AR017-7 - ETTIKA 7" (1984 Originals) + 18x18 Black Insert:

This release is a limited edition 7" on black vinyl with the 2 Original versions (French and Arab) + 18x18 Black Insert with Vidal Benjamin Liner Notes.

Holy Grail!

23 May 2024

AR017-12 - ETTIKA 12" (2024 Remixes) + 29x29 White Insert:

This release is a limited edition 12" on black vinyl with 3 new special Remixes: 1 by The Veteran Delinquents (Craig Christon and Tim Hutton) and 2 by Hear & Now +  29x29 White Insert with Vidal Benjamin Liner Notes.

Holy Grail!

23 May 2024

AR017-RSD24 Box Set - ETTIKA 7" (1984 Originals) + ETTIKA 12" (2024 Remixes) + 29x29 Black Insert + Archeo logo glitter sticker + Ettika logo holographic sticker:

This release is 100 copies Limited Edition Box Set with: 1 x 7" black vinyl with the 2 Original versions (French and Arab) + 1 x 12" black vinyl with 3 new special Remixes (1 by The Veteran Delinquents - Craig Christon and Tim Hutton - and 2 by Hear & Now) + 1 x 29x29 Black Insert with Vidal Benjamin Liner Notes + 1 x Archeo logo glitter sticker + 1 x Ettika logo holographic sticker.

Holy Grail!

RSD 2024 (20 April)

A holy grail for fans of French boogie, early hip hop, Arabic funk and Balearic bops, "Ettika" has been seriously sought after since Vidal Benjamin found it in the 1€ bin back in 2006. Teasing the ears of the underground via Vidal's 'Balearic Nightmare' mix for Noncollective, copies of the original were soon snapped up completely, and the later adopters were sated by a Blackdisco edit from Alexis Le-Tan (himself gifted Vidal's second copy), which is now also rare as hen's teeth.

The fervour for the track is easy to understand. Underpinned by an endlessly buoyant bass groove, chanted female vocals dart out the speakers like a post-modern mantra while synth vamps flare in stuttering stereo. Middle-Eastern motifs add an air of mystery, but this truly belongs in a dance floor utopia. That the track was the product of a 'back-to-work' scheme aimed at unemployed immigrant youth in Rouen only adds to the appeal. Led by teacher Bernard Guégan, a quartet of students delivered lyrics in French and Arabic inspired by their rejection letters, serving a little social commentary and a lot of funk. If you're mad on Ahmed Fakroun and Shams Dinn, or even those folks in the Bush of Ghosts, then this is a must have for you.

Archeology isn't just about excavation, there should be interpretation too, and in this case it comes from Italian duo Hear & Now and Leeds' The Veteran Delinquents. The former furnish the 12" with two radical takes, the dreamy downtempo stroll of their French Remix - all unhurried percussion, Gilmour-riffing and coastal élan - and the peaktime pump of their Arab Remix, which transports the original vocal into a land of desert new beat and Balearic trance with a little space left for some frazzled fretwork. If you've followed their work with Claremont you know the quality on show. The Veteran Delinquents, the collaborative vehicle of Leeds stalwarts Craig Christon and Tim Hutton, condense a lifetime of club experiences into their remix, establishing the infectious groove of the original before subverting with chugging bass and winking acid, all augmented with their own slick synth work. The original was an all time classic at Craig's Joe's Bakery nights way back when, and this new interpretation is both respectful and revolutionary.

Patrick Ryder.

AR017-7 7":

A. Ettika (Version Francaise)  3:51
B. Ettika (Version Arabe)  4:34

AR017-12 12":

A1. Ettika (Hear & Now French Remix)  6:22
A2. Ettika (The Veteran Delinquents Remix)  5:29
B. Ettika (Hear & Now Arab Remix)  5:21

Executive Producer: Manu Archeo
Remixes by Hear & Now; The Veteran Delinquents
Mastered @ Simon Francis Mastering (UK)
Artwork by Manu Archeo
Liner Notes by Vidal Benjamin

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