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Cybernetic disco maestro Patrick Cowley graces Dark Entries once again with Hard Ware, an LP of far-out funk and synthpop celebrating what would have been Cowley’s 75th birthday. Best known for his chart-topping disco anthems, Cowley left us with an incredible body of work before his tragic death in 1982 due to AIDS-related illness. Since 2009, Dark Entries has been working with Cowley’s friends and family to uncover the singular artist’s lesser-known sides, including his soundtracks for gay pornographic films, which the label chronicled on compilation albums School Daze, Muscle Up, and Afternooners. Hard Ware presents the closing chapter in a trilogy of unreleased Cowley dancefloor bangers that began with 2022’s heavy-hitting Male Box and was continued with the soul and garage-inflected From Behind in 2024. The most expansive release in said trilogy, Hard Ware delivers ten tracks of pure, uncut Cowley: sultry, psychedelic, sarcastic, and just a bit sleazy. Cowley devotees will delight in “Tech-No,” a sparse instrumental demo version of his epically dystopian “Tech-No-Logical World.” You could soundtrack your next aerobics session with cheeky numbers like “Pajama Party Massacre” or “Shake It Up,” both of which feature Cowley himself on vocals. The frenetic “Big Ass in Motion” is built around samples from Rudy Ray Moore and The Madam’s infamous “Sensuous Black Woman,” an X-rated comedy record that would later feature in classic booty house records. Mid-tempo cosmic groovers are well-represented with jams like “Hellfire” and “Megablue,” which perfectly capture Cowley’s bathhouse-in-outerspace sensibilities. No collection of Cowley’s work would be complete without an interstellar floor-filler, and we’ve got quite a few here, like “Jungle Jump,” which pits whirling beats with dub-laced swirls of synth, or “Spellbinding Lover,” a Donna Summer-indebted melancholic boogie masterpiece that features Sylvester backup singer Jeanie Tracy. Hard Ware closes with the chilling synth-hymn ”Ice Age,” in which Loverde vocalist Peggy Gibbons sings of a coming frosty apocalypse. The story told in “Ice Age” mirrors the coming AIDS crisis and feels like a haunting premonition from Cowley. The record comes in a sleeve with a hand-airbrushed circuitboard-inspired design by Gwenaël Rattke, and includes lyrics as well as liner notes by Andrew Ryce and Peggy Gibbons. Hard Ware is another crucial document of a tremendous talent taken too soon.

Triple Five Sol drop 75 Racks on Dark Entries, an EP featuring 5 cuts of raw and jacking house music. San Francisco-based producers/DJs Johnny Five and Vin Sol linked up during a trip to New Orleans, and they began hatching plans to collaborate. After setting up a new home studio in Vin Sol’s abode, jam sessions ensued, and soon the duo had cemented their sound. Their analog house tracks harken back to the roughshod and unembellished vibes on 80s Chicago and New York labels like Nu Groove or Gherkin Records, influences they wear with pride. “Boxxx that Rocks,” “Just a Freak,” and “Everybody Loves Triple Five Sol” deploy chunky beats with sprees of minimalist bleeps, sounding like Chip E retuned for the 22nd century. It’s not all jagged drums and acidic squelch on 75 Racks, though; “Gonna Get Out” and “Halfway Home” saunter with the confidence of a New Dance Show participant, soulful and grooving with a dash of garage. 75 Racks comes in a sleeve designed by Primo Pitino featuring bold retro primary colors. Triple Five Sol brings us timeless dance music: deep, real, and weird.

Brown Angel descends upon Dark Entries with Pure Brown Energy, an EP featuring 6 tracks of gloom-laced electro-funk and retro house. Pure Brown Energy was born when San Francisco-based producer and Hard French collective member Brown Angel was faced with a gift and a loss: an original Roland TR-808 was given to them around the same time that their father passed away. To process their grief, they set about making an album that showcased the many facets of their being, in their words: “my gay tío side, my Latin goth side, my cruising down the boulevard side, and most of all my soft vulnerable side.” From slamming vogue/ballroom house to cumbia-inflected freestyle, Pure Brown Energy channels club sounds both contemporary and timeless, while centering the most eternal electronic instrument of all: the TR-808. Opener “Miel” grooves with the effortlessness of peak-era Masters at Work or vintage Kevin Saunderson, while “Dame Más” dials up the energy even further. The influences of Miami bass and West Coast electro shine through on “Maya” and “Love Me Right,” which pair razor-sharp beats with a flurry of samples culled from Brown Angel’s record collection. “PBE” and “En Movimiento” take the Planet Rock vibes to another level, combining influences from contemporary cumbia and reggaeton sounds with Brown Angel’s Latin goth flair. Each copy comes in a sleeve designed by Ricardo Diseño featuring illustrations inspired by Teen Angels, a popular 1980’s Chicano magazine. Pure Brown Energy brings a sense of urgency to the dancefloor, unreluctantly examining the crossover between creation and loss, between celebration and sorrow. But don’t forget: these cuts also slap.

In October 2025, Västkransen Records releases its 10th output — a milestone double 12" vinyl compilation featuring eight dance tracks from some of Stockholm’s finest producers and DJs. A celebration of the city’s underground electronic music scene, Västkransen 10 brings together familiar names from the label’s past as well as producers making their record debut. What they all share is a vital role in the sound and spirit of Stockholm’s dance music today.



Launched in 2017, Västkransen Records grew out of Gården – a seasonal open-air party held beneath a highway on the border between the neighborhoods of Västberga and Midsommarkransen. Set in a place where industrial landscapes meet nature, this location has shaped both the party’s unique atmosphere and its blend of groovy sounds and rawer beats. Starting a label was a way to keep that energy going and showcase artists and selectors with few outlets in a city, at the time, often drawn to darker and harder strains of dance music.

Arriving two years after the first chapter, Absurd Matter 2 isn’t just a sequel, it’s an evolution, redrawing the boundaries established by its acclaimed predecessor. The Berlin-based Italian producer tempers his confrontational sonics with rare moments of introspection, shifting seamlessly between blown-out noise, warped hip-hop, mutant club experimentation, and weightless ambience. Textures disintegrate and reassemble, rhythms flex and crumble, and every detail balances on the edge of fantasy. It’s a poetic, layered response to Nino Pedone’s changing physical reality: the gradual hearing loss and perceptual renegotiation triggered by Ménière’s disease, which struck him in 2022. At first, the experience felt like betrayal, a brutal disconnection from the very sense that had shaped his life. But over time, the disorientation turned into a strange kind of focus. The silence between sounds became as expressive as the sounds themselves.
The first Absurd Matter was a visceral reaction to trauma; the second is more reflective – an ambiguous chronicle of sensory recalibration. Pedone doesn’t represent his altered inner reality through extremes, but through depth, zooming in on illusory distortions, tense rhythmic fluctuations, and fragmented sonics. Dense, immersive, and mystical, the album mirrors Pedone’s evolving relationship with perception itself.
Tinnitus-like feedback wails and noir-ish strings introduce “Repeater”, making it immediately clear that Pedone is painting a more delicately finessed image this time around. Fleshed out by raps from cult MCs billy woods and E L U C I D, the track is marked by subtle, sophisticated contrasts: the blurred, inverted rhythms that couch Armand Hammer’s haunted back-and-forth, and the glitchy interference that offsets the lavish orchestral phrases. Backwoodz associate Fatboi Sharif lends his Lynchian drawl to “Bandage Chipped Wings”, grounding Pedone’s lysergic rhythmic distortions with syrupy, horror-inspired couplets. Pedone also invites discomfort into “Crash Landing”, with droning, metallic tones that contradict South Central rapper ICECOLDBISHOP’s elastic flow. “Bitch, I don't give a fuck about anybody,” he squawks over Pedone’s incongruous rasping textures and time-warped beats, “cash out at any party.” Working alongside London’s Loraine James on production, Pedone reunites with Moor Mother on “I Saw The Light”, blending James’ soft-focus atmospherics with soundsystem-damaging, overdriven bass hits and rusted percussive snips. Moor Mother’s assertive words hover over the wreckage, tightening Pedone’s themes of overstimulation and altered awareness as they stutter and veer off course, vanishing into the backdrop.
Contrasting his more pensive experiments, Pedone’s dancefloor deviations are more concentrated on Absurd Matter 2 than ever before. He torches a stuttering dembow structure on “X”, obfuscating the rhythm’s familiar energy with disturbing audio hallucinations. On “Splintered”, he reunites with Kenyan prodigy Slikback, mangling neon-lit trance arpeggios with dissociated trap rhythms. He sharpens his skills to a fine point on “Oblivion Step”, observing 2- step through a lens of distortion and personal abstraction, shaking blipping synth leads over neck-snapping drums and counteracting the momentum with airless sci-fi soundscapes.
Perhaps the album’s most surprising moment arrives with “Viel”, which features vocals from Los Angeles-based composer Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith. Together, Pedone and Smith chance upon their notion of dub techno, fogging synth stabs and ghostly vocal traces into eerie harmonic distortions. On some level, it’s almost pop music, a far cry from the bleak dissonance of Absurd Matter and a hopeful way to reframe turbulence as transformation. Absurd Matter 2 doesn’t simply document a process; it enacts one. It doesn’t offer clarity; it invites disorientation. It’s not a map of the labyrinth, but a foghorn piercing the darkness.

Co-Accused Records return this autumn with From The Pit, a four-track EP from Paris-born, Berlin-based producer SOD-90 that seeks out connections between electro, industrial, breakbeat and EBM. Locking into the raw, gritty range of distortion that defines his sound, the release also features a remix from Hamburg’s L.F.T. and follows SOD-90’s label debut with 'Saving Up For Botox’ last year.

A classically trained flautist, professional musician and teacher, SOD-90’s electronic production has become an increasingly vital part of his daily life. Working almost exclusively with hardware, his tracks emerge from spontaneous sessions as a channel for emotional release, fuelled by bursts of adrenaline and a need to counterbalance the refinement of classical music. Distortion, for him, is a way to dig deeper into timbre and sonic depth, pulling distinctive textures out of his machines.

Opener ‘Fugitive Passagére’ sets the tone with driving kick drums, distorted vocal fragments and full-throttle energy aimed straight at the club. L.F.T. 's remix twists it into a dark electro moment, layering a jagged bassline over razor sharp beats. On the B side, ‘Muzzle’ goes all-in on blown-out distortion and breakbeat force, before closer ‘Rust Fountain’ moves into complex, off-kilter territory with ricocheting synths and layered percussion.

The latest release from the Villains Inc. camp delivers an Italian-made electro gem.

And as the saying goes: Villains do it better! After the soulful "Time To Go Back EP" back in 2022, the "Generation V EP" (limited to 300 copies) marks the arrival of fresh talents joining the collective. This new wave steps in after the tragic loss of some of the label key figures, carrying the torch and keeping the Villains Inc. spirit alive.

Side A opens with "Vaccin", a hypnotic yet funky electro-bass track by Deepvision and Lefka. Despite their young age, the duo U.A.G.L.I.O. shows remarkable musical maturity and delivers a powerful debut. Expect to hear much more from this awesome team in a near future.

Next comes "FM Resistance" by Jack Bags (half of Dr. Boomer). A synthetic ride of swirling URish style sequences, darkened by moody strings. Breakdance moves guaranteed on the dancefloor!

On the flip, Index Case teams up once again with the late X-Beat (RIP) to provide a furious "Against" anthem, calling for "revolution against the government, against the police". The frantic rhythm and unsettling atmosphere push the track into gloomier territory in a powerful way.

Closing the record, Antizer0’s founder Zora Neti concludes the 12" with "Stereocash_(Pt.2)", a downtempo storm built upon eerie voices and mental sororities. A haunting yet masterful finale.

The legacy of the original V members lives on. Special mention to Simonloop aka Urbanmagic, one of the OG Villains, whose artwork on the B-side captures the grit of the music and makes the vinyl worth owning on its own.

From start to finish, Generation V EP is a masterclass. Crafted with the unmistakable Villains Inc. sound by label owner Gab.Gato, it’s pure underground quality. This record is dedicated to the memory of X-Beat and Yo Flava. Once a Villain, forever a Villain. Support the underground!

Belgian pop superstar Max Colombie, aka Oscar and the Wolf, announces new
album ‘The Shimmr’, on PIAS Recordings.
Enter Colombie’s world and you’ll discover a uniquely dazzling and shimmering
fusion of contemporary R&B and a more European electro-pop sensibility, uniting
shivery melody, shifting beats and vocals steeped in drama, sensuality and yearning.
Colombie hears, “a twilight zone where it doesn’t sound dark nor happy. It’s like the
name Oscar and the Wolf; it’s a balance between light and dark, this perfect
combination between the sun and the moon. It’s beautiful and scary at the same
time.”
Oscar and the Wolf’s official debut, the 2012 EP ‘Summer Skin’, showed his gifts
arrived virtually fully formed, but he truly came of age in 2014 with his debut album
‘Entity’. Balanced between dancefloor anthems and slow jams, ‘Entity’ went 4 times
Platinum in his native Belgium and quickly jettisoned Colombie to superstar status.
He sold out arenas in Belgium and the Netherlands, taking the penultimate
headlining slot (behind Muse) at 2016’s Lowlands festival before headlining
Belgium’s Pukkelpop festival, sharing the bill with Rihanna and LCD Soundsystem.
Released in 2017, the second Oscar and the Wolf album, ‘Infinity’, went Platinum at
home, whilst amassing a huge Middle Eastern fanbase across Turkey (where his
2018 tour sold out in minutes), Egypt, Israel and Iran. On stage, Colombie cut a
commanding and lithe performer, often garbed in shimmering outfits that interacted
with the dynamic lighting.
The new Oscar and the Wolf album, ‘The Shimmer’, distils the essence of Colombie’s
sound and vision in its title and the image of Colombie on the album cover, bathed in
starry light. The album is a benchmark of his transformation on record; whereas
‘Entity’ was recorded in a barn, “very lo-fi with no access to gear,” he recalls.
‘The Shimmer’’s bold, rich and layered dynamics were captured at ICP Studios in
Brussels, home to, “one of the best live rooms in Europe, with all this vintage gear.”
More intimate moments were added at Colombie’s house outside the city, “those
magic takes we made just after we’d written something, which are so hard to capture
again.”
By ‘we’, Colombie includes producer Jeroen De Pessemier and multi-instrumentalist
Ozan Bozdag, who had both worked on ‘Infinity’ (and Bozdag on ‘Entity’ too). “It’s a
magical trio,” Colombie says. “Everyone is allowed to be themselves, and to explore
themselves. I’m really happy with ‘The Shimmer’ because I hear a more mature
version of myself. I always want things to grow, and I’m proud that I allowed myself to
not follow people’s expectations and reproduce what had been successful before.
There are no four-to-the-floor clubby pop songs this time.”
Instead, ‘The Shimmer’ more accurately reflects Colombie’s personality. “My
emotions run from super-happy to super-melancholic in a split second,” he says. “To
me, ‘The Shimmer’ feels like the soundtrack to a blockbuster, with many types of
tracks and themes. It’s always changing."

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.

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.

pictured cover sealed in shrink wrap (first time ever on Samosa)



Samosa Records comes back with a real summer bang in the form of the ‘Afro-Ritmo EP’ – a four-track journey into afro soaked vibes courtesy of Anura & Sr. Lobezno and featuring label boss De Gama!

First up on side A is the EP’s title track, the mesmerising ‘Afro Ritmo’. Anura & Sr. Lobezno announce their arrival on Samosa Records with this spicy West African rhythm bomb. Kakaki trumpet fanfares meld with intricate synth stabs and ethereal Oja flute, whilst the solid tribal beats and rolling bass dictate the dance moves. And dance you must…

Track 2 is the deliciously glitchy, conga bonanza ‘Sungu Sa’. Make no mistake, ‘Sunga Sa’ is out to get you from the very first beat – tempting you to go behind the curtain as the haunting guitar lures you ever closer to its secret door. Dark, uplifting and ritualistic, the chant of ‘Sunga Sa’ will live in your head rent free well after the sun has gone down. Don’t say you weren’t warned.

Over on Side B De Gama takes the title track ‘Afro-Ritmo’ and applies his unique sonic rubs, balms and enhancers to create a pulsating after hours jam full to the brim with Afrotropic sparkle and magic dust. Like an unstoppable chugging train steaming through a savanna, De Gama is the conductor supreme as the raspy synth, bluesy guitar riff and uplifting brass fanfares entwine around that pounding beat.

Finally, Track 4 gives us the seriously powerful Javier Morrilas remix of ‘Afro-Ritmo’. The original is stripped right down and given the Big Beat treatment for this insanely good take – a peak time switcheroo of a track that keeps you guessing as to where it’s taking you. As the flutey breakdowns and broken beat madness get you, you will fall in love with this one instantly.

The ‘Afro Ritmo’ EP is a powerful, masterful four tracker from Anura & Sr. Lobezno which is well at home in the Samosa Records cooking pot. Spread the word, buy the vinyl. You won’t be disappointed.

• Reviewed with love by The Black Light Disco

Written, Produced, Arranged and Mixed by Anura & Sr. Lobezno.
Keyboards & Percussions: Anura.
Trumpet: Jimmy Garcia
Sax & Flute: Carlos Ligero
Trombone: Prudencio Valdivieso

*Remix and Additional Productions by Stefano Gamma aka De Gama for De Gama Rec - Rome.
Jazz Guitar & Acoustic Bass by Pietro Nicosia.

** Remix and Additional Productions by Javier Morillas.

All tracks mastered by Francesco Pierguidi at L’n’P Studio – Rome.

Artwork and computer graphics by Nerina Fernandez.


SMS038

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.

Next up on Bosconi, the ever-persistent Italian outpost helmed by DJ sorcerer Fabio della Torre, comes a bold new chapter from label mainstay Lapucci—a familiar name to heads who remember his trippy debut Levitated Sensor Detector (LSD).

With Level of Control, the Florence-based Burbi Dub dubplate conjurer delivers a four-track EP that travels across moody electronics, psychedelic grooves, and off-world rhythms.

Kicking off the A-side is “Radio Controller”, a dark and melodic new beat jam with deep ‘80s roots—think obscure synths, rolling drum-machine funk, and a haunting vocoder line that crackles like forgotten transmissions.
Next up, “Einstein”. This one’s a jacking electro-techno burner, all drive and tension—built for those peak-time moments where things feel like they could go off the rails. There’s a cinematic sense of anticipation here, a nod to the cosmic weight of relativity and dancefloor gravity.

Flip to the B-side for “Level of Reality”—a trance-soaked electro weapon, laced with a screaming guitar-like lead and a soaring, emotional melody. It’s peak-time power with sunrise sensitivity—equal parts rave and revelation.
Closing things out is “Irabijanti”, a stripped-back, hypnotic afterhours tool with a fresh, effortless groove. Subtle nods to Middle Eastern scales and rhythms give it a dreamlike, drifting feel—like getting lost in the dunes of some alien desert.

Another must-have from the Bosconi mothership—Lapucci pilots us further out, not with a bang but with a slow magnetic pull into somewhere weird, warm, and wired.

‘Moonshot’ is a genre-defining EP heavily influenced by electro and dark wave music.

It crafts intense, pulsating beats that seamlessly blend intricate rhythmic patterns, bleak pad synths, and a driving atmosphere into powerful, club-focused tracks — all layered with groovy basslines and sharp breakbeat energy. What sets it apart is XXOK’s haunting voice, delivered in both Korean and English — a personal interpretation of introspection and melancholy that adds emotional depth and resonance.

With its 10th edition, Dalmata Daniel's split series brings together two artists who have both left their mark on the label's compilations, now presenting their first full releases on the imprint. Anatolian Weapons and The Spy approach electronic music from different angles, one rooted in hypnotic techno rituals, the other in raw electro and post-punk energy. Both craft sounds that thrive in the shadows of the dancefloor.

On the A-side, Anatolian Weapons delivers three cold, hypnotic cuts. "Trapped" opens with heavy EBM percussion and a buzzkill bassline, setting a tense, mechanical tone. "Further Spiralling Down" sinks deeper into darkness with a grinding low end, tight drums, and electro-tinged claps, forming the side's relentless highlight. "Apathy Through Shock" closes with pounding, catatonic rhythms and a mournful, otherworldly melody, pushing the listener into disorienting depths.

Flipping over, The Spy's raw, electro-driven energy takes hold. "Same Blur" channels sharp electro beats with a punkish sneer and cosmic synth lines. "Falling", featuring The Spy's own vocals, leans into melancholic new wave, pairing bouncy rhythms with bittersweet melodies. The closing "Pretending" drifts into the darkest corners, offering low-slung, haunted electro layered with distant, spectral harmonies.

Müne isn’t just a label—it’s a sonic language carved somewhere between the imagined and the real. Born from the fusion of the Japanese words 夢 (yume, “dream”) and 音 (oto, “sound”), Müne exists as a liminal space where emotion, memory, and sound design blur into something that feels. Less about genre, more about atmosphere. Less formula, more intuition.

The debut release capture that vision into four tracks shaped by hardware grit, dusty grooves, and moods that shift between tension and warmth.

A-side
Jose Daguerre sets the tone with Barbaria, a hypnotic loop-based workout with gritty low-end, dry drums, and a subtly evolving structure. It’s meditative, but with weight. Electro Reunión leans into stripped-down electro mechanics—tight sequencing, foggy FX, and a lingering sense of space. With Patricio Felip collab on the keyboard, both tracks feel tactile, intentional, and refreshingly unpolished.

B-side
Dani Labb brings Resfr0m, a broken-beat track that feels like it’s breathing—loose and raw, wrapped in textures that drift between dreamy and distorted. Finally, Veloz y Raptor by Juan Proeliis & Cohema closes this first release with a bouncy, dark cut full of kinetic energy, tape color, and playful detail.

MÜNE 001 is a declaration of intent: warm, human, and left-of-center. Built for deep listening and late-night systems.

From the dark, reverberating echoes of Kadinjaca Hill to the relentless march of Odjek Koraka, each track reverberates with an intense energy that speaks of defiance and unity in the face of adversity. Pad Okova is driven by a haunting chord that cuts through the pounding beat like a sharpened blade, while Tebi, Moja Dolores brings a haunting melancholy to the battlefield, encapsulating the unyielding spirit of the resistance movement.

Every beat in this EP is infused with the underground force of techno, laced with the struggle for freedom, equality, and justice. The artwork - stark, militant, and gritty - reflects the uncompromising ethos of the partisan fighters, drawing a direct line between the sounds of today and the ideals ofthose who fought for a better tomorrow.

2025 Repress

Deep In Dis Intl. is back with another killer release, this time by Brazilian sound system culture precursor Rassan and his Don't Hesitate EP. It includes a remix by UK's rising DJ Producer Bailey Ibbs. It is widely known by now that the Brazilian electronic music scene is one of the fastest growing and its artists are gradually developing a unique style with a strong international influence. Rassan, co-founder of the Nice & Deadly record label is a promising talent, making noise with his 90's raver influenced productions.

A1. "Don't Hesitate" is like stepping into a time machine. Nostalgic piano riffs, classic breakbeats and catchy vocal samples. Perfect summer anthem.
A2. "Rota De Fuga" is one of those tracks that can really transport you just by closing your eyes. It has a darker, trippy and speedier vibe that stimulates and submerges you deeper into the night.
Flipping the record, B1 is just a perfect example of Bailey's dynamic skills to program beats, adding some quirky sounds, an infectious electro pattern and a super deep breakdown. Robot dance style for this one!
B2. 'Bury The Hatchet' closes this wicked EP with a sublime energy. Proper deep jungle vibes. Four special tracks for any special moment of the party.

Just when you thought every holy grail must have been unearthed by now, here come Basic Unit with their deep cover late 90s masterpiece Timeline, the dankest darkcore-electronica-tech step album you've likely never heard.

Ben England and Rick Dallaway formed Basic Unit and debuted on Moving Shadow in 1997. They also moved on Nocturnal, a cult label that reached beyond D&B to platform some more experimental sounds. It was a short-lived label with some ominous footnotes — 'Several people involved with Nocturnal have vanished or are dead' reads the label's Discogs description. But in 1998 Nocturnal put out Timeline, a CD-only album from Basic Unit that cut a sharp, scathing figure against most D&B of the era. England and Dallaway embraced the album format as a chance to go deep, inhaling their inspiration from early days Autechre as much as Source Direct and boiling down the results to a steely, minimalist framework.

The likes of 'Resolution' are desolate, stark workouts that feel fractured and raw enough to align with early grime, complete with the strings, but the rhythms move in mysterious formations designed to confound like the most bloody minded electronica artists of the late 90s. Blown out bass and scattered flurries of machine gun breaks, squashed tundra drones that sound like they were pulled from 10th generation VHS b-movies and bit-crushed animal grunts fit for a Mega Drive beat 'em up. The sonics are redolent of the times, but Basic Unit chisel them mercilessly into their spartan vision, deploying brain-frying beat science with a stern restraint.

It's the kind of record that gives so much while holding so much back — a deadly tease that has flown under the radar for too long. This is the sort of shock reissue material that gets us gassed at Sneaker, and we're proud to be giving it a re-boost and a first ever outing on wax, all the better to shock you out.

Opening with "Long Life Death", a track that sets the stage with a cinematic soundscape in a classic Carpenter vibe. Picking up the tempo "Zarathustra Dance" takes you right into the golden age itself, its low slung beat and carefully sequenced lead line pushes an ever building tension designed to crack any dancefloor. The track with Massimiliano Pagliara, "Eternal Sunshine Of Solitary Mind", is one of the highlights, perfectly building around a catchy lead with tight arpeggio and sequenced acid. Leading us into the 2nd half of the record "Sadness Is The Only Way To Happiness" is a proto-trance beast, inspired by that period in the early 90s when Trance was less bright lights and big stages and more dark rooms and smoke filled spaces, an ever building progressive run of haunting vocals, rave stabs and rolling bass.