Поиск:b key

Aficionado enjoyed a storming start to 2017, serving up a pair of sell out EPs from either end of the Balearic shoreline - now they're back with one more for Good Measure.
Teaming up with the Mancunian fashion house for a second season, this sonic selection pack is softer than velvet, smoother than silk and more durable than Moonboots' P.E. kit.
Pour yourself a spritz, slip into something stylish and bask in the brilliance of 'Good MeasurePt.2' Bird song blends into synth swell as 'Ottimismo' shakes our hand, pulling back a deckchair and inviting us to relax and recline with its simmering percussion, swaying bassline and delicate fretwork.
London's Simon Peter is the man behind the music, following a gorgeous 12" on Claremont 56 with another sun kissed soother perfect for a coastal drive, morning swim or lazy siesta.
We take a small step towards the fiesta on the A2, rolling our shoulders and nodding our heads to the infectious rhythms of Simon Cotter's 'Pianta Road'.Though the claves, woodblocks and guiro may dart like dragonflies over a midsummer drum pattern, the Australian conjures a calming breeze via Casiotone keys, spheric bass and sublime strings.
If that weren't enough to make your ice cube melt, the exquisite cascade of well-tinkled ivories could bring a tear to a glass eye and a smile to a cliff-face.The sultry sounds continue on the B1 as France's Murena charters a yacht from Saint Tropez to Es Canar, cutting through the dazzling azure with 'Un Prueba De Amor'. DX7 chimes and digital pan pipes glisten in the spray while a lilting groove rises from the deep, picking up snatches of distant conversations and the rise of tidal sine waves as it goes.
Drifting, dreamy and more debonair than Boardman's cravat, this is as Balearic as it gets. From here we go sublime, waltzing beyond the sunset to the baroque soul of B&B's 'Read Me'.
Waves crash and strings screech, a roaring storm kept at bay by warm double bass, pizzicato melody and spirit lifting poetry. Hints of hip hop and dub colour the immersive groove, while those neo-classical flourishes favour the cinematic diversions of PCO or Monsieur Tellier. Officially Aficionado.

* Includes a DIN A2long poster inside the 12" sleeve with edition number and music download code

* Rogue Style 1 EP is an international homage to b-boy culture, where the worlds of breakbeat music and breakdance collide. Sinistarr (USA), Kiat (Singapore), Kabuki (Germany) and HomeSick (Canada) are connected in many ways, now they lay bare their hip-hop roots and give something back with a fresh take through the eyes of drum & bass and juke/footwork. Here is what they have to say:

Sinistarr: "As a teenager I grew up as a b-boy, dancing anywhere I could: schools, parks, festivals, you name it, my crew was there with cardboard and a speaker. I eventually got deeper into DJing and making music and learned to bring a sound that's not just for the crowds and the purists, but also for all the dancers!"

Kiat: "Hip Hop has taught me to keep evolving, to explore new forms in all my art. Progression is the key to evolution. -- I met Sinistarr online thru myspace and we had a musical connection which led to our first collaboration 'Black Diamonds' which is still one of my personal favourite tunes I've been fortunate to be part of it's creation. With Kabuki, i've always been a fan of his work since his 'Makai' alias on No U-Turn, despite meeting him only recently thru the label.I've always known him to be constantly progressing his ideas in his music which I respect alot."

Kabuki: "B-boy culture has always been a strong influence on how I pursued my art, mainly because of its DIY ethos and attitude of perfecting your craft. Incidentally these were also the aspects that drew me to Jungle when I first discovered it in the nineties. -- I'm happy to rub shoulders with Kiat, Sinistarr and HomeSick on this release, as I'm a fan of their music foremost, but also because we became friends through the music."

HomeSick: "I was only a child in the 90s and as a result I feel like my understanding of b-boy culture was experienced second hand thanks to 90s/early 2000s hip hop music. I appreciate the parallels I can see with footwork culture, particularly the similarities to the community mentality of break dancing. -- I know Sinistarr through booking him for our local party night in Alberta, Canada called Percolate. Our city must have left an impression on him because a year later he made the move here from Detroit. Had the pleasure of hosting him as a room mate for a little over half a year, the home was a very potent creative space during this time. Kabuki hit me up a few years ago and we very quickly got to sharing tracks and collaborating together. Mans a master of production and a super important part of the global scene."

The idea for a reminiscence of b-boy culture stem from label owner Booga:

"Why am I interested in this so much I grew up in East Germany and as the movie "Beat Street" premiered in 1985 over here I was age 13 and blown away by the energy, the music, the wit, the style - everything in this movie was better than everyday life in Leipzig. So I started saving for a cassette recorder and taped music shows from West German radio and prepared tapes for school disco gigs to the hope somebody would do the "robot" to Arthur Baker "Breaker's Revenge". Unfortunately that never worked out hahaha. But I was hooked since then and as the wall came down in 1989 I travelled to West Berlin just to buy the Beats, Breaks and Scratches 1-4 vinyl box by Simon Harris. The fascination for breakbeats never stopped and before I discovered Jungle around '94 I was down with the British cut up house thing from the likes of Marrs, Krush and Coldcut as another form of breakbeat music. The "do it yourself" spirit from hip hop culture inspired me to start a local website called breaks.org in 2000 to locally promote the drum and bass scene with emerging producers, djs and mcs for a wider audience and I threw in some interviews with Storm, Kabuki, Rob Playford, Klute and John B. That turnt into a multi author blog called itsyours.info in 2004 which still exists - that is where I had the pleasure to introduce Kiat and Ash in 2007. All these years I was listening and playing drum and bass tunes when the occasional "bboy tune" came up, some were obvious like Alex Reece "B-Boy Flavour", Lemon D "B Boyz", Commix "Change" and some were not so much self-explanatory like Digital & Spirits "Phantom Force" and the remixes by T-Power & Codeine or Fracture's Astrophonica Edit - but I felt the hidden force of breakdancing nevertheless. With the Rogue Style series I have the first class opportunity to ask established and new Defrostatica artists to present a current interpretation of b-boy culture. This is a dream coming true."

Tropical Odds is the second album by White Sea, the solo alias adopted by gifted American singer, songwriter and producer Morgan Kibby of M83
Born in Alaska, and now a resident of Los Angeles, Morgan fronted The Romanovs before joining acclaimed electronic music group M83 in 2007, co-writing, arranging and playing keyboards on the albums Saturdays = Youth and Hurry Up, We're Dreaming, as well as completing several world tours.
As White Sea, her first solo album In Cold Blood arrived in 2014, a dramatic debut praised by Billboard for its 'canyon-sized hooks, knowingly grandiose melodies and succulent vocals' and judged 'pop's newest break-up classic' by Flavourwire.  
Outside of M83 Morgan has also collaborated with artists such as Greg Kurstin, Panic! at the Disco, Mark Ronson and School of Seven Bells, remixed Ellie Goulding and Britney Spears, and composed the award winning soundtrack to Eva Husson's provocative 2016 movie Bang Gang (une histoire d'amour moderne).
New album Tropical Odds stems from an interactive project launched via White Sea's website featuring digital singles and videos released at regular intervals throughout 2015 and 2016. Explains Morgan: 'Generally being able to create and mix and master my solo material within days has given me the direct freedom to share songs I want people to hear. In short, if I write something that I like, I put it out!'
Now gathered together in album form, the musical moods on Tropical Odds range from the sombre reflections of Gangster No. 1 and Yesterday to the hedonistic rush of Stay Young, Get Stoned and Never a Woman, high drama on Bloodline and Arcadia, and heartbreaking balladry on Secret, One Bad Eye and Lessons.

Having come up with an annual-ish drop of 12's since 2010, Even Brenden AKA Chmmr set aside the spring of 2016 to challenge himself to a new format: a full-length album. A true nostalgic, he uses Compass Point-era and early Italo sounds for inspiration and attempts to simulate these styles. This makes for a melodic, chuggy and graphic album that belongs a little more in the living room than on the dance floor. With 10 tracks of dusty rhythms and the honest, naive and spacious themes that is Brenden's signature, it's a record designed to signal that today's technological future may not be as different as yesterday's. Features a nice-looking cover painting drawn by the late Harold Cohen's AARON program - automation at its finest. Hidden behind his Chmmr moniker is Even Brenden, whose summery debut found its way into the world via Norwegian psych-disco label Luna Flicks in 2010. The record became somewhat of a soughtafter item and after making pit stops at Relish, Dødpop and Untz Untz Records, he landed on Prins Thomas' Full Pupp in 2014 and have stayed put ever since, all the while enjoying a steady habit of record jocking and the occasional keyboard duty in Telephones' now-defunct live band. Even resides in Oslo makes odd waves without vowels.

"Tiff's Joints returns for its second release with two hefty bubblers bursting with life from Deoke. Deoke is South London's Dave Koor, an esteemed DJ, producer and killer on the keys. He also co-runs the label Albert's Favourites, is one half of Modified Man and plays with his band the Expansions, regularly backing up acts like Andrew Ashong and Connie Constance.""Kamby Version"" was premiered by Stamp the Wax and both tracks have received early support from the likes of Alexander Nut, Brame & Hamo, Jimpster & more."

Echoe returns for its first outing of 2017 and fifth release since starting in earnest last year. ECHOE005 marks the first remix package in the label's discography, offering up four stellar remixes of Francesca Lombardo's "Remembrance" song. A clear stand-out in the label boss's inimitable repertoire, "Remembrance" has been given the rework treatment by house and techno stalwarts: Cassy, Laura Jones, Jade and La Fleur.

Cassy offers up the first remix, focussing her reinterpretation around an enormous and insistent bassline, murky and dense in equal measure, that rolls from start to finish. Undulating hats inject further energy, doubling in pace strategically whilst complimenting the 4/4 groove. Utilising the originals' emotional resonance, Cassy creates soft textures and refined arpeggiated patterns, adding a further dimension to the track's impassioned narrative.

Laura Jones's remix comes in the form of a low-slung, jazzy drum work-out, adorned with sub-heavy kicks and a snarling low-end that offers much of the track's sonic weight. Gentle bell-like keys float alongside modulated synth stabs that filter in and out of focus, whilst Jones's drum programming becomes progressively more and more frenetic.

Jade's reimagining sees a broken beat take the reigns, leaving space for soft percussive rhythms and an earth shaking low-end that pushes the song into ghetto house territory. Hi-hat pick-ups and jittery vocal cuts provide further momentum before the groove lands on sturdy 4/4 terrain. Jade's deftly arranged breakdowns, punctuated by panned drum fills and granular FX, adds welcome tension to the track, making a return to rolling drum-patterns and buzzing bass-sequences all the more rewarding as they come back in.

The final remix comes courtesy of La Fleur who delivers the most peak-time, club focussed material on the package. Staying true to the original's hook, La Fleur brings melody to the fore, whilst deploying snappy drums alongside chilling atmospherics and tech heavy stabs, set to keep dancers moving into early hours and beyond.

1983, in the history of synths, is a key year. During the January edition of NAMM (the most important music fair in the US), indeed, MIDI - the standard protocol for electronic instruments interaction - was introduced to the world. Until then, programming and making synths work together was something practiced by a restricted elite of 'wizards", explorers armed with cables and analog patches, who could create new sonic worlds - but totally temporary, not replicable. Real superheroes of sonic synthesis, scientists of filters who, nowadays, are highly considered by musicians all over the world, after decades of forced exile. In Italy, the seeds of this tradition were planted in RAI's Laboratory of Phonology (in Milan), in the middle of the 1950's; later, pioneers like Piero Umiliani, Federico Monti Arduini (aka Il Guardiano Del Faro), Marcello Giombini, Giampiero Boneschi and Fabio Borgazzi (Fabio Fabor) introduced electronic music in pop. Fabor (together with Antonio Arena) is the protagonist of 'Superman", an album of library music released by the World label (owned by Minstrel group) in 1984. Borgazzi, born in 1920, lived through the whole saga of Italian easy listening music (from big orchestras to the digital revolution), always keeping up with the latest styles and trends. So it's not a surprise, here, to see him using a LinnDrum and the first Japanes synths; and it's perfectly natural to find some electro-funk touches

Ryogo Yamamori announced the start of a new imprint called Kagerou in 2017, which focus on both digital and analogue releases. First cut Ryogo'ssolo Shakunetsu E.P. is this low-key Tokyo veteran techno artist's most ethereal work yet.

On the label that got him back in the game, Brian Harden returns to D3 Elements, this time with a remix EP of Chicago To Detroit, that featured on the Black 3 EP. This EP features 3 remixes, one By Brian himself and the others by Detroit's Patrice Scott and Atlanta's Byron The Aquarius.First up is man of the moment, Byron The Aquarius, riding high after his releases on Sound Signature and Wild Oates, with his ethereal take on the original. With it's cosmic sounds weaving in and out, Byron manages to infuse his soulful sound on the track to take it to a otherworldly territory. Brian is up next with his 'Chicago Sur Seine Mix', introducing a steel drum and some beautiful pads that are reminiscent of 808 State's, Pacific 202. While still keeping with the original's pace, this remix has more of a down tempo feel, and would fit perfectly in those late night/early morning sets. Finally Patrice Scott delivers a more beat driven Detroit take on the original, with an emphasis on the hi hats and clap that really gives the track that driven feel. While still paying respect to the original, half way through Patrice takes it to another level with his atmospheric keys that round off a great remix EP.

(180 gr) Talamanca System are the unlikely trio of Gerd Janson, Phillip Lauer of Tuff City Kids and Mark Barrott. Their sole release in late 2014 became one of the best selling on the International Feel imprint. My Past Is Your Future brings them back together for a trio of magical productions that cumulate the power of their production skills and winks at a forthcoming album coming on the imprint this summer.

Talamanca System are the unlikely trio of Gerd Janson, Phillip Lauer of Tuff City Kids and Mark Barrott. Their sole release in late 2014 became one of the best selling on the International Feel imprint. My Past Is Your Future brings them back together for a trio of magical productions that cumulate the power of their production skills and winks at a forthcoming album coming on the imprint this summer.

Talamanca System's debut set them alight across the dance music press and the follow up catapults their distinctive take on modern dance music back into the current consciousness. The EP delivers a nirvanic state, with My Past Is Your Future's use of delicate chords, cascading keys and effortless groove. This is a divine record, paired with a Beatless Stars Is Space mix that strips it back to its core and the Chukka Chukka Dance mix squares up to the dancefloor with an end of night classic.

Best known for his burgeoning Running Back imprint, Gerd Janson is a DJ's DJ, a connoisseur of dance music with an inimitable style that cross genres. His production partner Phillip Lauer forms part of Tuff City Kids and Black Spuma, who have also released on International Feel, with a style that fuses the rhythms of house music with bold melodies to form structured songs. The result is music that can sit comfortably in many worlds.

Mark Barrott started out in the mid 90's as Future Loop Foundation and since has composed music for numerous films & TV shows and founded one of the world's leading music consultancies. His highly-respected International Feel label has featured albums from the likes of DJ Harvey and Jose Padilla, with a huge portion of the releases dedicated to Barrott's own anonymous pseudonyms. Barrott's Sketches from an Island project has gained support from Pitchfork, the Fader, the Guardian and even the Financial Times for its bold and quirky take on Balearic music.

The three of them form an exhilarating partnership in Talamanca System and this EP gives a snapshot into their forthcoming album due to be released on International Feel in May 2017.

Acclaimed Russian producer, DJ and live musician Kito Jempere is back with a stunning second album, this time on Italian label Hell Yeah. Entitled Sea Monster and due for release in early 2017, the nine track album is a fantastic fusion of live instrumentation and electronic production.

Kito Jempere is a musical polymath. The Russian artist, producer, multi-instrumentalist and band leader has been involved in many projects over the last ten years plus. These range from rock to acid jazz to electronic bands and often call upon a rotating cast of other members who are all equally talented.

From playing in small bars to headlining big shows for thousands of people in Saint Petersburg, he has put out a number of albums and singles on labels like Freerange, Room With A View and Hell Yeah and DJs around Europe.

Jempere plays live as the Kito Jempere Band, and here he calls upon his bandmates for their many skills to lend the album a richly musical feel.

Mixed and co-produced by band member Roman Urazov, the album features Artemiy Gunbin aka Noteless, the voice of the Kito Jempere Band and front man of his own rock band Videatape, as well as Ruslan Gadzhimuradov, a long time drummer on many projects, plus Matvey Averin, the bassist but also co-producer for cult group Manizha and finally Sergey Lipsky who here plays guitar and is also half of Simple Symmetry as well as having played for Kito's other project Saint Petersburg Disco Spin Club group.

Sea Monster kicks off with Lifetime Theme, a heavenly groove with loose drums and percussion and gorgeous keys. Form there, Artemiy Gunbin's ethereal and crystal clear vocals take centre stage amongst balearic guitars on album single 'Ampa', and then 'To Talk' is a deeper cut with bumpy drums, long tailed pads and shiny synths all making for a curious and whimsical atmosphere.

'Grid Cells' is a lush instrumental track with clever revel and echo adding a sense of grandeur to the freeform jazz drums and frazzled synths, 'Uohha' is as sunny and laid back as an afternoon on the beach and 'Puzzled' then layers up scuzzy basslines, popping hits and suspenseful synths into something smooth and seductive.

The final third of the album closes out with blissful guitar licks, lazy broken beats and brilliant drum playing that all have you wishing it was summer again.

This is an album with elements of jazz, house, disco, balearic and many more sounds all smoothly blended into one coherent and captivating album full of soul and musical skill.

Four Thirty Two, the new record label directed and curated by Richy Ahmed, reveals its second release this Spring with a fantastic new single from Luca Cazal. Out on vinyl & digital in April, 'Be Alone' is backed with collaboration with Italian producer, Andrea Fiorito.
Cazal has previously released music on Crosstown Rebels, Classic Music Company and his own See Double label, and once again displays his house music credentials on this Four Thirty Two release.
His understanding of club music runs deep; knowing what makes a dancefloor tick is an essential skill for any producer, and Cazal's DJ residency at the Paradise DC10 club nights and regular gigs at Circoloco keep him firmly in tune and adept at carving out modern and fresh party moments.
'Be Alone' is an inspiriting, rolling house track that builds steadily over its tenure. A filtered vocal hook unfurls over tension building strings and nimble keys, the hi-hats assuredly rattling over rolling snare fills and with the energy levels never dropping, Cazal serves up a cracking club cut with all the hallmarks of a filtered house classic in the making.
The infectious house grooves keep coming with 'Manali', with Cazal partnering up with Andrea Fiorito (Cynosure) for a no-nonsense, heads down, acidic basement moment. An urgent bassline bounces around the locked groove whilst choppy vocals, haunting synths and energetic percussion all hustle for prime position in this lively and effective track.

Amsterdam's cult producer and DJ Steven van Hulle a.k.a. Awanto 3 likes his samples vibrant, his drums wobbly and his synths sweaty as a Detroit summer breeze. The MPC wizard returns to Dekmantel delivering his second, full-length album. Gargamel is arguably his most compelling piece of work. Spread over the course of nine tracks, van Hulle shows he's capable of serving up many different styles and genres in his ever-expanding arsenal.
.
The Rednose Distrikt affiliate kicks things off with his friend and co-producer Darling. 'Azrael' builds over shuffling, infectious rhythms, a cluster of vocal stabs and heartfelt keys.
'This Is When We Met', 'Why Don't You' and 'Gargamelancholia' on the other hand, are aggressive, batty-jackin peak-time tracks embracing classic acid aesthetics, while 'Positive Negative' is a stretched-out house jam incorporating the tussle of wonky boogie and tribal bumps.

Van Hulle drops the tempo on 'Hooli Goose', taking slow release hypnosis turns while making a marching band sound cool. The dry drum machines, melted bass and schizo sounds of 'Ride The Dragon' will appeal to the freaks, and the dreamy 'Happy Bird' is a tripped-out set of ambient and lo-fi themes. Last but not least, Dexter enters the stage to do what he does best with 'Thick': showing who's boss of the 808 with a straight-up electro essential.

After sending out these tracks last summer and getting great reactions from DJs and dancers alike, Hell Yeah is pleased to finally officially release virtuoso musician Verdo's Little Blue EP, complete with a remix from Lauer. Fully remastered for vinyl, the likes of Lexx, Chris Coco, Soft Rocks, Leo Mas and many more have all be playing these tunes with great results.

The talented Verdo runs the famous Gratis Club in Senigallia on the Italian east coast. It is a place he calls home, and that has really allowed him to hone and sharpen his DJ skills so that now he is a slick, unpredictable and singular DJ with many tricks up his sleeve. Bjorn Torske, DJ Fettburger, Prins Thomas, Kenji Takimi, Glenn Underground and more have all played there in the last decade and Verdo himself is a skilled pianist who has played for Zero7 singer Mozez in the past. He has worked with Hell Yeah before now, as well as releasing on Danny Was A Drag King, and here serves up his biggest bit of dance floor dynamite to date, including his previously digital only cut 'Big Fish' (mixed by DJ Rocca).

Opener 'Little Blue' is a perfectly sunny track with hip swinging claps, bobbling bass and boat party vibes that soothe your soul. Rich with instrumentals and golden synth lines, it's a perfect beat that gets followed up by the retro disco pump of 'Sazerac', another tropical cut with loose drums and rubbery bass to get you up on your toes.

The massive 'Big Fish' then hits hard with its tin pot percussion and wild synths all making you flail your arms like you just don't care. Jumbled jungle vibes and big chords all swell your heart as your feet skip about down low.

Closing out the package is Phillip Lauer (Tuff City Kids), one of the most in demand stars of the day, and his version is a direct house jam with percolating and rugged synths and slapping hits, all demanding you ditch your cocktail and get up and groove.

"all good stuff here! OG for early / mornings and Lauer for peak. really nice release! " Piers - Soft Rocks

"Big fan of Verdo! great tunes here as expected. Sezarac fav at first listen." - Dream Chimney

"Little blue is super nice!!" - Phil South (Golf Channel)

"Yes, some great stuff here. Sezerac and the Lauer mix are really great, perfect sunshine session material." - Chris Coco

"I love Big Fish's keyboards! strong!!! Arigato!!!" - Chida

"Little Blue and Big Fish are fun for sure, def will play em on a rooftop sooooon" - Jacques Renault

"Yeah, feeling Little Blue, heavy rotation this Summer! " - Jason Boardman (Aficionado)

"Little Blue, i like." - Lexx

"This is tremendous. Driving peak time track that you can imagine Joe Claussell really working the dancefloor with." - Andrew Pirie

"killer ep guys!!!" - Discodromo

After releasing their debut full length Album on Kompakt last year, Hunter/Game return to Just This with another immersive offering.
On the ‚Dead Soul EP' the duo continue to refine their expressive yet subtly arranged sound. The title track unfolds slowly, sculpting the melody, texture and suspense. Joey Anderson's take on 'Dead Soul' is airy and atmospheric without losing it's pulsing flow. ‚Isolation' covers a broad spectrum and is filled with contrasts in which an intense bass interacts with a delicate and breathy melody.
Balance is key to Hunter/Game's music and this EP is no exception.

After 3am Recordings' return to 12' in March 2016, which straight into the Juno Deep House Top 10, it's time for label boss Al Bradley to unleash his own 12". The original of Night Owl has been working like a charm - a deep & bass-heavy affair, coming on like Franck Roger or Djebali wearing their slightly more chunky-vibed studio hats (or something.....). Pressed For Time main dude Goshawk, tweaks his remix taking the cue from the original bass into key-led deepness, with added percussion elements & warm vibes ago-go. Fellow 3am geezer Michael Scott takes a real diversion & strips things right back in freaky trippy minimal style, reworking the vibe of the track completely. Closing the 12", fourfourfour heads into Berlin electronic territory, shifting the focus to the main percussive section & coming out with a massively powerful yet stripped back beast of a remix. Serious damage incoming....

THE ADAMANT SESSION - 'Various Artists' (Muzik & Friendz Records)
Showcasing the ethos of the imprint by bringing together a collective of friends for the next musical instalment, Belgian label Muzik & Friendz present a four track Various Artist EP of deep, classy productions that will appeal to crate diggers, selectors and collectors alike.
Tune On 'Rice City' kicks off the EP with a moody, atmospheric and haunting cut that blends growling bass and lush pads over dreamy arpeggios creating warm up material heaven. Jazzawesz & Pat Lezizmo 'Playing Games' the second track on side-A warms things up with a groove laden track tinged with deepness and a funk that will fit into any set where quality is the key, sweet keys and clever percussion throughout make this stand out. Tominori Hosoya 'Pray To Father' leads on side-B with a lead line and vocal awash with ethereal reverb over tough driving drums and classy percussion perfect for bringing some vibes from up above. Finally Melodymann 'Let him be heard' closes of the EP packing in a sweet piano hook, disco looped samples and bouncing bass overswinging drums.
Designed with the music collector in mind the limited vinyl release will be available packaged in hand made sleeves made from recycled materials.

* Perc & Truss rework two key cuts, taken from Mumdance & Logos' debut album 'Proto' and deliver us a pair of hard-as-nails techno bangers.

* 'Move Your Body' is mutated from the hardcore-referencing original into a searing industrial belter. Perc & Truss' version makes use of distorted 808 drums and rising machine noise to ramp up the tension before eventually dropping out to the 'move your body' vocal sample and unleashing a terrorising acid line. Dancefloor killer.

* Flip for 'Hall Of Mirrors' which sees the pair re-route Mumdance & Logos' original into a 4/4 roller, peppered with metallic percussive hits and and a robotic bass riff. Hard, uncompromising techno built just the way it should be.

'This is a journey into sound...,' These familiar words, accompanied by the rumble of a distant train, signal the opening of 'Let's Take A Trip', the sophomore album from Terrel Wallace aka Tall Black Guy. Since 2013's '8 Miles To Moenart' TBG has cemented his position as a standard bearer for the current hip-hop / beats scene. Born in Detroit and now residing in the UK, Wallace's signature style of incredibly clever sample flips and deft production chops has won fans across the globe including Gilles Peterson, Lefto, Jazzy Jeff and House Shoes.

Since his debut release in 2011 (a daring and addictive flip of Fela Kuti), TBG has become revered for his unique take on soulful hip-hop production. The swing of the drums, the textures of the instrumentation as well as a fearlessness in taking on the classics (his Soundcloud page includes flips and chops of tracks from James Brown, De La Soul and Michael Jackson) have marked him out from the crowd. One of the best-kept secrets in the scene, his singular talent is now beginning to get the recognition it deserves. In the last 12 months he has remixed Little Dragon and been invited to take part in Jazzy Jeff's Playlist Retreat alongside the likes of Eric Lau, James Poyser, Ali Shaheed Muhammed, Questlove and countless others.

For this album Wallace had a simple inspiration: 'This album is all about taking a journey. As simple as that. Be it physical, emotional or spiritual. It's asking and answering personal questions from myself within some of the tracks and also touching on social issues i.e. racism, inequality and privilege...that have been at the forefront of my mind over last three years.' Sonically there is also a shift: 'Jazz has definitely been more of an influence in this project, as I have been really inspired by so many up and coming musicians who I've been blessed to connect with'. Some of these musicians, including Kenny Keys, Miles Bonny, Diggs Duke and Dee Jackson feature on the project as well as regular collaborators Ozay Moore and Mario Sweet and fellow Playlist alumni Daniel Crawford and Masego. But this is one man's vision, and for Tall Black Guy this trip is just the beginning...,.

For their next release, Freeride Millenium once again link up with Pauls Musique for a perfectly formed new EP from Raphael Danilo feat. George Pappos. Both Danilo and Pappos reside in the rough edges of the greek mountain Parnassos, their musical approach takes cues from their proximity to the ancient sanctuary of Delphi and sees them cook up one fine cut which then gets remixed by Innellea and Nikkname. That lead single is 'Strangers', eight spiritual and spooky minutes of spine tingling and eerie synth music that really takes you on a trip. It operates on another dimension, with pixelated lines and undulating pads all suspending you in space. Perfect for an epic set opening or to really reset the dancefloor with an attention grabbing and emotive piece, it is a truly classy track full of musicality and suspense and atmosphere. German pair Innellea then step up to remix and brilliantly flip the cut into something just as epic and enchanting but with a mid tempo, rubbery house beat down low helping you slip into the deep and colourful groove. Last of all, Nikkname then re-works the whole thing into something minimal and absorbing. The whole thing is riddled with intricate sound design, tender piano keys and the sound of static. It is a real symphony of the organic and the electronic and as such cannot fail to make its mark. This is an artful package that demands close listening with suitably eye catching visuals supplied once again by artist Daniel Rajcsanyi. Thanks for purchasing a real copy!