Search:dark star

Astropolis Records, the label born from the legendary Brest festival, marks a decade of electronic passion with a sprawling, heartfelt anniversary compilation — slightly delayed, but still delivered with flair.
It comes in two EPs, spotlighting the many facets of the Astropolis universe: in-house artists, long-time festival collaborators, and rising stars from France’s ever-bubbling scene. Eighteen artists guide us through a sonic journey where rave heritage, electronic dreamscapes, and collective fervor converge — true to a festival whose DNA has never recognized borders.


The second EP dives into darker territories, spanning original electro, multifaceted techno, and sunlit vibes toward the close.
Astropolis has always thrived on happy collisions, and this EP is a perfect demonstration.


For synth lovers, Legowelt & Cuften revive the spirit of early electroclash on Liar, a carnal fusion of analog synths and DIY attitude.
Zaatar & Trunkline inject raw energy on Come Into The Light, a sweaty, visceral banger bridging techno, dark disco, and EBM.
French scene stalwarts Scan X & Electric Rescue deliver a masterclass in elegant techno on Lost In Time.


When Manu Le Malin meets Kmyle, the result is as sharp as it is cinematic: Little Big Man builds dramatic tension, balancing raw emotion with contained fury.


On a more contemplative note, we’re thrilled to unveil one of the first productions from our dear Célélé with Théo Muller: the subtle Drum and Drift, threaded with dubby vibrations and sun-drenched bursts.
This anniversary compilation reaffirms the label’s openness to new generations and recent sonic hybrids while honoring the techno scene that shaped its beginnings. Like the festival itself, it embodies the same sincerity and collective energy: a small manifesto connecting generations, aesthetics, and territories — celebrating roots without nostalgia, and the future without bending to trends.

On her fourth full-length album as Shedir, Sardinian sound artist Martina Betti offers a profound meditation on what it means to be human on the threshold of uncertainty.

We Are All Strangers is a series of ambient tapes-tries shaped by duality and introspection, where sound becomes a space to explore the tension between identity and ambiguity, presence and disappearance, connection and solitude. Inspired by the idea that we are all strangers, however, first and foremost to ourselves, Betti crafts seven fluid, slow-burn compositions that inhabit a sociological liminal zone—what she comments as an “inner elsewhere.”

These aren’t songs in the traditional sense, but evolving sonic environments that feel like emotional states made audible. Environmental textures, submerged electronics, and deep low-end pulses coalesce into a dreamlike architecture of sound: immersive, fragile, and quietly transformative.

Rather than offering answers or closure, the album invites us to live in radical openness—to stop trying to define everything we see and feel, and instead bathe in what remains unnamed. In this sense, We Are All Strangers is an invitation: to sit with uncertainty, to embrace the unfinished, and to find resonance even in our collective disconnection.

For listeners drawn to the introspective frequencies of Rafael Anton Irisarri, Félicia Atkinson, or Lawrence English, Betti’s music offers a similarly haunting and immersive experience—one where strangeness is not a flaw, but a starting point. In her hands, ambient music becomes a kind of reflective shelter: a place to brush against each other in the dark and begin to learn, as she puts it, “the difficult art of closeness.”

Picnic 012 lands with the first split EP of the series. A 4 tracker from Croatian artist Grenco and Ukrainian artist Kurilo. The EP is in many ways a stark contrast between the lighter and darker shades of house and techno with Grenco’s A side touching on a more playful, progressive house tip and Kurilo’s B side diving into the depths of early UK tech house and electro.

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

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

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

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

Samuel Kerridge, with his signature sonic arsenal, stands alone in the worlds of rhythm and noise. A singular artist, his music is to be appreciated on its own terms. Here, he returns to James Ruskin's Blueprint Records with the eleven track album, "Memoir Of Disintegration".

The British producer has been carefully turning techno inside-out for over a decade. Taking a distinctly post-punk approach to the genre, he has become an integral part of Regis' legendary imprint Downwards. Kerridge has helped to define the label's contemporary sound: broken techno and snarling punk, informed by industrial music and metal.

Samuel Kerridge has released seven EPs and five albums (including a collaboration with Dva Damas' Taylor Burch) and his recent, "Kick To Kill", has become something of a statement of intent, blossoming into a new label and event series with a focus that broadens beyond techno tracks into full-blown song writing. Aside from his solo work, he collaborates with OAKE in what he describes as the "power metal techno" duo UF, and has recently started his own guitar band, Death Disco.

Kerridge ran the Berlin-based Contort label and party series and curated the legendary Berlin Atonal festival for three years, underlining his credentials as a stalwart figure in the world of experimental, boundary-pushing techno. He's also an accomplished live performer, most recently developing a hybrid live-DJ set that dismantles hundreds of tracks into a sampler to make new music in real time. It's an inventive process that places him in the lineage of iconic and ground-breaking techno acts, while still carrying the flag for the darkest corners of underground electronic music.

2025 Repress

Following up last summer’s dark and driving ‘Amotik 013’, Amotik returns with the hypnotic rhythms of his next instalment on his self-titled label. For the ‘Amotik 014’ EP, Amotik is joined by Tina Ramamurthy, whom Amotik previously worked with on his 2020 Bpitch record and his second album ‘Patanjali’ in 2022. This time, Ramamurthy joins Amotik for the entire ‘Amotik 014’ EP, with ‘Chauhattar’ starting things off with psychedelic spoken word vocals over dubbed-out hits and a chugging beat.

The track is neatly followed by ‘Pachattar’, which continues that early 2000s drummy, New York feel on the B-side of Amotik’s ‘Amotik 014’. Here, Tina’s vocal echoes through cavernous halls while its massive low-end-heavy drums keep steady in a real trip. ‘Chihattar’ then emerges from the darkness, bright pads and subtle percussion accompanying poetry recited by Tina Ramamurthy, evoking the familiar comforts of nostalgia and closing this three-track EP from the husband and wife duo.

This is the story of how a tiny label from New Jersey changed the course of music history not once but twice.

Cheri Records was established in 1974 in New Jersey and run by one Boo Frazier. Cheri's output was limited, producing a catalogue of just eleven releases between the years 1974 and 1982. On the face of it, this appears to be insubstantial output. However, if you dig a little deeper, the quality released on Cheri Records reveals an exceptional legacy of groundbreaking music.

A dark horse in the world of record labels, a true unsung legend that would go on to alter the course of musical history and intersect with a remarkable array of talented artists, bands and DJs. From Rare Pleasure; Sandy Barber; Julius Brockington; Boo Frazier; Patrick Adams; Tom Moulton; Larry Levan and MF Doom: Cheri Records has directly impacted their artistry in significant ways. Cheri's influence even extends into the present, with DJ icons like David Morales, Dave Lee, Danny Krivit, and Colin Curtis continuing to champion its contributions.

This compilation brings together the most compelling tracks from the Cheri Records catalogue, shedding light on the label's extraordinary story and underscoring the idea that music, no matter how unassuming its origins, can transcend boundaries and reshape, influence and inform music to come for future generations.

This collection also represents the start of a new series here on Miles Away, a series that will delve into the labels and studios that were responsible for leaving a lasting imprint on the musical world. We've named this seriesEchoes From,and this compilation will be the first of many.

The vinyl package comes in a gatefold sleeve with in-depth liner notes and features interviews with Colin Curtis and David Morales. Also available on CD and digitally.

Western Australian label Hidden Liaison Recordings returns in 2025 for their second release. This EP kicks off with French producer Robotnik3000's deep, techy piano-laden jam. Local underground producers round out the rest of the EP, starting with sn33ze's blippy, dubby "Siofra River". On the B-side, things take a dark electro turn with Late Night Protocol's scifi-esque "Animus." Label-owner Ian Daniels closes the release with an ambient piece and the upbeat 2step "Soft Image." An amazing variety of electronic productions drawn from the Australian underground.

Skylax Records proudly presents the first release in our brand-new archival reissue project: the SKYLAX COLLECTOR'S SERIES. This collection is dedicated to unearthing rare and forgotten underground gems, pressed back to vinyl with love and respect for the original sound. We kick off this essential series with a deep cut from one of the UK’s most respected techno pioneers: AUBREY – WAREHOUSE, originally released in 1997 on his cult imprint Textures (catalogue: TEX2). This classic slab of wax features five tracks that masterfully blend deep house grooves with raw UK techno energy: A1. Warehouse / A2. Rift Zone / B1. Shot / B2. Insult My Friend / B3. Space Lead. Aubrey, real name Allen Saei, started his journey into music in 1990 under the alias Panic, with his first release Voices Of Energy on Sheffield’s Ozone Recordings, later licensed by Buzz in Belgium. That same year, he launched his first label Solid Groove Records, which went on to drop over 30 vinyl releases in 13 years, with tracks licensed and supported by heavyweights such as Derrick May, Carl Cox, Adam X, Pete Tong and Terry Francis. Aubrey also ran four additional underground labels: Textures, Dark, DOT and Cheap Knob Gags. A true lifer, he became a hip hop DJ at age 13, discovered acid house at 16 after hearing Mr. Fingers’ Washing Machine, and released his first vinyl at 17. By 18, he had a residency at Central Park in Portsmouth (a key spot that hosted the likes of Luke Slater, Carl Cox, Frankie Bones, Joey Beltram, Grooverider…), and quickly became a fixture in the UK rave circuit, playing regularly at London institutions such as The Astoria, Turnmills, The Gardening Club, The Pirate Club, and legendary events like Energy and Raindance. He also worked behind the counter at import store Razzles, one of the most important dance music shops in the South of England, before joining Luke Slater at Jelly Jam Records. In 1991, he created Solid Groove to push his unique production vision—a journey that continues today through releases on legendary techno labels such as Metroplex and Ostgut Ton. Still fully active and devoted to music—DJing, mastering, remixing, and working in record stores—Aubrey remains a cornerstone of the underground. This reissue has been carefully remastered from the original tapes, pressed with the utmost attention to quality. A vital release for collectors, DJs, and all lovers of true UK techno and deep house. Strictly limited. No repress. Just music.

Leeds based IMAGINARIUM announce their record label delivering a four track EP featuring music from residents Pete Melba (Planet Orange), Phil Warner (Plant & Deck / Pic N’ Mix), and Roya Brehl (Creatures of the night / Last days of Rome). Joining the crew is rising star and one half of duo Le Frequency, James Geeson.

Pete Melba kicks things off in his signature style of groovy tech house with skipping percussion, twinkling melodies and a touch of darkness. Phil Warner takes the A2 into techno leaning tech house territory sporting spacey pads, acid licks and spooky vocal snippets. On the B1, Roya Brehl moves into darker realms utilising cascading synths, eerie vocals and jangling percussion. Closing out the EP James Geeson continues the dark theme of the B-side warping the classic moonraker vocal into a deep dance floor chugger.

A well-rounded EP for cultured diggers bound to scintillate dance floors and after parties across the globe.

Interception, the second long player from Jensen Interceptor following 2018's Mother, is something of a state-of-the-nation that finds Melas consolidating several eras of his career, past and present, to form a distinct new sound that is the most experimental work he has produced to date.

In 2024, a freak accident at an event he was playing left him with multiple broken bones in his foot. The forced downtime became an opportunity for introspection, allowing him to revisit earlier projects and explore new musical territories. Blending his signature electro with genres such as IDM, footwork, and baile funk, Melas used this recovery period to fuse old influences with fresh global sounds. "Since I started making music I've always made music geared towards use in my DJ sets but there's always been an urge to explore the deeper side of electronic music.
That time off after the accident gave me the space to dive into genres and really experiment.
" The accident came at a time when he had already spent time, like so many others though the COVID-19 pandemic, assessing his next move. A full tour schedule had left him feeling constrained by the limitations of working in a single genre. As such, Interception is the end point of this reassessment and the start point of what Melas sees as the next stage of his musical evolution.
"I really wanted to challenge and, I guess, prove myself in other spheres, to take my music to a new place. I've never wanted to be too repetitive and found that expectations, imagined or real, were forcing me to get stuck on a specific sound both in my productions and DJ sets." This renewal is reflected in the title of the album, which eagle-eyed fans will note is the same as the first EP that was released under the Jensen Interceptor moniker, and the emotional and personal nature of the LP is likewise mirrored in the abstract impressionism of the artwork created by fellow Australian, Brodie Kaman, the artist behind the visual look of Lady Gaga's recent Mayhem LP as well as works for FKA Twigs, Nine Inch Nails, and more.
The design-resembling oil drifting across a microscope slide-uses a mix of vivid pastels and moody darks to express the album's emotional depth: a collection of distinct elements coalescing into something richer and more evocative.

East Kilbride’s Scott Fraser finally comes good on a 25 year promise to his younger self with his debut solo album on his own label DX Recordings out of London. This record represents the closing of this chapter and the opening of a new one.

A truly international and collaborative project pulling together the help and talent of friends around the world with mastering by Radioactive man Keith Tenniswood, cut by Frank Merritt at The Carvery and world class US visual art and design legends, Tim Saccenti and Nick Martin on photography, artwork and design.

Limited to 300 solid red heavyweight vinyl copies, brown kraft sleeves; individually hand stencilled and numbered by the artist, printed inserts feature a collection of moments and images from the last 25 years - the studio, the equipment, the people and the places that came together to make this release. Japanese rice paper inner sleeves.

Limited edition hand printed screen print by Niall Greaves at Newbridge Print Studios in Newcastle on the first 30 copies exclusively available via the DX Recordings Bandcamp page.

Musically diverse, crossing styles, flavours and moods, threaded meticulously with razor sharp Roland TR606 programming and glued together with a Space Echo, Expanded opens with the sub aquatic funk of ‘Eden And After’. Side one takes you through banging electro on ‘Energy In Constitution’, the dark dub techno of ‘To The Letter Of My Oath’, leaves you disappearing through a black hole on ‘The Path Of Helium Rain’ and the sound of aliens talking through FM synthesis on ‘Collected Stills’. On side two: a slice of dark, heavy instrumental hip hop gets things started with ‘Where Is That Perception? ‘. Next we get into some straight 4/4 club techno with cut up drums and bumping baseline in ‘Mi Dominante’ before moving through some blissed out Detroit vibes on ‘Earth Looking Inwards’, a rough as you like TR606 driven experimental electro groover ‘Object of Life’ and finally closing out with the Ectomorph inspired stark electro of ‘Steel (NB_BLOOD cut)’.

Mastered by: Keith Tenniswood at Curve Pusher, Hastings

Cut By: Frank Merritt at The Carvery, London

Distributed by: Rubadub, Glasgow

Artwork by: Timothy Saccenti, Nicholas Martin, Scott Fraser

Photography by: Kate Green, Javier Gonzalez, Scott Fraser, Timothy Saccenti

Solid red vinyl (300 copies), 30 coming with a limited edition screen print designed by Timothy Saccenti, Nicholas Martin and Scott Fraser, hand screen printed by Niall Greaves at Newbridge Print studios in Newcastle.

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!

Initially founded in 2024 by Tantum, as an event series in Berlin, this new label will be the home for the music of its core artists Tantum & Hyunji-A, showcasing their music as well as hosting like-minded musicians. A platform for artists that dare to think differently.
Since our first release is so special to us, we decided to press KML001 as a vinyl, with a special edit to the tracklist exclusively for KMLV001.

A1 / Keep My Letters
What better way to start the label other than a very personal track that embodies our connection through music. We wrote this track in 2024 as a closing track for the first KML event where we hosted Guy J in Berlin.
Originally written in Montreal, we've managed to capture the magic in anticipation of something new. Hyunji-A's intimate Korean lyrics describe what this project stands for. We decided to keep it as close to the original sketch as possible - sometimes things don't have to be complicated.

A2 / Baires
Tantum's long sought-after 'Baires' will be part of KMLV001 as an exclusive gift to everyone supporting the vinyl release. A trippy and progressive track that was made, as the name suggests, in Buenos Aires. Capturing the vibrant feel of the city and the WeAreLost tour that inspired this track. Play it from start to finish, this record will make you move!

B1 / Keep My Letters (Simon Vuarambon Remix)
Simon is a close friend of ours and we could not think of anyone better to remix the title track for the label launch. He not only understands our vision but also puts his talent to use, crafting a soulful melodic twist on 'Keep MyLetters'. We are proud to call Simon our friend.

B2 / Mirror
This track is like the dark, evil twin of the title track. It was our first actual collab track, so of course it found its way on the debut EP . It's a proper secret weapon on the dancefloor. Try it out for yourself if you dare.

Following up a string of releases on labels such as Mana, Sun Ark, Orange Milk Records and Abyss, Other People are honoured to present the new album Fobia by Argentinian musician and sound artist aylu, real name Ailin Grad. Inspired in part of Grad's many collaborative projects over the last few years, Fobia sees her collecting and rearranging the music and sounds fostered within these to create an intimate, spiritually charged album that turns personal struggle into collective resistance and resilience. What initially started as a way for Grad to process her own experiences with agora- and claustrophobia, and an attempt to navigate feelings of shame and a perceived demand to keep these feelings bottled up and hidden from the world, she began to realise how mental health struggles are not isolated incidents but part of broader systems of collective suffering and injustice. “It took a long time for me to discover that my issues were part of a system that produces these kinds of symptoms and that it takes a lot of courage to find a way around them. I have the feeling that more and more people suffer from these kind of things in some way or another, and what was at first taught as something you should be silent about and keep private, I discovered that the more you talk about it and share it with people you trust, the more you realise that it’s part of something much bigger.” This tension and constant pull between fear and joy, light and dark, is present throughout the album. From the strained breathing featured in opening track Yodo echoing the suffocating feeling from claustrophobia interspersed with the lighter textures of Obelisco Elysium and Prospero offering up a sense of relief, to the almost cacophonous, immersive soundscapes of El Sol Mal, mirroring the complex, often contradictory emotions when navigating mental health challenges. Fobia invites listeners to move through pain with honesty, finding strength in shared experiences.

Emotional Response is delighted to present the debut EP of Aaron Coyes (Peaking Lights / Leisure Connection) new project, as Exotic Gardens. An additional music universe as his love of dub expands to include new wave, goth and acid psychedelics across 5 catchy, bass heavy songs.

While the continuing journey of his duo band, Peaking Lights, with his wife Indra, earns plaudits and fans alike, his early years as a one-man lysergic music polymath that saw his youth in punk and hardcore bands, expanded during a mid-90s burst of “living in San Francisco” creative expansion, devouring music, genres, and influences for life.

Started as a sub-project to Peaking Lights and his personal dub excursions, Exotic Gardens pollinates a rich tapestry. Recording through the pandemic in their then home in Amsterdam, before being archived, assembled, and completed following the move back ‘home’ to the West Coast, California.

Re-embracing that love of his inner goth, the analogue warmth is all there, now featuring Coyes’ dub-languidity of stripped drum machines, widescreen bass, haunting guitar lines and an almost idle voice to peddle true, raw songs.

Combined, the pop layer of hooks and tight grooves instantly catch you. Opener and EP title, Drugs & TV is the perfect anthem for the Exotic Gardens sound, before the “dubwave” of Last Of The Light and Tonite shimmer that yearning melancholy of youth.

In the almost 10 minute dub house opus Organize Your Movement an appreciation and understanding of the psychoactive properties of the Roland 303 and 909, they also hark to a love of Industrial / Noise bands, a lineage from the death pulse of his cult project Rahdunes through to Sound Design and Sound System culture to the pop-dub psychedelics with Indra, now melded here to include a dark assault, whispering invocations and pulsing pads.

To close, Turn It On is a roaming multi-genre evocation, an exotic end from this constant troubadour, cassette junkie, record dealer, sound system builder, always looking to get back on the road, to live to roam.

“I turn it on, you lose your mind’.

Singaporean label Darker Than Wax brings us to Texas with a fresh 12” from Houston-born producer Oye Manny. Following his release on Salon Recordings, Oye Manny has carved out a lane defined by deep rhythms, Latin roots, and pure authenticity, an ethos he continues to distill into sound on his new record Living Water. Drawing on his Colombian roots and keenly focused on what makes dancers move, Manny puts percussion at the forefront on Living Water – from the chord driven house stompers ‘Malta Sip’ and ‘Palmira’ on the A side, to the darker club tones of ‘Visaje’ and the slick musicality of ‘Youthful Expression ‘ on the flip, drums play a starring role. Completing the package is a remix from Singapore-based producer and Darker Than Wax core member Dexter Colt, providing a deeper, Chicago-inspired take on ‘Malta Sip’.

DVS NME is a Colorado-based Electro producer and DJ originally from Southern California. Active since 1999, he crafts stark, machine-driven music rooted in analog hardware and recorded live in single takes. Influenced by Drexciya, AUX88, and Anthony Rother, his sound blends dystopian textures with precise rhythm programming. He’s released music on respected underground labels like Solar One Music, Transient Force, and Ukonx Recordings, and now Future Tones Rcoeds. A key advocate for the genre, he also curates the long-running Dark Science Electro podcast, supporting global Electro since 2010.

1. Beam
A slow-burning opener built around a TR-606 groove, chopped vocal fragments, and delicate string flourishes. At 116 BPM, it's the most restrained cut on the EP—staccato and skeletal, but quietly emotional.

2. Carveout
Driven by a classic four-on-the-floor pulse, "Carveout" rides a surging bassline and tightly layered synths. Functional on the surface, but subtle shifts in tone give it depth beneath the structure.

3. Debt Trap
The most club-oriented track on the record. With a jerky low-end and nimble 606 programming, "Debt Trap" combines dancefloor impact with off-kilter synth work that refuses to settle.

4. Ratchet Effect
A standout cut that channels DVS NME's signature sound—sharp, modular arpeggios, machine-funk rhythms, and intricate modulation. At once clinical and soulful, it’s the EP’s most complex and defining moment.

5. Land Reform
TB-303 acid lines coil around melodic string pads and skittering hi-hats in this mid-tempo closer. "Land Reform" balances raw rhythmic motion with introspective synth textures, ending the record on a reflective note.

This plate is about to welcome back one of the unsung heroes from the 45 Seven lands of dub, meditating with us from day one. Weather it may be about 4578's foundations of the rolling Dub Over Distance along the shuffly Dub Pacifico or the later forward lurking tribal jungles of Black Lake flipped by Lack Blake on 45719: Dub Across Borders always knows to amaze with both a contemplating deep inner focus of well laid-out hand-made instrumentation and vintage dubbing as well as refreshing ear-opening sounds and soul-pleasing vibes collected from all over the world, creating a very own sphere of what feels like some kind of ancient sci-fi riddim, rooting upwards to the phuture.

When sweating over a hot mixing desk and hoping for a fresh breeze, the roots of Come Rain were laid in a form of bassdrums knocking at the sky's gates, stabby infra subs foreseeing well-wished thunders and moist dark skank works are calling for storm. An inner shout for the elements, incarnating in a certainly minimal yet pretty heavy 160 stepper, rolling over all the dry hot air out there.

Yeh Sih Dub comes after the rain: new branches grow, fresh leaves spread, foggy clouds reach up for a mountain-high rainforest. Awakening the world bass side of Dub Across Borders, it gives you ceremonial Bhuddist horns as well as houting sounds of the tantric Khamak, a poundy stab bass and the shimmering spring-splashing ride sitting on top as its crown. Only rarely 80 bpm bass has been as easily touching and moving at the same time.

Take a deep breath and dive into this piece of both mindful and reflective space bass, launching sub-heavy Jungle onto imaginery moons of spacial perception. We are actually just about to start this journey, feel free to get aboard!

"Absolute gold, thanks a bunch" Will be supporting lots" Pugilist
"Epic Dub pressure, big fan of Dub Across Borders" Sun People
"Sounding great as usual, will play for sure!" Tracy & E3 of Zamzam

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.

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.

Demon Music group in conjunction with the Hughes family are proud to present the first official compilation of music
from the movies of legendary filmmaker John Hughes, covering the classic eighties period 1983 – 1989.
For anyone growing up in the 1980s, the films of John Hughes are some of the most iconic of the decade and have
created a lasting cultural impact still felt and referenced across TV, film and music. As well as the characters and
stories created in these iconic movies, what made John Hughes’ movies different from the rest was the symbiotic
relationship between scene and music. Whether Cameron Frye staring at the painting in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off set to
The Dream Academy’s “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want (Instrumental)”, Duckie and Andie from Pretty
In Pink at prom set to Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark’s “If You Leave”, or even Neal and Del’s classic “Those aren’t
pillows” scene from Planes, Trains and Automobiles set to Emmylou Harris’ “Back In Baby’s Arms”.
“Music was a huge part of filmmaking for him, it was a thing he seemed to like the most.” Matthew Broderick
Curated by John Hughes’ music supervisor Tarquin Gotch, this 6LP vinyl boxset includes 73 tracks from the movies
National Lampoon’s Vacation, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Pretty In Pink, Ferris Bueller’s Day
Off, Some Kind Of Wonderful, Planes, Trains And Automobiles, She’s Having A Baby, The Great Outdoors and Uncle
Buck.
“Back when we were working on these movie soundtracks, the best way to send music around the world was the
cassette, by Fedex. We sent John cassettes of newly released music, of demos, of just finished mixes (and in return he
would send VHS videos of the scenes that needed music).” Tarquin Gotch
The films of John Hughes spawned many classic tracks, some licensed for the films, some commission specifically, and
many going on to become huge international hits from acts such as Simple Minds, Kate Bush, Furniture, Yello, and
The Psychedelic Furs.
“It serves as a reminder not just to the musicians he championed in the 1980s, but to how intensely his search for
music expanded beyond this era. Until his final days, he was still collecting outrageous amounts of music from around
the world, galaxies removed from the New Romantic and new wave sounds that, to many, still define him.” James
Hughes
Also includes an extensive 24-page booklet including memories from Matthew Broderick, James Hughes, Tarquin
Gotch, Ron Payne, plus track-by-track sleeve notes.
“John said he only made movies so he could choose what music to put in them, so as his success at the Box Office
grew, and thus his power with the studios, the number of tracks in his films, by up and coming UK bands, steadily
grew.” Tarquin Gotch


Billy Idol - "Catch My Fall" (From The 1987 Movie 'Some Kind Of Wonderful')
The Association - "Cherish" (From The 1986 Movie 'Pretty In Pink')
Penguin Cafe Orchestra - "Music For A Found Harmonium" (From The 1988 Movie 'She's Having A Baby')
Zapp - "Radio People" (From The 1986 Movie 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off')
Blue Room - "Cry Like This" (From The 1987 Movie 'Some Kind Of Wonderful')
Ray Charles - "Mess Around" (From The 1987 Movie 'Planes, Trains & Automobiles')
Joe Turner - "Lipstick, Powder & Paint" (From The 1989 Movie 'Uncle Buck')
Darlene Love - " (Today I Met) The Boy I'm Gonna Marry" (From The 1984 Movie 'Sixteen Candles')
Marvin Gaye - "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" (From The 1988 Movie 'She's Having A Baby')
Perry Como/Mitchell Ayres & His Orchestra/The Ray Charles Singers - "Juke Box Baby" (From The 1989 Movie 'Uncle Buck')
The Chordettes - "Mr Sandman" (From The 1989 Movie 'Uncle Buck')
Ray Anthony & His Orchestra - "The Peter Gunn Theme" (From The 1984 Movie 'Sixteen Candles')
Lindsey Buckingham - "Holiday Road" (From The 1983 Movie 'National Lampoon's Vacation')
Emmylou Harris - "Back In Baby's Arms" (From The 1987 Movie 'Planes, Trains & Automobiles')
Hugh Harris - "Rhythm Of Life" (From The 1989 Movie 'Uncle Buck')
Spandau Ballet - "True" (From The 1984 Movie 'Sixteen Candles')
Propaganda - "Abuse" (From The 1987 Movie 'Some Kind Of Wonderful')
The Dream Academy - "The Edge Of Forever" (From The 1986 Movie 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off')
Yello - "Lost Again" (From The 1987 Movie 'Planes, Trains & Automobiles')
Bryan Ferry - "Crazy Love" (From The 1988 Movie 'She's Having A Baby')
The Rave-Ups - "Positively Lost Me" (From The 1986 Movie 'Pretty In Pink')
Los Lobos - "Don't Worry Baby" (From The 1985 Movie 'Weird Science')
Steve Earle - "Continental Trailways Blues" (From The 1987 Movie 'Planes, Trains & Automobiles')
The Revillos - "Rev Up" (From The 1984 Movie 'Sixteen Candles')
Boston - "More Than A Feeling" (From The 1988 Movie 'She's Having A Baby')
Balaam & The Angel - "I'll Show You Something Special" (From The 1987 Movie 'Planes, Trains & Automobiles')
The Rave-Ups - "Rave Up/Shut Up" (From The 1986 Movie 'Pretty In Pink')
Pop Will Eat Itself - "Beaver Patrol" (From The 1988 Movie 'The Great Outdoors')
The Vapors - "Turning Japanese" (From The 1984 Movie 'Sixteen Candles')
Silicon Teens - "Red River Rock" (From The 1987 Movie 'Planes, Trains & Automobiles')
out

When billy woods released Today, I Wrote Nothing ten years ago, it was an unexpected departure from a rapper who was just starting to make waves in the indie rap scene. After spending the earlier part of his career in the wilderness, woods had managed to crawl out of obscurity with the minor success of 2012’s History Will Absolve Me. Dour Candy, 2013’s collaboration with underground legend Blockhead drew accolades, which only increased with Armand Hammer’s debut Race Music.

Then, woods dropped out of sight for two years before returning with Today, I Wrote Nothing, a record that deviated significantly from what had come before. Where Dour Candy had been concise and focused, TIWN was a sprawling 24 tracks. Where History Will Absolve Me was anchored by hard-hitting beats, anthemic songs, and a couple high powered features, TIWN was comprised of short vignettes, quietly eclectic production, and the only guests were his Backwoodz label-mates. Only one video was released; the claustrophobic “Flatlands”, shot on a shoestring budget in a Brooklyn housing project. Reviewers didn’t know quite what to make of the record, and in many cases, neither did fans.

As is often the case for woods’ albums, many perspectives shifted as the years passed. Listeners came to see the sad, quiet beauty of Today, I Wrote Nothing; a road trip album that doubles as a meditation on life’s journeys and death’s hiding places. The album’s power is in it’s intimacy, it’s insistence on holding your hand through the darkness. Now, TIWN is considered one of the more unique and vital records in woods catalogue. The dynamic woods created with TIWN vis-a-vis History Will Absolve Me and Dour Candy is one that would come to define his ouerve; constant experimentation, a refusal to be pigeonholed, and an unwavering search for the emotional heart of his subject. For us at Backwoodz, being able to repress this album on it’s ten year anniversary is especially sweet, because we remember how long it took us to sell that original run of 500. To everyone who copped one of those and helped us keep the lights on, this is for you too, we couldn’t have gotten here otherwise.

Das dritte Album der äusserst produktiven und genreübergreifenden Musikerin Jane Remover erscheint in einer ersten limitierten Auflage auf dem jungen Indielabel deadAir und enthält ein Danny Brown-Feature ("Psychoboost"). Die in New Jersey aufgewachsene und in Chicago lebende Künstlerin vermengt Hyperpop, Dubstep, Noise, Hip-Hop und Alternative zu einem exzessiven Amalgam, das nicht nur die Kritiker begeistert. "Die experimentelle Künstlerin macht im Vergleich zu ihrem vorherigen Album eine komplette Kehrtwende und entfesselt ein Inferno aus rohen Gedanken, das alles – Rap, Pop, Stimme, ihre künstlerische Persönlichkeit – bis zum Zerreissen treibt." - Pitchfork

Portuguese based Nørbak returns to Soma with his second single for the label, the Myelination EP. Nørbak is quickly making a name for himself in the global scene and has just completed his debut album to much critical acclaim. The young producer has built a wealth of knowledge on sound design and is clearly represented in his music which is deep and rich in sonic experiments whilst retaining dancefloor focus. This latest EP has Spanish techno maestro Oscar Mulero & fellow Portuguese talent Lewis Fautzi, deliver two fantastic remixes that perfectly compliment the originals.

Nørbak's "Myelination" starts the EP with driving percussive elements that propel the track from the opening. Swamped with light & ethereal FX, dark and droning sounds take the track down a ominous path. Lewis Fautzi steps up next with his remix of Myelination. With a more minimalistic interpretation he manages to continue the dark and direct momentum of the original. On the flip, Mirante rattle hards with steady and precise percussion, bolted together with heavy rolling kicks and sub and a perfectly muted rhythm throughout. Techno don Oscar Mulero closes the EP with his version of Mirante. He immediately ups the ante with driving 909 beats and huge atmospheric FX that guide the rhythms. Mulero always on point with his signature sound design and techno aesthetic.

Mastered By Conor Dalton @ Glowcast Mastering.

Second of two new bass-infected dub EP's with a hint of techno by the Japanese Mystica Tribe. Titletrack ''Stars Are Mine'' and ''His Temple'' immediately set off to deep dub and bass territories in these two typical Mystica Tribe excursions: grooving, but dark with lots of effects and tribal influences. ''Prayer'' evolves around a catchy melodica that won't leave your head for days or maybe even weeks and ''Zen Stone'' tops it off perfectly with this gloomy scifi dubtrip.

Balmat 17 marks both a return and a new frontier. It is the second album on the label from Patricia Wolf, whose 2022 album See-Through is one of the most beloved in Balmat’s catalog; it also marks the first time that Wolf has turned her hand to a film soundtrack. The results are every bit as magical as fans of the Portland, Oregon, composer’s music might expect.

Hrafnamynd—Icelandic for “raven film”—is a new feature-length documentary by experimental filmmaker Edward Pack Davee. Shot on a mix of film and digital formats, and incorporating his father’s Ektachrome slides from the 1970s, the autobiographical film works on multiple levels at once: a reminiscence of his childhood in Iceland, an exploration of landscape and folklore, and a documentary study of the island nation’s ravens—including a talking raven named Krummi.

Wolf is the perfect artist to score such an unusual film. Mixing ambient music and field recording—including extensive experience documenting bird song—Wolf brings an unusually empathic perspective to her music. In the context of Hrafnamynd, her airy melodies, pensive atmospheres, and vivid textures intuitively complement the film’s grainy film stock and blown-out colors. Friends for years, the two artists further bonded when Wolf asked Pack to film music videos for her songs “Woodland Encounter” (from See-Through) and “The Culmination Of” (from I'll Look For You In Others). Pack used Wolf’s previously recorded music as placeholders as he began assembling a rough cut of the film, which made her a natural choice to help him complete his idiosyncratic vision with an all-new, bespoke score.

But Wolf’s soundtrack also indisputably stands alone as a full-length album. Largely created using the UDO Super 6 synthesizer, it features a carefully distilled palette of warm, string-like pads and darkly glistening mallets, rounded out with the very occasional introduction of nylon string guitar. Musically and stylistically, the album’s 11 tracks represent both a continuation of the ruminative sound of See-Through and also an extension into new expressive modes. Few musicians, ambient or otherwise, are as skilled at balancing melody with atmosphere, or at finding ways to eke fresh at finding ways to eke fresh, surprising sounds out of an intentionally reduced toolkit. Meditative, immersive, and emotionally generous Wolf’s Hrafnamynd soundtrack evokes a range of ambient classics from decades past while confidently marking out its own verdant patch of ground.


Artist’s Statement:
Edward and I have been friends for years, but we really started to get to know one another better after I hired him to make music videos for my songs “Woodland Encounter” and “The Culmination Of.” For those projects we got to spend a lot of time hiking in various locations around the Pacific Northwest with his camera, very nice lenses, and tripod. Keeping quiet, hidden, and vigilant we searched for wildlife, good light on the trees, meadows, lakes, rivers, and skies. Edward was already an appreciator of my music and I was already in awe of his filmmaking talents so it felt like a great fit. Although we work in different areas of art our styles compliment one another. We both tend toward slow and careful pacing, with a focus on emotion and introspective reflections on life and the landscapes around us. For this reason, Iknew that I could trust Edward to create videos for my music. We saw so many beautiful and unexpected things on our filming days, but I was moved to tears once I saw how magnificent and poetic it all was. His video work from the cinematography, to the editing, and color correction helped bring my inner vision to life.

A few months after that, Edward surprised me with an invitation to work on the soundtrack for his new film, Hrafnamynd. I enthusiastically said yes. I had always wanted to work on a film, and I knew that his filmmaking style would be inspiring to write music for. I had recently acquired an UDO Super 6 synthesizer but hadn't used it much. I decided that this would be the synth that I'd use for the film. It has the ability to sound very modern, but can also sound so warm and fuzzy, like a synth from the 1970s. It turned out to be the perfect instrument for this project as the film itself straddles time from the ’70s to today.

When Edward sent me the rough cut of the film, he used placeholder music to help give me an idea of the emotion and energy that he was hoping to achieve for each scene. For many of the scenes, Edward used music from my albums as temporary tracks. This told me that he trusted my work and style and therefore I should just trust my intuition with how to proceed. I wanted to make sure that everything that I made was a direct reflection of what was happening on screen, a mirror of its emotion and energy so people could really lock into the film psychologically. This process took my composing to unexpected places—like being led by a strange cat or a raven that seemed to have something to show me. I found that the approach made the music so much more dynamic than my usual style. I really enjoyed being influenced by the action and dialog on the screen. Thankfully, Edward was very happy with the work. I made sure to handle this project with the utmost care because this is about his life and his family, and an exploration of the experiences that made him an artist and filmmaker. While watching the film many times over, I found myself thinking about my own family and my early memories with them and how the place where I grew up has influenced who I have become. I found that his film invites the viewer to reflect on their own lives in a similar way. I hope that this music and film can guide others to contemplate on the history of their beingness and the people and places that shaped them.

Another aspect to this project is the splendor and wonder of Iceland itself. I had the opportunity to visit Iceland for the first time in 2023. I got to play a show there for the Extreme Chill Festival and met many friendly and brilliant Icelanders. I also got to collect field recordings that I used in the film. It's a fascinating place and culture that easily captures the hearts and imaginations of anyone who visits. Whether you spend your time in the city immersed in its impressive arts scene, or venture out into the wilderness to behold its wondrous landscape, it will leave a lasting impression. The soundtrack is also a love letter to Iceland itself.

Demon Music group in conjunction with the Hughes family are proud to present the first official compilation of music
from the movies of legendary filmmaker John Hughes, covering the classic eighties period 1983 – 1989.
For anyone growing up in the 1980s, the films of John Hughes are some of the most iconic of the decade and have
created a lasting cultural impact still felt and referenced across TV, film and music. As well as the characters and
stories created in these iconic movies, what made John Hughes’ movies different from the rest was the symbiotic
relationship between scene and music. Whether Cameron Frye staring at the painting in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off set to
The Dream Academy’s “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want (Instrumental)”, Duckie and Andie from Pretty
In Pink at prom set to Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark’s “If You Leave”, or even Neal and Del’s classic “Those aren’t
pillows” scene from Planes, Trains and Automobiles set to Emmylou Harris’ “Back In Baby’s Arms”.
“Music was a huge part of filmmaking for him, it was a thing he seemed to like the most.” Matthew Broderick
Curated by John Hughes’ music supervisor Tarquin Gotch, this 6LP vinyl boxset includes 73 tracks from the movies
National Lampoon’s Vacation, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Pretty In Pink, Ferris Bueller’s Day
Off, Some Kind Of Wonderful, Planes, Trains And Automobiles, She’s Having A Baby, The Great Outdoors and Uncle
Buck.
“Back when we were working on these movie soundtracks, the best way to send music around the world was the
cassette, by Fedex. We sent John cassettes of newly released music, of demos, of just finished mixes (and in return he
would send VHS videos of the scenes that needed music).” Tarquin Gotch
The films of John Hughes spawned many classic tracks, some licensed for the films, some commission specifically, and
many going on to become huge international hits from acts such as Simple Minds, Kate Bush, Furniture, Yello, and
The Psychedelic Furs.
“It serves as a reminder not just to the musicians he championed in the 1980s, but to how intensely his search for
music expanded beyond this era. Until his final days, he was still collecting outrageous amounts of music from around
the world, galaxies removed from the New Romantic and new wave sounds that, to many, still define him.” James
Hughes
Also includes an extensive 24-page booklet including memories from Matthew Broderick, James Hughes, Tarquin
Gotch, Ron Payne, plus track-by-track sleeve notes.
“John said he only made movies so he could choose what music to put in them, so as his success at the Box Office
grew, and thus his power with the studios, the number of tracks in his films, by up and coming UK bands, steadily
grew.” Tarquin Gotch

Beeyou Records presents its latest imprint from rising UK talent Wodda. For Wodda, this release spans several years of work, representing the evolution of his sound as he heads into 2025.

The Welcome to the Future EP explores previously uncharted territory, while still touching on the 2000s house and speed garage influences, we’ve come to expect from his productions.

The A-side kicks off with 'Bang to the Beat of This' , diving into darker territory, with moody chords, hypnotic vocals, and sirens — a whompy, peak-time speed garage cut, with serious attitude.. 'I’ll Be Careful' brings the energy, with a swingy party starter that everyone needs in their bag. Golden-era 2000s chords, a rolling bassline, and positive groove.

Flipping to the B-side, the title of the EP 'Welcome to the Future' — welcomes a playful, peak-time groove, with a stabby garage bassline. To close things out, 'Santa Cruz' follows with a 90s-inspired melody, paired with swingy drum rolls and a commanding bassline — a fitting finale to Wodda’s highest-quality release to date.

Atlantic Records is thrilled to announce F1 The Album - the supercharged companion album to Apple Original Films and Warner Bros. Pictures’ high-octane, action-packed film F1, starring Brad Pitt. From the label that brought you the award-winning, blockbuster soundtracks Barbie The Album, Twisters: The Album, The Greatest Showman, Suicide Squad and more, F1 The Album is driven by brand new tracks from an exhilirating lineup of superstar artists.

Powerful techno EP from the prolific Lee Holman, well known from releases on Ferox, KSR and Demarcation alongside his blistering DJ and live performances at Tresor, Corsica Studios, Nechto and Sub-scape (Antwerp).

The A-side starts with the signature track - the iconic big-room techno of “Plasma Wave”, and follows with charging klaxon-call techno in the form of “Tachyon”. Turning to the B-side, Dave Anderson turns in an emotional deeper house remix of “Tachyon”, before Lee closes out the 12” with the oceans-deep “Equilibrium”.

250 copies, hand-stamped and hand-numbered.

“Super solid EP from Lee. Pure techno… dark and mesmerising” (Russ Gabriel)

In celebration of Pride Month, Kinga struts to Dark Entries with “Sexy Boy,” a steamy Canadian pop gem. Inspired by gender-bending pop stars of the 1980s like Boy George and Janet Jackson, a young Tomas Fussey aka Kinga ditched his “schoolboy appearance” to adopt an edgier, androgynous style. Immersed in Calgary nightlife, he became acquainted with sexy synthpop and disco songs like Madonna’s “Everybody,” Divine’s “Native Love,” and the Flirts’ “Passion” - songs which still linger in his mind. He began writing music: “It was 80s. Everyone was making a record. So I made one too.” In 1988 he teamed up with keyboardist Dan Madison and veteran producer Bob Gallo to make “Elevator Operator” and “Sexy Boy.” Kinga was surprised when the B-side “Sexy Boy” garnered substantial radio play from CFNY in Toronto. But he notes: “They saw the obvious... My physical appearance supported the lyrics.” In 1989, Amok Records backed a new “Late Night Dance Mix” version of “Sexy Boy.” Almost every part was re-recorded or remade, including Kinga’s vocals. The new version surprised Kinga with its slick production and moody atmosphere. Sales were disappointing, and Kinga stated “It was not the sound of the moment.” But these deeper house-inflected grooves feel like the sound of our current moment. This release of Sexy Boy includes five different mixes, including the original 7” mix, three versions from the 12”, and the previously unreleased “TV Mix”. Sexy Boy comes sleeved in a reproduction of the original artwork and includes an insert with liner notes and lyrics, as well as an 8x10 glossy press photo of the sexy boy himself.

Hifi Sean drops a moment we all need in our lives right now. Full on ‘Sly & the Family Stone’ meets ‘gospel’ vibes to lift even the weariest of hearts. Sunrise / sunsets all catered for.

In 2021 Sean released his iconic remix of the Fire Island version of ‘Shout To The Top’ on his Plastique label which sold out in a week on vinyl and then the 2nd pressing did the very same. ‘Waiting For The Sun’ is his first vinyl 12-inch release on his label since then.

Sean tells us 'I wanted to make the positive, the most uplifting, the most euphoric track I could muster. I was walking my dogs one morning and this nursery rhyme style phrase kept going round in my head and I rushed home and started to write it. Musically it’s taken me a year on and off to get it where I want with all the right musicians and singers. I was in no rush as I just wanted to make for myself the perfect sounding record and basically just get what was in my head nailed. Some might see this as a summer record but for me it is more a song about hope and always knowing whatever is putting you in a dark place at that certain time that the next day can take a completely different turn and bring that light back into your World'.

*all original recordings from mid 90s Estonian released cassettes. Fascinating interpretations of the UK breakbeat and Jungle sounds recorded when the world felt like a much bigger place.

Since hearing the first breakbeats via the Finnish radio nightly shows introducing the burgeoning UK scene, Virko Veskoja, later head figure of Lu:k, was completely swept away by this new technological language that sounded like machines trying to initiate contact with people. The fluttering rhythm patterns, strings and vocal lines haunting the pathways of the infinite network. Like hip hop taken over by Skynet.

Reimagining it all in mid-90’s Estonia, a fresh and dirt-poor republic newly welcomed to the family of sovereign states on the outskirts of Eastern Europe, was challenging, to say the least. Finally, with the help of entry level music programs, custom-made soundcards and self-built computers by the other Lu:k-head Tõnis Valk, Lu:k took the first tentative steps in the history of Estonian jungle.

Eight Lu:k cuts have been compiled into a handy selection, a true sign of the times when uncertainty came with certain hope and optimism – new territories to chart, new frontiers to conquer. A time of innocence captured so sublimely in Lu:k’s music.

The compilation starts with menacing orchestration that sounds like the birth of a civilization, like in „2001: A Space Odyssey“, or the arrival of Godzilla, only to give way to sweeeet strings and the inimitable Minnie Riperton in “Lovin U”, combining all the essential elements of Lu:k in a track that has remained uncorroded by time since its inception in 1994.

The following “Demo 3” is its antithesis – fast and nervous, a harbinger of the darker days of neurofunk and techstep ahead. More in line with the social realities of the time, when something (or someone) could materialise out of thin air and attack you just as violently as those beats here.

“La:v” was Lu:k’s signature track throughout their brief career that went on only for a few years, 1994-1997. Lifted to heaven’s by Petula Clarks’s wonderful vocals, it perfectly captures the pure essence of creation. “I made it in my bedroom. Something like that just came out. Sorry”, says Virko apologetically.

From the themes of love we are led towards darker scenarios again with “Drunk-Drive”, a more vengeful cut reminiscent of early Ram Records’ nocturnal dangers, skylines shaped by basslines. Previously only available on the uber-rare “Raadiomaja valvelauas” CD compilation from 2005.

“In the Limelight” is lifted from their second album “Dreams in Drums” from 1996 (only released on cassette), and if it’s meant to address their new-found underground celebrity status in Estonia, there is surprisingly little elation here – the track rather consists of introspective strings and beats that sound almost melancholic.

Out of the remaining three tracks, “Proov2mix” and “Kadunud leitud” are the result of a treasure hunt amongst the old, obsolete harddrives – little nuggets that were condemned to obscurity until now. Between them, another vocal-led cut “010”, a non-album track only featured on two comps until now, is a strong reminder of Lu:k’s prodigious ability to handle vocal lines and morph them together with their own weaving synthetic melodies, strong pads and commanding beats.

Lu:k’s music has been largely unavailable for the better part of this century, with original tapes and CD’s changing hands for a small fortune. This vinyl release couldn’t come at a better time, bringing a seminal chapter of Estonian dance music’s mythical history to light again, both for the old-school acolytes and new converts.

All music by Virko Veskoja

SAISEI founder Junki Inoue continues his vital archival work uncovering the riches of Japan’s distinctive electronic music scene and bringing them to new audiences around the world.

HERO U.D.A. aka Hiroyoshi Udaka is not someone you can easily google, but he’s sure lived a life worth retelling. His story starts back in the late 80s when, inspired by the acid house emanating from the UK — during what was fondly christened the Second Summer of Love — he picked up DJing and made the move from Japan to London. Throughout the 90s he DJed at underground techno institutions like London’s The End, CLUB UK and Silver Fish, as well as at the infamous Tribal Gathering raves, periodically returning to Japan to support techno greats like Colin Dale, Mad Mike, Suburban Knight and D. Wynn on tour.

The tracks on this EP, previously unreleased except for one, were all recorded after Udaka moved back from London to Tokyo, between 2002 and 2005. Yet they sound strikingly modern, drawing on a rich range of sounds that have come back round again two decades later: broken beat, acid jazz, dub and breaks. Deceptively simple grooves are given depth by layers of textures and micro samples, for example the surface noise on ‘On The Way’ that glues together an otherwise sparse skeleton of dubby pads and body popping drums. ‘Mature Missile’, ‘So Good’ and ‘Night Driver’ employ raw broken beat templates with acid accents, whimsical melodies and vocal interjections for a playful mood. ‘Sin City’ takes a darker turn, off-key piano hits and plunging bass adding to the wonkiness. The EP closes with a wiggly vignette, ‘222AM’, reminiscent of early 00s contemporaries like Mouse On Mars. Now these hidden treasures from Udaka’s archive gain a new life on SAISEI.

———

SAISEI is a Japanese word which translates to ‘reproduction’ and ‘to play’ (as in playing records). Japanese culture is widely known for its traditional nature just as much as it is for being forward into the future and this label’s concept does justice to exactly that. Having started digging for records as early as 16 years old, Junki Inoue delved into productions from 1990s Japan to uncover these native gems. SAISEI’s core concept is to recapture and reintroduce unique pieces of Japanese electronic music onto vinyl, to an audience it never reached before as most of this music was only released in Japan.


b A2. So Good Acid Funk

Tartiflux is a versatile mini-LP that weaves together many of Margee’s musical influences—downtempo grooves, 90s disco beats, organic house, and acid breaks—into a unique, eclectic sound. Organic textures guide the overall tone, ensuring that the groove remains at the heart of every track.

On the A side, the title track “Tartiflux” takes listeners on a progressive, groovy, and downtempo journey with deep bass, sizzling pads, and distorted guitar sections. It features a remix by NYC legend Justin Strauss, who adds a punchy, rhythmic flair alongside additional productions by W. Andrew Raposo of Midnight Magic.

The B side presents a dynamic lineup, starting with “Help Myself,” a vocal disco-house anthem with an energetic rhythm, crisp drums, and punchy vocal chops. “Maanside” follows, offering a dreamy and melancholic experience with minimalistic grooves. The EP concludes with “Poomee,” the darkest track featuring breakbeats, deep synths, and an engaging sonic journey through acid patterns and robust basslines.

GIVE IN TO SIN. From within the long-locked tombs of lesbian lore smoke rises
and draws its whispering curtain across the wide open sky…and where there’s
smoke, there’s fire. Secrets concealed by thick drunken clouds resurfaces naked
truths in the last gasps of smouldering ashes.

Oh you thought it would stay a secret? We’ve let sleeping lezzies lie long enough.
It’s time to face the music. Welcome to BIG WHOOPS… Maara’s inaugural
offering on her new label, Ancient Records. With this driving debut, Maara
excavates the scrolls, archives, and dossiers upon which our past was built and our
future depends.

A wish for a world of sweet sapphic symbiosis—a fantasy, perhaps, or a waking
dream? Nothing is promised except for right now. The past manifests in the
present, both a blessing and a curse. Ancient Records fulfills your dark club
fantasies as Maara unearths simmering secrets and hidden truths in a rapturous
ushering in of a new era. Never forget where you came from, and just wait until
you see where we’re going…

“Peace and Harmony in the Lesbian Community” — Ancient Records

BLACK/RED VINYL

A match made in heaven and hell, since forming in the cradle of Europe Athens, back in 2012, dark synth duo Selofan have paved their own perditious way, reinventing the modern Darkwave scene throughout the continent and worldwide with their prolific creativity and work ethic over the past decade. Through varied experimental synth-scapes conjured with keen ears for sound design, production, and theatrical aesthetics, Selofan rest not on the laurels of just creating highly danceable coldwave infused music, but with together with Joanna Pavlidou's haunting vocals, and Dimitris Pavlidis' throbbing bass guitar, and modular synth compositions, the pair conjure whole other worlds and narratives throughout each album and music video they create. Thus far the Selofan have released 5 studio albums, issued through their own legendary label they curate themselves: Fabrika Records. Through their Fabrika family, Selofan have championed such acts as Lebanon Hanover, and She Past Away, aiding these bands in becoming two of the most popular Darkwave acts worldwide. Drab Majesty even cameoed in a She Past Away video while being hosted by Selofan during one of the band's frequent stays in Athens, and Kaelan Mikla, a handpicked favorite of The Cure, were first championed by Selofan, through the release of the Icelandic Trio's self-titled debut in 2016. In the Spring of 2020, Selofan released the video for the hopelessly plaintive "There Must Be Somebody", the first single from their forthcoming sixth studio album Partners In Hell, the follow-up to 2018's widely popular Vitrioli LP. "There Must be Somebody" is a discordant composition, mimicking the startled song of birds after a disturbance in a wooded enclave on a mountainside, while a magick ritual unfolds. The album itself opens with "Grey Gardens", a menagerie of morose melodies setting a sombre tone for the rest of a bleak record whose sound design and dreamscapes evoke the best sounds of British and German post-punk of the 80s. "Almost Nothing" is a brooding bell-driven track with a dark and pirouetting melody that is the perfect soundtrack to a figurine twirling in a music box. The German language "Nichts" means No, and this song is both sinister and cinematic with sighing keys, shuddering drum machines, and German lyrics sung with sorrowful conviction. "Zusamen", is a word often asked if you are together, or separate, is a dark ballad whose shadowy keys weave a nightmarish delirium, evoking the soundscapes of a lullaby sung in a haunted dollhouse. "4am" is a restless rhythm, whose soft percussive melody tosses and turns alongside subtle bass and string accents overlaid with despondent vocals. "Happy Consumers" sounds like the swirling of a finger drawn upon the edge of crystalline glass, with vocals and drum machines coming emanating from an adjacent room with echoing acoustics, collectively evoking the sound like lingers when the somnambulist wakes from his dream. "Absolutely Absent" hums onward like a phantom train ride that is a one-way ticket to madness, and with the next track "Metalic Isolation" the locomotive beats gather more steam, propelled forward with anachronistic melody. The album closes with "Auf Dein Haut", which translates as on your skin, and the song is both tactile and tenebrous with sensuously dark synth textures amidst howling German vocals that take flight like witches during a sabbat. Partner's In Hell was mixed and produced by Serafim Tsotsonis, and mastered by Doruk Ozturkcan. Genre: Alternative / Post-Punk / Cold Wave

Another classic and much sought after EP from Bay B Kane, featuring the dark anthem "Hello Darkness", all gloriously remastered and repressed from DAT source.