We are particurlarly happy to kick off a new series on our label, and its first release is out today! Ladies and gentlemen, introducing to you: „Tanz Muzik“, where tradition meets club music.
In Yiddish, “Tanz Muzik” literally means “dance music,” referring to melodies written to get people moving. The phrase is closely tied to the klezmer tradition, where bands played lively freylekhs, horas and bulgars for weddings and communal celebrations. It evokes not just rhythm, but the social joy of gathering, circling and dancing as a community.
The first release in the series is „Sha Shtil“ by Berlin ́s baile funk pioneer DANIEL HAAKSMAN, who first introduced the world to the mad beats from Rio´s favelas with his „Rio Baile Funk Favela Booty Beats“ compilations 20 years ago. For his take on „Sha Shtil“, Haaksman fused the sonic energy of Rio funk with the Yiddish classic into a bass-heavy, dance-floor-ready anthem. While keeping the vocal melody recognisable, he injects the percussive urgency that defines São Paulo and Rio’s funk scenes. Vocal snippets from the traditional song are reshaped into rhythmic calls that punch through the groove. A gritty, syncopated afrobrasilian beat pattern drives the track forward with relentless energy, leaning into klezmer textures before slamming back into a baile-style drop. Designed equally for DJs and cultural crossover playlists, it bridges diasporic tradition with street-party futurism. The Daniel Haaksman version of “Sha Shtil“ delivers a bold, joyful collision of worlds that feels both surprising and completely natural.
Now play it out loud and make all them tuches tremble!