KYNANT RECORDS News

For the first time in more than a decade, Paul St. Hilaire (AKA Tikiman) presents a solo album – 100% Tiki.

Over his 30-plus year career, St. Hilaire has become one of dance music’s quietly legendary figures. Born and raised in Dominica, he moved to Berlin in 1994 and has lent both his voice and his musicianship to some of the most iconic electronic music from the German capital – and beyond. Renowned for his collaborations with Moritz von Oswald and Mark Ernestus (AKA Rhythm & Sound), he has also appeared on records with Deadbeat, Rhauder, Larry Heard aka Mr. Fingers and Stereotyp (G-Stone Recordings), amongst others.

However, few know the extent of St. Hilaire’s compositional and technical mastery. From his home studio in Kreuzberg, which includes an extensive collection of vintage hardware, self-built instruments and notebooks scribbled with endless lyrics, he has created a vast archive of material spanning ambient dub, avant-jazz, lush techno and lovers rock.

Tikiman Vol. 1 is a heady, downtempo tour de force of patois metaphors on education, displacement and personal vs. global histories, as is evident on slippy album opener “Bedroom in My Bag”: Mister, mister / Where are you going? / I’m heading for a faraway land / What are you having in the bag in your hand? / Help us to understand / He said, I’ve got my bedroom in my bag.

Overall, the album’s lyrics reflect on life between Berlin and Dominica, specifically St. Hilaire’s hometown of Grand Bay, where he has worked with various musicians famous for the island’s different genres of carnival music. St. Hilaire himself always favoured the island’s more “discrete” music, developing a sonic synergy between two different geographical strains of groove and minimalism, and combining them with foundational Caribbean mixing techniques, which provide the basis for his songwriting and distinct
baritone.

Tikiman Vol.1 offers a rare insight into St. Hilaire’s complex artistry, from the eyes-down grooves of “Little Way” and the guitar-heavy digi dancehall experiment “Keep Safe,” to the subtle hypnosis of “Ten to One” and the softly crashing synth waves of closer “Three And A Half”, evoking not only beaches but also coasts and borders. It’s a fitting expression of both the breadth of St. Hilaire’s work, as well as his history as one of the few black, Berlin-based artists who, despite remaining largely overlooked, has influenced the city’s electronic music culture since its beginnings.


Credits
Written & Produced by Paul St. Hilaire
Mastered by Stefan Betke
Artwork by Grant Gibson

Kynant Records was founded in 2015 by Richard Akingbehin, a British-Nigerian radio programmer (Refuge Worldwide), music writer and DJ. Originally specialising in deep techno and featuring artists such as Cio D’Or, Terrence Dixon and Donato Dozzy, Kynant has since launched a sub-label Kynant EX which focuses on ambient, dub and experimental electronics.

With their self-titled release on Titrate Records, Post Coma presents two twenty-minute times even dissociation — treating the improvisation as a shared descent into the inner psyche. Listening as much to each other as to the remnants of their own decisions, the music emerges as a kind of cognitive experiment — a document of mutual attunement and the debris that gathers in its wake. The result lies suspended between motion and conclusion, leaving space for what lingers beyond.

We return to 2005 for the next chapter in the Drugsex repress series, revisiting DSEX003 – Hasty Retreat, a record that captured a rising UK producer shaping his sound within the underground. Produced by Rob Mooney with production from Dave Robertson (Reset Robot), the release reflects a period of exploration and technical refinement in his early career.

The A-side, Hasty Retreat, is a driving tech-house cut — tight, physical and weighted for the dancefloor. Robertson’s engineering contribution to Mooney’s fresh ideas and south coast underground house sensibilities added precision and sonic depth that would foreshadow his future work as Reset Robot across house and techno channels.

On the flip, and exactly the same as the original cut Up All Night appears in its remix form from label head honcho Rob Pearson. Pearson’s reinterpretation ensured it fitted like a glove on the Drugsex vibe . Rob deepened the groove, balancing pressure and atmosphere in a way that typified his trademark Croydon Tech sound of the time.

Looking back twenty years, the early Tech House coming out of South London feels as fresh as ever. These records weren’t about tricks or big drops — they were about deep grooves that you could lose yourself in, hypnotic basslines that carried the night, and subtle percussion and atmospheres that rewarded careful listening.

Soul Quest Records reaches a milestone moment with its 20th release, welcoming a debut that feels anything but new. Enter Sean Green… a mysterious new name whose sound suggests deep roots, sharp instincts, and the quiet confidence of a seasoned producer operating under a fresh alias. While details remain deliberately sparse, the music speaks volumes.

Single-Sided 12 inch with etched B Side, cut and remastered from the original tapes and housed in a new foil sleeve printed on 300gsm card with gold Stardust is Thomas Bangalter, Alan Braxe and vocalist Benjamin Diamond. Twenty one years since its original release in 1998, their iconic track "Music Sounds Better With You" is now available again on vinyl and digitally for the first time.

Internationally acclaimed underground hit record that has been championed by who's who of the good dance music circle in the last 3 years since its first release. Lately it has been picked up and hammered by Jane Fitz. The only way was to give it a new life with fresh new remixes by DJ Sneak, Elia Nafzger, Basic 7 and new deeper subliminal version by Tripmastaz Enterprises.

The highly sought-after Party Tool series returns.

For the first instalment of the 2.0 run, a mysteriously unknown operator delivers a fresh batch of rolling grooves in true tool fashion!

4 loopy drum patterns, squelchy leads and core warming chords that belong in every DJ’s bag.

No names. Just back to party business as usual.

(incl. The Mackenzie, The Chemical Brothers, Oxia , Mr. Happy, Gregor Tresher, Cari Lekebusch, Thugfucker & Klangkarussell) After the successful release of 12 Inch Lovers vinyl 1 & 2, a sequel was inevitable. Again 2 compilations with a fresh and contemporary mix of true classics combined with more recent, hard to find club hits.

Contemporary House and Disco Culture. Dancing Bear. Ltd Vinyl Edition

Legofunk Records has returned with “Super Disco Edits”, continuing its signatureapproach of breathing new life into vintage grooves. This release fits right into the label’s niche: carefully crafted edits of classic disco and funk tracks, often extending breaks, enhancing rhythm sections, and making them more DJ-friendly while preserving the soul of the originals. Legofunk has built a reputation among collectors and selectors for digging deep and delivering versions that feel both nostalgic and fresh.

Systematic Gent EP brings together four distinctive cuts from artists who each embody a different shade of the label’s sound. For this special various-artists release, Ghent-based Maxim Lany delivers the deep, driving, atmospheric and immersive “Noise”; Dimitri Andreas adds rhythmic drive and tribal energy with “Jungle Circus”; Robert Babicz contributes the hypnotic, progressive and emotive “Soul Traveler”; and Drumcomplex & Frank Sonic round out the EP with the powerful, forward-moving techno gem “Solar.”
Released on 12” vinyl, Systematic Gent EP arrives in perfect sync with the label’s showcase at Wintercircus in Gent on May 8, 2026, creating a direct link between the music on wax and the energy of the dancefloor. With a tracklist that balances atmosphere, groove and peak-time impact, the EP captures the essence of Systematic’s sonic identity while celebrating a special night in one of Belgium’s most exciting cultural spaces.
Marc Romboy, A&R of Systematic, says: “I’m very glad to present this EP, showcasing the different shades of music Systematic currently stands for. Each track could be an A-side on its own. The vinyl will be released on the day of our label showcase at the local record store GENX Recordstore in the city centre, as well as via our distributor, Word and Sound.”

Drawn from the wider Microliths and Momentary Drifts project, this EP finds zak�, Ossa and ASC working in miniature form with signature restraint but real emotional resonance. Each piece functions as a fleeting vignette where tone and texture carry more weight than the structures. ‘Microlith 1’ opens with soft, cascading keys, while ‘Microlith 2’ drifts further into distant, spectral territory. By the time ‘Microlith 8’ arrives, its gentle fade into static leaves a quiet sense of unresolved possibility. It is a concise, thoughtful collection that will have you keen to hear the whole LP.

4am Kru make a return to vinyl with the Love On The Line EP, an exploration of the familiar, bittersweet story of a romantic relationship between two people, from start to finish.

Across seven tracks led by collaborator Layla Sibelle, we feel every facet of this universal human experience. Exploring the more vulnerable shades of 4am Kru’s proven dancefloor technique, each track on the Love On The Line EP shakes sound systems, while staying true to the record’s emotional core.

From the tingle of excitement depicted on 'Rush', to the disappointment of being let down on ‘Boy’, the relationship ending on ‘Hush Now’, alongside everything in between, Love On The Line EP keeps bodies moving, while pushing the sound and songwriting of 4am Kru in unexpected new directions.

Originally from Patagonia, Aldana grew up deeply connected to the Earth. It was in Buenos Aires, however, that she shaped her musical identity, immersed in a vibrant and inspiring scene. Influenced by the energy of parties and the community around her, she soon felt the urge to channel that intensity into her own music.

Today, she marks a new chapter for Luzerna with the label’s very first EP — a project moving between the emotional and the physical. There are more introspective moments and others that are more direct, designed for the dancefloor. It’s also very versatile and can be experienced in different contexts and moments.

The production is largely driven by intuition, allowing the sound to find its own shape.Although each track has its own identity, they are all connected by groove, like a constant pulse that brings them together.

Amand returns to All Day I Dream alongside Belgian newcomer Capoon for their collaborative two-track Ouverture EP. The release arrives with a bonus remix from producer/DJ Khen.

Guided by a shared sense of musical storytelling, Amand and Capoon find common ground in organic instrumentation and cinematic rhythm. Across its two movements, Ouverture unfolds like a passage through dusk and dawn part meditative, part ascendant. The title track’s first part opens in a space of gentle introspection, carried by fluid percussion and softly woven synths. Its counterpart rises with quiet momentum, layering melodic phrasing, captivating vocals, and subtle rhythmic tension into a transportive finale. It’s a delicate and dreamy 12-minute journey that encapsulates the wondrous imagination of All Day I Dream curation.

Khen’s remix expands the emotional arc further, blending the original’s warmth with his signature precision and dynamic melodic control. The result feels both grounded and dreamlike, aligning seamlessly with the label’s ethos of soulful progression and timeless sound design.

Anané’s colourful life in music has seen her do everything from singing at the famous pre-game show at Super Bowl XLI as part of the group Elements of Life, DJ at hotspots like Hi Ibiza, Pacha NYC and Ushuaïa to name a few, while also curating her own monthly residency Nulu Movement, now ten years strong at Le Bain NYC, release unique blends of Afro, house, and pop on labels like Vega Records, and head up her own imprints, Nulu Music and Nulu Electronic. The Cape Verdean-born DJ, producer, vocalist, and songwriter has had countless club hits and has released acclaimed albums like ‘Ananésworld’ and ‘Chapters Of Becoming’, often with a lush, live, and orchestrated style that is truly unique.

With this release, Anané steps forward with her first solo production to date. Here she serves up the sumptuous ‘It Looks Like Love’, a poised, elegant house sound with her own smoking, soulful vocals and classy strings bringing colour to an Afro groove packed with infectious bounce. Neat guitar riffs and silky synths all enrich this most sophisticated sound. The first mix sees Anané link up with veteran Italian Christian Mantini, who has hosted Sunset Ritual parties with Anané and Louie Vega since 2013. Their dub is rooted in warm, rubbery drums that are even deeper and more immersive than the original.

Manda Moor & Sirus Hood are a red-hot contemporary pair who run the Mood label and are defining the contemporary underground. Their remix is more driving, but it retains the soulful vibe with breezy pads and jazzy motifs drifting in and out above the swaggering groove.

Rotterdam-based Chicagoan Jamie 3:26 is a master at blending disco, soul, and house into timeless sounds, and here he delivers a loopy rework that pairs deep drive and sun-kissed vibes with funky, Chic-style bass guitar motifs.

Radioaktion returns with its fourth instalment -- three cuts built for the dancefloor, pulsing with movement and late-night energy, followed by a final downtempo trip for the before or after...

Inside every man, lives the seed of a flower If he looks within,
he finds beauty and power.

Arno goes full length again on his second solo album.
Following a string of juicy releases on Trelik, Brouqade and The Wizzard Sleeve
the Berlin based producer is back with a bang.
Strictly Vibes Unit !

Special Limited Cover only 300 copies worldwide.

‘Let’s take a trip’ – with major names on the psytrance scene Avalon and GMS releasing on KNTXT for the first time, combining forces for a full-on attack, 4-track EP ‘The Underground’, out December 11th. Their joint mission? ‘Combining two worlds where psytrance meets techno, a fusion which will take you on a mind-expanding journey! Welcome to The Underground…you have arrived!

London DJ/Producer Avalon was recently awarded the number 1 top-selling psytrance artist on Beatport with over 30+ psytrance chart #1s and 5 top-selling LPs to his name, and performs at the likes of Tomorrowland, Boom, EDC Las Vegas, Glastonbury, Exit, Burning Man, Ultra, ASOT, Ministry Of Sound,... GMS (Growling Mad Scientists) was founded by Dutch Ibiza-based DJ/Producer Riktam with the sadly late Bansi, to establish pioneering psytrance label Spun Records and to have director Tony Scott no less, using GMS tracks on three of his films. A prolific producer with over 300K album copies sold, GMS holds the most psytrance records released overall.

‘I'm beyond honoured to release this stunning four tracker from psytrance legends Avalon and GMS. With this release, friendships were formed and worlds truly started colliding. I have massive respect for both these artists and their long standing impact on electronic music. This release feels like a bridge between generations and genres. It carries an energy that deserves to be heard, experienced, and felt on dancefloors around the world.’ Charlotte de Witte

Title track ‘The Underground’: hyperspeed trance beats support a wild variety of acid-dripping pulsations, spacey arps, otherworldly swoops, mind-teasing stabs, it’s like a lightshow in sound. That transports its listeners into another dimension. On ‘Horizen’, psytrance thrives, while ethereal vocals call, with intricate sound design painting a mythical soundscape. On ‘Machines’, it’s driven by hypnotic acid lines, pulsating Kick & Bass with sprinkles of techno infused percussion! Its choral notes and alien-like spoken lyrics, both gripping and disorientating as builds & breaks come thick and fast. ‘Rave to the Grave’: constant pulsing high synth and vocals with twanging acid together with frantic percussion create a sustained, agonizing build, build, build – until ‘On the 7th day, the Lord said ‘Let the beat drop!’’ Phew!

‘We are very excited about our debut release on KNTXT ‘The Underground’ and can’t wait to share this 4 track EP with you all. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did creating it. This fusion of techno/psytrance is brought together by all of our mutual love for acid & driving hypnotic dance music! Enjoy… Play it loud! Welcome to The Underground… You have arrived!’- Avalon & GMS

A mind-bending EP, with racing beats that give the ‘trance’ in psytrance a huge adrenalin shot. This is high energy reaching new altitudes; hold on to your brain cells, they’re going for a ride!

Baby‘s Gang - Happy Song, der Italo-Disco-Hit aus dem Jahr 1983 ist stilvoll zurück auf farbiger Maxi-Vinyl.

Auf Seite A befinden sich die Original Versionen und auf Seite B gibt es zwei exklusive, neue Remixe von Pulsedriver und BK Duke – perfekt für Sammler und DJs, die den RetroSound mit frischem Drive schätzen.