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Seattle's own Manatee Commune (aka Grant Eadie) makes his long-awaited return to
Bastard Jazz with his fourth album, 'Simultaneity'. Lush and vibrant production is
familiar to his previous works, though Eadie has significantly matured in the activation of
space and character. A step away from standard songwriting, and a total disassociation
from lyrics at all, has made this record closer to the ambient genre than anything
Manatee Commune has released, all the while keeping one solid foot in the realm of
dance music.

'Simultaneity', as a whole, is an exploration of the collision between texture and time.
Captured recordings reminiscent of wind in wheatgrass, soft rain showers in the open
plains, and cascading beach sand wash over the mix, splashing into warm drones and
ascending melodies that cleanly syncopate against a steady rhythm. Though decidedly
electronic at times, a raw human element is ever-present in the form of a vocal motif:
just tiny moments of a loving voice lost in a sea of reverberation.

The album is a noticeably positive evolution from previous works. All nine tracks depict
a calmness and subtlety in musicianship, relying primarily on tenuous snippets of live
instrumentation and synthesis that hypnotically coil and coalesce with one another.
'Love Tone', the opening track, features Eadie's partner, a small voice memo clipped
and expanded into an ethereal vocal melody. A crisp felt piano delivers a complex
arpeggiation in 'Mosaic', a warm sonic bath scape reminiscent of Olafur Arnalds or
Kiasmos. Simple, undemanding bass lines drive tracks 'Path' and 'Faulted', though their
simplicity is contrasted with a variety of patterns that combine to create unique auditory
shapes, both building and landing in satisfying climactic movement. The album
culminates in the final track, 'Touch Theme', where a block of sound in the form of a
broad, open synthetic chord warms the ears, eventually twisting and shifting to rhythmic
chunks that shove against a familiar house rhythm.

Repress!

Can you feel it? It’s the “Rush Fantasy”…Striking whilst he is hot is Berlin based Norwegian - Henriku. He follows on from his sought after “New York Popcorn” EP with another atmospheric house and minimal exploration, laced with distinct rave energy. The animated four-track vinyl lands on Oslo based, Det Gode Selskab, an ongoing chemistry between artist and label have led to this hedonistic trip, captivating club sounds from a producer in his element. Live out your fantasy, and your wildest dreams.

Taking the lead is “I Do”, a seductive trip of house nostalgia, driven by chunky drums and a pulsating bass line, teased into the trip by the provocative vocals. The title track “Rush Fantasy” strips things back mechanical minimalistic movements converse with a hypnotic sub heavy bass, swaying under the influences of the after party.

On the flip is another steamy encounter with “Pillow Talk”, the vintage samples go hand in hand with the rugged and raw energy of the track. Mysterious textures melt your mind in “Nicotine 4 U”, a smoky vibe for the small hours of the night.

Henriku’s free spirit lives up perfectly to the DGS ethos, a safe haven for artistic freedom, making this a perfect home for the “Rush Fantasy” experience. “It Feels Sooo Good!!”.

Slave To Society (ex AnD) returns to Natural Selection with a white-hot industrial Techno EP, entitled 'Ai Invasion', accompanied by an IDM-infused remix from hard electronica duo; Somatic Responses.



Format : 12" Vinyl / Digital



Mastered by Dadub Studios, Berlin. Cut by Simon at The Exchange Vinyl.



After a decade of redefining techno dance floors as AnD, Andrew Bowen returned to his experimental, hardware-focused roots as Slave To Society in October 2019. Since then he has seen his music released by highly revered institutions in the world of hard techno, noise, breakcore, IDM and industrial electronica, such as PRSPCT, Pure Hate, Ohm Resistance and BANK Records NYC. After forming a close connection to Natural Selection in recent years, Slave To Society returns to the London based imprint after releasing via their VA compilation 'NSUKR' with his track 'Tundra', followed by his remix of Kamikaze Space Programme's 'Dust To Dust' from his physical EP entitled, "Ashes to Ashes, Dust To Dust", released on Natural Selection in 2022.

In the form of a 4-track physical and digital EP, 'Ai Invasion' is a sonic exploration of the symbiotic relationship between humanity and technology.

Slave To Society uses carefully designed futuristic soundscapes and atmospheric textures, layered with AI generated vocals, combined with heavy and fiercely unpredictable drum elements.

Expect advanced, experimental hard techno and noise, fused with powerful low-end muscle, raging hi-hats, fragmented percussion and augmented amens.

The release also features a razor sharp and well-placed remix of track B1 - 'Robot Dementia', courtesy of legendary hard industrial electronica duo; Somatic Responses.

In true Slave To Society fashion, all rules and boundaries are smashed to pieces and all tracks are equally suitable for blasting through the world's biggest club systems and rigs as they are for home listening.

'Ai Invasion' challenges listeners to question the impact of artificial intelligence on our society and the implications of our relentless pursuit of technological advancement.

Very Tall marked the first recorded collaboration between Oscar Peterson and Milt Jackson. The two musicians were both highly regarded and successful jazz figures by 1961. Peterson had recorded innumerable albums with his own trio and backing such stars as Louis Armstrong, Lester Young, Ben Webster and Billie Holiday, to name just a few. Jackson had played with most of the great names in modern jazz and had been a founder of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Very Tall features Jackson as an added member of the legendary Peterson Trio with Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen.




d b1 JOHN BROWN’S BODY BATTLE HYMN

Ruby Red - Transparent - Galaxy effect vinyl in dub style jacket (jacket sleeve with center hole cut out so label of LP shows through) a black paper inner sleeve and poly bag.

PART ONE’ METAL HAMMER - 8/10 review. FOR FANS OF : Lustmord, Om, Sunn O))) . “An exercise in freeform ambience, ritualistic repetition and the rapturous, womb-like power of bass…strange and affecting. We remain lucky to share in the great man’s vision.”


At its heart, music has always been a questioning of inheritance – a dialogue with predecessors and forebears, the forging of one’s own perspective in relation to what has come before, and for some, a plunge into the boundless realms between. For Steve Von Till, that process has always taken on an added dimension to become the most sacred of tasks. Whether through the apocalyptic uprising of Neurosis, the sonic deconstructions of their sister project, Tribes of Neurot, the invocatory intimacy of his eponymous solo albums or his instrumental psychedelic reveries in the guise of Harvestman, that dialogue has never just been with musical influences, but with what underpins them: the primordial, elemental forces now banished to the peripheries of our contemporary consciousness, yet still broadcasting a signal for all who will listen.
Drawn to the megaliths, ruins and ancient sites mapped out along the British and European mainland’s geographical and psychic landscapes, the folklore and apocrypha forever resurfacing as portals from a rational world, “Triptych” is a meditation forged from traces and residues, and an hallucinatory recollection of artists who have tapped into that enduring otherworldliness embedded within us all. It’s a dream diary narrating a passage through Summer Isle where Flying Saucer Attack are wafting out of a window, a distant Fairport Convention are being remixed by dub master Adrian Sherwood, celestial scanners Tangerine Dream are trying to drown out Bert Jansch and Hawkwind are playing Steeleye Span covers, all prised out of time yet bound to its singularity.
Woven together from home studio recordings that span two decades, this latest outing as Harvestman finds parallels with nature’s cycles not just in its release dates but in the repeated structure that binds each album, like an imprint refracted through three separate strata. As with April’s “Part One” and the forthcoming “Part Three”, “Part Two”, starts on a collaboration with Om bassist and long-term friend of Steve’s, Al Cisneros, with a dub take opening the B-Side. Here, the opening track, “The Hag Of Beara Vs The Poet”’s languid, tribal groove expands into a chromatic wash, like an endless drip of oil spreading out under a midsummer haze.
A filtering of the alpha-state travelogues of its predecessor, “Part Two” reaches even deeper into primal yet pristine states. It journeys from the undulating drone and slow-thawing wonder of “The Falconer”, as if the Myst soundtrack were being broadcast from outer space, through “Damascus”’s perpetual-motion, dreamtime bazaar and “Vapour Phase”s seismograph frequencies measuring supernatural tremors to “The Unjust Incarceration”s distorted bagpipes, sounding a noise-frayed lament
If “Triptych” is a multi- and extra-sensory experience, it extends to the remarkable glyph-style artwork of Henry Hablak, a map of correspondences from a long-forgotten ancient and advanced civilization. As with “Triptych” itself, it’s an echo from another time, an act of binding, a guide to be endlessly reinterpreted, and a signpost to the sacred that might not indicate where to look, but how.

Completing Kranky's chronologically reverse reissue program of the earlier loscil albums on vinyl, the 2001 debut album is issued on the format for the first time with the addition of three bonus tracks from the same sessions that produced the original release.

‘’Triple Point was my first full length album under the loscil name, and it was my first with kranky - a relationship now 25 years old. This reissue is as much about celebrating that relationship as it is about the music. I am extremely grateful for this journey. Arguably, none of it would have happened without this release.’’

“Pay no mind to the label and pay no mind to the producer's locale (Vancouver isn't Cologne or Detroit); Triple Point is one of the finest—and most varied—ambient techno releases of 2001.”— AllMusic

"Finding itself nestled halfway between the endlessly spacious mechanoid constructions of Berlin's Basic Channel and the drifting expanses of Labradford, Scott Morgan's work as Loscil never ceases to impress with its deft use of technology and percussion.”—Boomkat

2024 Repress

After 7 years and countless requests, Sneaker Social Club finally deliver a repress of Dream Cycle - Part One.

After a chance meeting at Gottwood in 2016 a bond was established between Dream Cycle (Robin Clarke) and label owner Jamie Russell over a shared love of 2 Bad Mice and Moving Shadow. It wasn't long before Clarke began channeling elements of that influence to produce his Dream Cycle Part.1 EP. Unfolding over 4 steppy tracks and an ambient closer, Clarke melds sharp snares, summery motifs, dense atmospheres and thick subs whilst keeping things suffused with a distinctly UK quality that marries his work perfectly with the Sneaker catalogue.

DJ Support: Ryan Elliott, DJ Die, The Blessed Madonna, Octo Octa, Bwana, Altered Natives, Noodles (Groove Chronicles), Liem (Lehult), Deejay Astral, LA4A, 2 Bad Mice, Fred P, Matt Karmil, Flori, Marco Zenker, J.Rocc (lol at comment!), Ajukaja, Gnork, William Djoko, Till Von Sein, Fold, ASOK, Gene Farris, DJ bwin, Seven Davis Jr, TRP, DJ Octopus, DJ Normal 4, Gerd, Dean Man s Chest, Poté, Doc Scott, Violet, James Welsh (Kamera), Konx-om-Pax, Etch, Raresh, Hrdvsion, Michael Serafini (Gramaphone), Frazer Ray, DJ Guy, Mak & Pasteman, Shenoda, Urulu, Mark Archer & James Zabiela, Zinc, Lehult, Jackie House, Mosca, Noodles (Groove Chronicles) & DJ Die.

Prolific visionary Yetsuby makes her debut on all my thoughts with a celestial concept LP that chimes into the deeper, inner emotions.

Yetsuby is the solo project of South Koren artist Yejin Jang. Since 2019 she has carved out a reputation as
something of a prolific visionary, with 6 albums, 7 EPsand a flurry of singles between her two projects to date. Her recent album “My Star, My Planet Earth” received the “best electronic album of 2023" award at the KoreanMusic Awards.

Beyond her solo work Jang is also one half of the critically acclaimed electronic duo Salamanda, which has been featured in Pitchfork, Crack Magazine, and Dj Mag. The duo also host a residency called “shadow dance” on NTS radio. Yetsuby’s debut release on Seb Wilblood’s all my thoughts label is a heartfelt and forward thinking mini LP.

Yetsuby’s debut release on Seb Wilblood’s all my thoughts label is a heartfelt and forward thinking mini LP.
The 6 track release effortlessly chimes into the deeper, inner emotions whilst providing a window into her
abundant breadth of skills through tantalising themes of sonic alchemy.

“I want to put comfort into the music and give some message to people who blame themselves” - Yetsuby

The resulting effect is a release that feels sincere and deeply personal but has a celestial magic about it that feels both kaleidoscopic and transcendent. It effectively creates a world for the listener to inhabit, whilst inviting them to connect with the album’s themes on a personal level.

Make The Ting is a project born out of my writing on creativity that lives online as post it style notes known as the ‘Yellow Squares’ found across Instagram and Twitter. The first square was posted on July 31st 2021, as covid-19 restrictions were lifting in the UK and I was thinking about what the music scenes and wider creative communities are after 18 months of lockdown. The idea’s developed into lectures presenting them in real life, but the platform felt right to explore my own creativity more broadly to challenge my own ideas in real time. My history as a DJ, Label Owner and Promoter in the Grime scene wasn’t at the forefront of these ideas, but I wanted to reconnect back to the ecosystem that inspired and gave me a creative career in the first place. Blay Vision’s ‘Cammy Riddim’ in the summer of 2022 inspired an idea to translate the ideas in the squares into song form. I approached Grime MC Jammz about the idea, and the first song ‘Yellow Square’ was done with the core principles that I had written about so far. 6 months passed, and while on a Muay Thai retreat in Thailand in February 2023 I thought about expanding the musical side of the Yellow Squares further. I text Jammz about turning this idea into an album, that we make as quickly as possible using my writing as a guide, and his voice and creativity to turn them into songs. We gave ourselves two weeks, set up a shared notes in iPhone did two zoom meetings, one phone call, exchanged messages on iMessage and he wrote 7 songs in a week, then recorded them all in one day at Ten 87 Studios in Tottenham, London. Jammz wrote all of the songs to one of his own beats, then we selected the final instrumentals we liked that we thought fit the ideas from both our camps the day before recording. The speed forced our hands creatively and it would have been a completely different project if we worked on it for months. Time is the creative director. Albums don’t have to be blockbuster projects with big budgets and huge campaigns behind them. Albums are just collections of ideas. Removing the pressure of trying to make a perfect one meant it got done and released with the least stress possible. Even the business of the album took 5 mins to handle. An equal revenue split on each song between me, Jammz, and the producer. Everyone gets paid quarterly into their own account automatically by our distributor. On announcement of the album in March 2023, we released the acapellas, for people to do their own versions, before most of the original songs had been heard by anyone. We encouraged people to Remix The Ting, and I did custom artwork for everyone that sent me a complete remix before the album came out on the 30th June 2023. The front covers are drawn individually by me. I wanted to make the record an extension of what I do with the yellow squares themselves and capture the energy of where my head is at in 2023. If it’s blank, it’s space for you to draw your own yellow square. Maybe what you think about the album, what it’s inspired for you, or just a snapshot of where your creative brain is at on the day you are picking up this record. This could be the first of many albums, this could be a one off. Nobody knows what is going to happen next. It all may make sense in the end – Elijah

Benny Howell (aka DJ Subaru) is a UK based producer, DJ and overall promoter of good times who's undoubtedly propelling a new generation of music appreciation with an honourable respect for the earlier beginnings of club culture. Benny Howell might also be the pioneer of a new post-Brexit Eurodance genre, with "Surrender", a catchy Pop oriented production with strong influences from Italodisco and HiNRG, written and produced entirely from scratch with best friend Bella Quirin who co-wrote the lyrics after a break up with her ex. Innocent and charming lyrics over 120's BPM drum machine and a simple melody that you'll be humming in the back of your mind for days to come. Equipped with a Yamaha TX81Z, a few guitar pedals and a makeshift bedroom studio, "Surrender" is the product of a dear friendship between the two music lovers, as per Benny's recount: "Bella came and sung on the track in my bedroom during one of the gaps between Covid lockdowns after I asked her at the pub if she knew any singers and said me of course, and we went from just friends to best friends."
The remix on the B-side by Castro takes a darker turn into what almost sounds like a Techno version with heavy dubbed out effects taking the "Surrender" theme through an unhinged Ketamine flanger vortex. Full cover artwork and mastered at Manmade mastering in Berlin.

140g transparent blue and green galaxy marble vinyl housed in a matte 3mm cardboard sleeve with lyrics insert featuring photography and artwork by Hidrico Rubens. Limited to 300 copies. The creation of ‘Chrysalis’ was a retreat from a seemingly endless string of unfortunate events, a cocoon from which Zanias could weave hope from hopelessness. In each of its eight songs she has engineered unique worlds to express alternate facets of the modern human experience, from burnout and the toxicity of capitalism to processing death and the inherent isolation of personal trauma. Written and recorded between Berlin and the rainforest of Queensland, Australia, the sound design of ‘Chrysalis’ reflects the rich biodiversity of the latter environment, where she drew much of her inspiration. Her voice shifts and morphs into ghostly, alien forms between catchy hooks that plant this album firmly in the ‘pop’ genre, without losing the underground rawness and lyrical depth for which she is known. With her third full-length album, Zanias is expressing her truest form thus far, fusing her seemingly discordant influences into a genre-defying electronic artpop, as dark and evocative as it is ethereal and uplifting. Written and produced by Alison Lewis Bass guitar on ‘Lovelife’ by Laura Bailey Mixed by Ewan Kay Mastered by Alain Paul Photography and artwork by Hidrico Rubens Sigil by Nat Soba Design and layout by Alison Lewis Makeup by Eavan Derbyshire

Pedro Vian and Merzbow release their first joint work, an unbounded expression of creativity and experimentation. Over the album's forty-minute duration, listeners can experience a blend of field recordings made by Pedro Vian at the DIA Bacon Foundation in NYC, specifically inside Richard Serra's sculptures. These recordings are interwoven with the ambient percussion and melodies characteristic of Vian's work, alongside the piercing and sharp computer frequencies produced by Merzbow, one of the most acclaimed artists in the global noise scene.

"Inside Richard Serra Sculptures" is both a complex and spontaneous piece, an abstract journey into the unconscious that may be difficult to grasp for closed minds. This work stands as a masterpiece of contemporary expressionism, merging ambient sound and noise in a way that challenges and redefines the boundaries of sound art.

The collaboration between Vian and Merzbow is notable not only for its innovation but also for its ability to transport listeners to a space where sound becomes an immersive and visceral experience. The use of Richard Serra's sculptures as a source of inspiration and sonic material adds a unique dimension to the project, emphasizing the interaction between physical space and musical creation. Photo by Alba Ricard

For its 16th instalment, Swiss label CAF? invites DJ duo Charlotte aux Fretz to curate a compilation EP, building bridges between the French and Swiss contemporary club scenes. Ignited while organising and attending free parties, “Rave Alert” covers a whole range of atmospheres one could encounter during these summer nights. From phone-lit forest journeys to sweaty peak-time dance floor moments, all the way to hypnotic sunrises where the first rays of light reshape your surroundings.

Dub-tech master Beatrice M. offers a great opening to the compilation, subtly combining their signature sonic ingredients with your favourite DJ meme. Amor Satyr drastically rises the cruising speed to 175bpm with his d&b infused track, while Lia Catreux follows the pace with a bouncy track that will keep your feet off the floor. The flip side starts with an introspective journey with Spirit Vortex Club’s first recorded appearance, while Israfil keeps the energy high (and mercury retrograde away) with an uncompromising rave track. Yolek and Freeky (both previous CAF? contributors) wrap up the release with a slow but heavy closing burner. Last round of applause and you can finally go to bed (you think).

Esencia is beyond proud to share the fourth and final album by Culross Close. Like previous albums it’s both inward and outward facing, something for the individual and the group and ‘Learning To Let Go’ follows this tradition.

Becoming Present is a peaceful refrain, littered with percussion and devotion,encouraging the listener to sit with what is, while Reactive State taps into something else entirely. It’s a hard-hitting ride filled with percussion and decimated drums, woven into a serenading flute that captures the mind for the song’s duration.

The mood changes with Attachments. A tale of two halves, twisting between hypnotic and swirling. Surrender requires time and immersion, as the listener bears witness to an enthralling interaction between drums and keys,eventually drifting into the soul-inflected Grounding.

The magic in Letting Be unfolds naturally. From the majestic string and harp arrangements, to the metronome of the percussion, each musician finds equanimity, place and peace in the composition. Letting Go…well, that speaks for itself.

The album closes with Forward, Only. This is the sound of a group of musicians comfortable in their stride and confident in their thinking. Ready to move with whatever happens.

2024 Repress

Ferdinger returns to his own label with an eagerly anticipated 8th vinyl release, an EP titled "Second Nature." This captivating EP features two original tracks from Ferdinger himself, as well as two remarkable collaborations with renowned artists Introversion and JakoJako, who shouldn't require any introduction.

The EP begins with the collaborative tour de force "Air France," where Introversion and Ferdinger effortlessly blend percussive elements, groovy rhythms, and dubby chords. Intricate layers of delay create a mesmerizing atmosphere, delivering on the ethereal promise suggested by the title. Following this captivating opener is "Bottom Lines", a relentless and uncompromising pounder infused with hypnotic acid lines that will leave listeners spellbound.

Flipping over to the other side of the record, we encounter the title track "Second Nature", a high-octane and melodic journey that showcases the artistic synergy between JakoJako and Ferdinger. With finesse and elegance, they expertly merge their individual styles, building up to a breathtaking climax that will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression.

Closing out the EP is the introspective and somber track "Heart Break", which transports us back to the dubby stratosphere first introduced in the A-Side. Its more intimate nature provides a reflective and introspective conclusion to the EP, leaving listeners in a contemplative state.

Repress !

Heavy House Society starts 2022 with a high quality EP from Cologne based German artist DJOKO, and this also comes with a remix from the head honcho himself Sidney Charles.

DJOKO’s sound takes influences from funk & soul, garage, deep house and everything else in between that is both underground and raw. He’s released on an impressive selection of underground labels like PIV, Berg Audio, Talman and Rutilence, garnering numerous genre number 1’s on the download stores whilst also accruing over 11 million streams on Spotify alone.

For his debut release on Heavy House Society, we bring you his Rapture EP. The title track to the EP, Rapture is a classy deep and minimal house affair, with his house beats combining with a driving bassline, the cleverly constructed filters organs and pads giving this a sublime journey feel.

The second track is Inside of Me, which has more a skip to the beats, weighty bassline, and well worked samples. Add the lead melody line and this is a great track to get people moving.

The third track is My Crib, a bassline led track with an old school flavour to it which combines atmospheric pads which provide depth, delicate and intricate melodies and leads.

The last track is the Sidney Charles remix of My Crib, for his remix he takes this a little deeper which offers a great alternative to the excellent original mix. A more sub bass groove free’s up frequencies in the mix giving more space for the melodies to breathe in the track and take this on a stunning floating groove.

This is a superb release featuring 2 amazing artists, and for sure this with deliver the goods for Heavy House Society yet again

Los Angeles-based video artist and producer Laskfar Vortok makes his first appearance in the EVAR catalogue with "Erbsat Esrhosc." An unusual title that reflects the artist's interest in the bizarre, whether he's making music or producing videos and visuals, "Erbsat Esrhosc" bristles with erratic patterns, anarchic atmospheres and glitchy soundscapes. The Mexican-born talent explores ideas based on the hypothetical concept of a planetwide city, otherwise known as an ecumenopolis, weaving such ideas against a cinematic backdrop, nodding to his long-running love for cinema. Across the five-track EP, he also draws inspiration from the heated and hectic energy of L.A, where he's resided most of his life.

Produced in memoriam of Michael Gregory Harrison, aka Bad Timing, and following a period of introspection and creative and personal challenges, Laskfar Vortok began work on "Erbsat Esrhosc" in 2018. The EP honours Michael's brilliance as an artist and a friend;the title being an anagram of a phrase that they shared between them.

"Eclipse" opens the EP on a haunting note. A spidery melody and chilling pads punctuate the witchy soundscape before syncopated sequences collide with snafued textures, signifying a sharp left turn into breakcore. With its nebulous atmosphere, this track offers the first glimpse into the concept of an ecumenopolis. On "Hyperdrive", frenetic percussion dominates while zappy noises and a doomsday melody slink in and out of earshot. Bursts of broken wub exacerbate the uneasy mood while cinematic, almost ethereal chords twinkle in the background.

"Base" offers a moment to recover one's brain cells after the nosedive into the near future. A lugging kickdrum and broken, woody percussions swirl around the troposphere while creepy pads convey a sinister aura. "Mutation" catapults us back into chaos with claustrophobic polyrhythmic structures, smatterings of kickdrums, and a sporadic mad-scientist-type synthline, adding a jittery layer. An unexpectedly orchestral outro completes the bizarre nature of the track.

Closing out on "Send Off", Laskfar Vortok blends freezing-cold chords with snaggy synth notes and a tangle of drum constellations tied up with a gossamer melody and splattered across an eerie terrain.

Using Bitwig Studio, orcλ, TidalCycles and Renoise as his modus operandi, Laskfar Vortok produces a trip that intrigues but disturbs, serving a shimmering yet terrifying squint into a technoid-led utopia. And we're only just getting started.

Cetu Javu was a German synth-pop band lead by singer Javier Revilla Diez and synth wizard and composer Chris Demere. They started with the band in 1984 and in the spring next year surprisingly reached the third place in a young talent festival in Hanover. Several other shows followed but the highlight was a concert in December of 1986 as the opening act of Erasure. Their first maxi single “Help Me Now” was released in the spring of 1987 on their own label’s. Through the mediation of Talla 2XLC, Cetu Javu got a record contract with major company ZYX Records and released their debut album “Southern Lands” in 1990.

When the song “A Dónde”, a B-side sung in Spanish included on the single “So Strange”, hit number two in Spain, the band surprisingly achieved a great success and toured all this country. The second full-length, “Where Is Where”, was released in 1992 in Spain. The success did not stop here and led Cetu Javu became very popular in some other countries such as Argentina and Mexico. Unfortunately, in 1994, between problems and having to make decisions about the future, the group withdrew from the music scene and each member moved to focus to other activities.

“Where is Where” is re-released contains the original album along with some extended versions and remixes from the singles “¿Por Qué?”, “Dame Tu Mano” and “Una Mujer”. Limited edition of 500 copies on gatefold sleeve and a poster.

Barcelona based dj and producer Flavio Folco is the man
behind the third release on Abstract Rhythm. With his Rise &
Fall EP he delivers four solid tracks in his own signature
sound between electro and breakbeat. Flavio knows exactly
how to program the machines and tweak the knobs the right
way to create those deep grooves and atmospheres that take
you on a journey.

Magic Combo is a vinyl-only label that specializes in limited edition edits of iconic original tracks, symbolizing the rich diversity of musical genres such as Afro, Funk, Jazz, Blues, R&B, and Classic House. This label is a melting pot of emotions, love, and musical improvisations, brought to you by a dynamic combination of emerging Italian and international musicians, DJs, and producers. Each release is a carefully curated selection that represents the soul of its genre, offering a unique listening experience that transcends the ordinary.

The Magic Combo label is not just about music; it’s about creating a connection between the listener and the sounds that have shaped generations. Our limited edition vinyl are a testament to the enduring power of music and the magic that happens when different cultures and sounds collide. It’s a celebration of the past, present, and future of music, encapsulating the essence of each genre while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Join us on a journey through sound with Magic Combo, where every record is a story, every beat a heartbeat, and every spin a new discovery. This is where the magic of vinyl comes alive, and where the love for music is immortalized in every groove.

Scriptum returns with four original tracks from our esteemed label residents.

After nearly a year of preparation, we present an exciting collaboration between Komey & Wyro, tracks from the innovative D I N, rising star Kame2, and the renowned Direkt.

This release is a must-have for every DJ's vinyl collection!

Introducing the inaugural release from "Vorm", "Vorm Series: One," a compelling compilation showcasing five tracks from a lineup of esteemed and emerging producers. This release marks the beginning for the young record label "Vorm", setting a high standard with its diverse and dynamic sounds.

From the producer and "Newrhythmic Records" founder, "Joton", comes "Neon Dystopia." This opener track of the release plunges into a hard hitting soundscape, blending pulsating basslines with highly pitched atmo surfaces. "Mineral" by Kon Janson dives into a mineral-rich sonic experience, where intricate rhythms meet hypnotic textures. This subterranean grooves is exactly the addition that the A-side needs and rounds off the whole thing as powerfully as possible.

"Ricardo Garduno" delivers "They're Between Us." This starter track on the B-side is a dark, spacious force of cavernous beats and atmospheres, perfect for those moments of peak-time intensity. Founder "Maasym" presents "Raeder," a sophisticated blend of a industrial trippy synth line and highly dense effective elements.

The track evolves with mechanical precision, emphasizing and focusing on the minimalist effects, percussions and drums. Closing out the release is Berlin-based rising producer & live artist "Peryl" with "Melting Room." This track is a melting pot of raw-high energy and experimental tones, pushing boundaries with its innovative, detailed sound design.

Ten years after his first full-length effort ‘Man Is Deaf’ landed him firmly in the runnings for DJ Mag’s album of the year, prodigal son Michael Anthony Wright AKA Brassica returns to Civil Music with a deeply accomplished, painstakingly whittled LP of hydraulic electro slickness, rich synthscapes, and hooky, peak-time tearjerkers for the most discerning front-left lifers. ‘Tribeless Gathering’ is a barnstorming testament to Brassica’s stylistic and timbral deftness, touching down in the elusive epicentre of the club/home listening venn diagram with ease.

From the elastic, neon acid pointillism of opener ‘Hop Kweng’ to the mardy, miasmic plod of closing chugger ‘Changa Hill’, Brassica seamlessly segues between avenues of influence, his notoriously omnivorous musical knowledge roadmapping each turn. Raised on a diet of everything from early rave standards to metal, and schooled in avant garde sonics as a student of sound design at LCC, Brassica does a peerless job of sublimating his countless influences into a record of refined, heterogeneous, and most crucially, catchy, club moods.

Less spartan than his more recent oeuvre on Feel My Bicep, and less baroque than his technicolour experiments in postmodern synth pop with vocalist Stuart Warwick, Tribeless Gathering represents Brassica’s triumphant return to the main room, replete with rushy hooks primed for the planet’s finest soundsystems, and passages of heads-down tension bound to draw listeners right to the edge of their seats. Overall it is a concise and refined testament to Wright’s command of spectral sonics and effortless ability to pressurise a dancefloor. It is no surprise that he has also worked as a prolific mastering engineer, tuning music from a plethora of dance disciplines for maximum club impact. This work extends to his own projects (including this one), cementing them as rare expressions of complete artistry from studio to turntable.

As we delve deeper into the record, we are ushered through a series of accomplished and varied club moods, each channelling a unique cocktail of influences, but retaining a warm, ebullient analogue sensibility unique to Brassica’s work. This playful scope of influence calls to mind James T Cotton or Machinedrum’s experiments in dance music form, but Wright manages it all under one roof, wrangling everything from sashaying wub-laden two step to snarling Dillinja-esque FM damage into something inherently his.

Choice cut ‘Change Yourself’ layers an almost Cerrone-like piano refrain over radiant surges of saturated bass, dubby, strobing chords and a jagged, driving break, building to a jaw-clenching apex of dancefloor elation, while the rude, playful half-step of ‘Elevation’ breaks down the vintage speed garage formula into linear fragments, utilising a tight palette of resonant bass slugs, infectious synth leads and Papua New Guinea-style vocal strobes. The aptly named ‘Hold Tight’ fuses heart-in-mouth UK ‘ardkore pads with glissando acid disturbance and surgical snare fills in a formula which recalls the ethereal grit of Nubian Mindz’ 00s experiments in big-smoke break science, while the questing melodic arcs and arpeggiated squarewaves of ‘Pinball Marinara’ could easily have soundtracked an 80s sci-fi epic, beset with sparkling, bare-bones drum programming and hazy beds of sub sediment.

With ‘Tribeless Gathering’, Brassica both irreverently fuses and pays homage to the many unique and weird permutations of UK dance music. The short lived gathering of junglists, ravers and house hotsteppas of a similar name may have long since dissipated, along with the tribes themselves, but across these 11 tracks, he lays a blueprint for a new sound of togetherness.

Ever since he made his first trip to Japan to DJ, Optimo Music founder JD Twitch has been bewitched by Japanese music, and particularly the vibrant, imaginative, and often far-sighted sounds which emerged from the island nation during the 1980s. Now he’s put years of digging in Japanese record shops to good use on Polyphonic Cosmos, the latest release on his compilation-focused Cease & Desist imprint.

Subtitled ‘A Beginners Guide to Japan In The ‘80s’, the collection offers a personal selection of Japanese gems recorded and released between 1981 and ’86 – a period when advances in recording and musical technology offered the nation’s artists and producers a whole new tool kit to employ. When combined with the unique musical culture of Japan, where local traditions are frequently fused with Western styles to create timeless, off-kilter aural fusions, this embrace of locally pioneered music technology had spectacular, often unusual results.

Eight years in the making, Polyphonic Cosmos provides an endlessly entertaining musical snapshot of Japanese music of the early-to-mid ‘80s with all of the open-minded eclecticism and sonic twists that you would expect from the Glasgow-based DJ.

Compare and contrast, for example, the gently breezy, morning-fresh folk-plus-electronics bliss of ‘ばら二曲 Baranikyoku (Fellini&Rota)’ by World Standard – the most familiar alias of long-serving musician/producer Sohichiro Suzuki – and the hallucinatory, slow-motion tribal rhythms, post-punk rhythms and tape delay-laden electronics of Imitation’s ‘Exotic Dance’. Or, for that matter, the tipsy mid-‘80s electronic reggae of Pecker’s ‘Sha La La’, the grungy but melodic post-punk strut of ‘You Go On Natural’ by Earthling (a track Twitch accurately describes as “sheer unrelenting groove”), and the unearthly, swirling sonics, new age instrumentation and flotation tank vocals of prolific (and seemingly mysterious) act Geinoh Yamashirogumi’s ‘Rimme Kohkyogaku Meiki’.

It’s a credit to JD Twitch’s curatorial skills that the quality never dips, and sonic surprises lurk around every corner. Consider for a moment the hard to describe, far-sighted audio immersion of D-Day’s ‘Ki-Ra’ – all languid post-pop guitar, enveloping chords, spoken word vocals, shuffling 808 beats and marimba melodies – and the two contributions from video games soundtrack specialist (and driving instrumental synth-pop specialist) Hiroyuki Namba.

The collection naturally includes some selections that have long been favourites in Twitch’s DJ sets – see Masumi Hara’s ‘Your Dream’ – as well as a handful of tracks from artists who may be more recognisable to those with only rudimentary knowledge of Japanese musical culture. The great Yasuaki Shimizu, whose work as Mariah has become far better known in recent years thanks to reissues of some of his most magical albums, is represented via ‘The Crow’, a picturesque chunk of horizontal, hard-to-define jazz-not-jazz smokiness, while the collection fittingly concludes with a sublimely funky, oddball electronic workout from Yellow Magic Orchestra legend Ryuichi Sakamoto (the frankly incredible ‘Wongga Dance Song’).

Matt Anniss

Fuelled by the Berlin-based duo's love of club music in all its forms ''FJAAK THE SYSTEM'' is FJAAK's most definitive album to date, a winding sonic odyssey that surveys the rave landscape, dipping between frantic euphoria and deep contemplation. Featuring sizzling collaborations with Modeselektor, Skee Mask, Red Eye and J.Manuel, the album draws a bold line under FJAAK's 15 years of mischief and mayhem, pulling together 23 tracks (culled from over 300, no less) that truly reflect the duo's boundless enthusiasm for the dancefloor. Grazing UK breakbeat, techno, 2-step, d'n'b, jungle, trip-hop and ambient, these elasticated, hybrid bangers paint a vivid picture of FJAAK's utopian club ideal, a place where genre boundaries evaporate and only the groove remains. Since graduating in audio engineering in the early 2010s, FJAAK have been challenging the logic of a maddeningly conservative club scene with their hardware only live shows, DJ sets a myriad of record releases. In 2019 they launched the label and platform Spandau20 with a steady flow of records and a mixtape series featuring new talent and established artists. With their rebellious attitude and notoriously energetic live sets, the duo have brought back a crucial lost ingredient to the rave: playfulness. And if their well-loved albums 'FJAAK', released on Modeselektor's Monkeytown imprint, and 'Havel' set the scene, 'FJAAK THE SYSTEM' rises above and beyond expectations, creating a new benchmark. It's not just blood, sweat and tears either, FJAAK's advanced technical knowhow and love of synthesizers and drum machines helps them formulate a sound that's conscious of dance music history, but focused on a brighter, more equitable future. Their second single 'And You Feel' is an emotional rollercoaster combining UK breakbeat with a dubstep-influenced bassline wobler and alluring vocals, emulating the moment the mind becomes a tranquil void through the crescendo of adrenaline like a strain of physical exertion. This is reflected on their new music video which shows an unexpected ''rage room'' scene.

"Stronger Than Pride" erschien 1988, drei Jahre nach "Promise". Dieses dritte Album markiert mit den Titeln "Promise" und "Nothing can come between us" eine groovigere Richtung. "Stronger Than Pride" wurde erneut mit mehreren Platin-Alben ausgezeichnet und bestätigte Sades Status als sicherer Wert in der internationalen Musikwelt. Gemastert mit halber Geschwindigkeit von den Original-Mastern in den Abbey Road Studios. Das Mastering mit halber Geschwindigkeit erzeugt einen außergewöhnlich klaren Klang, der die Dynamik der Originalmischungen bewahrt. 180G Vinyl. Die Originalcover wurden einschließlich der Papierqualität und Druckmethoden reproduziert.

When all you want to do is be the fire part of fire… say it to yourself and then say it again. Repeat it like a mantra. It’s what UTO did.

Anyone familiar with the UTO’s lauded 2022 debut Touch The Lock, which Pitchfork praised for its “prismatic synth pop”, will be aware of the variegated nature of what they do. This album is just as colourful, with Neysa’s vocalwork sparking similarities to Kim Gordon’s off-kilter vocals, which they both ceremoniously jets through a post-electronica blender mixing stylized indie sleaze productions with 90s breakbeats.

While they might appear as a singular entity to others, UTO wrote large sections of this album apart, converging by the fireside to discuss the day’s work before coming together to hone and finish the songs. 2023 was, by their own admission, a difficult year, and that’s reflected in the Dantean themes expressed in songs such as the lead single ‘Zombie’, which arrived at the end of November as a taster for the new record; the latter’s dark heart is belied by the skittering beats, glitchy electronics and pummeling sequencers that elevate it from the void.

From fire, early man’s discovery, to AI, humanity’s next great adventure - with all of the wonders and complexities of human relationships in between - When all you want to do is be the fire part of fire really is about life, the universe and everything. Just remember, be the flame, not the moth.

"The warmth of fire and the whisper of water, the magic of wind and the trembling of the earth, the melody of peace and silence to revive soul and body" – said the Queen and closed the portal behind the travellers.

On the summit of the Astral Cliff there was the long-forgotten DP-6 shuttlecraft of the Kwansi pirates. Corrosion on the hull plating had almost completely taken over the paint, which only occasionally peeked through between dense clusters of fluorescent bryophytes. The vines and wires dangling from the stern provided a perfect living dome for the lively Sivinerian millipedes goofing around on the runes engraved on the ship. The sweet scent of exotic flora created an ethereal glow. A giant stingray floated gracefully across the celestial kaleidoscope. Each flap of its shining wings gave the impression of time slowing down. One could be absorbed by this grace and lightness for hours, immersing oneself in the world of aesthetics and harmony that ufolded before the observers’ eyes while they were enveloped in the calming embrace of the gravitational massage chairs.

– Sea Devil – what an appropriate name for such a majestic creature.
– That's right, Cat... A true manifestation of multielements in all their splendour!

Doc Sleep returns to Dark Entries with Cloud Sight Fade, an album of ethereal house and techno. Doc Sleep is the alias of DJ and producer Melissa Maristuen. Following 2023’s Birds, her ambient and IDM-leaning debut album, Cloud Sight Fade shows Doc drawing on her years of queer clubbing to bring us seven diverse tracks sitting between muscular New York house, Berlin twilight techno, and funky West-coast breakbeats. Production began in the Bay Area and was completed in Berlin; Maristuen says that this work became a love letter to the West Coast’s magnificent natural landscape, the light of the Pacific sunrise. While draped in dreamlike textures and melodies, this is also a record about embodiment and the memories that live within our corporeal forms. The powerful grooves on the breakbeat-inflected “Lemon Zest” and the propulsive “Cloud Sight Fade” remind us that dance music is for bodies dancing. Meanwhile, tracks like the sparkling album-closer “Enchanted Static” or the brooding groover “Water Sign” plunge us deeper into hypnotic depths. On Cloud Sight Fade, Doc Sleep guides us through slumber and wakefulness, in and out of our bodies, with the mastery of a seasoned DJ and clubgoer.

"Jump Jazz" EP by Temple launches Super Fresh, a label dedicated to reviving forward-thinking electronic music from the past. This record features our favorite tracks from three sought-after EPs created between 1996 and 1999 and released on Download Records and Experience Grooves.

Temple, the project of Tim Lawes and John Cody, gained its original momentum with the help of Steve Mason and Intergroove Distribution. Their music, blending up-tempo tech house with breaks, techno, trance, and everything in between, is as relevant to modern dancefloors as never before.

Through the medium of a distinctly synthesised, sustained ambience, seasoned artist and composer Jasmine Guffond arrives on OOH to explore the tension between technology and human creativity in an increasingly ambiguous playing field.

Alien Intelligence came into being during Guffond's residency at fabled Parisian institution GRM in 2021. While learning how to generate sound and make music with the in-house Serge modular synthesiser, the Australian artist noticed the typical role of human input for machine output was being subverted by the behaviour of certain electronic elements, which came to exercise their own influences on the direction of the music.

Taking this idea one step further, Guffond proceeded to explore the programming environment MaxMSP, a customisable interface which allowed her to blur the lines between human input and machine directives even further. Across the three extended pieces which make up Alien Intelligence you can hear the results of Guffond's inquisitive approach as she coaxed the machines into bringing their own ideas to bear on the music.

The tension inherent in this thematic duality is mirrored by the contrast between glacial ambience and chaotic interference across the album. On 'Serge & Maxine Variation One' the presiding mood is a slow and patient one, as undulating waveforms rich with harmonic overtones spill out over one another across 10 minutes. The track's latter passage, driven by steadily intensifying oscillations, is then interrupted with an unexpected flurry of pitch shifting. This kind of complex technical movement features more prominently at the start of 'Serge & Maxine Variation Three', which then gradually shifts into a gentler ebb and flow of rising and falling frequencies.

Angled slightly differently and residing on the B side of the album, 15-minute quiet epic 'Serge & Maxine Variation Two' bookends a louder passage of synth work with serene, sustained notes that ring out a sort of hymnal melody. Throughout, the movement in the music evolves in subtly modulating, hypnotic, ways, but there are also unexpected turns or melodic diversions which feel much more incongruous. In its closing stretch, the notes dart around more freely as though played by hand, but it's hard to be sure whether these shifts in the otherwise delicate tonal music were a human conceit or a programming by-product. In the end, the two inputs logically become one.

As Guffond says herself, "More-than-human logics emerge, a kind of alien intelligence that questions an assumed central position of human subjectivity in socio-technical assemblages and considers the philosophical, socio-political and cultural implications beyond music practice in an increasingly technologically mediated world."

As AI creeps into art as much as other aspects of modern life, Guffond applies her playful instinct to the theme of these works by re-considering machine intelligence as 'alien', crediting its contributions with a more robust yet enigmatic identity in the creative process, leading to an end result which is far from artificial.

►Mastered by Giuseppe Ielasi, cover art by Ilan Katin, layout by incepBOY, photo by Camille Blake, words by Oli Warwick

Kicking off 2024, Modern Life Is War introduces the Tribulation Worksongs sessions as a single 12"EP/Digital album. This release consolidates all three 7"EPs along with "End Times Dub," a dub version of "Feels Like End Times," creatively reimagined by Urian Hackney (Rough Francis, Iggy Pop, The Armed, etc). The packaging for this release features a collaborative visual effort from Jeffrey Eaton, Thomas Hooper, and J. Bannon. Tribulation Worksongs was recorded by Luke Tweedy at Flat Black Studios, mixed by Kurt Ballou at God City Studios, and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege. Originally released as a series of three 7"EPs between 2018 and 2021, the lyrics and credits for each song were typed by vocalist/lyricist Jeff Eaton on his 1950s Royal "Quiet De Luxe" typewriter during the initial presentation. These typewritten elements were later hand-stamped on the front and back covers of the EP by artist J. Bannon, resulting in each cover being entirely unique. Additionally, the labels on the vinyl were hand-stamped before final assembly by the team at Deathwish, which will see physical release on March 22nd.