, the year’s biggest selling single ‘The Power Of Love’ from Jennifer Rush, and 1985’s Christmas chart-topper that has become an all-time seasonal favourite, ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’ from Shakin’ Stevens.
NOW
CD | LP
NOW - Yearbook 1990
Various Artists
NOW Music is proud to present the next instalment in our ongoing ‘Yearbook’ series – and the second to celebrate the ‘90s, NOW – Yearbook 1990; 79 tracks from a fantastic year in Pop!Kicking us off with the rewind back to 1990 are iconic legends George Michael with ‘Praying For Time’, and Elton John with his #1 single ‘Sacrifice’, followed by Roxette’s ‘It Must Have Been Love’ from the soundtrack to ‘Pretty Woman’. Disc One includes #1s from New Order, New Kids On The Block, Steve Miller Band, and The Beautiful South, as well as Pop smashes from The KLF, The B-52’s, Kylie Minogue, Whitney Houston Kim Appleby, and concluding with the theme from Twin Peaks, Julee Cruise’s ‘Falling’, Chris Isaak with ‘Wicked Game’ and Pet Shop Boys defining ‘Being Boring’.Dance floor-fillers kick off Disc 2 from Deee-Lite with ‘Groove Is In The Heart’, #1s from SNAP!, and from Adamski & Seal plus club classics from Bass-O-Matic and Adventures Of Stevie V with ‘Dirty Cash (Money Talks)’, plus the unexpected collaboration between DNA & Suzanne Vega. British R&B legends Innocence and Soul II Soul appear ahead of a run of Indie-Alt legends including Happy Mondays, The Stone Roses, The Charlatans, Primal Scream and The Cure – before finishing on Candy Flip’s cover of ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’, and ‘All Together Now’ from The Farm.Disc 3 opens with the still-breathtaking interpretation of Prince’s ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ from Sinéad O'Connor. Up next are film related hits; Maria McKee’s ‘Show Me Heaven’, from the ‘Days Of Thunder’ soundtrack, and the ‘Young Guns II’ track ‘Blaze Of Glory’ from Jon Bon Jovi. Faith No More had their UK Top 40 Chart debut with ‘Epic’, and the Grammy Award-winning US #1 for Alannah Myles ‘Black Velvet’ appears, alongside huge US artists Cher, Heart, and 1990’s biggest US hit from Wilson Phillips… and there’s still room for Pop-Reggae from UB40 and Maxi Priest, and the huge Rap debut from M.C. Hammer and a further two #1 singles – both debuts - from Partners In Kryme with ‘Turtle Power’ and Vanilla Ice with ‘Ice Ice Baby’.The tenth consecutive Top 10 hit for Pet Shop Boys ‘So Hard’ opens the final disc, followed by the superb cover of the Disco classic ‘You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)’ from Jimmy Somerville, before a second appearance from Kylie Minogue with her Disco anthem ‘Step Back In Time’ and one of Stock, Aitken & Waterman’s greatest dancefloor tracks ‘Happenin’ All Over Again’ from Lonnie Gordon. Pop/Dance gold from 49ers, Blue Pearl, and Bananarama lead into timeless Pure-Pop from Dusty Springfield, Halo James, Jason Donovan, Adam Ant, and another track from the ‘Pretty Woman’ soundtrack – this time from Go West before the collection winds down with two classic covers from Deacon Blue and a-ha, closing with two ‘60s hits that became hits once again, Bobby Vinton’s ‘Blue Velvet’ following its use in film, and tv commercials, and The Righteous Brothers with their rendition of ‘Unchained Melody’ – featured in 1990’s biggest film ‘Ghost’ which helped catapult the song to #1, 25 years since its initial release, when it reached #14.NOW – Yearbook 1990 – A celebration of the diversity and creativity during a stellar year in Pop.
NOW
CD | LP
NOW Thats What I Call Music! / Various Artist
NOW Thats What I Call 12" 80s: Remixed
NOW Music is proud to present the third instalment in our 12” 80s series – ‘Remixed’.
44 tracks across 4 CDs, featuring an amazing selection of the original 12” versions that represent the era – from huge pop chart hits to dancefloor classics, including some rare tracks on CD.
The superb synth-pop of ‘Love Kills’ from Freddie Mercury opens the album, followed by the special dance mix of Eurythmics’ ‘There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)’. The Police’s remix of ‘Don’t Stand So Close To Me’, alongside perfect pop from a-ha, Holly Johnson, Kim Wilde, Red Box, and the Latin Rascals remix of Duran Duran’s ‘Notorious’, all feature on disc 1. The majestic extended mix of Womack & Womack’s ‘Love Wars’ is included, along with two tracks – ‘Wrap Her Up’ from Elton John in its over 10-minute extended remix, and Jellybean’s dance remix of ‘Jive Talkin’’ from Boogie Box High – both featuring vocal contributions from George Michael.
‘Blue Monday’, considered the biggest selling 12” of all time, was remixed in 1988, and became a huge hit again. It kicks off our second disc, followed by seminal dance hits in their full extended versions from Bomb The Bass, Coldcut feat. Lisa Stansfield, Yazz & The Plastic Population and The Pettibone Touch remix of Five Star’s ‘The Slightest Touch’. Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, and Exposé represent some of the biggest late 80s floor-fillers. Malcolm McLaren rounds off the disc with his celebration of the house-ballroom culture of New York… and two superstar collaborations, ‘Sidewalk Talk’ from Jellybean – written by and featuring vocal contributions from Madonna – and ‘Somebody’s Watching Me’ – a huge hit by Rockwell featuring guest vocals from Michael Jackson.
The best in Hi-NRG and pop-dance is celebrated on disc 3, with Boys Town Gang, Divine, Hazell Dean, Dollar and Bucks Fizz. Massive pan European smashes from Sandra and Desireless are joined by hard-to-find dancefloor gems from Laura Branigan and Olivia Newton-John with the Elton John & Bernie Taupin written ‘The Rumour’. The disc closes with Culture Club’s US remix of ‘I’ll Tumble 4 Ya’, and the classic pop of ‘The Heat Is On’, the debut solo hit in the UK for Agnetha Fältskog.
Blondie’s massive ‘Call Me’ starts disc 4, which includes some epic 12” versions of rock-pop crossover hits from Billy Idol, Pretenders, Pat Benatar, and the #1 pairing of Philip Bailey and Phil Collins. Phil Collins was also responsible for producing Frida’s ‘I Know There’s Something Going On’, included here in its full-length version. We include synth-pop from Arcadia, Howard Jones, and Peter Schilling with ‘Major Tom (Coming Home)’, which was recently rediscovered as the opening theme to ‘Deutschland 83, 86 and 89’. A laid back ‘Summer ‘88’ remix of Chris Rea’s ‘On The Beach’ takes us to the closing track – the extended 6-minute plus version of ‘Once Upon A Long Ago’ from Paul McCartney.
An essential compilation for collectors and lovers of 80s pop. NOW That’s What I Call 12” 80s: Remixed.
CD
Pan Amsterdam
Ha Chu
''Dinked Edition' is on 'springtime green' coloured vinyl, includes an exclusive Pan Am slipmat. Numbered /350 For avoidance of doubt, the centre is a standard spindle size, and not dinked.
Pan Amsterdam is back with his second album, titled HA Chu.
It’s been a trip since 2018 and the release of The Pocket Watch.
A UK Tour. A tour of the US with Open Mike Eagle. Contributions, interviews and shows with THE Iggy Pop...
Now the oddity is back and being playful with help from Jason Williamson (Sleaford Mods), Jimi Goodwin (Doves) under his new Producer guise, Coup Diablo, the Parisian sensation/Producer GUTS. Mr.Shn – the Producer that gave us Pan Amsterdam - No Snare with Open Mike Eagle and... Malik Ameer Crumpler, Rapper/Producer with Madison Washington and co-conspirator at Def Pressé, the label Pan Am calls home...
The first single, Carrot Cake (Aug 5th). Produced by GUTS, is Pan Amsterdam’s transcontinental collaboration with legendary French Dj/ Producer GUTS. Carrot Cake rekindles the vibe of their huge 2014 French hit single, Man Funk, as Pan effortlessly weaves humorous, witty flows into the gritty terrain of GUTS’ Parisian-Boom-Bap-Funk pop.
At the end of August we’ll see the release of a trumpet filled slower joint Produced Mr.Shn. This song is in a similar vein to The Pocket Watch song... Landlord Elijah. A musing, Pan Amsterdam horn track.
Hannibal Lecture (September 16th) with none other than Jason Williamson (Sleaford Mods). Jason and Pan Amsterdam met at a World Service show with Iggy Pop and Anna Calvi last year. They hit it off and recorded two songs together. Both of which appear on this album. Hannibal Lecture, Produced by Coup Diablo (Jimi Goodwin – Doves) sees Jason and Pan Am trading verses. Nottingham, UK x New York, New York. Movie references and punch lines...
Def Presse
CD | LP
Pan Amsterdam
Eat
EAT is the brand new album from your favourite rapper trumpeter, Pan Amsterdam. Made with fans of both food and hip hop in mind, the LP opens up a new pocket in the Pan Am dimension: the rapper-producer album. The whole thing’s a collaboration with underground legend and Def Pressé family Damu The Fudgemunk.
EAT lands in the wake of the success of Pan Am’s second album, HA Chu. Food, of course, was a vital component in the culture of that work, with GUTS-produced single Carrot Cake receiving plaudits from the likes of BBC 6 Music, and interludes taking place over Chinese food. HA Chu was named his ‘hostile industry diss record’ by Bandcamp and ‘a jazz musician’s vision of what hip-hop can be’ by The Times.
Whereas HA Chu was conceptualised while Pan Am’s real life alter ego Leron Thomas was on tour as Iggy Pop’s bandleader (Iggy had loved Pan Am’s debut LP, The Pocket Watch, leading to him asking him to write and produce his 2019 album Free), and saw guests such as Sleaford Mods’ Jason Williamson and Doves’ Jimmy Goodwin in his El Diablo guise, EAT’s genesis was slightly different.
About to fly on tour in Europe last year, Pan Am was in need of a DJ. Up steps Damu The Fudgemunk, fresh from creating his KPM library-sampling opus Conversation Peace (on Def Pressé Editions). Tour life led to a mutual musical respect, Damu creating soundscapes in his head as he got to know Pan Am’s intricacies whilst performing together.
‘We had some good hangs and talks,’ recalls Pan Am. ‘In those hangs and talks, it seems Damu was taking musical notes because the music he would give me was fitting like a glove. It reminded me that artists be observant and it pays off in the end. Damn fun making this project.’
Perceiving the world in terms of taste, EAT is musically wistfully joyous and lyrically playful, a full menu with Pan Am your maître d' and Damu the chef du cuisine. Damu’s beats are deep, warm, melodic and progressive, a perfect playground for the duality of Pan Am’s beat poetry and Leron’s caressing trumpet, which as always is a persona in itself.
Def Presse
CD | LP
