Donato Basile AKA DJ Plant Texture always wants his music to tell a story, and with his debut EP on Tresor Records, entitled Life, he’s now trying to tell the biggest story there is. According to the artist, “Life is about the fear of growing up”; both the anxiety itself and acknowledging and moving past it.
This narrative seems to have struck a chord with those who have heard the track, “People want to reflect themselves in the music; something personal. Lots of people have been in touch after hearing it; I guess they feel something melancholic in it. Personally, I imagine the track is like the life of a person; going from being born through childhood and youth and onwards, so perhaps they hear this?”
Having used an MPC since the early 2000s, Basile feels an intuitive connection to the hardware he uses, and so the creative process is very spontaneous: “I know where everything is so the music is made immediately. I make everything in the first ten minutes; after that if it’s not right then I just abandon it and start something else.” This immediacy, and familiarity with his equipment is apparent on the A-side, where Basile’s previous life as a drummer comes to the fore and tracks like Cycles and Ripetivo display his native understanding of groove but also how to stir things up - the three A-side tracks find classic techno rhythms seemingly falling apart only to snap back into place even stronger. The B-side finds Donato exploring more of his melodic side with WTT and the aforementioned title track showing Plant Texture’s love of breakbeat and classic techno.
The three digital bonus tracks continue this exploration of melody and syncopated beats - The EXP Days echos the wistful feeling of Life, as Basile meditates on the times spent at EXP, his record shop in Bari, which functioned as a meeting place for electronic producers in the area.
,Bands Like It When You Yell `YAR!' At Them" war ursprünglich eine Promo-EP von Minus the Bear, die 2002 als Vorgeschmack auf das Debütalbum ,Highly Refined Pirates" erschien. Was als einfache Werbe-CD begann, entwickelte sich schnell zu einem Fan-Favoriten und erscheint 2026 erstmals offiziell auf Vinyl. Die Veröffentlichung zeigt die Band in ihrer frühen Hochphase und vereint ihren charakteristischen Mix aus Indie-Rock, Math Rock, Funk, verspielten Gitarrenfiguren und elektronischen Elementen. Neben frühen Albumtiteln enthält die EP mit ,Drop It Like It's Hot" auch einen exklusiven Song, der die kreative Experimentierfreude der Band eindrucksvoll dokumentiert. Heute gilt ,YAR!" als wichtiges Zeitdokument der Anfangsjahre von Minus the Bear und als perfekte Ergänzung zu ,Highly Refined Pirates", einem der prägendsten Indie-Rock-Alben der frühen 2000er-Jahre. Von Bernie Grundman für Vinyl remastert und mit bei 45 U/min geschnittenen Lackplatten trägt diese limitierte Auflage von 1.000 Exemplaren auf "San Juan Sands" Vinyl dazu bei, die aufregenden Anfangsjahre einer der beliebtesten Bands des amerikanischen Indie-Rock zu dokumentieren und zu bewahren.
Celebrating 50 years of dancing, Amnesia represents the heart and soul of electronic music in Ibiza. Telling a story that spans five decades, the 50th anniversary vinyl/CD compilation is a window into a legendary venue that has helped establish some of the world's biggest tracks.
From the iconic piano riff of Eric Prydz' 'Pjanoo' to the laid-back groove of 'Benediction' by Hot Natured. A club that spans eras and genres - the disco of Chic's 'Good Times', the synth-pop of New Order's 'Blue Monday', or the gritty electro of Alter Ego's 'Rocker'.
The soundtracks of 50 summers are represented across 50 tracks spanning 10 vinyl/5 CDs. A hand-picked selection that reflects the incredible breadth of Amnesia's cultural influence, featuring music from Calvin Harris, Donna Summer, Paul van Dyk, Candi Staton, Fred Again.., Robert Miles, Laurent Garnier, Binary Finary, and many more.
(remastered classic incl DL card) Environ is proud to present the Metro Area 15th Anniversary Edition, Metro Area's eponymous debut album, meticulously remastered using the original source tapes and generously spread across three slabs of vinyl. The12-track triple LP and digital package combines all the songs from both the original US and licensed European releases, and features new commemorative artwork unique to this edition. In the late nineties, the budding producers Morgan Geist and Darshan Jesrani bonded over their shared love of slower tempos and '70s and '80s NYC club culture. Obsessed with record digging and the sounds they heard on late-night "club classics" radio shows—and turned off by current releases they saw as artlessly "updating" sublime disco by sampling, filtering and subjugating them with huge kick drums —the duo set out to discover how their favorite old 12" records were made. They naturally gravitated towards extended dubs of songs—full of strange mistakes and echoing backing tracks—instead of the better-known vocal versions. Lacking the big budgets and gear that made so many of their favorite classic records come together, they were forced to take a guerrilla approach. They reprogrammed their techno-oriented arsenal of secondhand synths and samplers, using novel digital recording technology to capture live instrumentation and prioritizing mood over hooks, and the resulting music was just wrong enough to sound unlike anything else being released at the time.After just four underground 12" releases, the duo—now well-known as Metro Area—released their first and only album, Metro Area, in the fall of 2002. Fifteen years later, it's time to celebrate the culmination of their shared history and inspiration once again. Environ is proud to present the Metro Area 15th Anniversary Edition, Metro Area's eponymous debut album, meticulously remastered using the original source tapes and generously spread across three slabs of vinyl. The 12-track triple LP and digital package combines all the songs from both the original US and licensed European releases, and features new commemorative artwork unique to this edition.
Kito Jempere has spent more than two decades building a universe of his own, with releases on Mule Musiq, DFA and other influential labels, alongside remixes from Ewan Pearson and others. With Other People’s Aesthetics, that universe finally opens outward. After years of protecting his own musical language, Kito lets the outside world in—embracing the sounds, artists and scenes that have shaped him, from house and techno to Aphex Twin, Warp, Ninja Tune and Omar-S. The result is a personal universe merging with the world beyond it. The album opens with “Change For Now,” a collaboration with longtime friend Lipelis (L.I.E.S., Public Possession, Running Back), marking a friendship that has grown over the past decade. “Teaser,” originally released on Mule Musiq, returns in a new album “Dub” version, with fewer vocals and a stronger garage-house feel—a direct statement of love for David Lynch. “OPA” looks back to Kito’s original half-jazz, half-drum’n’bass sound and the Uniquetunes era of the early 2000s, alongside the music he absorbed from CDs by Amon Tobin, Squarepusher, Skalpel and The Cinematic Orchestra. “Listens To Selected Ambient Works Once” is a direct homage to Aphex Twin, given a Warehouse-style treatment for bigger dancefloors. “I’m Not A Doctor, Either,” featuring mishinuki—previously heard on Green Monster in its Moloko homage—builds towards an epic, euphoric string finale. “Kobayashi Porcelain” closes the record by combining memories of Usual Suspects with Moby-like atmosphere and an Omar-S-type beat. The release of Other People’s Aesthetics will be followed by a Japan tour in December 2026 and Kito Jempere’s ongoing residency at Honeycomb Hi-Fi in Dubai. Early support from: Ata, Reznik, Horse Meat Disco, Vladimir Ivkovic, Tim Sweeney, Max Pask, Rich Thair of Red Snapper, Ame, Ellen Allien, Benji B, John Tejada, The Blessed Madonna, Hard Ton
Following hot on the heels of the Frequency Damage EP, DJ Quest returns to Cyberfunk with Squeaks / Snake Style— a two-track release that dives deep into the unmistakable sound that made Quest’s productions stand out during the early 2000s.
Rather than simply recreating the past, both tracks tap directly into the DNA of the original Cyberfunk sound: rolling breakbeats, huge basslines, twisted analogue synths and the kind of distinctive production that became synonymous with DJ Quest at the height of the Bassline Breaks era.
Built around original analogue synth work throughout, Squeaks / Snake Style is a deliberate throwback to the raw, futuristic sound of the early 2000s, produced with the weight and clarity needed for today’s sound systems.
It’s classic Quest, strange noises, big bass, rolling drums and plenty of attitude.
A. Squeaks
Everything DJ Quest became known for rolled into one track. Squeaks is an unapologetic throwback to the classic Quest sound of the early 2000s, driven by heavyweight breaks, deep bass and original analogue synth work throughout.
Twisted electronic squeaks and evolving analogue sounds weave their way around the drums, giving the track that instantly recognisable combination of funk, darkness and futuristic weirdness that characterised so many of Quest’s early productions.
Raw, energetic and built firmly for the dancefloor, Squeaks takes the spirit of the original Bassline Breaks era and brings it straight back onto a modern sound system.
AA. Snake Style
On the flip, Snake Style takes the same analogue-driven approach but moves into deeper rolling territory.
A more hypnotic, heads-down breaks roller, the track develops around a heavyweight bass groove, rolling drums and constantly shifting analogue synth lines. There’s less emphasis on the immediate impact of the A-side and more on building a groove that locks into a DJ set and keeps moving.
Still unmistakably Quest, Snake Style combines the rawness and character of early-2000s breakbeat with modern low-end weight and production, proper rolling Cyberfunk business.
Special Vinyl Edition
Making this release particularly special for collectors, the 12” vinyl comes with an exclusive book showcasing the artwork from some of DJ Quest’s biggest and most memorable releases.
The book looks back through Quest’s extensive catalogue and the visual identity that accompanied the records, bringing together a selection of classic release artwork from across his career plus photo collages of memories made across his journey.
It turns Squeaks / Snake Style into more than just a new DJ Quest 12”, it’s also a celebration of the music, artwork and history surrounding one of the original pioneers of the Bassline Breaks sound.
For long-time followers it offers a piece of Quest history alongside two brand-new productions, while newer listeners get an introduction to the catalogue and imagery behind the sound
Following the success of two collaborative releases (EMC “The Show”/2008 and Ace & Edo G “Arts & Entertainment” /2009), Masta Ace joins forces with the metal faced MF Doom for Son of Yvonne, a highly personal concept album that celebrates the life and legacy of Ace’s recently departed Mother. Like his 2004 landmark Disposable Arts, Son of Yvonne is meticulously constructed with stories, settings, and characters that resonate with flesh and bone humanity. Interstitial vignettes provide a thematic backbone to the experience, and each track complements and completes the previous to form a narrative whole: a sometimes visceral, sometimes nostalgic slice of Ace’s young life in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Entirely underscored by MF Doom’s iconic Special Herbs instrumentals, Son of Yvonne features the Juice Crew general Big Daddy Kane, new comers Pav Bundy (The Bundies), Reggie B and even MF Doom on the mic. It’s Masta Ace’s no frills flow, however, that looms largest above the dusty samples and digger loops that define Doom’s production. Ace’s photo-realistic rhymes about stick-up kids, spraycan artists and wack emcees add extra gravity to his already celebrated reputation as “truly an under-appreciated rap veteran and underground luminary” (Allmusic Guide). Like Eminem recalls in his 2008 autobiography The Way I Am, “Masta Ace had amazing storytelling skills. His thoughts were so vivid.” TRACKLIST: A1. DJ Ski's Intro A2. Ninteen Seventy Something A3. Son Of Yvonne B1. Da Pro B2. Store Frontin B3. Me & My Gang B4. Crush Hour feat Pav Bundy C1. Think I Am feat Big Daddy Kane & Mf Doom C2. Fresh Fest Reggie B C3. Hoe-Tel-leftovers C4. Slow Down D1. Home Sweet Home feat Pav Bundy D2. Dedication D3. I Did It D4. In Da Spot feat Milani The Artis D5. Outtakes
Back in November 2015, after years of collaborations with such as Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Obie Trice, Sean Price, Kool G Rap, Eternia and countless others, Toronto-based producer MoSS released his debut producer album entitled "Marching To The Sound Of My Own Drum". Since the beginning of his career, the Canadian beatsmith, record digger and music connoisseur has been making a name for himself with his signature sound and on this record he gives an amazing display of what he's capable of doing being backed up by an all stars team that features AZ, Havoc, Slum Village, Onyx, Inspectah Deck, Ill Bill, Skyzoo, Guilty Simpson and 20+ other legendary MC's. A few years after its original release, we've decided to team up with MoSS to bring you this masterpiece on wax and, for the occasion, he's also added an unreleased bonus track called "We Here" that features Smif-N-Wessun that, together with "Emotional Redux", we've put on a 7" together with its instrumental. Limited edition of 500 hand-numbered copies, with the first 200 pressed on orange/black A-side B-side vinyl, and 300 on black vinyl.
BONUS 7”
A1. Emotional Redux (feat. Big Gov, Guilty Simpson, Jon Connor, Vstylez, Willie The Kid)
B1. We Here (feat. Smif-N-Wessun) UNRELEASED
B2. We Here (Instrumental)
Following up 2007s well received X-dub was the Phalaenopsis 12inch that came out later that year. A track selection that came from the same hyped mysterious MySpace track folder, but now transmitted through Frustrated Funks subsidiary, the now defunct Frantic Flowers imprint that was emerging through the early Clone channels. Signing there, without the staffs knowledge of the producers identity, further muddied the waters. Exploring a more housy dub-techno vibe and diving deeper into experimental dub territory. And with it deploying an even bigger smokescreen around Ovatows real identity. Both Phalaenopsis versions re-appear now, for the first time after almost 20 years, fully retouched and remastered, together with an unknown unreleased track (edit) called So It Goes. This is the second in a series of Ovatow work, revived for the heads that appreciate the foggy deep of the Undacurrnt.
X Clan emerged from Brooklyn, New York as one of the most distinctive and politically charged groups of the early 1990s. The original lineup, Anthony “Sugar Shaft” Hardin, Claude “Paradise” Gray, Jason “Brother J” Hunter, and Lumumba “Professor X” Carson, became the driving force behind the Blackwatch movement, a collective that also included artists such as Lin Que aka Isis and Queen Mother Rage.
Renowned for their Afrocentric vision, militant activism, and unmistakable sonic identity, X Clan quickly rose to prominence. Their 1990 debut album To The East, Blackwards sparked both acclaim and controversy, reaching No. 11 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and No. 97 on the Billboard 200. The record delivered several standout singles, including “Heed The Word Of The Brother” backed with “Raise The Flag”, “Funkin’ Lesson” backed with “Shaft’s Big Score”, “Grand Verbalizer, What Time Is It?”, and the funk-driven, sample-heavy track “Verbal Milk”.
The group’s original formation dissolved in 1995, and tragically, both Sugar Shaft and Professor X passed away later that year.
To The East, Blackwards is now reissued on vinyl for the first time since 1991, honouring one of hip‑hop’s most influential and culturally resonant albums.
God of War is Douglas Dulgarian (They Are Gutting A Body Of Water), Scott Turner (hooky) and Sam Silbert (hooky, circle of fire).
It's 2007. You’re watching your older cousin play SSX tricky. How is he such a monster at this game. Dude for real what the fuck. Such style, such finesse. I know he smokes weed. Should I tell Aunt Vicky? No no no- that would ruin this moment. He is racking up points that were formerly unheard of, and with such grace. There’s no expression on his face. And considering that he just sat open mouthed at the dinner table staring into nothing for forty minutes, this revelation is more than remarkable. It seems as if he has always existed in this moment. As if his very essence was plucked from the ether. And perhaps he has. He was made for this moment.
God of War is Douglas Dulgarian (They Are Gutting A Body Of Water), Scott Turner (hooky) and Sam Silbert (hooky, circle of fire).
It's 2007. You’re watching your older cousin play SSX tricky. How is he such a monster at this game. Dude for real what the fuck. Such style, such finesse. I know he smokes weed. Should I tell Aunt Vicky? No no no- that would ruin this moment. He is racking up points that were formerly unheard of, and with such grace. There’s no expression on his face. And considering that he just sat open mouthed at the dinner table staring into nothing for forty minutes, this revelation is more than remarkable. It seems as if he has always existed in this moment. As if his very essence was plucked from the ether. And perhaps he has. He was made for this moment.
Toy Tonics Italomania Vol. 4 is a compilation dedicated to new ITALIAN DISCO. Not ITALO DISCO.
10 new tracks made by young producers from Italy, exclusively made for Toy Tonics. All songs with Italian vocals.
Made with a lot of love by
Cleeeo, Giorgio Lopez, Magnolia, Juan Soto & Sam Ruffillo, KOKO, Luca Averna, Ricardo Baez, Euro Nettuno, The Cube Guys and Paccone.
The Italomania compilation was initiated by Mathias ‚Kapote‘ Modica. Creative mind behind Toy Tonics and half italian producer himself.
The series is a manifesto to show the status of Italian disco of today.
Kapote invited the most relevant producers to show different new styles of modern Italian disco and house music.
With a wide range of influence: Live disco, indie dance, italo pop, and italo house.
Italian disco is not Italo disco. The last few years saw a big revival of the trashy pop music of the 1980s called Italo disco, mostly with English lyrics.
But this compilation is about something else. It is about this new Italian disco. Toy Tonics wants to show a new way to combine Italianity with dance culture.
The Italomania Vol. 4 Artists
Cleeeo - Come Tocchitu: A sexy and sophisticated disco house track by 22 year old newcomer DJ and producer Cleeeo. Driven by a warm, uplifting groove and strong dancefloor energy. The record is dedicated to Brazil. The vocals move between Italian and Portuguese. This creates a natural bridge between two cultures.
Giorgio Lopez - Italiani Brava Gente: Giorgio Lopez is an important player from the much talked about new music scene from Napoli.
For "Italiani Brava Gente," he teams up with Los Angeles artist Sueño. The track is a tongue-in-cheek take on the stereotypical Italian male. It pays homage to late Italodisco legend Pino D’Angiò. The story unfolds from the perspective of a foreign tourist navigating the contradictions of self-proclaimed Casanovas.
The Cube Guys - Saper Ringraziare: The legendary italo house duo shows their Italian vibes and musical taste with “Saper Ringraziare”. The track captures the warmth of summer and the infinity of urban nights. A combination of early Italo disco elements mixed with their typical groovy beats.
Magnolia - Vesuvio: Magnolia’s “Vesuvio” is a cover version of a song from the 1960s by artist E’ Zezi. While the original is more in a folk vibes, the new version is an irresistible piano house track with groovy, sun-soaked vibes. It is made for the dance floor. This track blends Mediterranean roots with the euphoric energy of modern house. Some might know the vocals already from another cover version by Nu Genea from the previous album.
Juan Soto & Sam Ruffillo - Italomexicano: What happens when a Toy Tonics artist hangs out in Mexico city and teams up with the local scene? The result is here. A blend a Toy Tonics sound and tons of vintage synthesizers and some additional production by Mexican producer talent Juan Soto.
You get "Italomexicano". A fuse of the mystique of Mexican mariachi with the magnetic pulse of Italo disco.
KOKO feat. Elena Moroder - I Can't Understand: This melancholic piano house track is a serious floorfiller! Goosebumps! Italian DJ and producer KOKO teams up with Elena Moroder on "I Can’t Understand". Elena delivers a captivating vocal performance. The track explores the misunderstandings of a relationship where emotions were never fully expressed. It blends an iconic piano melody with warm, uplifting grooves.
Luca Averna - Le Luci Della Pista: Luca Averna is a DJ, producer, and resident at the iconic Pikes Hotel in Ibiza. "Le Luci Della Pista" is an energetic track designed for peak-time Ibiza moments while keeping a strong groove and a playful spirit.
Ricardo Baez - È Venerdì: Ricardo Baez is an Italian-Venezuelan DJ and producer. He is known for his distinctive blend of house, dark electro, italo disco, and leftfield electronics. Well respected in Italy's contemporary electronic scene he has been releasing on labels such as Running Bag, Permanent Vacation, Bordello a Parigi, Correspondant, Mule music, Live at Robert Johnson.
Euro Nettuno - La Notte Chiama: These guys are hot! Part of the Polyamore Crew, one of the rising italian new disco collectives their sound mixes Italo house from the 1990ies, electro and Pop in a very cool new way.
Paccone - J'Adore Napoli: Vincenzo Paccone is a DJ, producer but also very renowned graphic designer. He is co-founder of NSS. A fashion agency that is by now one of the leading italian fashion crews. He has been also working as a designer for Circoloco Ibiza for many years and organizes some of the hottest parties in Napoli currently. He makes his official debut as a producer with “J’Adore Napoli”. It is a vibrant tribute to the house music culture born in Naples. The track draws inspiration from the late 1990s and early 2000s. And is part of a NSS campaign about the ’new coolness of the city of Napoli“.
Josh Ludlow - one half of MAKE A DANCE - one of London’s most beloved duos - steps out on his own for a rare solo outing on legendary London imprint Rhythm Section International.
A late contender for EP of the year - the record meanders menacingly across four tracks of mind-altering, dissociative Brain Music, precision engineered to transport a listener and hypnotise a crowd without losing any dancefloor impact.
Interestingly, Bradley Zero (RS label boss) and Mr. Ludlow have a connection dating back to the late 2000s, when they were both drummers in rock and roll bands...almost 20 years later - a shared love of experimental electronic music has brought them back together, resulting in this spellbinding EP.
Channelling a much darker, heads down, aggressive sound than the uplifting house M.A.D have become known for, the record begins with 'Brain Music’, which serves as a Detroit techno-inspired wormhole of a track, guiding us into a parallel, inner dimension.
Time Upside Down is next up and it becomes apparent we have entered another realm entirely. The introductory bars of the song feel like a long journey down a dark tunnel. The sound design and acoustic backdrop are so evocative you can almost see it. Obnoxious bass notes reverberate through the space created by the track, slowly giving way to flurries of high-pitched, resonant acid lines - the sum of which escape easy classification. It would be lazy to call it house music, misleading to call it techno - but it’s definitely not tech house. Elements of disco, electro, post-punk, balearic and Weatherall-esque chug are all in the mix but essentially, this is its own thing - this is Brain Music.
The record continues to the penultimate track “The Kettle”, which starts off in more familiar upbeat, bongo-house territory before the calm is betrayed by a hovering intensity which grows out of nowhere before making space for a humungous bass synth melody - so big in fact that it has never once failed to elicit club-wide bass-face; which for a mid-tempo track is no mean feat. We round things off with ‘Mean Mother’, the most playful of the bunch: a Chicago house-indebted workout reminiscent of Paranoid London at their most visceral. The track feels familiar and almost safe until the synth-work is cranked up to 11, creating a cacophonous SH-101 build-up into a disco-esque drop that would get even the most reluctant raver jumping up and down for more.
Besides all the theatrics and acoustic world building, the evocative sound design and the insatiable, no-nonsense grooves - the thing that makes these tracks stand out is the attention to detail. No two fills are alike, every embellishment is EQ’d and polished to perfection - yet no immediacy is lost. The tracks feel alive, intentional and constantly evolving. Hyperbole aside - we have a serious, generational talent on our hands whose mastery of the equipment, understanding of the dynamics of the dance and unabashed
playfulness is being harnessed into something that stands out head and shoulders above the crowd.
Finnish-American guitarist Raoul Björkenheim and Norwegian drummer Paal Nilssen-Love join forces on their new album PING, released by We Jazz Records on 30th October on LP, CD and digital formats. Recorded in Helsinki, the album finds the seasoned duo firing on all cylinders and delivering a remarkable set of contemporary free music.
PING brings together nine excursions beyond “guitar + drums” and way beyond “free jazz”. That being said, those are still good touching points for the music that is wild, imaginative, raw, yet also at times delicate and introspective. Friends and collaborators for decades in groups such as the lauded Scorch Trio, Raoul and Paal have the history and the trust to create memorable and original improvised music that stuns and moves the curious listener.
Raoul Björkenheim (b. 1956) is a Finnish-American guitarist and composer who has been creating original music for the past four decades living in New York City and Helsinki, where he is presently based. Describing his on-going work as investigative guitarism, he is best known for an expressionistic and lyrical guitar style. Björkenheim’s eclectic discography numbers 50+ albums, ranging from ambient soundscapes to visceral free jazz, from duo to big band. His large-scale works for symphony orchestra have yet to be recorded, and he has also composed scores for over ten films and dance productions. Björkenheim has collaborated musically with Bill Laswell, Toshinori Kondo, William Parker, Mats Gustafsson, Hamid Drake, Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, Gerald Cleaver, Henry Kaiser, Lukas Ligeti, Morgan Ågren, Paul Schütze, Edward Vesala and Juhani Aaltonen, for the labels ECM, Rune Grammofon, Cuneiform, Tum Records and Long Song records. Björkenheim has been awarded various prizes including the Emma prize for best jazz recording of the year, and been nominated three times for the Nordic Music Award.
Paal Nilssen-Love (b. 1974) is a Norwegian drummer, composer, bandleader, and producer known for his central role in Scandinavian free jazz and improvised music. Since the mid- 1990s, he has appeared on more than 280 albums, including 70 released through his label, PNL Records. He has performed with influential groups including Atomic, The Thing, Peter Brötzmann’s Chicago Tentet, Scorch Trio, and Frode Gjerstad Trio, and collaborates regularly with artists such as, Ken Vandermark, Akira Sakata, Otomo Yoshihide, David Murray, Arto Lindsay and more. Paal Nilssen-Love’s fascination with traditional and experimental music has taken him around the world. Since his first visit to Ethiopia in 2009, he has built strong connections with musicians and artists in Addis Ababa, leading to collaborations, performances, teaching, and artist exchanges with Norway. Since his first trip to Brazil in 2013, he has returned regularly, developing collaborations with artists and musicians across the country. His musical explorations have also brought him to Tsugaru and Aomori in northern Japan, where he has developed an interest in the region’s traditional music. Nilssen-Love is also an active organizer and educator. He started both Oslo’s all-Ears festival, the Blow Out festival and FRAM Kunstfest, and has led workshops internationally and in Norway.
Long overdue reissue of classic Scottish ambient techno banger ‘Mindweeds’, originally released in 1993 on the Pure-affiliated T&B Vinyl label run by Keith McIvor (JD Twitch) and Andy Watson (Brainstorm). With a Discogs demand ratio at about 300 have : 2000 want, and used prices peaking at over £100, now seems to be the right time for a re-release.
State of Flux were Roger Elliott and Dave Clark (aka Sparky, LUMA, Truffle Club and main man behind Kübler-Ross). They first met at Glasgow’s Strathclyde University in 1990, bonding over a shared love of weasel racing, German sausages and “man-duos” like The KLF and The Shamen. Dave was fully pubescent and already had a synth and drum machine, while Roger – a late developer – bought “another cheap synth, a Commodore Amiga for sequencing and a tiny mixer with no EQ”. For two long years they concentrated hard on “churning out unlistenable pish”, admittedly clueless about what they were trying to do.
Then – out of nowhere in the summer of 1992 – a flatmate’s Jello Biafra spoken word CD (‘I Blow Minds For A Living’) provided the inspiration to unlock the spark of dynamite that set the raving world on fire. Sampled using a Walkman* cassette** tape*** on playback (a decision the pair soon came to regret every time the track was subsequently performed live), Jello’s pilfered rant would soon become the crucial glue that held together the burgeoning kaleidoscopic helicopter spliff that is ‘Mindweeds’, loaded as it was – and indeed still is – with a veritably seething morass of cheeky electronic blims, nasal filter cheese and gay Caledonian spunk.
* a vintage portable listening device roughly the size of 4 iPhones stacked on top of one another and weighing the same as a small tub of yoghurt
** a plastic cartridge enclosing 2 miniature spools of magnetically coated, polyester-type plastic film (magnetic tape), notoriously convenient for pirating copyright material and secreting in one’s underpants for transporting between illicit market trader stalls
*** thin ribbon coated with ferromagnetic particles, usually ferric oxide but also chromium dioxide, "pseudochrome" ferricobalt or iron-cobalt-nickel “metal” formulations – with the latter types sounding marginally less crap
Playing demos of the track to friends, one thing led to another and a copy arrived with Twitch. Meeting the legends behind Pure in late 1992, a release was scheduled for summer 1993… but not before a promotional live gig in February of that year, supporting their heroes The Black Dog. Confessing that they “didn’t have a clue how to play live”, the duo played it safe, “went to a studio near Edinburgh airport to record the ‘live’ show” and then “mimed it off a DAT” at the gig, “standing in front of unplugged synths”. Soon after this, they recorded the full EP at Finitribe’s ‘Finiflex’ studio in Leith, Edinburgh and the record came out as planned that summer – the same week as Underworld’s ‘Rez’.
The record received high praise, appeared in many big-name DJ charts, sold out very quickly and was repressed within a few weeks, selling several thousand copies by the end of 1993 – no mean feat in an era when people had to use landline phones ****, faxes ***** or good old-fashioned carrier pigeons ****** to ascertain literally anything about the outside world, what was cool, where to buy the cool shit, or how to meet people and have fun.
**** a fixed communication device that connects to a telephone network using physical wires, cables, or a stationary base unit tied to a specific geographic address, using a handset incorporating a mouthpiece featuring a small metal disk and carbon grains, converting sound pressure from the human voice into a flow of electrical waves caused by these grains being squeezed together, before the variable signal is transmitted down DC voltage-powered copper wire and rerouted by a central exchange to arrive at the earpiece magnet of the target receiver’s handset, moving a small speaker cone accordingly so the message is intelligible WITHOUT THE PERSON SPEAKING ACTUALLY BEING PRESENT
***** as above, but for the d/Deaf
****** flying vermin riddled with diseases and capable of surviving nuclear armageddon
Soon Roger and Dave became sick of the Walkman being the only instrument played live in their set: with their new found fame and riches, they invested in a case for their Amiga to transport it around Scotland, while also putting in the hours on how to pretend to play live better with a sequencer and synths that were FINALLY plugged in. Following the release of ‘The Mercury EP' in April 1994, they embarked on a full tour of the UK and even managed to part ways and end the band by June that year.
This reissue includes the two original mixes of ‘Mindweeds’ recorded at Finiflex (‘Original’ and engineer ‘Fred's Fancy’), the original cassette demo (mastered directly from the actual recording sent to Twitch & Brainstorm in 1992) and a live version recorded at the Birmingham club night 'Oscillate' in April 1994.
Next year the iconic anthem Cafe Del Mar will celebrate its 30th anniversary, a landmark that will be celebrated with a series of brand new remixes alongside the finest existing remixes in specially remastered versions.
Launching the series of vinyl releases in September is a remastered vinyl-only release of the original mix, as well as the best-known version of this classic track, the iconic Three ‘N One Remix.
Nearly 30 years ago, Paul M aka DJ Kid Paul recording as Energy 52 unleashed a record onto an unsuspecting public that would go on to define club culture for an entire generation of dance music enthusiasts. Named as an homage to the legendary Ibiza sunset spot, Café Del Mar broke down boundaries between the underground and
the mainstream, charting in the UK singles charts on three separate occasions and named as the “best tune ever” by Mixmag at the start of the new millennium. In terms of cultural and emotional impact in dance music, it’s hard to find a record that comes close.
Café Del Mar has come to represent the most euphoric and hedonistic pleasures of dancefloors - in Ibiza and all around the world - and has been remixed by some of the biggest names in the industry. Now, 30 years after its original release, Superstition Records will be putting out a new series of releases, with brand new remixes as well as remastered versions of some of the many remixes from across the last three decades. The vinyl-only remastered version of the original and Three ‘N One mixes will launch the series, with further details about the rest of the series announced in the coming weeks.
In 2021 Paul Van Dyk’s Café Del Mar remixes launched a series of vinyl and digital re-issues on the Superstition Records imprint after an almost 20 years hiatus. From 1993 until 2003 Superstition Records was a groundbreaking Techno, Tech-House and Trance Label and released some of the biggest and most revered records of the early German electronic scene.
Sentimental Ultra marks DJ HEARTSTRING’s debut proper on Steel City Dance Discs, and their first album project, releasing November 13th 2026. Starting life as a mixtape before a happy accident or two took it down a different path, the 15-track album finds the pair chasing not just peak-time euphoria and what they can conjure in a club setting, but everything around it, too. The befores and the afters. The soft and the supercharged. What life felt like when they were young. Featuring collaborations with SWIM, Spriitzz, BAUGRUPPE90, Sam Gellaitry, Saidah, DMA’S, KennyHoopla, Monk, 3NDLES5, David Jackson and secret act, they fold formative years influences such as indie rock, rap, ambient and breakbeat into their sought-after sound, and balance them with contemporary-coded ideas.
This blend of worlds is at the crux of the album’s concept visually as well. Sentimental Ultra is an exploration blurring the lines of hard and soft, taking inspiration from subculture communities around football hooliganism and skateboarding. The cover is shot by iconic British photographer Ewen Spencer, renowned for his work around Skins, The Streets and more. The collaboration has seen DJ HEARTSTRING land features in Numero Berlin, Notion Mag and other cross-cultural editorial platforms ahead of the album announcement.
To date, the project has already received various milestones across international radio, including Arielle Free’s Big Whopper for third single ‘Another Year Alone’ and DJ HEARTSTRING landing a coveted BBC R1 Residency in November. Adding to this is the slew of digital looks and accolades for DJ HEARTSTRING’s set recordings including their closing set at Soenda Festival earlier this year which is on 115k views since being published in May 2026, their Melbourne Boiler Room published in 2025 with +1 million views and their Belfast Boiler Room published in 2023 with +1.1 million views.
Since DJ HEARTSTRING’s 2021 debut, when they rollicked through the club door with their Destiny of the Moment and Eternal Euphoria EPs, alongside a slew of self-released, pop-and-R&B-indebted edits, DJ HEARTSTRING have followed their hearts and won over legions more with an emotional dance music style that’s fast become synonymous with their name.
There’ve been big releases such as 2025’s You Are The Sun, I Am The Sky EP, and buzzy collaborations with fellow synapse-igniters like SWIM, Narciss, southstar and S.C.D.D.’s KETTAMA. The past few years have also seen remixes for Charli XCX and Sam Smith, Romy, Sugababes and Empire of the Sun, sets everywhere from Berghain to London’s 3000-capacity Roundhouse, their own Teenage Dream parties and a must-listen contribution to the BBC Radio 1’s Essential Mix series, which showcased just some of the sonic inspirations behind their signature, like Eurodance and trance, plus heaps of DJ HEARTSTRING material.
And now, Sentimental Ultra arrives off the back of DJ HEARTSTRING’s busiest summer to date with landmark festival plays at Awakenings in the Netherlands, Lost Village and Maiden Voyage in the UK, We Love Green in France, Lost Paradise in Belgium, Movement Festival in Detroit and Arc Festival in Chicago. Hot off the heels of their festival run, the Berlin duo show no signs of slowing down with a 3-date Australia tour at the end of September whereby they sold a cumulative 15,500 tickets across Melbourne, Sydney and Perth shows, all on presales. In addition to some pop-up in key markets around album release including Ireland, Scotland, Berlin and London, the Sentimental Ultra official tour also encompasses a European hard ticket run including Belfast’s Telegraph Building (2,000 cap), Brussels’ Braindance (2,000 cap), Paris Phantom (3,400) and DJ HEARTSTRING’s biggest London show to date - Brixton Academy (5,000) - an apt follow-up after selling out Magazine (4,000 cap) weeks in advance in February 2026.
There’s plenty still in store, and plenty of places to catch them throughout the rest of what’s set to be a landmark year. Shows from Miami to Manchester (for the sold-out KETTAMA presents Steel City Dance Discs WHP takeover) to Dublin’s District X, a hometown Teenage Dreams event and 2 colossal ADE headlines at Dockyard and Sugar Factory - with more plans bubbling behind the scenes. DJ HEARTSTRING season is well and truly upon us.
UK Garage has ridden a new wave of hype and exposure over the last few years. Artists like Sammy Virji and Interplanetary Criminal have crossed over to the mainstream, while dancefloors across the world have shaken to a switched-up version of the sound that defined the UK underground either side of the millenium.
Hidden beneath a pink balaclava, the mysterious DJ Jackum has lurked this rejuvenated scene while dropping some of the most defining bangers of the period. Often surfacing in the form of moody edits released on Soundcloud, Jackum productions inevitably demolish dancefloors whenever dropped, as they frequently are in the sets of Virji and the other big guns.
Landing on Hotflush, a storied label of UK underground music, ‘Context’ is his most substantial work to date. Six tracks covering the full spectrum of the Jackum sound, from 4/4 heaters to dubstep-adjacent eyes-down bass pressure.
And in the form of opening track ‘Floo’, Jackum spreads his wings into a place that transcends the narrow confines of genre definition. From the UKG building blocks of bass, drive, cut-up vocals, and melody, the track emerges as something both familiar and wholly unexpected - the mark of a producer at the peak of their powers.
‘Clip Empty’ is another highlight of this standout EP. Showing a flair for the cinematic, a breakdown of militaristic snares gives way to a trademark rolling bassline and earworm vocals.
Away from the 4/4 bangers, ‘Take Your Body Higher’ is a guaranteed half-step rewind, while ‘Step Up’ recalls memories of smokey Plastic People sessions of the mid-2000s.
Hailing straight from Quebec City, Canada, GET THE SHOT is a hardcore band formed in 2009. With their strong work ethic, they quickly established themselves as one of the flag bearers of the Quebec hardcore and metal scene.
Their powerful music incorporates elements of thrash, death metal, and hardcore, creating an intense and brutal sound that captivates fans of the genre. Inspired by iconic bands such as Hatebreed, Obituary, and Slayer, GET THE SHOT has developed a unique style of extreme music.
With an impressive discography including albums such as "Perdition" (2012), "No Peace In Hell" (2014), "Infinite Punishment" (2017), and their latest album "Merciless Destruction" (2022), nominated for a JUNO award, GET THE SHOT has built a solid reputation with impactful tracks and explosive live performances.
“CRUCIFIXION DEPICTION”, marks a shift in attitude and resolve for the band. While celebrating the addition of a new vocalist and the comeback of the original guitar player, the latest EP sees the band undergo a transformation into a new persona and exploring a more visceral sound, while sticking to its hardcore roots.
After more than 700 concerts on three continents, including some on the biggest international stages such as Wacken, Hellfest, FEQ and Resurrection Fest, the six members remain committed to the core values of authenticity, integrity, and equality at the heart of the hardcore movement, while addressing with disillusioned realism the flaws of an era defined by blind individualism.
Hailing straight from Quebec City, Canada, GET THE SHOT is a hardcore band formed in 2009. With their strong work ethic, they quickly established themselves as one of the flag bearers of the Quebec hardcore and metal scene.
Their powerful music incorporates elements of thrash, death metal, and hardcore, creating an intense and brutal sound that captivates fans of the genre. Inspired by iconic bands such as Hatebreed, Obituary, and Slayer, GET THE SHOT has developed a unique style of extreme music.
With an impressive discography including albums such as "Perdition" (2012), "No Peace In Hell" (2014), "Infinite Punishment" (2017), and their latest album "Merciless Destruction" (2022), nominated for a JUNO award, GET THE SHOT has built a solid reputation with impactful tracks and explosive live performances.
“CRUCIFIXION DEPICTION”, marks a shift in attitude and resolve for the band. While celebrating the addition of a new vocalist and the comeback of the original guitar player, the latest EP sees the band undergo a transformation into a new persona and exploring a more visceral sound, while sticking to its hardcore roots.
After more than 700 concerts on three continents, including some on the biggest international stages such as Wacken, Hellfest, FEQ and Resurrection Fest, the six members remain committed to the core values of authenticity, integrity, and equality at the heart of the hardcore movement, while addressing with disillusioned realism the flaws of an era defined by blind individualism.
Houston’s premier street griot is stepping into his most profound chapter yet with his highly anticipated upcoming album, O.Y.N. Throughout a decorated career that spans over 1.2 billion global streams and a fiercely loyal fanbase, Maxo Kream—born Emekwane Ogugua Biosah, Jr.—has established himself as one of rap’s most authentic, uncompromising storytellers. From the raw trenches of Alief to the critically acclaimed triumphs of Punken, Brandon Banks, Weight of the World, and his triumphant 2024 independent pivot Personification, Maxo has long been celebrated by Pitchfork, NPR, and Complex for his cinematic, hyper-detailed world-building. Now, O.Y.N. finds the Houston icon turning his gaze inward, pairing his signature Texas grit with an expansive, global perspective that redefines his artistic boundaries.
If his previous work was about Maxo taking full creative control as an independent force, O.Y.N. is about him uncovering who he is at his core. Following the passing of his father, Maxo found himself searching deeper for his family origins, leading to a pivotal moment of artistic and personal rebirth. For the first time in his life, Maxo traveled to Lagos, Nigeria, anchoring his new music in a profound celebration of his Nigerian heritage. The emotional centerpiece of this journey is the JPEGMAFIA-produced single “Time Out,” an introspective track that moves away from the frantic energy of his past releases to offer a stripped-back look at love, loss, and legacy. Featuring a heavy, resonant drum presence on the outro, the song’s accompanying music video was filmed on location in Lagos, capturing Maxo navigating his ancestral roots in real-time.
While O.Y.N. reaches new emotional depths, it doesn't sacrifice the hard-hitting, volatile street persona that made Maxo a star. The album expertly balances soul-baring vulnerability with cutting-edge hip-hop experimentation, showcasing elite chemistry with some of the genre's most forward-thinking visionaries. Look no further than “Fake Jeezy,” a collaborative explosion featuring Denzel Curry and masterminded by JPEGMAFIA. The track is a masterclass in industrial chaos, combining sharp lyricism and early-2000s trap imagery with cold, surreal visual aesthetics. This duality highlights Maxo's unique positioning in the culture as a trusted street general who can effortlessly trade bars with rap's avant-garde elite.
From his early days flipping Kendrick Lamar's “Rigamortis” to sharing marquee tracks with the likes of A$AP Rocky, Travis Scott, and Tyler, The Creator on hits like “Big Persona,” “Cracc Era,” and “Cracc At 15,” Maxo Kream has always been a rapper's rapper. O.Y.N. represents the ultimate synthesis of this incredible journey. It is an album born from the soil of Alief but elevated by the spirit of Lagos—a raw, beautiful, and heavy-hitting testament to an artist who has survived his past, honored his losses, and fully embraced his destiny.
It all started with a small party in 2006. Peter Invasion simply wanted to create a home for his band. That small party grew into something bigger, and eventually Riotvan became a record label in 2012 — a home for many different people, all brought together by a shared love for music and art. When Panthera Krause joined the journey in 2017, Riotvan evolved once again, adding a new perspective and another creative force to what it had become. The journey began 240 months ago — or, for those too lazy to do the math, 20 years. A lot has happened since then, but one thing has never changed: the passion. People have come, gone, and stayed. And here we are, celebrating 240 months of Riotvan with our friends, our loved ones, and ourselves. To mark the occasion, we're hitting the road on tour and have put together an extended edition of our Familiar Faces series. It's a colorful collection of music that brings together everything we love and everything that makes sense to us. It couldn't represent the Riotvan spirit any better. We'll definitely see each other somewhere along the way. Here's to the next 240 months.
Yung Lean - That's It (feat. Future & Metro Boomin)
Travis Scott - RHYNO (prod. by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo)
CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso, PinkPantheress,
Fred again.., & Etienne de Crécy - Sexy Magic
Morgan Wallen - Last Thing You Need
Rauw Alejandro - Macacoa 2000
Keith Richards - Bright Lights, Big City
Limited Edition 2026 Black Vinyl Repress.
Up in Flames is Dan Snaith's second album, originally released under the Manitoba moniker on March 31, 2003 .
Made with the same modest home setup as its predecessor, it nonetheless sounds like a different artist entirely - a kaleidoscopic rush of sun-bright melodies, tumbling percussion, and psychedelic pop that traded the hushed intimacy of Start Breaking My Heart for something warmer, bigger, and more joyfully overstuffed, encompassing 1960s psychedelia, Madchaster swagger and shoegaze swoon.
Snaith was later forced to change his artist name after a well-documented lawsuit, and Up in Flames stands as the final album released under the Manitoba name - a high point to go out on. The record was met with widespread critical acclaim, and has since been recognized by Pitchfork as one of the standout albums of the 2000s. It remains, by most accounts, one of Snaith's finest and most beloved records.
Atlantic Records and Rockstar Games announce Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album, the upcoming official soundtrack album from the biggest, most immersive evolution of the groundbreaking Grand Theft Auto series yet; Grand Theft Auto VI.
Launching alongside the hotly anticipated game, Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album features 34 original tracks that capture the electric energy of GTA 6’s world of Vice City and Leonida, with a genre-defying roster of the most exciting and preeminent artists in the world.
With 34 original tracks that capture the electric energy of Grand Theft Auto VI’s world of Vice City and Leonida, Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album features a genre-defying roster of the most exciting artists in the world.
Delinquent Habits is the self-titled debut album of the Chicano hip-hop group that was formed in Los Angeles in 1991. As a group they got widespread attention with their, both melodic and hardcore, Latin-tinged rap. For the album they got help from Sen Dog, known from the very popular hip hop group Cypress Hill. He was the executive producer and also made a guest appearance on "Underground Connection".
The group was one of the biggest breakthrough acts of 1996. It started with the single "Tres Delinquentes" that attracted much attention and sold over one million copies. The album followed quickly and was equally successful by reaching the Billboard Top 200. The genre gained a new classic!
Delinquent Habits is available as a 30th anniversary edition of 2000 individually numbered copies on blue and white vinyl.
The wait is over, Return To The 37th Chamber is El Michels Affair's highly anticipated follow up to 2009's underground cult classic Enter the 37th Chamber. Churning out classic records since then for the likes of Lee Fields, The Arcs, The Shacks, and tons more, it is clear that EMA's signature sound is stronger & sharper than ever. This time, in addition to re-interpreting the Wu compositions for a live band, EMA pays homage to the production and sonic fog that makes a RZA beat so recognizable. Producer and bandleader Leon Michels recorded the album completely analog, sometimes hitting 6 generations of tape before it was ready for mixing, giving the Return to The 37th Chamber it's own hazy sound. Adding to the unique fidelity, the record is laced with psychedelic flourishes, John Carpenter' synths, heavy metal guitars, triumpha0nt horns, and traditional Chinese instruments that make up for the lack of the Wu's superlative vocals. From start to finish it's a dark trip that walks the line between RZA's timeless hip-hop aesthetic and the cinematic soul EMA has become known for. El Michels Affair tackles some classics like 4th Chamber and Wu Tang Aint Nuthin to Fuck Wit, as well as some deeper cuts like Ol Dirty Bastard's Snakes, Raekwon's Verbal Intercourse, and Shaolin Brew, Wu-Tang's contribution to the St. Ide's Hip Hop endorsement campaign from 1994. This time El Michels brings some of the Big Crown family along for the ride. Lee Fields handles vocal duties on Snakes and is joined by Shannon Wise of The Shacks for their version of Tearz, which pays as much homage to the Wendy Rene sample as it does to the Wu-Tang Clan. Lady Wray makes an appearance on the cover of Method Man's hit, All I Need, lending her vocal prowess to what gave the Wu one of their biggest hits of all time. Interspersed throughout the record are some original interludes that are like the rug that ties the room together,' giving Return To The 37th Chamber a cinematic narrative that makes it a proper El Michels Affair record and not just a collection of covers. From the music to the presentation, this album is a perfect example of what can only be achieved through diversity. The end result is as much a kaleidoscope of influences and multiculturalism as the city it was recorded in. El Michels Affair is once again, sounding out the city' that raised them, pulling elements of art and culture from across the country and around the globe to create an album truly unique in it's own right.
Over 10 years ago, Leon Michels released his first full length record, Sounding Out The City. It was Michels' first full length record under the moniker El Michels Affair. At the time, the budding retro soul scene consisted of mostly organ quartets a la The Meters and of course, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings were in the early days of their ascent to world domination. Leon Michels, who was 18 when recording Sounding Out The City began, had just released Thunder Chicken, the first record by his high school band The Mighty Imperials. At the time of SOTC, Michels was just discovering early rocksteady, afrobeat, and 60's garage rock, which inevitably crept its way into the songwriting. He purchased a Tascam 388, an 80's 1/4" reel to reel 8 track intended for home recordings, and began recording music in a 10x10 box with no windows that also doubled as his childhood bedroom. Along with fellow Mighty Imperials Nick Movshon, Homer Steinweiss, and Sean Solomon, and Michael Leonhart, Thomas Brenneck, and some of the musicians from The Dap Kings, Michels recorded the LP over a two year period. Upon it's release, it received some rave reviews and the small deep funk community ate it up, but due to the lack luster promotion and distribution the rest of the world was slow to catch on to the instrumental gems featured on SOTC, which Michels appropriately labelled as "cinematic soul". However, in 2005 it found it's way into the hands of the people who were organizing a series of concerts for Scion that paired bands with MC's. El Michels Affair was contacted about playing one show with Raekwon The Chef of Wu Tang Clan fame. The show was such a success it led to a tour, and then to another set of concerts that featured multiple members of the Wu-Tang Clan. This eventually led to the release of El Michels Affair's second record, "Enter the 37th Chamber" which introduced them to a much larger audience and has been their most successful release to date. Michels has since gone on to produce and co-produce numerous records for powerhouse soul artists like Lee Fields. He shares songwriting credits with Adele, Jay-Z, Ghostface Killah, Aloe Blacc, and has played on records by Ray LaMontagne, Lana Del Rey, The Black Keys and Dr. John.
The five members of Semakbelukar grew up in the late 1990s believing Malay music was cheap. They picked up guitars and amps and turned the volume up.
Lead singer David Hersya had played in a hardcore-punk band and worked as a sound engineer in Palembang, a busy port city on Sumatra’s east coast that once hosted the Sriwijaya maritime kingdom.
Around 2010, David and a rotating cast of bandmates grew bored with hardcore punk.
They swapped guitars and drums for mandolin and accordion. David began writing lyrics inspired by pantun (traditional Malay poetry) and set them to minimalist mandolin strums, then layered more mandolin and Malay drums as the recordings progressed. He drew vague melodies from his father’s record collection—1960s Malay music giants like O.M. Kelana Ria, Zaenal Combo, and O.M. Sinar Kemala.
David’s work as a muezzin at his mosque trained his vocal cords, which helped his studio performance. That skills helps him tremendously in the studio and as you can hear in the compilation, his range and pathos are the biggest draw.
Only about twenty people in their hometown bought CDs of their first three releases. Semakbelukar had already broken up when a Jakarta label asked them to record a proper LP in 2013.
What they recorded in two weeks in a makeshift Palembang studio in early 2013 changed their lives: a heady mix of bygone Malay styles and modern sensibility only they could make.
This collection combines eight tracks released in 2013 with earlier recordings from 2009–2011, including previously unreleased material.
Semakbelukar disbanded permanently after their last gig in Java that December.
One of the biggest electronic tracks of 2001, "Diabla" was championed by some of the world's most influential DJs, including Pete Tong, Dave Clarke, Sven Väth, and many more. Widely regarded as a true classic and a genre-defining record, Diabla successfully bridged the gap between house and techno, earning its place as a timeless dancefloor anthem.
This fully licensed reissue arrives courtesy of Armada and the original label, Soma Quality Recordings. The package features a brand-new interpretation from Joris Voorn alongside the much-loved Heavenly Mix and Revisited versions, rounded off with the legendary remix from Kevin Saunderson.
Lars Sandberg, better known as Funk D'Void, has been at the forefront of the global electronic music scene since the mid-1990s. Beginning his DJ career at just 15 years old, Lars discovered his passion for music early in life. Raised by his mother, a professional concert pianist, he always knew music would define his future. Over the decades, Funk D'Void has built a reputation as one of electronic music's most respected DJs and producers, consistently delivering innovative productions and unforgettable sets around the world.
Pulsinger & Irl is the collaboration between Austrian producer and techno pioneer Patrick Pulsinger and Bavarian producer and sound engineer Sam Irl.
After ten years of dub-driven live explorations, Pulsinger & Irl are now focusing on a raw, uptempo, and sample-driven take on techno.
Their new album and live set is stripped to the essentials — two classic samplers, the SP-1200 and MPC2000XL, and a 16-track mixer. By pushing these machines beyond their intended boundaries, they craft a gritty and textural sound.
This is first of two 4-track EPs that will make up the entire album („AALLIIAASS“).
The duo met in 2012 at Pulsinger's Feedback Studio in Vienna, where Sam began as his assistant engineer before becoming a studio partner.
Coming from different musical backgrounds, they found common ground in experimental techno, dub, sampling culture, and analogue gear.
Since their debut album Mud (2016), they've released the EPs Function Creep/Woodpecker (2017), Exu (2018) and Retrieval (2019), along with several remixes — most recently a rework of iO's 1994 classic Claire (2024). Their music has received support from Move D, Gilles Peterson, Mr. Scruff, Lefto, among others.
They've performed at Berghain/Panorama Bar (2016–2018), Sonar Barcelona, ://about blank, Golden Pudel, Blitz, Sziget, Elevate Graz, Lighthouse Croatia, Rote Sonne, Ars Electronica Linz, Zukunft, and more.
Over the past three decades, Patrick Pulsinger has released music on his own label Cheap Records as well as R&S, M Plant, Disko B, Compost, and has produced for DJ Hell, Hercules & Love Affair, Elektro Guzzi, Fennesz and others.
Sam Irl has released music since 2007 on labels such as Freerange, Jazz & Milk, Brownswood, Pulver and Frank Music.
Analog Africa's latest essential compilation began with a ruined needle. Samy Ben Redjeb, who was newly back from a 2002 digging trip, dropped a stylus into a groove that censors at the SABC had gouged with a blade. The record had been marked "not suitable," and the story behind it runs through the whole compilation. The 22 tracks pull American soul, funk and disco toward jazz, reggae and local rhythm until the result sounds utterly Jo-burg. 'How Long?' and 'Take It' are the early standouts, though the Beat Set two-parter and Dudu And The Big Time Boys hold their own. The 16-page booklet fills in the context nicely on this well assembled deep dive.
Duality Trax reaches its tenth release with a defining moment for the label, as label boss Holly Lester steps forward with her debut EP. A personal milestone as much as a catalogue marker, the record channels sounds that have shaped her sound to date - early tech house, the low-end swing of UK garage and breakbeat, the rolling pulse of mid- 2000s European dancefloors, and the emotional lift of ’90s progressive house - all refracted through a distinctly personal lens. Open Your Mind sets the tone with a sense of lift and release: a wide, expansive bassline carries skippy, garage-tinged percussion, while bright piano stabs cut through guided by playful, restless FX. Big Fill pivots into tougher territory, a driving cut built on a rolling sub that pulls you into the groove - equal parts pressure and introspection, with moments of dreamlike suspension between the weight.
On the flip, Tanit drifts into more atmospheric space —an ode to Ibiza that still carries a distinctly UK undercurrent. A squelching, elastic bassline and cheeky, garage-leaning wubs provide a foundational groove but everything around it drifts: gated synths shimmer, drums sparkle, half-heard vocals dissolve into the mix and the track unfolds with a blissed-out, cruising energy. It feels just as natural in a dark room as it does out on open water, coasting past Formentera. For the remix, Holly turns to one of her favourite producers of the moment, DJ Life, who draws Open Your Mind into deeper waters. The Berlin via Australia producer stretches the groove into something more hypnotic and submerged, a patient 5am burner that lingers in the air,equally at home in basements, afterhours, and those inbetween moments as night slips quietly into day
The first chapter of our 40th Anniversary celebration brought “Love Spy” back to vinyl and invited a new generation of producers to look at Mike Mareen’s 1986 classic from their own perspective.
Part 2 continues the story, but there is no reason to tell the same tale twice.
This time we reach once again into the original 1986 package and bring back the “Salutation Mix”, pairing it with two completely new remixes created by two remarkably colourful personalities from today’s European electronic underground.
And colourful is definitely the right word.
The first comes from Tyrell Corporation.
Behind that name stands Martijn Hoogendijk, better known to most electronic music heads as Alden Tyrell.
For almost three decades, Tyrell has been one of the most distinctive characters of the Dutch electronic scene. His musical world has moved freely between Italo Disco, electro, techno, acid, house and EBM, always with an obvious fascination for machines, analogue synthesis and the raw energy of early electronic dance music.
His relationship with Italo is certainly not a recent fashion. One of his earliest Alden Tyrell releases, “Love Explosion”, appeared on I-F’s Viewlexx label back in 1999, at a time when only a relatively small group of Dutch fanatics were already rediscovering and reinterpreting the forgotten European electronic sounds of the previous decade.
Since the early 2000s he has also been deeply connected with Rotterdam’s legendary Clone Records, not only as a producer and collaborator, but as one of its most important mastering engineers. His fingerprints can be found on an enormous number of Clone releases, including the label’s celebrated work restoring and reissuing the Drexciya catalogue. His studio tells much the same story. Synthesizers, drum machines and hardware collected over decades surround a producer whose fascination with electronic instruments started when he bought his first synthesizer in the 1980s.
For “Love Spy” he appears as Tyrell Corporation and delivers exactly what one might hope for from someone with that history: a remix that understands the original language of Italo and Hi-NRG, but speaks it with the experience of nearly three decades spent inside Dutch electro, techno and machine music.
The second new interpretation comes from France. Bubs, real name Maxime Bunel, followed a very different route.
His earlier productions grew from house, disco and French-touch influences, but over the last few years his attention has increasingly shifted toward Italo Disco, Hi-NRG and the rapidly expanding contemporary italowave scene.
In 2025 he made that commitment official by launching Filter Phaser, his own label dedicated specifically to the new generation of Italo Disco and Hi-NRG. And his “Love Spy” remix shows exactly why his name has been appearing more and more often in this scene. This one is pure dancefloor ammunition.
Bubs keeps the elements that make “Love Spy” instantly recognisable, but raises the temperature considerably. The energy is harder, the dynamics are bigger and the production has been pushed towards the sound of contemporary italowave without sacrificing the melody, drama and personality of Mike Mareen’s original. Old DNA, new blood.
The result is not an attempt to drag “Love Spy” away from 1986. Quite the opposite.
Both remixers clearly understand why the record still works forty years later. They simply approach that DNA from two different generations and two different corners of European electronic music, but with the same respect and adoration to Mike Mareen’s legacy.
The 40th Anniversary Edition Part 2 comes pressed on classic black vinyl and a special ruby-red vinyl edition.
It is also the final Vintage Pleasure Boutique release of 2026.
And somehow it feels like the right record to close the year.
Please can someone please give me a better word for Sexy? Because the thesaurus is giving me ick...Send help because this is a SEXY record – and (football analogy incoming) – a sexy summer signing....
Yes, that’s right ODF’s summer transfer to the Shall Not Fade main label is complete. ‘The Rhythm Grooves’ makes a hat trick of 12”s for us after the UK OTW producer’s double sell out EPs ‘Deep Step’& ‘Rock With Me’ on our Time is Now imprint. The UKG and grooving breaks specialist has been developing his game and steps into House territory for something of a statement EP and we’re (hot and) here for it. Since launching his own On Da Floor label last year ODF has been on a tear and this record perfectly encapsulates why. Four double threat tracks that can be weaponised both as main stage WMDs or as deadly 3am tickets to another place....
This invisible dichotomy is most clearly on show in title track & A side opener ‘The Rhythm Grooves’ is equal parts hot under the collar and hands in the air. Deep and sexy house but with a stepping baseline and a big vocal. ‘Free Your Soul’ stays deep, a swung jacking house cut with big M1 stabs and piano riffs and cheeky breakbeat breakdowns. That palette is timeless and there’s every reason this track will be too.
The B-side leans more into sweaty room & heads down territory but just like before there’s that double threat and we’ve seen both these tracks go off in big rooms at peak time. ‘Back to Mine’ calls back to that sweet spot in the early 2000s with French Touch inspired tech house was dominating Ibiza...Sleazy and sunbaked? Check. But what we didn't realise was missing w as some Accieeeed. Big shout from ODF there.. ‘Do You Feel Me?’ closes out in celebratory style. A proper tech house tool complete
with chugging bassline and more sexy breathy vocals. It’s the after hours roller.
A serious note to close, because I don’t want the playfulness of this press release to make you overlook this (sexy) EP as it’s appeal is more than skin deep. Having sat with – and lusted over –these tracks for a while I can tell you that they just get better (and hotter) with every outing. The Rhythm Grooves is out 28th August 2026 on Shall Not Fade.
Power Of Soul is the third record as a bandleader by legendary jazz drummer Idris Muhammad, originally release in 1974. He embarked on his solo career in 1970 after years of work as a sideman for the absolute biggest names in jazz such as George Benson, Lou Donaldson, Grant Green, Ahmad Jamal, Pharoah Sanders, and many, many others.
This record was produced by Creed Taylor, founder of CTI, and engineered by Rudy Van Gelder. The architect of the Blue Note sound developed a deep relationship with Muhammad and played a big role in finetuning his sound. But, don't forget the rest of the line-up; the recorded features arrangements and compositions by keyboard legend Bob James and smooth jazz founder Grover Washington Jr., supplemented with performances by Randy Brecker, Joe Beck, and Ralph MacDonald. All in all, you can see why Muhammad's works ended up as samples on so many hip-hop records.
Power Of Soul is available as a limited edition of 2000 individually numbered copies on white vinyl.
discotech is back with our second Various Artists colour series! Returning with another essential collection, we've unearthed a selection of rare underground cuts from the late '90s and early 2000s. Carefully remastered from the original recordings, this release shines a light on timeless productions from Big Hair, DJ Quiz, Rob Pearson and Crowdpleaser.
The response so far has been incredible, with support coming from some of the scene's most respected selectors, including Archie Hamilton, Francesco Del Garda, Chris Stussy, Josh Baker, Skream, Arapu, Ivan Schmagge, Dungeon Meat, Alexndria, Toman, Mella Dee, Marco Carola, Alexander Skancke, Chris Carrier, TIJN, David Gtronic and many more.
Limited 300 press. Coloured vinyl x
Move in Stereo: The Cars’ Eponymous Debut Album Functions as a Greatest-Hits Set with Classics Such as "You're All I've Got Tonight," "Good Times Roll," and "Just What I Needed"
Experience the Six-Times-Platinum Record in Definitive Sound on
Mobile Fidelity’s UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP Box Set:
Strictly Limited to 4,000 Numbered Copies,
It Plays with Reference Definition and Presence
1/4” / 15 IPS analogue master to DSD 256 to analogue console to lathe.
Among the most critically and commercially successful debuts in history, the Cars' eponymous album doubles as a greatest-hits collection. Not one song on it is widely unrecognized or unknown. Consider the list: "You're All I've Got Tonight." "Good Times Roll." "Just What I Needed." "Moving in Stereo." "My Best Friend's Girl." "Don't Cha Stop." “Bye Bye Love.” Just call The Cars the best new-wave rock album ever made. And a natural candidate for preservation on a Mobile Fidelity UltraDisc One-Step pressing.
Sourced from the original analog tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing in California, mastered by engineer Krieg Wunderlich, and strictly limited to 4,000 numbered copies, MoFi’s UD1S 180g 45RPM 2LP box set presents the six-time platinum record in the most vivid, wide-spanning, three-dimensional sound it has enjoyed on vinyl. Compared to the label’s outstanding and out-of-print 180g 33RPM version, this collectible edition features richer textures, broader openness, greater presence, and bigger dynamics.
Benefitting from the extra groove space on 45RPM by playing with enhanced definition, deep-black backgrounds, and ultra-quiet surfaces, this reissue portrays the band’s oscillating rhythms, futuristic keyboard passages, and panned images with stunning realism. Songs take on an absolutely surreal quality. The Cars and producer Roy Thomas Baker manipulate arrangements at will to mesmerize listeners' senses. The concept of "moving in stereo” has likely never been truer.
The industry-leading packaging of the UD1S set gives fans another reason to gravitate towards the 1978 album. A deluxe slipcase, two foil-stamped jackets, faithful-to-the-original graphics, and MoFi inner sleeves make for a premium tactile experience. It invites you to immerse yourself in everything about the record, including the now-familiar cover art depicting Nataliya Medvedeva behind the wheel. Enhanced by her glistening ruby-red lips, her face flashes an expression caught between surprise, ecstasy, and disbelief — an apropos way of responding to The Cars whether you’re hearing it for the first or 1,115th time.
Introduced in 2024 into the National Recording Registry for its significance, and ranked the 353rd Greatest Album of All Time by Rolling Stone, The Cars explodes with emotion, energy, and hooks. Its songs unite then-disparate styles: bubblegum melodies, art-rock angularity, progressive structuralism, terse minimalism, and power-pop sheen. The stylish arrangements also benefit from a laidback cool and understated irony that remain uncommon in the world of contemporary mainstream music.
Equally rare is the deep chemistry the members shared before they entered London’s AIR Studios and knocked out the record in less than a month. Benjamin Orr and Ric Ocasek began their first band together in the early ‘70s. A subsequent group with future Cars keyboardist Greg Hawke preceded Orr and Ocasek bonding further by temporarily performing as a duo. One final pre-Cars ensemble, Cap’n Swing, brought guitarist Elliot Easton into the fold. A decision by Ocasek to take the band in a rock direction, a crucial lineup shuffle, and a name change begat the Cars so many listeners know and love.
Already a going concern in Boston, the quintet cut its teeth and woodshopped songs for nearly a year and a half before signing with Elektra and partnering with Baker. The Cars enjoyed success right out of the gate, hitting No. 18 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and netting a pair of Top 40 singles in the form of “Just What I Needed” and deceptively happy “My Best Friend’s Girl.” The sarcastic “Good Times Roll” climbed to No. 41, but soon enough, almost every track on The Cars became a radio staple — an honor far more meaningful than chart positions.
Obsessed with incorporating the latest technologies and sounds into its palette, the band spiced tunes with delightful and quirky accents — country-tinged guitar fills, echoing Syndrums, reggae splashes, hard-rock tones, robotic pulses. Orr's low, nuanced deliveries and Ocasek's cool, detached vocals lend shades of doubt and double meaning to the lyrics, which are further counterbalanced by synthesizer flourishes and electronic beats.
Accessible and eccentric, edgy and catchy: The results comprise a landmark whose characters come to vivid life with nuclear boots, dry-drip gloves, ribbon-festooned coiffures, suede-blue eyes, and rock ‘n’ roll hair. It's practically impossible to avoid humming along to every song, all enhanced by Baker's stellar production. Best known for his work with Queen, he ensured the record packed a punchy midrange, opened up with instrumental and vocal separation, and breathed with airy harmonies.
Indeed, from the timeless music to the sleek production and sonic restoration, The Cars on UD1S is just what you needed.
