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Martin & Garp, a Quest for Sunny Optimism

Martin & Garp

In the realm of music, certain artists have the power to transport us to a different time and place, evoking a sense of nostalgia and joy. Dutch musician and producer Phil Martin is one such artist, driven by his passion for the West Coast music scene and the distinctive sounds of the late 70s. With his latest project, Martin & Garp, he embarks on a quest for sunny optimism, channeling the spirit of iconic acts like Steely Dan, Hall & Oates, The Doobie Brothers, Fleetwood Mac, and The Eagles.

Phil Martin: A Musician’s Journey

Phil Martin’s musical journey is rooted in his upbringing and the music that shaped him. Growing up, he immersed himself in the soulful and jazz-infused tunes of Steely Dan, Hall & Oates, The Doobie Brothers, Fleetwood Mac, and The Eagles. These legendary artists became the soundtrack of his formative years, leaving an indelible mark on his musical style and aspirations.

The Perfect Fit: Martin & Garp

Collaboration often leads to remarkable creations, and Phil Martin found the perfect vocal fit in Lo van Gorp, also known as Garp. Hailing from the Netherlands, Lo van Gorp is a renowned backing singer and saxophonist, lending his talents to esteemed artists such as Marco Borsato, Paul Carrack, Roger Hodgson, Chaka Khan, Trijntje Oosterhuis, and Al Jarreau. Together, Phil Martin and Lo van Gorp embarked on a journey to create their own West Coast-flavored pop album.

Yachtrock: Feel-Good Melodies

The sound of Martin & Garp can be best described as “yachtrock,” a genre characterized by its feel-good melodies and radio-friendly tunes. Their music pays homage to the romanticized California of the 70s, capturing the essence of an era that exuded optimism and charm. Within their songs, listeners will find catchy guitar and synth licks, luxurious harmonies, and groovy rhythms. The central theme of their music is the unifying effect it has in the quest for sunny optimism.

Sentimental Fools: The Debut Album

After releasing two captivating singles, “Making Up” and “Told You Straight,” at the end of 2020, Martin & Garp are now ready to unveil their debut album, titled “Sentimental Fools.” Scheduled for release on January 15th, 2021, this highly anticipated album will be available on major digital streaming platforms, as well as in compact disc and vinyl formats. “Sentimental Fools” promises a musical journey that transports listeners to a sun-soaked paradise, resonating with those who long for the carefree spirit of the 70s.

Légère Recordings: A Home for Martin & Garp

Martin & Garp have found a home for their musical endeavors at Légère Recordings, based in Hamburg. This renowned record label boasts a roster of talented Westcoast-inspired artists, including the likes of Young Gun Silverfox, Mama’s Gun, and Joel Sarakula, among others. With their signing to Légère Recordings, Martin & Garp join a community of musicians who share their passion for the West Coast sound, ensuring their music reaches a broader audience.

Credits

The creation of Martin & Garp’s captivating music is a collaborative effort of immensely talented individuals. The credits for their debut album, “Sentimental Fools,” include:

  • Lo van Gorp (vocals)
  • Phil Martin (drums)
  • Edwin in ‘t Veld (guitars)
  • Ton van der Kolk (bass)
  • Govert van der Kolm (keys)
  • Joel Sarakula (keys)
  • Maarten Teekens (backing vocals)
  • Kees Elsman (mouth harp)

The album was recorded, mixed and produced by Phil Martin with mastering by Edwin in ‘t Veld.

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Beat Junkie EP – OUT NOW

Laura Vane & The Vipertones Beat Junkie EP

A love story between English and Dutch musicians that started over a decade ago is still alive in Lockdown 2020 and showing devotion to releasing good music. Back in the summer of 2008 two Funk and Soul DJ’s, Tim and Ton based in the historical town of Dordrecht, Netherlands reached out over the sea to songstress Laura, living in Brighton in the UK. A match was made quickly, and plans hatched to get together on stage and in the studio to see what could happen. The rest, as they say, is history! To date Laura Vane and The Vipertones have released 3 studio albums, 7 Eps, a string of singles and have toured all over the globe.

Now, the band are ready to give you a taste of what’s been cooking over the past few months, and it’s got fans curious to say the least. Their third album which flirted with more contemporary styles of song was a real contrast to their first album; a comfortable fit in the global funk and soul community. Now you will hear the band bring you fresh new material which is flavoured with all the goodies from their previous albums. Some might say that It’s something of a return to where it all started for Laura Vane and the Vipertones with bold horns and compelling bass lines, but the band are quick to point out what’s very different this time… All members of the band have had a hand in the creation of these new songs and therefore the organic groove and rootsy feel is what really drives the sound. They were able to carve out a whole week in the studio together and had the luxury of capturing that feel of recording directly to tape. Currently there are no plans to tour, however, there is always fire in the band camp so listen out for updates about further releases! For now, stay home and stay safe!

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Rheintraum debut album coming up

Social Beats is planning on releasing several new albums, singles and EP’s this year. First up is the digital release of Rheintraum’s self titled debut album out on April 3rd 2020. Social Beats label boss Phil Martin is a busy man but managed to complete a brand new album by a brand new group called Rheintraum.

Rheintraum

Rheintraum, the band: two Dutch funk musicians who discovered a shared obsession with the experimental German underground rock and proto-techno of the 70s. Phil Martin on ‘motorik’ drums, keyboards, bass and percussion. Tim den Heijer on guitars. No script, no rules, no pre-made compositions: just spontaneous playing and rigorous editing.
 
Rheintraum, the album: 13 instrumental tracks. Inspired by NEU!, Harmonia, Can, Cluster and early ‪Kraftwerk‬, with shades of Bowie & Eno in Berlin. From the ‘immer gerade aus’ drive of opener BAB57 to the peaceful, yet uneasy piano and feedback closer Zeitraum, the album wears its influences on its sleeve. Yet mixes these up in often unexpected ways. 
 
Rheintraum, the elevator pitch: this album has much to offer to fans of the genre formally (and to some, problematically) known as Krautrock. But fans of Bowie, Eno or ‪Radiohead‬ will also surely recognize and enjoy the influences and sounds on this album. File under: instrumental music for driving through imaginary landscapes.

On april 3rd 2020, the album will be available on all digital platforms and this website. Till then the following Youtube playlist will be your best friend giving you a sneak peak 😉

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Storage Sales at Social Beats Records

Some offers you can’t refuse!

We’re currently working on several new releases so we need to make room in storage. Lucky you! Discounts up to 50% on some classic Social Beats releases. Have a peek (and listen) and see if there’s anything you like to complete your collection. Check out our ‘Super Sales’ but remember that’s not all, store wide there’s sales and discounts. And if you think of a package that’s not there yet, feel free to contact us. We will look into it and probably come up with some good personalized offer!

While you’re at it, you could do us a great favor by subscribing to our YouTube channel as we need some more subscribers to be able to take full advantage of all YouTube options. Besides that, you can easily make your own playlists containing your favorite Social Beats tunes or add those to your favorite playlists.

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Spring Cleaning 2017 Offer

Spring Cleaning at Social Beats RecordsHere’s the inevitable spring-cleaning offer. We, at Social Beats Records, like to make room for new and upcoming releases. So for starters we offer some freebies by The Jazzinvaders and The Soul Snatchers but there’s more! When using the coupon code ‘springcleaning2017‘ during checkout, you’ll get a 30% discount on the total amount. No matter what you order. Wait no longer, this might be your chance to finally get that album you’ve been looking for to complete your Social Beats collection. So check out our stock and see what’s in store! Offer ends at April 30th 2017

Enjoy
The Social Beats Crew

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The Jazzinvaders – Live uit Lloyd session

Jazzinvaders-Radio-RijnmondRecently the Jazzinvaders released their official 5th album ‘Find The Love’ inspired by seventies disco grooves found on records by George Duke, Roy Ayers, Eddie Henderson and Earth, Wind & Fire. They went back into the studio after two successful tours with Hammond legend Dr Lonnie Smith and the Brazilian fusion group Azymuth. The Jazzinvaders decided it would be fun to spend some time in the studio to see if they could come up with a disco-jazz album.  Continue reading The Jazzinvaders – Live uit Lloyd session

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New Soul Snatchers album is out now! – Where Y’At?

The Soul Snatchers - Where Y'At ?Mighty nice work from The Soul Snatchers – a Dutch group, but one who’ve got a deep funk sound that matches a lot of combos in the American underground in recent years! These guys start with a very old school approach to the groove – a sound steeped in older modes of Memphis and Muscle Shoals – with all the burning organ lines, funky guitar, and soulful horns that reference might imply – and vocals are in English throughout, sung by a male singer with a surprisingly strong, raspy sound that comes across better than we remember from the group’s last record! Easily their best material so far – with titles that include “Keep Workin”, “Just Like Sly”, “Stop Fightin”, “Use It Up”, “Little Love”, “Foolishness”, and “Humpin & Bumpin”. The album is available in all possible formats: cd, digital and as a vinyl LP including a download code. Check the options and place your order, time to get funky!

 

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Pre-order the new Soul Snatchers album – Where Y’At?

The Soul Snatchers - Where Y'At ?It took a while and we’ve all been waiting for it but now it’s about to happen: the Soul Snatchers third album is finally on it’s way. As we speak the albums are being pressed, on cd as well as on vinyl. The release date is set for March 3rd 2016 so hopefully everything will be ready. Whatever happens… the album will be ready digitally. You can even pre-order the album right now and get access to two brand new songs, that way you’ll be one of the first to get hold of the new album. So feel free to check out their bandcamp page and check out the new songs. If you like what you hear, don’t forget to tell your friends ? The album will also be available in this shop when it is released.