Suche:as

Dâm-Funk & Lorenzo Soria RETOUCH Elkin & Nelson's Balearic Classic "Vámonos". A Cross-Continental Tribute form the West Coast Funk to Andalusian Rhythms.
Hand stamped 10"

Two generations, two continents, and one timeless Balearic groove — “Vámonos”, the 1970s classic from Colombian-Spanish duo Elkin & Nelson, gets a retouch by the hands of Dâm-Funk and Lorenzo Soria. Infusing the track with new sonic energy while paying homage to its iconic roots, this version of “Vámonos” travels from the beaches of Ibiza to the sun-drenched streets of Los Angeles and Seville.

Together Dâm-Funk — a pioneer of modern-funk and longtime ambassador of the West Coast boogie-funk sound. Known for seminal albums like “Toeachizown” and “Invite the Light” on Stones Throw Records, as well as collaborations with Snoop Dogg, Ariel Pink and Christine and the Queens, Dâm-Funk brings his signature analog synths and laid-back groove to the mix. His unmistakable style draws deeply from Prince, Slave, and the golden era of 1980s funk.

Lorenzo Soria represents a new generation of global-minded producers reshaping the electronic landscape from Southern Spain. A native of Seville, Soria’s collaborations with, Califato ¾, draws from reggaeton, EBM, punk, and traditional Andalusian folklore, Lorenzo’s rhythmic palette is both eclectic and rooted. His contribution to “Vámonos” brings percussive depth and vibrant energy that pulse with Mediterranean warmth.

Together, Dâm-Funk and Lorenzo Soria have created a two versions of “Vámonos” that is both respectful — with lush keys, hypnotic percussion, and genre-defying flair, this collaboration reinvents a Balearic gem for a new generation of listeners and dancers.

Sasha & Henry Saiz deliver evocative new single 'Love Is All You Need'

Henry Saiz and Sasha are two of electronic music’s most visionary figures, each renowned for blending emotional depth with cutting-edge production. Saiz is a DJ, producer, and live artist who crafts genre-defying soundscapes on his own Natura Sonoris as well as Sasha’s Last Night On Earth. His work resonates far beyond the dancefloor, much like that of Sasha, a pioneer with an enduring creative streak who continues to push boundaries, most recently through collaborations with forward-thinking producers like Artche, Jody Barr, and Joseph Ashworth. Together on this new single, the pair balance transportive grooves with meticulous synth work to perfection.

The wonderfully luminous 'Love Is All You Need' radiates breezy melodic charm while riding a light, uplifting rhythm that feels as airy and warm as the rush of a new romance. Shimmering, sun-kissed melodies evoke the glow of an outdoor Ibizan party with emotive female vocals drenched in reverb, adding a dreamy, blissful layer to round out this hazy and heartfelt electronic trip.

Berlin’s Tal Fussman returns to Rekids with the ‘Walking on Mars’ EP, releasing 7th November 2025. It follows the Survival Tactics boss’ recent album on Binh’s Time Passages, as well as his ‘Definition’ (2024) and ‘I Feel’ (2025) EPs on Rekids, with Fussman’s fresh spin on classic House and Techno winning support from the likes of Raresh, Cromby, DVS1, Saoirse, Carista, Honey Dijon, and many more.

The ‘Walking on Mars’ EP opens with ‘Crystallized’, a cavernous cut exclusive to 12”, where Tal Fussman pares back his signature percussive style in favour of a rolling groove set against a deep, atmospheric backdrop. ‘Who’s Who?’ follows, its wild sequences and skewed drumlines colliding in restless motion. The title track, ‘Walking on Mars’, drives forward on hard-hitting drums that gradually unfold into a soulful house melody, setting the stage for ‘Knowledge < Machine’, a razor-sharp electro finale of snaking synths and an apt robotic vocal. Fussman’s versatility shines throughout, with the EP already winning support from Antal, Rene Wise, Marcel Dettmann, and Fred P. Founded in 2006, Radio Slave’s Rekids has since launched the Techno-focused Rekids Special Projects in 2017 and its latest sublabel, REK’D, in 2024. With Matt Edwards as the sole A&R, Rekids has been instrumental in developing emerging artists and remains a trusted home for House and adjacent sounds, recently featuring names such as Hilit Kolet, Frankey & Sandrino, Mathias Kaden, Huxley, and many more.

Skylax Records proudly presents the first release in our brand-new archival reissue project: the SKYLAX COLLECTOR'S SERIES. This collection is dedicated to unearthing rare and forgotten underground gems, pressed back to vinyl with love and respect for the original sound. We kick off this essential series with a deep cut from one of the UK’s most respected techno pioneers: AUBREY – WAREHOUSE, originally released in 1997 on his cult imprint Textures (catalogue: TEX2). This classic slab of wax features five tracks that masterfully blend deep house grooves with raw UK techno energy: A1. Warehouse / A2. Rift Zone / B1. Shot / B2. Insult My Friend / B3. Space Lead. Aubrey, real name Allen Saei, started his journey into music in 1990 under the alias Panic, with his first release Voices Of Energy on Sheffield’s Ozone Recordings, later licensed by Buzz in Belgium. That same year, he launched his first label Solid Groove Records, which went on to drop over 30 vinyl releases in 13 years, with tracks licensed and supported by heavyweights such as Derrick May, Carl Cox, Adam X, Pete Tong and Terry Francis. Aubrey also ran four additional underground labels: Textures, Dark, DOT and Cheap Knob Gags. A true lifer, he became a hip hop DJ at age 13, discovered acid house at 16 after hearing Mr. Fingers’ Washing Machine, and released his first vinyl at 17. By 18, he had a residency at Central Park in Portsmouth (a key spot that hosted the likes of Luke Slater, Carl Cox, Frankie Bones, Joey Beltram, Grooverider…), and quickly became a fixture in the UK rave circuit, playing regularly at London institutions such as The Astoria, Turnmills, The Gardening Club, The Pirate Club, and legendary events like Energy and Raindance. He also worked behind the counter at import store Razzles, one of the most important dance music shops in the South of England, before joining Luke Slater at Jelly Jam Records. In 1991, he created Solid Groove to push his unique production vision—a journey that continues today through releases on legendary techno labels such as Metroplex and Ostgut Ton. Still fully active and devoted to music—DJing, mastering, remixing, and working in record stores—Aubrey remains a cornerstone of the underground. This reissue has been carefully remastered from the original tapes, pressed with the utmost attention to quality. A vital release for collectors, DJs, and all lovers of true UK techno and deep house. Strictly limited. No repress. Just music.

Bruce Springsteen's statewide ode Nebraska '82 is given ample extra space with a new expanded edition, as his 1982 acoustic masterwork is cast in renewed light by its use the forthcoming biopic Deliver Me From Nowhere, which documents the conception of the original album. Now with an extra 17 solo outtakes, including demos of 'Born In the USA' , 'Pink Cadillac', and 'Downbound Train', as well as the fabled Electric Nebraska sessions with the E Street Band, the new dubs illuminate the breadth of Springsteen's vision for a reconciled America, where Springsteen found much inspiration in the folk, literature and short stories of the heartland, particularly in those of Flannery O'Connor, childhood and young-adult memories. Notably, it was deemed by PopMatters to beo one of the first every DIY records made by a major artist, and soon sparked a DIY revolution by folk musicians the globe over.

In October 1995, as part of the annual Polar Music Festival, Geir Jenssen of Biosphere and Bobby Bird of The Higher Intelligence Agency, were commissioned by Nor Concerts to collaborate together on a musical project to take place in Geir's home town of Tromsø, Norway. The brief was for them to perform three concerts, using sounds sourced from the area as the basis of the music - the machinery of the local mountain cable lift, the snow, the ice etc...

Born-and-raised Detroit staple DJ Holographic unveils her album, House In The Dark LP via her newly launched label, Through The Veil.

The LP taps into the core of Afrofuturism that defined the foundation of Detroit techno but reimagines it in a femme, queer, and conscious way. The project draws from her deep-rooted relationship with astrology and shadow work—a therapeutic practice used to explore and heal repressed parts of the self. These transformative inner journeys serve as the creative bedrock for the album, which navigates themes of self-discovery, healing, and empowerment.

“Through healing practices like shadow work, astrology, and more, I’ve found a profound sense of arrival while writing House In The Dark. I’ve stepped into who I’ve always wanted to be as a creative and so much more. ‘Pisces’ is a journey through the depths of illusion, where the home becomes both a sanctuary and a mirror for our inner world, revealing what’s real and what we choose to believe.” — DJ Holographic

A celebrated DJ whose talents have taken her to Berlin’s Panorama Bar to Pitchfork Music Festival in Mexico City, Holographic has upcoming stops at London’s fabric, New York’s Public Records, Circoloco’s opening Ibiza party, and more. Her work has been covered by PBS, CRACK Magazine, Ransom Note, Billboard, DJ Mag, Resident Advisor, and more.

Step onto the dancefloor and relive the golden age of club culture with the revival of Jon Pleased Wimmin’s iconic anthem “P.A.S.S.I.O.N,” brought back by Full Circle in a brand-new package of remixes. Following the success of the Tin Tin Out Mix reissue in 2023, this release features fresh reinterpretations from some of today’s most exciting names, including the legendary Demi Riquísimo and a brand new remix from Jon himself with Paul Morrell, a triple platinum selling remixer, for the likes of Ava-Max, Kelly Clarkson, All Saints & Troye Sivan.

Jon Cooper, universally known as Jon Pleased Wimmin, became a defining figure of the UK scene thanks to his flamboyant presence and finely tuned knack for getting the party started.

From his beginnings as a face on London’s late-80s dancefloors, Jon made the leap from clubgoer to DJ in 1991 with his Cabaret act The Pleased Wimmin, catching the eye of Danny Rampling and securing sets at the legendary Milk Bar. His unmistakable style, fearlessness behind the decks, and sheer love of music led to him touring the world, being voted 6th in DJ Magazines' Top 100 DJ poll and reaching Top 30 with the original release of P.A.S.S.I.O.N. He is still playing out weekly across Europe & the U.K.

With Full Circle’s revival, P.A.S.S.I.O.N bridges past and present, paying tribute to Jon’s legacy while propelling the track into a new dimension. Alongside Demi’s deep, groove-heavy rework, the package also includes a brand-new Jon Pleased Wimmin & Paul Morrell Remix, road tested by Jon this summer at Pikes & 528 Ibiza, which injects fresh energy and an edge while staying true to the spirit of the original.

This isn’t just a reissue; it’s a chance to own a piece of dance music history, reimagined for today’s floors. Grab your copy, feel the groove, and let these remixes guide you back into the feeling of where it all began.

2025 Repress
Remixes

Releasing four of the biggest dance tracks of 2018 and crowned as the #2 Beatport Artist Of All Time, Dresden born disco-house producer Purple Disco Machine has quickly become one of the most prolific and sought after producers in the industry.

Following on from the hit single ‘Dished (Male Stripper)’, Purple Disco Machine returns to his club anthem ‘Body Funk’, teaming up with industry icons Carl Cox, Claptone, and Australian rising star Dom Dolla, serving up this mammoth 'Body Funk' remix EP.

DJ Support:

Black Madonna, Jamie Jones, Fatboy Slim, Annie Mac, Pete Tong, Danny Howard

A compilation that captures the essence of Unex Pected’s dancefloor spirit — where energy, emotion, and depth intertwine.
Every sound breathes, every beat remembers, unfolding a journey from dusk to dawn.

Unex Pected Records, a sublabel of MixCult Records, returns with a new chapter that embraces a more energetic and expressive sound. This release brings together four dancefloor-oriented tracks, each telling its own story while flowing together like moments from one long night.

From deep grooves to subtle textures, these compositions reveal a shared pulse and a sense of motion. There’s a quiet poetry woven throughout — a metaphorical feeling of flight that ties everything together. After all, the dancefloor would be nothing without a little lift beneath our wings.

Limited Edition

Heavyweight groove from ERP — deep electro pressure with Microcentric on the flip, plus a killer Convextion remix. Pure machine soul for late-night heads.

DJ Feedbacks :


Pariah : amazing
Erol Alkan (Phantasy Sound) : Downloading Thanks!
Ben Sims : Now downloading... will check asap!
Luke Slater : Thanks!
Dave Clarke (white noise radio) : Seismic and well crafted, full support
Peverelist (Livity Sound) : Awesome, thanks!
Tensal (Tensal, Falling Ethicss) : great, Gerard always on point, thx
Call Super (Houndstooth) : thxxxx
Confidential Recipe (Rekids Special Projects) : great ep!
DJ Bone (FURTHER) : The Convextion remix is fire.
Monty Luke (Rekids / Black Catalogue) : solid ep
GiGi FM : <3
Jon Hester (Rekids, EDEC, Les Enfants Terribles, L.A.G.) : Fantastic EP across the board, amazing stuff!!
Jako Jako (BPitch Control, Tresor) : Schön!
Dan Beaumont (Chapter 10 / NTS) : Brilliant! love the Convextion mix
Satoshi Tomiie (Abstract Architecture) : Next level production and quality. Hats off
MoMa Ready (RAVE UNIT, HAUS of ALTR, Method 808) : great remix
Josh Wink (Ovum) : Usually good and sensual Electro from E.R.P.
Carista : love the remix of convextion
DVS1 : Thanks!
Inland : Ace! the remix is so lush! Thanks
Laurent Garnier : Ohhh whaouuuu - THIS IS SUPERB Full support
Radio Slave (Rekids) : I'm sold... This is great and I really love all the tracks.
Marcel Dettmann : thx
2562 / A Made Up Sound (Delsin, Clone) : The Convextion version is fire! Thanks :)
Bake (All Caps/Rinse FM) : love! <3
Interstellar Funk (Rush Hour) : Sounds great! Thank you
Efdemin (Dial) : Insanely good ep from the master!
Darko Esser / Tripeo (Balans / Clone) : Always good in my book, fantastic record!
Bailey Ibbs (Metafloor Records / Habits / Dansu Discs) : Make Electro Great Again!!
Nathan Jonson (Hrdvision) : rad!!!!
Uncertain (RSPX, WRKTRX, Suara) : convextion remix for me
Dj Deep (Deeply Rooted) : super nice release!
ROD / Benny Rodrigues : !!!!!
Surgeon (Dynamic Tension Records) : Great work. Love all tracks. Will play Convexion remix in my DJ sets for sure.
Steffi (Dolly) : simply grea!!!!!!
Kr!z (Token Records) : absolutely fantastic, as always
Phase Fatale (Ostgut Ton, BITE, Hospital Productions, Jealous God) : awesome!
Theo Nasa (Rekids) : WICKED!!!
Kosh (Syncrophone) : Lovely release
Subradeon (Subradeon Records) : interesting stuff! thanks for sending. Convextion rmx is my fav!
Gramrcy (Peach Discs/FTD) : Convextion remix is sick
Stephanie Sykes (Vent) : All tracks are sounding Super nice!!! TY!!! especially feeling Four Alone, so beautifully nostalgic. Cant wait to play!
Tal Fussman (Survival Tactics / Innervisions / Cod3QR / Drumpoet / Rekids) : oh yes
Richie Hawtin (M_Nus) : downloaded for r hawtin
Alan Oldham (DJ T-1000) : Super high quality electro, but the Convextion remix is the one I'm more likely to play out. Will support!
Ben UFO (Hessle Audio / Rinse FM) : convextion remix!
Truncate : Dope cuts thanks
Jonas Kopp : Excellent stuff, but this more of the pre-existent material.
The Advent : amazing stuff, digging all the tracks.. 2 - E.R.P - Microsentric my Fav..
Ste Roberts : Absolutely out of order! Anything Gerard touches turns to gold. 10/10
Joris Voorn (Spectrum) : Downloaded, thanx.
Roberto / R.M.K / Fossil Archive (Fossil Archive) : Love this!
Raffaele Attanasio (Axis) : nicee1!!!
DJ Assassin (Recode Records / Cross Section / Connaisseur) : wicked

News from Outcast Planet : introducing the newborn OTP006 by Lorenzo Aribone. An elegant 12" release with a deep and dark progressive essence, enriched by captivating melodies and haunting vocals. Mind Hunter EP has taken shape and it's almost ready to hit your decks !

he next instalment from Soulfuric Recordings is the first edition of “The Sound Of Soulfuric Volume 1” taken from the vaults are four unearthed gems spanning two classics, two exclusives, and long-awaited vinyl debuts from house music specialists such as Hardsoul feat Ron Carroll, Urban Blues Project, The Thompson Project & Crackazat and Art Of Tones.

Stepping up first is Hardsoul featuring the legendary Ron Carroll with “Back Together” (Main Classic Mix) a track that should be found in every soulful house DJ’s set, with Ron’s alluring vocals this one is definitely made to keep the dancers moving and in case of dancefloor emergencies reach for this record.

Up next is Urban Blues Project featuring Bobby Pruitt “We Are One” (Art of Tones Extended Remix) which is being brought out for the first time on vinyl, the original mix was first released in 2001 and the now the Art Of Tones Remix has breathed new life into it making it a must have for anyone who is a fan of the original.

Flipping over to the B side, Urban Blues Project return once again with Love Don’t Live (The U.B.P. Classic Club Mix) with Michael Procter. A Soulfuric classic that has been championed time and time again, first released in 1996 and now being revived almost 20 years later on fresh wax.

Rounding off Volume 1 The Thompson Project & Crackazat featuring Gary L with “Messin’ With My Mind” (Crackazat Extended Remix) this has also never been on vinyl before, released earlier this year this soulful house banger got the touch-up from Bristol’s finest Crackazat who adds his touch to the Florida duo’s offering.

House heads can come together once again and seize the opportunity to get their hands on this outstanding EP.

Once the first EP was finished, this double helix continued making new tracks or General Dance Music as they call it. See you in the maze?

Lepidoptera - the scientific name for butterflies, meaning "scale-winged" - is also the title of the seventh studio album by renowned music producer, bestselling author, ecologist, and knowledge mediator Dominik Eulberg. More than just an album, Lepidoptera is an artistic manifesto: a celebration of butterfly diversity and a profound ecological statement. Set for release via !K7 Records, Lepidoptera blends his signature sound with an urgent ecological message. It marks the pinnacle of a music career spanning over three decades. Eulberg"s fascination with butterflies began in early childhood and has since become a lifelong passion. Drawing from years of experience as a producer and DJ, Eulberg presents his most technically ambitious work yet. At the heart of Lepidoptera are twelve native butterfly species, handpicked by Eulberg from the 3,700 known species in his homeland. Each track is inspired by one species, shaping the album"s structure and grounding its creative focus. The result is a richly textured and immersive journey that moves fluidly between pulsating, danceable rhythms, ambient soundscapes, and orchestral flourishes.

Another dispatch from two familiar conspirators of the Brew fold, Beau Wanzer & Jason Letkiewicz together as The Headaches.

4 tracks of the heaviest sonic mutations that feels part séance and part sweat-drenched dancefloor. Good for noctural roaming through the city or for a frenzy in heady basements. The good shit.

Mastered by the Bastard.

Dark Entries release 'A Boy Alone', a double LP set from Manchester electronic music pioneer Eric Random. Best known for his early recordings for New Hormones and Les Disques du Crépuscule and collaborations with Pete Shelley (Buzzcocks), Cabaret Voltaire and Nico.

As an original member of The Tiller Boys with Shelley, Random injected a healthy dose of Krautrock into the dour Manchester post-punk scene in 1978/79 before going solo the following year. Random's first 7' 'Subliminal'/'23 Skidoo' was released in 1981 via Les Disques du Crépuscule and explored ominous sonic surrounds. That same year also saw the release of a second 7" single on New Hormones, 'Dow Chemical Company'/ 'Skin Deep'. Both tracks offered bubbling, rhythmic sound patterns, and were the first to feature other musicians that would become know as The Bedlamites. Consisting of Lynn Walton on vocals, Ian Runacres and Andy Diagram of Dislocation Dance, and bassist Wayne Worm, aka Wayne Sedgeman. Their debut 12' single 'Subliminal Seduction'/'Bedlam-a-Go-Go' was released in 1982 through Plurex, mixing arid funk textures and sparse melodies. That same year the group contributed proto chill-out track '6.55' to Plurex compilation 'Hours' and the highly filmic track 'In Cassette Conference' to the Touch cassette package 'Feature Mist'. In 1983, Random spent several months in the Himalayas with a group of musicians from the Kulu Valley and studied non-Western instruments such as tabla. On returning to Manchester, Random convened a new group of Belamites including Walton, Sedgeman and drummer Graham Dowdall aka Dids of Ludus. They released the 12' single 'Mad As Mankind'/'Dream Web Of Maya' in 1984 on Cabaret Voltaire's Doublevision, embracing electronic, industrial and dub styles. In 1985 they contributed the soothing 'Pure Power' to Food Records' 'Imminent Episode One' compilation.

Our reissue also includes 4 unreleased bonus tracks from Eric's archives recorded between 1981-1984. The whole set adds up to 115 minutes of sinister, somnambulant Random music. All songs have been remastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios. Each copy is housed in a gatefold jacket designed by Eloise Leigh featuring a spread of ephemera, photos with liner notes by James Nice of LTM.

Evelyne/Masao bring TESTPATTERN to Dark Entries for the label’s first foray into vintage Japanese electronics. Masao Hiruma and Fumio Ichimura’s project Testpattern is known for their release Apres-Midi, a cult slab of synthpop perfection released by Yukihiro Takahashi and Haruomi Hosono’s legendary Yen Records in 1982. While Hiruma and Ichimura parted ways following Apres-Midi, Hiruma’s musical endeavors would continue after meeting French/American model and vocalist Evelyne Bennu in 1984 at a café bar where she would sit and write poetry. Their collaborative efforts as Evelyne/Masao were fruitful, and the duo first performed together in June 1984 on a television program called TOKYO ROCK TV. The album TESTPATTERN comprises seventeen songs recorded in Hiruma’s home studio, which have never been released previously. The Evelyne/Masao duo continues building on the soundworld of Apres-Midi: lush, sophisticated electronics with intricate yet minimalist production. Tracks like “Sakuramochi” and “Bird Island” bear influence from Hosono most clearly, their soaring melodies revealing a subtly ironic redeployment of East Asian musical tropes. But TESTPATTERN is more than homage to Yellow Magic Orchestra. “Tabac” and “Le Soleil Se Leve” display oddball sensibilities closer to Sky Records icons Asmus Tietchens or Cluster. Elsewhere, the project shows affinity for the punkier ethos of continental DIY electronics, like on the quirky “Alien Go Home” and a positively skewed cover of “Singin’ in the Rain.” Bennu’s vocals provide a common thread through these explorations, as she alternates deftly between New Wave deadpan and unhinged chanson singer—check her waxing maximally Francophone on “Au Clair de Lune,” based on an 18th century French song. TESTPATTERN will be available on both double LP as well as CD, and includes a fold-out poster with liner notes with lyrics. This album is dedicated to Masao Hiruma, who passed away in 2011.

“sitting in the terminal at Barcelona airport, health safety warnings echo through empty architecture. feeling slow, and fast, out of sync with rituals and routines. structure and rhythm disintegrate into micro gestures appearing in random order, a daily psychedelia... amid all of the chaos and distraction in the last few years, it’s only through letting go that I've found solid ground to stand on.”

These are some of the experiences and reflections that gave shape to Slipstream, a hallucinatory mini-album by the artist PVAS and the fourth release on Objekt's label, Kapsela. Slipstream is an aural document of PVAS's interior life, conceived not as a grab-bag of DJ-friendly tracks (although it’s clearly inspired by the club) but as a single, delicately crafted artistic statement. The entire record is shrouded in a flickering haze, worn through by smudged breakbeats and wiry drum machines. “Wetland”, with its swampy percussion and crystalline arps, echoes T++ and Kraftwerk. The radiant incandescence of “Gathering Drift” recalls GAS or Monolake's “Hong Kong.” Sampled breakbeats dip and swerve asymmetrically through “Boba” and “Terminal”. Across the record, textures and voices are reshaped by PVAS's homemade algo-software, UMT, which, in PVAS’ own words, “reconstructs one audio file by sampling another, resulting in output that merges their aesthetic qualities, creating rhythm with non-rhythmic sound files and abusing the stereo field.” But the most striking union of technology and poetic self-exploration comes at the end of the record, in the title track, from words murmured through a classic vocoder:



“when i stop framing myself as a boundaried stone

immovable, and powerful, and heavy

when i stop figuring my deepest space as my own

something which i am solely responsible

i surrender, i surrender”



PVAS is Jordan Juras, a Berlin-based artist who grew up outside of Windsor, Ontario. He has released solo EPs on Isla and xpq?, and is half the duo NUG (3XL, West Mineral Ltd.). In addition to developing music software professionally, he has used his UMT software on records by Lyra Pramuk and Dylan Kerr. Slipstream was recorded from 2022 to 2025.

Written and produced by PVAS

Mixed by TJ Hertz

Mastered by Anne Taegert at D&M

Artwork and design by Brodie Kaman

Cybernetic disco maestro Patrick Cowley graces Dark Entries once again with Hard Ware, an LP of far-out funk and synthpop celebrating what would have been Cowley’s 75th birthday. Best known for his chart-topping disco anthems, Cowley left us with an incredible body of work before his tragic death in 1982 due to AIDS-related illness. Since 2009, Dark Entries has been working with Cowley’s friends and family to uncover the singular artist’s lesser-known sides, including his soundtracks for gay pornographic films, which the label chronicled on compilation albums School Daze, Muscle Up, and Afternooners. Hard Ware presents the closing chapter in a trilogy of unreleased Cowley dancefloor bangers that began with 2022’s heavy-hitting Male Box and was continued with the soul and garage-inflected From Behind in 2024. The most expansive release in said trilogy, Hard Ware delivers ten tracks of pure, uncut Cowley: sultry, psychedelic, sarcastic, and just a bit sleazy. Cowley devotees will delight in “Tech-No,” a sparse instrumental demo version of his epically dystopian “Tech-No-Logical World.” You could soundtrack your next aerobics session with cheeky numbers like “Pajama Party Massacre” or “Shake It Up,” both of which feature Cowley himself on vocals. The frenetic “Big Ass in Motion” is built around samples from Rudy Ray Moore and The Madam’s infamous “Sensuous Black Woman,” an X-rated comedy record that would later feature in classic booty house records. Mid-tempo cosmic groovers are well-represented with jams like “Hellfire” and “Megablue,” which perfectly capture Cowley’s bathhouse-in-outerspace sensibilities. No collection of Cowley’s work would be complete without an interstellar floor-filler, and we’ve got quite a few here, like “Jungle Jump,” which pits whirling beats with dub-laced swirls of synth, or “Spellbinding Lover,” a Donna Summer-indebted melancholic boogie masterpiece that features Sylvester backup singer Jeanie Tracy. Hard Ware closes with the chilling synth-hymn ”Ice Age,” in which Loverde vocalist Peggy Gibbons sings of a coming frosty apocalypse. The story told in “Ice Age” mirrors the coming AIDS crisis and feels like a haunting premonition from Cowley. The record comes in a sleeve with a hand-airbrushed circuitboard-inspired design by Gwenaël Rattke, and includes lyrics as well as liner notes by Andrew Ryce and Peggy Gibbons. Hard Ware is another crucial document of a tremendous talent taken too soon.