quête:da phase

Makyo taps into his love of roots reggae for this deep, dark and dreamy cover of Things Ah Get Tough by the legendary Bristol band Talisman. The Tokyo-based producer transforms the original, while keeping true to the essence of the original, whose lyrics meditate on the greed and destruction caused when corporations benefit from a nation’s downfall.

Makyo has charted his own course through the world of dub, often with an eastern or tribal twist, since the early 90s, working with collaborators like Bill Laswell, Natacha Atlas and Muslimgauze, but with this release, he’s entering a new phase.

“I’ve listened to this song for years,“ notes Makyo, “and it just felt more relevant than ever when I started working on it in 2024, with all the wars, election madness, wildfires, inflation and nuclear posturing. The mood just seemed to reflect where people were at.”

Having overcome crippling tinnitus and hyperacusis (to the point that he couldn’t even listen to music for several years), Makyo’s finding joy in the past whilst looking to the future, with this sparse and bittersweet version of Talisman’s tune the first in a series of contemporary covers he has planned.

Welcome to New Fair Tracks, a new and fair story in the New Fair Deal canon. Phase O'Matic, the young yet already prolific UK based artist, presents the first chapter with his potent style of new wave techno beat. With nods to EBM, acid and the early rave days, Phase O'Matic captures the raw and hypnotic sounds of the 80s and 90s with the precision and refinement required to carry forth through the 2020s and beyond. Four tracks for every phase of the night, the 'New Crusade' is geared to get floors moving in dark rooms around the globe. Will you heed the call?

Phase Fatale comes together with Falling Ethics owner P.E.A.R.L. for their debut collaborative EP after appearing on Phase Fatale's BITE VA. 'Climbing Silver' allows both artists to fully immerse themselves in their foundational shared sonic philosophy and navigate darker, more intricate landscapes, emerging with a cohesive 4 track record.

Now a regular on the label, scene stalwart Chronicle continues his joyful journeythrough a landscape of dancefloor-friendly atmospherics.

A1 - Air Temple

Chronicle opens the EP with Air Temple, an immensely playful track with a superb 2-step hot pants break, programmed superbly with layers of depth generating anenergetic and immensely danceable tone, following the deliciously smooth late 90'sGLO-style intro. Lush female vocal samples perfect for the vibe are present and correctwhile micro melodies pan across the mix adding a wonderful texture.

A2 - Everblue

A delicately ominous intro with pads, whooshing samples and rustic synths precede adensely crafted slew of old-school analogue breakbeats laid in a subtle arrangement,bringing a blend of energy perfect for dancefloors and home listeners alike. Vocalsamples are programmed and twisted like instruments as Chronicle embarks on aspace odyssey with memorable melodies you'll keep discovering listen after listen.

AA1 - Encarta

Next up we have Encarta, which sets out intentions quickly in the introduction with abouncy, clean breakbeat which is quickly bolstered by a superb 2-step old school drumloop to create a pulsating energy. A myriad of samples are collected and fleckedthroughout the mix, while Chronicle's editing techniques mimic a skilled DJ cuttinganother break in and out to satisfying effect towards the back end of the main phases.

AA2 - Angular Momentum

Closing a diverse and uniquely atmospheric EP, Chronicle opens Angular Momentumwith a patchwork of synths and pads, ushering in a serene, simple high note melodyabove the driving breaks - detailed with distinctive cymbals that give the track's nameserious validity. With a slew of samples darting in both the foreground and backgroundfor the listener to enjoy, this is a piece which will live long in the memory.

Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)

Magnificent Fall, The Notwist's new rarities compilation, compiles some special and wild moments from this unique German indie group's rich history. They've always snuck gorgeous songs and thrilling remixes onto split singles, extended plays, and other formats, across their career, and pieced together here – compiled thoughtfully, with sensitivity to flow and the listening experience – these thirteen selections work as a kind of ‘shadow narrative’ of The Notwist, an alternative index of the possibilities this shape-shifting group uncovered during their time together.

They've been smart to let go of chronology when sequencing Magnificent Fall, so the songs here move across phases and stages of The Notwist's career, helmed by brothers Markus and Micha Acher. This approach makes plenty of sense, as this music compiled here abstracts from two impulses – to push forward and not repeat what has come before, while building from the group's very specific musical language. Just one example: the loveliness of the instrumental “Avalanche”, from 2020's Ship, follows elegantly from the happy-sad glitch-pop of “Blank Air”, from a 2010 split with former member Martin Gretschmann's project Console. Different phases, different memberships, shared concerns.

The Notwist have always been interested in and open to community, and one of the many ways they reach out to others is through the remix. There are three here, sent back to The Notwist from different corners of the world, both aesthetically and geographically: Grizzly Bear take on “Boneless”, Ada tackles “Run Run Run”, and Odd Nosdam submerges “Sleep” in noise and clatter. Another connection, of course: Odd Nosdam is part of The Notwist's extended family, through Markus and Micha Acher's 13 & God project with fellow Anticon artists Themselves and Subtle.

So, the music on Magnificent Fall traverses varying terrain – abstract hip-hop, chamber pop, sweet and simple folk song, indietronica, free-floating improvisation. There are several unreleased songs, as well, drawn from across the group's history. Core to it all, though, the thing that makes The Notwist so singular, is the thumbprint of the Acher brothers, their gently poetic way of moving through the world and welcoming other musicians and artists into the fold, expressively and with generosity.

Historically aware without being nostalgic, Magnificent Fall is the perfect way to introduce The Notwist's reissue programme with Morr Music, too, including a box set, and the group's eight albums, documenting their three-and-a-half decades of music and community-making. Looking back to move forward? It's a very good idea.

A DJ, producer and prolific collaborator, Greg Paulus’s musical career has led to a truly enviable discography. Born in Minnesota and now an essential part of New York’s sprawling musical landscape, Paulus has taken the foundations of an organic childhood education by his father, the composer Stephen Paulus, and seen it blossom into an unpredictable musical journey encompassing house, soul, jazz and hip-hop.

While touring as a trumpet player with indie band Beirut, as well as in Matthew Dear’s live ensemble, back home he was helping to redefine New York’s underground dance scene as one half of No Regular Play. Alongside childhood friend Nick DeBruyn, the pair brought their deeply musical sound to no less than fifty countries across the world. A decade on, and Paulus arrives on Seth Troxler’s Slacker 85 imprint for his long-awaited debut solo LP, ‘Close To Home’, a deeply felt long-play celebration of his personal cornerstones; family, trust and hope.

From the opening, organic swell of ‘Perot’, arranged with Seth Troxler himself alongside John Camp, ‘Close To Home’ introduces itself as a focused, conscious trip, it’s languid trumpet spilling over into the reflective ‘World Keeps Changing’, which introduces Paulus’s philosophy of music as a constant. ‘Midtown Mirage’ meanwhile leans into the idea of the city itself as a collaborator, resisting pressure and finding its own restful groove. Back over the river, ‘Bond’ roots itself in Brooklyn with a contribution from resident Dillon Cooper, flipping rap standards amid psychedelic flourishes.

Paulus nods toward his dancefloor form on ‘NRG’, a slinky, lo-slung club groove that seamlessly evolves to meld the artist’s nocturnal and studio instincts. In contrast, ‘Real Job’ switches the tempo on Paulus’s MPC to embody an old-school, beatdown flavour, subtly teased out alongside composer and sound designer, Taylor Bense. Doubling down on this languorous groove, ‘Hat Down’ introduces a full-scale No Regular Play reunion, the first of two collaborative tracks that recall the duo’s imperial phase of confidently minimal productions, while evolving their craft.

Following a few missed calls made with love taken from Paulus’s answering machine on ‘$1000’ the minimal, reflective arrangement of ‘Hold Dear’ finds the artist stripping back his layered sound for a skittering, vulnerable exploration of intimacy and life’s devotions.

For a memorable finale, Paulus recruits jazz prodigy Michael Feinberg to deliver upright funk on the deliciously rich ‘Sometimes It’s About Us’. A purely celebratory collage of bopping rhythms and vocals, sharply plucked guitars and archive samples, ‘Close To Home’ concludes with Paulus leading his friends, ensemble and many influences in rare harmony.

On a "Balearic-Jazz trip", the phenomenally hyped Thought Leadership returns with another X ideas: the deck this time chooses the Ace of Swords. In the acclaim garnered by III of Pentacles, there were many whispers of “Balearic” from those in the know. As soon as you drop the needle on XI you will be basking in turbo Balearica.

Originally out on cassette only, we present the first ever vinyl issue. It's a hideously limited pressing of 300 for the world, so don't sleep on this.

The sonic palate has been augmented by the addition of synth and bass; there are more guitar layers, more pedals and more organic drums this time – a much fuller production. Still DIY, and still recorded straight to multitrack, just ever so slightly grander in scale; think a rough-hewn, long-lost Claremont 56 cut and you’ll have some idea of how XI opens this future classic LP.

The touchstones so key to the vision of Pentacles (Cocteau Twins, Dif Juz, Durutti Column) are all still present and correct; XII could be a piece from Extractions, XIII is pure Garlands-era Guthrie and, now with the shuffling jazz drums, XV makes TL even more LC – but more disparate influences are found this time out too. ECM guitar legends John Abercrombie and Pat Metheny in the more considered melodic phrasing and harmonic structure of the ideas and a nod to the cosmic Balearic spirit in the overall vibe, means more is offered to the listener across Swords.

XVI and XVII are the biggest indicators to Thought Leaderships’ new found love of The Real Book and their grasp of jazz chords. The former sounds like if Mike Hedges had produced on a heavily sedated ECM date in the early 80s, whilst the latter is Bright Size Life condensed into a most post-punk shard of Strat conversation. The syrupy Phase 90 on the lead parts lends much weight to the guitar melodies, a beautiful tonal counterpoint to the Vox-ish chimes of the plangent chords we’ve all come to love.

The flip again treats us to three extended, improvised jams. XVIII owes as much to Canterbury as it does to Krautrock, another modal voyage through the stars. Light the incense and drift away, guided by delayed cymbals and weaving ribbons of guitar. XIX has almost a New-Wave/Sophisti-Pop energy to it in tone, if not in structure and execution. Something almost Tears for Fears-esque in the chiming chorus guitars. An interesting outlier that has already received a lot of love from those that have heard it. XX is the starkest idea, and the only piece this time with no drums. What we do get, however, is a free exploration over a two chord-vamp. It’s Harvest Time meets Planet Caravan and a fitting end to this Balearic jazz trip.

Be With is honoured to present the first ever vinyl release of Ace Of Swords, carefully remastered by Be With's engineer Simon Francis to ensure it sounds better than ever after its initial tape release. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut at Abbey Road Studios whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at Record Industry, in Holland. The original tape cover artwork, so crucial to Thought Leadership's striking visual aesthetic, has been rejigged for vinyl issue here at Be With.

The last one flew. You have been warned.

Iptamenos Discos kündigt Houdini an, die neue EP der Labelgründer Local Suicide. Die Platte enthält drei ihrer dunkelsten und kraftvollsten Originaltracks bis heute, ergänzt durch markante Neubearbeitungen des französischen Electroclash-Pioniers David Carretta und der aufstrebenden griechischen EBM-Kraft Alpha Sect. Die Houdini EP entstand im Berliner Studio von Local Suicide während zahlloser nächtlicher Sessions mit Skelesys in derselben kreativen Phase, die auch ihren gemeinsamen Hit Moustache, die Surface Of The Sun EP und Faster Faster auf Curses’ Next Wave Acid Punx-Compilation hervorbrachte. Das Ergebnis ist ihr bisher düsterstes Material, das ihren Technodisco-Sound in noch härteres Terrain führt - mit hypnotischen Basslines, industriellen Texturen und analogen Vintage-Synths. Damit zählt es zu den mutigsten Releases im Katalog von Iptamenos Discos. Die EP eröffnet mit Obsessions, einem Track zwischen Darkwave und Techno, aufgebaut auf einer brutalen Bassline, analogen Synths und eindringlichen, mantraartigen Vocals. Die wiederholte Zeile „Obsessions, they come and go“ spiegelt den unerbittlichen Sog des Stücks wider und unterstreicht seine klaustrophobische, sich ständig wiederholende Energie. Submission, eine Zusammenarbeit mit Langzeitkollaborateur Skelesys, steht dem in nichts nach: ein düsterer Low-End-Sound, verzerrte, stark bearbeitete Vocals und der Sprechgesang „Resistance, no submission“ durchziehen den Track wie eine Trotz-Erklärung, die Spannung in Kraft verwandelt. Der Titeltrack Houdini ist etwas zugänglicher, behält aber die gleiche schattige Atmosphäre. Unheimliche Orgelmelodien und der Text „The great Houdini, the big escape“ beschwören Transformation und Befreiung herauf, zollen dem legendären Illusionisten Tribut und verleihen der Nummer eine theatralische Note. Der französische Kult-DJ und Produzent David Carretta interpretiert Obsessions neu mit seiner unverkennbaren retro-futuristischen Handschrift. Seit den 1990ern bekannt für die Fusion von industrieller Präzision mit Italo-inspirierten Synths, hellt er den Track mit glitzernden Disco-Melodien und einer erhebenden Stimmung auf – eine Version, die sich bewusst vom dunklen Original absetzt und sofort für die Tanzfläche taugt. Der in Straßburg ansässige Alpha Sect, das Projekt des griechischen Künstlers George McCall, führt Submission in kompromisslose Dimensionen. Verwurzelt in Electro und Body Music mit Punk-Einflüssen, beginnt sein Remix als wuchtiger EBM-Stomper und entwickelt sich zu einem clubtauglichen Track, der Intensität mit Katharsis in Balance bringt.

Four years on from their landmark Grassroots, visionary half-time heavyweights The Untouchables return with their third album, Lost Knowledge. The duo of Kate McGill and Ajit 'Nitrox' Steyns have carved out a space in modern D&B all their own, building on a legacy that reaches back to the late 00s to keep pushing into unexplored terrain with an assured and deadly line in rhythmic intrigue and atmospheric immersion.

Lost Knowledge launches into action instantly with the high-pressure drum science and dubby splashes of 'Drunken Bells', capturing the loopy techno propulsion and rolling intensity that drives so much of the output on Samurai Music. Where The Untouchables excel is in finding variety and nuance in their relatively forbidding, pared down sound. The heads-down groove of 'Mafia Town' owes as much to dembow and dancehall as D&B, while 'Lost Knowledge' spirals out into psychoactive flurries of synth strafes and organic percussion slathered in tight-locked delay trails. There's no light relief from strident hooks or riffs, just a pure, unshakeable commitment to the power of the beat and deeply designed layers of sound shaping out the space around.

'Busy Bones' makes space for carefully deployed hints of pad tone while the snares snap out of the mix with a sharp set of teeth. 'Four Eared Demon' baits the gabber crowd with its rapid-fire 4/4 hats atop seasick creaks across the midrange, keeping subtlety and patience in the lower frequencies to maintain the signature elegance readily associated with The Untouchables. 'Phase Correlation' teases an artfully unhinged ripple of synth that stands out amongst the murky murmurs filling out the middle distance, but it's still exercised with brutal precision.

Nothing happens by accident or feels out of place - McGill and Steyns are in total control, and they demonstrate incredible range and inventive approaches within their focused style. The accent of the grooves shifts, and individual sounds carry all kinds of artefacts, yet everything gets folded into the exacting Untouchables sound with a liberal dubwise sensibility. Brimming with inspiration and immaculately produced, on Lost Knowledge their one-of-a-kind sound is stronger than ever.

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

DJ Feedbacks :


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

On the streets of Berlin, it's easy to spot people who know their electronic music. You'll see curious partygoers as well as picky listeners whose appreciation isn't easy to win. Tonight, both crowds are heading to the presentation of Daniel Gardner's record. A cult album that was revived thanks to a fresh concept and a remaster. By evening, Jonny Knuppel was packed. Among the guests - a flamboyant duo that couldn't go unnoticed. Some swayed to rhythms that felt like old friends, while others - luckier ones, perhaps - were discovering an entire world for the first time. As they approached the booth, Plate leaned in with a warm smile:

One of contemporary ambient’s preeminent figures lands on its leading label, enacting a transition into a new phase of rhythmic noise and tonal shadowplay laced with peculiar sensitivities, wrangling Dilloway-influenced tape noise thru ASMR ambience, fritzed dub techno, layered vocal drone and ritualistic mantras.

Perila steps up solo with a heavily satisfying debut for West Mineral, investigating negative space and states of subconsciousness. The shift in tone feeds forward into arcane realms of resonant dark ambient and dream-pop, harnessed in amorphous structures using dub-as-method. It’s wholly immersive stuff in a way that’s long been Perlia’s calling card, but here more careful in its command of personalised, atmospheric physics from the Coil-esque ‘cheerleader’, thru the deeply smudged and sexy trip hop of ‘lava’, and the oozing, sloshing OOBE-like spectres of ‘give it all’.

The title of the album is a reference to Carl Jung’s phrase "all haste is of the devil” which informs Perila’s writing process here; she slows down in an attempt to feel more and tap into her shadow self. Album opener 'cheerbleeder' is a doomed, tremolo-heavy mass of ghost notes, while the rattling chains and strangulated voices on ‘metal snax' sounds like they belong on a Wolf Eyes tape. 'grain levy tep dusk' strikes closer to recently unearthed industrial plates from Tolerance and Mentocome, with rusted clangs threaded into deflated, half-speed pulses. The album keeps growing from there, shifting and expanding as Perila exhales and absorbs her cognitive blind spots. She credits "trance states" for helping her let go, and we broadly get to experience that on the mantra-like 'thunder me' and the blurry all-vocal highlight 'hold my leg', which sounds like it could have been snatched from Grouper's 'Way Their Crept' sessions.

As with all of Alexandra Zakharenko’s work under various aliases - Aseptic Stir, Baby Bong, Wedontneedwords, Perila - her allure is self-evident to lovers of textured, diffuse electronics, and never more so than on this lip-bitingly potent suite of delicacies and primordial urges, perfectly balancing ancient and techngnostic aspects with an x-amount of seductive strangeness left in the margins.

dxrvo, hailing from Hannover, Germany, has made a name for himself in the electronic music scene by creating hypnotic, minimalist, and atmospheric techno sets. His music takes the dance floor on a captivating journey, characterized by driving beats, rhythmic basslines and repetitive sounds. With performances at renowned venues such as Tresor Berlin, PAL Hamburg, Doka Amsterdam, Watergate Berlin, and Terminal Lyon, he showcases his presence in theinternational techno landscape. As a founder of the Kollektiv Synergie, dxrvo is committed to inclusive events and the promotion of diverse artists. His production skills are evidenced by successful releases on labels like SYXT, Room Trax, Modern Minimal, and NYXII. More than just a DJ, dxrvo is an architect of sonic experiences, continuously redefining the boundaries of electronic music.


Linear Phase
With a two-decade career in music production, Carlos, better known as Linear Phase, has become an established artist in the global techno scene. His eclectic sound proposal, ranging from ambient / drone, through minimal / deep / hypnotic, to raw techno, has earned him the recognition of both critics and the public. His prolific career is reflected in the more than 50 releases under his belt in the last 5 years on several internationally renowned labels such as Molecular, Planet Rhythm, Newrhytmic, Drumcode LTD or Edit Select, to name a few, thus consolidating his presence in the global scene. His 5 years of experience in the world of modular eurorack has allowed him to develop a unique and personal sound, characterized by its depth, textures and enveloping atmospheres. In addition to his role as a producer, Linear Phase is co-creator of the Barcelona Modular Society, a space dedicated to the exploration and dissemination of experimental electronic music. Linear Phase is currently developing the creation of both its own label and its new studio, which will become a creative hub oriented to host all kinds of activities related to techno production. This space will feature the participation of renowned national and international producers, consolidating his commitment to the scene and his vision for the future.

Innmenal
Innmenal is a DJ and producer from Pinamar, Argentina. Resident from FAS Producciones he focuses into hypnotic sounds and chaotic rhythms. He has been playing across the Argentinian coastline spreading his sounds characteristics. With continous work and dedication Innmenal's tracks can be found in labels such as Concepto Hipnotico, Apical Records and Diffuse Reality. His first album called Metatron's Cube was released this year on the Diffuse Reality's Label. Another album is planned over this year along other releases on other labels. His last track Winds Of change was released on the label Modern Minimal with some support coming from Rødhad, Svreca, Developer, Richie Hawtin, Slam, Justine Perry, Arnaud Le Texier, Distant Echoes, Dax J, Hugo Rolan and more. He has shared the decks with Mariano DC doing warm up during last year. With more than 10 years behind the decks he's still digging into the deep hypnotic sounds with some agressive percussions to give the listener a journey through his cosmic sounds. So far Innmenal has been active in various labels like Diffuse Reality, Modern Minimal, KPLR, Space Travel, Rowan Underground and Habitat Musical.

Qaypz
Qaypz is a DJ and producer hailing from Arlon, Belgium. As a child of the 90s dance music era, his journey into electronic music began in 2000, ignited by his first I Love Techno Festival experience in Belgium and the underground rave scene that was thriving in his hometown Liège, where Jungle and D'n'B from UK were dominating. This era made Qaypz start mixing on turntables and embracing vinyl culture in 2003. Today, he's versatile, seamlessly transitioning between turntables, CDJs and DAW-based setups, incorporating hardware and controllers for a hybrid mix performance style. In his early years, he organized local rave parties and later moved to Eupen, the capital of East Belgium, where he founded the collective Krank'm'Haus. Qaypz's passion for underground sounds is evident in his productions. He crafts dark, industrial tracks characterized by powerful kicks, somber melodies and a driving rhythm. His performances have graced notable locations such as The Ground Club in Luxembourg, The Liquid Club in Malta and The Kulturzentrum Alterschlachthof in Eupen as well as underground events like La Nature, Eupen Musik Marathon Festivals in East Belgium and the Rummelstilzchen’s illegal rave party in Berlin-Rummelsburg just before the building demolition the day after. Qaypz is currently focusing on his label development and continue producing and mainly releasing his music on Krank'm'Haus Records.

Words courtesy of FOND/SOUND –

What makes チトチック/クラクラ (CHITOTIHC/KULA-kura) so fascinating is that, in some weird way, it’s a meeting of minds and musical language of disparate artists at the forefront of a new kind of groove. There might be no “L” in the Japanese language but that doesn’t stop it from trying to find a working substitute. Similarly, Chito enlisted members from his Asiabeat and East Pulse, others from Mu-Project, K2, and Adi, and brought in Haruomi Hosono to play mercurial bass. In the great expanse of experimental Japanese-made pop music all of them might have gone in “out-there” in separate directions but on this record it was Chito who pointed their focus all on the same track.

“Bayou (バイヨー)” presents this floating idea of dance music with beats and rhythms that hover among the ethereal. Other like “Scribble Dance (らくがき)” use Harry’s acid bass lines to dig cavernous grooves that only come up for air via adrenaline-fueled jumps by Haruo Kubota’s quite Adrian Belew-esque guitar lines. Perhaps, Discipline-era King Crimson is an apt comparison to what Chito and his crew pull off here.

Where Discipline signaled a way to reconcile the most out-there polymeter music of prog with the more satisfying parts of post-punk and the new electronic wave, so to do I think チトチック/クラクラ (CHITOTIHC/KULA-kura) has that bit of heart/spirit in mind. This is the out-there of Japanese experimental music satisfying the best parts of the, then, new electronic wave. It takes a certain degree of proficiency and sheer chutzpah to go from “11” to the wonderfully impressionistic, ambient minimalism of a track like “Sanghyang (サンヤン)”.

It’s the joy of not knowing what each new track will hold and just letting yourself follow the hard-working hands of such learned musicians that brings the most out of Chito’s vision. It’s this very liquid music that keeps you on your toes on tracks like “Astral Lamp (無影灯)”. Tracks like “Jagg-chagg (ジャグチャグ)” and “Filament (フィラメント)” present a fourth world music bifurcated in exponential parts by the glitch of newer, modern, electronic modalities, intersected by expressions by differing voices. Every track you switch to presents a new way to get lost in the many phases and places Chito wants you to travel to.

In the end, as always, it’s not the destination but the journey through it that plants this album in your memory. – Diego Olivas

Following the debut album Only Skies Stay Eternal, the Remixes EP takes a bold step forward. These reinterpretations reshape Fille’s introspective sound into more club-oriented territories, signalling a new phase in her sonic evolution.

Rico Casazza opens the release with a standout electro remix - fluid rhythms, a wavy bassline, and catchy vocal hooks push Fille’s sound into elevated, high-energy territory. Alienata follows with a deep, broken-beat techno version that’s both shadowy and hypnotic, crafted for dark rooms and powerful systems.

Sestrica delivers a rolling breakbeat interpretation with a pulsing low end - engineered to move peak-time floors with force and precision. Closing the release, Clouzer’s remix of Thistles blends dreamy textures, trancy momentum, and broken rhythms, adding emotional depth to the club experience.

Celebrated DJ, producer, and sonic explorer Auntie Flo (aka Brian d’Souza) — described by The Guardian as “one of global club culture’s most vital voices” — returns this autumn with ‘Birds of Paradise’: a rhythmically rich, emotionally resonant, and ecologically grounded new album, out 23 October via his A State of Flo imprint. The album will be launched with a special live show at London’s Jazz Caféon the same day.

‘Birds of Paradise’ draws on d’Souza’s global club experience while deepening his connection with the natural world. Built around classic Roland drum machines and iconic vintage synths, the record is a joyful, body-driven celebration of rhythm and movement, but one grounded in ecology and place. The album’s spiritual centre lies in Saligao, Goa, near d’Souza’s maternal homeland where his Auntie Florie (where the name is derived from) is buried. Where he found his ‘paradise’ nearby, staying in a converted fisherman’s hut and recorded dawn choruses from a riverside studio overlooking mangrove-lined waters. Environmental textures from Japan also make their way into the music, creating a sonic map rooted in lived experience.

“Birds of Paradise is about finding beauty and rhythm in a chaotic world. It’s about listening, to nature, to our bodies, to what’s real. It’s a reminder that dance music can be both joyful and grounded.” The album blends Afro-Latin polyrhythms with Western 4/4 patterns, fusing instinctive, dancefloor energy with field recordings that anchor the music in the earth. Described by d’Souza as “tropical with a few deeper edges, a balance of light and dark.”

The new record follows the acclaimed ‘In My Dreams, I’m A Bird and I’m Free’, which earned 4 stars and Global Album of the Month from The Guardian, featured in Disco Pogo’s Albums of the Year, and received support from Luke Una, Resident Advisor, Juno, Bandcamp, Mixmag, DJ Mag, Electronic Sound, The Skinny, Beatport, Ban Ban Ton Ton, and more. The album’s launch show at Omeara London sold out. Other recent projects include the ‘Outernational Dance’ EP on cult label Multi Culti, event series ‘Plants Can Dance (and Mushroom’s Sing)’ which explore plant and fungi bioelectricity as a means of live composition, and ‘Black Beacon’, a haunting cassette release and soundwalk series recorded on the abandoned military island of Orford Ness. There, d’Souza explored the eerie intersection of nature, decay, and deep time, gaining special access to restricted buildings to capture long-form soundscape compositions.

Alongside his production work, d’Souza has emerged as a leading voice at the intersection of sound and science. He curated music for Imperial College’s groundbreaking psychedelic therapy trials, developing six-phase playlists to guide participants through psilocybin-assisted sessions treating conditions such as fibromyalgia and gambling addiction. His five-hour ambient set at Watching Trees Festival, selected as Resident Advisor’s Mix of the Day, continued this exploration into the therapeutic potential of sound in altered states. He also spent six months collaborating with BBC producer Tom Raine on a documentary for BBC World Service, centred on a two-week journey through Kenya and Goa. There, he performed live, led plant music workshops, and joined a deep listening retreat rooted in field recording. “I realised my studio isn’t just four soundproofed walls filled with instruments — it’s the journey itself. It’s the people I meet, the natural world I listen to, and the connections I feel.”

This same commitment to deep listening fuels his live concept Plants Can Dance, a project that combines the biosonification of plants and fungi with modular synthesis. The next event, on 14 September at Hideout Hackney Wick, will feature performances by Stella Z and Lapalace, with d’Souza and resident Lamine playing live alongside responsive plants in collaboration with Repot Hackney Wick and the label Music To Watch Seeds Grow By. “I’ve spent years exploring how electronic music can connect us, not just to each other, but to the natural world. Whether it’s translating mushroom data into melody or capturing birdsong at dawn, it’s about finding resonance across bodies, ecosystems, and machines.”

Rooted in his Goan and Kenyan heritage and shaped by years of travel and collaboration, d’Souza’s creative mission is simple: to reconnect the electronic world with the natural one. Through A State of Flo, he continues to blur the boundaries between club culture, sound art, and ecological awareness.

Solid Snake Series is the new VA line showcasing the next generation of cutting-edge electronic music, combining dancefloor functionality with multifarious layered sonic exploration. It debuts the collaboration of label boss Phase Fatale with Falling Ethics owner P.E.A.R.L., as well as fellow KHIDI resident Yanamaste, with a rare outing. Label mainstay Unhuman brings his sound directly into the techno realm alongside Nørbak and the first track together by Ne/Re/A and Clarisa Kimskii from New York City.

CMDRPX presents their first LP. CMDRPX008 LP

Side A features Pahase and Cruz with their style that represents darkwave techno worldwide.
Side B features Alfalfa and Ivan & Stella with their refined melodies and sounds.
Side C and D feature tracks by five Genoa-based artists, residents of Bonfim club and CMDRPX.

Written & Produced by Daniele Serraino (D/n), and Carlos Pineda (Linear Phase) all rights reserved

"Static Rite" is the result of a sonic dialogue between two producers-D/n and Linear Phase-united by a deep, hypnotic, and physical approach to techno. The EP unfolds within the realm of hypnotic/RAW tech- no, where repetition becomes a perceptual language and sound turns into ritual.

Italian-born, Berlin-based D/n contributes the A-side with "Resonant Shift" and "Blind Motion," two tracks built on dub textures, dark atmospheres, and broken rhythmic structures. His magnetic, slow-burning sound reflects years of evolution from the underground acid scene to immersive techno sets in venues like Tresor and Zur Klappe. D/n's tracks have garnered support from renowned artists.

On the B-side, Spanish producer Linear Phase offers "Mandatory" and "Silent Widow," showcasing his refined modular synthesis and deep sound design. With over 50 releases on labels like Drumcode LTD, Planet Rhythm, and Edit Select, his style fuses ambient depth with raw, hypnotic intensity.