//Clockwise from top left: Poster for album launch party at Hamburg club Golem in March; A-side label; postcard; album cover//

One of the most joyous releases of the year so far is the compilation Early Pakistani Dance Music from Germany’s Ovular. I found out about it via Instagram friend and DJ Martin “Soul Stew” Geise.

The tracks really deliver on the excellent sleeve packaging and cover design by Bwtchd Grfx. “We wanted  the world to know what fantastic music these guys played in Pakistan in those days,” says compiler Florian Pittner, who focused on instrumentals which were released on two-track 45rpm EPs and listed as either “Dance Music” or “Title Music”.

//Front and back cover//

//Bespoke label//

//Old school record company inner sleeve stamp//

Most of the original 7in soundtracks came in plain paper bags, though there are some sleeve designs here. //Sleeves from www.hindustanivinyl.blogspot.com//

With a pressing of 500 copies, Early Pakistani Dance Music is available through Discogs and eBay. Catch up on Martin Giese’s show Soul Stew here.

This is by one of the master musical directors in this field, the late M. Ashraf:

Tags: Florian Pittner, M. Ashraf, Martin GIese, Ovular