quête:tape hiss

The quiet Irish mastermind is releasing new material on Tape Hiss. When he is not busy with his Monoak alterego, he works alongside Keith Tenniswood (Radioactive Man) and Simon Lynch (London Modular Alliance) as L-R to compose hard-hitting electro tracks. This time there is a diverse selection on the table: breaks, bass music, electro and techno. All with a bass-heavy, repetitive twist. The EP comes with a digital bonus tune 'Hitchcock'.

Following a four-year hiatus, our main imprint is back with a new outing by our long-time friend, Laslo. His previous works found home on quality record labels like Greta Cottage Workshop, Greta Cottage Woodpile and Soundscape Versions. Now he is delivering three originals, all shaped and arranged along his dub-infused, peculiar sound. As label heads, we rarely focus on remixes, but in the case of this EP we could not resist the chance to get one by the Hungarian drum & bass veteran Ghost Warrior (31 Records, re:st, Well Street Records), who did his first ever remix for Tape Hiss, this time exploring the mid-tempo territory.

incl. Low Tape Remix

2026 Repress

Inner City Sound Archives is the work of a small crew of obsessive DJs, diggers, and archivists. For years, they hunted lost reels — digging through basements, flea markets, forgotten storage rooms — until they uncovered a batch of mysterious acetate tapes. No credits, no labels. Just cryptic handwriting and the hiss of time. What they found were raw, extended disco cuts — played once or twice at underground NYC loft parties in the late '70s, passed hand to hand among a tight circle of selectors, then lost to history. Now, after painstaking transfers and full analog remastering, these tracks are back. Unpolished, hypnotic, physical. Restored with love. Cut loud. Pressed right. For our debut release: six unreleased NYC disco bombs, presented in their original long versions across Sides A & B. Once championed behind closed doors by the likes of Larry Levan, Francis Grasso, Steve D’Acquisto, Walter Gibbons, and Richie Kaczor.

The concept for this one is as wonderfully odd as we have ever heard: Argentinian Federico Durand draws on his collection of Cinderella stamps and looks to translate their modest scale into sparse arrangements and carefully spaced notes. Small motifs drift across analogue synth tones, all shaped with tape hiss and soft saturation. Pieces move slowly, often built from repeating figures that shift in pitch and melody, feel tentative, sometimes dissolving into low drones or faint harmonic clouds. There is little percussion, with rhythm implied through looping patterns and subtle timing changes. Tracks favour brevity and minimalism and the result leans into a darker mood than his earlier work, with a muted, slightly worn character that makes it all the more real.

The Bait label is back with more stylish deep dubstep swagger, this time from various artists who know how to crank up the low end pressure. Eva Loveless opens up with 'Juniper red' which harks back to classic Techtonic sounds where techno and bass come together for front foot forward momentum. Slimy Ape's 'Guro' is a hefty stepper with dubby undertones and plenty of open space for the tape hiss to hiss and the conscious vocals to drift in. Furtive's 'Stormlight' is ice cold and minimal, with skeletal rhythms punctuated with clacking hits and doused in bass. Last of all, Buckley's 'Introspective' is a twitchy broken beat with classic dub techno chords and yelped vocals injecting some fragmented soul.

Josiah aka JdB is a key creative at the heart of the New Palm crew. Not only does he DJ and produce, but also he is a resident at Gradient Campout and a member of LA's PrintShop collective. He has a sound rooted in dubby drums and cavernous grooves, both of which are evident here. 'Feels Good' is a heavy warm-up sound with sparse chords slowly ramping things up, while 'Surface Area' is icy minimalism with abstract sines and FX. 'Come Over' pulls back to a more liquid dub roller and 'Dante Is Late' is an ambient soundscape with plenty of tape hiss and curious melodies drawing you in deep. Stefan Bitke of Scape has taken care of the mastering so these sound superb.

Full Dose welcome DJ Firehouse to the fold with a four-track suite that drifts deep into fogged-out space. Rooted in the lineage of late-2000s innovators, this is a record that leans into atmosphere as much as it does low-end pressure.

“Hamilton Hill” sets the tone with metallic percussion and submerged chords, locking into a hypnotic groove that feels equal parts system music and head music. “Gardening” follows with a blurred palette, combining rippling textures, tape hiss and a hypnotic vocal loop to pull you further inward. On “Starpol 666”, Firehouse eases off the pressure with a more abstract, interlude-like piece, where drifting mid-range pads and liquid movement hint at a more experimental edge. Closing track “Cross Fader” stretches things out into a dubbed, slow-burning finale. Breathy ambient layers give way to dembow-leaning drums, with thunderous hits and long-tailed echoes building a quiet but undeniable tension.

Inner City Sound Archives returns with its second chapter — digging deeper into the forgotten vaults of New York’s underground disco culture.

This new volume brings to light another cache of mysterious acetate recordings: no titles, no credits, just cryptic handwriting, tape hiss, and the unmistakable pulse of a bygone era. Painstakingly transferred and fully remastered through analog processes, these raw and extended cuts preserve the full emotional weight of the original sessions — dusty, physical, and made to move bodies in the dark.

These are tracks that once passed hand-to-hand among a tight circle of selectors, whispered about and played just once or twice at legendary loft parties between 1978 and 1983. Then, silence. Until now. Once championed in the shadows by the likes of Larry Levan, Francis Grasso, Steve D’Acquisto, but also by more elusive selectors like Bobby Guttadaro, Michael Cappello, Roy Thode, and Mark Paul Simon — these grooves return to tell their story, the way they were meant to be heard. Each piece is a sonic time capsule — hypnotic, unpolished, and intimate. Pressed loud and with care, for those who still believe in the ritual of vinyl.

Finnish dub-techno craftsman TM Shuffle, head of Vuo Records, resurfaces with a deep and distilled EP that goes straight for the late-night heart of the dancefloor. Rooted in Tampere’s raw, analog dub sound, his productions have long balanced weight and warmth, smoked-out chords, rolling low-end and subtle shuffle that keeps the groove in constant motion.
The lead track “Kellari” dives into basement mode: pressure-cooker drums, slow-burning stabs and a humid, lived-in atmosphere that feels equally at home on a huge system or in headphones at 4 a.m. On the second original cut, TM Shuffle links up once again with long-time collaborator Monoder, the alias of Jussi-Pekka Parikka, known for his dubbed-out explorations on labels like Statik Entertainment and Pakkas-Levyt since the early 2000s. Their joint track stretches time, letting echo, tape hiss and distant melodic fragments float around a rock-solid groove, channelling years of shared studio language into one focused, hypnotic flow.
On the flip, Anton Kubikov (SCSI-9) steps in with a lush reinterpretation of Kellari. A true Russian techno veteran with a catalog that spans Kompakt, Force Tracks, Mayak and beyond, Kubikov melts the original into a widescreen, dream-state trip, soft-focus pads, gentle yet insistent percussion and that unmistakable rolling pulse that made his work so enduring. The remix doesn’t just extend the track; it opens a new dimension, turning the basement pressure into a slow-rising, celestial drift.
Pressed on limited coloured vinyl, this EP is built for selectors who like their dub techno deep, human and timeless, a record that will quietly live in bags for years and keep resurfacing whenever the room calls for true late-night elevation.

Since its inception, Klasse Wrecks has always flirted with rap music flavours. Whether it's Luca Lozano's DJ Cabbage alter ego or the raw beats of the Grafiti Tapes series. Both label owners are big rap fans, with one (Mr. Ho) even being an ex-DMC scratch champ. It makes sense then that the last release from KW in 2025 is the heavily Memphis-inspired 'Straight From Hell' EP, brought to you by the two mysterious producers DJ Skelet and Grim Phunk. To use the term 'stripped down' would be an overstatement in regards to this EP, skeletal drums, booming kicks and frantic vocal loops done right make for a simple yet perfect mix. Tape hiss, MPC crunch and catchy loops are all integral to the vibe and music, tracks keep to a punchy 3-4 minutes and are interspersed by dreamy bonus beats just like in the old days.

Two figures of quasi-human form whose contours are in the process of dissolving. Like curtains of varying opacity, realities slide close together without ever laying claim to validity. The essence is clouded, nature its imitation. What sounds like the dripping of a viscous acid from porous aluminum casings could also be a sequential noise. The rhythm is an aid, a barb in the flesh. Voices fleeting like gases that have never surrendered to the dictates of gravity. It is the year 2024 of a calendar resembling an Abrahamic apparatus. Angels carry guns.

This record comes with a download code for the digital release!

This edition is limited to 150 hand stamped and numbered records including 150 individual and unique drawings and photographs.

Between 2023 and 2025, L.F.T. split his time between Hamburg and Berlin, slowly piecing together what would become his most ambitious work to date. The result is Hell Was Boring - a double album that plays like a fever dream, unfolding as a dark, mythical tale about life, death, and the strange spaces in between.


L.F.T. - the alias of German producer and multi-instrumentalist Johannes Haas - has always thrived on tension: between punk urgency and electronic precision, between raw emotion and mechanical repetition. On Hell Was Boring, those tensions are amplified. Drawing on the spectral drama of Bauhaus, the melancholic minimalism of Linear Movement, the futuristic romanticism of Gary Numan, and even the sly swagger of Falco, the album feels at once deeply personal and part of a much older musical lineage.


The sound is stripped down to its bones: drums snap and rattle from a Roland TR-808, TR-707 and Korg KR-55; basslines growl from a Roland SH-101 and Korg MS-20; shards of guitar cut through clouds of tape hiss. Everything was tracked to a Teac Tascam 80-8 reel-to-reel, giving each track a lived-in, imperfect warmth. Nothing is overpolished - L.F.T. wanted the listener to hear the edges, the grit, the moments when the music almost comes apart.


Along the way, he invited friends and long-time collaborators into the fold - Das Kinn, Rosaceae, Felix Kubin, Children Of Leir, and Konstantin Unwohl - each leaving their own fingerprints on the record’s world of shadows and static.


Hell Was Boring isn’t a mere collection of songs; it’s a narrative that drags you into its orbit and doesn’t quite let go. It’s music for the late hours when reality feels porous, and for those moments when you’re not sure if you’re waking up or still dreaming.

Das Beste Aus Hagen Redux is an icy transmission from the early circuitry of European minimalism. A revives the pulse of proto-electro with surgical precision—pure voltage, no excess. Cold synth lines snake through monochrome rhythms, delivering drama without decadence. It’s music for neon-lit silence and synthetic nostalgia, built from tape hiss, static tension, and analog dreams. Minimal synth stripped to the bone—resistant, elegant, and eternal. Presented in ONE- OFF truly limited edition of 300 copies lacquered pressed on 180 gr. high quality solid WHITE vinyl. All tracks have been specially remastered for vinyl by Daniel Hallhuber at Young and Cold Studios (Germany).

Renowned for his visceral work with HIGH-FUNCTIONING FLESH, Greg Vand dives deep into the experimental proto-industrial with his solo project NEWBOY, revealing a darker, looser, and more hypnotically unstable side of the music machines. “The Color of Everything” is a transmission compilation with cracked circuitry, lysergic funk, warped tape hiss, and urban hallucinations.Think Cabaret Voltaire jamming with Bourbonese Qualk, Ike Yard, and Esplendor Geométrico: a mutant rhythm ritual for abandoned clubs and alleyway rites. This is rhythm as both weapon and escape. A dystopian groove engine primed for fans of the avant-garde, the unstable, and the underground, all tuned into the fractured future of dance music.presented in ONE-OFF truly limited edition of 300 copies lacquered pressed on 180 gr. high quality solid BLACK vinyl.

Lempuyang has been at the heart of the second wave of dub techno since day one. It's a label that deals in super deep and high-quality sounds from a range of artists. Now they welcome back Adria, three years after his debut, with a heavyweight follow-up that dives deep into the murky edges of dub experimentation. This new release trades dancefloor immediacy for atmosphere and weight by blending low-slung rhythms, hazy tape hiss and hypnotic textures that nod to classic sound system culture. Each track comes rich in analogue warmth and restrained tension. This is dub crafted with precision and that fully rewards close listening and real exploration of space, texture and bass pressure.

It's rare to hear a debut 12' single that really blows you away. That's hardly a controversial statement; in truth, most producers take time to find their feet, developing a distinct style over a period of years, rather than months.
Magnesii, then, is something special. Currently based in Amsterdam. The previously unheard of producer has delivered a stunning debut 12' for Tom Trago's Voyage
Direct label. R Raw, fuzzy and in turns melancholic, spellbinding and intense, its' three tracks bubble and hiss to the distinct sound of vintage analogue hardware.

You see, the young Dutch producer tends to avoid modern computers. 'I often feel like those screens suck my soul away,' he says. Instead, he jams out tunes on a tasteful selection of analogue gear, sequencing with either the Alesis MMT-8 or the Akai MPC2000 - a favourite toy of many of the Netherlands' best electronic producers - and adding basslines, beats, acid lines and melodies on obscure synths and drumcomputers'. His creations are then bounced down straight to 1/4" tape or cassette.

Some of these resultant jams, as showcased on this impressive debut, are nothing less than inspired. Acid lines rise and fall, machine drums rattle, and distinctive synth
lines weave in and out of the mix. These are raw tracks for the dancefloor blessed with all the colour and warmth associated with vintage hardware.

'RZTB Tantra' sets the tone, layering bubbling acid lines and dreamy chords over a relentlessly nagging bassline and punchy, scattergun drum machine percussion. 'Lava Jam' is decidedly deeper, with woozy, emotive melodies and alien electronics tumbling over a dusty rhythm pattern and tactile acid bass.

Magnesii completes a sterling debut with 'Van Dyke Island Jam', whose squidgy bassline and long, drawn-out M1 chords work in complete harmony with the crispy rhythm track and densely building percussion hits. Like its' predecessor, it too seems to be tinged with sadness, as if Magnesii's machines are shedding a tear for glories past.

Clearly, Magnesii is a name to look out for in future. For the time being, we'll have to make do with one of the most impressive debut 12' singles of 2014 to date.

MAXED OUT MAXI EP OF THE HIGHEST ORDER FROM TAPES, HONOURING JAHTARI'S 20 YEARS OF D.I.G.I.T.A.L. BUSINESS IN FINEST STYLE...LOADED WITH RIB-8-BIT PRESSURE!

Four digital dancehall scorchers with two accompanying 8-bit versions meticulously crafted with the soundsystem session in mind!

Tapes has been spreading wonky saturated riddim goodness since his ground breaking “Hissing Theatricals” EP in 2009. Now, after a brief hibernation in the northern spawning pools, he’s spinning up his reels once again to present a new killer set of amphibian friendly, nintendo-fied sound system depth charges!

The “Photos of My Frog EP” is croaking off with its oddly addictive namesake: a surefire pond party starter – Ribbit! Hopping along, the adorable but tuff “Cleat Skank” and its gameboy driven pollywog follow, swinging their 8bit melody lasso till the cows come home. Yeehaw!

“Ramp Up” on B is a dense and raw FM synth digi banger, sure to fry any nearby circuits, so best beware! “Back Cramp Riddim” then turns up the low end even more and swirls its drums and synths into the next delay vortex, warping into a pixelated 8bit conclusion.

Whatever your taste in insects there’s something on this record for any lover of vintage dancehall and amphibious wild life alike!

These are going to fly out - sticky tongues at the ready!

Texas drone pioneers Stars of the Lid take stock of a landmark career with this 30th anniversary edition of their debut LP Music For Nitrous Oxide on their own Artificial Pinearch Manufacturing imprint. Long before the brittle-yet-warm racket Adam Wiltzie and Brian McBride kick up became synonymous with the achingly beautiful decay of America they were two audio geeks in Austin with almost no connection to the city’s vibrant, but rock and roll focused music scene. Finding brotherhood in mangled tape collages and engulfing fuzz, Stars of the Lid was born out of their mutual abstraction from what surrounded them. While to its creators, Music For Nitrous Oxide may have simply been a (slight) refinement from the drones Wiltzie and McBride were unleashing on unsuspecting college radio listeners at UT Austin, the rest of the world was slowly catching up to the duo’s noise-addled magic.