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Rolf Hansen, who as a guitarist is originally rooted in jazz, has been one of the most in-demand studio and session musician in the Danish rock, pop, and folk scene. Between 2010 and 2017, he toured under the name Il Tempo Gigante as a solo artist and released two albums: »Lost Something Good« (Speed of Sound, 2010) and »Watch It Watch« (Resonans, 2014). With subsequent tours throughout Europe, he made a name for himself in the alternative folk scene.

After a phase of reorientation, he now releases his first purely instrumental record under his real name through the Berlin-based Karaoke Kalk label in September. On his third album »Elektrisk Guitar«, the many different influences Hansen has gathered as a composer, solo performer, session musician and producer shine through.

The concept of limitation - an album composed for and played with solo guitar - is being mirrored in the conception of the album itself. Not only does Hansen resolutely constrain himself to a sole instrument, he also eschews traditional composition techniques and follows an experimental approach.

»Elektrisk Guitar« is an album that enters into a dialogue with its conscious and attentive listener. Pieces whose melancholy is carefully weighed meet complex musical structures that again and again provide new challenges. In just 43 minutes, »Elektrisk Guitar« offers a plethora of ideas, impressions, details, and inspiration. And even more so, it opens up a room for its listeners to explore, precisely because its minimalistic compositions create a lot of space in which to get accommodated in.

Apart from his solo projects, Rolf Hansen has for several years been connected to Donna Regina as well as Anders Mathiasen (formerly Murder, now Vessel, DK) and Henriette Sennenvaldt (formerly Under Byen, DK) through close collaborations.

The Juan Maclean return to DFA with a compilation LP of 12-inch singles they’ve amassed over the past six years – re-edited, re-mastered, and ready for fans who may have missed the tracks the first time around. From the dub house sway of 2013’s “You Are My Destiny” to the high-energy stomp of this May’s “Zone Non Linear,” and featuring two never-before-released tracks, “Quiet Magician” and “Pressure Danger,” The Juan Maclean once again justify their longevity as a musical force that is more than capable of repurposing club tracks for every setting.

The Brighter The Light is put together in a way that lends itself to appreciating the sheer banging quality of the songs while simultaneously being able to dance to them in your living room. For example, take “Feel Like Movin,’” which Pitchfork called “gloriously beatific” and “pure DFA gold.” In the new remastered version, the fullness of the keys and the kicks takes over, unfurling across the listener. Deep house rhythms, sparkling synths and a certain spaciousness are what’s emphasized across the record. Gone is the slow-motion melancholy disco from their recent full-lengths – The Brighter The Light is all fierce enthusiasm and dance floor missives, perfect for those who aren’t quite ready to let go of summer.

Juan Maclean is a DJ and producer who has been a mainstay of the New York club scene, as well as maintaining a rigorous international touring schedule, since the release of his first records on DFA in 2002. Vocalist Nancy Whang is his longtime collaborator, best known as a founding member of LCD Soundsystem and a busy touring DJ. Together, the two artists have released an extensive catalogue of 12” singles and full-length albums for DFA, including 2014’s seminal In A Dream LP. The proper follow-up studio album will follow in 2020.

RMXD Versions of TB’s 2018 release “Night Heat”. With contributions from Gerd Janson, Sascha Funke, DJ Hotel and Bostro Pesopeo it’s all in the game; tropic machine rhythms, dist Chicago grooves, pinball lazerfunk and a touch of newromance techno.

Producer, part-time DJ and Permanent Vacation label co-head Tom Bioly aka TB from Munich, Germany, had a first track released, on John Talabot's vinyl-only Hiverned 10" imprint, called "Invitation To Love", which was voted amongst the best 10" releases by UK Fact magazine. GROOVE magazine wrote "..entirely superb..“, about the follow-up EP "City Girl" on Permanent Vacation, of which the title track has been licensed to the independent film „All These Sleepless Nights“ by director Michal Marczak. In 2017 TB followed with “Heartbreak Hotel“, a double twelve-inch release with eight tracks of melancholic dance noir set in smoke-filled darkness.

Deliquent Delivery’s third EP titled U​ comes from Dublin based label head Stephen Mahoney, who contributed two tracks to the label’s last split EP.

Mahoney’s vision for Delinquent Delivery is visible on this release, showcasing his talents which range beyond A&R and delving into production. ​U features five untitled tracks, contrasting thumping dancefloor driven techno with spacey atmospheric ambient tones. With over twenty years experience as a DJ, Mahoney’s ear for precise, engaging rhythms and melancholic tones can be heard throughout​ U.​

A1​ sets the tone of ​U.​ A thumping kick lays the foundation for the track, with gritty, cutting melodies juxtaposed with polished, pensive tones. Rhythmic structure is a large component of Mahoney’s signature sound, with cleverly placed hats and snares audible on ​A1​. A strong link to the sounds of Detroit sounds of the ’90s is audible here, synonymous with Zenker Brothers et. all.

A2 c​ontinues down the path previously set out, with another dance floor directed track. More subtle than previously heard, Mahoney drives the track with a glossy lead, only to break the track up and juxtapose it with a gritty, murky underlying melody. ​A2 ​also focuses heavily on rhythmic structure, with well-placed spacing allowing energy to be retracted and reintegrated with more tenacity.

A3​ takes ​U​ to a different space with an ambient excursion. Mahoney here showcases that he is capable of creating lush, captivating soundscapes which transport the listener to a place of tranquillity. Dark, harrowing undertones are balanced with ethereal swells, maintaining the aura of the record established.

B1 moves back to the dancefloor, with a thumping kick and jagged, piercing tones. Mahoney’s versatility as a producer is evident here, as ​B1​ moves in the same vein as the A-side of ​U​ but is completely different in style. Prime-time dance-floor material, this track drives forward with ferocity and grace, cleverly being broken up with sparkling synth tones only to hit back harder than before.

B2​ closes out ​U. ​A bouncy kick drum sets the tone, with atmospheric, dark swells creating an engaging sonic tapestry. Sparse, delicately placed lustrous tones take the lead, with airy swells contributing to form a wonderful balance of light and darkness. Mahoney’s focus on precision within rhythmic structure is again noticeable here, with rhythmic elements forming their own melodies throughout ​B2​.

U​ is Stephen Mahoney’s first full release on Delinquent Delivery and captivates the essence of his vision as a producer entirely. Versatile, engaging and polished, ​U​ contains five tracks which all compliment one another wonderfully. ​U​ is a record which is as useful in a DJ’s record bag as it is for home listening.

TThe melodically adventurous soul of Leon Ware continues its expression in his final opus Rainbow Deux, released on double vinyl on September 13th. The album features new songs recorded and performed by Leon before his health turned, leading to his transition on February 23rd 2017. Co-produced by Taylor Graves, it has stellar musical contributions from the likes of Kamasi Washington, Thundercat, Ronald Bruner Jr, Rob Bacon and Wayne Linsey.

Taylor Graves came into Leon’s musical family in 2002 when he, his brother Cameron and the Bruner brothers Ronald Jr and Stephen (Thundercat) were playing along with their schoolmate Kamasi at an L.A. jazz club. Taylor, Cameron, Ronald and Stephen became Leon’s band for his debut shows in Japan in 2002 and Taylor continued to work with Leon as his mentor and collaborator over the next 15 years.

“Leon was ALWAYS writing something or developing his musical palette” his wife Carol Ware tells us, so it’s impossible to pinpoint any single moment of Rainbow Deux’s genesis. Six of the songs go back to 2012/2013 and were released in 2014 as part of Sigh, a Japan-only CD collection heavy with Rob Bacon’s tasteful licks and Wayne Linsey’s piano vibes. The rest of the material comes from Leon’s sessions with Taylor.

Describing Leon’s and his process, here’s Taylor: “We’d start by having some great homemade food! Then a glass of wine ‘to slow down time’. After we’d have our fill and smoked our joints we’d go into his studio room to listen and create.”

The album was finished-up around August of 2016 in a back-and-forth between Leon and his go-to mastering engineer Toni Economides in the UK.

Leon worked on Rainbow Deux with life’s greatest challenge looming over him, yet it is one of his most focused and cohesive solo offerings since the 1980s. The entire record is a vibe: mellow, deep and smooth as silk. The lyrical themes are eternal, and the music is elegant, soulful and sensual.

The album opens with the hypnotic throb of “For The Rainbow”, coming on like a percussive, slow-mo house shuffle. Gilles Peterson is a fan. The exotic “Let Love In” follows, with its gradual-build Island Funk, intricate guitar picks and sassy female vocals. It explodes when it hits its stride. “Sigh” is the stylish slow jam close-out to side A. Serene guitars and polished drums create neck snapping funk, with a swaggering finger-snap strut.

Side B opens with the easy-burning broken-beaty “The Darkest Night”, the centrepiece of the album. Kamasi Washington’s lurking sax, restrained and beautiful, unfurls into the dank, sticky atmosphere of Thundercat’s signature creeping bass laid over his brother’s in-the-pocket drums. Leon’s vocals are perfect, a masterclass in seductive sax-soul.

“Surrender Now” conjures waves of vocals to swell and wash over the glossy piano, subtly bumping hip-hop drums and bubbling synth-bass stabs. It’s got the trademark Leon layers. “Summer Is Her Name” has Kamasi’s effortless, melancholic sunshine sax give way to rising tempos and propulsive rhythms.

“Are You Ready” is a total highlight (and we’ve been playing it out for ages). It’s a nimble groove of piano and synth rolling around Theo Croker’s sensual trumpet playing. Digi-soul at its finest. With lush G-Funk sensibilities “Streets (Keep Me Runnin’)” sounds like a lost Dam-Funk produced gem. All tough kicks and snares and street sounds. Leon’s hood pass will be forever intact.

“Samba Dreams” is the first of two tracks that bring a little Rio magic to Rainbow Deux. Leon created a whole body of work in partnership with Brazilian legend Marcos Valle that includes “Rockin’ You Eternally” - a hit for Leon - and “Estrelar” – a hit for Marcos. Leon channels his obvious love of Brazilian music here through more of Croker’s sumptuous trumpet, played over loose percussion. “Let’s Go Deep” is next up. A dreamy between-the-sheets quiet storm anthem and a real showcase for Leon’s vocals.

The dripping, honeyed harp-funk of “We Should Be Laughin’” marks the star turn of the brilliant Kimbra. Leon first met her on-stage to do an impromptu duet of “Inside My Love” during an open-air celebration of Minnie Riperton in July of 2014. Kimbra was working with Taylor on her music and he brought her to Leon’s house to do some writing. This was the result.

Warm synths radiate shuffling samba soul on “Wishful Thinking” as those Brazilian rhythms return to bring Rainbow Deux to a close.

During an apartment move Leon and Carol rediscovered some watercolours Leon had done years ago. One of these paintings had been dubbed “Deux Hearts” and Leon decided it should be on the cover of Rainbow Deux, getting as far as approving a draft concept for the artwork.

Carol has overseen developing that draft into the final gatefold sleeve. It brings together quotes, photographs and tributes in what is a reflection on the music, relationships and philosophy of the sensual minister.

Gerry “the gov” Brown, Leon’s long-time sound engineer, was by his side throughout the project, recording and mixing. The album was mastered by Toni Economides and Simon Francis’ additional sensitive work makes sure this double LP sounds like it should on vinyl.

Be With’s first ever release was Leon’s eponymous LP. Re-issuing that album planted the seed of a relationship that has grown to grant us the privilege of presenting his crowning achievement. We know that Leon’s fans all over the Earth will love Rainbow Deux. But we also hope that this album, the final entry in a phenomenal body of work, will reach new fans and find fresh conduits for the spirit of this oft-unsung hero of Soul.

Leon always said “they will get it when I'm gone.”

He also said that “the spirit never dies”…

Will Saul is a key figure in UK dance music. Approaching his twentieth anniversary as a DJ, producer and label founder, Saul has helped break the career of key artists such as Leon Vynehall, Midland and Dusky via his Aus Music label, has himself played some of the world’s finest nightclubs and contributed to !K7’s storied ‘DJ Kicks’ mix series, which he also curates. Finally returning to the production fold himself with his first full-length album in thirteen years, ‘Open Too Close’ is a condensed trip through the influences, discovery and sense of history that have helped shape his career and drive a forward-facing, unblinking passion for new music. The record’s concept reflects Will’s enormous skill and knowledge as a DJ, and as it’s title suggests, “"represents what I play in a club if an 8 hour set was condensed into 10 tracks.” Having held residencies and made regular appearances at some of the world’s finest clubs including The End and Fabric in London, Panorama Bar in Berlin, Trouw in Amsterdam and Robert Johnson in Offenbach, Saul is uniquely qualified but this refreshingly straightforward approach. Eschewing the lingering, almost cliched expectations for a dance artist to create an album “that sounds good at home, as well as in the club”, ‘Open Too Close’ instead draws on the timeless futurism at the heart of the music that drew Saul into electronic music culture. Simply put, futuristic, melancholic sci-fi soundscapes meets stripped back raw sample driven house music, all executed with the precision and panache of an artist who truly understands how to move a dancefloor.

L'Épée is a four-piece band comprised of Emmanuelle Seigner (Ultra Orange & Emmanuelle), Anton Newcombe (The Brian Jonestown Massacre) and Lionel + Marie Limiñana (The Limiñanas).
The collaboration came about last year, when husband and wife duo The Limiñanas recorded an album ('Shadow People') with Anton Newcombe. A track featured French musician, actress, model and muse Emmanuelle Seigner on guest vocals. When she came into the studio to record the group dynamic clicked and a natural collaboration ensued.
Inspired by melancholic movie scores and the mythology of Rock'n'Roll music, from Lou Reed to the Rollin Stones, 'Diabolique' is infused with light, shadows and layers of psychedelic fuzzy guitars.
It was recorded between Lionel and Marie's home place Cabestany (FR) and Anton's Cobra Studio in Berlin.
The collective have named themselves L'Épée, meaning "the sword" in English, after it came to Anton in a dream.
They will be touring Europe later this year.

Hamburg-based Mireia Records is ecstatic toannounce their thirteenth release: Julian Stetter’s “Sensual EP”.
You’ve probably crossed paths with Julian in thelast couple of years. Not only because he’s the tallest guy in Cologne, but the producer and DJ has been actively shaping modern dance music
with his flourishing, melancholic sound. He’s been releasing music with Permanent Vacation, Kompakt, Correspondent and hometown labels Ancient Future Now and PNN.

It’s also not his first time on Mireia Records. Remember the beautiful “Porto” on “We’ll Sea
Pt.1?” Here, Julian presents two original tracks which are reinterpreted by SONNS and Matt
Karmil.
The title track “ Sensual ” manages to erase the mundane, the world’s vanishing around you.
It’s pitched shaker and airy bells evoke introspective tones. The bassline on the other hand
keep you steady - the dancefloor is still visible through the clouds!
“ Rumors ” picks up the pace. Kick drum and syncopated hi-hats set the stage for a serious
bassline, interwoven with fleeting melodies.
Bright and euphoric brushstrokes from Julian’s synth elevate the pace and catapult the track
towards a crescendo. Booming snares signal the peak.
New Release Information
Strobe lights, sweat and ecstasy.
SONNS opens up the B side with the first remix by whispering “ Rumors ” in your ear. A
brooding bass line takes you on a trip to the dark corners of the city. Hypnotically chugging
toms highlight the sights. Let’s get lost tonight!
With his releases on Kompakt and strong DJ Sets SONNS’ been a long time favored entrant
into Mireia Record’s catalogue.
Matt Karmil’s version of 'Sensual', although on B2 of the vinyl, doesn’t hide its assets.
Kicking off with frantic high hats and a distorted glitch, he pushes the track forwards
intriguingly. Arpeggiated melodies layered supremely over the percussion drive the track
forwards, the simplicity of the track and sharp cuts and drops create an interesting dynamic
to the single creating a perfect juxtapose to the other tracks on the release.
Matt’s also been on Mireia’s radar for a long time. His atmospheric adventures for Studio
Barnhus, Smalltown Supersound or Beats in Space always convey a spirit of living, breathing
leeway.

Hold The Sun is a talented electronic music act based in Sweden. New to the scene and making quite an impact, while the artist wants to stay as anonymous as possible, her otherworldly electro and colorful appearance on stage are creating a stir that's got people talking.

For her debut longplayer, Hold The Sun has put together a mixture of deep electro beats, thick analogue basslines and a rich retro feel to the production and synthwork. Wrapped in the hypnotizing format of melodic minimalism over a variety of tempos and vibes. This stylistic edge is combined with a flair for deep storytelling in some tracks, John Carpenter-esque melancholic synth work and even a meditative ambience on occasion. It is this breadth of sound which truly showcases her talent.

An LP that feels like a ceremony of hypnotic sounds and retro-tropical electro beats. Begin the spiritual journey - Join the dance!

Intrepid, hard-hitting steppers from London producer Junior Loves. Self-released 4-track 10" with hand-drawn artwork, cut by Leon at Music House, Very limited press.



Sinewy, hard-hitting steppers from London way. Junior Loves has a bit of form, last seen on Tabernacle in 2018, but this new, self-released, hand-scribed 10", with two tracks served up discomix style, is very much its own thing: a timeless, unpretentious cry-tuff encounter that combines deeply rooted, meticulous production with a rawness and vulnerability in a manner that is properly compelling. 'Banner' and its more stripped, spatial version set the tone - propelled by Shaka-ish 4/4 drum-murderation and bolshy, corkscrewing, blue-going-on-purple synth lines that shrink the distance between early Ruff Sqwad/Rapid instrumentals and melancholic ambient techno. The grimy forward-lean is there also in both excursions of 'The Nore', but this one drifts further into ethereal cold-space, recalling John T. Gast's druidic soundboy cuts, dizzyingly psychedelic but precise and uncluttered, mashing up brain/dance/everything with perfectly judged patterns of attack and decay. Very limited press, cut by Leon at Music House. Massive tip on this one!

This year, First Word Records celebrates its fifteenth year in the game. The year commenced triumphantly with First Word being named "record label of the year" at Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Awards 2019. Over the past six months, we've seen new music from 14KT, Souleance, Myele Manzanza, Teotima, Don Leisure, Children of Zeus and a range of artists across Europe, on the 'Music! Musik! Musique!' compilation.

To commemorate the 15th anniversary, First Word has a series of releases in the works for the second half of the year which see collaborations by artists from the label's current roster. To kick off, we have this special double-AA sided 7" single featuring Darkhouse Family, Kaidi Tatham & Tyler Daley.

Darkhouse Family consists of two Cardiff beatmakers & musicians, Earl Jeffers - founder of Melange Records and producer of 'A Library Excursion' from 2018, and Don Leisure, who recently provided us with 'Halal Cool J', the beat-tape sequel to 2017's 'Shaboo'. Over the years they've had releases, solo & individually, on Fat City, Metalheadz & Earnest Endeavors to name a few, bridging the gaps between various strains of dance music, beats and hip hop, with the organics of jazz and funk. Recently making noise across the UK with their new live band, and production work for the likes of Kamaal Williams, this is their first new release since their highly-acclaimed 2017 debut album 'The Offering' & subsequent remix project which also featured DJ Spinna, and one Kaidi Tatham.

Kaidi Tatham is one of the most revered multi-instrumentalists in the game. His endless contributions have included Bugz In The Attic, Amy Winehouse, Slum Village, Mulatu Astatke, Soul II Soul, Moonchild, Leroy Burgess, Amp Fiddler and loads more. Dubbed by Benji B last year as "the UK's Herbie Hancock", his versatility as a musician is actually more akin to Prince. He can play most things, and play them well. Providing flute duties on this track, he also graces the flipside with a full "flutestrumental" version. Aside from numerous other projects, Kaidi released three EPs on First Word to date, 'Changing Times', 'Hard Times' and 'Serious Times', and an album last year, entitled 'It's A World Before You', which featured daddy of 2000 Black, Dego, son of Jazzy Jeff, Uhmeer and Children of Zeus, Konny Kon & Tyler Daley.

Tyler Daley hails from Manchester, alongside son of Zeus, MC / DJ / beatmaker, Konny Kon. Somewhat of a veteran in the game, Tyler is currently one of the most-recognisable talents in the British soul scene, also lending his talents to dance music royalty along the way, including the likes of Goldie, Zed Bias, DJ Marky & Lenzman. With Children of Zeus, the duo have had a whirlwind 12 months since the release of their debut album 'Travel Light', performing shows across the globe & gaining new fans daily. The record was named "album of the year" by Complex magazine and BBC 6 Music's Huey Morgan, amongst a number of other notable tastemakers & selectors. Hot on the heels of the 'Excess Baggage' EP, Tyler laces this one with his inimitable brand of bars and soul.

A veritable super-group amongst the First Word stable, this low-slung slinky joint sees the guys work up a unique blend of jazz, soul, beats and hip hop - guaranteed to go 'All The Way'…

'All The Way' is released on First Word Records on July 26th 2019, limited 7" vinyl & digital.

Produced & mixed by Darkhouse Family

Vocals by Tyler Daley (Children of Zeus)


b B1. All the Way (Flutestrumental) [feat. Tyler Daley & Kaidi Tatham]


[b] B1 | All the Way (Flutestrumental) [feat. Tyler Daley & Kaidi Tatham]


[b] B1 | All the Way (Flutestrumental) [feat. Tyler Daley & Kaidi Tatham]

Robin Ball's Memory Box builds on the success of early releases with a big new outing that features two of his own tracks and one from the legendary Luke Vibert. Memory Box is a party that has hosted Derrick Carer, Trevino and A Guy Called Gerald among others, and is a place to hear proper acid house. Ball himself is a master of the genre and most often released on his own Groovepressure label, having been making music since his teens. Now his latest labour of love is once again reaffirming his status as a vital voice in the UK scene. Luke Vibert has a rich history that makes him a key part of the UK's dance counterculture over the last 30 years. His always animated music is wild and inventive and comes on greats like Mo Wax, Warp and Planet Mu. Here he offers 'X to C', a wild melange of warped synth tones, grizzled basslines & acid flashes. It will twist and turn the dance floor inside out. Robin Ball's excellent 'Gripper' is a corrugated bit of electric house music that never sits still. Pensive pads in the background are offset by a busy lead synth line and old school stabs that make it a perfectly timeless, energetic fusion of moods and grooves. Lastly, Ball serves up 'The Edge,' a brilliantly brash cut with stepping acid sequences, raw drum work and warped bass that distills decades of UK music into one essential track. These are three devastating club cuts that expertly draw on the past, present and future of acid.

2023 Repress

2019 is mule musiq’s 15 years anniversary. we’re going to release twelve 12inchs with our friend artists and stefan marx make the collectable artwork.

10th release is our long time friend hippie dance’s superpitcher aka pachanga boys. “maki” on a side is a tribute song for legendary japanese folk singer maki asakawa, superpitcher wrote the lyrics and dip in the pool’s miyako koda translated in japanese and did the reading. “mishima” on b side is a trademark of superpitcher’s melancholic house tune. it sounds like updated percussive nyc house in early 90’s.

Karen Gwyer returns to Don't Be Afraid with her first new work since 2017's Rembo LP, which gained critical acclaim for its powerful body music and melancholic melody led pieces. Man On Mountain EP is a further evolvement of the duality and nuances in moods and emotions that make Gwyer's music so impactful. Resetting, rebuilding and subverting atmospheres and rhythms is a constant in her music and Gwyer builds on that more in this latest instalment.

The low swung weight of opener Faces On Ankles' bassline is full of suspense, alternating between rolling fluidity and unpredictable kick patterns, while a dubby melody dances alongside glossy, introspective arpeggios. The EP then weaves suddenly into cosmic drone that snarls with tension and desolation on Ian On Fire. You can sense contrasts between these two musical spaces – luscious, bouncing techno that nods directly to Gwyer's Midwest upbringing (Faces on Ankles, Cherries On Shoulders) and darker drone experiments where light peeks through the composition that adds balance to the mood, (Ian On Fire, Ribbon on Neck). Gwyer's music takes a different path with each record while holding onto elements of previous incarnations of her sound and Man On Mountain adds new dimensions to the bold and open minded spirit she embodies.

History of Heat is an eroto-intellectual retelling of a love story. It is the scholarship of heat, and the sources of its production in the body: desire, exaltation, anticipation, fear, rage and mourning . It is a fable circulating through the nerves, pumped and distributed by its own mythologies. Through different chapters, we follow the heroine of our story from the initial desire to love, the sensual pull which oscillates between the grotesque and sacred longing of the flesh (‘L’Enfer en pleine lumière’ translates to ‘Hell in plain sight’)...to the sudden ghostlike appearance of the Other (Apparition) as a projection of the dream. We enter into the spiritual, the seeing visions and the blindness of love. ‘Animal’ speaks of instinct, the smell of the beloved, already the deconstruction of the divine back into the realm of the physical. The title track ‘History of heat’ sings the hesitation of love, the precipice of openness and the invitation of the contract: Dance with me... (This is where the metaphoric marriage is forged). In ‘Perfection’, the pressure which keeps the relationship on the pedestal of the absolute stunts and paralyses love. Unrealistic expectations of the self and the other person creates the push and pull of the not wanting what one wants and the fear to get what one has been asking for. ‘Tiny engine’ speaks of mechanical attachment, attachment to the lover as habit, as a second nature, and the call to the other person as a magnet. In ‘Ditectrice’, the madness and the folly of separation spawns war and confusion. It is the violent refusal to live without the other... the pleading with god. ‘Feed him’ follows with resignation and exhaustion. Love has become the beast of burden who eats away at itself insatiably. ‘War text’ brings forth the devastation, the peace treaty and finally the metaphysical Divorce. In ‘Guttermoon’, the vita contemplativa begins, the blood starts to cool, the scene is a ghost town. ‘Wrong god’ similarly winds down as an ode to remorse and mourning. Finally, ‘Cinema Verité’ closes out the album with a mistrust of ‘reality’: the heroine becomes a philosopher, she becomes an artist... did the relationship ever exist or was it a projection “In front of a movie screen” ?

History of Heat is an experimental narrative and cinematic pastiche of all original and self recorded material. A chaotic mix of sounds both analog and digitally produced recalls a warlike interpersonal breakdown. The mood established by the lyrical content of the piece is meant to be demanding, enclosing the listener within a unique and compelling cocoon of otherworldly sound. the Album is framed within a discursive love story which reflects larger relational problematics and interpersonal traumas. looped vocals act as incantations woven in and out of lyrical singing and spoken word. The instrumentals embrace chaos and intensity. Improvised violin and broken down beats compliment and balance the melancholic overtones which flutter above off the grid rhythms in this charged ficto-personal account.

For our fourth installment of the “Roar Groove meets Dirt Crew” series we present you this new set of shimmering and dubbed out Revenge cuts. After the last episode Graeme has been very busy working his “live” studio setup to come up with a whole range of new jams of which we have selected the below four tracks. We think these best represent his unique style and once you hear these in a club you instantly know “That’s a Revenge Tune”, something we have always loved about his sound.

The opening “Like an Ending” is a trippy, melancholic-euphoric track driven by a Moog Voyager bass line and classic House keys and vibe. The original recording was an 11 minute live take that he has been able to capture the essence off and narrow it down to this thumping club jam.

The A2 is all about those good times and it reminds us a lot of early 90s “French Touch”, filtering House at it’s best, it keeps running around in your head and with it’s slower pace we are sure this one will do especially well on the early morning dance floors and high summer sun drenched beaches.

On the other side we enter darker and more dubbed out territories. Here is the first track in Graeme’s words “This one had been knocking around for a couple of years in various forms, but it wasn’t really until I stripped it all back and let the arpeggiated synth do it’s thing that it really seemed to gel. It’s really the rhythm of the whole thing, I ended up scrapping extra hi-hats and stuff that was just getting in the way.” And we have to mention that we personally love that marimba! This track is like a spaceship floating the skies and eventually touching down.

To close out this new work we have one of these typical stab-y Revenge chuggers, loose and floating, synth lines underlaid by a distinctive beat, it has kind of a breakbeat feel to it and with the improvising on those synths and melodies on top of it all it’s a true Dub House track.

Summer is here and this record sets the pace and tone! Enjoy!

Patience began as bedroom synth project for songwriter Roxanne Clifford after the break up of her acclaimed indie pop band Veronica Falls. Born out of a desire to experiment with a new sound and analogue synthesizers, the project has since grown to become an all-encompassing persona and serves as the main vehicle for the full emotional spectrum always latent in Clifford’s songwriting. From her first long-sold-out 7” singles on Night School, her knack for melodic hooks and oblique emotional stances already contained a glistening sheen of promise. ‘Dizzy Spells’ serves as an intimate portrait of Clifford’s creative adventure, almost diaristic, conceived and recorded in her home studio, as well as with collaborators Todd Edwards (Daft Punk/Uk Garage fame), Lewis Cook (Free Love/Happy Meals) and engineer Misha Hering (Virginia Wing). Dizzy Spells delivers a debut album that twists Clifford’s songwriting into new shapes and ecstasies. The album dances around melancholy, thrown to the floor like a bad dream to be circled, emerging bright-eyed into the early morning full of hope. The Girls Are Chewing Gum (produced by Todd Edwards) bursts open Dizzy Spells like fresh fruit: sweet and rich with a synth-bass line beamed down from Chicago House heaven. Exquisitely sung by Clifford, it’s a wonderful, funky, instant-classic hinting at sexuality and memories dredged from our bodies’ secrets. The bouncy production expertly renders the addictive power of our ephemeral pleasures. Living Things Don’t Last chases themes of longing and loss, opening up into a life affirming chorus that sings of transience, the passing of time and railing against inertia. It’s the perfect example of a song formula that Roxanne Clifford has almost patented: simple and cutting straight to the point. There are shades of Strawberry Switchblade or French synth pop pioneer Jacno in the happy/sad dichotomy and it is all the better for it. Dizzy Spells features all three long-sold out singles, embedded in the full depth of Patience’s soundworld they fit like pieces of a puzzle. White Of An Eye, The Church and The Pressure—all recorded in Clifford’s former home of Glasgow—crackle with razor sharp melodies and dancefloor-ready dynamics. There are exciting additions to Patience’s sonic palette, brought into sharp relief on Voices In The Sand. In this song, a plaintive Clifford enunciates a heart-torn plea to the antagonist, a mournful cascade of synths and haunting vocals evocative of AC Marias, a sepia-toned ode to anxiety, “a storm is on the way”. On No Roses, a Vince Clarkesque production belies a sunburnt sadness. Clifford defiantly sings “you would go out tonight, but there’s nowhere you like,” describing a disenchantment with her adopted city of Los Angeles, she longs for home in a singular refrain “No roses… no roses for us.” An ode to English folk singer Shirley Collins, a surprising yet innate influence throughout Clifford’s work. On Moral Damage, former Veronica Falls bandmate Marion Herbain joins Clifford on an anglo-french duet that feels instant and spontaneous, a cutting comment on emotional accountability. More than a vehicle for Roxanne Clifford’s songwriting prowess, Patience is holding our hand through the night, dancing with tears in our eyes, dizzy and spellbound.

Stepping out of the dojo with sublime focus - DJ Youngsta's subsequent addition to the Sentry discography unveils its sound system technique in abundant grandeur. Supported by the likes of UKF and Disciple Recordings, the achievements and long-standing dedication to the bass music scene of the London-based artist speak for itself. Now taking charge of the controls, The Others materializes two irreproachable cuts of undiluted Dubstep for the imprint's tenth single outing, bringing forth an exceptional display of the artist's creative ingenuity as well as technical ability, that perfectly falls in line with the label's vision and acclaimed discography.

Anticipation permeates the air. Haunting flute melodies intermingle with tribal drums in 'Shaolin' - introducing itself, saturated in tension. Surges of electric power progressively increase the strain as the sound of the final chimes strikes its apocalyptic verdict. Heading into full-frontal warfare and the midst of a sword fight, a murderous array of distorted overtones leads the way through the trenches, dug by its huge drums and minimal instrumentation. Densely loaded with ingenious sampling and off-kilter groove, the resulting soundscape will wreak havoc on any proper sound system and skanking audience.

Turning the echo up to eleven, the B-Side 'Feedback' boasts an equally effective inferno, culminating in otherworldly levels of pressure and energy. Contemplative synth melodies merge into the melancholic soundscape, feigning brief silence before promptly being reconstructed into a super-charged form. The ensuing shutdown swings to the merciless groove onslaught of its highly fissionable basslines, roaming the dance floor with rhythmic intricacy and a universe of switch-ups and creative breaks - The Other's signature style taken to its fullest extent.

Emerging from the flourishing house scene in Århus, Forte is one of the most exciting producers to make his debut in Denmark in the past years. Having produced and released music under various monikers, Forte debuted in 2017 as Forte with the excellent mini album Techne on 12recs and the standout EP ”Away” on ØEN Records. Intermissions is Forte’s first full length album. Composed and recorded in Århus during 2018 Intermissions consists of six tracks and five interludes and is a study of, and tribute to, intermissions.

Across the albums eleven cuts, Forte effortlessly traverse between ethereal dreamy vibes, intricate electronica and bustling rhythmic explorations. Stretching far beyond the traditional house music boundaries, Forte’s layered and intricate compositions constantly balances melancholic and elevating atmospheres. Perfectly suited whether you are lounging in the living room, standing on a train platform or at discerning and esoteric dance floors. Out on vinyl and digital June 22.

The palm trees whistle in the pink meteor shower. An entanglement of
nature’s mystical tones settle. Sonics trigger movement in the Oceans crust while giants filter the earth’s waters, thrusting the waters with their gnarly space knobs. The damsel in distress is a hadronic mechanical design like no other, moulded, tested and shaped by the entheogen melanges of the Omegian race. Many a cosmic knight whipped there sword out to retrieve , but in rightful and aware conquest the dilation and deja vu of multidimensional experiences returned the opal tone to the Omega Men. The Midi rain will dance , and the grooving aqua orbs of life will continue on.

"One of the hardest thing as a musician is to maintain this naive, almost utopian and emotional approach to our music. Especially when it comes to a highly codified genre like Electronic music which appeared in the late 80s/early 90s like a promise of a bright future for music, everything sounding so fresh and revolutionary. When Katerina sent me those demos I heard that freshness, that pure intention, something I remember from discovering melancholic Detroit tunes in the 90s or early Warp ‘artificial intelligence’ compilations, bridging the gap between techno and more intricate electronica. It’s been a while since I didn’t hear an EP so sincere - and not JUST nostalgic, that makes me want to dance alone in my living room and forget about everything else. It’s a subtle thing that makes the difference but that difference is everything, it’s Music."

- Joakim

“Ta Da” is the debut full length from J. McFarlane Reality Guest, the collective name for the trio headed by the eponymous McFarlane. As a member of the group Twerps, McFarlane has traversed guitar-centric, melodic pop music for some years while honing a highly unique, personal musical language. Ta Da is the first recorded unveiling of McFarlane’s affecting, oblique songwriting panache. Originally released in her native Australia on Hobbies Galore, Ta Da will be released worldwide by Night School in June 2019.

Wheezing into view with a troubled reed instrument set against a s of whoozy synth lines, Human Tissue Act is a foggy curtain the listener is invited to peel back. The dissonant notes are left to dance entwined, with clarinet heralding a Harry Partch-esque mallet percussion interlude. It’s a mood. With no resolution in sight, an audience dragged closer into uncertainty is suddenly drenched with the light of inter-weaving wah wah synth and saxophone. I Am A Toy introduces us to McFarlane’s vocal, an effortless and matter-of-fact, accented statement that quietly takes the reins. While McFarlane’s previous work in Twerps might reference 80s UK and antipodean guitar pop, Ta Da showcases a different influences immersed in psychedelic music and synths. It’s a brilliant, deft concoction swimming in Young Marble Giants-type minimalism washed with bare pop and harmony similar to Kevin Ayers making sense of a Melbourne suburb full of faces half-recognised in the blanching sun.

What Has He Bought begins with a Casio-keyboard rhythm pattern, palm-muted guitars and immaculately enunciated vocal give way to a burnt melodica part that elevates the spirits. Simple patterns repeated, like a well-tempered pop song that does what it needs to do and no more, build into the sound of summer leaking orange juice. They’re moments of joy, layered on top of each other like a melting cake. Do You Like What I’m Sayin’ recalls Marine Girls covering a classic ‘66 Garage nugget, organ lines fighting funk with guitar chords played just behind the percussion. “In a talking world, meanings are the same. Words want to hold on to the people they contain. Do you like what I’m sayin’?” We’re in a Beckett play perhaps, obtuse absurdities rendered pretty. Alien Ceremony is a heart-melter, given a melancholic timbre by bowed double bass it’s a tragi-comic piece that almost reeks of Robert Wyatt at his mid-whimsical twisting a fugue completely out of shape. Beneath the layers of harmony and twinkling instrumentation you sense there’s a genuine sadness somewhere even if it remains veiled.

Through out Ta Da, McFarlane plays with counterpoint and contrast to sometimes delirious effect. On Your Torturer, a simple, upbeat chord progression is hard panned, underpinning a flute solo which seems out of place, hence making it completely in place on this warmly surreal album. My Enemy is a slowly swinging eulogy to a failed relationship punctuated by analogue synth burbles, with our protagonist simply asking, in the aftermath, “can we be nice?” Here McFarlane’s vocal is straight forward, lyrically conversational but still not completely in focus, a surreal kitchen sink drama filtered through a dream where everything is in the wrong place. It’s a fine precursor to Heartburn, which similarly borrows BBC Radiophonic Workshop-style noise synths and the use of space to carve up the simple “You Will Make My Heart Burn” line. At this point, the listener has been in such close proximity to McFarlane’s show, the reality guest in a performance where they’re the sole audience member, that when Where Are You My Love rises on the horizon as a sleepy, psychedelic send off it’s uplifting. The vocal drifts away into the sunset, simple and direct. It leaves the listener slightly confused, perhaps, but grateful for the gentle surprise.

ZamZam 72 comes from one of our favorite producers for the last few years, the elusive Andy Mac. Known in particular for his “Diving Bird” series, a buy-on-sight trilogy of 12”s on Bristol’s Idle Hands, the idiosyncratic producer also has releases on No Corner (in collaboration with Ossia), and the seminal Punch Drunk label. His unique style of chopped, techy, warm, pastoralist dubwise had us from the first, and the tunes he sent us flew through our A&R gauntlet with ease. His are records we return to again and again, revealing more subtlety with each listen, free from genre or tempo constraints.

“Dawner,” the first of two transmissions from Lands End, Cornwall, is a perfect encapsulation of the Andy Mac sound: melancholy yet uplifting, rooted in techno-steppers yet rough-hewn and organic, breezy yet piercingly introspective. Led by a staccato kick and insistent metallic snare, featuring a bubbling Hammond organ lead by Richard Blackbarrow of cult UK Rough Trade band “Bob,” this one shimmers with summer warmth, lens-flare refracting saturated side-light, made for dusk sessions and sunrise sets, preferably out of doors, far from any city.

Layered with field recordings of streams and sea, “Tawny Grammar” is an altogether deeper affair, a dark, hallucinatory journey into the power of repetition in a 140-ish style. Shaker, kick, and hi hat lay the foundation for a looping and loping Binghi drum and guitar chop that begin their journey hacking through a dense undergrowth of sound, only to find themselves ensnared in a web of backwards delays and psychotropic effects that suspend the unwary in a strange tension between minimal and claustrophobic… the dance’s dark beating heart.

The result of a Polish Crooner (Byczkowski) and Canadian Producer (Holland) enjoying a summer studio session in the heat of 2018: "All I Need" fixates on the importance of a good time. Influenced by euro dance classics, the two forged a 140 bpm melodic overload, dramatic builds and all. The flip sees Holland ride solo for 9 minutes and 9 seconds. An eyes closed trip through dubbed out chords, melancholic strings, and slamming percussion.... full steam ahead.

Cosmo Vitelli hasn’t slept since 1973. Instead, he’s replaced slumber with the tireless exploration of electronic music, sharing his finds as an accomplished DJ and label manager as well as an esteemed producer, with heaps of records, remixes and edits under his belt. With his upcoming two-part LP on Malka Tuti, Cosmo brings forward his more diverse and somehow mature musical side, combining elements of post-punk, krautrock, electronica and pop on this first of 2 four-track records. The songs on the LP transcend style and genre. They manage to hold and playfully sustain an idea that echoes throughout them all - a musical “saying” as well as a personal life experience, and they reflect Cosmo’s prolific studio work of the past 2 years since he moved to Berlin. On the opening song A Brand New City he collaborates with longtime friend Julienne Dessagne (aka Fantastic Twins). Dessagne's vocals cut through the quirky and addictive percussion groove and synth sequence, leading to a a strong emotional melancholic melodic catharsis. On the following two songs Groupe Surdose & Die Alraune we find Cosmo collaborating with Sebastian Lee Philipp (of Die Wilde Jagd fame) to show his more post-rock/krautrock side. Groupe Surdose is an instant classic slow burning dance floor Krautrock tune while in Die Alruane we find poetic German lyrics sung by Lee-Philipp on top of organic grooves, guitars and an epic Saxophone line that together create a distinctive highlight for the record. The closing track Kuldip is the curve ball of them all, sealing the first part of his album with a Mediterranean mid tempo dance tune for the selectors and the middle-eastern inspired electro aficionados.

Italo-disco inspired house music, IN MY DREAMS is the latest single from New York/Moscow duo IPF aka INTERNETPOWERLIFTINGFEDERATION. A warm, galloping bass line fuses with razor-sharp synth stabs, creamy pads and late-80’s house drums. A dual-vocal exchange explores self-delusion, obsession and a single-sided relationship between girl and the boy who lives in her head. Melancholic yet pop-y, IN MY DREAMS wouldn’t be out of place in club run by Erasure, Depeche Mode or Human League at their most soulful and dancefloor-ready. In the spirit of classic 80’s dance music traditions, the original mix gets three additional reworks: a classic Electro version, a “big room” friendly HI-NRG version and stripped down version. This is the first release from New York city based label Daddy Issues, limited pressing 150 copies only.

A product of the transformative power of dance music, Ede moved Berlin after he experienced something magical while dancing to Ame at
Berghain. So enchanted was he by the pivotal moment that he set his sights on making music to be released by Innervisions… And that happened
three years later when his track ‘Jenny’ made it into the label’s ‘Secret Weapons 11’ compilation. Ede’s dark, new wave style has also
piqued the interest of Jennifer Cardini, who signed his music to a V/A on her Correspondant Music label recently. Now the producer joins the
TAU family for a full EP, featuring four original cuts.
‘Raum’ jumpstarts the collection with menacing allure. Whirring analogue forms the core of this deadly track, keeping it tight in the low end
while various layers of synth fizz and snarl. An urgent riff joins the fray, adding depth and energy. Across almost 10 minutes Ede showcases his
ability to create a dark atmosphere and imbue his music with spinetingling theatrics. Fans of the riff will be pleased to find a beatless version of
‘Raum’, which will be useful for creating dramatic moments during DJ sets no doubt.
On side B, ‘Zeit’ brings the pace down slightly. A melancholy synth line evokes feelings of sorrow, while the beat pumps along. Ede uses the full
8 minutes of this track to really build the tension, finally unleashing it halfway through. This could easily be used on the soundtrack for a cyborg
action movie set in the future.
Last up, ‘Unendlichkeit’ is a further demonstration of Ede’s love of futurism, new wave and film noir circa 2080. Here he tells a story with the
machines, each one adding their contribution to the narrative which gets more and more chaotic as the tune progresses.
A very impressive EP, and we’re sure you’ll agree it’s something quite special.

Independent record label YGAM presents "Les Bergers du Galetas", Magnétisme Animal's debut EP, in which they share their intimate view of society. 

Formed by brg and Catartsis, the French duo invites the listeners to dive into a journey through the density of the modern metropolis. In a time of materialistic fetishism, where superficial occurrences and capitalism rule, the 4-track EP acts in opposition to these current matters. However, rather than trying to create a contrasting sonic landscape, Magnétisme Animal use sounds recorded in their environment to elaborate pieces that bear the heavy and frenetic industrial atmosphere of our urban sceneries. All sorts of clanging metal, steam discharge, electromagnetic static noise, train rails frictions, sirens and distant traffic, are combined with breathing, footsteps and vocal humming to create an oddly industrial as much as organic soundscape. The EP starts with a noise track that recalls some of the compositional processes of musique concrète, to then slowly drifts towards rhythmically oriented pieces. "Être c’est être coincé", with its ponderous bass and distortion work, appears as a peculiar blending of noise and techno, while "L’Enthousiasme des statues" displays a more traditional and dance floor approach to rhythm and drums, but still leaves space for an uncanny sound decor to unfold. The project ends with "La Toute-Toute", a repetitive ambient track filled with subtle sounds, where one can wander as spoken words underline a sense of melancholy. "Les Bergers du Galetas" is an unsettling industrial tapestry, a strange study of noises, that depicts the contemporary frenzy of the artists’ environments they referred to as the urban jungle. A landscape where one is a witness of the disparity of human conditions, where mind and body coexist with difficulty, where one is subject to conformism, where one is lost in the smog while carried by the masses through the cemented maze.

Compilation from British post-punk/Futurist group Ghosts of Dance formed in North Devon in 1981.

The members were Yvette Norris (vocals), Kevin Maynard (drums), Daryl Hunt (bass), Mark Butcher (keyboards), and Pete Heaton (guitar). Ghosts of Dance took their name from the song 'Ghosts' by David Sylvian which appeared on the first Japan album. After playing an early gig in Barnstaple, a gentleman in the audience named Richard Newman expressed his interest to start a record label and release their music. Richard scheduled a recording session for the band at Otter Studios in Georgeham with producer Harry Williamson, son of Henry Williamson, member of progressive rock band Gong. The debut single ‘Ghosts of Dance’ was released in 1982 on Plastic Canvas Records to mixed reviews as it was very different from anything being released at the time.

This compilation includes their debut single along with 9 bonus tracks recorded between 1981 and 1983 on vinyl for the first time. The band call themselves “Vocal Trance Music” on the 7” sleeve credits and it’s accurate. Melancholic pop with gloomy atmosphere and dream-like melodies. The final track shows the band moving in a New Romantic direction with Mark taking over the main vocals. All songs have been remastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios. Each copy is housed in a jacket featuring original artwork by John Hurford and includes an insert with photos, lyrics and liner notes by Pete Heaton.

Five years after his track 'Mr. Croissant Taker' appeared on Soulwax's Grand Theft Auto V radio station, Belgian producer Transistorcake releases his official debut release, the 'Future Plans' EP on Eskimo Recordings. Featuring 4 tracks of hazy electronica that would sit neatly alongside early releases on Aphex Twin's Rephlex label or recent excursions by the likes of Palmbomen and Betonkust.

Opening tracks 'Future Plan I' and 'Future Plan II' sets out Transistorcake's stall nicely. Swirling synth melodies, an ever evolving bassline that leads you down a labyrinthine maze and diaphanous strings and pads all add up to create an ecstatic yet at the same time melancholic quality to the music that manages to sound both ancient and modern.

"Future Plans I and II are constantly changing routes of ideas, improvisations and coincidences," explains Transistorcake, "nothing is a constant in the two numbers, outside the pulse of the drums. You can see them as two possible versions of the future or as an old version of the future alongside its current variation."

Whilst cut from the same cloth as the previous tracks 'Ribbles' has more than a touch of the Nordics to it. Sparkling, playful melodies glitter like snowflakes caught in the flash of a strobe light before a pulsing disco beat rockets the track into the stratosphere. In his own words the track is "an ode to spontaneity and dancing without braking. I pictured it being played by a live band next to a pool at an LA cocktail party in the '80s."

Closing the EP we have 'Kluts', driven by a stuttering, head-nodding, rhythm that recalls that rapping sound of a woodpecker in the forest, the track is gently swaddled in a warm embrace of synthetic stings that gradually develops and asserts its dominance over the course of nine, all-too brief as it happens, minutes. For all its gauzy textures there's also an undeniable solidity to these tracks, an underlying organic quality and nostalgic warmth that permeates them.

Having previously studied jazz composition and played in several bands over the years, Transistorcake brings a sense of spontaneity to the often all-to-structured world of electronic music. This EP just capturing a snapshot in time of these songs that can be endlessly reworked and reimagined in his live set, where live bass and drums, are added to his collection of vintage synths to an endless back and forth between man and machine.

mule musiq's sub label studio mule has formed a group of shifting members and are now releasing a debut album with 8 tracks of reworked obscure japanese gems.

the album contains the three singles the group released so far, featuring miyako koda of the ex-perimental pop band dip in the pool -- whose "on retinae" was reissued by music from memory to great acclaim -- on vocals and mule musiq staple kuniyuki on production with direction by label head toshiya kawasaki.

one of them, "carnaval," is a cover of the japanese dance classic by taeko ohnuki, produced by ymo. "shinzo no tobira" is a remake of the track by mariah, a band led by sax player yasuaki shi-mizu, from their album utakata no hibi -- which was one of the reissues that sparked the global interest in obscure japanese music in the last few years. studio mule's version features japanese lyrics rewritten by miyako koda. "face to face" is a cover of the ambient pop gem from the ultra rare album desire by yumi murata of mariah -- an album visible cloaks is a fan of.

also included is a rework of "kagami no naka no jugatsu," a song by tamao koike produced by ymo, turned into a dubby balearic pop track -- dubbier than the version included on the yen label compi-lation -- sang by nanako sato, one of the artists enjoying some newfound success following a string of reissues stemming from the "city pop" revival craze. the oriental ambient pop "yugao" by singer songwriter mioko yamaguchi is covered by vocalist saho terao, whom some describe as this gen-eration's taeko ohnuki.

"the april fools" is a rework of yukihiro takahashi's track, which itself was also a cover of the origi-nal song by burt bacharach. this new version boasts a more experimental arrangement with nanako sato handling the vocals. ymo's "ballet," originally with vocals by yukihiro takahashi, was reconstructed into a dance floor-ready instrumental by kuniyuki. many say yoshiyuki ohsawa's "soshite bokuwa toho ni kureru" is one of the greatest songs of the '80s. the 12" dance version is reshaped here into a melancholic balearic house track.

the album cover is by the increasingly popular hotshot photographer kota shouji.

Point B Biog 2018
Starting out on legendary Electro label SCSI AV and Orson Records in the mid noughties, Point B began to earn himself a reputation through his intense dance floor-focussed EPs and pensive, experimental long players. By sewing together influences ranging from 70s sci-fi films to traditional middle eastern music, he wove a unique sonic fabric. Later that decade and after absorbing the waves of dubstep and post-garage that washed up on the shores of South London, his sound matured into something that can deliver club euphoria and introspective melancholy.

With his last commercial release back in 2014, a four year hiatus passed whilst he worked on other music projects. During that time he built up a collection of handcrafted synth patches, some of them employing modular synthesis techniques. The ensuing sketches formed the basis of his latest work: Smash Hits. This is arguably Point B's most direct and focussed record to date. Opting for a techno template, he consciously kept the sound palette narrow, concentrating his efforts on the groove, energy and production fidelity. This is a statement record that demonstrates his creative control and programming playfulness.

Shape-shifting left
coast producer Sage Caswell likens his latest full-length to a surrealist
architectural space: "I walk up to a building and Evil Twin is playing. A copy of
me is at the door and I let myself in. Inside the house is inside my head; each
room is a different song and emotion." A distinct dream sequence logic threads
together these nine nuanced tracks, which swerve from vaporous melancholy to
ecstatic motion to nocturnal wanderlust, alternately lucid and opaque.

Last year's relocation
from his beloved home base of Los Angeles to Madison, Wisconsin certainly played
a role, as pulling up roots inevitably does: "I love L.A. more than I can
properly articulate, but I saw an opportunity to leave so I took it." The
experience prompted an exploratory set of recordings inspired by notions of separation,
vulnerability, and "how it feels to identify the things in your life that don't
feel like you." Evil Twin captures
Caswell at his most fluid and dualistic, mapping a multi-hued maze of twisted rhythms
and refracted textures, fluctuating between beatific expanse and amniotic
bangers.
Previous releases for
Spring Theory and Far Away showcased Caswell's capacity for innerspace club
voyaging but here his vision skews even more vividly elusive, immersive and
immaterial, lost and found. The record's contradictions were deliberate and,
most importantly, therapeutic: "Evil Twin was intended to be as much a visual idea
as a soundtrack to feeling out of control. I didn't really want to talk about
it, so I made this album."

"kiska" Is The Lead Single Off Kedr's Sophomore Release, Your Need. The Album Is A Celebration Of Life And Rebirth. It's About A Fighter's Spirit, And If You Will, A Little Audacity And Courage. Dj'ing And Early Forms Of Dance Music Inspired A Furious Burst Of Creative Energy After Months Of Melancholy, Sadness And Reflection To Record The Album In Only A Matter Of Weeks. After Her Breakout Album, Ariadna, Which Put Her On The Forefront Of Russia's Burgeoning Electronic Scene, Kedr Felt Lost With Her Identity And Was Searching For The Direction Of Her Next Chapter. For A While She Felt Trapped By Her Own Image And Needed Quite Some Time To Resolve This Internal Dissonance - To Grow, To Evolve. Dj'ing Was The Main Catalyst To Pull Her Out Of This Rut. The Art Form Shifted Her Inspiration To Mainly Old School Styles Of Dance Music: Ghetto, House, Breakbeat And Uk Garage. For The Prior Year And A Half She Was Listening To Ambient, Kraut-rock And More Experimental Genres - One Can Hear The Brighter, More Energetic Influence Of Early Electronic Music In The Songs On Your Need. One Day She Was Talking With Her Friend Flaty (zhenya), A Very Talented Artist From St. Petersburg Who's Signed To The Gost Zvuk Label, And They Decided To Do A Single Together. He Came To Visit Her In Moscow, But They Ended Up Spending 10 Whole Days Writing Music Together, From Dawn To Dusk. They Vibed Off Each Other's Musical Ideas Perfectly And Understood Each Other Even Without Speaking. Zhenyais A Beatmaster And Pays Attention To Even The Smallest Details Of A Track. He Brought Incredible Richness To The Composition And Kedr Considers Him Her Teacher In This Area. Kedr Was In Charge Of The Melodies And Vibe Of The Tracks, And The Vocal Elements. Your Need Is Like A Chapter Of Life. It's A Story That Illustrates Different Scenarios And Moods That Our Mythical Hero Experiences, Living In An Urban Jungle. From Lost Love To A Bad Trip On The Dance Floor, From Euphoria To Deep Introspection. Our Hero Sometimes Feels Bold, Lost Or Devastated, But Also Tender And Full, Like All Of Us At Some Point In Life. The Ending Is Joyful And Bright. The Last Song Gives Hope And Faith That A New Day Will Come And Wash Away The Old. You Can Feel Like New Every Day. Your Need Reflects An Array Of Genres And A Mix Of Cultures - A Harmonious Combination Of Differences. Everything Kedr Loves About Ghetto Music, In The Traditions Of House, Dub, Breakbeat, 90s Electronic Music And Modern Sounds - She's Embraced And Expressed It All Throughout. Your Need Is Kedr's Ode To Music From Different Eras And Changing Periods.

Has there ever been a better time to fuck off to the stars? Is a prison breakout ‘escapism’? Crisis carve some wound-space to let the dreams back in. In nights we turn to fire, in flight we burst into stone, where are the exits in this theatre of the damned? Strict luggage allocations – guitar (D. Knight), saxophone (S. Thrower) – and all the electronics your thoughts can carry. Headspin echoes, round and around, tilt wind-sails at a dark horizon, cut a stutter through the distance barrier. In to be out through the structure of the eye, encrusted with rotor-slime, pushing on through border erosions as everything melts into smoke, burning objects may be closer than they appear. Nebulae dazzle the shadows, tunnel through memories and the pulp-mass of neurons, forwards heading backwards, end of tether snapped, slide into the earth like ancient worms and breathe.

UnicaZürn’s core instrumentation blends analogue synthesiser, mellotron and electric piano with electric guitar and saxophone. Knight is reknowned for his pioneering multi-textured fretwork with Danielle Dax and Shock-Headed Peters, and his ambient guitar settings for Lydia Lunch, while Thrower’s reed playing provided rage and melancholy in Coil and turns to electro-acoustic texture in Cyclobe.

French producer Erell Ranson's affinity for the deeper shades of Detroit sound is well known, but his ability to absorb those influences and create beautiful music with his own signature is the reason we're so excited to welcome him into our family. Having previously released on labels such as Kalahari Oyster Cult, aDepth audio, Nice & Nasty Records and his own MySelf Recordings, amongst others, Erell's became quite skilled in crafting sophisticated and emotional tracks which still seem to feel perfectly at home in a crowded 3 AM club situation. EP for Barba, titled "Dreams Of Nila", is a 4-tracker consisting of "Dreams Of Nila", "Reminiscence 0f The Past", and "Far Away Of Your Side", with the latter receiving an additional remix treatment by a Rotterdam-based project Duplex. "Dreams Of Nila" is a somewhat more leaning towards Chicago-ish side of things, with its huge bassline enveloped by shuffling 707 drums. Soft-sounding synth pad sequences work as an emotion injection and appear perfectly timed, without removing the edge of this, essentially, club track. "Reminiscence Of The Past" is the most direct of the bunch. Syncopated bass drum, forward-leaning groove and those classic techno snare roll fills make this track hard to ignore as it is, without mentioning complex interaction of synth lines, chords and beautiful detroit-reminiscent string stabs. Wonderfully executed counterpoint of hard edge and soft touch is what makes this cut a truly special one. Techno in its fullest form. "Far Away Of Your Side" is somewhat closer to the energy level of "Dreams Of Nila", and is a well-paced deep cut perfect for later moments in the night when subtle approach is everything. Slow synth pads give your mind some time to relax while the groove keeps your body occupied. Duplex remix of "Far Away Of Your Side" takes the track another notch down but in a more sideways manner. Broken electro groove is what keeps the foundation of the track while Chris Aarse & John Matze (aka Duplex) masterfully work their synths and pads to keep the tension for the whole duration of the track. Melancholy mood is tangible here, and at its best, ready for the dancefloor.

Jauzas The Shining (Shipwrec, Last Known Trajectory) returns to New Flesh Records, this time accompanied by his compatriot Eliot Forin aka Foreign Sequence (D.KO Records, Concrete Collage). The unexpected duo delivers four unreleased killer cuts of high caliber for your own pleasure. Very Sci-Fi-esque "Talking Machines" takes place in a dystopian future and brings together a collection of powerful electro tracks incorporating elements of rawness, acidity, and melancholy at the focus of this intent.

In overture of the A-side, gloomy "Death By Fuzz" offers an epic collaboration between the two artists: the song fully illustrates the analog brilliance and dancefloor dazzling that they are able to. This heading jam picks things up with solid metallic drums while punishing percussions lift the track even higher until the end. Brainwashing "Painful Headaches" instantly following sees Foreign Sequence in a brilliant solo exercise where he unleashes the acid whereas a solid rhythm leads you to the dancefloor for some robotic and insane movements!

Side B opens with eponymous track "Talkin' Machines", a pulsating journey into processors and computer drivers from the French pair. Characterized by unhealthy melodies, pounding beats and cyborg noises, the cut merges fascinating sequences and dark atmospheres. With its astral pads, Jauzas The Shining's final song "Colombia" takes you on a cosmic trip, traveling at light speed through time and space thanks to mighty distorted FX. A rough ride, deep and intricate to destination unknown, the perfect future funk soundtrack for an no return exploration.

"Talkin' Machines" celebrates the collision of two worlds, two artists with strong universe and personality to become one entity. Rush on it!

Jason Letkiewicz has always swum against the musical tides, flitting between different solo pseudonyms (including Steve Summers, Death Commando and Alan Hurst) and collaborative projects (most notably Mutant Beat Dance) in order to explore different aspects of his leftfield inspirations. With his latest release, a first full-length outing for Artificial Dance entitled Mirage Information, the Chicago-based artist is operating under an alias that celebrates this approach: Opposing Currents.

It's an alias he's used once before - for a track featured on Chronditic Sound's 2015 cassette compilation Non-Christian Referent - but Mirage Information sounds like an artistic rebirth. Densely layered, mind-altering and often intense, the album's seven tracks update the Cold War paranoia and pulsating electronics of EBM and industrial music for today's complex and chaotic political climate.

Throughout, Letkiewicz smothers off-kilter drum machine rhythms and throbbing, body-jacking synthesizer basslines in untold layers of hazy audio detail, creating a dystopian sound soup out of which alien electronic melodies, psychedelic acid lines and barely audible vocals emerge. At times, such as on angry opener 'Lying Awake', the extra-terrestrial 'Dissolve' and foreboding 'Shallow Grave', we're invited to dance in the darkness in celebration of impending doom. On other occasions, such as the poignant and melancholic closing cut 'It Awaits', Letkiewicz simply seems exasperated at the chaos that is life in the 21st century. It makes for a genuinely arresting and thought-provoking listen.

A cat may have nine lives, but Peter Cat Recording Co. has a multitude of dimensions. Formed in New Delhi around 2010 by the crooner Suryakant Sawhney, it's a group that's mutated over time, shedding members and accruing more, always evolving musically with each album: from gypsy jazz to psychedelic cabaret; ballroom waltzes to epic space disco; bossa supernova to uneasy listening. What's more they play jajj, which you've almost certainly never heard of. 
'Gypsy jazz is the description we used around the time of our first album Cinema that we sound nothing like now,' says Sawhney, before adding: 'At the time I was really into Strauss.' 

Portrait of a Time 2010 - 2016 is the first taste many Europeans will have of this highly original, musically capricious and deeply inscrutable New Delhi four-piece. The compilation helps you get to know a band who are essentially unknowable, not that that will stop you from trying. Furthermore, in a capital city known for its mystery, madness and mayhem, Peter Cat Recording Co. is something of ananomaly there too. 

While Suryakant's crooning is spookily reminiscent of a hipster 50's Sinatra, it was more his intention to ape legendary Bollywood playback singers like Kishore Kumar, Mohammed Rafi and especially Hemant Kumar. There are diverse American influences in the mix too, including Sam Cooke, Etta James and even Tom Waits, and time spent in San Francisco studying film may have contributed to the cinematic melange. Thrown together it becomes something unique that equates less to a listening experience and more to an out-of-body experience. 

They were signed to new French record company Panache after label boss Alexandre Rabia was trawling through YouTube one day and happened upon their remarkable promo for 'Love Demons'. It's a mind-blowing eight minute epic featuring the desert, one camel, a movie theatre, swirly organs over coruscating beats, dancing girls, more police and a cavernous pit that then-bassist Rohan Kulshreshtha falls into. 

You can try to compartmentalize them all you want, but just when you think you've got them pegged, they will evolve and transmogrify and the description you have in your hand will slip through your fingers like sand. Who knows if Peter Cat Recording Co. has nine lives, but you can listen to a past life on Portrait of a Time, and a future incarnation - much of it recorded in Paris - will be available in the autumn. Just remember, unlike a cat, you'll never put them in a box.